Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Neurotransmitters linked to mating behavior are shared by mammals and worms

ScienceDaily (Oct. 29, 2012) ? When it comes to sex, animals of all shapes and sizes tend behave in predictable ways. There may be a chemical reason for that. New research from Rockefeller University has shown that chemicals in the brain -- neuropeptides known as vasopressin and oxytocin -- play a role in coordinating mating and reproductive behavior in animals ranging from humans to fish to invertebrates.

"Our research shows that molecules similar to vasopressin and oxytocin have an ancient and evolutionarily conserved role in controlling a critical social behavior, mating," says Cori Bargmann, Torsten N. Wiesel Professor and head of the Lulu and Anthony Wang Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behavior. "This work suggests that these molecules encode the same kind of information in the brains of very different animals."

Bargmann, whose laboratory studies the relationship between genes, neural circuits and behavior in the C. elegans roundworm, says vasopressin and oxytocin have been implicated in a variety of reproductive and social behaviors in humans and other mammals, including pair bonding, maternal bonding and aggressive and affiliative behaviors. Mice that lack oxytocin may develop social amnesia, and humans who sniff oxytocin through an inhaler change their cooperative behavior in computer games, behaving as though they "trust" other players more.

Bargmann's team, led by postdoc Jennifer Garrison, identified a peptide and two receptors in C. elegans worms that were similar to the mammalian oxytocin/vasopressin signaling system. Male worms that were engineered to lack this peptide, dubbed nematocin, were clumsy sexual partners.

"Although they could perform the motor aspects of mating, their sequences were inefficient, disorganized and repetitious," says Garrison. "Only a fraction of males lacking the peptide were able to complete mating by transferring sperm within five minutes of first contacting a partner, a time in which normal worms are usually successful."

Males lacking nemotocin or its receptors also spent less time looking for mates, as though they were less motivated to find partners.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Rockefeller University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. J. L. Garrison, E. Z. Macosko, S. Bernstein, N. Pokala, D. R. Albrecht, C. I. Bargmann. Oxytocin/Vasopressin-Related Peptides Have an Ancient Role in Reproductive Behavior. Science, 2012; 338 (6106): 540 DOI: 10.1126/science.1226201

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/ahYezHOdMe0/121029100630.htm

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Monday, October 29, 2012

T-Mobile unveils holiday lineup: Nexus 4, HTC 8X, Lumia 810 to land November 14th

TMobile unveils holiday lineup Nexus 4, HTC 8X, Lumia 810 to land November 14th

T-Mobile was set to have its own splashy product unveiling today in New York City, but a certain Sandy put the kibosh on that. Now that Google's let its trio of updated Nexus products out of the bag, Magenta's ready to give us pricing and availability for the Nexus 4, HTC 8X and Lumia 810 which are set to hit the carrier's shelves this November 14th. Both Google's and Microsoft's (signature) flagships will be available for $199 on a two-year plan, while Nokia's lower-end WP8 handset will go for $149 with the same contract duration. Also, joining the crowded launch lineup that day is Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 for $349 with a two-year agreement. As for the newly HSPA+ capable Nexus 7, well, you'll be able to snag that refreshed slate on Google Play just one day later. Of course, T-Mo hasn't forgotten about its value-minded sub base, offering up LG's Optimus L9 on the 31st of this month at an affordable $79 on contract. So if it's options you wanted this holiday season, Magenta's doling them out in spades. Hit up the break for the official PR.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/29/t-mobile-unveils-holiday-lineup-nexus-4-htc-8x-lumia-810-to-l/

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HBT: Can Cain close out another series for Giants?

Matt Cain started and won Game 5 of the NLDS against the Reds. He got the ball again in Game 7 of the NLCS versus the Cardinals. Now he?ll try to close out a third straight series for the Giants in Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday evening.

That Cain had to wait until Game 4 to face the Tigers was something of a surprise, and manager Bruce Bochy did indicate that fatigue played some role in his decision. Cain was one of the NL?s top five starters this year, and if he were still throwing like he did in September, there?s little doubt that the Giants would have lined him up to pitch Games 3 and 7 of the World Series.

Cain, though, hasn?t looked like a world beater in the postseason. While he?s come up with the two big wins, he?s lost his two other starts. In Game 7 against the Cardinals, Bochy made the call to remove him with a shutout intact in the sixth inning. In all, Cain has pitched 23 innings in his four starts and amassed a solid 3.52 ERA. However, it?s come with a decreased strikeout rate and four homers allowed. He allowed a homer every 10 innings during the regular season. In 2011, he allowed a homer every 25 innings.

On the plus side, Cain will get to face an ice cold Tigers offense in poor conditions for hitting. The temperature was 47?degrees?at the start of tonight?s game, and the forecast calls for a similar Sunday. Plus, he has a pretty rested bullpen behind him after Tim Lincecum took care of business tonight. One imagines the Giants will aim for six innings from Cain in Game 4, with Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Casilla, Javier Lopez and Sergio Romo matching up from there. It?s been a winning recipe so far.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/28/series-clincher-matt-cain-now-gets-go-for-the-big-one/related/

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2012 Voodoo Music + Arts Experience Webstream Available

Warner Bros.

The Voodoo Music + Arts Experience has teamed with Sony X Headphones to present a Saturday, October 27 and Sunday, October 28 webstream from New Orleans? City Park. Performances will be available at Rollingstone.com/Voodoo on Saturday (12 Noon-11:00 PM, CT)and Sunday (12 Noon-9:00 PM, CT), while Fuse TV will feature highlights throughout Voodoo weekend via on air picture-in-picture technology. Highlighted by performances from Neil Young & Crazy Horse; Jack White; The Avett Brothers; Awolnation; Silversun Pickups; Say Anything; Bootsy Collins; Dave Stewart; George Porter Jr and his Runnin? Pardners; Anders Osborne w special guests Johnny Sansone and Big Monk Boudreaux; Soul Rebels; Lost Bayou Ramblers with special guest members of the Givers and Preservation Hall Horns; and more. The stream will also include artist interviews: acoustic performances and a behind-the-scenes look at New Orleans music, food and culture.

This year?s Voodoo?is led by performances from headliners Metallica, Neil Young & Crazy Horse and Jack White, along with Justice; Skrillex; Awolnation; Nas; Kaskade; The Avett Brothers; Die Antwoord; Silversun Pickups; Gary Clark Jr. and many more. Celebrated as the final musical event of the U.S. music festival season: this year?s Voodoo?Friday, October 26: Saturday, October 27 and Sunday, October 28?will mark its 14th consecutive year. The Voodoo?line-up annually features a variety of musical genres, which also reflects the cultural gumbo that defines this historic and beloved American city.

Tickets and camping passes for the 2012 Voodoo are available now via www.thevoodooexperience.com utilizing Elevate?s festival centric shopping experience. Ticket prices (as of October 12) are as follows: a limited number of single day are: $107; three-day weekend GA tickets are $222; Loa Lounge VIP three-day pass are $562 and Loa Lounge VIP three-day pass with parking are $631. Excitingly, new to this year?s annual musical celebration is on-site camping. Camping options range from Crossroads Camping: general tent camping in a 12?12 plot with basic amenities (prices start at $150 for two guests) to Loa Grand (VIP camping): a luxurious all-encompassing camping experience, where concertgoers can arrive to move-in-ready 10?13 safari style tents. The LOA Grand Experience includes festival artist credentials, campsite entertainment, snacks and meal options throughout the weekend, plus access to the late night Sony Lounge ($2500 for two guests). Gates will open at 10:30 daily with live music beginning at 11:00 AM. In addition, shuttle transportation to Voodoo is available from two locations: the Hyatt Downtown (Voodoo?s host hotel) and Harrah?s Casino. Shuttle service runs every 30 minutes beginning at 10:45 AM from Harrah?s and 11:00 AM from the Hyatt. Shuttles will depart Voodoo every 30 minutes, starting at 3:00 PM and concluding one hour after the final performance each night.

2012 Voodoo partners include: Sony, Toyota, Bud Light, Garnier Fructis, Red Bull, Fuse, Scope, American Spirits, Spotify, Black & Mild Cigars, American Rag, iD Gum and Zapps Potato Chips. More information about the 2012 Voodoo can also be found at www.thevoodooexperience.com. The Voodoo Music + Arts Experience is a Rehage Entertainment Event.

Source: http://rockmusicreport.com/2012-voodoo-music-arts-experience-webstream-available/

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Hurricane Sandy blows election off course (reuters)

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Thursday, October 11, 2012

America's best neighborhoods for ethnic food

7 hrs.

At a boardwalk restaurant called Tatiana, mustached men sit downing bottles of Baltika beer while watching the bikini-clad beachgoers stroll by. If you?re imagining some Russian resort town, think again: this is?New York.?

Slideshow: See?the best neighborhoods for ethnic food

Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, is only about 15 miles from Manhattan but in style, cuisine and temperament, it?s thousands of miles away. A trip here or to another ethnic enclave is a great way to exercise your wanderlust without crossing oceans. You can broaden your comfort zone, buy souvenirs and products to cook at home, and sample new dishes. And you can do it affordably at casual, quirky restaurants and in cities you might not expect.?

?The way ethnic neighborhoods form has changed,? says Michael Soon Lee, author of "Cross-Cultural Selling for Dummies"?and founder of?EthnoConnect.com. ?People would immigrate through gateway cities of the major shipping lines like?San Francisco?and New York. Due to the difficulty and cost of transportation, most would stay in those areas for generations.? But with greater mobility and high-speed communications, immigrants are branching out.?

In the?Twin Cities, the Hmong (a Southeast Asian ethnic minority) have planted roots, as have Indians in?Houston?and Ethiopians in?D.C., where U Street gives off the aromas of spicy lamb stew,?injera?bread and brewing coffee. ?All it takes is for a few people from the same ethnicity to be treated with kindness, respect and understanding and then the word of mouth spreads,? says Soon Lee.?

That kind of open mind and sense of adventure helps when exploring these communities, which can be a little gritty and less accessible than touristy Little Italys. While some Chinatowns have also become kitschy shells of their former selves, in?Vegas, a vibrant community has sprung up around Spring Mountain Road; pull over at KJ Kitchen for fried noodles and Cantonese-style lobster. ??

Back in New York, the Lower East Side attracts a different sort of immigrant than those documented in its?Tenement Museum: people migrating to hip bars and restaurants. Pair cocktails there with vodka shots in Brighton Beach for a rounded-out city perspective.?

And try testing your culinary boundaries wherever you travel next, or in your own hometown. In?L.A., for instance, we?re highlighting Thai Town, but prominent local Mexican and Korean populations also do their part to serve up authentic ethnic food.?

More from Travel + Leisure?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/itineraries/americas-best-neighborhoods-ethnic-food-1C6289285

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Monday, October 8, 2012

Free Parking for Eric Church Concert

From Mayor's Press Office??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
?
LOUISVILLE, KY?? Fans heading to the Eric Church concert at the KFC Yum! Center October 14 will be able to park for free in PARC garages and surface lots ? in exchange for donations of toiletry items. The facilities closest to the Yum! Center will be taking donations: the Arena Garage, 1st and Main Garage, Wharf Lot and Riverfront.
Toiletry items needed include shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant and shaving cream. Other needed items are wash cloths and towels, personal items for women and children, and cleaning supplies. A donation of ten items, or about $10 dollars in value, is suggested in exchange for parking.
The donated items will be delivered by PARC staff to the Center for Women and Families for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
?

Source: http://swjeffersoncounty.wave3.com/news/events/95677-free-parking-eric-church-concert

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Sunday, October 7, 2012

What number is halfway between 1 and 9? Is it 5 -- or 3?

ScienceDaily (Oct. 5, 2012) ? A new information-theoretical model of human sensory perception and memory sheds light on some peculiarities of the nervous system.

Ask adults from the industrialized world what number is halfway between 1 and 9, and most will say 5. But pose the same question to small children, or people living in some traditional societies, and they're likely to answer 3.

Cognitive scientists theorize that that's because it's actually more natural for humans to think logarithmically than linearly: 30 is 1, and 32 is 9, so logarithmically, the number halfway between them is 31, or 3. Neural circuits seem to bear out that theory. For instance, psychological experiments suggest that multiplying the intensity of some sensory stimuli causes a linear increase in perceived intensity.

In a paper that appeared online last week in the Journal of Mathematical Psychology, researchers from MIT's Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE) use the techniques of information theory to demonstrate that, given certain assumptions about the natural environment and the way neural systems work, representing information logarithmically rather than linearly reduces the risk of error.

The new work was led by John Sun, a graduate student in Vivek Goyal's Signal Transformation and Information Representation (STIR) Group at RLE. Joining Sun and Goyal on the paper are Lav Varshney, a researcher at IBM's Watson Research Center and a former graduate student in Goyal's group, who remains a research affiliate at RLE, and Grace Wang, formerly a neurophysiologist at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Usually, STIR members research signal-processing problems in areas such as optical imaging or magnetic resonance imaging. So publishing a paper in a psychology journal might seem a little out of character.

"Although this problem seems very removed from what we do naturally, it's actually not the case," Sun says. "We do a lot of media compression, and media compression, for the most part, is very well-motivated by psychophysical experiments. So when they came up with MP3 compression, when they came up with JPEG, they used a lot of these perceptual things: What do you perceive well, what don't you perceive well?"

One of the researchers' assumptions is that if you were designing a nervous system for humans living in the ancestral environment -- with the aim that it accurately represent the world around them -- the right type of error to minimize would be relative error, not absolute error. After all, being off by four matters much more if the question is whether there are one or five hungry lions in the tall grass around you than if the question is whether there are 96 or 100 antelope in the herd you've just spotted.

The STIR researchers demonstrate that if you're trying to minimize relative error, using a logarithmic scale is the best approach under two different conditions: One is if you're trying to store your representations of the outside world in memory; the other is if sensory stimuli in the outside world happen to fall into particular statistical patterns.

If you're trying to store data in memory, a logarithmic scale is optimal if there's any chance of error in either storage or retrieval, or if you need to compress the data so that it takes up less space. The researchers believe that one of these conditions probably pertains -- there's evidence in the psychological literature for both -- but they're not committed to either. They do feel, however, that the pressures of memory storage probably explain the natural human instinct to represent numbers logarithmically.

In their paper, the MIT researchers also look at the statistical patterns that describe volume fluctuations in human speech. As it turns out, those fluctuations are well approximated by a normal distribution -- a bell curve -- but only if they're represented logarithmically. Under such circumstances, the researchers show, logarithmic representation again minimizes the relative error.

The STIR researchers' information-theoretic model also fits the empirical psychological data in other ways. One is that it predicts the point at which human sensory discrimination will break down. With sound volume, for instance, experimental subjects can make very fine distinctions within a range of values, "but experimentally, when we get to the edges, there are breakdowns," Sun says.

Similarly, the model does a better job than its predecessors of describing brain plasticity. It provides a framework in which a straightforward application of Bayes' theorem -- the cornerstone of much modern statistical analysis -- accurately predicts the extent to which predilections hard-wired into the human nervous system can be revised in light of experience.

"There's a whole bunch of different animal species," says Adam Reeves, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University, "and a whole bunch of different sensory mechanisms, like hearing and vision, and different aspects of all of them, and then taste, and smell, and so on, all of which follow exactly the same law" -- a logarithmic relationship between stimulus intensity and perceived intensity. "Biology is very variable, right? So how come all these organisms come up with the same law? And how come the law is so precise? It's a major philosophical problem, actually."

In attempting to solve that problem, Reeves says, the MIT researchers offer "a very powerful argument." Before he's ready to declare the problem solved, however, Reeves would like to see an examination of the cases in which the law doesn't hold.

"The real proof would be if you get a different type of statistical distribution of the stimulus information, then you get a different type of a law," Reeves says. "Night vision, for example, shows some very strong failures of [the] law."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The original article was written by Larry Hardesty.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. John Z. Sun, Grace I. Wang, Vivek K Goyal, Lav R. Varshney. A framework for Bayesian optimality of psychophysical laws. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 2012; DOI: 10.1016/j.jmp.2012.08.002

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/hvLchlXW36g/121005123817.htm

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Friday, October 5, 2012

Apple Seeks Patent For Headphones That Can Go From Wired To Wireless In An Instant

12.10.04-Headphone-3A new patent application uncovered by AppleInsider today shows that Apple's is working on ways to make hybrid headphones that work via both Bluetooth and a wired connection, and can switch seamlessly between the two. It's a system that's designed to come in handy during physical activity, complete with the ability to recharge directly from the attached device.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/QAfMkCyIbto/

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Employers add 162,000 jobs in September

Private employment in the U.S. improved in September according to ADP's National Employment Report.

By SoldAtTheTop,?Guest blogger / October 4, 2012

This chart shows total private nonfarm payrolls since 2002. The employment situation improved in September according to the private staffing and business services firm ADP.

SoldAtTheTop

Enlarge

On Wednesday, private staffing and business services firm?ADP?released the?latest installment of their National Employment Report?indicating that the situation for private employment in the U.S. improved in September as private employers added 162,000 jobs in the month bringing the total employment level 1.99% above the level seen in September 2012.?

Skip to next paragraph SoldAtTheTop

Writer, The PaperEconomy Blog

'SoldAtTheTop' is not a pessimist by nature but a true skeptic and realist who prefers solid and sustained evidence of fundamental economic recovery to 'Goldilocks,' 'Green Shoots,' 'Mustard Seeds,' and wholesale speculation.

Recent posts

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Perusing?the rest of the data in the ADP dataset?you can see the the economy is currently showing the most growth for small to mid-sized service providing jobs with goods-producing jobs remaining near trough levels.?

Look for Friday?s BLS Employment Situation Report to likely show somewhat similar trends.?

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best economy-related bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger, click here.To add or view a comment on a guest blog, please go to the blogger's own site by clicking on paper-money.blogspot.com.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/WDPFxt0RnB8/Employers-add-162-000-jobs-in-September

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Monday, October 1, 2012

Medicare to begin fining hospitals over readmitted patients

WASHINGTON (AP) -- If you or an elderly relative have been hospitalized recently and noticed extra attention when the time came to be discharged, there's more to it than good customer service.

As of Monday, Medicare will start fining hospitals that have too many patients readmitted within 30 days of discharge due to complications. The penalties are part of a broader push under President Barack Obama's health care law to improve quality while also trying to save taxpayers money.

About two-thirds of the hospitals serving Medicare patients, or some 2,200 facilities, will be hit with penalties averaging around $125,000 per facility this coming year, according to government estimates.

Data to assess the penalties have been collected and crunched, and Medicare has shared the results with individual hospitals. Medicare plans to post details online later in October, and people can look up how their community hospitals performed by using the agency's "Hospital Compare" website.

It adds up to a new way of doing business for hospitals, and they have scrambled to prepare for well over a year. They are working on ways to improve communication with rehabilitation centers and doctors who follow patients after they're released, as well as connecting individually with patients.

"There is a lot of activity at the hospital level to straighten out our internal processes," said Nancy Foster, vice president for quality and safety at the American Hospital Association. "We are also spreading our wings a little and reaching outside the hospital, to the extent that we can, to make sure patients are getting the ongoing treatment they need."

Still, industry officials say they have misgivings about being held liable for circumstances beyond their control. They also complain that facilities serving low-income people, including many major teaching hospitals, are much more likely to be fined, raising questions of fairness.

"Readmissions are partially within the control of the hospital and partially within the control of others," Foster said.

Consumer advocates say Medicare's nudge to hospitals is long overdue and not nearly stiff enough.

"It's modest, but it's a start," said Dr. John Santa, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. "Should we be surprised that industry is objecting? You would expect them to object to anything that changes the status quo."

For the first year, the penalty is capped at 1 percent of a hospital's Medicare payments. The overwhelming majority of penalized facilities will pay less. Also, for now, hospitals are only being measured on three medical conditions: heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia.

Under the health care law, the penalties gradually will rise until 3 percent of Medicare payments to hospitals are at risk. Medicare is considering holding hospitals accountable on four more measures: joint replacements, stenting, heart bypass and treatment of stroke.

If General Motors and Toyota issue warranties for their vehicles, hospitals should have some similar obligation when a patient gets a new knee or a stent to relieve a blocked artery, Santa contends. "People go to the hospital to get their problem solved, not to have to come back," he said.

Excessive rates of readmission are only part of the problem of high costs and uneven quality in the U.S. health care system. While some estimates put readmission rates as high as 20 percent, a congressional agency says the level of preventable readmissions is much lower. About 12 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who are hospitalized are later readmitted for a potentially preventable problem, said the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, known as MedPAC.

Foster, the hospital association official, said medication mix-ups account for a big share of problems. Many Medicare beneficiaries are coping with multiple chronic conditions, and it's not unusual for their medication lists to be changed in the hospital. But their doctors outside sometimes don't get the word; other times, the patients themselves don't understand there's been a change.

Another issue is making sure patients go to their required follow-up appointments.

Medicare deputy administrator Jonathan Blum said he thinks hospitals have gotten the message.

"Clearly it's captured their attention," said Blum. "It's galvanized the hospital industry on ways to reduce unnecessary readmissions. It's forced more parts of the health care system to work together to ensure that patients have much smoother transitions."

MedPAC, the congressional advisory group, has produced research findings that back up the industry's assertion that hospitals serving the poor, including major teaching facilities, are more likely to face penalties. But for now, Blum said Medicare is not inclined to grade on the curve.

"We have really tried to address and study this issue," said Blum. "If you look at the data, there are hospitals that serve a low-income patient mix and do very well on these measures. It seems to us that hospitals that serve low-income people can control readmissions very well."

Under Obama's health care overhaul, Medicare is pursuing efforts to try to improve quality and lower costs. They include rewarding hospitals for quality results, and encouraging hospitals, nursing homes and medical practice groups to join in "accountable care organizations." Dozens of pilot programs are under way. The jury is still out on the results.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/medicare-fines-over-hospitals-readmitted-084833994.html

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