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Source: http://twitter.com/whatthetrend/statuses/241531291856670721
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Friday, August 31, 2012
Asus Vivo Tab RT: The best Windows 8 hybrid yet?
Windows 8 cometh. With it, comes a flood of tablets, laptops and hybrids all vying to showcase the best of what the platform has to offer. Now at IFA, it?s Asus? turn. The company has unveiled a few noteworthy devices, but king of them has to be the Asus Vivo Tab RT ? the first device we?ve seen that?ll truly give Microsoft?s Surface a run for its money.
The Vivo Tab RT is a Windows 8 RT-powered 10.1-inch tab that comes in at a super thin 8.3mm and weighs just 520g. The tablet portion of the device is a mighty fine looking bit of kit in the Asus Transformer tradition.
See Sony?s innovative Windows 8 hybrid
It?s running off an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM and a sizable 32GB of storage. The GPU is a 12-core monster, which means it?s a pretty solid gaming machine. So far, so good, but then things get interesting.
Snap the tab into its keyboard dock (with a new hinge design), and it becomes a fully-fledged netbook, replete with a gratis version of Office 2013. This?ll super-charge the battery life up to 15 hours and gifts you a USB port.
There?s no word on price or release date yet, but expect the Asus Vivo RT before the end of the year. Is this the best Windows 8 hybrid yet? Let us know below
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/electricpig/~3/hMjDL4JgViQ/
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Video: Isaac dumps more rain on Southeast
>> weather channel meteorologist jim cantore in new orleans . we're coming up tomorrow to see for ourselves but please tell me this gets better soon for these folks.
>> reporter: it does in new orleans but not for others. check this out. 48 hours after landfall it is still in louisiana. a marathoner could run faster than this thing has moved but the rain bands still extending well over 500 miles affecting many states. arkansas on friday, big rain for you. missouri saturday. illinois and indiana as we get into sunday. 4 to 8-inch totals. it'll dent the drought. it won't alleviate it. while isaac was crawling across louisiana look what's going on in the atlantic ocean . we've got leslie and kirk, a tropical storm and hurricane here. none of the storms is expected to affect the u.s. mainland but they make eight named storms for the month of august. that happened only once before in history, 2004 . that brings the total named storms to 12. at this point in time. the last time that happened was 2005 . we all remember what was going on here then. back to you.
>> jim cantore on the riverwalk in new orleans . jim, thanks.
Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/48850979/
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Thursday, August 30, 2012
Hurricane Isaac: New Orleans braces for test of its storm preparations (+video)
With maximum winds from Hurricane Isaac expected to be 80 miles an hour, the storm's main threat is posed by water. The new New Orleans surge barrier has been closed for the first time.
Jefferson Parish employees Jeremy Carter, left and Gerald Brown, right, secure a US Flood Control Tiger Dam in an effort to keep flood waters at bay as Hurricane Isaac reaches southern Louisiana.
Ann Hermes/The Christian Science Monitor
EnlargeTropical storm Isaac reached hurricane status early Tuesday afternoon as it bore down on a shuttered southeastern Louisiana.
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Hurricane Isaac made landfall in southeast Louisiana late Tuesday as Gulf Coast residents hunkered down. New Orleans calmly waited out another storm on the eve of Hurricane Katrina's seventh anniversary.And while the storm is expected to make landfall Thursday night with maximum sustained winds of about 80 miles an hour, the storm's biggest threat is posed by water ? from the storm surge initially, along the coast, and flooding inland.
For the first time since it was built following hurricane Katrina in 2005, a $1.1-billion surge barrier has been closed to help protect New Orleans from surge-related flooding. The barrier, some 26 feet high and 1.8 miles long, is designed to prevent a storm surge from rolling up a shipping canal the US Army Corps of Engineers built at the behest of Congress to cut the amount of time it takes for ships to travel between New Orleans and the Gulf.
The canal served as a conduit funneling Katrina's storm surge into a large lagoon dubbed Lake Borgne and on into Lake Ponchartrain.
In addition, following Katrina, the Corps of Engineers was given the job of repairing and upgrading the system of pumps that draw storm water out of New Orleans, just under half of which is below sea level. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu pronounced all of them ready for operation during Isaac's downpours.
Several parishes have ordered mandatory evacuations for communities on the coast. Isaac's category 1 rating, however, is too low to trigger mandatory evacuations for New Orleans. Even so, at a press briefing Tuesday, Mayor Landrieu strongly encouraged people who live in Orleans Parish outside the city's levee system to evacuate.
Meanwhile, in Washington, President Obama declared states of emergency for Louisiana and Mississippi, setting the stage for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate relief efforts and provide other forms of assistance to stricken areas.
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Jazz: A Louisiana Kitchen | Omaha restaurant review | at the red table
If you go to Jazz in downtown Omaha, it probably won?t be for the five-star service. However, rest-assured that your wait to be seated, your wait to be served and the minimal amount of attention you?re likely to receive will all be (mostly) worth it for the Cajun cuisine and funky French-quarter atmosphere.
I have been to Jazz a number of times, and in thinking back on all my visits, I?ve never been impressed with the service. It?s slow and inattentive at best, as if all the servers were far too cool and/or bored to possibly do a decent job. The night we were there a few weeks ago, the place was less than half full ? no more than 13 tables were occupied and no parties larger than 6. A total of 4 servers were scurrying around on the floor.
I counted.
I counted because I was confused as to why it could possibly take five minutes to seat us, with no one even remotely acknowledging our presence or casting a glance in our direction until one server finally noticed us and sat us with barely a sentence spoken. No drink orders. Nothing. It took another five or more minutes for anyone to visit our table at all ? leaving me plenty of time to wonder why in the hell 4 servers couldn?t handle 3 tables each more effectively.
In fact, none of the 4 servers even came to our table. It was the bartender who finally came out and took our drink orders, amidst pouring everyone else?s drinks and generally running about for seemingly no reason. He was very friendly and attentive once he decided to serve our table, and later apologized for the wait, blaming it on one of the computers being down so that all servers had to enter orders into one machine behind the bar.
I?m still not sure how that explains the lack of service, or why the bartender was forced to come out from behind the bar and pick up the slack. I suspect he noticed my camera and note-taking and felt it necessary to explain.
It?s too bad, though, because I really wanted to give Jazz a stellar review because the food is so good. My mother has come from two-hours away just to eat here. But I can?t because almost every time, the service sours the experience. In fact, a friend of mine tried to price the place for a party once, but wound up moving on to other options when it quickly became apparent that no one was ever going to get back to her about pricing and options. Ever.
That said, the food really is the closest thing you?re going to get to real Cajun food in the Midwest. Is it authentic? I wouldn?t know. Is it flavorful, memorable and special? Abso-freaking-lutely.
Plus, the place sort of looks like the French Quarter/Cajun Applebee?s exploded inside. It?s kitschy, sure, but it?s fun. And you don?t have to flash anyone for the beads. They also have live bands playing on the weekends.
The menu is wide-ranging and packed full of expected fare like po? boys, Cajun fried and blackened dishes and the requisite spicy seafood mixes. The place even boasts its own hot sauce and spice mix (the spice mix is fantastic.
I?ve tried a number of things on the menu, but have found my favorites and generally stick to those when I order. But before I get into those, I?d like to take a minute to let you know that sometimes soft, white bread paired with a seasoned, creamy butter is the best starter ever. Why is something so simple, so damn good? I think they may use the Jazz seasoning spice mix in the butter, but I?m not sure. My husband and I polished off two baskets while we were waiting for our food (which came out, by the way, in a very reasonable amount of time).
I ordered the Coonass Chicken, and I?d like to tell you that according to the ?Cajun Dictionary? listed in the menu ?coonass? is how Cajuns refer to themselves, but in the case of the food, it refers to a garlic butter scallion sauce with ?shrimp and krab? (yeah, I?m not sure why it?s spelled with a ?k? either). I?d also like to tell you that the crispy, spicy, fried tender chicken breast smothered in the garlic butter scallion sauce, dotted with shrimp and krab and swimming in herby rice is ? well ? it?s heaven on a plate. Tip: even the half-portions are well endowed, especially after stuffing bread in your face. I ordered the half and still had plenty for lunch the next day. This dish is one of my favorites in any restaurant, ever.
And who knew that simple mixed vegetables like zucchini, squash and broccoli sauteed with a bit of oil or butter and sprinkled with Cajun seasoning could be so, so delicious. Veggie sides often are ?throw-away? parts of the meal, ones you only eat if you happen to have room and often treated as a garnish (at least by me anyway), but these vegetables vie strongly to be the star on the plate.
I also had a few hush puppies on the side ? a crispy little treat served with a spicy sauce that everything winds up being dipped into eventually.
My husband ordered the Cajun Stir Fry with chicken, another favorite of mine as well. It?s like Asian-Cajun fusion ? just the right amount of spice, with a slight teriyaki flavor going on, but enough Cajun to remind you where you are. The dish is a nice and inventive twist on what could be a plain old stir fry. Thankfully, this rises above to something you?d think about after eating it. Again, the portion is generous, so two meals for the price of one is a bonus.
So, in the end it?s a toss-up. If you want Cajun food in Omaha, this is the place to go. But only if you can tolerate hit-or-miss service. My opinion: the food makes up for it.
And you will, eventually, get to the food.
Source: http://www.attheredtable.com/2012/08/jazz-louisiana-kitchen-omaha-restaurant.html
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98-year-old message in bottle sets world record
LONDON (AP) ? It was scooped up from the sea after 98 years, and now officials say a message in a bottle discovered in Scotland has set a world record.
Fisherman Andrew Leaper found the bottle? released in 1914 ? in his nets in April while sailing east of the Shetland Islands, which lie off Scotland's northern coast.
Guinness World Records confirmed Thursday the find is the oldest message in a bottle ever recovered, beating a previous record by five years.
It was released in a batch of 1,890 bottles in a government experiment to map the undercurrents of the seas around Scotland.
Inside each bottle, a postcard asks the finder to record details of the discovery and promises a reward of a sixpence. Unfortunately for Leaper, the coin no longer exists.
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Wednesday, August 29, 2012
FDA's 2012 Science Writers Symposium
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sFNrs2X_kqrwvGRV45xLuQCFqNXx3-tO3NSDAVYEH6NvjHl0EJ3ttYWXd7XTIqCwBzu2R8FErOvE4ZfJd1GsaAPGEygQIWx90uRu-EX3Y=s0-d){kind=small}
Public release date: 29-Aug-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Michelle Bolek
michelle.bolek@fda.hhs.gov
301-796-2973
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
A special event for science and health journalists featuring lab tours and scientific presentations on a variety of topics including gene therapy, neural interfaces, scientific computing, medical countermeasures, vaccine adjuvant safety, and salmonella. Tailor your agenda based on topic interests. Expect a variety of story ideas and spot news announcements on both days of the symposium.
WHO
FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.
FDA Chief Scientist Jesse Goodman, M.D.
FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods Michael Taylor, plus other presenters
WHEN
Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, 9 a.m. 5 p.m., FDA's White Oak Campus, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, Md. Focus on medical product topics including:
- Employing Science to Prevent the Growing Risk of Counterfeit and Adulterated Products: FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, M.D.; R.D. Satzger, Ph.D., Director, FDA's Forensic Chemistry Center; Eric Sampson, FDA Senior Advisor
- Neural Interfaces: Ensuring the Long-Term Reliability of Brain-Computer Interfaces to Control Robotic Devices for Paralyzed Patients: Cristin Welle, Ph.D., Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories
Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012, 9 a.m. 4:30 p.m., FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, Md.
Focus on medical products topics in the morning and food topics all day including:
- Research Post 9/11: FDA's Work on Medical Countermeasures: Luciana Borio, M.D., Assistant Commissioner for Counterterrorism Policy
- Anatomy of an Outbreak: Tuna and Sushi: Kari Irvin, Microbiologist, Coordinated Outbreak Response & Evaluation (CORE) Network
HOW
Registration is free and open to credentialed media. Register by emailing: sciencewriters@fda.hhs.gov.
Agenda now available
###
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
[ | 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.
Public release date: 29-Aug-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Michelle Bolek
michelle.bolek@fda.hhs.gov
301-796-2973
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
A special event for science and health journalists featuring lab tours and scientific presentations on a variety of topics including gene therapy, neural interfaces, scientific computing, medical countermeasures, vaccine adjuvant safety, and salmonella. Tailor your agenda based on topic interests. Expect a variety of story ideas and spot news announcements on both days of the symposium.
WHO
FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.
FDA Chief Scientist Jesse Goodman, M.D.
FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods Michael Taylor, plus other presenters
WHEN
Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, 9 a.m. 5 p.m., FDA's White Oak Campus, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, Md. Focus on medical product topics including:
- Employing Science to Prevent the Growing Risk of Counterfeit and Adulterated Products: FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, M.D.; R.D. Satzger, Ph.D., Director, FDA's Forensic Chemistry Center; Eric Sampson, FDA Senior Advisor
- Neural Interfaces: Ensuring the Long-Term Reliability of Brain-Computer Interfaces to Control Robotic Devices for Paralyzed Patients: Cristin Welle, Ph.D., Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories
Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012, 9 a.m. 4:30 p.m., FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, Md.
Focus on medical products topics in the morning and food topics all day including:
- Research Post 9/11: FDA's Work on Medical Countermeasures: Luciana Borio, M.D., Assistant Commissioner for Counterterrorism Policy
- Anatomy of an Outbreak: Tuna and Sushi: Kari Irvin, Microbiologist, Coordinated Outbreak Response & Evaluation (CORE) Network
HOW
Registration is free and open to credentialed media. Register by emailing: sciencewriters@fda.hhs.gov.
Agenda now available
###
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
[ | 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.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-08/ufad-f2s082912.php
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Math ability requires crosstalk in the brain
ScienceDaily (Aug. 29, 2012) ? A new study by researchers at UT Dallas' Center for Vital Longevity, Duke University, and the University of Michigan has found that the strength of communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain predicts performance on basic arithmetic problems. The findings shed light on the neural basis of human math abilities and suggest a possible route to aiding those who suffer from dyscalculia-- an inability to understand and manipulate numbers.
It has been known for some time that the parietal cortex, the top/middle region of the brain, plays a central role in so-called numerical cognition--our ability to process numerical information. Previous brain imaging studies have shown that the right parietal region is primarily involved in basic quantity processing (like gauging relative amounts of fruit in baskets), while the left parietal region is involved in more precise numerical operations like addition and subtraction. What has not been known is whether the two hemispheres can work together to improve math performance. The new study demonstrates that they can. The findings were recently published online in Cerebral Cortex.
In the study, conducted in Dallas and led by Dr. Joonkoo Park, now a postdoctoral fellow at Duke University, researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, to measure the brain activity of 27 healthy young adults while they performed simple numerical and arithmetic tasks. In one task, participants were asked to judge whether two groups of shapes contained the same or different numbers of items. In two other tasks, participants were asked to solve simple addition and subtraction problems.
Consistent with previous studies, the researchers found that the basic number-matching task activated the right parietal cortex, while the addition and subtraction tasks produced additional activity in the left parietal cortex. But they also found something new: During the arithmetic tasks, communication between the left and right hemispheres increased significantly compared with the number-matching task. Moreover, people who exhibited the strongest connection between hemispheres were the fastest at solving the subtraction problems.
"Our results suggest that subtraction performance is optimal when there is high coherence in the neural activity in these two brain regions. Two brain areas working together rather than either region alone appears to be key" said co-author Dr. Denise C. Park, co-director of the UT Dallas Center for Vital Longevity and Distinguished University Chair in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Park (no relation to the lead author) helped direct the study along with Dr. Thad Polk, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan.
Lead author Dr. Joonkoo Park points out that the findings suggest that disrupted or inefficient neural communication between the hemispheres may contribute to the impaired math abilities seen in dyscalculia, the numerical equivalent of dyslexia. "If such a causal link exists," he said, "one very interesting avenue of research would be to develop training tasks to enhance parietal connectivity and to test whether they improve numerical competence."
Such a training program might help develop math ability in children and could also help older adults whose arithmetic skills begin to falter as a normal part of age-related cognitive decline.
This research was supported by a grant to Dr. Denise C. Park from the National Institute on Aging.
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Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas at Dallas, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- J. Park, D. C. Park, T. A. Polk. Parietal Functional Connectivity in Numerical Cognition. Cerebral Cortex, 2012; DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs193
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/q0iEVbY5LN0/120829103516.htm
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Personalized antiplatelet treatment improves outcome after PCI
Public release date: 28-Aug-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: European Society of Cardiology
press@escardio.org
33-049-294-8627
European Society of Cardiology
The findings were presented by Dr Jolanta Siller-Matula from Medical University of Vienna.
Standard antiplatelet treatment in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) consists of a dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and an ADP receptor inhibitor such as clopidogrel.
But measurements of platelet aggregation in clopidogrel treated patients indicate that one patient in four is a non-responder to the drug. Such non-responsiveness is attributed to clopidogrel's extensive hepatic metabolism, polymorphisms of metabolising enzymes and drug-drug interactions, with additional contributions coming from clinical variables such as diabetes, body mass index, acute coronary syndrome, ejection fraction and renal failure. Multiple studies have demonstrated a clear association between non-responsiveness to clopidogrel and adverse clinical events. The strongest relationship was found between poor clopidogrel response and short term events, particularly stent thrombosis.
Personalized antiplatelet treatment involves choosing a therapy based on the results of platelet function testing, a measurement which shows how effective an antiplatelet drug such as clopidogrel is at inhibiting platelet aggregation. Non-responders to the drug can be given a higher dose of clopidogrel or an alternate antiplatelet therapy such as the more potent platelet inhibitors prasugrel or ticagrelor. Personalized antiplatelet treatment only in clopidogrel non-responders would be a therapeutic strategy reaching two goals: increase of clinical efficacy only in patients who are at increased risk for ischemic events without exposing patients with a proper clopidogrel response to bleedings with use of very potent platelet antagonists.
In the MADONNA study (Multiple electrode Aggregometry in patients receiving Dual antiplatelet therapy tO guide treatmeNt with Novel platelet Antagonists), Austrian investigators led by Dr Jolanta Siller-Matula from the Medical University of Vienna and Professor Gnter Christ from Kaiser Franz Josef Hospital in Vienna, investigated whether individualized treatment with platelet inhibitors according to the results of whole blood aggregometry improves clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.
A total of 798 patients underwent platelet testing with whole blood aggregometry using the multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA) technique, which allowed patients to be classified as clopidogrel responders or non-responders. Patients were then allocated to the guided group or the non-guided group. In the guided group (n=403) clopidogrel non-responders (26%) received up to four loading doses of clopidogrel or after prasugrel became available, the more potent platelet inhibitor prasugrel. In the non-guided group (n=395) clopidogrel non-responders (25%) were further treated with the standard treatment consisting of clopidogrel and aspirin.
Results showed that patients in the non-guided group were at a 7.9-fold higher risk to develop stent thrombosis compared to the patients in the guided group (1.9% versus 0.2%; p=0.027). Furthermore acute coronary syndrome occurred in 0% of patients in the guided group versus 2.5% in the non-guided group (p=0.001). There were no differences between the two groups in the rates of cardiac death or major bleeding.
"Introducing clopidogrel testing into clinical practice might be feasible: it involves a blood sample and takes ten minutes to get a result," said Dr Siller-Matula, first author of the study. "Providing individualized treatment based on the results of MEA instead of using novel antiplatelet drugs in each patient would save costs of drug therapy of about 410 per patient each year. As individualized antiplatelet therapy seems to be cost-effective, it might be of interest to health authorities."
"Physicians would never adjust doses of antihypertensive drugs without knowing blood pressures; statins, without knowing cholesterol levels; or antidiabetic drugs without knowing the HbA1C levels," she added. "So why are we still treating our patients with platelet inhibitors without being aware of levels of platelet inhibition?"
###
Notes to editors
Please note that picture and CV from the author, abstract, picture and CV from spokesperson can be found here.
About the European Society of Cardiology www.escardio.org
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) represents more than 75,000 cardiology professionals across Europe and the Mediterranean. Its mission is to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in Europe.
About ESC Congress 2012
The ESC Congress is currently the world's premier conference on the science, management and prevention of cardiovascular disease. ESC Congress 2012 takes place 25-29 August at the Messe Mnchen in Munich. The scientific programme is available here. More information is available from the ESC Press Office at press@escardio.org.
[ | 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.
Public release date: 28-Aug-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: European Society of Cardiology
press@escardio.org
33-049-294-8627
European Society of Cardiology
The findings were presented by Dr Jolanta Siller-Matula from Medical University of Vienna.
Standard antiplatelet treatment in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) consists of a dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and an ADP receptor inhibitor such as clopidogrel.
But measurements of platelet aggregation in clopidogrel treated patients indicate that one patient in four is a non-responder to the drug. Such non-responsiveness is attributed to clopidogrel's extensive hepatic metabolism, polymorphisms of metabolising enzymes and drug-drug interactions, with additional contributions coming from clinical variables such as diabetes, body mass index, acute coronary syndrome, ejection fraction and renal failure. Multiple studies have demonstrated a clear association between non-responsiveness to clopidogrel and adverse clinical events. The strongest relationship was found between poor clopidogrel response and short term events, particularly stent thrombosis.
Personalized antiplatelet treatment involves choosing a therapy based on the results of platelet function testing, a measurement which shows how effective an antiplatelet drug such as clopidogrel is at inhibiting platelet aggregation. Non-responders to the drug can be given a higher dose of clopidogrel or an alternate antiplatelet therapy such as the more potent platelet inhibitors prasugrel or ticagrelor. Personalized antiplatelet treatment only in clopidogrel non-responders would be a therapeutic strategy reaching two goals: increase of clinical efficacy only in patients who are at increased risk for ischemic events without exposing patients with a proper clopidogrel response to bleedings with use of very potent platelet antagonists.
In the MADONNA study (Multiple electrode Aggregometry in patients receiving Dual antiplatelet therapy tO guide treatmeNt with Novel platelet Antagonists), Austrian investigators led by Dr Jolanta Siller-Matula from the Medical University of Vienna and Professor Gnter Christ from Kaiser Franz Josef Hospital in Vienna, investigated whether individualized treatment with platelet inhibitors according to the results of whole blood aggregometry improves clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.
A total of 798 patients underwent platelet testing with whole blood aggregometry using the multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA) technique, which allowed patients to be classified as clopidogrel responders or non-responders. Patients were then allocated to the guided group or the non-guided group. In the guided group (n=403) clopidogrel non-responders (26%) received up to four loading doses of clopidogrel or after prasugrel became available, the more potent platelet inhibitor prasugrel. In the non-guided group (n=395) clopidogrel non-responders (25%) were further treated with the standard treatment consisting of clopidogrel and aspirin.
Results showed that patients in the non-guided group were at a 7.9-fold higher risk to develop stent thrombosis compared to the patients in the guided group (1.9% versus 0.2%; p=0.027). Furthermore acute coronary syndrome occurred in 0% of patients in the guided group versus 2.5% in the non-guided group (p=0.001). There were no differences between the two groups in the rates of cardiac death or major bleeding.
"Introducing clopidogrel testing into clinical practice might be feasible: it involves a blood sample and takes ten minutes to get a result," said Dr Siller-Matula, first author of the study. "Providing individualized treatment based on the results of MEA instead of using novel antiplatelet drugs in each patient would save costs of drug therapy of about 410 per patient each year. As individualized antiplatelet therapy seems to be cost-effective, it might be of interest to health authorities."
"Physicians would never adjust doses of antihypertensive drugs without knowing blood pressures; statins, without knowing cholesterol levels; or antidiabetic drugs without knowing the HbA1C levels," she added. "So why are we still treating our patients with platelet inhibitors without being aware of levels of platelet inhibition?"
###
Notes to editors
Please note that picture and CV from the author, abstract, picture and CV from spokesperson can be found here.
About the European Society of Cardiology www.escardio.org
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) represents more than 75,000 cardiology professionals across Europe and the Mediterranean. Its mission is to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in Europe.
About ESC Congress 2012
The ESC Congress is currently the world's premier conference on the science, management and prevention of cardiovascular disease. ESC Congress 2012 takes place 25-29 August at the Messe Mnchen in Munich. The scientific programme is available here. More information is available from the ESC Press Office at press@escardio.org.
[ | 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.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-08/esoc-pat_1082812.php
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Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Make use of Sign Making Supplies to Make Your Own Personal ...
Banners can be created from unique resources ? cloth, plastic, vinyl, and plastic, amongst others. These usually show a logo or a printed message to market an item, event, or an invitation. With more businesses going online, banner advertising are also accustomed to advertise items or web sites ? these scroll across the computer screen with their information. Nowadays, you can utilize software to style messages for the ad banners and then bring them to the printers. Depending on the dimensions of the banner ad, it could be fixed in a specific spot using quality banner mounting hardware.
A standard method of featuring banners are retractable displays. Typical sized banners could be hung between poles making use of pieces of nylon string. Banners ordinarily have grommets in all four sides for hanging. Several companies manufacturing affordable banner mounting hardware give the following:
- brackets with arms that may be completely fixed or moved.
- Pole brackets as well as arms for flags
- wall mount plates
-custom components and others
Take a look at supplier internet sites for additional information on features, sizes, and tensile toughness. Almost all banners are created to withstand most weather conditions. You will find companies, nevertheless, offering to secure ad banners they manufactured during especially undesirable weather, both to avoid damages to your investment and to prevent incidents.
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You can also make use of sign making supplies to make announcements, indicate instructions on the streets or in establishments just like a shopping mall or an business building, and others. Signs could be employed to pull in customer traffic. The greatest items on the planet still will need correct advertising to sell. Having custom made signs to distinguish your business is a great technique.
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TS Isaac intensifying, taking aim at New Orleans
Tropical Storm Isaac is intensifying and now expected to make landfall late Tuesday or early Wednesday on the northern Gulf Coast as a hurricane, forecasters said on Monday.
The storm--with sustained winds of 65 mph--is moving northwest at 14 mph. According to the National Weather Service, New Orleans is in the projected path of the storm. Wednesday marks the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in late August 2005.
Hurricane warnings have been issued along the northern Gulf Coast from Morgan City, La., to Destin, Florida. According to the National Hurricane Center, a storm surge between six and 12 feet could threaten the northern Gulf Coast if the storm makes landfall during high tide.
[Slideshow: Tropical Storm Isaac]
Isaac was blamed for as many as seven deaths in Haiti on Saturday and forced the delay of the start of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, where GOP leaders are still mulling how to hold a convention as a hurricane concurrently thrashes the Gulf Coast.
"Even if the storm largely bypasses this region," the New York Times said, "it holds the risk of creating an uncomfortable split-screen image, especially if it continues barreling toward New Orleans."
Indeed, several news organizations, including CNN, have already sent staffers to the Big Easy to cover the storm. And the Boston Globe, citing senior Romney advisers, said that "there is a distinct possibility that the 2012 Republican National Convention will be cancelled."
"Consider for a moment the juxtaposition of President Obama marshaling his administration's forces and personally visiting New Orleans or Mobile, Ala., in the aftermath of the storm's landfall," the Boston Globe said, "all while the convention hall is filled with delegates dressed in funny hats listening to partisan speeches."
[Former Miss. Gov. Haley Barbour: 'Everybody here's got one eye on the storm']
On Sunday, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency and ordered voluntary evacuations of more than a dozen parishes. Governors in Alabama and Mississippi did, too.
"I know the anxiety level is high," New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu told CNN on Sunday. "We are much, much better prepared structurally than before."
A big issue is Isaac's speed. According to Weather.com, the storm is expected to slow as it approaches Louisiana, and could take up to 36 hours--perhaps longer--to move through New Orleans.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/isaac-orleans-hurricane-154933484.html
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New D.C. Campaign Finance Reform Would Ban Lobbyist Bundling ...
Attorney General Irvin Nathan (left) and Mayor Vincent Gray.
District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray (D) and Attorney General Irvin Nathan introduced new campaign finance reform legislation today that would, among other things, ban registered lobbyists from bundling contributions.
The bill (PDF), which includes new prohibitions on contributions by government contractors and grant recipients, would increase penalties for campaign finance violations and give the attorney general's office new prosecutorial authority for misdemeanor violations. The proposal comes after a year of persistent ethics-related headaches for the District, from the resignation of two councilmembers to an ongoing investigation of Gray's 2010 campaign.
The proposed legislation would add on to an ethics reform package the District of Columbia Council passed last year. Campaign finance reform took center stage after a series of campaign finance-related scandals this year, including a guilty plea from a woman accused of funneling more than $650,000 to a shadow campaign supporting Gray in the 2010 election. Gray has never been charged with wrongdoing.
During today's press conference, Gray did not directly address recent events surrounding his campaign, but said that he fully supports the reform proposal. "The proposal will have to stand on its merits," he said. Nathan said that efforts to reform campaign finance laws began before some of the recent scandals, but acknowledged that they do serve as part of the "background" now.
Under the proposed legislation, registered lobbyists or those acting on behalf of lobbyists would be barred from bundling, which means arranging or passing along groups of contributions to sitting officials or candidates. Other provisions include new reporting requirements for campaign contributors.
Nathan said his office consulted with local law firms, lobby shops and the American Bar Association about the bundling prohibition provision. He said the new rules were not aimed at interfering with lobbyists and others trying to get their message out, noting that lobbyists could still make individual contributions and that the proposal didn't alter the maximum allowable contribution.
The proposal would give the attorney general's office the same enforcement teeth to prosecute misdemeanor violations as the U.S. attorney's office, although only federal prosecutors would continue to handle felony crimes. Misdemeanor charges for a campaign finance law violation would carry a maximum penalty of a $5,000 fine or 6 months in prison (but not both), while felony charges for a knowing violation of campaign finance laws would carry a maximum penalty of a $10,000 fine, five years in prison, or both.
Nathan said that the proposal "contemplates coordination" between his office and the U.S. attorney's office as far as deciding which office would prosecute misdemeanor cases.
Individuals or companies with contracts or grants with the city that exceed $250,000 would be barred under the proposed legislation from contributing to any elected official or candidate who would be involved in the approval process for a period of time. They would also be barred from contributing to any entity where an elected official or candidate holds a significant financial interest.
The attorney general's office is accepting public comment on the proposed legislation through September 17, when the mayor will formally submit it to the council for consideration.
National Law Journal photo by Diego M. Radzinschi.
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Monday, August 27, 2012
How to Recognise a Reputable Online Home Based Internet Business
Are you struggling how to recognise a reputable online home based business? when I started on the internet 4 years ago I hadn't the faintest idea what to look for I knew that owning an internet business was the future and I admit I have made ?
More:
How to Recognise a Reputable Online Home Based Internet Business
Source: http://99covers.com/blog/how-to-recognise-a-reputable-online-home-based-internet-business/
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Inhabitat's Week in Green: a locomotive that runs on hydrogen, honey detective and a 30 mph-capable hover bike
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.
Inhabitat is always on the lookout for new and interesting innovations, but some of the things that flashed across our screens this week truly defy the rules of physics. Take, for example, the story of 51-year-old Chinese man Sun Jifa, who lost both of his arms in an explosion and built his own bionic hands out of scrap metal. Building functional prosthetic limbs is one thing, but doing it without the aid of fingers? That's downright mind-blowing. We were also pretty excited to hear that a California-based tech company has developed a working hover bike that travels up to 30 mph. It isn't quite ready for a high-speed chase in the forest a la Star Wars, but it still looks pretty cool. And in another amazing development, a team of Harvard researchers has figured out a way to store 70 billion books in a space the size of your thumbnail.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: a locomotive that runs on hydrogen, honey detective and a 30 mph-capable hover bike originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/A7_rEtHfVdI/
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(PAL) Pets Add Life? | Doggies and Stuff
They certainly do.? Do you have one pet, two pets, three or more?? I definitely support multi-pet homes.? The girls are best friends with each other, and Riley sort of takes on a mommy role to Kiko.? Those two make me laugh all the time.
Pets Add Life is a great non-profit campaign dedicated to pets ? from spreading the joys & benefits to increasing responsible ownership. Their mission is ?to increase responsible pet ownership and enhance our bond with animals.?
Their recent campaign is getting people to pledge one of three things or ALL of them:
- Pledge to adopt your next pet.
- Pledge to volunteer at a shelter.
- Pledge to take a photo of a homeless pet and share it!
How simple is that? Simply go to PAL?s Pledge Page on Facebook HERE and check your pledge (or pledges).
Check out this GREAT video from PAL?s YouTube channel:
There are many more HILARIOUS videos on their Official YouTube.com Channel HERE.
Make you you stay connected to Pets Add Life: YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
Source: http://doggiesandstuff.com/2012/08/27/pal-pets-add-life/
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Sunday, August 26, 2012
Romney faces balancing act with convention, storm
Worker Patrick Gayle of Kissimmee, Fla. wipes the mirror-sided camera stands on the floor of the Republican National Convention in the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Worker Patrick Gayle of Kissimmee, Fla. wipes the mirror-sided camera stands on the floor of the Republican National Convention in the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Map locates Tropical Storm Isaac and its projected path for the next five days
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? The political risk was slight for Mitt Romney in scrapping the first day of his Florida convention in the face of Tropical Storm Isaac: TV networks weren't planning to broadcast it live anyway.
As the storm veered toward New Orleans, however, the decision about what to do next was fraught with peril. Romney is trying to balance celebrating his presidential nomination with being mindful of the ghost of Hurricane Katrina and the stain George W. Bush's handling of it left on the GOP.
"You don't want to be having hoopla and dancing when you have the nation focused on tragedy and suffering," said Al Hoffman, a Republican from West Palm Beach and former finance chairman of the Republican National Committee.
The next few days will test Romney's ability to both present himself to the American people as a plausible alternative to President Barack Obama and to lead a party still smarting from the image hit it took in the aftermath of the 2005 Gulf Coast devastation.
Since then, Republicans have been so sensitive to the political danger around hurricanes ? and the appearance of partying at a time of trouble ? that they delayed the start of their national convention by a day in 2008 when Hurricane Gustav bore down on the Gulf, a full 1,200 miles away from where delegates were gathering in St. Paul, Minn.
Four years later, a storm again has delayed the start of the convention ? and again is barreling toward New Orleans, the city that Katrina so badly damaged.
Memories of Katrina hung heavy over Tampa as Republican delegates traveled here to anoint the party's new standard-bearer. All over Florida ? a critical battleground state ? people were preparing for the worst. Homes and shops were boarded up in Key West. About 800 miles northwest in the Florida panhandle, the Wal-Mart in Destin, Fla., had sold out of bottled water.
By Sunday afternoon, Tampa was cloud-covered and windy outside the hall where Romney is to accept the nomination Thursday night. Inside, tense Romney advisers huddled to figure out how to proceed.
"It's a mess all around and it's fraught with risk," said Sally Bradshaw, a Florida Republican and longtime senior aide to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. "It's not good for anybody ? particularly the people impacted by the storm."
Weather was recognized as potential trouble when Republicans chose to hold their convention in Florida during hurricane season, a decision made well before Romney locked up the nomination.
Beyond the safety and image concerns, Isaac presents another wrinkle for Romney: It allows Obama to show leadership and flex the levers of his administration to help people bracing for a storm.
As forecasts grew grim, Obama dispatched the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist, and the White House said the president was closely monitoring the storm.
"The president also told the governor to let him know if there are any unmet needs or additional resources the administration could provide, including in support of efforts to ensure the safety of those visiting the state for the Republican National Convention," the White House said Sunday.
The president had no immediate plans to visit. But he might ? as most presidents do ? if the damage is severe. And if he does, Romney would have to weigh whether to proceed with his convention or scrap more parts of it ? and cede the limelight to the man who holds the office he wants.
Mindful of the danger of appearing to put politics before safety, Vice President Joe Biden, the Obama campaign's surrogate-in-chief, canceled a campaign swing through Florida on Monday and Tuesday.
Back in Tampa, Romney's convention planners were busy working to cram four carefully scripted days of speechmaking and celebration into just three. The announcement delaying the start of the convention came late Saturday, with Romney mindful of the good politics of putting safety before, well, politics.
"The safety of those in Isaac's path is of the utmost importance," Romney said in a tweet late Saturday.
Insisting on a four-day affair could have put delegates' safety at risk, while tying up law enforcement and emergency officials who otherwise would be dispatched to deal with storm fallout. That would have left a black mark on the convention, with potentially lasting political consequences in a critical battleground state and perhaps elsewhere.
Romney's decision drew praise.
"Governor Romney and his team have handled the situation correctly," former Gov. Bush, a Republican, told The Associated Press. He added: "There is no reason to cancel the event."
Michigan delegate Saul Anuzis agreed, saying: "It's such a huge logistical event, you can't call it off."
The question Romney and his team are weighing: how to proceed with the party while being sensitive to the uncertainty of Isaac and its potential to wreak havoc on the Gulf Coast, which has become a symbol of dysfunctional government under a Republican administration.
Among the considerations: whether to tone down plans to sharply criticize Obama and focus more heavily on Romney's other goal, promoting his own vision. Speakers scheduled for Monday had planned to start making the case against Obama.
"Even though the days will be abbreviated, I absolutely believe we'll be able to get our message out," senior Romney adviser Russ Schriefer, in charge of the convention's planning, said.
Added Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus: "We're moving forward, but we are going to be nimble."
Republican strategists suggested Romney celebrate without going overboard.
"You can tone down the happy-days-are-here-again a bit," said Rich Galen, a veteran Republican consultant in Washington. "Maybe you don't have the biggest balloon drop in history."
___
Associated Press writer Steve Peoples contributed from Wolfeboro, N.H.
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Roger Clemens back on the mound at age 50
Sugar Land Skeeters Roger Clemens throws a pitch during a baseball game against the Bridgeport Bluefish Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, in Sugar Land, Texas. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, signed with the Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League this week. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Sugar Land Skeeters Roger Clemens throws a pitch during a baseball game against the Bridgeport Bluefish Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, in Sugar Land, Texas. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, signed with the Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League this week. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Sugar Land Skeeters Roger Clemens throws a pitch during a baseball game against the Bridgeport Bluefish Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, in Sugar Land, Texas. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, signed with the Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League this week. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Sugar Land Skeeters pitcher Roger Clemens acknowledges the crowd as he leaves during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Bridgeport Bluefish Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, in Sugar Land, Texas. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, signed with the Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League this week. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Sugar Land Skeeters pitcher Roger Clemens warms up before a baseball game against the Bridgeport Bluefish Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, in Sugar Land, Texas. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, signed with the Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League, this week. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Sugar Land Skeeters Roger Clemens throws a pitch during a baseball game against the Bridgeport Bluefish Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, in Sugar Land, Texas. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, signed with the Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League this week. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
SUGAR LAND, Texas (AP) ? Roger Clemens raved about all the fun he had pitching at age 50 and putting smiles on the faces of Sugar Land baseball fans.
Still, it wasn't enough to set his mind on a major league comeback ? at least not yet.
"No," Clemens said. "I've had success before at that level and other things. Again, it's a great deal of work and I'm not thinking that at this point."
Pitching for the first time in five years, Clemens tossed 3 1-3 scoreless innings Saturday night for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League.
He faced the Bridgeport Bluefish and struck out two, including former major leaguer Joey Gathright to start the game. He allowed one hit without a walk and threw 37 pitches.
Scouts from the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals were on hand to see Clemens' comeback ? for however long it lasts and wherever it leads.
"I think it will fuel that speculation," Royals pro scout Ron Toenjes said after watching the performance. "I just don't know what will happen. I don't think anyone does."
Clemens received a standing ovation when he left the game. He stopped to tip his cap to the overflow crowd of 7,724 before heading into the dugout to begin recuperating and see how his body responds to his big night.
Sugar Land manager Gary Gaetti, a two-time All-Star third baseman with the Minnesota Twins, said he was impressed by Clemens' outing after such a long layoff. He admitted before the game he was a bit concerned about how things would go because of Clemens' age and time off.
"He did a great job," Gaetti said. "He really did."
Tal Smith, a longtime Astros executive and currently a special adviser to the Skeeters, said Clemens had great command and that he believes he could pitch in the majors again.
The Rocket agreed to join the Skeeters on Monday after throwing a simulated game for team officials. He was still feeling the effects from that workout Saturday, and said he would have pushed back this start if he didn't have other commitments coming up in the next few days.
"I probably overextended myself a little bit," Clemens said, later adding that he'll be spending a lot of time icing his aging body in the upcoming days. "I wanted to see where I was at. Anytime you do these, they're fun but you don't want to go out and embarrass yourself or embarrass the club."
He didn't rule out the possibility of making another start for the Skeeters, and said he'd discuss it with Gaetti in the next few days.
"We'll visit and if we can do something special down the road, we'll do it again for some of the people that couldn't get here," Clemens said. "I'm definitely open to it if they want to do it. It was a great deal of fun for me now that it's over and I stayed healthy."
Clemens certainly was happy to be back on a diamond instead of in a courtroom. In June, the seven-time Cy Young Award winner was acquitted of charges he lied to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.
Clemens, who last pitched for the New York Yankees in 2007, worked a 1-2-3 first inning and fanned two. His fastball was clocked at 88 mph, and he mixed in curves and splitters. He finished with four groundouts and four flyouts.
Toenjes liked what he saw.
"The thing that I was impressed with is you have a 50-year-old man out there throwing 87-88 (mph) most of the night, and he's got a real good splitter," he said. "His command wasn't as good as it could have been, but that it was a good, hard splitter, which is what you wanted to see."
Wearing the No. 21 that he sported during his rise to fame with Boston nearly three decades ago, Clemens got a big cheer when he took the mound.
After whiffing Gathright, Clemens retired Luis Figueroa on a grounder and struck out Prentice Redman to end the inning. The sellout crowd, with many fans wearing Skeeters T-shirts with Clemens' name on them, gave him another loud ovation.
Gathright thought Clemens would be more erratic.
"He didn't lose any command. Everything was pretty good for somebody that age," Gathright said.
Clemens didn't allow a hit until James Simmons' single with two outs in the second. He retired the next batter to end the eight-pitch inning.
Clemens has a bit of a belly that scores of 50-year-olds have, but he was effective enough against many hitters who were almost half his age.
He is set to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot going out to voters late this year. If he plays in a major league game this season, his consideration for Cooperstown would be pushed back five years.
Clemens, who wore gray cleats with bright yellow accents, needed 13 pitches to get through a perfect third inning. He threw one more pitch after that and Figueroa lined out to end Clemens' night with the Skeeters on top 1-0.
That was the final score, too.
After he left the game, Clemens stood along the railing of the dugout and chatted with his teammates, including fellow former major league pitcher Scott Kazmir and Jason Lane, who played with Clemens on Houston's 2005 World Series team.
Fans kept inching down near the dugout armed with phones, iPads and other cameras looking to snap a picture and collect a memory of the big night in this Houston suburb about 20 minutes from downtown.
Playing close to home, Clemens had a large group of friends and family among the crowd, including wife Debbie and sons Kacy and Kody.
Clemens earned about $160 million and won 354 games in a 24-year career with the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros. His 4,672 strikeouts are third-most and he was picked for 11 All-Star games.
Clemens has spent much of his time out of baseball defending his reputation.
He was accused by former personal trainer Brian McNamee in the Mitchell Report on drugs in baseball of using steroids and HGH, allegations Clemens denied before Congress. The Justice Department began an investigation into whether he had lied under oath, and in 2010 a grand jury indicted him on two counts of perjury, three counts of making false statements and one count of obstructing Congress.
He was acquitted of all the charges on June 19 after a 10-week trial and had largely stayed out of the public spotlight until now.
Many of his former teammates have said they believe that he could pitch again in the majors.
Clemens had two great seasons with the Astros after he turned 40, going 18-4 with a 2.98 ERA in 2004 to win his record seventh Cy Young Award. He was 13-8 with a career-low 1.87 ERA in 2005 while helping his hometown Astros reach their only World Series, and the team has already said it wouldn't rule out bringing him back this year.
On Saturday, he sounded as though he'd be more interested in joining fellow former Houston stars Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell in advising the players on what is the worst team in the majors right now than returning to play there himself.
"Where I can help, I'll do it," Clemens said. "I still think our hometown team, the Houston Astros, need some identity right now and I sure hope that Biggio and Bagwell come back if I'm running out there because they have a wealth of knowledge and they can help these young kids if they want to listen."
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