2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty power stroke Diesel is cleanest ever; fuel economy greatly improved
The all-new 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty delivers best-in-class torque, horsepower, towing and payload capability – and does it all more efficiently, resulting in less fuel usage and extended maintenance intervals that can translate directly into bottom-line savings for customers.
“The 2011 Super Duty is not only the most powerful, most capable and fuel-efficient heavy-duty pickup truck on the road, it performs the tough jobs with even more efficiency than ever before,” said Doug Scott, truck group marketing manager. “Customers can be confident that Super Duty’s class-leading capability comes with Ford’s ‘and solution’ of best-in-class fuel economy.”
All-new diesel and gas engine powertrains are the backbone of the 2011 Super Duty’s best-in-class towing (26,400 pounds for F-550 chassis cab with fifth-wheel hitch) and payload capability (6,520 pounds for F-350 dual rear-wheel pickup). The Ford-designed, Ford-engineered and Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine produces best-in-class 735 ft.-lb. of torque at 1,600 rpm and best-in-class 390 horsepower at 2,800 rpm. The new engine is compatible up to B20 biodiesel fuel as well.
The new 6.2-liter V-8 gasoline engine also boasts best-in-class numbers of 405 ft.-lb. of torque at 4,500 rpm and 385 horsepower at 5,500 rpm. The new engine is E85 compatible.
Mated to each engine is the all-new 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission. The added feature content and overall efficiency of the transmission are the main reasons for the improved fuel economy. The all-new 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty equipped with the 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel averages an 18 percent improvement for pickup models and up to 25 percent improvement for chassis cabs versus 2010 models. Trucks equipped with new base 6.2-liter V-8 gas engine average a 15 percent improvement versus 2010 models.
“The new transmission is a ‘clean-sheet’ design, developed specifically to handle the significantly increased torque produced by the new diesel engine and the higher rotational speeds produced by the new gas engine, and to deliver the power to the wheels seamlessly and efficiently for heavy-duty truck customers,” said Al Bruck, transmission engineering manager. “Each system and component was scrutinized to deliver optimum performance.”
Here’s a closer look at what was achieved and the benefits to the customer:
– New torque converter that locks at a far lower rpm than the competition: The new, stronger torque converter is core to the improved transmission performance. One key component is the long-travel turbine damper that allows the transmission to lock earlier, at a lower rpm, which translates to less slip and more fuel efficiency. The new transmission locks down to 900 rpm, which is about 200 rpm less than the outgoing product and more than 100 rpm less than competitors. The second key component of the torque converter is the closed-piston design. This design allows for better control of the lock-up clutch, which enables controlled converter clutch slip during lock-to-lock upshifts that are seamless to the customer.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: Locked converter operation at lower speeds means less wasted heat energy and better fuel economy.
– Optimized shift and converter lock-up schedule: After analyzing the entire shift schedule, Ford calibration engineers fine-tuned it by measuring and optimizing the fuel flow. The system recognizes light or heavy throttle use, and puts the transmission in the right gear for best performance and efficiency. The entire operating range has been optimized to get the best fuel economy by locking up the converter as soon as possible and as much as possible.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: Optimizing the shift schedule and lock schedule ensures customers automatically operate in the most efficient gears and save fuel.
– Gearing and double-overdrive: The 6R140 transmission has a ratio span of about 5.9, which is quite a bit wider than competitors. This wider span means the transmission has a deeper first gear that allows customers to get the load moving quicker, and a tall overdrive ratio for good highway efficiency. While the gearing itself is important, the key to overall efficiency is matching that gearing to the correct axle. With the diesel engine, up to four axle ratios are available on the pickups – 3.31, 3.55, 3.73 and 4.30. Matching up the gearing with the right axles means better overall efficiency.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: The double-overdrive gear means even if a customer gets a downshift on the highway, the transmission remains in overdrive. Also, the F-450 pickup went from a 4.88 axle to a 4.30 axle at launch for the 2011 model mated to the wide ratio span of the transmission. This and other optimizations mean the F-450 now has about a 30 percent improvement in fuel economy.
– Optimized pumping pressure: A certain amount of pressure is required to hold the clutches together so they don’t slip. The trick is to have the right amount of pressure to do the job. Too much pressure wastes fuel. The solution is to optimize the size of the pump and precisely control the pressure for all operating conditions.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: At highway speeds, for example, the line pressure is reduced, which helps save fuel. The system maintains the right amount of pressure for any given speed range. The less energy needed for internal pump pressure means less fuel used.
– Optimized drainback to reduce spin losses: A main objective is to get the fluid through the main barrel to lubricate and cool components, and get it back to the sump as quickly as possible. This reduces windage and parasitic loss. The clutch friction plates were designed to allow fluid to flow through them efficiently for cooling and reduced drag. Clutch housings, connecting shells and the main case housing were optimized to quickly drain the fluid out of rotating components and back into the sump.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: Fewer parasitic losses due to reduced churning of fluid increases fuel economy.
– Warmer operating temperature: Tied in with spin losses, the 6R140 cooling system has been optimized to allow for the proper amount of cooling when towing heavy loads in high ambient temperatures, while running at an overall higher stabilized temperature. This higher stabilized temperature lowers the viscosity and helps the fluid flow more easily, which reduces parasitic losses and saves fuel. The fluid also warms up faster because it does not flow to the cooling circuit until properly warmed up. Faster warm-up also reduces overall parasitic losses.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: Fewer parasitic losses due to reduced fluid viscosity translates to less internal drag on the system and increases fuel economy.
Lighter, more efficient than competition
The 6R140 transmission is about 25 pounds lighter than those of competitors. The new engines are lighter than the outgoing products as well, which altogether means much more efficient power flow on a pound-for-pound basis. The 6R140 also has a 150,000-mile fluid change interval, which is 2-1/2 times greater than the outgoing product. A patent-pending high-efficiency dual-media filter is the main reason for the extended maintenance interval, which is another savings for customers.
Cleanest Power Stroke ever
The new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel employs an aftertreatment system to help comply with 2010 federal regulations to reduce NOx levels in diesel emissions by more than 80 percent compared with the previous standard. The Ford aftertreatment system is a three-stage process; a key component is the use of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF).
Injection of DEF to reduce NOx is a proven technology that’s been used throughout the automotive industry. Unlike other strategies used to control NOx, the DEF system allows the diesel engine to run at its optimum range in terms of fuel mixture. Some systems require the engine to run richer – which can be harmful to diesel engines – in order to control the NOx.
The aftertreatment system works like this:
Step One: Cleaning and Heating – The first step in cleaning the diesel exhaust occurs when the exhaust stream enters the Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC). The role of the DOC is twofold. First, it converts and oxidizes hydrocarbons into water and carbon dioxide. This conversion happens at about 250 degrees Celsius.
Second, the DOC is used to provide and promote heat, using specific engine management strategies, into the exhaust system. Through appropriate thermal management, this heat increases the conversion efficiency of the downstream subsystems in reducing emissions.
Step Two: Knocking Out the NOx – The next step in the process is what’s known as Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). In this process, the NOx in the exhaust stream is converted into water and inert nitrogen, which is present in the atmosphere and harmless. Before the exhaust gas enters the SCR chamber, it is dosed with DEF, an aqueous solution that is approximately 67.5 percent water and 32.5 percent pure urea.
When heated, the DEF splits into ammonia and carbon dioxide. These molecules are atomized and vaporized, then enter a mixer that resembles a corkscrew. This twist mixer evenly distributes the ammonia within the exhaust flow. The ammonia enters the SCR module, which contains a catalyzed substrate, and through chemical reactions combines and converts the NOx and ammonia into the harmless inert nitrogen and water. Dosing occurs between 200 and 500 degrees Celsius.
Step Three: Scrubbing Away the Soot – The final part of the cleansing system for the diesel exhaust gas involves the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). The DPF traps any remaining soot, which is then periodically burned away, known as regenerating, when sensors detect the trap is full. The regeneration process sees temperatures in excess of 600 degrees Celsius to burn away soot.
This industry-proven technology ensures that the new 6.7-liter diesel is the cleanest Power Stroke ever, as well as the most fuel-efficient.
“Having this diesel designed in-house at Ford meant we were able to work on optimizations and refinements right from the start,” said Tim Ogilvie, vehicle energy supervisor. “We’re able to deliver to customers a more refined, more fuel-efficient Super Duty, with class-leading torque and horsepower and the class-leading capability they demand.”
KPMG Study: U.S. companies dominate field as acquirers of emerging market companies in second half of 2009
Acquisitions by Emerging Market Companies Increase, with U.S. and Australia Leading Targets
China Remains Top Acquirer among Emerging Market Countries
U.S.-based companies led the world in completing merger-and-acquisition (M&A) deals with emerging or high-growth market companies in the second half of 2009, nearly tripling the number of acquisitions made by the second-ranked country, according to KPMG International’s latest Emerging Markets International Acquisition Tracker (EMIAT) study.
The KPMG study revealed that in the second half of 2009, U.S.-based companies completed 71 emerging and high-growth market acquisitions, while UK-based companies acquired 25 companies during the same period. U.S. and Australian companies were the most popular targets for emerging and high-growth market companies, with 16 acquisitions made in each country.
“The study results underscore that U.S. companies continue their drive for expanding into new markets, products and services, and that emerging and high-growth market acquisitions are clearly a part of their strategy,” said Mark Barnes, principal-in-charge of KPMG LLP’s U.S.-High Growth Markets practice. “They are seizing opportunities to improve their supply chains and expand their customer base as the global economy moves from recession to recovery.”
Emerging and high-growth market companies made 102 acquisitions in the second half of 2009, up from 78 during the first half of the year, according to the KPMG study, which tracks completed deals in which an acquirer took at least a 10 percent shareholding interest. China maintained its position as the top acquirer among emerging market countries with 30 acquisitions during the period.
“Overall, emerging market companies seem to be rebounding from the downturn more quickly than their developed counterparts,” KPMG’s Barnes said. “Their strength is evidenced by their renewed energy and confidence around pursuing acquisitions in developed economies.”
Emerging Markets Bounce Back
While the KPMG study found that developed-to-emerging (D2E) deals declined overall in the second half of 2009 — down to 216 versus 259 registered in the previous six-month period — emerging-to-developed (E2D) deals increased.
China (30) was the leading emerging market acquirer of companies in developed economies in the second half of 2009, followed by the Middle East (17), India (13), Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (13), and Korea (12).
“In the emerging and high-growth markets, the study suggests that Chinese companies have weathered the recent economic crisis well and have the cash on hand to hit the acquisition trail the hardest,” said KPMG’s Barnes. “We saw a particular focus on commodity and natural resource acquisitions in the second half of 2009, reflecting China’s need to satisfy its growing domestic energy demand.”
After the United States and Australia (16 each), the most popular targets for E2D deals in the second half of 2009 included the United Kingdom (15), Canada (12), and Germany (10), according to the KPMG study.
In the first half of 2009, the top high-growth market acquirers of companies in developed economies were China (20), Central and Eastern Europe (13), India (12), Russia and CIS (11), and South Africa (10), according to the KPMG study.
U.S. Companies Hone in on India
As reported by the KPMG study, Indian companies were the leading emerging and high-growth market targets for U.S. companies. In addition to India (19), U.S.-based companies made the majority of their high-growth market acquisitions in Central and Eastern Europe (12), China (10), Korea (8), and Brazil (7) in the second half of 2009.
Dan Tiemann, U.S. lead partner for the Transaction and Restructuring Services group at KPMG LLP, said the survey findings are consistent with what he is seeing in the United States. “Companies with strong balance sheets are beginning to dip their toes back into the M&A pool now that the free-fall has stopped and there’s more stability in the market. Savvy investors are finding there are some very attractive deals, which should drive increased deal volume throughout the year.”
In the first half of 2009, the top emerging and high-growth market targets for U.S. companies were located in China (19), Brazil (13), India (13), and Central and Eastern Europe (11), according to the KPMG study.
For D2E deals globally in the second half of 2009, Central and Eastern European companies were the most targeted, with 47 total acquisitions. Other popular targets overall for D2E deals included China (40), India (38), Korea (26), and Brazil (20), the KPMG study indicates.
“Brazil has faired well during the economic downturn and is still an important market for investment,” added Barnes. “Going forward, the country’s natural resources will continue to be an attractive asset.”
According to EMIAT study findings for the previous six-month period, the most popular emerging and high-growth market targets overall for D2E deals included Central and Eastern Europe (49), China (46), India (35), Russia and CIS (32), and Brazil (31), the KPMG study indicates.
Source: KPMG LLP
Revolutionary invention allows planting without irrigation
The Groasis waterboxx invented by science award winning Dutch innovator Pieter Hoff is about to change the course of history.
On March 16 at the Green California Summit in Sacramento, Mr. Hoff. will announce global planting experiments without irrigation. Four projects to be conducted in California’s high and low deserts of Palm Springs, in the Napa Valley with the Robert Mondavi Winery and USA’s first sustainable city, Sonoma will join twenty other global experiments in seven countries spanning four continents.
Mr. Hoff completed a four-year treeplanting test in Morocco’s Sahara desert with 88.2% survival rate. Monitored results of the worldwide tests will prove that mankind can plant trees on bushes, rocks, mountains, in deserts or any other difficult place, without irrigation. California along with the rest of the world eagerly looks forward to the results of these tests as a way to solve deforestation, food shortage and water conservation.
The Groasis waterboxx is the size of a motorcycle tyre with an opening in the center, that surrounds a sapling or seed that is planted in the soil. This ‘intelligent water incubator’ produces and captures water from the air through condensation and rain, without using energy. Additionally it prevents water evaporation from the soil and protects the roots against sun, wind, weeds and rodents. After a year, the tree is strong enough to grow by itself and the box can be easily removed and reused.
Hoff, one of the largest flowerbulb exporters of Holland, sold his business five years ago with one thought in mind, to find a way to reforest the planet and feed the world. He expects the waterboxx to reforest 2 billion hectares (5 billion acres) of desert, eroded by mankind, in the next 40 years. CO2 molecules can be unbound through trees, which produce fruit, medicines, oils, etcetera while transplanting the C atoms from fossil fuels into wood. Let’s make money with trees while unbinding the CO2 molecules instead of continuously talking about climate change, he explains in his book ‘CO2, a gift from heaven’.
What’s Hoff’s motivation? He states: “I want to leave a better world for our children.” Launching the Groasis waterboxx at the largest environmental US Summit makes that a reality.
http://www.groasis.com/page/uk/animation.php
Source: AquaPro Holland BV
U.S. Government to unveil new $100 note on April 21
The new design for the $100 note will make its debut on Wednesday, April 21 during a ceremony at the Department of the Treasury’s Cash Room.
The U.S. government redesigns currency in order to stay ahead of counterfeiters and protect the public. Decisions about the redesign of each denomination are guided by the government’s close evaluation of the range of ongoing counterfeit threats, whether from digital technology or traditional printing presses.
The unveiling of the $100 note is the first step in a global multi-government agency public education program implemented by the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board and the U.S. Secret Service, to educate those who use the $100 note about its changes before it begins circulating. The $100 note is the highest value denomination of U.S. currency in general circulation, and it circulates broadly around the world. Public education is an important component of the government’s redesigned currency program because a well informed public is our first and best line of defense against counterfeiting. Free training materials for cash-handlers as well as other public education resources will be available in 25 languages at www.newmoney.gov beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT on April 21.
WHO:
Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner
Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Ben Bernanke
Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios
Director of the United States Secret Service Mark Sullivan
WHEN:
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Program begins at 10:00 a.m. EDT
*Please allow ample time for security screening. All attendees must present government issued photo identification to gain admittance.
WHERE:
The Department of the Treasury’s Cash Room
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
Source: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Study reveals Californians need to increase earthquake preparedness efforts
Less Than 20 Percent Have Prepared Their Homes; Only 40 Percent Have Sufficient Water State and Local Agencies are Better Prepared Today, but Weakest Link is Citizen Preparedness
A majority of Californians have taken initial steps toward earthquake preparedness but more than 60 percent of Californians have not done enough to make their homes safer and guard their personal finances in preparation for an inevitable, large-scale earthquake, according to a recent California Earthquake Preparedness Survey.
Although state and local public safety and emergency management agencies are better prepared than ever before, California residents have focused on easy preparedness activities such as collecting supplies and making back-up copies of important documents but they have not done more difficult and expensive activities such as securing the contents of their home or purchasing earthquake insurance, according to the survey.
Key findings of the survey were:
- Fewer than 20 percent of households have structurally reinforced their homes or had their homes inspected for earthquake resistance.
- Only 40 percent keep the recommended minimum of three gallons of water stored per person.
- Fewer than 20 percent of California households have purchased earthquake insurance.
- More than 80 percent of households have first aid kits, flashlights and batteries in their house but only 40 percent of Californians have made family disaster plans.
The California Earthquake Preparedness Survey was conducted by the UCLA School of Public Health for the State of California on behalf of California Emergency Management Agency, California Seismic Safety Commission and CaliforniaVolunteers to learn how prepared California households are for earthquakes and where they get their information about preparedness and mitigation.
“The recent earthquakes in Chile and Haiti are unwelcome reminders of the devastating impact earthquakes can have on people and communities,” said Secretary Matthew Bettenhausen of the California Emergency Management Agency. “It calls attention to the need for Californians to do even more to prepare for the big one. This study confirms that Californians need constant reminders and a steady stream of earthquake preparedness information to motivate people to act. We continue to urge Californians to prepare now.”
Additional Survey Highlights
- Residents of high-risk areas were more likely to have learned about how to be safe during an earthquake; however, they are not getting ready in proportion to the differential risk they face.
- Hispanic respondents were the least likely among all racial/ethnic groups to prepare.
- Less than 20 percent have participated in neighborhood disaster planning. Northern California residents were more likely than others to have participated in neighborhood disaster planning.
- More than 65 percent of Californians reported being trained in first aid, less than 50 percent had participated in disaster trainings at work, and less than 20 percent have received specific disaster trainings. Hispanic respondents were the least likely to have received these types of training.
- Fewer than 50 percent have dust masks, tools to rescue trapped people, or an extra set of emergency supplies in the car.
- Some Californians believe earthquake myths that could lead to loss of life and injuries in an earthquake.
“It is important for Californians to prepare for all types of disasters by having a plan and being ready to take care of ourselves, our families and our communities,” said Karen Baker, Secretary of Service and Volunteering. “Personal preparedness allows disaster workers to focus on critical areas to protect our state. Everyone can take steps to prepare.”
Observations from the earthquakes in Chile and Haiti reinforce the importance of being self-sufficient immediately following a disaster such as stockpiling food, water and supplies; training and practicing skills that are critical during disasters; and protecting the structures of buildings.
In absence of an actual disaster, “information received” and “information observed” are most likely to increase investment in earthquake preparedness and mitigation. The amount of information people hear, read and see determines whether they prepare. Other factors, including the increased probability of a future event, risk of future event and demographics like income, education and age, which may constrain what people can afford, have little effect on motivating people to prepare.
A variety of free online disaster preparedness resources such as a customized family plan, personalized children’s book and disaster preparedness tips are available on www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org.
Student teams ready to battle Lunar Terrain at NASA’s 17th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race
More than 100 student teams from around the globe will drive their specially crafted lunar rovers through a challenging course of rugged, moon-like terrain at NASA’s 17th annual Great Moonbuggy Race in Huntsville, Ala., April 9-10.
Some 1,088 high school, college and university students from 20 states and Puerto Rico, Canada, Germany, Bangladesh, Serbia, India and Romania are expected to participate in the race at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
Students begin to prepare for the event each year during the fall semester. They must design, build and test a sturdy, collapsible, lightweight vehicle that addresses engineering problems similar to those overcome by the original Apollo-era lunar rover development team at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville in the late 1960s.
The buggies are based on the design of those classic rovers, which American astronauts drove across the moon’s surface during the Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions in the early 1970s. Teams of students build their vehicles using trail bike tires, aluminum or composite-metal struts and parts. The best teams drive trains, gears, suspension, steering and braking systems they find or construct.
Top prizes are awarded to the three teams in both the high school and college/university divisions that post the fastest race times, which include assembly and penalty times. A variety of other prizes are given by race corporate sponsors. These include “rookie of the year” and the “featherweight” award, presented to the team with the lightest, fastest buggy.
NASA’s Great Moonbuggy Race is one of many educational projects and initiatives the agency conducts each year to attract and engage America’s next generation of scientists, engineers and explorers. They will carry on the nation’s mission of exploration to unchartered destinations in our solar system.
“NASA is committed to inspiring young people in science, technology, engineering and math, and the Great Moonbuggy Race is an excellent way for us to reach out to young people and get them excited and involved in technical opportunities available to them,” said Mike Selby, an avionics technical assistant in the Marshall Center’s Engineering Directorate. While completing his engineering degree at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Selby was a member of the school’s moonbuggy teams, helping them to a second-place finish in 1995 and to first place in 1996. Since 2001, he has served each year as a volunteer scorekeeper.
The race is hosted by the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, and is sponsored by Lockheed Martin Corporation, The Boeing Company, Northrop Grumman Corporation, and Jacobs Engineering ESTS Group, all of Huntsville.
For more information about the competition, visit: http://moonbuggy.msfc.nasa.gov
Mercedes-Benz Financial expands mobile platform to include smartphones
“Coolest way to pay” now includes users of BlackBerry, Droid and more
Mercedes-Benz Financial is now the first automotive financial services company to expand personalized and convenient account management features to all of its customers using smartphones like BlackBerry®, Droid ®, and other mobile devices with internet capability.
Mercedes-Benz Financial last Fall became the first auto finance company to offer account management features with the launch of its iPhone® App free download.
Account holders must first register online at www.Mercedes-BenzFinancial.com to access secure account management features. Detailed instructions for smartphone users are available at www.Mercedes-BenzFinancial.com/mobile.
All smartphone users, even those who are not customers of Mercedes-Benz Financial, will be able to locate the nearest Mercedes-Benz authorized dealer, contact a customer service representative and see what’s new from Mercedes-Benz Financial.
Account holders of Mercedes-Benz Financial will be able to make a payment, view their account summary and request a payoff quote.
“We are closing in on 10,000 downloads of our iPhone App which validates our decision to expand our mobile capabilities to all customers who are smartphone users,” said Andreas Hinrichs, Vice President of Marketing for Mercedes-Benz Financial. “By expanding our mobile services to smartphone users, more of our customers will enjoy the conveniences of connecting with us from the palm of their hand.”
Michael J. Fox Foundation commits up to $5.75 million in funding for 2010 Critical Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research announced up to $5.75 million in total funding available under its three 2010 Critical Challenges.
Each year the Foundation tailors specific Challenges to advance one or more of its key research priorities in PD drug development: forging new strategies to define Parkinson’s disease and its progression, alter disease course, reduce symptoms and complications of treatment to increase quality of life, and develop pre-clinical and clinical research tools to broadly accelerate Parkinson’s research. Including the Critical Challenges announced today, the Foundation expects about $25 million of its total 2010 funding to drive research focused on these priorities.
Two of the 2010 Challenges aim to streamline field-wide efforts focused on alpha-synuclein and LRRK2, respectively, two leading genetic targets for PD drug development. The third Challenge will drive scientific collaborations that can speed progress by taking advantage of the unique repository of well-characterized biological samples collected through the Brain and Body Donation Program at the Arizona Parkinson’s Disease Consortium.
Alpha-synuclein Therapeutics seeks pre-clinical projects to accelerate therapeutic development of the PD-implicated gene alpha-synuclein, which many researchers believe holds potential to lead to a new treatment that could slow or stop the progression of Parkinson’s disease (something no currently available treatment has been proven to do). Applicants should outline critical next steps to develop and optimize treatment strategies that can change levels of alpha-synuclein production in the brain, reduce alpha-synuclein toxicity, or break up Lewy bodies (clumps formed by the alpha-synuclein protein that are the pathological hallmark of PD). The Foundation will prioritize funding for applications that describe a clear path to the clinic.
Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers of LRRK2 Activity will drive efforts to develop drug-activity biomarkers that can improve outcomes from future clinical trials of treatments targeting the PD-implicated gene LRRK2. The Foundation will give preference to proposals seeking to verify and validate promising, pre-defined candidate LRRK2-associated biomarkers. This Challenge is part of MJFF’s integrated strategy to drive LRRK2 therapeutic development forward at every stage of the drug development pipeline in order to lay the groundwork for clear outcomes from future clinical trials testing LRRK2-associated drug candidates. This program has been made possible through the generous support of The Brin Wojcicki Foundation.
Novel Hypotheses in Parkinson’s Disease: Investigating Clinical Data and Human Tissue offers scientists around the globe the opportunity to collaborate with the Arizona Parkinson’s Disease Consortium (APDC). Funded investigators should propose drug development projects that can benefit from access to APDC’s exceptional bank of well-characterized biologics, postmortem tissue and associated clinical data. Applicants should outline their plans for experiments that will take maximum advantage of these resources to speed therapeutic development.
Critical Challenges complement the Foundation’s annually recurring Pipeline Programs, which provide opportunities for projects at various stages of development, ensuring that new ideas continue flowing into Parkinson’s research. Last September, MJFF announced $12 million in 2010 Pipeline Program funding.
Abbreviated timeline information on the 2010 Critical Challenges follows. Full details are available at www.michaeljfox.org/research.
Alpha-synuclein Therapeutics
Total available funding: $3 million
Deadline: 6 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Funding Anticipated: November 2010
Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers of LRRK2 Activity
Total available funding: $2 million
Deadline: 6 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Funding Anticipated: November 2010
Novel Hypotheses in PD: Investigating Clinical Data and Human Tissue
Total available funding: $750,000
Deadline: 6 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Funding Anticipated: November 2010
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to ensuring the development of better treatments, and ultimately a cure, for Parkinson’s disease through an aggressively funded research agenda. MJFF has funded over $175 million in research to date.
Online job demand dips 66,900 in February 2010
Labor demand retreated slightly in February, following three months of strong gains totaling almost 750,000 Demand for Management positions up in February, while demand for Healthcare jobs dips
Online advertised vacancies slipped 66,900 to 3,957,000 in February, according to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine(TM) (HWOL) Data Series released today. The February dip follows a large increase of almost 750,000 in the previous three-month period. Recent declines in the number of unemployed (labor supply) coupled with the rise in the number of advertised vacancies (labor demand) has narrowed the gap between labor supply and labor demand by 1,500,000, and in January, the latest month of unemployment numbers, there were 10.8 million or 3.69 unemployed for every online advertised vacancy.
“Although labor demand dipped slightly, the large gains in the last few months have provided a positive sign of a turnaround in employer labor demand,” said June Shelp, Vice President at The Conference Board. “Currently, labor demand, as measured by online job postings, is close to the levels in November 2008, just prior to the huge losses from the financial crisis. The numbers indicate that the economy is recovering from the recession and companies are filling vacant positions, but it is still unclear if employers are willing to significantly expand their workforce.”
REGIONAL AND STATE HIGHLIGHTS
Labor demand up 15,300 in the Midwest in February but slips in other Regions
NOTE: Due to benchmark revisions in unemployment data, State unemployment data are for December 2009. January unemployment data are scheduled for release on March 10, 2010.
The Midwest, the only region to post gains in February, was up 15,300, reflecting gains in three of the six largest states in the region. Michigan rose 3,800, Ohio was up 3,200, and Minnesota gained 2,900. Illinois was unchanged while Missouri dropped 1,200, and Wisconsin dropped a modest 700. Among the smaller states in the region, Indiana rose 2,100 and North Dakota was up 1,600.
The Northeast region dropped 29,900 in February on a seasonally adjusted basis. Pennsylvania was down 9,400, New Jersey declined by 8,800, Massachusetts lost 3,400, and New York dipped 1,500. Among the states with smaller populations, in February job demand in Connecticut decreased by 4,400, New Hampshire was down by 600, Rhode Island and Vermont fell by a modest 100, and Maine remained unchanged.
In the West, February online advertised vacancies dropped 28,000 with a loss of 19,300 in California. Colorado dropped 6,200, and Arizona dropped 6,100. Washington rose 2,400. Among the states with smaller populations, Nevada dropped 2,400, New Mexico fell 1,200, and Alaska dropped by 800, while Hawaii was up 1,300.
In the South, online advertised vacancies fell by 19,500, reflecting the combination of declines and gains in some of the larger states. Texas, which in January had experienced its largest gain since November 2005, dipped 10,800. Florida and Maryland had modest drops of 2,200 and 800, respectively. Georgia gained 5,100, Virginia gained 2,800, and North Carolina gained 500. Among the less populous states in the South, in February, Oklahoma decreased by 5,500, Louisiana decreased by 1,600, and advertised vacancies in Kentucky dipped by 700.
The Supply/Demand rate for the U.S. in January (the latest month for which unemployment numbers are available) was at 3.69, down from 4.19 in December and indicating that there are now 3.69 unemployed workers for every online advertised vacancy.
Due to Bureau of Labor Statistics benchmark revisions, January unemployment data for States will not be available until March 10, 2010. For December 2009, the highest Supply/Demand rate was in Michigan (9.07), where there are over 9 unemployed people for every advertised vacancy. Based on December data, other states where there are over 6 unemployed for every advertised vacancy are Mississippi (7.92), Kentucky (6.88), and Indiana (6.19). States with some of the lowest December rates where there are less than 2 unemployed for each online advertised vacancy include Nebraska (1.56), South Dakota (1.65), and Alaska (1.69).
It should be noted that the Supply/Demand rate only provides a measure of relative tightness of the individual state labor markets and does not suggest that the occupations of the unemployed directly align with the occupations of the advertised vacancies.
OCCUPATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Demand for Management positions up in February
Food Preparation and Serving Related occupations, Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance occupations post gains over the last five months
Advertised vacancies for Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, and Healthcare Support occupations down slightly in February
Among the top 10 occupation groups with the largest number of online advertised vacancies, Management occupations rose 61,100 to 488,000 in February. Job demand in this occupational group lay flat for all of 2009 but has picked up in January and February. The increase reflects postings for a wide variety of occupations including sales managers, computer and information systems managers, and marketing managers.
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical occupations experienced the largest February decline, down 30,300 to 537,000. The decline reflects drops in demand for occupational and physical therapists and general internists. Labor demand for Healthcare Support occupations, which has remained relatively steady throughout the recession, dipped 8,600 to 110,700 in February. Contributing to this month’s decline were fewer advertised vacancies for physical and occupational therapist assistants, mirroring the declines in the demand for practitioners in these areas.
Healthcare is a broad field, and the relative tightness of the labor market varies substantially from the higher-paying practitioner and technical jobs to the lower-paying support occupations. In January, the latest month for which unemployment data is available, advertised vacancies for healthcare practitioners or technical occupations outnumbered the unemployed looking for work in this field by over 3 to 1, and the average wage in these occupations is $32.64/hour. In sharp contrast, the average wage for healthcare support occupations is $12.66/hour and there were over 2 unemployed looking for work in the field for every advertised vacancy.
Advertised vacancies in Office and Administrative Support occupations were down 25,600 in February to 424,600. The decline largely reflected fewer advertised vacancies for stock clerks and order fillers and tellers. The number of unemployed exceeds the number of advertised vacancies, and in January there were nearly 4 unemployed (3.78) for every online advertised vacancy in this field.
Business and Financial Operations professions dropped 24,700 in February to 209,500. Largely responsible for the decrease was fewer advertised openings for management analysts and tax preparers. The number of unemployed exceeds the number of advertised vacancies, and in January there were almost 2 unemployed (1.60) for every online advertised vacancy in this field.
Sales and Related professions dropped 15,200 in February to 482,800. Largely responsible for the decrease were fewer advertised vacancies for first-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers, demonstrators and product promoters, and financial services sales agents. The number of unemployed in this field exceeds the number of advertised vacancies, and in January there were over 3 unemployed (3.26) for every online advertised vacancy. Two categories that have posted increases for the last five months are Food Preparation and Serving Related occupations and Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance occupations, which rose by 2,400 and 1,400 respectively in February. In the last five months, advertised vacancies in food preparation and service occupations have risen by 23,400, while demand for building and grounds workers rose by 8,700 over the same period.
Supply/Demand rates among the occupations with the largest number of online advertised vacancies indicated that there is a significant difference in the number of unemployed seeking positions in these occupations. Among the top ten occupations advertised online, there were more vacancies than unemployed people seeking positions for Healthcare Practitioners (0.3) and Computer and Mathematical Science (0.4). On the other hand, in Sales and Related Occupations, there were over three people seeking jobs in this field for every online advertised vacancy (3.3); there were almost four unemployed looking for work in Office and Administrative Support positions for every advertised opening (3.8); and there are over eleven unemployed seeing work in Food Preparation and Serving occupations for every online advertised opening (11.1).
METRO AREA HIGHLIGHTS
Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Salt Lake City have the lowest Supply/Demand rates
Online advertised vacancies in all 52 major metropolitan areas rose since last year
In February, all of the 52 metropolitan areas for which data are reported separately posted over-the-year increases in the number of online advertised vacancies. Among the three metro areas with the largest numbers of advertised vacancies, the New York metro area was about 38 percent above its February 2009 level, the Washington, D.C. metro area was about 24 percent above its February 2009 level, and the Los Angeles metro area was about 18 percent above last year’s level.
Based on the latest unemployment data for December, the number of unemployed exceeded the number of advertised vacancies in all of the 52 metro areas for which information is reported separately. Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Salt Lake City were the locations with the most favorable supply/demand rates, where the number of unemployed looking for work was only slightly larger than the number of advertised vacancies. On the other hand, metro areas in which the respective number of unemployed is substantially above the number of online advertised vacancies include Riverside, CA, where there are over 12 unemployed people for every advertised vacancy (12.1), Detroit (10.3), Miami (6.5), Sacramento (6.3), Los Angeles (5.7), Chicago (5.6), and Tampa (5.5). Supply/Demand rate data are for December 2009, the latest month for which unemployment data for local areas are available.
PROGRAM NOTES
The Conference Board Help Wanted Online(TM) Data Series measures the number of new, first-time online jobs and jobs reposted from the previous month on more than 1,200 major Internet job boards and smaller job boards that serve niche markets and smaller geographic areas.
Like The Conference Board’s long-running Help Wanted Advertising Index of print ads (which was published for over 55 years and discontinued in January 2008 but continues to be available for research), the new online series is not a direct measure of job vacancies. The level of ads in both print and online may change for reasons not related to overall job demand.
With the February 1, 2008 release, HWOL began providing seasonally adjusted data for the U.S., the 9 Census regions and 50 States. Seasonally adjusted data for occupations was provided beginning with the July 1, 2009 release. This data series, for which the earliest data is May 2005, continues to publish not seasonally adjusted data for 52 large metropolitan areas, but it is The Conference Board’s intent to provide seasonally adjusted data for large metro areas in the future.
People using this data are urged to review the information on the database and methodology available on The Conference Board website and contact the economists listed at the top of this release with questions and comments. Background information and technical notes on this new series are available at: http://www.conference-board.org/economics/helpwantedOnline.cfm.
The underlying data for this series is provided by Wanted Technologies Corporation. Additional information on the Bureau of Labor Statistics data used in this release can be found on the BLS website, www.bls.gov.
Lexus and Scholastic announce Lexus Eco Challenge #2 winners
All Winning Teams Invited to Participate in the Final Challenge for $270,000 in Grants and Scholarships
Creating rain gardens, building a biodiesel processor, and promoting the use of solar chimneys were some of the actions taken by the winning teams in the second round of the Lexus Eco Challenge, an educational program and contest that empowers young people to make a positive difference for the environment. The 15 winning middle and high schools teams in Challenge #2 were awarded $10,000 each and are now qualified to participate in the Final Challenge for a chance at one of two $30,000 grand prizes and 14 $15,000 first-place awards. In all, Lexus will award a total of $500,000 in grants and scholarships throughout this year’s program. All award money is shared among the students, teacher advisor and school.
“Since launching the Lexus Eco Challenge three years ago, we’ve enjoyed watching as thousands of students have stepped up to protect our environment, and this latest round of entries did not disappoint us,” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “We’ve been impressed, humbled, and most of all, inspired by the dedication of the teams and their teacher advisors.”
For each of the challenges, teams are required to define an environmental issue that is important to them, develop an action plan to address the issue, implement the plan, and report on the results. The Challenge #2 winning teams that best addressed environmental challenges associated with air and climate were (winners listed in alphabetical order by state along with city, team name. school name, and each project’s subject).
High School Winners:
– Florida (Newberry) – “P.A.N.T.H.E.R. – Providing a New Way to Help Environmental Restoration” – Newberry High School – “Green” Christmas initiative
– Georgia (Atlanta) – “Westminster Greencats” – The Westminster Schools – Reducing greenhouse gases and investing in renewable energy sources
– Hawaii (Honolulu) – “LEXgo” – W.R. Farrington High School – Preservation and recycling
– Illinois (Chicago) – “McAuley EcoMacs: Operation Haiti” – Mother McAuley High School – Built a biodiesel processor and solar-thermal heating system
– Missouri (St. Louis) – “Team Neon” – Parkway North High School -Addressed destruction of natural prairies
– New Jersey (Manalapan) – “Project Blue Sky” – Manalapan High School – Educated about renewable energy sources
– Pennsylvania (Souderton) – “SAVE – Students Against Violating the Earth” – Souderton Area High School – Encouraged use of solar chimneys
– Utah (Orem) – “R.A.W.R. – Rocky-Mountain Area Wildlife Research” – Timpanogos High School – Environmental research and education about effects of climate change
Middle School Winners:
– Florida (Boca Raton) – “Tap In Too” – Logger’s Run Middle School – Recycling plastic water bottles and switching to reusable water bottles
– Kentucky (Lexington) – “E.F.B.S. – Eco-Friendly Bag Savers” – SCAPA Bluegrass – Impact of plastic and paper bags on the environment
– New York (East Greenbush) – “Goff Gone Green” – Howard L. Goff Middle School – Conservation of fossil fuels
– New York (Rosedale) – “The Eco Team” – PS 270 – Air pollution reduction
– South Carolina (Hanahan) – “HMS Hawks” – Hanahan Middle School – Conserving fossil fuels by reducing energy use.
– Utah (Holladay) – “Unplug the Thug” – Olympus Junior High – Energy conservation by unplugging cell phone chargers
– Wisconsin (Milwaukee) – “Bayside Pollution Revolution” – Bayside Middle School – Energy conservation by reducing use of electricity
This year’s Lexus Eco Challenge launched on Sept. 28, 2009, and concludes with the announcement of the first place and grand-prize-winning teams during Earth Month in April 2010. All winners from Challenges #1 and #2 have been invited to participate in the Final Challenge with an entry deadline of March 16, 2010.
In addition to the ongoing contest, the Lexus Eco Challenge also includes educational materials developed by Scholastic to encourage teachers to integrate creative lesson plans into their classrooms to help teach students about the environment. For each challenge, the Web site (www.scholastic.com/lexus) has lesson plans and teacher instructions including questions to help guide a discussion about the current challenge, facts about the topic, and guidelines for a specific classroom project.
The Lexus Eco Challenge is part of The Lexus Pursuit of Potential, a philanthropic initiative that generates up to $3 million in donations each year for organizations that help build, shape and improve children’s lives.