RIYADH (Reuters) - Several government websites in Saudi Arabia were sabotaged in a series of heavy cyber attacks from abroad in recent days, disabling them briefly until the attacks were repelled, the government said.
An investigation traced the "coordinated and simultaneous attacks" to hundreds of Internet protocol addresses in a number of countries, an unnamed source at the Saudi Interior Ministry told state news agency SPA.
The interior ministry website crashed on Wednesday after it received a "huge amount" of service requests, but was back online less than two hours later after the "necessary technical drills" were performed to counter the attack, the source said.
The report made no mention of a possible motive.
Businesses, government agencies and critical infrastructure operators face unprecedented challenges from increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks launched by criminals, hacker activists and foreign governments.
An attack last year on national oil company Saudi Aramco - the world's biggest oil company - damaged some 30,000 computers and was one of the most destructive cyber strikes conducted against a single business.
That attack used a computer virus known as Shamoon. A group that claimed responsibility said Saudi Aramco was the main source of income for the Saudi government, which it blamed for "crimes and atrocities" in several countries including Syria and Bahrain.
On Friday, the website and Twitter feed of the Financial Times newspaper were hacked, apparently by the "Syrian Electronic Army", a group of online activists who say they supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
(Reporting by Angus McDowall; Writing by Raissa Kasolowsky; Editing by Tom Pfeiffer)
If this unison concerning social networking websites and Net advertising was to proceed in the way it is at the moment working, shortly a time would occur, when social networking web-sites will be much more actively known as Online internet marketing equipment and most of the on the net marketing functions will be carried out on them.
Mr. Trump promotes ACN and their solutions also on his Television show The Apprentice not 1 time, but two times in two distinctive seasons. Just one other great indicator is that the fraud promises are incorrect. If there was an ACN Inc fraud Mr. Trump could not put his seal of acceptance on this business.
All these are tough to achieve on your have, but it's not some thing you have to fear about when you are functioning with a www.massivesplash.com featuring specialized site growth and social media advertising solutions.
Right before you can know if your web program is doing work, you ought to initially have a way to track on a common basis your advertising strategies for your enterprise. There are a number of metrics that you can use on your internet site or blog that will permit you know how effectively you are carrying out. Then you can decide what demands to be transformed or what you have to have to prevent undertaking altogether.
In the last 12 months or so social media has grow to be a essential factor in a making a organizations manufacturer and name. Companies getting members of social networking web sites this kind of as Facebook, Twitter is no more time a have to do factor, it is a requires to be completed point.
Corby Kummer shared their perspectives on how those relationships are formed and maintained. Kummer referenced another famous celebrity chef, the late Julia Child, and her ability to make the culinary world more engaging for experts and novices alike.
This made me think about shows like The Next Food Network Star, a reality TV competition where network executives search for someone who can host a show that makes cooking fun, easy and engaging for television audiences. The show has produced stars like Guy Fieri and Aaron McCargo, Jr. and features another celebrity chef and TV personality, Bobby Flay, as a judge.
With these examples in mind, let?s circle back to where we started: we eat with our eyes before our stomachs, and restaurant menus are very similar to websites. Building relationships that lead to customer loyalty starts with establishing an engaging and trustworthy brand ? one that will serve as a resource of valuable information on the issues prospects care about most.
Just like creative and appealing menus are invaluable tools for restaurants, blogs have become invaluable PR tools for businesses in practically every industry. They give current and prospective clients a sense of what your business is about and why they should work with you. They provide businesses with opportunities to direct readers to their other social media channels (even more avenues for engagement), and can also drive traffic to pieces of content hosted on other sites, such as contributed bylines, white papers and infographics featured in top-tier publications.
Defining the Customer Experience
The menu acts as the window into the culinary creations of a restaurant, guiding customers toward the dishes that will define their dining experience. In much the same way, a company blog guides readers toward the content that they can closely relate to. It gives them a sense of the company?s personality, products and services, and its approach to issues relevant to specific vertical industries. This encourages repeat visits, builds trust and facilitates customer-brand engagement.
Now take this information and compare your company blog to a well-crafted menu. Is it visually appealing or cluttered and jarring? Does it offer an accurate representation of your company?s expertise and thought-leadership? Does it accurately convey your organization?s personality and style? Does it make people want to come back? Learn more about you? Interact with you?
These are all questions that businesses have to ask to determine if their websites and associated content are positioned as valuable PR tools. We are firmly entrenched in the Digital Age, and as a?PR firm, we are constantly innovating ways to boost brand visibility and engagement through social media channels, content marketing strategies and search engine optimization. The goal is to make a company?s digital presence like a menu that makes one?s mouth water. Then our clients can deliver the dishes that keep their current and prospective customers coming back for more.
Having a hard time letting go of "The Office" after last night's finale? Then why not drag it out for another two hours with the ultimate blooper reel?
Here's two hours of bloopers from seasons two through eight. (Note: if the image gets stuck at 11:40, skip forward to 22:00... there seems to be a glitch occasionally).
May 15 (Reuters) - Post positions for the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes, to be run at Pimlico on Saturday (Post Position, Horse, Jockey, Trainer, Odds) 1. Orb, Joel Rosario, Shug McGaughey, even 2. Goldencents, Kevin Krigger, Doug O'Neill, 8-1 3. Titletown Five, Julien Leparoux, D. Wayne Lukas, 30-1 4. Departing, Brian Hernandez, Al Stall, 6-1 5. Mylute, Rosie Napravnik, Tom Amoss, 5-1 6. Oxbow, Gary Stevens, D. Wayne Lukas, 15-1 7. Will Take Charge, Mike Smith, D. Wayne Lukas, 12-1 8. Govenor Charlie, Martin Garcia, Bob Baffert, 12-1 9. ...
Nature: X-ray tomography on a living frog embryoPublic release date: 16-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Monika Landgraf presse@kit.edu 49-721-608-47414 Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
Motion of individual cells within developing frog embryos resolved/X-ray tomography based on diffraction rather than absorption/new methods for developmental biology
This news release is available in German.
Classical X-ray radiographs provide information about internal, absorptive structures of organisms such as bones. Alternatively, X-rays can also image soft tissues throughout early embryonic development of vertebrates. Related to this, a new X-ray method was presented recently in a Nature article published by a German-American-Russian research team led by KIT. For periods of about two hours, time-lapse sequences of cellular resolution were obtained of three dimensional reconstructions showing developing embryos of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). Instead of the absorption of X-rays, the method is based on their diffraction (DOI: 10.1038/nature12116).
"X-ray diffraction enables high-resolution imaging of soft tissues," explains Ralf Hofmann, one author of the study and physicist at KIT. "In our work, we did not only manage to resolve individual cells and parts of their structure, but we could also analyze single cell migration as well as the movement of cellular networks."
Using X-ray diffraction, similar tissues can be distinguished by minute variations of their refractive index. However, in contrast to classical absorption imaging, this does not require any contrast agent, and X-ray dose is profoundly reduced. The method is of particular advantage when probing sensitive tissues in living organisms, such as frog embryos. In their study, the researchers concentrated on the motion and shape changes of tissues, cavities, and single cells during the developmental milestone of gastrulation.
During gastrulation, germ layers are formed and organized in their proper locations. Thereby, an initially simple spherical ball of a few hundred cells turns into a complex, multilayered organism with differentiated tissues eventually turning into the nervous system, muscles, and internal organs. Quoting the renowned developmental biologist Lewis Wolpert: "it is not birth, marriage, or death, but gastrulation that is the most important event in your life."
"Employing X-rays, we were able to watch joint and individual cell movements during gastrulation," zoologist Jubin Kashef points out who is a co-author and head of a young investigator group at KIT. For the first time, it was appreciated how cells interact with each other in a living embryo and how regions void of cells form and disappear. "It is like the migration of peoples. Stimulated by the migration of individual cell groups, other cells join in. They form functional cellular networks, which adjust to their changing environment. During migration, cells specialize to form progenitor tissues of future organs, e.g. the brain or skin."
"It is fascinating to have digital capabilities to observe and analyze these processes in an individual living frog embryo," Hofmann and Kashef emphasize. "In this way, fundamental results are obtained." The new method not only reveals morphological and dynamic aspects of embryonic development but also provides insights into their underlying molecular biology obtained by comparing the development of wildtype embryos and morphant phenotypes. The African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) is one of the most important model systems of developmental biology whose study is of relevance in understanding human embryogenesis and diseases. In future research, morphant phenotypes will be correlated with the targeted switch-offs of key proteins. For this purpose, the novel technique -- combining latest X-ray measurement technology with advanced image analysis and developmental biology -- will be established at the synchrotron radiation facilities ANKA in Karlsruhe and APS in Chicago for routine use by a broad community of scientific users.
In their study, KIT researchers, which were supported by biologists from Northwestern University, used coherent X-rays from the Advanced Photon Source of Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago. Prior to this investigation, the method had been developed at ANKA. During measurement, a coherent bundle of X-rays passes the nearly spherical 1-mm frog embryo, which rotates half way around its axis within 18 seconds. By variation of the irradiation direction, information on the three-dimensional (3D) structure is acquired. As X-rays pass through different types of tissues at variable speeds, diffraction occurs. In turn, this generates a characteristic intensity distribution by interference a certain distance behind the embryo. Within the 18 s of tomographic scan time, about 1200 images were recorded. Similar to digital photography, every image consists of several million pixels. From this vast amount of data, the three-dimensional structure and the development of the embryo over time is inferred at micrometer resolution. If this process is repeated at intervals of several minutes, the resulting sequence of 3D images reveals all gastrulation movements occurring inside the embryo. Image reconstruction and analysis algorithms for the here-employed X-ray phase-contrast microtomography were developed at ANKA.
Immediate results of this research are the discovery of new morphological structures and the clarification of fluid redistribution processes. Moreover, the locations of centers driving the migration of tissues and cells during gastrulation were determined by differential flow analysis.
###
Reference:
J. Moosmann, A. Ershov, V. Altapova, T. Baumbach, M. S. Prasad, C. LaBonne, X. Xiao, J. Kashef, and R. Hofmann, "X-ray phase-contrast in vivo mictotomography probes new aspects of Xenopus gastrulation", Nature (2013), doi:10.1038/nature12116.
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is a public corporation according to the legislation of the state of Baden-Wrttemberg. It fulfills the mission of a university and the mission of a national research center of the Helmholtz Association. Research activities focus on energy, the natural and built environment as well as on society and technology and cover the whole range extending from fundamental aspects to application. With about 9000 employees, including nearly 6000 staff members in the science and education sector, and 24000 students, KIT is one of the biggest research and education institutions in Europe. Work of KIT is based on the knowledge triangle of research, teaching, and innovation.
This press release is available on the internet at http://www.kit.edu.
The photo of printing quality may be downloaded under http://www.kit.edu or requested by mail to presse@kit.edu or phone +49 721 608-47414. The photo may be used in the context mentioned above exclusively.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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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.
Nature: X-ray tomography on a living frog embryoPublic release date: 16-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Monika Landgraf presse@kit.edu 49-721-608-47414 Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
Motion of individual cells within developing frog embryos resolved/X-ray tomography based on diffraction rather than absorption/new methods for developmental biology
This news release is available in German.
Classical X-ray radiographs provide information about internal, absorptive structures of organisms such as bones. Alternatively, X-rays can also image soft tissues throughout early embryonic development of vertebrates. Related to this, a new X-ray method was presented recently in a Nature article published by a German-American-Russian research team led by KIT. For periods of about two hours, time-lapse sequences of cellular resolution were obtained of three dimensional reconstructions showing developing embryos of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). Instead of the absorption of X-rays, the method is based on their diffraction (DOI: 10.1038/nature12116).
"X-ray diffraction enables high-resolution imaging of soft tissues," explains Ralf Hofmann, one author of the study and physicist at KIT. "In our work, we did not only manage to resolve individual cells and parts of their structure, but we could also analyze single cell migration as well as the movement of cellular networks."
Using X-ray diffraction, similar tissues can be distinguished by minute variations of their refractive index. However, in contrast to classical absorption imaging, this does not require any contrast agent, and X-ray dose is profoundly reduced. The method is of particular advantage when probing sensitive tissues in living organisms, such as frog embryos. In their study, the researchers concentrated on the motion and shape changes of tissues, cavities, and single cells during the developmental milestone of gastrulation.
During gastrulation, germ layers are formed and organized in their proper locations. Thereby, an initially simple spherical ball of a few hundred cells turns into a complex, multilayered organism with differentiated tissues eventually turning into the nervous system, muscles, and internal organs. Quoting the renowned developmental biologist Lewis Wolpert: "it is not birth, marriage, or death, but gastrulation that is the most important event in your life."
"Employing X-rays, we were able to watch joint and individual cell movements during gastrulation," zoologist Jubin Kashef points out who is a co-author and head of a young investigator group at KIT. For the first time, it was appreciated how cells interact with each other in a living embryo and how regions void of cells form and disappear. "It is like the migration of peoples. Stimulated by the migration of individual cell groups, other cells join in. They form functional cellular networks, which adjust to their changing environment. During migration, cells specialize to form progenitor tissues of future organs, e.g. the brain or skin."
"It is fascinating to have digital capabilities to observe and analyze these processes in an individual living frog embryo," Hofmann and Kashef emphasize. "In this way, fundamental results are obtained." The new method not only reveals morphological and dynamic aspects of embryonic development but also provides insights into their underlying molecular biology obtained by comparing the development of wildtype embryos and morphant phenotypes. The African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) is one of the most important model systems of developmental biology whose study is of relevance in understanding human embryogenesis and diseases. In future research, morphant phenotypes will be correlated with the targeted switch-offs of key proteins. For this purpose, the novel technique -- combining latest X-ray measurement technology with advanced image analysis and developmental biology -- will be established at the synchrotron radiation facilities ANKA in Karlsruhe and APS in Chicago for routine use by a broad community of scientific users.
In their study, KIT researchers, which were supported by biologists from Northwestern University, used coherent X-rays from the Advanced Photon Source of Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago. Prior to this investigation, the method had been developed at ANKA. During measurement, a coherent bundle of X-rays passes the nearly spherical 1-mm frog embryo, which rotates half way around its axis within 18 seconds. By variation of the irradiation direction, information on the three-dimensional (3D) structure is acquired. As X-rays pass through different types of tissues at variable speeds, diffraction occurs. In turn, this generates a characteristic intensity distribution by interference a certain distance behind the embryo. Within the 18 s of tomographic scan time, about 1200 images were recorded. Similar to digital photography, every image consists of several million pixels. From this vast amount of data, the three-dimensional structure and the development of the embryo over time is inferred at micrometer resolution. If this process is repeated at intervals of several minutes, the resulting sequence of 3D images reveals all gastrulation movements occurring inside the embryo. Image reconstruction and analysis algorithms for the here-employed X-ray phase-contrast microtomography were developed at ANKA.
Immediate results of this research are the discovery of new morphological structures and the clarification of fluid redistribution processes. Moreover, the locations of centers driving the migration of tissues and cells during gastrulation were determined by differential flow analysis.
###
Reference:
J. Moosmann, A. Ershov, V. Altapova, T. Baumbach, M. S. Prasad, C. LaBonne, X. Xiao, J. Kashef, and R. Hofmann, "X-ray phase-contrast in vivo mictotomography probes new aspects of Xenopus gastrulation", Nature (2013), doi:10.1038/nature12116.
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is a public corporation according to the legislation of the state of Baden-Wrttemberg. It fulfills the mission of a university and the mission of a national research center of the Helmholtz Association. Research activities focus on energy, the natural and built environment as well as on society and technology and cover the whole range extending from fundamental aspects to application. With about 9000 employees, including nearly 6000 staff members in the science and education sector, and 24000 students, KIT is one of the biggest research and education institutions in Europe. Work of KIT is based on the knowledge triangle of research, teaching, and innovation.
This press release is available on the internet at http://www.kit.edu.
The photo of printing quality may be downloaded under http://www.kit.edu or requested by mail to presse@kit.edu or phone +49 721 608-47414. The photo may be used in the context mentioned above exclusively.
[ | 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.
Google's I/O event kicks off today, and with it will come a slew of announcements about new products and services. But what are you most excited about?
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Public release date: 16-May-2013
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