Helping dementia patients remember to eat well improves physical and mental health

Public release date: 28-Feb-2013
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Contact: Amy Molnar
sciencenewsroom@wiley.com
Wiley

A new analysis has found that a combination of methods that help patients with dementia remember proper eating habits can improve their physical health and lessen symptoms of depression. Published early online in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, the study indicates that clinicians should consider using this intervention in individuals with dementia who also have poor nutrition and signs of depression.

In patients with dementia, poor nutrition or decreased food intake may cause symptoms of depression. Investigators including Li-Chan Lin, RN, PhD, of the National Yang-Ming University, in Taipei, Taiwan, tested the effectiveness of a combination of methods to train patients with dementia to remember proper eating habits. The intervention incorporated a method called spaced retrievala kind of memory training that requires an individual to recall a piece of information at increasing time intervalsand Montessori-based activities, through which structured activities related to daily life are sequentially and repetitively practiced.

Twenty-five participants received spaced retrieval combined with Montessori-based activities with a total of 24 fixed group sessions. Thirty-eight participants received the same intervention with sessions that were adjusted according to each participant's learning response. Twenty-seven control participants just received routine care. Tests for depression, body mass index, and nutrition were conducted before and after the sessions, as well as at one, three, and six months later.

The tests revealed that nutrition improved and body mass index increased over time for individuals receiving either type of intervention with spaced retrieval and Montessori-based activities. Also, depression scores were reduced in parallel with nutrition improvement in participants who received interventions adjusted according to each participant's learning response.

"It has been shown that spaced retrieval or Montessori-based activities can improve eating ability. In our research, besides improving eating ability, improved nutrition, increased body mass index, and a moderating effect on depressive symptoms are produced by spaced retrieval combined with Montessori-based activities," said Dr. Lin. "We expect that this combined intervention can produce greater effects than spaced retrieval or Montessori-based activities can alone."

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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.

Public release date: 28-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Amy Molnar
sciencenewsroom@wiley.com
Wiley

A new analysis has found that a combination of methods that help patients with dementia remember proper eating habits can improve their physical health and lessen symptoms of depression. Published early online in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, the study indicates that clinicians should consider using this intervention in individuals with dementia who also have poor nutrition and signs of depression.

In patients with dementia, poor nutrition or decreased food intake may cause symptoms of depression. Investigators including Li-Chan Lin, RN, PhD, of the National Yang-Ming University, in Taipei, Taiwan, tested the effectiveness of a combination of methods to train patients with dementia to remember proper eating habits. The intervention incorporated a method called spaced retrievala kind of memory training that requires an individual to recall a piece of information at increasing time intervalsand Montessori-based activities, through which structured activities related to daily life are sequentially and repetitively practiced.

Twenty-five participants received spaced retrieval combined with Montessori-based activities with a total of 24 fixed group sessions. Thirty-eight participants received the same intervention with sessions that were adjusted according to each participant's learning response. Twenty-seven control participants just received routine care. Tests for depression, body mass index, and nutrition were conducted before and after the sessions, as well as at one, three, and six months later.

The tests revealed that nutrition improved and body mass index increased over time for individuals receiving either type of intervention with spaced retrieval and Montessori-based activities. Also, depression scores were reduced in parallel with nutrition improvement in participants who received interventions adjusted according to each participant's learning response.

"It has been shown that spaced retrieval or Montessori-based activities can improve eating ability. In our research, besides improving eating ability, improved nutrition, increased body mass index, and a moderating effect on depressive symptoms are produced by spaced retrieval combined with Montessori-based activities," said Dr. Lin. "We expect that this combined intervention can produce greater effects than spaced retrieval or Montessori-based activities can alone."

###

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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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/w-hdp022613.php

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AP Source: NCAA found $170K in Shapiro benefits

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) ? The NCAA is alleging that former Miami booster Nevin Shapiro was responsible for providing about $170,000 in impermissible benefits to Hurricanes athletes, recruits, coaches and others between 2002 and 2010.

Shapiro allegedly spent more than half that amount ? at least $90,000 ? in an effort to get NFL players Vince Wilfork and Antrel Rolle to sign with a sports agency he was involved with, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press Wednesday on condition of anonymity because neither Miami nor the NCAA has publicly released the allegations.

Also included in the allegations: That Shapiro spent at least another $56,000 on "meals, entertainment, clothing, jewelry, travel, lodging and cash" on football players, recruits and others. The NCAA alleged that Shapiro spent that on 72 then-players, three recruits and 12 "friends and family members" of those either on the team or being recruited by the school.

Virtually all of the Hurricane players listed as receiving some sort of extra benefit from Shapiro left the program several years ago.

The figures that the NCAA's enforcement staff cited in the notice of allegations add up to a significantly lower total than what Shapiro told Yahoo Sports in 2011, when he estimated his extra-benefit spending spree as going into the "millions of dollars."

If true, the NCAA only listed a sliver of that in the allegations. The figures that were sent to Miami also were described as "approximate total values."

The NCAA said Shapiro also provided extra benefits in the forms of impermissible supplemental compensation to at least three former Miami assistant coaches, along with travel benefits and other items.

Miami received its notice of allegations, ones that included a lack of institutional control for failing to properly monitor Shapiro's activities as a booster, last week. It also includes charges that three former assistant coaches broke what's known as the NCAA's Rule 10.1 ? governing ethical conduct ? by misleading the investigation. Two of those former assistants have asked that their cases be thrown out because of problems the NCAA acknowledged with the way it conducted the probe.

The NCAA's Committee on Infractions wants to hear the case in June.

The Hurricanes have already self-imposed several sanctions, including sitting out two bowl games and a conference football championship game. Miami President Donna Shalala said on two occasions last week that she believes those punishments should be enough, and on Wednesday, the Hurricanes' athletic director echoed those sentiments.

"I would say I agree with everything that was in the two statements by President Shalala," Blake James, Miami's athletic director, told The AP. "I think she was right on in her comments and was very reflective of the general feel of our institution and those involved in this case."

Shapiro is serving a 20-year prison term for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-27-Miami-NCAA-Investigation/id-a26e1f8c765b4ee68df19e4b1131041b

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Benedict begins final quiet day as pope

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict slips quietly from the world stage on Thursday after a private last goodbye to his cardinals and a short flight to a country palace to enter the final phase of his life "hidden from the world".

In keeping with his shy and modest ways, there will be no public ceremony to mark the first papal resignation in six centuries and no solemn declaration ending his nearly eight-year reign at the head of the world's largest church.

His last public appearance will be a short greeting to residents and well-wishers at Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence south of Rome, in the late afternoon after his 15-minute helicopter hop from the Vatican.

When the resignation becomes official at 8 p.m. Rome time (02.00 p.m. EST), Benedict will be relaxing inside the 17th century palace. Swiss Guards on duty at the main gate to indicate the pope's presence within will simply quit their posts and return to Rome to await their next pontiff.

Avoiding any special ceremony, Benedict used his weekly general audience on Wednesday to bid an emotional farewell to more than 150,000 people who packed St Peter's Square to cheer for him and wave signs of support.

With a slight smile, his often stern-looking face seemed content and relaxed as he acknowledged the loud applause from the crowd.

"Thank you, I am very moved," he said in Italian. His unusually personal remarks included an admission that "there were moments ... when the seas were rough and the wind blew against us and it seemed that the Lord was sleeping".

CARDINALS PREPARE THE FUTURE

Once the chair of St Peter is vacant, cardinals who have assembled from around the world for Benedict's farewell will begin planning the closed-door conclave that will elect his successor.

One of the first questions facing these "princes of the Church" is when the 115 cardinal electors should enter the Sistine Chapel for the voting. They will hold a first meeting on Friday but a decision may not come until next week.

The Vatican seems to be aiming for an election by mid-March so the new pope can be installed in office before Palm Sunday on March 24 and lead the Holy Week services that culminate in Easter on the following Sunday.

In the meantime, the cardinals will hold daily consultations at the Vatican at which they discuss issues facing the Church, get to know each other better and size up potential candidates for the 2,000-year-old post of pope.

There are no official candidates, no open campaigning and no clear front runner for the job. Cardinals tipped as favorites by Vatican watchers include Brazil's Odilo Scherer, Canadian Marc Ouellet, Ghanaian Peter Turkson, Italy's Angelo Scola and Timothy Dolan of the United States.

BENEDICT'S PLANS

Benedict, a bookish man who did not seek the papacy and did not enjoy the global glare it brought, proved to be an energetic teacher of Catholic doctrine but a poor manager of the Curia, the Vatican bureaucracy that became mired in scandal during his reign.

He leaves his successor a top secret report on rivalries and scandals within the Curia, prompted by leaks of internal files last year that documented the problems hidden behind the Vatican's thick walls and the Church's traditional secrecy.

After about two months at Castel Gandolfo, Benedict plans to move into a refurbished convent in the Vatican Gardens, where he will live out his life in prayer and study, "hidden to the world", as he put it.

Having both a retired and a serving pope at the same time proved such a novelty that the Vatican took nearly two weeks to decide his title and form of clerical dress.

He will be known as the "pope emeritus," wear a simple white cassock rather than his white papal clothes and retire his famous red "shoes of the fisherman," a symbol of the blood of the early Christian martyrs, for more pedestrian brown ones.

(Reporting By Tom Heneghan; editing by Philip Pullella and Giles Elgood)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/low-key-departure-pope-steps-down-hides-away-000419898.html

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Paula Deen Still Feels Fat, Still Eats Fried Chicken (Just Not As Much)

Celebrity chef Paula Deen poses for a portrait in New York. (AP Photo/Carlo Allegri, File)

Paula Deen was in Miami last week for the annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival, and the celebrity chef turned a few heads after her uninhibited Today Show appearance.

Deen took a break from partying to speak to The Miami Herald about her current diet plan. Deen has lost 40 pounds since announcing her diabetes diagnosis in early 2012.

?I still feel like a fat ass,? Deen told the Herald. "I need a chin lift so bad."

Deen's been preaching moderation for many months now. She's not eliminating many foods, just eating less of them, the star chef told the Herald.

"When she eats fried chicken, now it?s just a wing," the Herald reported.

The PaulaDeen.com website is now in line with Deen's new diet mission. The most prominent links on the site are about a contest around eating healthy with diabetes, an article about fennel seasonality, and recipes for energy bars and lighter eclairs. It's a far cry from fried butter balls.

Read the whole Miami Herald article here.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/26/paula-deen-fat-fried-chicken_n_2767306.html

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Enhance Your Environment With These Home Improvement Ideas

TIP! Find a way to remove all of the debris. Home renovation projects create debris that is going to mess you up if you aren?t considering how you?re going to eliminate it before beginning your project.

Home improvements can function as a great source for relief, or as a major pain in the neck. The difference is in being prepared for all contingencies. These tips should give you some confidence to take on new projects. This list of tips should help you to become successful with it.

TIP! Once you install new carpet or hardwoods, make sure the new surfaces stay fresh by forbidding shoes inside the house. Purchase an inexpensive storage unit to give yourself a place to put the shoes.

Does your floor need some work? If you have the ambition, you can remove your floor and install adhesive wood flooring. While this type of flooring is considered cheap by many, it is a very nice alternative. Not only that, but it is easy enough for most people to do it by themselves.

TIP! In order to create precious floor space or clear out other much-needed space that is being take up by your television or television stand, you might want to consider getting a wall-mounted bracket to hold your television. You can do a project like this in just 30 minutes as long as you stick to the directions.

If you are looking for a project that can protect your foundation, take a look at the ground around your house and make sure that it?s sloped to drain water away from the walls of your house. This may include gradation of your yard to slop to the road or even just lengthening your downspout further from your home.

TIP! To make your home improvement project a success, always hire a licensed contractor. All states require a legal certificate for contractors.

Put some ceiling fans in the rooms that you are in the most to get some air moving. Fans can instantly cool a room during the warm summer months and can be used in the winter to push the heated air downward. Many fans change directions either drawing air downward or upward, depending on what you want.

TIP! Any contractor who offers you a discount for paying in cash is doing something illegal, so don?t get involved with him. Contractors who work with you on a cash-only basis have leverage over you.

Sometimes, you get what you pay for. Research the companies, and do the necessary footwork to find the best person for the job. At first, you might be tempted by a low price, but if sub par work is performed, it may cost you more in the long run.

TIP! Putting in hand railings will make your home more safe and attractive. Places where you need to be sure you have railings are decks, balconies, stairways and entrance ways.

Home improvement is more complicated than is commonly realized. It requires a lot of research and work, but it will be worth it in the end to help enhance your home. Following the tips below will help you get started.

Source: http://flatironscarpet.com/enhance-your-environment-with-these-home-improvement-ideas/

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Deal of the Day: Incipio FAXION Case for HTC Droid DNA

The Feb. 27 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Incipio FAXION Case for HTC Droid DNA. Shock-absorbing TPU and impact resistant polycarbonate are fused into one sleek design, and the custom-molded FAXION case is the epitome of reliable and stylish protection. There's access to the screen, camera and ports of the device--available in black, gray, pink, and teal.

The Incipio FAXION Case is available for just $19.00, 46% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/onhcii63sqg/story01.htm

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Swine cells could power artificial liver

Feb. 27, 2013 ? Chronic or acute, liver failure can be deadly. Toxins take over, the skin turns yellow and higher brain function slows.

"There is no effective therapy at the moment to deal with the toxins that build up in your body," said Neil Talbot, a Research Animal Scientist for the USDA Agricultural Research Service. "Their only option now is to transplant a liver."

Talbot thinks a line of special liver cells could change that. In an interview with the American Society of Animal Science, he discussed how a line of pig liver cells called PICM-19 could perform many of the same functions as a human liver.

In 1991, Talbot created PICM-19 from the cells of an 8-day-old pig embryo. The cell line is significant because it is "immortal," meaning the cells can divide an infinite number of times. Many immortal cells lines continue dividing because they are derived from cancer cells; however, PICM-19 cells are derived from epiblast cells, the embryonic stem cells that form in the early stages of embryo development.

This immortal cell line has helped Talbot study how cells differentiate. Cells from the PICM-19 lines naturally differentiate into bile duct cells or hepatocytes. Hepatocytes do the bulk of the work in a liver. Hepatocytes form and secrete bile, store glycogen, control blood glucose, process vitamin D, and metabolize cholesterol and fat.

"The PICM- 19 cells are the cells that really do all the metabolic functions of the liver," said Talbot.

Hepatocytes also "scrub" toxins from the blood. Talbot said PICM-19 cells could do the same thing inside an artificial liver. There have already been several in vitro tests of artificial liver devices, and the ARS scientists are working on ways to grow the PICM-19 cells without needing "feeder cells." Feeder cells are mouse cells that hold PICM-19 cells in place and provide important molecules for PICM-19 cell growth and maintenance.

Artificial livers are still in development, but Talbot pointed out other applications for PICM-19 cells. Talbot and fellow scientists have used PICM-19 to study malaria, toxoplasmosis and hepatitis viruses. Researchers could also use the cells to study certain cancers of the liver or investigate the changes in the bile duct associated with cystic fibrosis.

Talbot recommends future studies on how PICM-19 cells respond to selective pressures. He said scientists could select for more efficient liver cells by exposing PICM-19 cells to toxins in culture.

"A lot of cells would die, but the survivors would really be tough," Talbot said.

Those tougher cells could make artificial liver devices more effective. Scientists could also use genetic modification to prompt PICM-19 cells to behave like other cells in the body.

"Maybe we want to enable it to make insulin," Talbot said. "It will be like a pancreas."

With PICM-19 cells filling in for livers or other organs, the transplant list could get a lot shorter.

Tom Caperna, an ARS Research Biologist and collaborator with Talbot, presented their work on PICM-19 during the Growth and Development Symposium at the 2012 Joint Annual Meeting. The full symposium summary is titled "Growth and Development Symposium: Development, characterization, and use of a porcine epiblast-derived stem cell line: ARS-PICM-19." It can be read in full at journalofanimalscience.org.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/pve47Qd8i7w/130227134433.htm

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Pope speaks of 'rough seas' of papacy at emotional farewell

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict bid an emotional farewell at his last general audience on Wednesday, acknowledging the "rough seas" that marked his papacy "when it seemed that the Lord was sleeping."

In an unusually public outpouring for such a private man, he alluded to some of the most difficult times of his papacy, which was dogged by sex abuse scandals, leaks of his private papers and reports of infighting among his closest aides.

"Thank you, I am very moved," Benedict told a cheering crowd of more than 150,000 people in St Peter's Square a day before he becomes the first pope to step down in some six centuries.

He said he had great trust in the Church's future, that his abdication was for the good of the Church and asked for prayers for cardinals choosing his successor at a time of crisis.

The Vatican said the address, repeatedly interrupted by applause and cries of "Benedict, Benedict" - was the last by the pope, who as of Thursday evening will have the title "pope emeritus."

"There were moments of joy and light but also moments that were not easy ... there were moments, as there were throughout the history of the Church, when the seas were rough and the wind blew against us and it seemed that the Lord was sleeping," he said.

When he finished the crowd, which spilled over into surrounding streets and included many of the red-hatted cardinals who will elect his successor in a closed doors conclave next month, stood to applaud.

"I took this step in the full knowledge of its gravity and rarity but with a profound serenity of spirit," he said, as people in the crowd wave supportive banners and national flags.

Loving the Church meant, "having the courage to take difficult and anguished choices, always having in mind the good of the church and not oneself," he said.

The pope says he is too old and weak to continue leading a Church beset by crises over child abuse by priests and a leak of confidential Vatican documents showing corruption and rivalry among Vatican officials.

He said he was not "coming down from the cross" but would serve the Church through prayer.

Some of those who have faulted Benedict for resigning have pointed to the late Pope John Paul, who said he would "not come down from the cross" despite his bad health because he believed his suffering could inspire others.

CHURCH CRISIS

Many Catholics and even some close papal aides were stunned by his decision on February 11 and concerned about the impact it will have on a Church torn by divisions.

Most in the square were supportive of Benedict, an increasingly frail figure in the last months of his papacy.

"He did what he had to do in his conscience before God," said Sister Carmel, from a city north of Rome, who came to the capital with her fellow nuns and members of her parish.

"This is a day in which we are called to trust in the Lord, a day of hope," she said. "There is no room for sadness here today. We have to pray, there are many problems in the Church but we have to trust in the Lord."

Not everyone agreed.

"He was a disaster. It's good for everyone that he resigned," said Peter McNamara, 61, an Australian of Irish descent who said he had come to the square "to witness history".

The pope, a theologian and professor, never felt truly comfortable with the weight of the papacy and many Catholics feel that, although he was a towering Church figure, perhaps the cardinals should have chosen someone else in 2005.

"It was clear from the start that he was more at home in a library," said Carla Manton, 65. "A very good man but he realized in his heart that this was the right thing to do for himself and the Church and now he will pray, he will pray for all of us."

Benedict will move to the papal summer residence south of Rome on Thursday night and later to a convent in the Vatican.

He will lay aside the red "shoes of the fisherman" that have been part of his papal attire and wear brown loafers given to him by shoemakers during a trip to Leon, Mexico last year. He will wear a "simple white cassock", the Vatican said.

His lead seal and his ring of office, known as the "ring of the fisherman", will be destroyed according to Church rules, just as if he had died.

The Vatican said on Tuesday that the pope was sifting through documents to see which will remain in the Vatican and go into the archives of his papacy and which "are of a personal nature and he will take to his new residence".

Among the documents left for the next pope will be a confidential report by three cardinals into the "Vatileaks" affair last year when Benedict's former butler revealed private papers showing corruption and in-fighting inside the Vatican.

The new pope will inherit a Church marked by Vatileaks and child abuse scandals involving priests in Europe and the United States, both of which may have weighed on Benedict's decision.

On Thursday, he will greet cardinals in Rome. That afternoon he will fly by helicopter to the papal summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo, a 15-minute journey. In his last appearance as pope, he will greet residents and well-wishers in a small square.

At 8 p.m. the Swiss Guards who stand as sentries at the residence will march off in a sign that the papacy is vacant.

Benedict changed Church rules so that cardinals who start pre-conclave meetings on Friday could begin the conclave earlier than the 15 days after the papacy becomes vacant prescribed by the previous law.

The Vatican appears to be aiming to have a new pope elected by mid-March and installed before Palm Sunday on March 24 so he can preside at Holy Week services leading to Easter.

Cardinals have begun informal consultations by phone and email in the past two weeks since Benedict said he was quitting.

Pope Benedict XVI finishes his last general audience in St Peter's Square at the Vatican February 27, 2013. The weekly event which would normally be held in a vast auditorium in winter, but has been ... more? Pope Benedict XVI finishes his last general audience in St Peter's Square at the Vatican February 27, 2013. The weekly event which would normally be held in a vast auditorium in winter, but has been moved outdoors to St. Peter's Square so more people can attend. The pope has two days left before he takes the historic step of becoming the first pontiff in some six centuries to step down instead of ruling for life. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi (VATICAN - Tags: RELIGION) less?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/huge-crowd-st-peters-square-popes-last-audience-092643759.html

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Hagel takes helm at Pentagon after bitter fight

FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2013, file photo, Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Hagel is expected to be sworn in as Secretary of Defense Wednesday Feb. 27, 2013 and is likely to address the staff in his first day as defense secretary. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file)

FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2013, file photo, Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Hagel is expected to be sworn in as Secretary of Defense Wednesday Feb. 27, 2013 and is likely to address the staff in his first day as defense secretary. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Chuck Hagel takes charge at the Defense Department with deep budget cuts looming and Republican opponents still doubtful that he's up to the job.

Hagel is expected to be sworn in Wednesday and is likely to address the staff in his first day as defense secretary. The bitter, seven-week fight over his nomination ended Tuesday as a deeply divided Senate voted 58-41 to confirm him. Just four Republicans joined Democrats in backing the former two-term Republican senator from Nebraska and twice-wounded Vietnam combat veteran.

"I am honored that President Obama and the Senate have entrusted me to serve our nation once again," Hagel said in a statement. "I can think of no greater privilege than leading the brave, dedicated men and women of the Department of Defense as they perform vital missions around the globe."

Hagel promised to work closely with Congress, but he faces lingering reservations about his ability to handle the responsibilities. Shortly after the vote, Sen. Lindsey Graham said he still has serious questions about Hagel and his qualifications.

"I hope, for the sake of our own national security, he exceeds expectations," said the South Carolina Republican.

The top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, said Hagel's record on Israel, Iran, defense spending and nuclear weapons "demonstrate, in my view, a profound and troubling lack of judgment on many of the critical issues he will now be confronted with as secretary of defense."

But Inhofe promised to work with Hagel to avoid the $46 billion in automatic, across-the-board budget cuts that hit the Pentagon on Friday.

Obama alluded to the need for cooperation in his statement welcoming the vote.

The president said he was grateful to Hagel "for reminding us that when it comes to our national defense, we are not Democrats or Republicans, we are Americans, and our greatest responsibility is the security of the American people."

Hagel joins Obama's retooled national security team, including Secretary of State John Kerry and CIA Director-designate John Brennan, at a time of uncertainty for a military emerging from two wars and fighting worldwide terrorism with smaller, deficit-driven budgets.

Among his daunting challenges are dealing with the budget cuts and deciding on troop levels in Afghanistan as the United States winds down its combat presence. He also will have to work with lawmakers who spent weeks vilifying him.

Republicans insisted that Hagel was battered and bloodied after their repeated attacks during the protracted political fight.

"He will take office with the weakest support of any defense secretary in modern history, which will make him less effective on his job," said Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the Senate GOP's No. 2 Republican.

Not so, said Democratic Sen. Jack Reed, who pointed out that Hagel now has the title and the fight is history.

"All have to work together for the interest of the country," said Reed, D-R.I.

The vote ended one of the bitterest fights over a Cabinet choice and former senator since 1989, when the Democratic-led Senate defeated newly elected President George H.W. Bush's nomination of Republican John Tower to be defense secretary. This time, Republicans waged an unprecedented filibuster of a president's Pentagon pick and Hagel only secured the job after Republicans dropped their delay.

A 71-27 vote to end the filibuster cleared the way for Hagel's confirmation.

In the course of the rancorous nomination fight, Republicans, led by Inhofe and freshman Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, insinuated that Hagel has a cozy relationship with Iran and received payments for speeches from extreme or radical groups. Those comments drew rebukes from Democrats and some Republicans.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, dismissed the "unfair innuendoes" against Hagel and called him an "outstanding American patriot" whose background as an enlisted soldier would send a positive message to the nation's servicemen and women.

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., questioned how the confirmation process devolved into a character assassination in which Hagel was accused of "having secret ties with our enemies."

"I sincerely hope that the practice of challenging nominations with innuendo and inference, rather than facts and figures, was an aberration and not a roadmap," she said in a statement after the vote.

___

Follow Donna Cassata on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DonnaCassataAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-02-27-Hagel/id-927179d9ce0f4a538cafcb5002d08ea2

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Atlantic City casino shares up on NJ nod for online gambling

(Reuters) - The legalization of online gambling in New Jersey gave a boost to shares of Caesars Entertainment Corp and Boyd Gaming Corp, on expectations that this will revive business in Atlantic City, the second-biggest U.S. gaming destination.

The companies, which together account for more than 60 percent of Atlantic City's gaming revenue, would benefit from new gaming rules that give preference to existing New Jersey casino operators in issuing online gaming licenses.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Tuesday approved online gambling for the state's 9 million residents in a bid to boost state revenue and regain customers who have chosen to gamble in Pennsylvania and New York.

Shares of Caesars Entertainment, which runs four New Jersey casinos -- Bally's Atlantic City, Caesars Atlantic City, Harrah's Resort Atlantic City and Showboat Atlantic City -- rose nearly 6 percent in early trade, before paring some gains to trade up 2 percent at $12.37 on the Nasdaq.

Shares of Boyd Gaming, which operates the Borgata Hotel and Casino resort, were up nearly 4 percent at $6.74 in afternoon trade. They had risen as much as 6 percent earlier in the day.

"We think (online gambling in New Jersey) is going to be beneficial not only to our company and other operators but it will also help expand and possibly reinvigorate the market by introducing games to potential new customers," said Gary Thompson, a Caesars Entertainment spokesman.

Morningstar analyst Chad Mollman, however, said the impact of the new legislation was already built into Caesars' stock, which has doubled since November.

Mollman cautioned that it would take 18 to 24 months for online gambling to impact the company's results.

"(The delay) has to do with New Jersey regulations, they need to get a license. It is going to take time for operations to logistically run," Mollman said.

TECHNOLOGY PLAY

Most of the other stocks that benefited from the New Jersey announcement were online gaming companies that have the technology to launch these services in the United States.

Shares of UK-based bwin.party, the world's largest listed online gaming group, closed up 8.9 percent at 153.91 pence on the London Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

It was one of the top gainers on Britain's mid-cap FTSE 250 index during trading hours, with volumes double its 90-day daily average.

Shares of 888 Holdings, a partner with Caesars Entertainment, closed up 4.3 percent at 158.5 pence.

Social gaming company Zynga Inc's shares were up 5 percent at $3.53 on the Nasdaq.

Zynga was one of several companies, including casino games makers SHFL Entertainment Inc and International Game Technology, that have been preparing for the launch of online poker after the Justice Department ruled in 2011 that only online betting on sporting contests was illegal.

Gavin Isaacs, the chief executive of SHFL, which holds an online poker license for Nevada, said he expects the revenue impact from online poker in the United States to be marginal in the current year, even if it were to start tomorrow.

"I think the bigger impact for us will still be from tables," Isaacs said.

But the floodgates are opening.

Nevada became the first U.S. state to legalize online poker last week.

And the California and Mississippi legislatures might do the same in the next year, Mollman said.

(Reporting by Siddharth Cavale and Aditi Shrivastava in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/atlantic-city-casino-shares-nj-nod-online-gambling-194331488.html

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Dan Henderson gets bigger payday than Ronda Rousey, but disclosed sums don?t tell whole story

The California Athletic Commission announced the reported salaries from UFC 157 over the weekend. While Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche dominated headlines with the first female bout in UFC history, it was Lyoto Machida and Dan Henderson who made the biggest sums of reported money after squaring off in 157's co-main event.

Here are the reported salaries of the top five fights from the card (via MMA Weekly):

Ronda Rousey: $90,000 (includes $45,000 win bonus) def. Liz Carmouche: $12,000

Lyoto Machida: $200,000 (no win bonus) def. Dan Henderson: $250,000

Urijah Faber: $100,000 (includes $50,000 win bonus) def. Ivan Menjivar: $17,000

Court McGee: $40,000 (includes $20,000 win bonus) def. Josh Neer: $16,000

Robbie Lawler: $105,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Josh Koscheck: $78,000

It may stand out to the casual fan that Rousey and Carmouche made much less money on paper than Henderson and Machida. But there are a few things to consider as the money disclosed here is only what promoters are required to report by law.

It does not include money the fighters make of pay-per-view sales. Quite often, fighters at the top of the card will make a percentage of the pay-per-view profits. Early reports have UFC 157 with 400-500,000 pay-per-views, so it could mean a good payday for the headliners.

The UFC also is known to give out "locker room bonuses," or extra money because of a good performance that they are not required to report to the athletic commissions.

During the run-up to UFC 157, Carmouche talked about how she didn't have much furniture in her home and drove a rundown car. UFC president Dana White promised after the fights that her furniture-less days are over.

"She going to have a kitchen table, and a couch, and whatever else the [expletive] she wants," White said.

Also, Henderson and Machida are UFC veterans whose payouts are decided by their contracts well in advance of their fights. Rousey and Carmouche were the main event because the UFC standard is to put the championship fight as the main event. Henderson and Machida taking home more listed money is akin to Mike Trout making $480,000 and Vernon Wells making $21 million for the Los Angeles Angels. Trout finished second in American League MVP voting but makes much less because he's a rookie and not a veteran like Wells.

To use another example, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick made much less money than backup Alex Smith. Kaepernick will eventually get paid as his star blossoms but it doesn't change the paycheck he took home from the Super Bowl.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/dan-henderson-gets-biggest-pay-day-ufc-157-215628008--mma.html

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Anti-gun Democrat shoo-in to replace Jackson Jr.

CHICAGO (AP) ? The newly-elected Democratic nominee to replace disgraced former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. vowed to become a leader in the fight for federal gun control and directly challenged the National Rifle Association in her victory speech.

But it remains to be seen if Robin Kelly's primary win Tuesday night in the Chicago-area district, aided by a $2 million ad campaign funded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's super PAC, would fuel the national debate.

Kelly, a former state representative, emerged early as a voice for gun control in the truncated primary season after Jackson resigned in November. She gained huge momentum as Bloomberg's super PAC poured money into anti-gun television ads in her favor that blasted one of her Democratic opponents, former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, for receiving a previous high rating from the NRA. Kelly supports an assault weapons ban, while Halvorson does not.

"We were on the right side of the issue and our message resonated," Kelly told The Associated Press shortly after her win.

Kelly promised in her victory speech later Tuesday night to fight "until gun violence is no longer a nightly feature on the evening news" and directly addressed the NRA, saying "their days of holding our country hostage are coming to an end."

Bloomberg called Kelly's win an important victory for "common sense leadership" on gun violence, saying in a statement that voters nationwide are demanding change from their leaders.

But other Democratic front runners accused Bloomberg of buying a race and interfering in the heavily urban district that also includes some Chicago suburbs and rural areas.

"It shows, unfortunately, you can't go up against that big money. ...That's the problem with super PACs," Halvorson, who unsuccessfully challenged Jackson in a primary last year, told the AP. "There is nothing I could have done differently."

Kelly's win all but assures she will sail through the April 9 general election and head to Washington, because the Chicago-area district is overwhelmingly Democratic. The Republican contest, featuring four lesser-known candidates, was too close to call as of Tuesday night, though no Republican has won the district in 50 years.

The race was the district's first wide-open primary since 1995, when Jackson was first elected to Congress in a special election. He resigned in November after a months-long medical leave for treatment of bipolar disorder and other issues, then pleaded guilty this month to misspending $750,000 in campaign money on lavish personal items.

Even with his legal saga playing out in the courts, talk of guns dominated the primary race, which featured 14 Democrats. The election came after Chicago saw its deadliest January in more than a decade, including the death of a high-profile honors student who was fatally shot just days after she performed at President Barack Obama's second inauguration.

Political experts and fellow candidates said the super PAC money made all the difference, particularly in an election with a short primary and low voter turnout.

"The money bought Kelly a tremendous among of attention," said Laura Washington, a political analyst in Chicago. "She tapped into a real hard nerve out there in the community. People are really concerned about gun control and violence. She was smart to focus like a laser on that issue."

Bloomberg's entrance into the race became controversial, at least with the candidates and some voters.

The Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent has long taken a vocal stance against guns. He launched his super PAC weeks before the November election and spent more than $12 million to back seven candidates nationwide, including for newly elected Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod, a California Democrat who ousted an incumbent during a race where guns were an issue.

On Tuesday, Kelly told supporters that she would work with Obama and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to get gun legislation through Congress.

However, gun rights advocates dismissed the notion that Kelly's election and Bloomberg's attention would fuel the debate on gun control.

"This is an aberration," said Illinois State Rifle Association spokesman Richard Pearson. "This shows what you can do with $2 million in an off season race. He bought the election is the way."

Another Democratic front runner, Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale, also took issue with the ads, saying people were "extremely upset" that someone from New York was trying to tell people in Illinois how to vote.

"That's what money gets you," he told the AP after conceding late Tuesday. "We earned every vote."

Roughly 14 percent of registered voters came to the polls, an estimate Chicago officials said was the lowest turnout in decades. Adding to the problem was a blast of wintry weather Tuesday that snarled traffic, cancelled hundreds of flights and could have kept some voters home.

But those who did make it out indicated that guns, ethics and economic woes were on their minds.

Mary Jo Higgins of Steger, a south Chicago suburb, said she voted for Halvorson because the former congresswoman was "the only Democrat who believes in the Second Amendment."

But Country Club Hills minister Rosemary Gage said she voted for Kelly because she was "standing with (Obama) and trying to get rid of guns."

"It's really bad in Chicago and across the country," Gage said. "Too many children have died."

__

Associated Press writer Sara Burnett contributed to this report.

___

Sophia Tareen can be reached at http://twitter.com/sophiatareen.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/anti-gun-democrat-shoo-replace-jackson-jr-032719983--politics.html

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Lab instruments inside Curiosity eat Mars rock powder

Feb. 25, 2013 ? Two compact laboratories inside NASA's Mars rover Curiosity have ingested portions of the first sample of rock powder ever collected from the interior of a rock on Mars.

Curiosity science team members will use the laboratories to analyze the rock powder in the coming days and weeks.

The rover's Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) and Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instruments received portions of the sample on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22 and 23, respectively, and began inspecting the powder.

"Data from the instruments have confirmed the deliveries," said Curiosity Mission Manager Jennifer Trosper of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

The powder comes from Curiosity drilling into rock target "John Klein" on Feb. 8. One or more additional portions from the same initial sample may be delivered to the instruments as analysis proceeds.

During a two-year prime mission, researchers are using Curiosity's 10 science instruments to assess whether the study area in Gale Crater on Mars ever has offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

More information about Curiosity is online at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/ .

You can follow the mission on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/TFvKVl-JZCI/130225185603.htm

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Gold Vs Paper Currency: Why The Precious Metal Is Your Best Bet ...

Precious metals have been a popular investment since the economy went haywire back in 2008. While the value of the dollar has consistently eroded, the value of precious metals such as gold and silver has been rising inexorably. For thousands of years people have recognized that precious metals hold their value like no country's currency can. Precious metals also provide a great hedge against economic uncertainty. As financial uncertainty spreads worldwide people have found investing in precious metal provides them with a measure of financial stability and even allows them to turn a profit.?

Gold and Silver Have Intrinsic Value

There are a number of good reasons to invest in precious metals. Precious metals are physical commodities. They have value in and of themselves. They can be used as collateral or to purchase goods and services almost anywhere in the world. Things like currency, stocks and bonds are only pieces of paper and virtual goods. They may represent something of value, but they have no real value themselves. If the companies or governments that issued them fail they become worthless. Precious metals, on the other hand, retain their value regardless of what happens in the political/economic landscapes. The value of gold and silver can simply never go to zero.?

A Limited Commodity

Another reason precious metals are better than cash is because they are a limited commodity. There is a finite amount of gold and silver on the planet. This is part of the reason they are so valuable. True, companies mine for them every day, still they represent only a tiny fraction of the resources on the planet. Reams of paper money are printed in countries all over the world each day. When governments (or counterfeiters) want more money they simply print it. But there have been numerous instances where it took baskets of money to buy a loaf of bread. That has never been the case with precious metals.

Durable And Versatile

Gold, silver and other precious metals are versatile. They can be transformed into jewelry, used in industry, made into coins or bars and still keep their value. They are also able to hold their value when deluged by water, burned by fire or broken into pieces. The same cannot be said of paper currency. For paper money to have any value it must be in pristine or near pristine condition. Damaged bills are usually not accepted as legal tender. Paper money can also easily be rendered useless by flood, fire or a mischievous child playing with scissors. This makes it a more risky proposition to have your wealth in paper currency than precious metals.

Enduring Value

For thousands of years precious metals have been used as a means to pay for goods and services. During that time many forms of paper currency have become worthless. Many forms of paper currency today are theoretically backed by precious metals. It makes more sense to own the precious metal than the paper currency. Banking today is handled electronically. With a few strokes or miss strokes on a computer the life savings of millions of people can be gone in an instant. If people are looking for a medium of exchange that has stood the test of time precious metals is their best bet.

How to Invest

If you are now convinced that gold is something you'd like to invest in, the 1st step is to find a reputable gold dealer that can help you through the whole process of investing in gold. Do your research and look at different?gold dealer reviews on the web. It is recommended to work with a dealer that is in your area and that has some positive testimonials from other clients like you. Also, look for accreditations to make sure that the gold or silver you're purchasing meet the minimum purity requirements.

Investing through your IRA

One of the most popular ways of buying gold in 2013 is investing through your IRA or 401k retirement accounts. Many Americans don't know that this is possible, yet it is one of the best ways of investing in gold. Check out a site like goldiraguide.org to learn more. One of the main advantages of buying gold through your IRA is the tax-saving aspect. In fact, certain plans allow you to buy gold bullion coin or bars tax-free, as long as your gold is being held by an accredited custodian.?

Author

Johnny Stein is a financial analyst who occasionally blogs about precious metals, stocks, real estate and other investment options. He has over 30 years of experience in commodities and stock market investing in the United States.

Source: http://www.everythingaboutinvestment.com/2013/02/gold-vs-paper-currency-why-precious.html

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Aptina unleashes 1080p and 4K mobile sensors, entire point-and-shoot segment cringes

Hear that? That's the sound of the entire point-and-shoot camera industry bracing for yet another blow. As smartphone cameras mature, it's becoming ever more difficult to convince consumers to use anything other than their phone outside of special occasions where ILCs or DSLRs are necessary. Aptina has a lot to do with that. Here at Mobile World Congress, the sensor outfit has announced its 12 megapixel and 13 megapixel mobile image sensors, aimed squarely at next-gen flagship phones that ought to be coming out in Q2 or Q3 this year. The smaller 1.1-micron pixel construction is the standout feature, with the AR1230 capable of capturing 4K video at 30fps as well as 1080p video at up to 96fps. The AR1330 throws in electronic image stabilization support at 1080p, while snagging 4K UHD and 4K Cinema formats at 30fps.

Over on the tablet PC / TV front, the AR0261 is a new 1080p-capable sensor that's destined to redefine what a front-facing camera can accomplish. It relies on a 1.4-micron pixel, and should have no issues capturing faces at up to 60fps when using its 720p mode. Furthermore, Aptina promises that this guy can work with applications involving gesture recognition and 3D video capture, but sadly, no OEMs are coming forward just yet with concrete plans to include it.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Mobile, NVIDIA

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Michigan Republicans Support Changing State's Electoral Vote Allocation

The Michigan GOP backed a measure on Saturday that would allocate the state's electoral college votes by congressional districts, reviving energy for a plan considered by Republicans in several states after the inauguration but one that seemed dead about a month ago.

At the state's party convention in Lansing, members backed a resolution to take away Michigan's winner-take-all system by a 1,370-132 margin. The proposal -- introduced by state Rep. Pete Lund (Shelby Township) -- would allocate 14 of the state's 16 votes by district, and the remaining two to the statewide winner. That system is similar to Maine and Nebraska, the only states to allocate by district.

If the plan had been in effect in 2012, 10 of Michigan's electoral college votes would have gone to President Barack Obama, while six would have gone to Mitt Romney.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R), however, threw cold water on the idea, saying that it was "not the appropriate time" to discuss the plan, according to the Detroit News. Addressing the initiative before a census and in a bipartisan way would be more fitting, he said.

Following Obama's second inauguration, Republicans in several blue states -- backed by RNC Chairman Reince Priebus -- considered changing their state's electoral college allocation to allocate votes by congressional district. A Huffington Post analysis showed that such allocation in all 50 states would have given us a President Romney in 2012. Republicans retained a majority in the House but lost the House popular vote, thanks largely to gerrymandered districting.

However, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) and gubernatorial candidate and Attorney General Ken Cuccinnelli oppose such a move and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) has since voiced concerns about it after being initially open to the idea. Thirteen Pennsylvania Republican legislators proposed another bill to change the state's allocation earlier this month.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/25/michigan-electoral-college_n_2758501.html

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PayDay Loans Online Mag For ProAdvice and Finance News | Fed ...

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Ultrasound reveals autism risk at birth, study finds

Feb. 25, 2013 ? Low-birth-weight babies with a particular brain abnormality are at greater risk for autism, according to a new study that could provide doctors a signpost for early detection of the still poorly understood disorder.

Led by Michigan State University, the study found that low-birth-weight newborns were seven times more likely to be diagnosed with autism later in life if an ultrasound taken just after birth showed they had enlarged ventricles, cavities in the brain that store spinal fluid. The results appear in the Journal of Pediatrics.

"For many years there's been a lot of controversy about whether vaccinations or environmental factors influence the development of autism, and there's always the question of at what age a child begins to develop the disorder," said lead author Tammy Movsas, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at MSU and medical director of the Midland County Department of Public Health.

"What this study shows us is that an ultrasound scan within the first few days of life may already be able to detect brain abnormalities that indicate a higher risk of developing autism."

Movsas and colleagues reached that conclusion by analyzing data from a cohort of 1,105 low-birth-weight infants born in the mid-1980s. The babies had cranial ultrasounds just after birth so the researchers could look for relationships between brain abnormalities in infancy and health disorders that showed up later. Participants also were screened for autism when they were 16 years old, and a subset of them had a more rigorous test at 21, which turned up 14 positive diagnoses.

Ventricular enlargement is found more often in premature babies and may indicate loss of a type of brain tissue called white matter.

"This study suggests further research is needed to better understand what it is about loss of white matter that interferes with the neurological processes that determine autism," said co-author Nigel Paneth, an MSU epidemiologist who helped organize the cohort. "This is an important clue to the underlying brain issues in autism."

Prior studies have shown an increased rate of autism in low-birth-weight and premature babies, and earlier research by Movsas and Paneth found a modest increase in symptoms among autistic children born early or late.

The study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

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Journal Reference:

1. Tammy Z. Movsas, Jennifer A. Pinto-Martin, Agnes H. Whitaker, Judith F. Feldman, John M. Lorenz, Steven J. Korzeniewski, Susan E. Levy, Nigel Paneth. Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Associated with Ventricular Enlargement in a Low Birth Weight Population. The Journal of Pediatrics, 2013; DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.12.084

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/CRxm3nh61Tc/130225112510.htm

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Moments of spirituality can induce liberal attitudes, researchers find

Feb. 25, 2013 ? People become more politically liberal immediately after practising a spiritual exercise such as meditation, researchers at the University of Toronto have found.

"There's great overlap between religious beliefs and political orientations," says one of the study authors, Jordan Peterson of U of T's Department of Psychology. "We found that religious individuals tend to be more conservative and spiritual people tend to be more liberal. Inducing a spiritual experience through a guided meditation exercise led both liberals and conservatives to endorse more liberal political attitudes."

"While religiousness is characterized by devotion to a specific tradition, set of principles, or code of conduct, spirituality is associated with the direct experience of self-transcendence and the feeling that we're all connected," says lead author Jacob Hirsh of U of T's Rotman School of Management.

In three studies, the researchers -- Hirsh, Peterson and Megan Walberg, examined their participants' political views in relation to their religiousness and spirituality. In the first study, they asked 590 American participants whether they identified as Democrat or Republican. In the second study, they measured 703 participants' political orientations and support for the major American and Canadian political parties. The researchers confirmed that religiousness was associated with political conservatism, while spirituality was associated with political liberalism. These associations were in turn due to the common values underlying these orientations: conservatism and religiousness both emphasize the importance of tradition, while liberalism and spirituality both emphasize the importance of equality and social harmony.

In the third study, the researchers recruited 317 participants from the U.S. and asked half to complete a spiritual exercise consisting of a guided meditation video. Those who watched the video were asked to close their eyes and breathe deeply, imagining themselves in a natural setting and feeling connected to the environment. They were then asked about their political orientation and to rate how spiritual they felt. The researchers reported that, compared to those in the control group, participants who meditated felt significantly higher levels of spirituality and expressed more liberal political attitudes, including a reduced support for "tough on crime" policies and a preference for liberal political candidates.

"Spiritual experiences seem to make people feel more of a connection with others," says Hirsh. "The boundaries we normally maintain between ourselves and the world tend to dissolve during spiritual experiences. These feelings of self-transcendence make it easier to recognize that we are all part of the same system, promoting an inclusive and egalitarian mindset."

The researchers hope that these findings can not only advance our understanding of spirituality, but also help future political dialogue.

"The conservative part of religious belief has played an important role in holding cultures together and establishing common rules. The spiritual part, on the other hand, helps cultures renew themselves by adapting to changing circumstances," says Peterson. "Both right and left are necessary; it's not that either is correct, it's that the dialogue between them produces the best chance we have at getting the balance right. If people could understand that both sides have an important role to play in society, some of the unnecessary tension might be eliminated."

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1. J. B. Hirsh, M. D. Walberg, J. B. Peterson. Spiritual Liberals and Religious Conservatives. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2012; 4 (1): 14 DOI: 10.1177/1948550612444138

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