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You Can Now Book an Uber with Google Maps

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Getting an Uber has just gotten a lot easier.

Google is not only working on self-driving cars, the company is also making it easier for people to use ride-sharing services via their Maps app.

On Thursday, Google announced on their website a new ride services mode on the Google Maps app. The company explains that the new feature will make it more easier for people to get to where they need to go.

The new features include a carousel that features several different ride options and more information. In fact, the new feature will include a map featuring all of the ride service providers in the area. Along with a list of promotions and special offers.

In addition, Google announced Uber riders can book a ride through the Google Maps app. After an Uber user logs into their account, they can book an Uber, track the driver on the map, and connect with the driver from within the Google Maps app. Moreover, Google Maps update also allows for Uber rides to look up information about their destination along the way.

Google has been actively working on the Google Maps application to enhance the utility of the application by providing more features that other direction software apps do not have. For example, earlier this year Google Maps allowed for Google Maps users to book reservations and even schedule fitness classes via the the app.

Uber is also actively working on their business model. Earlier this week, Uber released a new website called Movement. Uber Movement’s opens the company’s private data information to researchers, city officials, and educational institutions to help construct better urban planning models, which might just work. Earlier this month, MIT researchers found that 98% of New York City taxis could be replaced with 3,000 four passenger cars powered by ride-sharing apps such as Uber.

Analysts Eagerly Await Netflix Earnings Report

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Earnings season is in full swing and one company in focus is Netflix. The online entertainment company is scheduled to present its fourth-quarter results next Wednesday and consensus expectations point to earnings of 13 cents per share. If the company is able to meet or beat expectations, then it would make it eight of 10 quarters – an impressive streak for any company.

While the top-line numbers will make headlines, analysts will be interested to see what guidance the company gives for the coming 12-months. One challenge facing Netflix is a possible rejig of ‘Net Neutrality’ rules issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Under current rules, internet companies need to treat all internet traffic equally. However, incoming President Donald Trump has voiced his displeasure with the rules. In addition, some of his picks to join the FCC point to an increasing probability that ‘Net Neutrality’ will be reversed.

Netflix Stranger Things
The cast of “Stranger Things” arrive at the Weinstein Company and Netflix 2017 Golden Globes After Party on Sunday, January 8, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. (CarlaVanWagoner / Shutterstock, Inc.)

Such a change could have a dramatic impact on the prospects of companies such as Netflix.  In the U.S., the change would impact operating costs and even more importantly a shift in domestic policy could give international regulators the lead they need to take the steps.  This would dramatically alter the landscape and could benefit cable operators who have been struggling to fight off the rise of streaming video sites.

While a potential change would have a big impact, the fact is that the company’s current financial position is quite solid. Analysts expect that revenue for the quarter will grow by more than 35 percent to $2.47 billion. More importantly, the company is inching towards the billion-dollar mark for international revenues – an important threshold as it points to the company’s ability to expand its market.

That being said, there is some reason to believe that shares of Netflix might be overpriced at the moment.  FactSet noted that the average 12-month price target per share is $125.97, roughly 2.5% lower than Thursday’s close. Add to this the fact that Netflix shares for the last year have underperformed the broader markets and some observers believe this might lead to a correction.

Another issue which might impact the company’s growth prospects, at least in the U.S., is subscriber growth.  Netflix has always seen itself as a premium content provider, as such, it has eschewed advertising. But given the likelihood of a changing landscape, its views on advertising might change.  If not, then it will need to continue investing in original content – a risky bet, even when it pays off.

This is the same conclusion which J.P. Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth reached in his comments on the company. Looking forward, Mr. Anmuth noted the belief that the company will need to create ‘stronger content’ to ‘increased global profitability’.  However, he remained confident that the company would add subscribers at a faster rate in 2017 than it is likely to have done the year just ended.

Pandora is Laying Off 7% of Their U.S. Employees

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Pandora boasts themselves as the “world’s most powerful music discovery platform” but, even the most powerful platform in the world has to cut employees.

On Thursday, Pandora announced on their website that their company will be reducing the number of U.S. employees by 7% in the next few months. In addition, the company explains that they are going to leverage their analytics platform and ad insertion technology to increase revenue. Pandora hopes to make more money without needing additional capital to fund future investments that would in turn increase advertising revenue and the number of paid subscribers.

Tim Westergren, the CEO of Pandora, explained in their press release that, “While making workforce reductions is always a difficult decision, the commitment to cost discipline will allow us to invest more heavily in product development and monetization and build on the foundations of our strategic investments.”

Apple Music
BANGKOK, THAILAND – NOVEMBER 26, 2016: Man using Iphone7 Plus jet black serie choosing music from apple music store online (Vasin Lee / Shutterstock, Inc.)

Meanwhile, one of Pandora’s competitors, Apple, is currently in talks with producers to create original content to add to their $10/month Apple Music service. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Apple Music hopes to begin offering original scripted TV shows and movies before 2018. This news should not come as a surprise. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, revealed during last quarter’s earnings call his commitment on creating new and original content.

“I would confirm that television has intense interest with me and many other people here. In terms of owning content and creating content, we have started with focusing on some original content, as you point out,” Tim Cook explained.

Spotify Pandora
20 December 2015, Istanbul – Turkey: Spotify Swedish music service that offers legal streaming music. Was launched in October 2008. Rihanna album in Spotify mobile app. (endermasali / Shutterstock, Inc.)

Along with Apple Music, Pandora is facing additional pressure from Spotify. Last year, Spotify announced their plan to create 12 original series for their streaming platform. Some of the shows include a documentary series about major moments in music history, a series developed by Russell Simmon’s production company, and a mockumentary about a dance competition.

Here’s Why People Get Hungry After Getting Drunk

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Researchers published a study in the journal of Nature Communications revealing why alcohol intake is linked to overeating.

Earlier this week, researchers discovered that going to the local bar is actually good for a person’s health. Published in the journal of “Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology”, Oxford University scientists revealed that people who regularly visit a bar feel more engaged and are happier.

Now, researchers have found a link to the human brain and alcohol-induced overeating.

In the study titled, “Agrp neuron activity is required for alcohol-induced overeating,” Sarah Cains and her team of researchers discovered that alcohol decreases activity in the brain allowing for people to experience the munchies.

Why this occurs has not been discovered, and researchers previously believed that societal pressures were the reason why people overeat after drinking alcohol. But, Cains discovered that specific neurons in the hypothalamus part of the brain, Agrp neurons, are becoming activated and controlling feeding behavior.

Traditionally, Agrp neurons are triggered during starvation causing people to become hungry. But, when Cains examined mice housed by themselves that engaged in alcohol-induced overeating, those mice also had activated Agrp neurons. In turn, researchers explain that neurons that get activated when people are starving or hungry are actually triggered when people drink alcohol.

Ultimately, researchers explain that Agrp cell activity causes animals to get hungry and when people drink alcohol, the ethanol in turn suppresses appetite signals, making people hungry.

What are Agrp neurons?

Agrp neurons are found in the arcuate nucleus inside the hypothalamus. The arcuate nucleus is known for many roles in the human body including the metabolism, fertility and feeding. According to a 2011 study examining the role Agrp neurons have on the human body, researchers found the proteins released by the neurons can actually influence eating habits. With that being said, researchers are not sure how the Agrp neurons actually cause people to become hungry or change behavior.

Scientists Discover Parasites in US Salmon

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Here’s some more bad news for sushi fans, scientists have discovered that a tapeworm known to infect fish found in Asia is now also in the United States.

Earlier this week, researchers found nearly 50% of sushi in Los Angeles is actually mislabeled. Researchers visited 20 sushi restaurants in L.A. from 2012 and 2015 and found that 47% of all sushi were inaccurately labeled. Then researchers found that the problem expanded to grocery stores, with fish also being mislabeled. Now, researchers have found parasites in salmon in the US.

The CDC published the study in the February issue 2017 of Emerging Infectious Diseases. Roman Kutcha from the Institute of Parasitology explained that in 2013 he examined 64 different wild Pacific salmon obtained from local fisherman. After examining the fish, researchers found Diphyllobothriasis parasitic larva inside Alaskan pink salmon. Kutcha explained that this type of salmon from North America’s Pacific coast is a source of human parasite infection. Researchers also point out that because Pacific salmon is transported unfrozen, parasites are able to survive after being transported to other parts of the world.

This is not the first time researchers discovered tapeworms in salmon. In 2009, Naoki Arizona from the University of Medicine in Kyoto, Japan found the same type of parasite was being found in urban areas in Japan and Europe. Researchers at the time explained that people who eat raw seafood, accounted for the increase in parasitic infections in humans.

Diphyllobothriasis also known as the Japanese broad tapeworm has the ability to grow up to 30 feet long once inside the human body. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Japanese tapeworm typically doesn’t exhibit any symptoms. However, overtime the tapeworm can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency, weight loss, and stomach pain.

According to the CDC, the best way to diagnosis Diphyllobothriasis parasite is by a microscopic identification of eggs in the stool. In turn, the parasite can be treated with several medications including Praziquantel. However, the safety of the medication has not been established for children under the age of four.

Meet the Inexpensive Centrifuge That Only Costs 20-Cents

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Stanford bioengineers have invented an inexpensive blood centrifuge.

On Wednesday, Stanford bioengineers announced a 20-cent hand powered device that can centrifuge blood. The device has the capability of rotating up to 125,000 revolutions per minute and can separate blood plasma from red blood cells in 1.5 minutes, without ever needing electricity.

The study was published in the January issue of Nature Biomedical Engineering and the device works in the same way as spinning toys. Researchers looked at toys such as yo-yos and whirligigs. After two weeks, Stanford scientists used a whirligig and discovered it moved fast enough to centrifuge blood.

Assistant professor of bioengineering at Stanford and lead researcher in the study, Manu Prakash, announced in a statement that, “There are more than a billion people around the world who have no infrastructure, no roads, no electricity. I realized that if we wanted to solve a critical problem like malaria diagnosis, we needed to design a human-powered centrifuge that costs less than a cup of coffee.”

Prakash added that with their inexpensive “paperfuges”, the Stanford invented device can match centrifuges that cost between $1,000 to $5,000.

Centrifuges are crucial for detecting diseases including the highly contagious and even deadly illnesses such as malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis. Stanford researchers explain that this low-cost alternative allows for physicians to diagnose diseases in areas that do not have electricity. The device can also help those who cannot afford expensive centrifuges. That is good news for the 24.7 million people living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa.

How does a centrifuge work?

Centrifuge
Stanford bioengineers have invented an inexpensive blood centrifuge. (Image Credit: Akimov Igor / Shutterstock, Inc.)

Traditionally, a centrifuge is a device that rotates an object around a fixed point spinning in a circle. A centrifuge uses basic physics and moves denser particles towards the bottom and lighter parts to the top. With that being said, centrifuge rotors should not be touched while it is moving. In addition, the spinning motor must be balanced to avoid serious injury.

Study: How Stress Can Cause a Heart Attack

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Researchers have discovered why stress is linked to heart attacks.

Earlier this month, scientists discovered alcohol abuse was linked to heart attacks. While other researchers later found a ‘local’ bar had health benefits, Harvard Medical School students published a study correlating stress to heart attacks.

A myocardial infarction or heart attack, is a cardiovascular event that has the possibility of killing someone. With more than three million U.S. cases every year, a heart attack happens when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the heart. Without enough blood, there is less oxygen causing tissue damage and even death. Some of the treatments following a heart attack include major lifestyle changes, including reducing stress. During a new landmark study by Harvard Medical School, researchers linked brain activity to heart attacks.

In the study published in The Lancet, Dr. Ahmed Tawakol, Amornia Ishai, and their team of researchers examined the brain; this team discovered how different parts of the brain affected the cardiovascular system.

Researchers examined nearly 300 patients in a longitudinal study. Researchers found activity in the brain’s amygdala lead to an increase in bone marrow activity, inflammation of arteries, and an increased risk of heart attacks.

Ultimately, Tawakol, and Ishai explained that this is the first study to link brain activity to cardiovascular disease. In addition, researchers found how the brain’s amygdala plays a part in cardiovascular disease events.

Stories regarding the brain’s amygdala has been in the news quiet frequently lately. Earlier this month, the amygdala made headlines after researchers predicted how long humans would survive if a zombie outbreak took place. Then, researchers found emotional experiences had an impact human memory. Finally, last December scientists discovered the way humans breathe can have an impact on memory and fear.

You Can Now Order Wingstop Wings with Amazon Alexa

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On Tuesday, Wingstop announced that customers will be able to purchase wings with their Amazon Alexa device.

Launched 22 years ago, Wingstop has over 949 stores across the US, Mexico, and even the United Arab Emirates. The home of the Lemon Pepper wing restaurant revealed a new voice-activated ordering menu with Amazon Alexa. Starting this week, customers can order food by simply speaking commands into Amazon’s Alexa devices such as the incredibly popular Amazon Dot and Amazon Echo.

Stacy Peterson, the Chief Information Officer for Wingstop, explained that the new partnership with Amazon Alexa allows for the company to stay committed to bring a “convenient, engaging, and cutting edge” experience.

“We are proud to be working with Amazon to enable Alexa ordering of Wingstop Combos, as well as re-orders and favorite orders, plus the ability to customize flavors, dips and sides – making ordering your favorite wings easier and more fun than ever before,” Peterson explained.

How does it work?

Amazon Alexa
ORLANDO, FL – December 30, 2016: Amazon Echo, the voice recognition streaming device from Amazon. Currently available in two colors, black and white for a list price of $179.99. (George W. Bailey / Shutterstock, Inc.)

All Amazon Alexa users have to do is use speech activated prompts such as “Alexa, ask Wingstop to order wings”; “Alexa, ask Wingstop to order favorite”; or “Alexa, ask Wingstop to order an 8 piece classic wing combo with lemon pepper, fries and ranch.” However, Alexa users must first enable the new feature via their Alexa app and then connect it to their Wingstop account.

Amazon Alexa

This new partnership with Amazon shows the continued relationship between Alexa and other industries. Earlier this month, ADT announced a partnership with Amazon to provide home security service. The new device will link Alexa to Echo and the Dot devices allowing for ADT customers to use voice-activated prompts to manage their home security.

Overall, Amazon Alexa is expanding. Ever since their holiday sales success that drove Alexa sales upwards of 900%, more and more companies are networking with the virtual-assistant software.

Nearly 50% of Sushi in Los Angeles is Mislabeled

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Los Angeles sushi restaurants are mislabeling fish, well at least according to a new UCLA study.

Researchers in UCLA and Loyola Marymount University published a new study examining the genetic types of the fish served at sushi restaurants. In the study, researchers visited over 20 sushi restaurants in Los Angeles from 2012 and 2015 and found 47% of all the sushi were inaccurately labeled. With that being said, researchers discovered that tuna was always labeled as tuna. However, halibut and red snapper were the most commonly mislabeled type of fish.

Researchers also found that this problem started spreading to grocery stores; UCLA scientists explained that this problem may not be the fault of the restaurants and grocery stores. Fish were mislabeled in the shipping process.

The study was published in the journal of ‘Conservation Biology’, researchers explain that mislabeling can be dangerous, especially towards pregnant women. For example, the species Olive Flounder has a high chance of having parasites. In fact, the ingestion of raw Olive Flounder causes food poisoning, which has increased in countries such as Japan, which could be a problem for expecting mothers.

In a statement, UCLA ecology and evolutionary biology professor Paul Barber, explained “Half of what we’re buying isn’t what we think it is.”

Barber added, “Fish fraud could be accidental, but I suspect that in some cases the mislabeling is very much intentional, though it’s hard to know where in the supply chain it begins. I suspected we would find some mislabeling, but I didn’t think it would be as high as we found in some species.”

The Federal Government has imposed stricter regulations regarding the labeling of fish. Via the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, fishing companies are required to accurately report the type of fish they are catching.

Analysts Like Alphabet’s Prospects Over Other FANGS

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James Cakmak an analyst at equity research firm Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co. really likes Google parent company Alphabet. In fact, he told CNBC that he believes the company is likely to outperform other tech stocks including the much-vaunted FANG’s – i.e. Facebook, Amazon (or Apple), Netflix, and Google.

Part of the reason for this opinion is Alphabet’s current valuation of 10 times EBITDA which is lower than other companies in the sector.  For example, Amazon is currently trading at roughly 19 times EBITDA and Facebook is at 13 times.

This valuation might come as a surprise, but Mr. Cakmak contends part of the reason is Google’s focus on operational improvements over the past year.  Not only have these improvements helped to reorganize the company, but they have led to progress in optimizing user experience.  This has resulted in increased revenue from advertising.

Google Alphabet
MONTREAL, CANADA – FEBRUARY, 2016 – Alphabet Inc site under magnifying glass. Alphabet Inc. is a multinational conglomerate created in 2015 as the parent company of Google. (dennizn / Shutterstock, Inc.)

However, Alphabet’s status as a bargain is unlikely to last for long.  Shares of traded up .47 percent on Wednesday to close at $829.86.  While shares were trending down in after-hours trading, yesterday’s close represented a 90-day high and were marginally off the 52-week high of $835.74 which was reached in late October.

According to Mr. Cakmak, both Amazon and Facebook may face problems living up to investor expectations in the near term and he concluded that both stocks are slightly overpriced. As such, he kept a neutral rating for both.

Another factor which weighed on Mr. Cakmak’s expectations for Alphabet was the fact that its senior executives appear to have good relations with incoming President Donald Trump.  While this could be a double-edged sword, especially if the Trump administration gets caught up in scandal and intrigue, Mr. Cakmak believes this will give the company’s leaders a chance to influence tech-related policies with the new administration.

One such policy is the ‘Net Neutrality’. Whilst a reversal on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) stance would impact Google less than companies such as Netflix, the fact that YouTube is a major player in the streaming video space means that Google has a stake in the game.  As such, analysts believe it will lobby hard to ensure that ‘Net Neutrality’ remains the standard for managing internet traffic in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Another issue which Google executives hope to influence is immigration.  Similar to other tech companies, Google relies heavily on foreign-born scientist and engineers. In fact, Google co-founder, Sergey Brin, was born in the former Soviet Union.

As such, the company hope to maintain an immigration policy which will allow it to recruit the best-and-brightest minds from around the world.  This might run into conflict with a President Trump who has vowed to undo the H-1B visa program – also known as the ‘Genius Visa’.

One final issue would be repatriation of foreign profits. According to Moody’s, the company has more than $40 billion dollars offshore.  As such, any change in U.S. tax policy might give the company an opportunity to rethink its cash allocation strategy.