We count down the best-reviewed work of the Jack the Giant Slayer star.
From independent dramas to a certain trilogy of big-budget sci-fi prequels, Ewan McGregor has led an admirably varied life on the big screen -- as well as off, where he's an accomplished stage actor as well as a bestselling author. This weekend, McGregor takes another step in a new direction with his appearance in Bryan Singer's Jack the Giant Slayer, a tongue-in-cheek, action-packed retelling of everyone's favorite magic bean-fueled fairytale, and we decided to take the opportunity to pay tribute with a look back at some of his finest films. Yes, that's right...it's time for Total McRecall!
77%
Casting younger versions of older actors to play their characters in the past is always a tricky proposition for any director, but Tim Burton pretty much knocked it out of the park in Big Fish; not only did he have Albert Finney anchoring his movie's present-day storyline-slash-framing device, he scored a casting coup by landing McGregor as Finney's more youthful incarnation, giving him a chance to deliver one of his more rakishly charming performances in a production that boasted all of Burton's trademark visual whimsy in addition to a tender screenplay (adapted from the Daniel Wallace book) about the often-complicated relationships between fathers and sons. "Big Fish is so strange and so literary that audiences seeking conventional fare may get impatient with it," admitted the Chicago Tribune's Michael Wilmington. "But it always takes effort to catch the big ones. This one is worth it."
79%
Movies about people in economically depressed small towns triumphing over adversity in some unusual, typically arts-driven way are nothing new (see: The Full Monty, Calendar Girls), and for good reason -- with the right narrative hook, it's a story worth telling repeatedly. Case in point: Writer/director Mark Herman's Brassed Off, starring the incomparable Pete Postlethwaite as the director of an award-winning civic brass band in a British town where most people (including himself) have worked in the local mine -- which is facing foreclosure thanks to a government study led by a woman (Tara Fitzgerald) who grew up nearby, and had a childhood romance with one of the members of the band (Ewan McGregor). Formula stuff, to be sure -- but according to most critics, it was crafted adeptly enough to forgive its familiarity. As an appreciative Bridget Byrne put it for Boxoffice Magazine, "Like the music it celebrates, Brassed Off is in-your-face yet sentimental, rousing yet sad, defiant but full of heart."
80%
A sleek, pleasantly pulpy woman-on-the-run action thriller with an uncommonly sharp cast, Steven Soderbergh's Haywire essentially doubled as two films -- one that acted as a showcase for the bone-crunching skills of star (and real-life MMA fighter) Gina Carano, and another that served to highlight the ever-dependable work of her supporting players, a group that included McGregor, Michael Douglas, Michael Fassbender, Bill Paxton, and Antonio Banderas. "Carano is nothing special as an actress," admitted Eric D. Snider for Film.com, "but darned if it matters when she's supported by a killer screenplay, a sharp cast, and Steven Soderbergh's unmistakably sly, mordant direction."
80%
The Star Wars prequels have been the focus of a lot of critical scorn, and plenty of it is deserved, but they did have their moments -- many of which arrived during 2005's Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. While far from perfect (and doomed to forever be known as the film that brought fans Darth Vader's most laughable scene), Sith allowed fans to finally witness the events leading up to the galaxy-altering battle between Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) and his wayward pupil, Anakin Skywaler (Hayden Christensen). "Same logo. Same starry-night spacescape. Same music. Same crawl. Same everything," wrote Eleanor Ringel Gillespie of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Only different. And so much better."
81%
Two years after appearing in Mark Herman's Brassed Off, McGregor reunited with the writer/director for Little Voice, an adaptation of the Jim Cartright play (titled The Rise and Fall of Little Voice in its stage incarnation) about a debilitatingly shy woman (Jane Horrocks) with a phenomenal singing voice and a mother (Brenda Blethyn) who happens to bring home a talent agent (Michael Caine) after a night of bar-hopping -- therefore setting the stage for a life-altering chain of events. McGregor's Little Voice role (a socially awkward pigeon trainer who forms a bond with Horrocks) isn't one of his biggest, but it helped lay the groundwork for a film career that has grown to encompass a wide variety of genres -- and it helped earn the approval of critics like Variety's Derek Elley, who called the movie "A small picture with a big heart."
Feb. 27, 2013 ? A hockey player's birthday strongly biases how professional teams assess his talent, according to a new study by Grand Valley State University researchers. The findings were published in the online journal PLOS ONE.
The research, led by Robert Deaner, associate professor of psychology at Grand Valley, shows that, on average, National Hockey League (NHL) draftees born between July and December are much more likely than those born in the first three months of the year to have successful careers. In particular, 34 percent of draftees were born in the last six months of the year, but these individuals played 42 percent of the games and scored 44 percent of the points accumulated by those in the study. By contrast, those born in the first three months of the year constituted 36 percent of draftees but only played 28 percent of the games and only scored 25 percent of the points.
The study focused on Canadian players because in Canadian youth ice hockey there is a January 1 cut-off date. This means players born later in the year would have been consistently younger than their age group peers.
"There's no doubt that drafting professional athletes is an inexact science," said Deaner. "Plenty of sure-fire first-round picks fizzle while some late-round picks unexpectedly become stars. But our results show that, at least since 1980, NHL teams have been consistently fooled by players' birthdays or something associated with them. They greatly underestimate the promise of players born in the second half of the year, the ones who have always been relatively younger than their peers. For any given draft slot, relatively younger players are about twice as likely to be successful. So if teams really wanted to win, they should have drafted more of the relatively younger players."
Background and Significance
Previous studies have demonstrated relative age effects (RAEs), which occur when those who are relatively older for their age group are more likely to succeed. For example, in elite Canadian youth ice hockey, roughly 40 percent of players are born in the first three months of the year while only 15 percent are born in the last three months. Although RAEs are well established in many sports and educational settings, their underlying causes remain unclear. The new study provides the most direct evidence yet that selection bias is a crucial cause of RAEs. Selection bias means that evaluators, such as teachers and coaches, grant fewer opportunities to relatively younger individuals than is warranted by their talent.
"There are many possible causes of RAEs," said Deaner. "For instance, a youth coach may mainly select relatively older players because those players' greater size means they are actually more likely to help the team. Researchers believe, however, that selection bias is also a big cause of RAEs, but there has never been a direct test of selection bias. We could make this test because we had a good measure of perceived talent, the order or slot in which each player was drafted. And we had good measures of realized talent, how long they were able to stay in the NHL and how many points they scored there. Because relatively younger players consistently performed better than would be expected based on their draft slots, we've shown selection bias."
The researchers admit that they don't fully understand the selection bias they discovered. "We don't know yet why the evaluations of NHL teams are biased, but there are several ways it could work. Because being many months older than one's peers can be a big advantage as a child or early teen, the relatively older players might be more likely to be on the most elite junior teams when they are 17 or 18, and scouts might be swayed by that," said Deaner. "Another possibility, suggested by educational studies, is an 'underdog' effect. This would involve relatively younger individuals developing better work habits so that they improve more in adulthood."
The authors believe their pro hockey results have implications for education. Deaner noted: "We have to be careful about assuming too much because a teacher deciding which children should be tracked into advanced classes is a much different situation than hockey teams assessing which adults are likely to develop into NHL stars. But, for many reasons, one would think that NHL teams should be less biased than educators. First, NHL teams are evaluating adults not children, meaning that relative age differences are proportionally smaller. Second, NHL teams are aware of RAEs, but educators may not be. Third, NHL teams have vast resources to evaluate individuals while educators do not. Fourth, NHL teams pay a steep price for poor evaluation whereas educators may not. So overall, in many situations, evaluations of ability may be greatly colored by an individual's relative age. This may even happen when the teachers and coaches know about RAEs."
Co-authors of the study were Aaron Lowen of Grand Valley State University and Steven Cobley of the University of Sydney.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Grand Valley State University.
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Journal Reference:
Robert O. Deaner, Aaron Lowen, Stephen Cobley. Born at the Wrong Time: Selection Bias in the NHL Draft. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (2): e57753 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057753
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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.
We know how important chocolate is to a girl which is why we're offering one lucky sofeminine reader the chance to win a free hamper containing plenty of delicious chocolatey goodness from Ferrero Rocher - worth over ?60!
This Friday 1st March we've teamed up with Ferrero Rocher to offer 3 lucky people the chance to win a delicious Ferrero hamper by entering our competition on Twitter.
The hamper will include two boxes of classic Ferrero Rocher (always a winner), two of the Ferrero Collection, containing Ferrero Rocher, Raffaello by Ferrero, and the sensual darker chocolate Ferrero Rond Noir, as well as a box of the new Ferrero Rocher Heart collection.
This hamper also comes in good timing - it's Mother's Day on the 10th March and what do Mum's like? You're right, sophisticated hampers packed full of chocolate.?There is no better treat for worthy mums!
So keep your eyes on Twitter and enter for your chance to win!?
FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2012, file photo, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady looks for a receiver during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Miami. Brady agreed to a three-year contract extension with New England on Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, a person familiar with the contract told The Associated Press. The extension is worth about $27 million and will free up nearly $15 million in salary cap room for the team. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2012, file photo, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady looks for a receiver during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Miami. Brady agreed to a three-year contract extension with New England on Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, a person familiar with the contract told The Associated Press. The extension is worth about $27 million and will free up nearly $15 million in salary cap room for the team. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
So Tom Brady got a contract extension. Big deal.
Well, yeah ? for the three-time Super Bowl winner and for the Patriots.
There's nothing unusual about one of the game's best quarterbacks and leaders being coveted by his team. Or being rewarded.
What's rare is how well the three-year extension works for both Brady and for New England.
First, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, despite some perceptions, did not really take a pay cut with this new deal. It might have sounded that way with salaries of $7 million in 2015, $8 million the next year and $9 million in 2017, far below the going rate for superstar QBs.
Instead, Brady gets a $30 million signing bonus, payable over the next three years, and $57 million overall in a contract that will run through the 2017 season, when he will be 40 years old. Other than backups who are little more than insurance policies, how many quarterbacks even make it on to a roster at 40?
Essentially, he gets $33 million guaranteed for the next two seasons, and he's surely worth it considering that Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and, most likely, Joe Flacco, will earn more in 2013 and '14. Add up each of their Super Bowl rings and it adds up to the number Brady owns.
The extension should have little effect on other quarterback deals, particularly Flacco. The Super Bowl MVP is 28, just entering his prime and in line for a huge contract no matter where he winds up. (Bet on Flacco staying in Baltimore).
Of course, Brady has shown no signs of slowing down ? look at his stats for 2012, including 34 TD passes and eight interceptions, and a 12-4 record. He's still at the peak of his skills, and he wants to be surrounded by players at a similar stage of their careers.
To get that, he understood he needed to rework his contract to free up enough salary cap space for New England to sign more difference makers.
In doing so, Brady not only virtually assured he will finish his career as a Patriot, but at a price that works for him and for owner Robert Kraft. Did he take a mammoth pay cut down the road to ensure that? No, because Brady actually will get more guaranteed money; the final three seasons are guaranteed against injury; and they could be guaranteed in total depending on Brady meeting certain requirements, including being on the active roster for the final game of 2014.
But he also will have those three years of salary far below scale for the position, for cap purposes. And that is where the Patriots get their payoff.
New England has more needs than other contenders, and those holes must be filled now for the Patriots to win their first championship since the 2004 season. Yes, it has been that long.
Brady recognizes that, and by helping free up $15 million in space over the next two years, the Patriots can spend more in free agency.
Coach Bill Belichick tends to find role players such as Danny Woodhead, Julian Edelman and Steve Gregory, and he gets solid production from them. Brady makes just about everyone on offense better, too.
But the Patriots don't have too many true studs, particularly on defense. Opponents in big games ? the Ravens, Giants, 49ers come to mind ? have found favorable matchups that led to major victories.
Brady sees that. By reworking his contract, he basically has told the Patriots to spend the newfound money in ways that will turn those matchups back in New England's favor.
Unquestionably, Brady wants his favorite target, slot receiver Wes Welker, to be re-signed. He'd love for Belichick to find a consistent deep threat at wideout, too.
Top cornerback Aqib Talib, acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay during last season, is a free agent. He comes with a checkered past, but behaved with the Patriots in 2012 and played well.
Tackle Sebastian Vollmer, a main reason Brady was sacked just 27 times, also is a free agent.
And Brady would love to see some playmakers let go by other teams land in Foxborough. Such names as former Colts pass rusher Dwight Freeney, Steelers speedy receiver Mike Wallace and Ravens' star safety Ed Reed have been mentioned.
Now, Brady has given the Patriots more money to make improvements, while not really emptying his own pockets.
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's rand softened against the dollar on Wednesday ahead of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's budget speech, which is likely to outline plans for cutting the government's spending deficit amid anaemic economic growth.
The rand was at 8.8428 against the dollar at 0643 GMT, 0.28 percent weaker than New York's Tuesday close at 8.82.
"Clearly the gap between revenues and expenditures needs to be closed, and today's budget will be about how quickly that might be done and by which means," Barclays Capital said in a note.
Rising borrowing costs for Italy due to a political stalemate following its recent election also weighed on the euro, putting pressure on the rand.
Domestic GDP statistics released on Tuesday showed surprisingly strong economic growth of 2.1 percent for the fourth quarter of 2012 from 1.2 percent in the third quarter, due to a boost from the manufacturing and farm sectors.
Gordhan is due to present his budget to parliament at 1200 GMT.
The yield on the three-year bond lost 1.5 basis points to 5.235 percent and that on the longer-dated paper due in 2026 edged up half a basis point to 7.245 percent.
WARSAW, Poland (AP) ? Official figures show Poland's unemployment rate rose to 14.2 percent in January from 13.4 percent in the previous month.
The figure, released Monday by the Central Statistical Office, comes as the country is seeing a slowdown in its once-strong economy. Some job losses, however, are also typical in winter, when work in agriculture and construction declines due to cold weather.
Other data released Monday gave a more positive signal about the economy, showing that retail sales rose by 3.1 percent year-on-year in January. The head of the central bank, Marek Belka, was quoted in the Polish media as saying that could be a sign the economy is rebounding.
Poland's economy grew 2 percent last year and economists expect slightly weaker growth this year.
Forgotten and filed away decades ago, millions of documents on geothermal research are now helping scientists to make harvesting the Earth?s energy affordable
By William Ferguson
Geothermal Power plants, like this one in Southwest Iceland, use super heated rocks to boil water into steam to turn electric turbines. Image: Flickr/ Chris Beckett
Geologic data does not come cheap, especially when you are using it to build a multimillion-dollar geothermal power plant. Just ask Susan Petty, president and chief technology officer at AltaRock Energy. Her company is part of a $43.8-million pilot project to tap thermal energy from Oregon's Newberry Volcano. Engineers are injecting water deep underground to fracture superheated rocks and create a geothermal reservoir. Their eventual goal is to recirculate pressurized steam back to the surface to test a new kind of technology called an enhanced geothermal system (EGS). Unlike conventional power plants that rely on near-surface hydrothermal systems like springs and geysers, EGS can draw energy up to depths of three to five kilometers. Over the next 50 years, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates, EGS power plants could produce 100 gigawatts of economically viable geothermal energy, an amount equivalent to about 10 percent of the country's current electrical capacity.
Yet geothermal wells need to be drilled in the right place. Without data on the distribution and quantity of geothermal energy in the upper part of the earth's crust or a volcano as a reference point, wells may not produce much energy at all. To date, two to five out of every 10 geothermal wells prospected end up dry. Petty says that, in terms of the available exploration data, the geothermal industry is in the same place oil and gas companies were during the early 1900s. Wells cost between $2 million and $5 million, meaning geothermal investors risk losing millions on poor odds, Petty says. ?The risk involved in geothermal prospecting sets the industry apart from other renewables.?
The risky nature of the business could soon change, however.
A wealth of geologic data from all 50 states and the Gulf of Mexico has been sitting unused in state and federal filing cabinets for decades. The Arizona Geological Survey is leading a coalition of universities and federal agencies on a nationwide treasure hunt to find and digitize these legacy data in a National Geothermal Data System (NGDS) to eliminate some of the financial risk companies like AltaRock face while prospecting for geothermal resources. Since the project's inception in 2008 under $35-million in grants from the U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office, collaborators have digitized information from over 1.25 million oil and gas, water, and geothermal wells and expect to have as many as three million wells in the system by the end of the year.
"It has been a rescue mission," says Roland Horne, director of Stanford University?s geothermal program. Project collaborators have found a wellspring of geothermal exploratory data in basements and old file cabinets. The legacy data come from extensive surveys of geothermal resources that were funded by the states and federal government in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. A prime example is a 1975-to-1992 DOE survey of geopressured resources in the Gulf of Mexico. The survey documents data from 16 wells off the coasts of Louisiana and Texas that show geopressured and geothermal energy reserves in the Gulf exceed the energy contained in all the conventional natural gas reserves of the continental U.S. At the time, the geothermal energy could not be profitably commercialized, so the data were filed away and forgotten.
Previously, getting ahold of geothermal exploration data depended on whom you knew, says Lee Allison, director of the Arizona State Geological Survey. "A lot of this stuff was only available if you knew the people and could say, 'Hey, let me have access to your data,'" Allison says. One of the largest sets of geophysical data in the NGDS was collected and digitized by Southern Methodist University geophysicist David Blackwell and a team of researchers in 2011. They worked under a grant from Google.org to digitize data from 35,000 different locations. Their work shows that geothermal energy can generate three million megawatts of renewable electricity?approximately 10 times the capacity of U.S. coal power plants.
Pain can be a reliefPublic release date: 26-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Thomas Keilman thke@rcn.no The Research Council of Norway
If you accidently kick your toe against a doorframe you are probably going to find it very painful. As a purely intellectual experiment, imagine purposefully kicking a doorframe hard enough to potentially break your toe. When it turns out your toe has been battered but not broken, the pain may be interpreted more as a relief.
"It is not hard to understand that pain can be interpreted as less severe when an individual is aware that it could have been much more painful. Less expected, however, is the discovery that pain may be experienced as pleasant if something worse has been avoided," explains Siri Leknes, Research Fellow at the Department of Psychology at the University of Oslo.
The lesser of two evils
When working as a research fellow at Oxford University, Dr Leknes became curious about what can be called the "it could have been worse" phenomenon. How is the experience of pain affected by a feeling of relief from realising that it was not as bad as expected?
Dr Leknes recruited 16 healthy subjects who prepared themselves for a painful experience. They were repeatedly exposed to heat of varying intensity applied to their arm for four seconds.
The experiments were carried out in two different contexts: in the first, the heat was either not painful or only moderately painful about the same as firmly holding a coffee cup that is slightly too hot. In the second, the heat was either moderately or intensely painful. In this context, moderate pain was the lesser of two evils.
The research subjects reported how they interpreted the pain. In addition, while they were exposed to the stimuli their brain activity was measured by MRI.
Comforting pain
"As expected, the intense heat triggered negative feelings among all subjects whereas the non-painful heat produced positive reactions," explains Siri Leknes.
What intrigued the researchers was the subjects' response to moderate pain. In the experiments where moderate pain was the worst alternative, the pain felt was unpleasant. In the instances where it was the best alternative, the subjects experienced the moderate pain as positive even comforting.
"The likely explanation is that the subjects were prepared for the worst and thus felt relieved when they realised the pain was not going to be as bad as they had feared," states Dr Leknes.
"In other words, a sense of relief can be powerful enough to turn such an obviously negative experience as pain into a sensation that is comforting or even enjoyable."
The MRI examinations revealed that the brain changed how it processed moderate pain according to the context and what the alternative was. When the pain was comforting, there was more activity in the areas of the brain associated with pleasure and pain relief and less activity in the areas associated with pain.
A future in treating pain?
Dr Leknes believes that the study illustrates that exposure to one and the same stimulus is interpreted very differently among individuals and that the experience is connected to expectation and context. Some individuals like the burning sensation of eating chili peppers, for example, while others enjoy sadomasochistic sex.
Also, envisioning that an even worse alternative exists than what is actually experienced may even help a person to interpret involuntary pain as something agreeable.
Nevertheless, Dr Leknes points out, pain is generally a highly unpleasant experience and current pain alleviation treatments are inadequate for many people.
"That is why it is so important to find out how and to what degree the brain can control pain on its own. We are currently carrying out basic research, but we hope that this knowledge will one day be applied to develop improved methods for treating pain," she says.
Would it always be advisable then for a doctor to inform a patient that a procedure or treatment is going to be very painful?
"In some situations this may be a good approach, but not always," replies Dr Leknes. "Doctors observe that their patients react very differently to the information they are given; certain patients are likely to experience a genuine sense of relief if they prepare for the worst only to find it not so bad after all, whereas others prefer to avoid worrying beforehand and want to know as little as possible about what they will be undergoing," she explains.
Substance abuse from pleasure to relief
The study has been partially funded under the Programme on Alcohol and Drug Research (RUSMIDDEL) at the Research Council of Norway. "Relief is also likely a vital factor in substance abuse," asserts Dr Leknes.
"Over time, the effect of alcohol and drugs will change from triggering feelings of pleasure to primarily alleviating the discomfort of addiction. The brain's regulatory processes change, causing substance abusers to experience a shift; at some point, they use alcohol and drugs in order to achieve a neutral state and avoid feeling awful," explains Dr Leknes.
"By studying relief in order to understand how this process works, we can come up with new ideas for treating substance dependence more effectively. From our pain research, we know that the relief mechanisms in the brains of patients with chronic pain become disrupted. This may be something shared by patients suffering from pain and alcohol and drug addiction alike," she concludes.
###
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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.
Pain can be a reliefPublic release date: 26-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Thomas Keilman thke@rcn.no The Research Council of Norway
If you accidently kick your toe against a doorframe you are probably going to find it very painful. As a purely intellectual experiment, imagine purposefully kicking a doorframe hard enough to potentially break your toe. When it turns out your toe has been battered but not broken, the pain may be interpreted more as a relief.
"It is not hard to understand that pain can be interpreted as less severe when an individual is aware that it could have been much more painful. Less expected, however, is the discovery that pain may be experienced as pleasant if something worse has been avoided," explains Siri Leknes, Research Fellow at the Department of Psychology at the University of Oslo.
The lesser of two evils
When working as a research fellow at Oxford University, Dr Leknes became curious about what can be called the "it could have been worse" phenomenon. How is the experience of pain affected by a feeling of relief from realising that it was not as bad as expected?
Dr Leknes recruited 16 healthy subjects who prepared themselves for a painful experience. They were repeatedly exposed to heat of varying intensity applied to their arm for four seconds.
The experiments were carried out in two different contexts: in the first, the heat was either not painful or only moderately painful about the same as firmly holding a coffee cup that is slightly too hot. In the second, the heat was either moderately or intensely painful. In this context, moderate pain was the lesser of two evils.
The research subjects reported how they interpreted the pain. In addition, while they were exposed to the stimuli their brain activity was measured by MRI.
Comforting pain
"As expected, the intense heat triggered negative feelings among all subjects whereas the non-painful heat produced positive reactions," explains Siri Leknes.
What intrigued the researchers was the subjects' response to moderate pain. In the experiments where moderate pain was the worst alternative, the pain felt was unpleasant. In the instances where it was the best alternative, the subjects experienced the moderate pain as positive even comforting.
"The likely explanation is that the subjects were prepared for the worst and thus felt relieved when they realised the pain was not going to be as bad as they had feared," states Dr Leknes.
"In other words, a sense of relief can be powerful enough to turn such an obviously negative experience as pain into a sensation that is comforting or even enjoyable."
The MRI examinations revealed that the brain changed how it processed moderate pain according to the context and what the alternative was. When the pain was comforting, there was more activity in the areas of the brain associated with pleasure and pain relief and less activity in the areas associated with pain.
A future in treating pain?
Dr Leknes believes that the study illustrates that exposure to one and the same stimulus is interpreted very differently among individuals and that the experience is connected to expectation and context. Some individuals like the burning sensation of eating chili peppers, for example, while others enjoy sadomasochistic sex.
Also, envisioning that an even worse alternative exists than what is actually experienced may even help a person to interpret involuntary pain as something agreeable.
Nevertheless, Dr Leknes points out, pain is generally a highly unpleasant experience and current pain alleviation treatments are inadequate for many people.
"That is why it is so important to find out how and to what degree the brain can control pain on its own. We are currently carrying out basic research, but we hope that this knowledge will one day be applied to develop improved methods for treating pain," she says.
Would it always be advisable then for a doctor to inform a patient that a procedure or treatment is going to be very painful?
"In some situations this may be a good approach, but not always," replies Dr Leknes. "Doctors observe that their patients react very differently to the information they are given; certain patients are likely to experience a genuine sense of relief if they prepare for the worst only to find it not so bad after all, whereas others prefer to avoid worrying beforehand and want to know as little as possible about what they will be undergoing," she explains.
Substance abuse from pleasure to relief
The study has been partially funded under the Programme on Alcohol and Drug Research (RUSMIDDEL) at the Research Council of Norway. "Relief is also likely a vital factor in substance abuse," asserts Dr Leknes.
"Over time, the effect of alcohol and drugs will change from triggering feelings of pleasure to primarily alleviating the discomfort of addiction. The brain's regulatory processes change, causing substance abusers to experience a shift; at some point, they use alcohol and drugs in order to achieve a neutral state and avoid feeling awful," explains Dr Leknes.
"By studying relief in order to understand how this process works, we can come up with new ideas for treating substance dependence more effectively. From our pain research, we know that the relief mechanisms in the brains of patients with chronic pain become disrupted. This may be something shared by patients suffering from pain and alcohol and drug addiction alike," she concludes.
###
[ | 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.
Sony's newest tablet, known as the Xperia Tablet Z, launched in Japan last month, but it still hasn't been seen outside of the Far East. Mobile World Congress is the perfect venue to show it off to the entire world, it seems, as it's now expanding to other parts of the globe. As we had hoped, the super-thin Tablet Z doesn't wander off from Japan's variant spec-wise, though this model will offer your choice of 16 or 32GB internal storage, rather than simply the latter. (Sony also announced that a WiFi-only version with 64GB space will come to the US.) Otherwise, it still boasts Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 2GB RAM, a 6,000mAh battery, 8.1MP rear camera and 2MP front-facing cam, NFC, PlayStation Certified, four speakers and a 1,920 x 1,200 display.
Also, the MWC launch gives us a peek at a few minor details we didn't get in the first go-round: the slate includes MHL, up to 64GB of microSD expansion and DLNA, but oddly we haven't seen any specifics on battery size. And just like its cousin, the Z will come with Jelly Bean installed but Sony promises that 4.2 is on its way, though no ETA was given for the update. Finally, we won't hold back on the pricing and availability, even if we kept you in suspense until the end: the black model will be sold in Sony stores and authorized sellers this May, and the white model (which only comes in a 32GB flavor) will be exclusive to official company outlets. A 16GB will put you back $499 and 32GB will be $599. If you're up for a deeper look into the tablet, our hands-on is a great place to get started.
If you're looking for a more virginal note-taking experience, Moleskine has just the thing: it's just launched a new line of all-white notebooks for you to scrawl in. More »
Among the usual returning shows we have a few all new entries, including two new Comedy Central series as well as ABC's Red Widow conspiracy drama. For something we truly have not seen on TV before, Syfy is tossing in Robot Combat League, while ESPN does its part with a couple of 3D broadcasts planned.Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.
Robot Combat League If you were an avid Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots player or a huge fan of the movie Real Steel, Syfy's latest reality / game show is probably made for you. Robot Combat League is hosted by wrestler Chris Jericho and features competitors strapped into suits that translate their movements to eight-foot-tall robot avatars that actually do the fighting. Not sold? Take a peek now with not only a trailer embedded after the break, but also the first two episodes in their entirety (also viewable on the site in a larger window here). It's different to say the least and there's $100,000 on the line to make things interesting. (February 26th, Syfy, 10PM)
Psych One of our favorite shows returns for its seventh season as Shawn and Gus continue to operate their fake psychic detective agency. As always, we expect a number of nostalgic 80s and 90s throwbacks, complete with guest stars from the era. The show has manage to operate in a basic cable niche in a way network shows like Community don't get the chance to, although if you're not into its particular comedic flavor, it's unlikely to change gears at this point. Check out a trailer after the break. (February 27th, USA, 10PM)
MLS A new season of MLS kicks off this weekend and for US soccer fans all 20 matches will be aired ESPN channels, with 18 of them on Sundays for a more consistent -- and potentially subbing in for that other football -- schedule. Notable this season is that this is the first time the soccer league will be in 3D, with plans for seven live broadcasts plus an eighth that will be tape delayed. There are also plans for international matches, the All-Star game and the playoffs, dates and times TBD. the Portland Timbers vs. New York Red Bulls game this weekend will be the first in 3D, check the schedule for the rest. (March 3rd, ESPN 2 / ESPN 3D, 7:30PM)
>>>there's a storm of another kind brewing in washington today. we're less than a week now away from mandatory
government spending
cuts going into effect. just this morning the president warned how it could affect you if congress fails to act. kristin welker is at the
white house
with more on that. good morning.
>> reporter: lester, good morning to you.
president obama
has said he plans to have conversations with congress this weekend and into next week. but with both sides dug it, it seems increasingly likely that the sequester will go into effect. in his weekly address,
president obama
said it's up to congress to act.
>>here's the thing -- these cuts don't have to happen. congress can turn them off any time with just a little compromise. they can pass a balanced plan for deficit reduction. they can cut spending in a smart way and close wasting tax loopholes for the well off and well connected.
>> reporter: in an effort to pressure congress, the obama administration has really been painting a dire picture of what will happen if the sequester kicks in. on friday, outgoing transportation secretary,
ray lahood
, warned the faa will have to furlough 47,000 employees which he argued could slow
air travel
.
>>travelers should expect delays. flights to major cities like new york, chicago, and
san francisco
and others could experience delays of up to
90 minutes
during
peak hours
because we have fewer controllers on staff. delays in these major airports will ripple across the country.
>> reporter: the administration has also warned 800,000 civilian
defense department
workers will be furloughed. 10,000 teachers and educators could be laid off, and some
border patrol
agents would see a decrease in hours.
house speakerjohn boehner
's office responded late friday saying the president has been "far more interested in holding campaign-style rallies than urging his party in the senate to find a solution." now the sticking points are funding with
president obama
calling for new
tax revenue
and republicans saying they want to see this worked out through entitlement reform and spending cuts. but with just six days, there is really no resolution in sight. lester?
MC Hammer is claiming he was a victim of racial profiling after he was arrested for allegedly obstructing and resisting an officer in Northern California.
The 50-year-old rapper took to Twitter to discuss the situation shortly after his release from the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on Saturday.
"Chubby elvis looking dude was tapping on my car window, I rolled down the window and he said 'Are you on parole or probation?'" tweeted Hammer (real name, Stanley Kirk Burrell). "While I was handing him my ID he reached in my car and tried to pull me out the car but forgot he was on a steady donut diet," he continued.
According to Fox News, Dublin police Lt. Herb Walters told the Oakland Tribune that Hammer was arrested Thursday for investigation of obstructing an officer in the performance of their duties and resisting an officer.
Still, Hammer stands by his version of the arrest, adding on Twitter, "I will now answer his question, contrary to his personal beliefs, all people of color are not on parole or probation fat boy!!!"
? ? ? I started to explore Antwerpen by seeing the opera Nabucco, which is considered to have permanently established Verdi?s? reputation as a composer, at the Vlaamse Opera. Oh what a?
wonderful spectacle! And I totally understand why it is considered as one of the greatest operas written for the chorus.?
?? ? ??Nabucco follows the plight of the Jews as they are assaulted, conquered and subsequently exiled from their homeland by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. The historical events are used as the background for a romantic and political plot and are represented in a modern age manner, literraly transcribing it to the situation as it would be today. The power of Babylonians, for instance, is set as it could be a presidential palace or a corporate headquarter and Nabucco could be the president of the country or one of a huge bank. Jews are represented as protestants against the state of the world in general. The director combined all worldwide protests that ocurred in the past two years, like Tahrir square in Cairo, with Occupied London or New Jork, the situation in Lybia, Syria, Greece or Spain, ... and by saying that the world nowadays is not right.
?? ? ? If you happen to be/ live in Antwerpen or Ghent, I recommend that you go to see this great piece of art and not just because my sister is playing the part of Fenena (Nabuco?s daughter)! Before you decide, you can check out this video that contains the inteviews with the director, conductor and one of the main actors:
Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) Maharashtra
Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) has released latest notification 2013 for filling up 1135 posts of Clerks and Typist in various departments of Maharashtra State. There are many eligible candidates waiting for this notification. Candidates who have desire qualifications like Educational Qualifications, Age limit etc, can apply via Online Mode at MPSC Official website : www.mpsconline.gov.in. For other details of the recruitment given below.
MPSC Notification 2013 details:
Total Number of Posts : 1135 posts Name of the Posts : Clerk & Typist in following departments
I. Department of the Ministry: 1. Clerk & Typist (Marathi) : 157 posts 2. Clerk & Typist (English) : 36 posts
II. Mumbai State Govt Dept: 1.? Clerk & Typist (Marathi) :917 posts 2. Clerk & Typist (English) : 25 posts Educational Qualifications :? Candidates should be SSC qualified along with speed of WPM in Marathi for Clerk & Typist (Marathi) speed of 40 WPM in English for Clerk & Typist (English) Certificates.
Age limit : Candidates age should be between 18 years to 33 years as on 01 June 2013. Age relaxation as per Maharashtra State Govt rules.
Application fee : Rs. 260/- for Unreserved candidates, Rs. 135/- for Reserved candidates and Rs. 10/- for Ex-Servicemen candidates.
Selection Process : Eligible candidates will be selected on the basis of Written Test & Interview.
How to Apply : Candidates who wish to apply for Clerk & Typist Posts, Should apply via Online Mode Only at MPSC official website : www.mpsconline.gov.in.
Last date for submission of Online Applications : 12 March 2013
Date for Written Examination : 26 May 2013
Important links of MPSC:
Click Here for Advt details
Click Here for Online Apply
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Maddox said the storm wind appeared to have been a tornado, rather than straight-line winds. However, Senior Meteorologist Jason Hansford of the National Weather Service in Shreveport, La., said there is no conclusive evidence of a tornado until a survey team investigates on Friday.
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Public release date: 26-Feb-2013
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