The boys are bad: Older male ants single out younger rivals for death squad

Friday, June 15, 2012

Male Cardiocondyla obscurior ants are diphenic (either winged or wingless). New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Ecology demonstrates that the dominant wingless (ergatoid) male is able to identify potential rivals before they emerge from their pupae. Constant patrolling of the nest ensures that this male is able to bite or chemically tag rivals as soon as they emerge from their pupae. Chemically tagged ants are quickly destroyed by workers.

When ants emerge from their pupae (eclosion) they are vulnerable to attack because their exoskeleton has not yet hardened to protect them and their mandibles are also too weak to bite an attacker. Researchers from University of Regensburg and IST Austria investigated the behaviour of male ergatoid C. obscurior ants in response to newly pupated males and females as well as their interaction with developing pupae.

It would be advantageous for newly emerged males to hide from attackers. However, while winged males use chemical female mimicry to avoid being detected, young ergatoid males are easily detected and attacked by older males. If the fight occurs during the first day after eclosion the older male will always win but once the younger male's exoskeleton hardens his chances of surviving rises to 14%. Nearly 50% of fights between older and two-day old males results in the death of both combatants.

In addition to biting the males also smeared each other with secretions from their anuses which encouraged worker aggression. The older males were more likely to chemically tag two-day olds than younger rivals (presumably recognising that they needed help to win the fight) however since both males end up being tagged they both suffer worker attacks. The winners of these fights smear more and are attacked less by workers. So although this tactic overall may provide an 'edge' it is a risky strategy.

Dr Sylvia Cremer, from IST Austria, who led this project commented, "Older ergatoid male ants are able to distinguish pupae containing females by their chemical scent from those containing males. Pupae containing males are often bitten while those containing females (or winged males disguised as females) elicit a mating response. However the chances of mistakenly killing a female or worker possibly prevents older males from attempting to completely destroy all rival males before they emerge from their pupae."

C. obscurior ants produce sexual females and ergatoid males throughout the year. In terms of colony survival this ensures that if the old dominant male dies there is a new male ready to replace him. The cost of producing a constant supply of ergatoid males is low compared to the cost of producing unfertilised females, and any killed males are recycled as food for the larvae.

###

1. The dynamics of male-male competition in Cardiocondyla obscurior ants
Sylvia Cremer, Masaki Suefuji, Alexandra Schrempf and Juergen Heinze
BMC Ecology (in press)

BioMed Central: http://www.biomedcentral.com

Thanks to BioMed Central for this article.

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Genetic markers hope for new brain tumor treatments

Public release date: 15-Jun-2012
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Contact: Emma Thorne
emma.thorne@nottingham.ac.uk
44-011-595-15793
University of Nottingham

Researchers at The University of Nottingham have identified three sets of genetic markers that could potentially pave the way for new diagnostic tools for a deadly type of brain tumour that mainly targets children.

The study, published in the latest edition of the prestigious journal 'Lancet Oncology, was led by Professor Richard Grundy at the University's Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre and Dr Suzanne Miller, a post doctoral research fellow in the Centre.

It focuses on a rare and aggressive cancer called Central Nervous System primitive neuro-ectodermal brain tumours. Patients with CNS PNET have a very poor prognosis and current treatments, including high dose chemotherapy and cranio-spinal radiotherapy are relatively unsuccessful and have severe lifelong side-effects. This is particularly the case in very young children.

Despite the need for new and more effective treatments, little research has been done to examine the underlying causes of CNS PNET, partly due to their rarity. The Nottingham study aimed to identify molecular markers as a first step to improving the treatments and therapies available to fight the cancer.

The Nottingham team collaborated with researchers at the Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto, Canada, to perform an International study collecting 142 CNS PNET samples from 20 institutions in nine countries.

Professor Richard Grundy said: "Following our earlier research we realised that an international effort was needed to bring sufficient numbers of cases together to make the breakthrough we needed to better understand this disease or indeed diseases identified in our study. The next step is to translate this knowledge into improving treatments."

By studying the genetics of the tumours, they discovered that instead of one cancer, the tumours have three sub-types featuring distinct genetic abnormalities and leading to different outcomes for patients.

They found that each group had its own genetic signature through subtle differences in the way they expressed two genetic markers, LIN28 and OLIG2.

When compared with clinical factors including age, survival and metastases (the spread of the tumours through the body), they discovered that group 1 tumours (primitive neural) were found most often in the youngest patients and had the poorest survival rates. Patients with group 3 tumours had the highest incidence of metastases at diagnosis.

Ultimately, the research has identified the two genetic markers LIN28 and OLIG2 as a promising basis for more effective tools for diagnosing and predicting outcomes for young patients with these types of brain tumours.

The research was funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, the Brainchild/Sick Kids Foundation and the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust.

Chief Executive of Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust, Sarah Lindsell, said: "As the UK's leading brain tumour charity, and the largest dedicated funder of brain tumour research, we are delighted that our investment has led to such significant success. It is great to see that understanding of these tumours is improving this is desperately needed given the poor outcomes for children with this tumour. Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust is proud to have been instrumental in this work."

###

The Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre is one of the projects set to benefit from the Impact Campaign, the biggest fundraising campaign in The University of Nottingham's 130 year history. It aims to raise 150m to transform research, enrich the student experience and enable the institution to make an even greater contribution to the global communities it serves.

The paper, Markers of Survival and Metastatic Potential in Childhood CNS Primitive Neuro-Ectodermal Brain Tumours: an Integrative Genomic Analysis, can be accessed via The Lancet's website.

---

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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: 15-Jun-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Emma Thorne
emma.thorne@nottingham.ac.uk
44-011-595-15793
University of Nottingham

Researchers at The University of Nottingham have identified three sets of genetic markers that could potentially pave the way for new diagnostic tools for a deadly type of brain tumour that mainly targets children.

The study, published in the latest edition of the prestigious journal 'Lancet Oncology, was led by Professor Richard Grundy at the University's Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre and Dr Suzanne Miller, a post doctoral research fellow in the Centre.

It focuses on a rare and aggressive cancer called Central Nervous System primitive neuro-ectodermal brain tumours. Patients with CNS PNET have a very poor prognosis and current treatments, including high dose chemotherapy and cranio-spinal radiotherapy are relatively unsuccessful and have severe lifelong side-effects. This is particularly the case in very young children.

Despite the need for new and more effective treatments, little research has been done to examine the underlying causes of CNS PNET, partly due to their rarity. The Nottingham study aimed to identify molecular markers as a first step to improving the treatments and therapies available to fight the cancer.

The Nottingham team collaborated with researchers at the Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto, Canada, to perform an International study collecting 142 CNS PNET samples from 20 institutions in nine countries.

Professor Richard Grundy said: "Following our earlier research we realised that an international effort was needed to bring sufficient numbers of cases together to make the breakthrough we needed to better understand this disease or indeed diseases identified in our study. The next step is to translate this knowledge into improving treatments."

By studying the genetics of the tumours, they discovered that instead of one cancer, the tumours have three sub-types featuring distinct genetic abnormalities and leading to different outcomes for patients.

They found that each group had its own genetic signature through subtle differences in the way they expressed two genetic markers, LIN28 and OLIG2.

When compared with clinical factors including age, survival and metastases (the spread of the tumours through the body), they discovered that group 1 tumours (primitive neural) were found most often in the youngest patients and had the poorest survival rates. Patients with group 3 tumours had the highest incidence of metastases at diagnosis.

Ultimately, the research has identified the two genetic markers LIN28 and OLIG2 as a promising basis for more effective tools for diagnosing and predicting outcomes for young patients with these types of brain tumours.

The research was funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, the Brainchild/Sick Kids Foundation and the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust.

Chief Executive of Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust, Sarah Lindsell, said: "As the UK's leading brain tumour charity, and the largest dedicated funder of brain tumour research, we are delighted that our investment has led to such significant success. It is great to see that understanding of these tumours is improving this is desperately needed given the poor outcomes for children with this tumour. Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust is proud to have been instrumental in this work."

###

The Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre is one of the projects set to benefit from the Impact Campaign, the biggest fundraising campaign in The University of Nottingham's 130 year history. It aims to raise 150m to transform research, enrich the student experience and enable the institution to make an even greater contribution to the global communities it serves.

The paper, Markers of Survival and Metastatic Potential in Childhood CNS Primitive Neuro-Ectodermal Brain Tumours: an Integrative Genomic Analysis, can be accessed via The Lancet's website.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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Newfound Galaxy May Be Most Distant Ever Seen

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Palestinian Attempt to Secure Emergency ?World Heritage? Status for Bethlehem Church May Fail

Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity (AP Photo)

(CNSNews.com) ? A bid by the Palestinian Authority to use its new membership of the U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization to secure its first endangered ?World Heritage? site ? the traditional birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem ? appears to be in trouble.

The application for the Church of the Nativity to be declared in need of urgent U.N. protection is one of 36 due to be considered by UNESCO?s World Heritage Committee during a two-week session in St. Petersburg, Russia starting on June 24.

The bid is the first by the P.A. since UNESCO became the first U.N. agency to admit ?Palestine? as a member last fall ? a controversial move that forced the Obama administration to cut funding in line with U.S. law.

Although the Palestinian cause enjoys substantial support at UNESCO ? ?Palestine? was admitted by a 107-14 vote ? and at the United Nations in general, its first World Heritage request has run into difficulties.

An expert body that evaluates applications for places of ?outstanding universal value? to be declared World Heritage sites, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), has recommended that it be turned down, disputing the P.A. claim that the ancient church is in such urgent need of protection that it should be deemed an emergency.

The P.A. put forward an ?emergency nomination? of the site, claiming that it had ?suffered from the result of armed conflict? and charging further that ?[t]he lack of free movement imposed by the Israeli security forces is hampering the supply of appropriate materials.?

?Overall the combined effects of the consequences of the Israeli occupation and the lack of scientific and technical measures for restoring and preserving the property are creating an emergency situation that should be addressed by an emergency measure,? the application argued.

In its formal assessment, ICOMOS agreed that the church potentially has ?outstanding universal value? but disagreed with the view that the matter was an emergency.

It conceded that the church ?has suffered from the lack of maintenance and the lack of conservation? but also said that situation was a ?longstanding? one.

?In conclusion, ICOMOS does not consider that the property can be considered to have been severely damaged or to be under imminent threat,? it said.

?ICOMOS does not consider that there is ?any immediate action? that could be taken by the Committee that ?is necessary for the survival of the property,?? it added, citing the language in operational guidelines governing World Heritage evaluations.

As a result of the ICOMOS report, UNESCO has now prepared a draft text for the St. Petersburg meeting, saying the committee has decided not to add the Church of the Nativity to the World Heritage list ?on an emergency basis.?

It invites the P.A. to ?resubmit the nomination in accordance with normal procedures for nomination? ? an assessment process likely to take much longer than the emergency one.

The draft decision will almost certainly be adopted at the meeting in Russia, although it may also spark heated political debates.

The 21-member committee includes countries strongly supportive of the P.A., such as Algeria, Cambodia, India, Iraq, Malaysia, Mali, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

?Politicizing?

?This is the first time in recent memory that a draft resolution circulated by the United Nations ? let alone by UNESCO, which recently elected Assad?s Syria to its human rights committee ? openly rejected a Palestinian claim or position,? commented Hillel Neuer, executive director of the Geneva-based group, U.N. Watch.

Neuer said the P.A. may not have realized that the World Heritage procedure is governed at some of its stages by independent, non-political experts.

?While there?s no question that holy places are valid heritage sites, the experts? complete rejection of the?Palestinian claims of danger to the church underscores the unfortunate manner in which [P.A.] President Mahmoud Abbas is improperly politicizing a vital process for protecting the world's culture,? he said.

Although this is the first time ?Palestine? has been able to bring an application to UNESCO, its allies in the Arab world have for years used the agency to undermine Israel's cultural and historical connection to sites whose significance for Jews goes back thousands of years.

In Oct. 2010, for instance, UNESCO?s 58-member executive board passed a resolution regarding the traditional burial place in Hebron of biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

It said the site was ?an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories and that any unilateral action by the Israeli authorities is to be considered a violation of international law, the UNESCO Conventions and the United Nations and Security Council resolutions.? The U.S. cast the only ?no? vote.

Although Bethlehem is located in territory claimed by the Palestinians ? and under P.A. administration since 1995 ? its ancient history is Jewish.

As recounted in the Bible, Rachel ? the wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph ? died and was buried in Bethlehem, and it was the birthplace and place of anointing of King David, the second king of Israel. Jesus was born there, according to the Gospels, during the reign of King Herod, at a time when the Jewish kingdom was under Roman occupation.

Ironically, given the P.A. claims, the worst damage caused to the Church of the Nativity in recent years came from Palestinian militants.

During an Israeli military operation aimed at flushing out terrorists following a series of suicide bomb attacks in 2002, Palestinian gunmen holed up in the church and remained there under siege for 39 days, during which time the commander of Israeli forces in the area pledged not to harm the revered site.

Senior Vatican foreign policy official Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran said in a radio interview during the crisis that the ?status quo of the holy place of the Basilica of the Nativity has been violated by the Palestinians, who have sought refuge in its interior with arms.? (The church is jointly administered by the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian churches.)

After the gunmen left the church under a European-brokered agreement, the Israeli military said it found 40 ?explosive devices? inside the compound. Reporters described filth and the stench of urine, although no permanent harm was reported.

The gunmen included members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, affiliated with the Fatah faction of Abbas and then P.A. Chairman Yasser Arafat.

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Take Up Beauty Franchises to Capture the ... - Raw Business Law

Beauty franchises are in great demand. For those of you who want to get a list of the beauty franchise opportunities, there are several options. Detailed information is the most important part of it, when it comes to opening up a business in this industry. It is important to know which sector of the beauty industry is more of your niche. When it comes to any industry, finding your niche is important but it especially important for a business owner to know the ins and outs of a franchise, its line of business, future prospects, competition and several other aspects that define the success and failure of the said business. In regards to processes, talents, and behind the scenes policy making, every detail must be considered and evaluated while you are exploring any beauty franchise available in the marketplace.

On choosing a particular sector of the industry, there are so many beauty franchises out there that at most times it becomes very difficult to sort one from the other. Beauty is one of the fail-safe industries and it is important to many consumers, as women want to be Cleopatra?s, or for that matter men love being well groomed. For any entrepreneur that would rather have a proven business model than spending time taking the chances necessary to build from the ground up, these franchises provide a fantastic framework. The other day I met an entrepreneur who was trying to find a beauty consultant, who would help them, create a spa business.why re-invent the wheel, when you can actually take up a reputed franchise within the same space. In fact look around and you will see several successful business ideas already operational as franchises in the market place and all you need to do is to sign the franchise agreement and get started, instead of searching 101 vendors, suppliers , how to do?s, etc., you just begin with business from day 1.To guarantee success, it is best to pick the most booming type of franchising out there. For hair removal on multiple levels, the franchises that provide laser hair removal are becoming more and more popular as consumers choose this as a better option.There are a lot more customers with a painless option which have longevity over the other options. Tanning, hair care, and even alternative beauty treatments are other popular beauty franchise opportunities. You could choose to take up a beauty salon franchise, a cosmetics franchise or an alternative beauty therapy franchise which could be an Ayurveda franchise or an herbal franchise. Gym franchises though fall in the health and fitness category, along with spa franchises, they are very close to the beauty franchise business. No matter the economic issues that are going on in life for the time being, most people always want to look their best. You can also opt for mul tiple unit franchise or a master franchise. Than just one business, a multiple unit franchise will let the franchisee function in a larger area and with larger economies of scale. With the support of a large franchise there are many benefits, there are differing requirements for the purchase and will allow more services to be offered. Remember that when it comes to any business, location is the key. Beauty franchises are most successful when they are in close proximity to an ideal catchment, where people can access the service comfortably and in no time. Everyone likes to take care of themselves. Women in particular are not the only ones who go out to beauty salons but men also have increasingly upped their visits to these salons. This makes them better about themselves physically, while increasing their self-confidence, in dealing with people. Having said that, beauty franchises lend themselves perfectly as franchises suitable for women or qualify for women franchise opport unities.

Thinking through what your passion is the most important step when it comes to beauty franchises. The way to go is by finding is the best sector to have based on your interests and capabilities. With a business plan on mind, do research to figure out where and what you want to achieve. There are several world class brands that come to your mind instantly when you think of the beauty franchises industry. You have the Revlon franchise, Lakme franchise, Body Shop Franchise which is hugely popular or several others. You can explore the world of health and beauty franchises by finding a nice hair salon franchise or a cosmetics franchise or an unusual franchise offering good looks, whichever way it may be possible. What would you say to a Tattoo Franchise? Hence beauty franchises could be your way to devote to the health and wellness passion, while this could be great for entrepreneurs who want a profession and make a difference to people?s lives.

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Menstrual huts protect Dogon men from cuckoldry

ENSURING your partner doesn't cheat is a perennial problem. Perhaps one solution is religion.

Beverly Strassmann at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor has spent years studying the Dogon people of Mali, west Africa. Women who practise the traditional Dogon religion, unlike those who are Muslim or Christian, spend five days a month around the time of menstruation in a highly visible "menstrual hut".

Strassmann tested paternity in 1700 Dogon father and son pairs and found that those who practised the traditional religion were four times less likely to be raising someone else's son than those who practised Christianity (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.073/pnas.1110442109).

The findings suggest that the huts make it easier for husbands to monitor wives close to fertile periods. No differences were observed between the Dogon and the Muslim group, perhaps because women are required to tell their husbands when they menstruate.

Strassmann suggests that these traditions may have developed as a way to boost reproductive success.

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Goji Berry Could Protect Eyes From Diabetic Retinopathy

An ancient berry may be a powerful tool in protecting eyes from diabetes-related vision loss, according to new cellular research.

Scientists from the University of Sydney discovered that a compound found in the goji berry, called taurine, may be able to protect the eye's retina from diabetic retinopathy. The condition occurs when glucose levels in the eye increase, thereby causing retina cells to die, explained Basil Roufogalis, a professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Sydney.

"Typically what happens is proteins in the eye become oxidated and high glucose levels force retinal cells to die," Roufogalis said in a statement. "What's more, blood vessels build up in the retina and grow over the vision spot, which can result in vision loss."

The study, published in the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolism, was conducted in cells exposed to high glucose that functioned as a model for diabetic retinopathy. The researchers exposed these cells to pure taurine, as well as goji berry extract that had taurine in it.

The researchers found that both the goji berry extract and the pure taurine seemed to protect the cells from dying.

"We are hopeful that these promising results for treating or preventing diabetic retinopathy will lead to human clinical trials," Roufogalis said in the statement.

Diabetic retinopathy is the No. 1 cause of blindness in adults in the U.S., according to the National Eye Institute.

According to 2005 to 2008 statistics from the National Institutes of Health, 28.5 percent of people with diabetes ages 40 and older have retinopathy (4.2 million people). Of those people, 4.4 percent had an advanced form of the condition, putting them at risk for blindness.

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Undersea Volcanoes Hold Clues to Eruptions

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4 E-commerce Metrics from Google Analytics Reports. 7 First-Level ...

Web analytics is a thermometer for your website, constantly checking and monitoring your online health. How would you determine whether your search engine marketing is effective, or even sufficient, for capturing your potential audience or whether your investment in creating a social media buzz has been worth it? Is the visitor experience a good one, encouraging engagement, repeat visits, and sales, or are visitors bouncing off your website after viewing only a single page?

An important early step when deciding on a website measurement strategy is to define the value that web measurement can bring to your business. Website measurement tools can be used to identify growth opportunities, measure efficiency improvements, and highlight when things go wrong.

Some people will say, ?We are only interested in visitors who convert,? that is, become a customer, ?and not the rest of the reports,? but that is misguided thinking. The conversion rate?the proportion of visitors that build a relationship with you (download a brochure or fact sheet, for example) or become a customer directly?is usually only 1 to 3 percent of your total visitor traffic. While this is clearly a valuable segment of your current business, the other 97-plus percent represents the greatest potential for future improvement.

To do business effectively on the Web, you need to continually refine and optimize your online marketing strategy, social search strategy, site navigation, and page content (as well as how your offline marketing, press releases, and communications interact with your website). A low-performing website will starve your return on investment (ROI) and can damage your brand. But you need to understand what is performing poorly?the targeting of your marketing campaigns, poor reviews of your products or services on the Web, or your website?s ability to convert once a visitor arrives. Web analytics provides the tools for gathering this information and enables you to benchmark the effects.

Offsite tools are used to measure the size of your potential audience (opportunity), your share of voice (visibility), and the buzz (comments and sentiment) that is happening on the Internet as a whole. These are relevant metrics regardless of your website?s existence. Conversely, onsite tools measure the visitor?s onsite journey, its drivers, and your website?s performance. These are directly related to your website?s existence.
The differences in methodology between offsite and onsite web measurement tools are significant, and this leads to very different results. Even for basic website numbers, such as the number of visitors a website receives or the total number of pageviews, the values can vary dramatically. This is a constant and exasperating problem for site owners, media buyers, and marketers alike who attempt the futile task of reconciling the metrics. The truth is that metrics obtained with offsite methods cannot be reconciled with those from onsite tools?it?s like comparing apples to oranges, and often the differences are large; for example, ?100 percent is not uncommon.

Offsite web analytics tools measure your potential website audience. They are the macro tools that allow you to see the bigger picture of how your website compares to others. Onsite web analytics tools measure the actual visitor traffic arriving on your website. They are capable of tracking the engagements and interactions your visitors have, such as, for example, whether they convert to a customer or lead, how they got to that point, or where they dropped out of the process altogether. It is not logical to use one methodology to measure the impact of another. Offsite and onsite analytics should be used to complement each other, not compete against each other.

If you are implementing web analytics for the first time, then you will want to gain an insight into the initial visitor metrics to ascertain your traffic levels and visitor distribution. Here are some examples of first-level metrics:
??? ?How many daily visitors you receive
??? ?Your average conversion rate (sales, registration, download, and so on)
??? ?Your top-visited pages
??? ?The average visit time on site and how often visitors come back
??? ?The referral source or channel that is driving the most traffic
??? ?The geographic distribution of visitors and what language setting they are using
??? ?How ?sticky? your pages are: whether visitors stay or simply bounce off (single-page visits)

If your website has an e-commerce facility, then you will also want to know the following:
??? ?The revenue your site is generating
??? ?Where your customers are coming from (channel and campaigns)
??? ?What your top-selling products are
??? ?The average order value of your top-selling products

These metrics enable you to establish a baseline from which you can increase your knowledge. Be warned, though, Google Analytics gives you statistics so readily that you can become obsessive about checking them. Hence, as you move deeper into your analysis, you will start to ask more complicated questions of your data:
??? ?Where do my most valuable visitors come from (referral source and geography)?
??? ?Which of the most valuable visitors are most likely to make a purchase, and which of those visitors are most likely to make the highest value purchases?
??? ?Which are my most valuable content pages; that is, not just popular pages, but pages that also contribute to the conversion process?
??? ?How do existing customers (or subscribers, downloaders, or social media followers) use the site compared to new visitors?
??? ?Am I wasting money on campaigns that bounce; that is, attracting visitors that only view a single page and then leave?
??? ?Is my site engaging with visitors; that is, does anything on the site help build a relationship with an otherwise anonymous visitor?
??? ?Is my internal site search helping or hindering conversions; that is, can visitors find what they are looking for once on my site?
??? ?How many visits and how much time does it take for a visitor to become a customer (which affects promotion campaigns, email follow-ups, and affiliate relationships)?

All of these questions can be answered with Google Analytics reports.
Keep in mind that web analytics are tools, not ends in themselves. They cannot tell you why visitors behave the way they do or which improvements you should make. For that you need to invest in report analysis, and that means hiring expertise, training existing staff, using the services of an external consultant, or using a combination of all of these. Often, you may need to employ multiple tools to gain an insight as to why. These include the use of voice-of-the-customer tools (surveys, customer ratings, and feedback) as well as offsite analytics measurement (market size, social network mentions, sentiment, and so forth).

Google Analytics is an onsite visitor-reporting tool.

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Canadian porn star accused of dismembering Chinese student likely to be extradited this month - New York Post

BERLIN -- German prosecutors said the Canadian porn star accused of killing and dismembering a Chinese student in Montreal will probably be extradited by the end of the month.

The comments came as Montreal police said Thursday they are keen to know more about the murder of a Los Angeles man who was found dismembered in January, when the "Canadian Psycho" murder suspect was on the West Coast.

The suspect, Luka Rocco Magnotta, is accused of murdering Chinese student Lin Jun in Montreal then sending his body parts to political parties and schools.

"We hope that he can be extradited by the end of the month," a spokesman for the Berlin public prosecutor's office, Martin Steltner, told AFP.

Reuters

Luka Rocco Magnotta after his arrest on Monday

The 29-year-old Magnotta was arrested Monday in a Berlin internet cafe, looking up online articles about himself, after a witness tip ended a 10-day-long international manhunt while he was on the run to Paris and then Berlin.

He is awaiting extradition to face charges in Canada of murdering 33-year-old Lin, believed at one point to have been his lover.

Magnotta allegedly filmed himself on the night of May 24-25 killing Lin with a pick axe and dismembering the body before sending a foot and a hand to the headquarters of Canadian political parties, including the ruling Conservatives.

A torso, which has been identified as belonging to Lin, was discovered in a suitcase outside Magnotta's apartment building, but his head and his second hand and foot remained unaccounted for.

Canadian police said Wednesday they were probing a macabre new twist in the case after further body parts sent from Montreal turned up at Vancouver schools. It was not immediately clear whether the parts belonged to Lin.

Magnotta, who has been dubbed the "Canadian Psycho" and the "Butcher of Montreal," fled Canada on May 26, initially to Paris, before boarding a bus to Berlin on Friday.

Canadian authorities said he will face charges of first-degree murder and committing indignities to a body. He is also expected to be charged with publishing and mailing obscene matter to Canadian politicians.

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Boudoir Photography More Popular - A Quiet Noise Entertainment ...

There are a lot of great options for anyone who is interested in having a San Francisco boudoir photographer take her picture as such photography is the best at creating a beautiful picture of a woman who might have any number of different body types. Boudoir photography has certainly become amazingly popular in the past few years and one of the fun things about going in for a boudoir photography session is that it is often a perfect way to reveal how beautiful a woman can be without any fancy Photoshop editing and just a few well-placed lights and a good camera.

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Rare quarter-mile-wide tornado destroys homes in Wyoming

CHEYENNE, Wyo. ? A rare quarter-mile-wide tornado cut a swath across mainly open country in southeastern Wyoming, ripping off roofs and shingles, destroying outbuildings and derailing empty train cars.

The twister was part of a powerful storm system that rolled through parts of Colorado and Wyoming on Thursday, packing heavy rains, high winds and hail. The storms followed a round of nasty late spring weather that pummeled the region Wednesday.

The twister in a sparsely populated area near Wheatland, Wyo., left five structures heavily damaged, and 10 to 12 other structures had lesser damage, said Kelly Ruiz of the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security. One of the destroyed homes was vacant, said radio station owner Kent Smith, speaking for the Platte County Sheriff?s Office.

Kim Eike said Friday she was working at First State Bank in Wheatland when the tornado hit her property about 8 miles south of town. She and her co-workers were watching it when one woman pointed out it was near Eike?s house.

She said the tornado went right over her house, which was still standing, though battered.

?We lost a camper, it blew out the windows in our house, blew off the shingles clear down to the plywood, but we didn?t lose the roof. We lost our pig barn, and we lost off our big barn, just the door off the barn. How that happened, I don?t know why we didn?t lose the whole barn. All the trees around our place are down,? she said.

Eike said that no one in her family was home at the time. She said that one couple in another house in the area rode out the storm in the basement.

Another man survived the collapse of his house by climbing into his bathtub, The Casper Star-Tribune (http://bit.ly/LAo813 ) reported. Photographs from the newspaper show an irrigation pipe wrapped around a post and the roof of a home ripped off.

National Weather Service meteorologist Richard Emanuel said the tornado was one-quarter mile wide and stayed on the ground for much of its 20-mile path from west of Wheatland to northeast of Chugwater. The area is about 60 miles north of Cheyenne.

?It stayed pretty much over open country,? Emanuel said. ?It didn?t hit any towns or cities.?

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Which Social Networks Are Right For Your Business? | Ker-ching ...

The social media cloud is a burgeoning one, expanding at a steadfast rate with the launch of new platforms and a series of complicated algorithms, all designed to increase your social engagement with existing and prospective customers. As a business owner, you have your fingers tied up in too many pies ? some get baked right, others not so much. So, when your email announces the launch of yet another social media platform, it?s okay to get flummoxed.

Here?s some food for thought ? you DO NOT need every social media platform for promoting your business, but you must be willing to spend time on the ones you choose. Before determining the best social media platforms for your business, answer this short questionnaire:

• Do you sell products or services?
• Is your business local or national/international?
• Is it an online business or a brick and mortar store?
• What demographic segment are you targeting?
• Are your clients? internet-savvy?
• Is it a B2C or a B2B business?
• Are you a one person operation or do you have a marketing department?

We?ll provide answers to these questions when dissecting the most important social media platforms for 2012 and how you can use them to get better sales, more clients, and greater visibility.

Facebook ? The unbeatable Big Daddy of social media, Facebook has over 700 million users worldwide. It brings in the maximum percentage of referral traffic when compared to channels like LinkedIn, Twitter, and StumbleUpon.

It is also among the most versatile social channels, catering to all demographic segments. Whatever be your answer to the social questionnaire above, Facebook can be used to market all kinds of businesses ? online, local, global, mom and pop stores, home services, and so much more.

What can you use Facebook for? Here are some ideas ?

• Announcing a sale event or a special deal for Facebook fans.
• Include updates about your business.
• Engage and communicate with fans.
• Getting feedback on products and services.

Twitter ? Twitter may not be as ubiquitous as Facebook but the platform certainly provides its share of benefits to local businesses, especially those in the food industry, entertainment, and real estate.

By finding and following Twitter users in your area, you can connect with them instantly and spread word about your business, increasing foot fall to your store and networking with your followers.

Pinterest ? Although infantile compared to Facebook and Twitter, Pinterest has experienced rapid growth, making it one of the top websites for referral traffic. It has surged ahead of LinkedIn and Google+!

Pinterest has a mainly female audience and the channel relies on visual appeal. This is a must use social platform for businesses like:

• Home restoration, furniture, and furnishings
• Interior design and architecture
• Wedding photography and videography
• Bakeries
• Food blogs
• Handmade crafts

LinkedIn ? LinkedIn is a professional network that is ideal for business to business interaction. It does not require frequent status updates and information sharing, instead it gives businesses an opportunity to connect to their preferred target segment easily.

Join business specific groups on LinkedIn and participate in discussions led by members. This helps in building trust and aids in your networking efforts.

There are many industry specific social media platforms as well, although we recommend starting out with the ones that are most relevant to your business. Once you get a handle on these and start seeing positive results, move on to experimenting with other platforms.

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President Vladimir Putin's new hard line against Russian protesters to be put to a test

MOSCOW (AP) ? Helmeted riot police round up hundreds of protesters, including some whose only apparent crime is wearing white ribbons of opposition. A teacher who spoke out about election rigging is dragged into court and fined. Now a new law signed by President Vladimir Putin on Friday raises fines for participating in unauthorized protests 150-fold, to nearly the average annual salary in Russia.

Putin has cracked down on the opposition since returning to the presidency, and he seems to be betting that by threatening demonstrators with prison time and harsh fines he can quash the street protests that have posed an unprecedented challenge to his 12-year rule.

Putin said that the law is designed to safeguard Russians from "radicalism."

"In guaranteeing citizens' right to express their opinion, including in street rallies, society must protect other citizens, the general public, from radicalism," he said in televised remarks. He added, however, that the law may be amended if necessary.

His strategy faces a major test on Tuesday when the opposition plans its first mass demonstration since he began his third presidential term on May 7.

Some opposition leaders contend that the tough line will help their cause by fueling anger and bringing more people out for next week's protest. Others say the repression will scare away the middle-class protesters who turned out in the tens of thousands for peaceful demonstrations this winter.

Putin, for his part, is refusing any talks with the opposition.

"He understands only one language, the language of force, and therefore he perceives any normal discussion and any rational compromise as personal weakness," said Yevgenia Chirikova, an environmental activist who has campaigned against Kremlin-backed road construction that is destroying a forest outside Moscow.

Chirikova and Ilya Yashin, who recently spent 15 days in jail for leading unsanctioned protests, were among a group of opposition leaders who met Thursday in Moscow to discuss the implications of the new law, which jacks up fines to 300,000 rubles ($9,000).

Yashin tried to ease worries, saying protest leaders would collect donations for those punished, as was done within hours when St. Petersburg teacher Tatyana Ivanova was fined 30,000 rubles ($1,000) last week. Ivanova was found guilty of damaging the reputation of an education department official she had accused of pressuring her and other poll workers to falsify the December parliamentary vote.

The anti-Putin protests broke out after the December election, which observers said was riddled with fraud in favor of Putin's party, and continued in the run-up to the March presidential vote. As many as 100,000 people turned out in the frigid cold for demonstrations demanding free elections, and the streets of Moscow rang with cries of "Russia Without Putin" and "Putin Is a Thief."

Although he was denied a majority in Moscow, Putin won the election to return to the Kremlin post he had held from 2000 to 2008 before moving into the prime minister's office to avoid violating a constitutional ban on more than two consecutive terms.

With the election over, the protest movement seemed to fade.

But on the eve of Putin's inauguration, an opposition march and rally drew tens of thousands, far more than either the organizers or the police had expected. The demonstration turned violent after police restricted access to the square where the rally was to be held. Bottles and pieces of asphalt were hurled at police, who struck back by beating protesters with truncheons and detaining more than 400. Some demonstrators were dragged away by their hair. Opposition leaders claim the clash was provoked by pro-Kremlin thugs.

In the days that followed, police chased opposition activists around the city, detaining hundreds.

Then the crackdown eased, as the authorities allowed the opposition to set up camp on a leafy boulevard. But there were strings attached: The organizers could not put up placards or make political demands, since that would technically turn the camp into an unsanctioned protest.

The authorities tolerated the camp for about a week before getting a court to rule that the activists were creating a mess in the neighborhood, giving police the legal right to disperse them.

The anti-protest legislation also provides police with new powers against such Occupy-style camps. "Large-scale public gatherings" can be banned and the organizers fined if they disrupt public order.

In a Levada poll released Thursday, 65 percent said they expected the protests to continue, although they differed on how likely the protests were to intensify or spread. The poll, conducted May 25-29 among 1,604 people across Russia, has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.

The bill was rushed through the Kremlin-controlled parliament this week in an effort to get it in place before Tuesday's big protest.

Some opposition leaders had held out hope that Putin would refuse to sign it. Others, however, had said they had no illusions, pointing to a comment by Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov after the violence on the eve of the inauguration. Protesters who hurt riot police, he said, "should have their livers smeared on the asphalt."

It was the kind of language that Putin likes.

___

Irina Titova in St. Petersburg contributed to this report.

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Twitter index: LinkedIn passwords leaked

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Belmont and that's not all on big NYC sports day

This combination made Tuesday, June 5, 2012, from file photos shows, at left, New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey on May 22, and New York Yankees' Derek Jeter on April 17. Fans around the world will be focused on the New York metropolitan area as it hosts at least four and maybe five major events, including a regular-season, three-day series between the city's two baseball teams, the Mets and Yankees, starting on Friday, June 8. (AP Photos/Files)

This combination made Tuesday, June 5, 2012, from file photos shows, at left, New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey on May 22, and New York Yankees' Derek Jeter on April 17. Fans around the world will be focused on the New York metropolitan area as it hosts at least four and maybe five major events, including a regular-season, three-day series between the city's two baseball teams, the Mets and Yankees, starting on Friday, June 8. (AP Photos/Files)

This combination made Tuesday, June 5, 2012, from file photos shows, at left, Brazil's Neymar on May 30 and Argentina's Lionel Messi on June 2. Fans around the world will be focused on the New York metropolitan area as it hosts at least four and maybe five major events, including an exhibition soccer match between two of the game's great rivals, Brazil and Argentina, Saturday, June 9, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photos/Files)

FILE - In this May 20, 2012, file photo, Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I'll Have Another is lead around his stable just after arriving at Belmont Park in New York. Fans around the world will be focused on the New York metropolitan area as it hosts at least four and maybe five major events, including the Belmont Stakes horse race, featuring I'll Have Another's bid for the first Triple Crown in 34 years, on Saturday, June 9. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

FILE - In this June 2, 2012, file photo, New Jersey Devils' Steve Bernier, right, skates past celebrating Los Angeles Kings after the Kings' 2-1 win in Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals in Newark, N.J. Fans around the world will be focused on the New York metropolitan area as it hosts at least four and maybe five major events, including Game 5 of the Stanley Cup on Saturday, June 9, if the Devils can pull off a road win Wednesday in Game 4 at Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2011, file photo, United States' David Oliver competes in the 110-meter hurdles at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Fans around the world will be focused on the New York metropolitan area as it hosts at least four and maybe five major events, including a world-class track and field meet, the Adidas Grand Prix, at Icahn Stadium, Saturday, June 9, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? New York likes to think of itself as the hub of, well, pretty much everything. Finance, fashion, theater. And this Saturday, sports can claim a spot on that list.

Fans around the world will be focused on the New York metropolitan area as it hosts five major events: the Belmont Stakes, featuring I'll Have Another's bid for the first Triple Crown in 34 years; a world-class track and field meet, the Adidas Grand Prix, at Icahn Stadium; an exhibition soccer match between two of the game's great rivals; a regular-season matchup between the city's two baseball teams, the Mets and Yankees; and, Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals between the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings.

True, sports lovers may start their day watching the women's final at the French Open from Paris and end it by checking out the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley welterweight title fight in Las Vegas, but between morning and late night, it's all New York.

To mark the big day, The Associated Press talked to people with a connection to each of the five sports ? horse racing, track, soccer, baseball and hockey ? and asked them why a fan who could only attend one event should go see theirs. The AP also asked what they'd go to see, if they couldn't watch their own game or race.

Here is what they said:

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METS STARTING PITCHER R.A. DICKEY

? On why a fan should go see baseball:

"It's the New York Mets vs. the New York Yankees. We're both playing well. It's a trophy game, it's for bragging rights. The winning team gets its colors lit up on the Empire State Building. It's like an intrastate rivalry in college football. It'll be an exciting environment."

? And if you couldn't go to the baseball game:

"I would go to see the Olympians in the track meet. The track first, then the Belmont, then the soccer, then the hockey. I was in the '96 Olympics and got a chance to watch some events from track side. I remember seeing (gold medal sprinter) Michael Johnson coming around the turn, those golden shoes, that was really something special. If you're talking about athletes, I'm thinking that means human beings more than horses. I'd rather see a human being run fast than a horse."

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SUNIL GULATI, PRESIDENT OF THE U.S. SOCCER FEDERATION (also an economics professor at Columbia University)

? On why a fan should go see Brazil vs. Argentina:

"You've got one of the world's great rivalries, and one very rarely played outside South America, a few miles outside of Manhattan. And you've got what everyone would agree are two of world's five best players on the field at the same time."

? And if you couldn't go to the match?

Gulati based his answer on what his 14-year-old son would like to do. "I'd take him to the hockey game. My son hasn't been to the hockey game," he said. Then he hesitated. "But Neymar and (Lionel) Messi in the same game?"

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TOM DURKIN, NEW YORK RACING ASSOCIATION TRACK ANNOUNCER (will call Belmont at the track):

? On why a fan should go see the Belmont Stakes:

"Because this is something that is going to happen only once every 34 years. The Yankees and the Mets play, what, six times a year? The Stanley Cup, it's hockey. Argentina and Brazil. They play all the time. A Triple Crown happens once in a generation."

? And if you couldn't go to the Belmont?

"I would go see the Empire Classic, the 10th race at Vernon Downs (a harness racing track in central New York). Why? Because I own a horse that could win it."

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TOM RENNEY, FORMER NEW YORK RANGERS COACH

? On why a fan should go see Game 5 of the Stanley Cup:

Renney said a Game 4 win would show the Devils haven't quit. That, he said, "lends itself to the support any hockey fan should give the game of hockey . not just the New Jersey Devils and the L.A. Kings. The Stanley Cup finals are not over, and the New Jersey Devils do have the ability to come back, especially at home."

? And if you couldn't go to Game 5?

"If not able to attend the game, I would go to the track (Belmont) and watch a seldom-seen, lifetime experience. History repeating itself is a distinct possibility."

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DAVID OLIVER, AMERICAN RECORD HOLDER IN THE 110-METER HURDLES AND 2008 OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALIST

? On why a fan should go see the Adidas Grand Prix, part of the Diamond League series:

"This ... question is extremely hard!" Oliver said in an email. "If you could only buy one ticket, it should be to the NYC Diamond League because: Mets/Yankees will be played on Sunday, Game 7 on the 13th will be a much better game to attend, there will be racing at the Belmont, but only at the track meet can you actually get an autograph from the athlete. I know the Triple Crown is at stake but just DVR it and re-live it over and over. Do we really watch soccer in the USA? No competition for the Diamond League!"

? And if you couldn't go to the meet?

"If I couldn't go to my event, hands down I would be attending the Brazil vs. Argentina friendly. I'd be going for the simple fact that if both teams fielded their top teams, I'd be watching some of the world's greatest soccer stars in Gonzalo Higuain, Messi, Javier Mascherano, Maxi Rodriguez and Sergio Aguero for Argentina taking on one of the most successful countries in World Cup history and their young guns Hulk, Neymar and Marcelo. Will be an awesome match."

Associated Press

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