Saturday, May 18, 2013

Watch: Aimee Copeland Gets Bionic Hands

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Double hand amputee Amy Copeland is now the first woman in the world to get state of the art by -- islands. You might remember Copeland was infected with the deadly bacteria after she cut her leg in a zip lining accident. When her leg turned purple doctors realize the 25 year old had a flesh eating bacteria. -- is now advertising -- Vegas and amputated both her leg and both her hands. Copeland is trying out a new set of by -- hands she spent a week at -- touched by onyx in Ohio getting fitted. Now she's home in Georgia getting used to the high tech hands which indeed 25 different kinds of movements and are controlled by muscles and Copeland upper limbs. The -- it usually cost 100000. Dollars but the company gave a -- to Copeland for free when her health insurance wouldn't cover the cost.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/aimee-copeland-bionic-hands-19204103

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Disney misses the point in response to Merida petition

Disney's latest misstep ? turning Merida, its most real-life heroine from "Brave," into a doe-eyed, thin-armed princess ? drew ire across the Internet. Disney's much-anticipated response to the outrage was disappointing.

By Rebecca Hains,?Guest Blogger / May 16, 2013

The original Merida, left, was taken up (or down) a notch for her figurine debut, eliciting groans and anger from people tired of Disney's quest to "princessify" everything they touch.

Screenshot via Disney

Enlarge

Recently, Disney released a?new, 2D image of Merida. This prompted?outrage?because the character's design was altered,?for no good reason.?The new Merida has been "prettified"--made more conventionally attractive in a way that undercuts the character's strengths, to the detriment of the children who view her as a role model.

Skip to next paragraph Rebecca Hains

Guest blogger

Rebecca Hains, Ph.D. is a children's media culture expert. A professor of advertising and media studies at Salem State University, in Salem, Mass., her research focuses on girls and media. The author of "Growing Up With Girl Power: Girlhood on Screen and in Everyday Life,"? she blogs about children's media and popular cultur and lives with her husband and son in Peabody, Mass.
?

Recent posts

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In response,?A Mighty Girl released a?petition?to Disney that outlines the reasons why the redesign is problematic. The petition?culminates with a request: to pull the new 2D Merida and restore the character to her original form.

Yesterday, Disney executives went on record regarding the petition. They're refusing to retract the new Merida--and their comments show they've missed the point.

The L.A. Times?reports on the refusal to retract the new Merida:

"Disney has no intention of abandoning its sexier version of the Scottish archer featured in the movie, "Brave."

The modified Merida was created specifically to welcome the character into the company's princess collection. And according to a Disney representativeon Wednesday, the image of Merida that sparked this maelstrom is part of a limited run of products including backpacks and pajamas.?But images of the original Merida will also be available on consumer products, the Disney representative said."

No one ever doubted that the original Merida would still be available on products; the objection is to the new Merida redesign. Full stop.?The fact that it's "part of a limited run" doesn't make it any less problematic.

A Disney representative expanded on their stance in an exclusive interview with fan site Inside the Magic, calling the controversy "blown out of proportion." This makes clear that Disney execs either don't truly understand?the objections, or are willfully ignoring them.

According to Inside the Magic:

"[Disney] had no intention of changing who Merida is. The artwork that has circulated online depicting the new 2D rendering of Merida was intended to be used only on a ?limited line of products? as a ?one-time stylized version.? They noted Disney uses different styles of art on characters regularly, changing them to fit their needs at the time.

And in this case, that time was the coronation. Noting that Merida wanted to ?dress up? for her coronation ceremony, the new 2D artwork was created, first debuting on the official invitation that was sent out to the media."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/HeHwNN5Iur4/Disney-misses-the-point-in-response-to-Merida-petition

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Skydiving is never 'plane sailing'

May 17, 2013 ? Skydivers show the same level of physical stress before every jump whether a first-timer or experienced jumper, say Northumbria researchers.

Previous laboratory studies have observed that when an individual is repeatedly exposed to a stressful situation, such as public speaking or performing mental arithmetic in front of an audience, their physiological responses -- levels of arousal and stress hormones -- decrease as they become accustomed to it. Such studies conclude that the more you are exposed to a stressor, the less you will respond to it.

Scientists at Northumbria University, led by Dr Michael Smith, set out to discover whether the same affect would occur in a real world setting.

The researchers studied 24 healthy male skydivers -- 11 novices carrying out their first solo skydive, and 13 experienced skydivers who had completed at least 30 jumps -- asking them to self-report their level of anxiety and also taking saliva samples to measure levels of the stress hormone cortisol before and after the jump.

They found that, although novice skydivers reported feeling more anxious prior to the jump than experienced skydivers, both sets of jumpers responded with the same levels of biological stress reactions to the jump.

Their study, published online this month in Physiology & Behavior, is the first to observe that skydiving increases levels of cortisol which does not reduce even with repeated exposure to jumping. The results also indicate that self-reports of anxiety in experienced skydivers did not match up with their actual biological stress reactions. Though they may not have perceived themselves as being as anxious as the novice skydivers, their bodies still showed the same stress reactions as a first time jumper.

Dr Michael Smith, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, said: "This study is significant because it reveals how people respond to stressors in the real world. Very few studies have been able to examine people's true reactions as it would be unethical to deliberately and repeatedly expose volunteers to severe stress in a laboratory situation. Therefore, the most stressful laboratory situations have tended to be exercises in public speaking or performing difficult tasks in front of an audience.

"We used skydiving as our 'real world' stressor because it is an activity that does pose a genuine risk to safety and survival. Although repeated exposure to a stressor dampens the stress response in the laboratory, our findings show that this is not the case for real life stressors which pose a threat to survival."

The findings highlight the usefulness of skydiving as a naturalistic stressor in future research.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/CoUoNCJHE4U/130517085718.htm

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Friday, May 17, 2013

Head to Lafayette park for free fishing program this weekend | WLFI ...

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Anyone who wants to take up fishing can learn how at a special event this Saturday in Munger Park in Lafayette.

The event coincides with statewide Free Fishing Day, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR). It?s a day when Hoosiers do not need a fishing license to fish in public waters, and is in conjunction with GoFishIN in the City, a new DNR program promoting fishing in Indiana?s urban areas.

The event is free and open to the public, however children must be joined by a parent or adult. Registration runs from 8:30 to 9 p.m. at the park, and the entire event runs until noon.

If you participate, you?ll get instructions on angler ethics, fish identification, fishing tackle, casting technique and fish cleaning. After the instruction anglers will fish with casting coaches.

Fishing poles, bait and tackle will all be provided.

Beforehand, the DNR will stock 100 keeper-size channel catfish in the 5-acre pond at Munger Park.

The event is sponsored by the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife and the Lafayette Parks and Recreation Department.

Fore more, including where the DNR is stocking fish through the program, visit the DNR?s website.

Source: http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/living_green/head-to-lafayette-park-for-free-fishing-program-this-weekend

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Human skin cells converted into embryonic stem cells: First time human stem cells have been produced via nuclear transfer

May 15, 2013 ? Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) have successfully reprogrammed human skin cells to become embryonic stem cells capable of transforming into any other cell type in the body. It is believed that stem cell therapies hold the promise of replacing cells damaged through injury or illness. Diseases or conditions that might be treated through stem cell therapy include Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, cardiac disease and spinal cord injuries.

The research breakthrough, led by Shoukhrat Mitalipov, Ph.D., a senior scientist at ONPRC, follows previous success in transforming monkey skin cells into embryonic stem cells in 2007. This latest research will be published in the journal Cell online May 15 and in print June 6.

The technique used by Drs. Mitalipov, Paula Amato, M.D., and their colleagues in OHSU's Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, is a variation of a commonly used method called somatic cell nuclear transfer, or SCNT. It involves transplanting the nucleus of one cell, containing an individual's DNA, into an egg cell that has had its genetic material removed. The unfertilized egg cell then develops and eventually produces stem cells.

"A thorough examination of the stem cells derived through this technique demonstrated their ability to convert just like normal embryonic stem cells, into several different cell types, including nerve cells, liver cells and heart cells. Furthermore, because these reprogrammed cells can be generated with nuclear genetic material from a patient, there is no concern of transplant rejection," explained Dr. Mitalipov. "While there is much work to be done in developing safe and effective stem cell treatments, we believe this is a significant step forward in developing the cells that could be used in regenerative medicine."

Another noteworthy aspect of this research is that it does not involve the use of fertilized embryos, a topic that has been the source of a significant ethical debate.

The Mitalipov team's success in reprogramming human skin cells came through a series of studies in both human and monkey cells. Previous unsuccessful attempts by several labs showed that human egg cells appear to be more fragile than eggs from other species. Therefore, known reprogramming methods stalled before stem cells were produced.

To solve this problem, the OHSU group studied various alternative approaches first developed in monkey cells and then applied to human cells. Through moving findings between monkey cells and human cells, the researchers were able to develop a successful method.

The key to this success was finding a way to prompt egg cells to stay in a state called "metaphase" during the nuclear transfer process. Metaphase is a stage in the cell's natural division process (meiosis) when genetic material aligns in the middle of the cell before the cell divides. The research team found that chemically maintaining metaphase throughout the transfer process prevented the process from stalling and allowed the cells to develop and produce stem cells.

"This is a remarkable accomplishment by the Mitalipov lab that will fuel the development of stem cell therapies to combat several diseases and conditions for which there are currently no treatments or cures," said Dr. Dan Dorsa, Ph.D., OHSU Vice President for Research. "The achievement also highlights OHSU's deep reproductive expertise across our campuses. A key component to this success was the translation of basic science findings at the OHSU primate center paired with privately funded human cell studies."

One important distinction is that while the method might be considered a technique for cloning stem cells, commonly called therapeutic cloning, the same method would not likely be successful in producing human clones otherwise known as reproductive cloning. Several years of monkey studies that utilize somatic cell nuclear transfer have never successfully produced monkey clones. It is expected that this is also the case with humans. Furthermore, the comparative fragility of human cells as noted during this study, is a significant factor that would likely prevent the development of clones.

"Our research is directed toward generating stem cells for use in future treatments to combat disease," added Dr. Mitalipov. "While nuclear transfer breakthroughs often lead to a public discussion about the ethics of human cloning, this is not our focus, nor do we believe our findings might be used by others to advance the possibility of human reproductive cloning."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/r7SfWpomPDM/130515125030.htm

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Obama: IRS acting commissioner being ousted

President Barack Obama makes a statement on the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups for extra tax scrutiny in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday May 15, 2013. The president spoke after discussing the IRS matter with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and his top deputy, Neil Wolin. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama makes a statement on the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups for extra tax scrutiny in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday May 15, 2013. The president spoke after discussing the IRS matter with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and his top deputy, Neil Wolin. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

(AP) ? President Barack Obama on Wednesday announced the ouster of the top official at the Internal Revenue Service following disclosures that the agency targeted conservative political groups.

Obama, who has been criticized for appearing passive in his response to the matter, declared, "I am angry about it" and said the American people had a right to be angry as well.

Before announcing the departure of Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller, Obama conferred with top officials from the Treasury Department, which oversees the IRS. The White House scheduled the meeting a day after the release of an inspector general report that showed ineffective management at the IRS allowed agents to improperly single out tea party groups for special review during a period of more than 18 months.

Miller became acting commissioner in November, after Commissioner Douglas Shulman completed his five-year term. Shulman had been appointed by President George W. Bush.

The president has proceeded cautiously since the IRS controversy was made public Friday. While he initially said the accusations were "outrageous," he also said he wanted to wait until the inspector general's report was released before addressing what should be done to hold accountable those responsible.

Besides seeking Miller's resignation, Obama said his administration would put in place new safeguards to prevent a recurrence of the IRS actions and said he insisted the IRS implement the inspector general's recommendations immediately. The IRS had agreed to seven of nine recommendations contained in the report.

Obama said the improper behavior at the IRS was especially egregious "given the power that it has and the reach that it has into all of our lives."

The report lays much of the blame on IRS supervisors in Washington who oversaw a group of specialists in Cincinnati responsible for screening applications for tax exempt status. It does not indicate that Washington initiated the targeting of conservative groups, but it does say a top supervisor in Washington did not adequately supervise agents in the field even after she learned the agents were acting improperly.

The Justice Department is also investigating the IRS targeting, as are three congressional committees.

In a letter to IRS staff Wednesday, Miller said he will leave his role as acting commissioner in June.

"This has been an incredibly difficult time for the IRS given the events of the past few days, and there is a strong and immediate need to restore public trust in the nation's tax agency," Miller said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-05-15-Obama-IRS/id-b53e506dd0d74892966bd02b82c29f0e

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Actor Johnny Depp immortalized in ancient fossil find

Actor Johnny Depp immortalized in ancient fossil find [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 16-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Colin Smith
cd.smith@imperial.ac.uk
44-020-759-46712
Imperial College London

Johnny Depp immortalized

A scientist has discovered an ancient extinct creature with 'scissor hand-like' claws in fossil records and has named it in honour of his favourite movie star.

The 505 million year old fossil called Kooteninchela deppi (pronounced Koo-ten-ee-che-la depp-eye), which is a distant ancestor of lobsters and scorpions, was named after the actor Johnny Depp for his starring role as Edward Scissorhands - a movie about an artificial man named Edward, an unfinished creation, who has scissors for hands.

Kooteninchela deppi is helping researchers to piece together more information about life on Earth during the Cambrian period when nearly all modern animal types emerged.

David Legg, who carried out the research as part of his PhD in the Department of Earth Science and Engineering at Imperial College London, says:

"When I first saw the pair of isolated claws in the fossil records of this species I could not help but think of Edward Scissorhands. Even the genus name, Kootenichela, includes the reference to this film as 'chela' is Latin for claws or scissors. In truth, I am also a bit of a Depp fan and so what better way to honour the man than to immortalise him as an ancient creature that once roamed the sea?"

Kooteninchela deppi lived in very shallow seas, similar to modern coastal environments, off the cost of British Columbia in Canada, which was situated much closer to the equator 500 million years ago. The sea temperature would have been much hotter than it is today and although coral reefs had not yet been established, Kooteninchela deppi would have lived in a similar environment consisting of sponges.

The researcher believes that Kooteninchela deppi would have been a hunter or scavenger. Its large Edward Scissorhands-like claws with their elongated spines may have been used to capture prey, or they could have helped it to probe the sea floor looking for sea creatures hiding in sediment.

Kooteninchela deppi was approximately four centimetres long with an elongated trunk for a body and millipede-like legs, which it used to scuttle along the sea floor with the occasional short swim.

It also had large eyes composed of many lenses like the compound eyes of a fly. They were positioned on top of movable stalks called peduncles to help it more easily search for food and look out for predators.

The researcher discovered that Kooteninchela deppi belongs to a group known as the 'great-appendage' arthropods, or megacheirans, which refers to the enlarged pincer-like frontal claws that they share. The 'great-appendage' arthropods are an early relation of arthropods, which includes spiders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, insects and crabs.

David Legg adds: "Just imagine it: the prawns covered in mayonnaise in your sandwich, the spider climbing up your wall and even the fly that has been banging into your window and annoyingly flying into your face are all descendants of Kooteninchela deppi. Current estimates indicate that there are more than one million known insects and potentially 10 million more yet to be categorised, which potentially means that Kooteninchela Deppi has a huge family tree."

In the future, David Legg intends to further his research and study fossilised creatures from the Ordovician, the geological period that saw the largest increase in diversity of species on the planet. He hopes to understand why this happened in order to learn more about the current diversity of species on Earth.

###

The research was published in the Journal of Palaeontology 2 May 2013.

For more information contact:

Colin Smith
Senior Research Media Officer - Faculty of Engineering
Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 6712
Email: cd.smith@imperial.ac.uk

Notes to editors

1, DOWNLOAD AN ARTISTS IMPRESSION OF Kooteninchela Deppi: https://fileexchange.imperial.ac.uk/files/790a31fa04/Kootenichela%20reconstruction.jpg

DOWNLOAD IMAGE OF FOSSIL RECORD: https://fileexchange.imperial.ac.uk/files/7346879b17/Kootenichela%20(GAs).jpg

2. "Multi-segmented arthropods from the middle Cambrian of British Columbia (Canada)" Journal of Journal of Palaeontology 2 May 2013 David Legg Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London

DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE PAPER: https://fileexchange.imperial.ac.uk/files/5d12387daf7/Legg_2013_Multi-segmented%20arthropods.pdf

3. About Imperial College London

Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 14,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality. Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.

Since its foundation in 1907, Imperial's contributions to society have included the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of research for the benefit of all continues today, with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to improve global health, tackle climate change, develop sustainable sources of energy and address security challenges.

In 2007, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust formed the UK's first Academic Health Science Centre. This unique partnership aims to improve the quality of life of patients and populations by taking new discoveries and translating them into new therapies as quickly as possible.

Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk


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Actor Johnny Depp immortalized in ancient fossil find [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 16-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Colin Smith
cd.smith@imperial.ac.uk
44-020-759-46712
Imperial College London

Johnny Depp immortalized

A scientist has discovered an ancient extinct creature with 'scissor hand-like' claws in fossil records and has named it in honour of his favourite movie star.

The 505 million year old fossil called Kooteninchela deppi (pronounced Koo-ten-ee-che-la depp-eye), which is a distant ancestor of lobsters and scorpions, was named after the actor Johnny Depp for his starring role as Edward Scissorhands - a movie about an artificial man named Edward, an unfinished creation, who has scissors for hands.

Kooteninchela deppi is helping researchers to piece together more information about life on Earth during the Cambrian period when nearly all modern animal types emerged.

David Legg, who carried out the research as part of his PhD in the Department of Earth Science and Engineering at Imperial College London, says:

"When I first saw the pair of isolated claws in the fossil records of this species I could not help but think of Edward Scissorhands. Even the genus name, Kootenichela, includes the reference to this film as 'chela' is Latin for claws or scissors. In truth, I am also a bit of a Depp fan and so what better way to honour the man than to immortalise him as an ancient creature that once roamed the sea?"

Kooteninchela deppi lived in very shallow seas, similar to modern coastal environments, off the cost of British Columbia in Canada, which was situated much closer to the equator 500 million years ago. The sea temperature would have been much hotter than it is today and although coral reefs had not yet been established, Kooteninchela deppi would have lived in a similar environment consisting of sponges.

The researcher believes that Kooteninchela deppi would have been a hunter or scavenger. Its large Edward Scissorhands-like claws with their elongated spines may have been used to capture prey, or they could have helped it to probe the sea floor looking for sea creatures hiding in sediment.

Kooteninchela deppi was approximately four centimetres long with an elongated trunk for a body and millipede-like legs, which it used to scuttle along the sea floor with the occasional short swim.

It also had large eyes composed of many lenses like the compound eyes of a fly. They were positioned on top of movable stalks called peduncles to help it more easily search for food and look out for predators.

The researcher discovered that Kooteninchela deppi belongs to a group known as the 'great-appendage' arthropods, or megacheirans, which refers to the enlarged pincer-like frontal claws that they share. The 'great-appendage' arthropods are an early relation of arthropods, which includes spiders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, insects and crabs.

David Legg adds: "Just imagine it: the prawns covered in mayonnaise in your sandwich, the spider climbing up your wall and even the fly that has been banging into your window and annoyingly flying into your face are all descendants of Kooteninchela deppi. Current estimates indicate that there are more than one million known insects and potentially 10 million more yet to be categorised, which potentially means that Kooteninchela Deppi has a huge family tree."

In the future, David Legg intends to further his research and study fossilised creatures from the Ordovician, the geological period that saw the largest increase in diversity of species on the planet. He hopes to understand why this happened in order to learn more about the current diversity of species on Earth.

###

The research was published in the Journal of Palaeontology 2 May 2013.

For more information contact:

Colin Smith
Senior Research Media Officer - Faculty of Engineering
Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 6712
Email: cd.smith@imperial.ac.uk

Notes to editors

1, DOWNLOAD AN ARTISTS IMPRESSION OF Kooteninchela Deppi: https://fileexchange.imperial.ac.uk/files/790a31fa04/Kootenichela%20reconstruction.jpg

DOWNLOAD IMAGE OF FOSSIL RECORD: https://fileexchange.imperial.ac.uk/files/7346879b17/Kootenichela%20(GAs).jpg

2. "Multi-segmented arthropods from the middle Cambrian of British Columbia (Canada)" Journal of Journal of Palaeontology 2 May 2013 David Legg Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London

DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE PAPER: https://fileexchange.imperial.ac.uk/files/5d12387daf7/Legg_2013_Multi-segmented%20arthropods.pdf

3. About Imperial College London

Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 14,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality. Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.

Since its foundation in 1907, Imperial's contributions to society have included the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of research for the benefit of all continues today, with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to improve global health, tackle climate change, develop sustainable sources of energy and address security challenges.

In 2007, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust formed the UK's first Academic Health Science Centre. This unique partnership aims to improve the quality of life of patients and populations by taking new discoveries and translating them into new therapies as quickly as possible.

Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk


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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/icl-ajd051613.php

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