Results of the OPTIMIZE trial presented at TCT 2013

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Contact: Judy Romero
jromero@crf.org
Cardiovascular Research Foundation

New study demonstrates potential benefits of shorter-term dual antiplatelet therapy in patients treated with a second generation drug-eluting stent

SAN FRANCISCO, CA OCTOBER 31, 2013 - A new study demonstrates that some patients may not need to receive prolonged anti-clotting therapy after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation with the Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stent, and that shortening the duration could reduce bleeding risks and treatment costs. The OPTIMIZE clinical trial findings were presented today at the 25th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium. Sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF), TCT is the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine.

Current guidelines recommend long-term (12 month) dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after DES implantation, but the clinical benefits of this regimen remain unclear, especially with newer generation DES. The OPTIMIZE trial enrolled 3,120 patients with largely stable coronary artery disease in a prospective, randomized (1:1) multicenter clinical evaluation that compared short-term (3 month) and long-term (12 month) dual antiplatelet therapy. All patients underwent PCI with Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stents, a second-generation DES.

The primary endpoint was a composite of Net Adverse Clinical and Cerebral Events (NACCE), which included death from any cause, myocardial infarction, stroke or major bleeding at one year follow-up.

After one year, NACCE rates for patients receiving short-term DAPT were similar to those who received the longer, standard DAPT (6.1 percent vs. 5.9 percent respectively), establishing non-inferiority of the shorter-term therapy (non-inferiority p-value = 0.002).

After 90 days, both groups showed comparable rates of NACCE, stent thrombosis and revascularization. Patients in the long-term DAPT group also showed a trend towards increased bleeding events.

"To date, OPTIMIZE is the only DAPT duration study using a single second-generation DES, and these promising findings could help shorten antiplatelet therapy time and reduce related complication risks for patients receiving select drug-eluting stents," said lead investigator Fausto Feres, MD of the Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia in So Paulo, Brazil.

"These outcomes may be especially relevant for patients who are at a high risk of bleeding complications following PCI, such as the elderly and patients with a history of hemorrhagic events."

###

The OPTIMIZE trial was funded by Medtronic Comercial Ltda in So Paulo, Brazil. Dr. Feres reported consulting fees/honoraria from Biosensors, Eli Lilly, and Medtronic.

About CRF and TCT

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) is an independent, academically focused nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the survival and quality of life for people with cardiovascular disease through research and education. Since its inception in 1991, CRF has played a major role in realizing dramatic improvements in the lives of countless numbers of patients by establishing the safe use of new technologies and therapies in interventional cardiovascular medicine. CRF is the sponsor of the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, TCT is the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine. For more information, visit http://www.crf.org and http://www.tctconference.com.

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31-Oct-2013

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Contact: Judy Romero
jromero@crf.org
Cardiovascular Research Foundation

New study demonstrates potential benefits of shorter-term dual antiplatelet therapy in patients treated with a second generation drug-eluting stent

SAN FRANCISCO, CA OCTOBER 31, 2013 - A new study demonstrates that some patients may not need to receive prolonged anti-clotting therapy after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation with the Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stent, and that shortening the duration could reduce bleeding risks and treatment costs. The OPTIMIZE clinical trial findings were presented today at the 25th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium. Sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF), TCT is the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine.

Current guidelines recommend long-term (12 month) dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after DES implantation, but the clinical benefits of this regimen remain unclear, especially with newer generation DES. The OPTIMIZE trial enrolled 3,120 patients with largely stable coronary artery disease in a prospective, randomized (1:1) multicenter clinical evaluation that compared short-term (3 month) and long-term (12 month) dual antiplatelet therapy. All patients underwent PCI with Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stents, a second-generation DES.

The primary endpoint was a composite of Net Adverse Clinical and Cerebral Events (NACCE), which included death from any cause, myocardial infarction, stroke or major bleeding at one year follow-up.

After one year, NACCE rates for patients receiving short-term DAPT were similar to those who received the longer, standard DAPT (6.1 percent vs. 5.9 percent respectively), establishing non-inferiority of the shorter-term therapy (non-inferiority p-value = 0.002).

After 90 days, both groups showed comparable rates of NACCE, stent thrombosis and revascularization. Patients in the long-term DAPT group also showed a trend towards increased bleeding events.

"To date, OPTIMIZE is the only DAPT duration study using a single second-generation DES, and these promising findings could help shorten antiplatelet therapy time and reduce related complication risks for patients receiving select drug-eluting stents," said lead investigator Fausto Feres, MD of the Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia in So Paulo, Brazil.

"These outcomes may be especially relevant for patients who are at a high risk of bleeding complications following PCI, such as the elderly and patients with a history of hemorrhagic events."

###

The OPTIMIZE trial was funded by Medtronic Comercial Ltda in So Paulo, Brazil. Dr. Feres reported consulting fees/honoraria from Biosensors, Eli Lilly, and Medtronic.

About CRF and TCT

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) is an independent, academically focused nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the survival and quality of life for people with cardiovascular disease through research and education. Since its inception in 1991, CRF has played a major role in realizing dramatic improvements in the lives of countless numbers of patients by establishing the safe use of new technologies and therapies in interventional cardiovascular medicine. CRF is the sponsor of the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, TCT is the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine. For more information, visit http://www.crf.org and http://www.tctconference.com.

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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/crf-rot103113.php
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Racism linked with gun ownership and opposition to gun control in white Americans

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Contact: Alison Barbuti
alison.barbuti@manchester.ac.uk
44-016-127-58383
University of Manchester

A new study has found that higher levels of racism in white Americans is associated with having a gun in the home and greater opposition to gun control policies.

The research, published in PLoS One, was led by Dr Kerry O'Brien from The University of Manchester and Monash University and used data from a large representative sample of white US voters.

After accounting for numerous other factors such as income, education and political ideology, the researchers found that for each one point increase (on a scale from one to five) in symbolic racism there was a 50 percent increase in the odds of having a gun in the home and a 28 percent increase in support for policies allowing people to carry concealed guns.

Each one point increase in symbolic racism (a modern measure of anti-black racism) was also associated with a 27 percent increase in the odds of opposing bans on hand guns in the home. After accounting for those who already had a gun in the home, the odds were reduced to a non-significant 17 percent increase. However, the authors note that this reduction is unsurprising as opposition to bans on guns equates to self interest on behalf of those who already own a gun and do not wish to give it up. And racism was already strongly associated with having a gun in the home.

The research was stimulated by gun control debates in the US after mass shootings such as the Sandy Hook tragedy, and research showing that with all things being equal black Americans are more likely to be shot than whites. The most recent figures show that there are approximately 38,000 gun related deaths in the US each year. With other research suggesting that having a gun in the home is related to a 2.7 and 4.8 fold increase in the risk of a member of that home dying from homicide or suicide, respectively.

Dr O'Brien said: "Coming from countries with strong gun control policies, and a 30-fold lower rate of gun-related homicides, we found the arguments for opposing gun control counterintuitive and somewhat illogical. For example, US whites oppose gun control to a far greater extent than do blacks, but whites are actually more likely to kill themselves with their guns, than be killed by someone else. Why would you keep them? So we decided to examine what social and psychological factors predict gun ownership and opposition to gun control."

Conservatism, anti-government sentiment, party identification, being from a southern state, were also associated with opposition to gun controls, but the association between racism and the gun-related outcomes remained after accounting for these factors and other participant characteristics (age, education, income, gender).

Symbolic racism supplanted old-fashioned or overt/blatant racism which was associated with open support for race inequality and segregation under 'Jim Crow Laws', but it still captures the anti-black sentiment and traditional values that underpinned blatant racism. Symbolic racism has also been found to be related to stronger opposition to policies that may benefit blacks (e.g. welfare), and greater support for policies that seem to disadvantage blacks (e.g. longer prison sentences).

Study co-author Dr Dermot Lynott, from Lancaster University, said: "We were initially surprised that no one had studied this issue before; however, the US government cut research funding for gun-related research over decade and a half ago, so research in this area has been somewhat suppressed."

Dr O'Brien said: "According to a Pew Research Center report the majority of white Americans support stricter gun control, but the results of our study suggest that those who oppose gun reform tend to have a stronger racial bias, tend to be politically and ideologically conservative and from southern states, and have higher anti-government sentiment."

He added: "The study is a first step, but there needs to be more investment in empirical research around how racial bias may influence people's policy decisions, particularly those policies that impact on the health and wellbeing of US citizens."

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

31-Oct-2013

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Contact: Alison Barbuti
alison.barbuti@manchester.ac.uk
44-016-127-58383
University of Manchester

A new study has found that higher levels of racism in white Americans is associated with having a gun in the home and greater opposition to gun control policies.

The research, published in PLoS One, was led by Dr Kerry O'Brien from The University of Manchester and Monash University and used data from a large representative sample of white US voters.

After accounting for numerous other factors such as income, education and political ideology, the researchers found that for each one point increase (on a scale from one to five) in symbolic racism there was a 50 percent increase in the odds of having a gun in the home and a 28 percent increase in support for policies allowing people to carry concealed guns.

Each one point increase in symbolic racism (a modern measure of anti-black racism) was also associated with a 27 percent increase in the odds of opposing bans on hand guns in the home. After accounting for those who already had a gun in the home, the odds were reduced to a non-significant 17 percent increase. However, the authors note that this reduction is unsurprising as opposition to bans on guns equates to self interest on behalf of those who already own a gun and do not wish to give it up. And racism was already strongly associated with having a gun in the home.

The research was stimulated by gun control debates in the US after mass shootings such as the Sandy Hook tragedy, and research showing that with all things being equal black Americans are more likely to be shot than whites. The most recent figures show that there are approximately 38,000 gun related deaths in the US each year. With other research suggesting that having a gun in the home is related to a 2.7 and 4.8 fold increase in the risk of a member of that home dying from homicide or suicide, respectively.

Dr O'Brien said: "Coming from countries with strong gun control policies, and a 30-fold lower rate of gun-related homicides, we found the arguments for opposing gun control counterintuitive and somewhat illogical. For example, US whites oppose gun control to a far greater extent than do blacks, but whites are actually more likely to kill themselves with their guns, than be killed by someone else. Why would you keep them? So we decided to examine what social and psychological factors predict gun ownership and opposition to gun control."

Conservatism, anti-government sentiment, party identification, being from a southern state, were also associated with opposition to gun controls, but the association between racism and the gun-related outcomes remained after accounting for these factors and other participant characteristics (age, education, income, gender).

Symbolic racism supplanted old-fashioned or overt/blatant racism which was associated with open support for race inequality and segregation under 'Jim Crow Laws', but it still captures the anti-black sentiment and traditional values that underpinned blatant racism. Symbolic racism has also been found to be related to stronger opposition to policies that may benefit blacks (e.g. welfare), and greater support for policies that seem to disadvantage blacks (e.g. longer prison sentences).

Study co-author Dr Dermot Lynott, from Lancaster University, said: "We were initially surprised that no one had studied this issue before; however, the US government cut research funding for gun-related research over decade and a half ago, so research in this area has been somewhat suppressed."

Dr O'Brien said: "According to a Pew Research Center report the majority of white Americans support stricter gun control, but the results of our study suggest that those who oppose gun reform tend to have a stronger racial bias, tend to be politically and ideologically conservative and from southern states, and have higher anti-government sentiment."

He added: "The study is a first step, but there needs to be more investment in empirical research around how racial bias may influence people's policy decisions, particularly those policies that impact on the health and wellbeing of US citizens."

###

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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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/uom-rlw103013.php
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iPad Air and Retina iPad mini buyers guide

Everything you need to know before choosing your perfect iPad Air and Retina iPad mini color, capacity, carrier, and more!

There's a lot to consider before you buy or upgrade to a new tablet, even a new iPad. What's more important, portability or productivity? Can you live with an older, cheaper model or do you really need a newer, more expensive version? Which color, what capacity, and if you want cellular data, on which carrier? There's never been more to choose from, which means it's never been harder to choose!

Enter iMore's 2013 iPad buyers guide. We'll go over all the details, all the options, and help you decide on which iPad is perfect for you. And if you've already decided, just bookmark, email, Facebook, or Tweet this so we can help your friends and family and you can get on with enjoying your new iPad!

• iPad Air and Retina iPad mini: Should you upgrade?
• How to sell - and get the most money for! - your old iPad before upgrading to an iPad Air or Retina iPad mini
• iPad vs. Galaxy vs. Nexus vs. Kindle vs. Surface: Which tablet should you get?
• iPad Air vs. MacBook Air: Which Apple portable should you get?
• iPad Air vs. Retina iPad mini vs. iPad 2 vs. iPad mini: Which iPad model should you get?
• Silver vs. space gray: Which iPad Air and Retina iPad mini color should you get?
• 16GB vs. 32GB vs. 64GB vs. 128GB: Which iPad Air or Retina iPad mini storage capacity should you get?
• Rogers vs. Bell vs. TELUS: Which Canadian iPad Air or Retina iPad mini carrier should you get?
• AppleCare+ vs. insurance vs. nothing: Which iPad Air or Retina iPad mini protection plan should you get?

iPad evolution

Since Steve Jobs first unveiled it at a special event in 2010, the iPad has improved steadily in one way or another. The iPad 2 was thinner, lighter, and faster. The iPad 3 got a Retina display and LTE. The iPad 4 went Lightning. The iPad mini dropped back to iPad 2 tech, but in a much smaller form factor. The above chart shows the evolution of the iPad from the original to the latest Retina iPad mini and iPad Air, including pricing and capacity at launch. While what you paid for it when you got it might vary, you can check your current model and see how it compares to the ones available now.

iPad Air and Retina iPad mini: Should you upgrade?

When a new iPad hits the market - or two iPads, as is the case right now - one of the hardest decisions we face is whether or not to upgrade from and original iPad, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad mini, or iPad 4 to the latest and greatest. If you have unlimited funds, you can just buy everything, all the time. Most of us don't, however, so we need to check out the new features of the iPad Air or Retina iPad mini, see how they compare to what we already have, and decide if the difference is worth the price of an entirely new device, a price that starts at $399 and $499 and goes well up from there. So, is there enough value to justify the cost?

• iPad Air and Retina iPad mini: Should you upgrade?

How to sell - and get the most money for! - your old iPad before upgrading to an iPad Air or Retina iPad mini

If you plan on upgrading to an iPad Air or Retina iPad mini, selling your old iPad is a no brainer. Apple products hold their resale value very well. If you've taken good care of your iPad, you should have no problem finding it a new home and putting some cash in your pocket while doing it. Selling the old really does help you afford the new. If you're not sure how to sell, or if you just want to make sure you get the most money, or save yourself the most time and effort, possible, here's everything you need to know!

• How to sell - and get the most money for! - your old iPad before upgrading to an iPad Air or Retina iPad mini

iPad vs. Galaxy vs. Nexus vs. Kindle vs. Surface: Which tablet should you get?

Apple has flipped the tables - er, tablets - and not only managed to cram a 2048x1536 display into the 7.9-inch Retina iPad mini, but managed to cram a full-sized 9.7-inch display into the new iPad Air. But is either of them to right tablet for you? While everyone here at iMore certainly believes the iPad is still the best tablet for most people, most of the time, there are rare exceptions where an alternative tablet might suit your specific needs better. The iPad may have the best overall user experience, the highest quality apps and games, the widest range of services, the biggest selection of accessories, and the best customer support, but there are also things the iPad doesn't offer that other tablets do, like subsidized hardware pricing, digitizer support, Microsoft compatibility, or simply no Apple about them. How do you know which one is for you?

• iPad vs. Galaxy vs. Nexus vs. Kindle vs. Surface: Which tablet should you get?

iPad Air vs. MacBook Air: Which Apple portable should you get?

Apple now has two products designated as "Air", the MacBook Air, updated last June with the latest generation Intel Haswell processors, and the brand new iPad Air, introduced in October with a custom Apple A7 chipset. Both are ultra light, super thin, and incredibly long lasting, but one has a keyboard and runs OS X and the other a multitouch and iOS 7. Both can be absolutely killer on a plane, in an office, or around the house. But which one is better for you?

• iPad Air vs. MacBook Air: Which Apple portable should you get?

iPad Air vs. Retina iPad mini vs. iPad 2 vs. iPad mini: Which iPad model should you get?

Once you're sure you're buying an iPad and now, the next step is to decide which iPad you're going to get. And this year, it's a tougher decision than ever. The new iPad Air and Retina iPad mini are identical in every way but screen size, 7.9- vs. 9.7-inches the only differentiator. If money is incredibly tight, though the old iPad 2 is a bit cheaper, and the old iPad mini, a cheaper still. No matter which one you choose, however, you'll be paying hundreds of dollars. Either a few, or a lot. So do you go with big or small, old or new? Which iPad should you get?

• iPad Air vs. Retina iPad mini vs. iPad 2 vs. iPad mini: Which iPad model should you get?

Silver vs. space gray: Which iPad Air and Retina iPad mini color should you get?

Unlike the pop-art inspired iPhone 5c, Apple's iPad line remains discreetly metallic when it comes to color schemes. It's not as bad as 2010, mind you, when you could have your choice of color, as long as it was black. Now you can get a silver back with white faceplate, or a space gray back with a black faceplate. And you can get either finish on either new iPad, the iPad Air or Retina iPad mini. (The space gray replaces last year's slate gray, likely because it's tougher and easier to anodize.) So which color is better for you?

• Silver vs. space gray: Which iPad Air and Retina iPad mini color should you get?

16GB vs. 32GB vs. 64GB vs. 128GB: Which iPad Air or Retina iPad mini storage capacity should you get?

Apple offers four different storage sized options for the new iPad Air and Retina iPad mini, ranging from a paltry 16GB to an enormous 128GB - literally 8 times the capacity! Every step up in capacity, however, comes with a matching $100 step up in price. That might seem like a pretty straightforward bit of math, but it really isn't! Figuring out how much storage you really need, and how much you can afford is really important. It's the difference between a great experience and a lot of frustration. So what's the deal?

• 16GB vs. 32GB vs. 64GB vs. 128GB: Which iPad Air or Retina iPad mini storage capacity should you get?

Speed vs. reliability vs. value: Which iPad Air or Retina iPad mini carrier should you get?

AT&T vs. Verizon vs. Sprint vs. T-Mobile in the U.S. Rogers vs. Bell vs. TELUS in Canada. Three vs O2 vs EE vs Vodafone in the U.K. And many more around the world. Then there are various discount carriers, regionals, and MVNOs. It's a mess! How do you know which carrier will give you the fastest data speeds, or the most reliable connections, or simply the best value for your money? It all comes down to where you live, work, or go to school, and what options work best in your specific area. However, there's a lot of broad generalities that can apply. Here are some of the most important, broken down by country!

• Rogers vs. Bell vs. TELUS: Which Canadian iPad Air or Retina iPad mini carrier should you get?
• O2 vs Vodafone vs Three vs EE: Which UK iPad Air or iPad mini carrier should you get?

Apple Store vs. other stores: Where should you buy your iPad Air or Retina iPad mini?

So now that you know what you're getting, how about where? Carrier compatibility aside, the iPad you get will be the same, but the customer service you receive can vary greatly. Also, if you have specific loyalty rewards at a certain carrier or company, that can change the deal you get.

• Apple Retail: If you have an Apple Retail Store in your area, you can go there, and if it's in stock, leave with your new iPad right away. They also offer help with your purchase and will even help you get set your new iPhone up free of charge. If you're worried about protecting your investment, they can also get you setup with AppleCare, and their Genius Bar can help you with hardware problems in the future. Corny as it sounds, It's not just shopping, it's an experience. Apple Retail has the best customer service in the business and it shows. There are no discounts, however, not ever. (Though your carrier discounts can still apply.

• Apple Online: If there's no Apple Retail store near you there's also Apple Online in many countries. Again, no discounts but you're dealing directly with Apple. If there are any shortages or shipping delays, you can still order and they'll get it out to you as soon as stock allows.

• Carrier stores and big box retailers: If you want brick-and-morter but don't have an Apple Store nearby, your carrier will often have one or several stores in your area. If you want a cellular model, drop buy or get it shipped to you. Big box and chain retailers, everything from Best Buy to the Shack to Tesco also carry iPads. If you have loyalty points or they're just super convenient, check them out as well.

Shady operators also try to sell discount iPads, sometimes devices that aren't even really iPads but cheap -- and highly breakable -- knockoffs. It goes without saying you should avoid those. Any deal too good to be true probably is. If you save money only to end up with a phone that doesn't run iOS and may not even run on your carrier you really just wasted your money.

AppleCare+ vs. insurance vs. nothing: Which iPad Air or Retina iPad mini protection plan should you get?

If you plan on picking up a new iPad Air, a Retina iPad mini, or one of the cheaper, previous generation iPads, one of the last - but most important - things you have to decide is whether or not you'd like to get some kind of insurance to protect your investment, whether it be AppleCare+, third party, or something else. There are lots of factors that can play a part in your decision, such as how long you plan on keeping your iPad before upgrading, and how careful you are with it. Here's what you need to know!

• AppleCare+ vs. insurance vs. nothing: Which iPad Air or Retina iPad mini protection plan should you get?

Need more help?

If there's any detail you're still not 100% sure about, or any question you'd still love to get answered before you buy your brand new iPad Air or Retina iPad mini, we have fantastic information pages that are always kept up-to-the-minute, and amazing community forums filled with experts for you to talk with. Bookmark them and check back often! And once you've decided, let us know in the comments - which iPad did you get and why?

• iPad Air: Everything you need to know

• iPad Air: Help and discussion forum

• Retina iPad mini: Everything you need to know

• Retina iPad mini: Help and discussion forums

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/5txNfbxDu2E/story01.htm
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Google Adds Support For Native MySQL Connections

Google Cloud SQL now supports native MySQL connections, a move that is intended to make it easier to integrate third-party applications. With the support, native MySQL apps can be plugged into Cloud SQL, allowing the customer to leave system administration and management for Google.

Through MySQL Wire Protocol, the standard connection protocol for MySQL databases, Google maintains that CloudSQL allows for low latency connections from applications running on Google Compute Engine and Google App Engine. Customers can use popular tools such as MySQL Workbench, Toad and the MySQL command-line tool to manage Cloud SQL instances. It also supports standard drivers, such as Connector/J, Connector/ODBC, and Connector/NET.

The native connectivity also means that data can be replicated with control over managing and deploying cloud databases. For example, Google notes in its post that data can be replicated between Cloud SQL and on-premise databases — including Oracle, SQL Server, and DB2.

The support demonstrates how connectors like MySQL Wire Protocol will help create transparency between cloud services and any on-premise application. It’s a service that should attract those looking for the level of managed services that Google provides.

Google is starting to offer features that Amazon Web Services (AWS) has had for a few years. Google is starting to offer features that Amazon Web Services (AWS) has had for a few years. While Google launched the core of its CloudSQL service in June, AWS launched its MySQL service in 2009 and in 2012 began offering support for Oracle Database.

Then there is the pricing. According to the InfoQ blog, AWS RDS is “cheaper than corresponding Google Cloud SQL pay-per-hour options, but one needs to consider other costs such as data storage and transfer fees, etc.”

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/9UcrqnLz6us/
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Oracle shareholders vote against Ellison's compensation package

A majority of Oracle shareholders have once again voted against the company's executive pay practices, including for CEO Larry Ellison.

Thursday's vote at Oracle's annual shareholder meeting is nonbinding, and follows complaints from some large shareholders and their representatives who say Ellison is overpaid compared to his peers.

[ InfoWorld presents the Bossies 2013, the best open source software for data centers, clouds, mobile, and more. | Get the latest insight on the tech news that matters from InfoWorld's Tech Watch blog. ]

Ellison is paid $1 in salary, receiving the rest of his pay in stock options. In Oracle's past fiscal year, that totaled $76.9 million. Ellison declined to receive a bonus. Other top Oracle executives such as co-President Mark Hurd also receive a lot of stock options.

Ellison, who is one of the world's richest people, controls about one-fourth of Oracle's shares.

Shareholders voted against Oracle's executive pay practices at last year's meeting as well.

Oracle has defended its policy on the grounds that the stock options aren't worth anything unless Oracle's share price rises, which is good for both executives such as Ellison and every other Oracle shareholder.

Earlier this month, Oracle secretary and general counsel Dorian Daley described Ellison as the company's "most critical strategic visionary" and characterized his pay as a bargain compared to the benefits Oracle receives.

Ellison took questions from shareholders in attendance after the meeting's formal agenda concluded and the topics didn't always center on enterprise technology.

One referred to a near "disaster" the city of New York would have experienced had Eliot Spitzer been elected comptroller, and asked Ellison whether Oracle could "intervene financially" in New York elections.

"We live in a democracy, and the people pick their leaders, and we do that all the time," Ellison said. "If we're not happy with that we can pick someone else. I don't think Oracle should engage in political activity specifically trying to influence the New York City and New York state elections. We should focus on things like building fast computers and better software."

Another shareholder questioned why Oracle has two presidents in Hurd and Safra Catz.

"I just figured two's better than one," Ellison said to laughter. "Seriously, it's a large company. We have a separation of responsibilities." Hurd focuses on sales and support while Catz handles operational matters, he said. "I think they've both done outstanding jobs in their respective areas of expertise," Ellison added. "Either one of them could go out and get a CEO's job tomorrow."

A third questioner complained that she had to call Oracle's investor relations office three times to find out when the shareholder meeting was supposed to occur.

"We love people to come to our annual meeting," Ellison said by way of apology. "We even have cookies." Oracle will make sure information about the meeting is posted to its website, he added.

Ellison steered clear of saying anything controversial when asked about Oracle's involvement with the troubled Healthcare.gov website.

"As an information technology company we are doing everything we can to make it a highly performant, highly reliable [system]," he said. "I will refrain from editorial comments about what has happened there. I think most of us want our government to operate efficiently."

But Ellison revealed which rivals Oracle watches most closely. IBM, EMC, SAP, and Salesforce.com "are four competitors we spend a lot of time thinking about," he said.

Chris Kanaracus covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Chris' email address is Chris_Kanaracus@idg.com

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/oracle-shareholders-vote-against-ellisons-compensation-package-229980
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Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 will all get Android 4.4 KitKat

Yeah, yeah. The new Nexus 5 is the first with Android 4.4. But if you're sitting on one of those other Nexus devices — as in 2012's Nexus 4 and Nexus 10, and the Nexus 7 (we presume both the 2012 and 2013 versions of it), know this: You'll be getting KitKat in the coming weeks as well.

In addition, the Google Play Edition Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One also will be updated.

Here's the exact word from Google:

We’ll also be rolling out the Android 4.4 update worldwide in the next few weeks to all Nexus 4, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10 devices, as well as the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One Google Play Edition devices.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/KUWDsPafzyo/story01.htm
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