Patience, they say, is a virtue. Try telling that to a tech-savvy tablet owner, whose friend already got an ICS update. Acer started pushing out an Android 4 update to lucky Iconia 500 owners earlier in the week, but for those who've yet to receive it, all is not lost. The tablet maker has taken the unusual step of releasing an app dedicated to getting you the upgrade asap. Can't wait a moment longer? Point your slate at the Play store and search for "Acer" and then simply look for the free Iconia Tab Update Enhancement app. Virtues are overrated anyway.
As much as it'd be interesting to see Windows Phone running on a $21,000 gold-plated cigar lighter, that's probably never going to happen. According to the UK's Financial Times, Nokia has been trying to hive off its luxury Vertu brand for months already, and has finally found a suitor with the right cash / sense ratio. Although still far from a done deal, we're told that venture capitalist firm Permira is willing to contribute up to $265 million to Nokia's needy coffers -- which might sound like a lot, but is mere costume jewelry to a manufacturer that just lost $1.7 billion.
What about the torn ACLs that ended the season for Derrick Rose and Iman Shumpert on Saturday?
Unlikely, said a surgeon.
"There is no evidence that wear and tear, or that kind of issue, playing too much, really has any correlation with ACL injuries in any sport that we've ever studied," Dr. David Altchek from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York said Sunday.
Rose, last season's MVP, was hurt in the final minutes of Chicago's Game 1 victory over Philadelphia, and the Knicks' Shumpert went down a short while later. The blame game started soon after, with many pointing the finger at the hectic post-lockout schedule.
Boston center Jermaine O'Neal, whose season ended early after wrist surgery, wrote on his Twitter page that it was a "clear sign" of fatigued bodies from a condensed season, writing "2 torn acl injuries to key players!"
But Altchek argues that too much playing could actually make a player less susceptible to the injuries that Rose and Shumpert sustained, because they might lack the type of explosiveness it takes to blow out a knee ligament.
"In fact, I think if you're tired, you're a lot less likely to tear your ACL because you're not going to be as explosive," said Altchek, who has operated on players such as Josh Howard, David West and Purdue's Robbie Hummel, and been a consultant for the NBA.
NBA players and owners settled on a 66-game schedule starting on Christmas when they settled the lockout during Thanksgiving weekend. Though perhaps ambitious, both sides saw it as a way to make back as much lost revenue as possible.
Spokesman Tim Frank said that with respect to the season, the league had "ongoing discussions with team doctors and athletic trainers about best practices and planning for injuries."
The revised schedule amounted to about two extra games a month for teams, from 14 to 16. Though the league said the injury rate was about the same as in a normal 82-game season, players say they felt a difference.
"This has been a compressed season, a lot more games, a lot less practice time, a lot less recovery time," Knicks guard Baron Davis said. "You can definitely look at the season and just look at the schedule and say that guys really never got the ample amount of time to rest and heal their bones because you're fighting for playoff position. It's game after game after game. So, you know, it's tough. But there's injuries, there's freak injuries in basketball that's always happening."
They've knocked out players such as Dwight Howard, Al Horford, Andrew Bogut, Jeremy Lin and Stephen Curry, but most were injuries that could come from excessive usage, such as sprains and strains.
Alchek said ACL tears, far more common in female athletes, are scary injuries in that there's little explanation for how to prevent them. He said the non-contact version that both Rose and Shumpert sustained are often more prevalent in the strongest, healthiest athletes.
Contact ACL tears, Altchek said, are the kind that can happen to a football player hit on the side of the knee. But Rose was jumping to stop when he was injured, and Shumpert was trying to maneuver with a behind-the-back dribble when he crumbled to the court.
Both players battled injuries during the season, with Rose missing 27 games for groin, back, toe, foot and ankle problems. There was a mixture of anger and sympathy around the NBA when the popular reigning MVP went down, possibly taking the Bulls' title hopes with him.
Bulls general manager Gar Forman said Rose's previous injuries or the schedule did not lead to the ACL tear. But players don't seem so certain.
"There's a lot of speculation. And it doesn't matter. We're in this season, we played the games, we're in the playoffs now. Hopefully no one else goes down with these type of injuries," Miami's Dwyane Wade said. "It's not anything that we want to see for none of our players to go down with injuries. So you don't know. You don't know if it was because of the condensed season. You don't know what the case may be. The biggest thing is that them guys get healthy."
Twitter became a forum for debate about the schedule's role even before Rose and Shumpert were in their hospital rooms. Former player and ESPN analyst Jalen Rose listed some players that had gone down, putting the blame on the schedule.
For some injuries, it may have been. Just not the two from Saturday.
"There really is no evidence of that, in any athlete, that wear and tear, like gradual wearing away of the ACL, is an issue in terms of the injury," Altchek said.
___
AP Sports Writers Andrew Seligman in Chicago and Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.
___
Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney
Little Big Man
Jo Nesbo, the latest Scandinavian thriller writer, lifted the spirit of Fargo and Harlan Coben in his thriller Headhunters, now adapted into this superior Norwegian (!) film version. Roger Brown (where did he get such an English name?) is the small, successful, scheming headhunter who also doubles as an art thief.Brown lives over his head, has his gorgeous wife who towers over him, and a mop of ridiculous 1980's hair - so he's got to be head and shoulders above any other scalper. 'OK then,' as the Coen Brothers might say, but when he takes on the task of stealing from the hottest new prospect in town (who also owns a priceless painting he must steal), Brown's world starts to fall apart.
The wonderful Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (of Game of Thrones fame)who plays the prospect, turns out to be a sexy killer. Roger (Aksel Hennie, brilliant) has to run for his life. His whole life falls to pieces - his partner killed, his wife seduced, even his precious hair is sacrificed. Brown battles against his new and altogether superior, antagonist. Surviving the initial onslaught, the little big man plots his revenge and triumphs over his adversary in a hugely entertaining conclusion.
The only thing the film lacks is a heart. All of the protagonists are so deeply flawed, it is difficult to like anyone or believe anything. Though it is brilliantly tied up with some true romance, the fact is, when Roger triumphs, he barely changes from the wicked shit shown in the opening reel. Yes, he does give his now happy wife a baby, gets out of the art thief market, but still, goes back to the world of the headhunter with glee.
Maybe this is a small price to pay for such a supremely entertaining thriller. Next year, the inferior US re-make awaits. See the original, dark and chilly as it is.
Are all headlines nowadays conjured up by a dedicated company full of marketing types?
Of course not. There are several companies in this thriving industry, each taking up a particular niche. There's one for the "everything's racist" stories, some for "mediocrity is amazing", a few for "this is the best/worst/biggest/smallest/oldest/newest thing ever (since that other one)", a couple whose shtick is "everything is interesting to nerds because it will change the world", and so on...
Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose reats after injuring his leg in the fourth quarter of Game 1 in the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday, April 28, 2012, in Chicago. The Bulls won 103-91. (AP Photo/Daily Herald, John Starks) MANDATORY CREDIT; TV OUT; MAGS OUT
Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose reats after injuring his leg in the fourth quarter of Game 1 in the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday, April 28, 2012, in Chicago. The Bulls won 103-91. (AP Photo/Daily Herald, John Starks) MANDATORY CREDIT; TV OUT; MAGS OUT
Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, right, talks to center Joakim Noah (13) during the third quarter of Game 1 in the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers in Chicago, Saturday, April 28, 2012. The Bulls won 103-91. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) ? Chicago Bulls general manager Gar Forman backed coach Tom Thibodeau on Sunday, saying he had no problem with the decision to stick with Derrick Rose late in the playoff opener against the Philadelphia 76ers.
"There's absolutely no issue there," Forman said.
There is, however, a big hole in the lineup after the Bulls lost their point guard to a season-ending injury.
The league's reigning MVP, Rose tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee with about 1:20 left in Saturday's 103-91 victory ? a huge blow for a team eyeing its first championship since the Michael Jordan era.
Now, the Bulls will try to get by without their superstar, beginning Tuesday with Game 2 in Chicago, and there's no guarantee Rose will be ready for the start of next season. Rose is facing surgery at some point after the swelling goes down and he regains full range of motion, but ultimately, Forman expects a full recovery.
"We're very optimistic that he'll come back at 100 percent, 110 percent," he said.
For now, the Bulls are staring at a huge task after watching their worst nightmare unfold toward the end of what was an impressive win. Rose seemed to rediscover his dominant form with 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, but the good vibe came screeching to a halt when he crumbled to the floor with a 12-point lead.
Rose came to a jump stop in the lane with the 76ers' Spencer Hawes and Lavoy Allen rotating toward him, and his leg buckled. He still went up again and passed to Carlos Boozer in midair before crashing to the court, sending a chill through the arena while firing up the debate around Chicago.
Why was he still in the game?
Rose had checked back in with just under eight minutes left and the lead reached 20 shortly after that. But with the Sixers making a push, Thibodeau decided to stick with his star and left himself open to second-guessing.
To that, he said, bring it on. He was standing by his decision on Sunday.
"Looking back, I don't think there was a problem," said Thibodeau, who could be in line for his second straight Coach of the Year award. "It was a 12-point game with a minute-and-a half to go."
Forman agreed.
"Again, to us, it was absolutely no issue at all," he said.
That Thibodeau kept his foot on the pedal was hardly a surprise. After all, he's been going mostly full throttle ever since he was hired two years ago.
The approach helped produce the league's best record along with a run to the Eastern Conference finals last season, and the No. 1 overall seed this year despite a run of injuries that could have easily derailed them.
The Bulls went with their projected starting five just 15 times, with Richard Hamilton sidelined much of the season and Luol Deng dealing with a torn ligament in his left wrist. Rose missed 27 games while battling groin, back, toe, foot and ankle problems that Forman said did not lead to the ACL tear, and although they went 18-9 without him, the Bulls realize the task they're facing.
Still, the Sixers aren't buying the idea that the Bulls are finished without Rose.
"More than anything, people tend to see them as a one-man team, which is totally not the case," Andre Iguodala said. "They're one of the best teams in the league. Guys know their roles. They know what it takes for them to win."
Coach Doug Collins said he mentioned to his players the Bulls' record without Rose.
"They've won some games without him. They've won some big games without him," he said.
C.J. Watson and John Lucas III have come up big at times, but, as Joakim Noah said, the Bulls' margin for error is "a lot smaller with Derrick out." Even so, the Bulls weren't questioning Thibodeau's substitution patterns.
"Tom is a terrific, terrific coach who does a lot of things very well, but one of the very best things he does is pace our team, knowing when to put the pedal to the metal and when to back off," Forman said. "I think he's shown that with how he's paced our team the last couple of years ? when is the time to go hard in practice, when is the time not to go hard and when it's time to give guys days off. To me, it's one of the biggest strengths he has as a coach."
Rose's injury sparked a wave of sympathy from his teammates and players around the league. Many Bulls players went to the hospital after the game, with Lucas saying Rose was like a younger brother.
"I just wanted to make sure he was OK spiritually and mentally because it's been tough all year for him battling injuries," Lucas said.
Added Iguodala: "It was really tough seeing him go down." And Collins reached out to the Bulls when he heard the news.
"Everybody on our team, everybody in our organization, is sick to their stomach about what happened to that young guy," Collins said.
Researchers develop rapid test strips for bacterial contamination in swimming waterPublic release date: 30-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Wade Hemsworth hemswor@mcmaster.ca 905-525-9140 x27988 McMaster University
HAMILTON, ON, April 30, 2012 Urban beach closures due to coliform outbreaks have become disturbing signs of summer, yet water-testing technology has never been fast enough to keep up with changing conditions, nor accessible enough to check all waters.
Now, researchers at McMaster University have developed a rapid testing method using a simple paper strip that can detect E. coli in recreational water within minutes. The new tool can close the gap between outbreak and detection, improving public safety.
Scientists from the Sentinel Bioactive Paper Network have created and validated the viability of the test strip, which can detect potentially harmful concentrations of E. coli in water quickly and simply, with much greater accuracy than existing portable technology.
The work is described in a paper published online in the journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.
"Coliforms are always a big problem," says the paper's lead author John Brennan, a McMaster chemistry professor who holds the Canada Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry. "The methods used to detect outbreaks are slow, and tend not to be portable, as they often need a lab-based amplification step prior to testing, causing a time lag between an outbreak and a beach closure."
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada funds Sentinel, a strategic research network that spans the country and is based at McMaster. Several dozen researchers are involved in its initiatives.
Bioactive paper is both old and new, Brennan explains. Since the late1950s, physicians have been using bioactive paper to test for glucose in urine. In the last several years, the area has expanded quickly and research has become very competitive as scientists work on new applications.
"It's always a race," Brennan says.
The new strips are coated with chemicals that react to the bacteria, and are printed using inkjet technology similar to that found in standard desktop printers. Within 30 minutes of sampling, the paper changes colour to indicate the presence of E. coli, with colours coded to represent different forms and concentrations of the bacteria.
In the future, the test should make it possible for consumers to check their water affordably and easily, without additional equipment, scientific knowledge or long waits.
"One of the problems right now is that there is no simple, fast and cheap way to test recreational water, and certainly nothing out there in the realm of rapid tests for drinking water," Brennan says.
Field testing of the prototype strips is planned or under way in Canada and across the globe, in regions where untreated water poses particular health hazards. The results of these studies will help to refine the test strips and may lead to strips that are sensitive enough to tell whether water is safe enough to drink, says Brennan.
The standards for safe drinking water are hundreds of times tighter than those for safe swimming water. Typically, limits for safe swimming allow for a maximum of 100 to 500 cells in 100 mL of water, depending on jurisdiction. For water to be considered safe for drinking, there cannot be even one cell in 100 mL a little less than half a cup of water.
The next stage of pre-commercial development of the test strips is already funded by NSERC through a Phase I Idea to Innovation grant. Commercialization of a final product could take as little as two to three years.
###
LINKS:
The research paper is here: http://bit.ly/IhS3jX
A video with John Brennan explaining the research is here: http://bit.ly/IEZQq7
A photo of John Brennan is here: http://bit.ly/IwIavX
A photo of the test strip is here: http://bit.ly/JfT9Gx
For more information, please contact:
Wade Hemsworth
Public Relations Manager
McMaster University
905-525-9140, ext. 27988
hemswor@mcmaster.ca
Michelle Donovan
Public Relations Manager
McMaster University
905-525-9140 ext. 22869
donovam@mcmaster.ca
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Researchers develop rapid test strips for bacterial contamination in swimming waterPublic release date: 30-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Wade Hemsworth hemswor@mcmaster.ca 905-525-9140 x27988 McMaster University
HAMILTON, ON, April 30, 2012 Urban beach closures due to coliform outbreaks have become disturbing signs of summer, yet water-testing technology has never been fast enough to keep up with changing conditions, nor accessible enough to check all waters.
Now, researchers at McMaster University have developed a rapid testing method using a simple paper strip that can detect E. coli in recreational water within minutes. The new tool can close the gap between outbreak and detection, improving public safety.
Scientists from the Sentinel Bioactive Paper Network have created and validated the viability of the test strip, which can detect potentially harmful concentrations of E. coli in water quickly and simply, with much greater accuracy than existing portable technology.
The work is described in a paper published online in the journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.
"Coliforms are always a big problem," says the paper's lead author John Brennan, a McMaster chemistry professor who holds the Canada Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry. "The methods used to detect outbreaks are slow, and tend not to be portable, as they often need a lab-based amplification step prior to testing, causing a time lag between an outbreak and a beach closure."
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada funds Sentinel, a strategic research network that spans the country and is based at McMaster. Several dozen researchers are involved in its initiatives.
Bioactive paper is both old and new, Brennan explains. Since the late1950s, physicians have been using bioactive paper to test for glucose in urine. In the last several years, the area has expanded quickly and research has become very competitive as scientists work on new applications.
"It's always a race," Brennan says.
The new strips are coated with chemicals that react to the bacteria, and are printed using inkjet technology similar to that found in standard desktop printers. Within 30 minutes of sampling, the paper changes colour to indicate the presence of E. coli, with colours coded to represent different forms and concentrations of the bacteria.
In the future, the test should make it possible for consumers to check their water affordably and easily, without additional equipment, scientific knowledge or long waits.
"One of the problems right now is that there is no simple, fast and cheap way to test recreational water, and certainly nothing out there in the realm of rapid tests for drinking water," Brennan says.
Field testing of the prototype strips is planned or under way in Canada and across the globe, in regions where untreated water poses particular health hazards. The results of these studies will help to refine the test strips and may lead to strips that are sensitive enough to tell whether water is safe enough to drink, says Brennan.
The standards for safe drinking water are hundreds of times tighter than those for safe swimming water. Typically, limits for safe swimming allow for a maximum of 100 to 500 cells in 100 mL of water, depending on jurisdiction. For water to be considered safe for drinking, there cannot be even one cell in 100 mL a little less than half a cup of water.
The next stage of pre-commercial development of the test strips is already funded by NSERC through a Phase I Idea to Innovation grant. Commercialization of a final product could take as little as two to three years.
###
LINKS:
The research paper is here: http://bit.ly/IhS3jX
A video with John Brennan explaining the research is here: http://bit.ly/IEZQq7
A photo of John Brennan is here: http://bit.ly/IwIavX
A photo of the test strip is here: http://bit.ly/JfT9Gx
For more information, please contact:
Wade Hemsworth
Public Relations Manager
McMaster University
905-525-9140, ext. 27988
hemswor@mcmaster.ca
Michelle Donovan
Public Relations Manager
McMaster University
905-525-9140 ext. 22869
donovam@mcmaster.ca
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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Public release date: 30-Apr-2012
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