• NASA Chief Technologist To Attend Cleveland Manufacturing Event
  NASA Chief Technologist Mason Peck will join agency and Ohio officials to name nine small and medium-sized Ohio manufacturers that will receive NASA assistance to solve technical problems with new or existing products.
• NASA Invites Media To Annual Lunabotics Mining Competition
  More than 50 teams of undergraduate and graduate students from eight countries will come to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida May 21-26 to take part in the third annual Lunabotics Mining Competition.

• Updated Coverage for NASA/SpaceX Launch and Mission to Station
  The second SpaceX demonstration launch for NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) is scheduled for liftoff on Saturday, May 19.
• NASA Announces 2012 Space Technology Research Fellowship Grants
  NASA has selected the 2012 class of Space Technology Research Fellows.
• NASA’s Deputy Administrator to Discuss Future of Commercial Spaceflight with Industry Representatives
  NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver will participate in a teleconference on Thursday, May 17, at 2 p.m. EDT with representatives of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation to brief journalists on the future of human commercial spaceflight.
• NASA Administrator to Deliver Commencement Address at University of Maryland Eastern Shore
  NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will provide the commencement address to the 2012 graduating class of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md., on Friday, May 18, at 10 a.m. EDT.

The Knowledge Graph is a huge collection of the people, places and things in the world and how they’re connected to one another. With this technology, Google can get you the best possible answers and help jump start your discovery.

• NASA Survey Counts Potentially Hazardous Asteroids
  Observations from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have led to the best assessment yet of our solar system’s population of potentially hazardous asteroids.
• NASA’s Deputy Administrator to Discuss Future of Commercial Spaceflight with Industry Representatives
  NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver will participate in a teleconference on Thursday, May 17, at 2 p.m. EDT with representatives of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation to brief journalists on the future of human commercial spaceflight.
• Updated Coverage for NASA/Spacex Launch and Mission to Station
  The second SpaceX demonstration launch for NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) is scheduled for liftoff on Saturday, May 19.
• NASA Lends Galaxy Evolution Explorer to Caltech
  NASA is lending the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, where the spacecraft will continue its exploration of the cosmos.

One in three adults worldwide, according to the report, has raised blood pressure – a condition that causes around half of all deaths from stroke and heart disease. One in 10 adults has diabetes.

“This report is further evidence of the dramatic increase in the conditions that trigger heart disease and other chronic illnesses, particularly in low- and middle-income countries,” says Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO. “In some African countries, as much as half the adult population has high blood pressure.”

For the first time, the World Health Organization’s annual statistics report includes information from 194 countries on the percentage of men and women with raised blood pressure and blood glucose levels.

In high-income countries, widespread diagnosis and treatment with low-cost medication have significantly reduced mean blood pressure across populations – and this has contributed to a reduction in deaths from heart disease. In Africa, however, more than 40% (and up to 50%) of adults in many countries are estimated to have high blood pressure. Most of these people remain undiagnosed, although many of these cases could be treated with low-cost medications, which would significantly reduce the risk of death and disability from heart disease and stroke.

Also included for the first time in the World health statistics 2012 are data on people with raised blood glucose levels. While the global average prevalence is around 10%, up to one third of populations in some Pacific Island countries have this condition. Left untreated, diabetes can lead to cardiovascular disease, blindness and kidney failure.

Obesity another major issue

“In every region of the world, obesity doubled between 1980 and 2008,” says Dr Ties Boerma, Director of the Department of Health Statistics and Information Systems at WHO. “Today, half a billion people (12% of the world’s population) are considered obese.”

The highest obesity levels are in the WHO Region of the Americas (26% of adults) and the lowest in the WHO South-East Asia Region (3% obese). In all parts of the world, women are more likely to be obese than men, and thus at greater risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Noncommunicable diseases currently cause almost two thirds of all deaths worldwide. Global concern about the rise in numbers of deaths from heart and lung disease, diabetes and cancer prompted the United Nations to hold a high-level meeting on noncommunicable diseases in New York in September 2011.

The World Health Assembly, to be held in Geneva from 21 to 26 May 2012, will review progress made since that meeting and agree on next steps. Work is currently under way to develop a global monitoring framework and a set of voluntary targets for prevention and control of these diseases.

Published annually by WHO, the World health statistics is the most comprehensive publication of health-related global statistics available. It contains data from 194 countries on a range of mortality, disease and health system indicators including life expectancy, illnesses and deaths from a range of diseases, health services and treatments, financial investment in health, as well as risk factors and behaviours that affect health.

Some key trends in this year’s report are:

• Maternal mortality: In 20 years, the number of maternal deaths has decreased from more than 540 000 deaths in 1990 to less than 290 000 in 2010 – a decline of 47%. One third of these maternal deaths occur in just two countries – India with 20% of the global total and Nigeria with 14%.
• 10 year trends for causes of child death: Data from the years 2000 to 2010 show how public health advancements have helped save children’s lives in the past decade. The world has made significant progress, having reduced the number of child deaths from almost 10 million children aged less than 5 years in 2000 to 7.6 million annual deaths in 2010. Declines in numbers of deaths from diarrhoeal disease and measles have been particularly striking.
• Death registration: Only 34 countries (representing 15% of the world’s population) produce high-quality cause-of-death data. In low and middle-income countries, less than 10% of deaths are registered.

The Beau Sancy
No less than five bidders competed for The Beau Sancy (lot 595), driving the price to an outstanding CHF 9,042,500 / $9,699,618 almost five times the pre‐sale low estimate of CHF 1,850,000‐3,650,000 ($2‐4 million).
After a battle of nearly eight minutes, the celebrated jewel was finally bought by an anonymous buyer bidding over the telephone.
The Beau Sancy has been the privileged witness of 400 years of European history. Passed down through the Royal Families of France, England, Prussia, and the House of Orange, the celebrated stone was worn by Marie de Medici in 1610 at her coronation as Queen Consort of Henri IV. The 34.98 carat modified pear double rose cut diamond would have come from the area of Golconda in India, the sole source of diamonds until the discoveries in Brazil in the 1720s.

Noble Jewels
Continuing Sotheby’s distinguished history of offering jewels with aristocratic provenance, Sotheby’s Geneva sixth annual sale of Noble Jewels brought a combined total of CHF 23,196,025 ($24,881,680), tripling the pre‐sale low estimate of CHF 7,022,500‐11,705,000  ($7.532.825‐12,555,602).
In addition to the Beau Sancy, the Noble Jewels section was highlighted by The Murat Tiara (lot 594) which realized CHF 3,610,500 (3,872,875), in an eleven minute bidding battle between three telephone bidders, more double its pre‐sale low estimate of CHF 1,375,000‐2,285,000 ($1,500,000‐2,500,000). This impressive pearl and diamond jewel was created in 1920 by Joseph Chaumet for the marriage of Prince Alexandre Murat (1889 –1926) to Yvonne Gillois (1894 – 1961). The diadem boasts one of the largest natural pearls ever recorded, at 303.37 grains. As stated by the SSEF laboratory, “the main pearl in the center is outstanding in its size and one of the most important pearls certified so far at the SSEF” and “natural pearls of this size, quality and with a documented historic provenance are very rare and thus the described tiara with three large pearls represents a very exceptional treasure”.
Among the other gems of great historical significance which belonged to prestigious European families was a diamond brooch set with a 7.33 carat Fancy deep yellow diamond coming from the collection of Prince Filippo Corsini (lot 589) which fetched CHF 902,500 ($968,085), (est. CHF 275,000‐460,000/ $300,000‐500,000).
The central diamond was offered to the Corsini family by Charles Edward Stuart (1720 – 1788), commonly known as “Bonnie Prince Charlie” in the 1770s, most certainly in gratitude for their support during his years of exile.
From the Estate of the late Prince Kinsky, an Important natural pearl and diamond necklace made circa 1880 (lot 593) achieved CHF 1,142,500 ($1,225,525), quadrupling its pre‐sale low estimate of  CHF 275,000–460,000 / $300,000–500,000). Enjoying a similarly illustrious provenance a selection of jewels coming from the collection of a member of the Princely Family of Thurn und Taxis was highlighted by a very fine emerald and diamond demi‐parure (lot 592), composed of a necklace and a pair of earrings, which was purchased by Albert, 8 th Prince of Thurn und Taxis around 1890. Estimated at CHF 200,000‐300,000/ $220,000‐330,000, these superb jewels were sold for CHF 962,500 ($1,032,445).
A fine sapphire and diamond brooch/pendant circa 1910 (Lot 588) which belonged to the Italian Countess Adriana Guillichini della Gherardesca was sold for CHF 386,500 ($414,587) (est. CHF 185,000‐370,000/ $200,000‐400’000,

Magnificent Jewels
The Magnificent Jewels section was led by two necklaces from a royal collection. The first, a necklace suspending a detachable pear‐shaped D colour diamond weighing 41.40 carats (lot 734) achieved CHF 4,050,000 ($4,344,314) against an estimate of CHF 2,750,000‐4,550,000 ($3,000,000‐5,000,000). The necklace was purchased by Amer Radwan who has named it “Dubai Vision”.
The second, a magnificent emerald and diamond necklace designed by Bulgari circa 1970 (lot 733) sold for CHF 2,200,000 ($2,359,874) against an estimate of CHF 1,400,000‐2,800,000 ($1,500,000‐3,000,000).
The sale comprised a group of white diamonds which were D Colour  ‐  the finest colour grading for white diamonds. An exceptional diamond ring by Harry Winston set with a 36.43 carat internally flawless diamond (lot 721) realised CHF 3,834,500 ($4,113,153) (est. CHF 3,200,000‐5,000,000/ $3,550,000‐5,500,000). This stone had been found to be part of the rare Type IIa subgroup comprising less than 2% of all gem diamonds.
Diamonds of this group are chemically the purest of all diamond crystals and often have extraordinary optical transparency.
The offering of coloured diamonds included an important ring centering on a fancy intense purple‐pink brilliant‐cut diamond weighing 3.71 carats, between shoulders set with marquise‐shaped rubies (lot 731) which fetched CHF 5,122,500 ($5,494,752 USD) against an estimate of CHF 1,850,000‐3,650,000/ $ 2,000,000‐4,000,000).

A Superb Private Collection of Gems and Jewels 
At the core of the sale was also a superb private collection of gems and jewels which brought a combined total of CHF 17,648,325 ($18,889,002) almost doubling the pre‐sale low estimate of CHF 9,059,000‐14,288,500 ($9,695,848‐15,292,982). Comprising over 80 pieces, this exceptional collection has been assembled by two generations of a family, from the mid‐1960s until present day.
Reflecting the passion for gemstones that animated the family for 50 years was a pair of impressive Kashmir sapphire clips (lot 674) which sold for CHF 1,482,500 ($1,586,720) (est. CHF 825,000‐1,370,000/ $900,000‐1,500,000), a ring set with a cabochon Burmese sapphire weighing 58.56 carats (lot 666) which made CHF 1,314,500 ($1,406,909) (est. CHF 730,000‐1,275,000/ $800,000‐1,400,000) and a very rare and highly
important multi‐coloured sapphire and diamond suite (lot 663) which surpassed its estimate of CHF 550,000‐910,000 and sold for CHF 1,482,500 ($1,586,720).

“White Glove” Sale for the Personal Collection of Suzanne Belperron
On May 14 th all 60 Jewels from the Personal Collection of Suzanne Belperron (1900‐1983), one of the most important jewellers of the 20
th Century, sold for the outstanding total of CHF 3,224,950 ($3,459,307), more than tripling the pre‐sale expectation of CHF 902,000‐1,365,000. The sale – the most significant collection of jewels by Suzanne Belperron ever presented at auction  ‐ was a “white glove sale”, with 100% sold by lot and value. Demand for seminal pieces from Belperron’s oeuvre was intense with international bidding driving prices
well above estimates. (A separate press release on Jewels from the Personal Collection of Suzanne Belperron is available).

Google regrouped the features in Webmaster Tools to create an improved navigation structure.

The following groups: Configuration, Health, Traffic and Optimization.

Each group represents a related set of functionality:
Configuration: Things you configure and generally don’t change very often.
Health: Where you look to make sure things are OK.
Traffic: Where you go to understand how your site is doing in Google search, who’s linking to you; where you can explore the data about your site.
Optimization: Where you can find ideas to enhance your site, which enables us to better understand and represent your site in Search and other services.

Some features were slightly renamed, such as HTML Suggestions became HTML Improvements, however the functionality remains the same.

At the top of the Dashboard you can see recent, important, prioritized messages regarding your site. Just below that, you’ll find another section which provides a brief summary of the current status of your site. There are three widgets displayed: Crawl Errors, Search Queries and Sitemaps, each representing a different navigation group: Health, Traffic and Optimization (respectively).

Finally, those of you who manage a large number of sites can choose to view your site-list in a ‘Compact’ layout, without the large site-preview thumbnails. Don’t worry, if you want the more expanded layout you can always switch back.

Source: Google Official Blog

View The website.

• NASA Modifies Launch Service Contract To Add Falcon 9 Rocket
  NASA has announced a modification of its NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract with Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, Calif., to add an additional configuration of the Falcon 9 rocket to its fleet.