April 13, 2016


News and Views


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/uss-donald-cook-buzzed-again-by-russian-jets-in-baltic/

USS Donald Cook buzzed again by Russian jets in Baltic
CBS NEWS
April 13, 2016, 10:29 AM

Photograph -- US Navy personnel are pictured aboard the USS Destroyer Donald Cook at the Constanta shipyard in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta, on April 14, 2014. PETRUT CALINESCU/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Play VIDEO -- Web Extra: John Kerry on how Americans should feel about Vladimir Putin


Yet again Russian jets made provocatively close passes to an American warship, as tensions continue between Moscow and Washington over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

A senior defense official told CBS News there were two recent incidents that were "more aggressive than anything we've seen in some time."

The first, on April 11, involved two Russian SU24s, when the Donald Cook left the Polish port of Gdynia and was about 70 nautical miles from Kaliningrad in the Baltic Sea. The official said the Russian jets made 20 passes of the American ship and flew within 1,000 yards at an altitude of just 100 feet.

In the second incident on April 12, two Russian KA27 Helix helicopters flew several circles around the Donald Cook, apparently taking photos, after which two jets again made numerous close passes of the ship in what the official described as "Simulated Attack Profile."

"They were so close they created wakes in the water," the official said.

CNN reports "there is an intense discussion about releasing video and still photos of the Russian encounter to demonstrate the danger the jets posed to the ship."

It's not clear how many times this type of incident has happened, but in 2014 Pentagon officials publicly decried a similar incident in the Baltic.

A close-flying jet came within a few thousand feet of the USS Donald Cook, a guided missile destroyer which was conducting a "routine mission" at the time.

The U.S. ship tried to contact the plane's cockpit, but received no response.

The Russian plane, which the U.S. says was unarmed, made at least 12 passes. This continued for about 90 minutes. The event ended without incident.

While the jet did not overfly the deck, Col. Steve Warren called the action "provocative and unprofessional."



“The first, on April 11, involved two Russian SU24s, when the Donald Cook left the Polish port of Gdynia and was about 70 nautical miles from Kaliningrad in the Baltic Sea. The official said the Russian jets made 20 passes of the American ship and flew within 1,000 yards at an altitude of just 100 feet. In the second incident on April 12, two Russian KA27 Helix helicopters flew several circles around the Donald Cook, apparently taking photos, after which two jets again made numerous close passes of the ship in what the official described as "Simulated Attack Profile."…. The U.S. ship tried to contact the plane's cockpit, but received no response. The Russian plane, which the U.S. says was unarmed, made at least 12 passes. This continued for about 90 minutes. The event ended without incident. While the jet did not overfly the deck, Col. Steve Warren called the action "provocative and unprofessional."


Russia has always been into “sabre rattling” as a form of territorial marker and exhibition of a high testosterone level. The US does it, too. It’s standard procedure, but it is angering and not helpful to achieving a state of peace between us. Russian planes have been identified off the coast of California a couple of years and a Russian submarine at the North Pole area. The US was caught by Russian radar flying a war plane over Russia under Eisenhower’s administration and has undoubtedly done similar things down through the years since WWII. It’s pretty much a game, but a potentially dangerous one. What would happen if a Donald Trump were to be in office?



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/will-obamas-rising-approval-rating-give-democrats-an-edge-in-november/

Will Obama's rising approval rating give Democrats an edge in November?
By REBECCA SHABAD CBS NEWS
April 13, 2016, 6:00 AM

How much influence does an incumbent outgoing president's popularity have in the outcome of the next presidential election? Or in other words, does a popular president make it more likely that his party's candidate will effectively win a third term?

Presidential approval does seem to be one factor. Two others are the country's economic outlook and the slate of candidates running.

At the end of March, President Obama's average weekly approval rating measured by Gallup reached 53 percent, his highest level since 2013. The lowest weekly average of his presidency was 40 percent, recorded in the week of the 2014 midterm elections.

Based on the results of past presidential elections and the popularity of other two-term presidents, some analysts think that if Mr. Obama's approval remains steady, it could bode well for the Democratic presidential nominee and for Democrats running for Congress.

"There is a correlation between presidential approval and success for the president's party in elections," Allan Lichtman, a history professor at American University, told CBS News.

President George H.W. Bush, for example, benefited from President Ronald Reagan's popularity in 1988. According to Gallup, a majority of Americans -- about 55 percent of the public -- approved of Reagan's job in his second term. It cannot be denied that Bush's victory was also tied to a very weak Democratic opponent in Michael Dukakis.

In 2008, John McCain still lost his election after George W. Bush's approval reached a low of 28 percent that year.

Still, strong approval ratings don't always help. Going back several decades, President Eisenhower had a nearly 61 percent average approval rating in his second term, according to Gallup, but that couldn't help Richard Nixon, his vice president, win the 1960 presidential election.

Elections, Lichtman says, are generally referenda on the performance of the party holding the White House. Voters decide whether that party's performance has been good enough for another four years, and presidential approval can be a reflection of that, but not necessarily a perfect one.

H.W. Brands, a presidential historian who has written a slew of biographies including on Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, told CBS News that a high approval rating can reflect different factors. It may capture the level of consumer confidence in the economy, which would carry a lot of weight in the upcoming election -- or it could merely reflect the personal popularity of the sitting president, which may be of little help to his party's candidate.

"When a rising approval rating for a lame duck president reflects general confidence in the state of the nation, the president's party often benefits. George H.W. Bush rode to the presidency on the confidence engendered by Reagan's presidency," Brands said. "But when the approval rating reflects mere good feeling for the retiring individual, there is little incumbent-party bounce. Americans liked Ike to the end, but they chose Kennedy over Nixon," Brand said.

The 2000 election is trickier to dissect. President Bill Clinton left the White House with an average second term approval rating of 61 percent, according to Gallup. George W. Bush, however, won the election after the Supreme Court decision that resulted in his Electoral College victory. Al Gore did win the popular vote, but many analysts argued that, given Clinton's high approval rating, Gore should have won the election handily. If anything, that election showed that presidential approval alone is not a determining factor.

Obama's climbing approval rating might not necessarily be a byproduct of his second-term policies like the implementation of the Iranian nuclear deal or the normalization of diplomatic relations with Cuba. His rating, experts say, might be a reflection of the improving economy and it also might be the result of the fact that many Americans view him in a more favorable light compared to the two leading Republican presidential candidates: Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

A CBS/New York Times survey from last month found that 48 percent of people in the U.S. approve of Mr. Obama's job as president and 44 percent said they disapprove. A plurality said they disapprove of his handling of foreign policy while half of the public said they approve of the way he's handling the economy.

Despite the rise in his approval rating, the country remains deeply divided over what they want out of his successor and whether or not Americans want the next president to continue Mr. Obama's policies or pursue more liberal or conservative policies.

Yet unlike the 2014 midterms when Democrats were afraid to associate themselves with Mr. Obama, Hillary Clinton and other candidates in this cycle are embracing him.

"I don't think President Obama gets the credit he deserves for digging us out of the ditch the Republicans dropped us in the first place," Clinton said at a recent campaign event in Wisconsin.

Clinton is using Mr. Obama's legacy to her advantage, but Lichtman argues the president himself should be doing more to calm the tensions within the Democratic Party between Clinton and her rival Bernie Sanders.

"Obama should have taken control of this election immediately. He knew Bernie Sanders was not going to be the nominee. Right away, early on, Barack Obama should have united the Democratic Party around Hillary Clinton," he said.

Lichtman argued that a protracted, bitter primary fight in the incumbent's party could matter much more than the dynamic in the primary race of the party not in control of the White House.

The Constitution Center points out that Democrats have only won a so-called third term twice since 1828 -- when Martin Van Buren succeeded Andrew Jackson in 1836, and more literally when Franklin Roosevelt succeeded himself in 1940 for his own third term.

Republicans, on the other hand, have won a third term with greater frequency -- in 1868 (Ulysses Grant), 1876 (Rutherford Hayes), 1904 (Teddy Roosevelt) and 1988 (George H.W. Bush).

Margaret Thompson, a history and political science professor at Syracuse University, told CBS News that normally she would agree, but said the chaos within the GOP is very unusual and more extreme than in any other recent election.

If the president's approval rating remains steady, Thompson said it could give Democrats the upper hand. But with the election still six months away, much can still change.

"Too much can happen between now and then, including the proverbial October Surprise," she said. "I think other factors may be more significant, such as whether or not the GOP implodes at its convention."



“Presidential approval does seem to be one factor. Two others are the country's economic outlook and the slate of candidates running. At the end of March, President Obama's average weekly approval rating measured by Gallup reached 53 percent, his highest level since 2013. The lowest weekly average of his presidency was 40 percent, recorded in the week of the 2014 midterm elections. …. Still, strong approval ratings don't always help. Going back several decades, President Eisenhower had a nearly 61 percent average approval rating in his second term, according to Gallup, but that couldn't help Richard Nixon, his vice president, win the 1960 presidential election. …. "I don't think President Obama gets the credit he deserves for digging us out of the ditch the Republicans dropped us in the first place," Clinton said at a recent campaign event in Wisconsin. Clinton is using Mr. Obama's legacy to her advantage, but Lichtman argues the president himself should be doing more to calm the tensions within the Democratic Party between Clinton and her rival Bernie Sanders. "Obama should have taken control of this election immediately. He knew Bernie Sanders was not going to be the nominee. Right away, early on, Barack Obama should have united the Democratic Party around Hillary Clinton," he said.”


Maybe Obama actually has a reasonably high regard for Bernie Sanders, or a secret dislike of Hillary, or maybe he merely thinks that he should stay out of the matter and let facts prove themselves. It is not yet a fact that Sanders cannot become the Democratic nominee. Unless some very odd and disturbing thing is discovered about Sanders, his great popularity among many Democratic voters may carry him through. I haven’t given up yet.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mysterious-bacteria-claims-another-life-in-the-midwest/

Mysterious bacteria claims another life in the midwest
CBS NEWS
April 13, 2016, 12:38 PM

Photograph -- Elizabethkingia anophelis bacteria growing on a blood agar plate. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION SPECIAL BACTERIOLOGY REFERENCE LAB
16 PHOTOS -- 15 superbugs and other scary diseases


A bacterial infection called Elizabethkingia has already claimed at least 20 lives in Wisconsin and Michigan. Now, the first case has been confirmed in Illinois and has taken another life, reports CBS Chicago.

Kimberly Cencula, 52, from Lake Villa, Illinois, is the first person in that state to contract the mysterious bacteria and die from it. It's unknown right now exactly how she was infected with Elizabethkingia.

"It's a bacteria that exists normally in the environment," said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. "It exists in water and soil. It's everywhere around us."

Shah says the bacteria is relatively new.

Elizabethkingia infections first appeared in Wisconsin last fall. There have been 57 confirmed cases of illness there and 19 deaths, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. There has also been one confirmed case and death in Michigan.

"It is an area of intense scientific investigation right now," Shah said. "We are working very closely with the Wisconsin Department of Health."

Infectious disease expert Dr. James Malow, with Advocate Medical Group in the Chicago area, said, "Even with the CDC up there working with the Wisconsin Department of Health, they haven't found where it's coming from."

The bacteria poses greater risk for older people and those with serious underlying health problems. "The majority of individuals who are affected are over the age of 65 and almost all of them have some prior health condition," Shah said. "As a result of that, we don't think that this is a bacteria that poses a general risk to the population."

A family member of the latest victim told CBS Chicago that Cencula had an underlying health issue.

Symptoms of the infection can include fever, chills, cough, joint pain and in some cases, a skin condition.

Doctors said the bacteria is not transmitted person to person.

There are still more questions than answers.

"How it is transmitted?" Shah said. "How is it spread? What sort of diseases does it cause and how can we manage it? Those are very intense areas of investigation right now."

The CDC confirms Cencula's test results show the same strain as the cases in Wisconsin.

Illinois state investigators are now interviewing Cencula's family members and others in her social network to try and narrow down the origin.

The bacteria got its name from the microbiologist Elizabeth King, who discovered it in 1959.



“The CDC confirms Cencula's test results show the same strain as the cases in Wisconsin. Illinois state investigators are now interviewing Cencula's family members and others in her social network to try and narrow down the origin. …. "It's a bacteria that exists normally in the environment," said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. "It exists in water and soil. It's everywhere around us." Shah says the bacteria is relatively new. …. Infectious disease expert Dr. James Malow, with Advocate Medical Group in the Chicago area, said, "Even with the CDC up there working with the Wisconsin Department of Health, they haven't found where it's coming from." …. The bacteria got its name from the microbiologist Elizabeth King, who discovered it in 1959.”

The following excellent Wikipedia and CDC articles contain scientific terminology, but much of it is not jargon and should be understandable to an analytical reader with some biological knowledge. It contains a close description of this bacteria in regard to mother/child transmission and its incidence in the US within the last year.

Though it is newly discovered (1950s), it probably isn’t new, it seems to me, as it appears in Africa, Eastern Asia, and now in Midwestern USA. How did it spread so far and so fast? If humans are carrying it around without being ill themselves, that could explain it. The bacteria is found in soil and in “the environment,” in the female reproductive tract, and in the gut of mosquitos, though direct transmission from mosquitos is not mentioned in this article. I wouldn’t be surprised at unhygienic factors as a source of infection. It’s really scary sounding to me, though it mainly attacks immunosuppressed people including the elderly and those with “underlying medical conditions,” so it isn’t so far involved in epidemics or ordinary interpersonal contact situations. Mother to child at the time of birth is very intimate. I wonder if the CDC has checked sexual transmission.



http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/2/14-0623_article

Evidence for Elizabethkingia anophelis Transmission from Mother to Infant, Hong Kong
CDC EID journal
Susanna K.P. Lau1, Alan K.L. Wu1, et al.
Volume 21, Number 2—February 2015

Abstract

Elizabethkingia anophelis, recently discovered from mosquito gut, is an emerging bacterium associated with neonatal meningitis and nosocomial outbreaks. However, its transmission route remains unknown. …. the 2 isolates from these patients, HKU37 and HKU38, shared essentially identical genome sequences. In contrast, the strain from another neonate (HKU36) was genetically divergent, showing only 78.6% genome sequence identity to HKU37 and HKU38, thus excluding a clonal outbreak. Comparison to genomes from mosquito strains revealed potential metabolic adaptations in E. anophelis under different environments. Maternal infection, not mosquitoes, is most likely the source of neonatal E. anophelis infections.

….

Elizabethkingia anophelis is a recently discovered bacterium isolated from the midgut of the Anopheles gambiae mosquito in 2011 (15). The genus Elizabethkingia also includes E. meningoseptica (previously named Chryseobacterium/Flavobacterium meningosepticum) and E. miricola (16). E. meningoseptica causes neonatal sepsis and infections in immunocompromised persons. E. anophelis has also recently been reported to cause neonatal meningitis in the Central African Republic, and a nosocomial outbreak was reported in an intensive care unit in Singapore (17–19). However, the role of mosquitoes or other sources in the transmission of E. anophelis remains unclear.

In 2012, we encountered 3 cases of Elizabethkingia sepsis associated with meningitis in 2 neonates and chorioamnionitis in a neonate’s mother in a hospital in Hong Kong. Three strains of Elizabethkingia-like, gram-negative bacilli sharing similar phenotypic characteristics were isolated from the 3 patients, but confident identification results were not obtained ….

. . .

The association of E. anophelis with neonatal meningitis in this and previous reports (17,18) suggests that the bacterium may possess virulence factors that enable it to invade the central nervous system. The 3 draft genomes we identified contain homologs of several virulence genes found in Listeria monocytogenes, which also causes neonatal meningitis. …. Vertical transmission of E. anophelis from mother to infant also suggests that the bacterium may be able to colonize the vagina before causing ascending chorioamnionitis in the mother and neonatal infection through transplacental spread. …. Similar to E. meningoseptica, the 3 E. anophelis isolates we identified are resistant to multiple antimicrobial drugs. ….



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabethkingia_meningoseptica

Elizabethkingia meningoseptica
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Elizabethkingia meningoseptica is a gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium widely distributed in nature (e.g. fresh water, salt water, or soil). It may be normally present in fish and frogs but is not normally present in human microflora. In 1959, the American bacteriologist Elizabeth O. King (who isolated Kingella in 1960) was studying unclassified bacteria associated with pediatric meningitis at the CDC in Atlanta, when she isolated an organism (CDC group IIa) that she named Flavobacterium meningosepticum (Flavobacterium means "the yellow bacillus" in Latin; meningosepticum likewise means "associated with meningitis and sepsis").[1] In 1994, it was reclassified in the genus Chryseobacterium and renamed Chryseobacterium meningosepticum[2](chryseos = "golden" in Greek, so Chryseobacterium means a golden/yellow rod similar to Flavobacterium). In 2005, a 16S rRNA phylogenetic tree of Chryseobacteria showed that C. meningosepticum along with C. miricola (which was reported to have been isolated from Russian space station Mir in 2001 and placed in the genus Chryseobacterium in 2003[3]) were close to each other but outside the tree of the rest of the Chryseobacteria and were then placed in a new genus Elizabethkingia named after the original discoverer of F. meningosepticum.[4]

Presence in plants[edit]
Two species of Elizabethkingia have recently been found to be abundant on the leaf and root surfaces of the tropical tree Gnetum gnemon in Malaysia.[5] Their role in the biology of the plant is unknown. Several other species of tropical trees studied did not have Elizabethkingia present on their leaves or roots, suggesting a host-specific relationship with Gnetum. . . . .

Infection[edit]

E. meningoseptica predominantly causes outbreaks of meningitis in premature newborns and infants in neonatal intensive care units of underdeveloped countries.

Some of the outbreaks have been linked to sources like contaminated lipid stock bottles, contaminated venous catheter lines and nutritional solution, and tap water. The bacterium is also a rare cause of nosocomial pneumonia, endocarditis, post-operative bacteremia, and meningitis in immunocompromised adults. Only recently has it also been found to cause soft tissue infection and sepsis in the immunocompetent[9] and in a case of a fatal necrotizing fasciitis in a diabetic patient.[10]

48 cases of Elizabethkingia infection resulting in 17 fatalities were reported in Wisconsin over a 5-month period beginning in November 2015.[11] . . . . Antimicrobial susceptibility[edit] -- This bacterium is usually multiresistant to antibiotics typically prescribed for treating gram-negative bacterial infections. …”



https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/disease/elizabethkingia.htm

Elizabethkingia
Last Revised: April 13, 2016

Elizabethkingia are bacteria that are rarely reported to cause illness in humans, and are uncommon colonizers of the respiratory tract.

The signs and symptoms of illness that can result from exposure to the bacteria can include fever, shortness of breath, chills or cellulitis. Confirmation of the illness requires a laboratory test.

Wisconsin 2016 Elizabethkingia anophelis outbreak

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), Division of Public Health (DPH) is currently investigating an outbreak of bacterial infections caused by Elizabethkingia anophelis.

The majority of patients acquiring these infections are over 65 years old, and all patients have a history of at least one underlying serious illness.

The Department quickly identified effective antibiotic treatment for Elizabethkingia, and has alerted health care providers, infection preventionists and laboratories statewide. Since the initial guidance was sent on January 15, there has been a rapid identification of cases and healthcare providers have been able to treat and improve outcomes for patients. DHS continues to provide updates of outbreak-related information that includes laboratory testing, infection control and treatment guidance.

SEE CHART -- Type of Cases Number of Cases
Wisconsin 2016 Elizabethkingia anophelis Outbreak:
Elizabethkingia infections believed to be associated with this outbreak reported to DPH*
Case counts between November 1, 2015 and April 13, 2016

Affected counties include Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Washington, Waukesha and Winnebago.

There have been 18 deaths among individuals with confirmed Elizabethkingia anophelis infections and an additional 1 death among possible cases for a total of 19 deaths. It has not been determined if these deaths were caused by the infection or other serious pre-existing health problems.




http://www.cbsnews.com/news/paralyzed-patient-regains-hand-movement-using-own-brain-signals/

Paralyzed man regains hand movement using own brain signals
By ASHLEY WELCH CBS NEWS
April 13, 2016, 1:46 PM

Photograph -- 03-ianguitar.jpg, Ian Burkhart, 24, plays a guitar video game as part of a study with neural bypass technology. A computer chip in Burkhart`s brain reads his thoughts, decodes them, then sends signals to a sleeve on his arm, that allows him to move his hand. COURTESY OF OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER
Photograph - 05-ianwithgroup.jpg, Patient Ian Burkhart, seated, poses with members of the research team (from left) Dr. Ali Rezai and Dr. Marcie Bockbrader of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Nick Annetta of Battelle during a neural bypass training session. COURTESY OF THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER


For the first time, a paralyzed person has been able to perform complex tasks involving hand, wrist, and finger movements using signals recorded from his own brain.

About six years ago, Ian Burkhart became a quadriplegic, losing all function in his arms and legs in a diving accident, just after completing his freshman year of college. He made headlines in 2014 when he became the first paralyzed person to use neural bypass technology called NeuroLife to pick up and hold a spoon using his own brainpower.

Today, with the help of a team of surgeons, engineers, and occupational therapists, the 24-year-old can control his hand and finger movements well enough to grasp and swipe a credit card, pick up a bottle and pour out its contents, and even play a guitar video game.

Researchers say the technology used to help Burkhart could one day assist others living with paralysis. Their findings are published in the journal Nature.

"This study marks the first time that a person living with paralysis has regained movement by using signals recorded from within the brain," study author Chad Bouton of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, New York, said in a press briefing. "This of course is an important result and finding as we try to pave the pathway for helping other patients in the future... with spinal cord injury."

Patients who have suffered from stroke and even traumatic brain injury may one day benefit from the treatment, as well, he said.

How it works

The researchers implanted a microelectrode chip in Burkhart's brain, which interprets his thoughts and brain signals using machine-learning algorithms. The signals then bypass the injured spinal cord and connect directly to a sleeve worn on his forearm that stimulates the muscles that control movement in the arm, hand, and fingers.

"Not only are we recording signals from within the brain and not only are we deciphering those signals and telling the difference between when Ian thinks about moving his thumb versus flexing his wrist or moving his index finger, we can actually take those signals and translate them into a language that the muscles can understand," Bouton said. "And we're linking those signals to muscle activation."

Burkhart is the first person to use this technology, which was invented by Battelle.

"The first time when I was able to open and close my hand, it really gave me a sense of hope for my future," he said.

Though being confined to a wheelchair is extremely limiting, Burkhart said not having use of his arms and hands is what really takes away his independence. "I have to rely on so many people for things," he said.

So the abilities he has regained so far could make a big difference in terms of how he can function in his day-to-day life.

"The complex task of picking up a bottle, pouring something in, then picking up a stir bar and stirring the contents of that bottle really can translate into a lot of functional daily tasks that I can't do on my own now," Burkhart said. "So that's something that if or when I can use the system outside of the clinical setting, it will really increase my quality of life and independence and decrease the amount of assistance I need from other people."

The ultimate goal, the researchers said, is to develop a less cumbersome, at-home version of the therapy that can be used by a number of patients.

"We're hoping that this technology will evolve into a wireless system connecting brain signals and thoughts to the outside world to improve the function and quality of life for those with disabilities," Dr. Ali Rezai, a co-author of the study and a neurosurgeon at Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center, said in a statement. "One of our major goals is to make this readily available to be used by patients at home."

Though the researchers could not give a specific timeline for when this might occur, they are hopeful that this technology will one day help more people living with paralysis.

"Ten years or so ago were not able to do this," Rezai said. "Just imagine what we will be able to do 10 years from now."



“For the first time, a paralyzed person has been able to perform complex tasks involving hand, wrist, and finger movements using signals recorded from his own brain. …. He made headlines in 2014 when he became the first paralyzed person to use neural bypass technology called NeuroLife to pick up and hold a spoon using his own brainpower. …. The researchers implanted a microelectrode chip in Burkhart's brain, which interprets his thoughts and brain signals using machine-learning algorithms. The signals then bypass the injured spinal cord and connect directly to a sleeve worn on his forearm that stimulates the muscles that control movement in the arm, hand, and fingers. …. The ultimate goal, the researchers said, is to develop a less cumbersome, at-home version of the therapy that can be used by a number of patients. "We're hoping that this technology will evolve into a wireless system connecting brain signals and thoughts to the outside world to improve the function and quality of life for those with disabilities," Dr. Ali Rezai, a co-author of the study and a neurosurgeon at Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center, said in a statement.”


This is a great article. Science marches on toward better and better things. See also the following website to see how Stephen Hawking’s brain to computer interface works, at: http://www.wired.com/2015/01/intel-gave-stephen-hawking-voice/, HOW INTEL GAVE STEPHEN HAWKING A VOICE, AUTHOR: JOAO MEDEIROS. JOAO MEDEIROS, BUSINESS DATE OF PUBLICATION: 01.13.15. Hawking is not able to move, but his brain interacts with a computer, giving him the ability to talk fluently if slowly, with the mechanical voice which is now familiar to people around the world.




http://www.npr.org/2016/04/13/473995512/adapting-to-a-more-extreme-climate-coastal-cities-get-creative

Adapting To A More Extreme Climate, Coastal Cities Get Creative
TEGAN WENDLAND, SUSAN PHILLIPS
April 13, 20164:12 PM ET

Photograph -- Jeff Hebert, who is leading New Orleans' efforts to adapt to rising sea levels, stands at the site of the future Mirabeau Water Garden, a federally funded project designed to absorb water in residential Gentilly., Tegan Wendland/WWNO
Photograph -- Gina Rucci stands by a new rain garden built in the parking lot of her restaurant in South Philadelphia. The improvements have cut her water runoff bill by 60 percent., Susan Phillips/WHYY
Photograph -- Poppi's Restaurant parking lot with the new rain garden that helps reduce runoff., Susan Phillips/WHYY
Related -- New Orleans: Post-Disaster Payments And Grants Pave Future
Photograph -- This aerial photo shows the island village of Kivalina, Alaska, a community of 400 people that is already receding into the ocean as a result of rising sea levels., THE TWO-WAY
Listen· 3:09 -- Tracking The Storm System That Wreaked Havoc Across The Nation
Related: Sea Levels Rose Faster Last Century Than In Previous 2,700 Years, Study Finds
Listen: New Orleans Prepares For Mississippi River Flooding, Queue
Related: SCIENCE -- Climate Change Worsens Coastal Flooding From High Tides
Photograph -- Cindy Minnix waits for a bus in a flooded street on Oct. 18, 2012, in Miami Beach. A changing climate is making floods related to high tides more frequent, scientists say.
Related: Philadelphia: Billing Undesirable Practices To Spur Green Investment


Coastal cities across the globe are looking for ways to protect themselves from sea level rise and extreme weather. In the U.S., there is no set funding stream to help — leaving each city to figure out solutions for itself.

New Orleans and Philadelphia are two cities that face very similar challenges of flooding from rising tides. But they've chosen to pay for the solutions in very different ways.

"One of the biggest challenges of the next several decades is going to be water — either too much of it or not enough," says Jeff Hebert, chief resilience officer in New Orleans.

In New Orleans, the problem is too much water. Hebert's job is to help the city prepare for disasters like hurricanes and rising sea levels.

"You see a lot of driveways that are buckling, the streets that are buckling, you see the foundations of these homes that are buckling," he says.

But it won't look like this for long. In January, New Orleans won a $141 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to build a "Resilience District."

It's an experiment with pervious surfaces and water-absorbing parks located in Gentilly, one of the worst-hit areas after Hurricane Katrina. It'll include water features in medians to reduce flooding, as well as lagoons and a pond.

Hebert points to a spot where he says a large sports field "will be allowed to inundate under water when it rains. You'll see almost a creek that will go through here."

The grant the city received is in addition to $2 billion in relief payments the city just received from FEMA for Katrina-related infrastructure damage.

Robin Keegan, who works with GCR, a consulting firm, helped the city apply for some of those grants. She says after Katrina, the city faced some hard choices.

"Every system that we had in place had to be looked at anew because everything was broken and we had to fix it," Keegan says.

She says the reason it's getting federal and private money to come up with new ways to deal with water, is because it's already been hit again and again.

"New Orleans is identified as a place that has gone through that thinking and is actually setting up the best practices and the models," Keegan says.

But of course, not every city has the cachet — or the same level of crisis — that New Orleans has.

In Philadelphia, those big checks from government and private entities aren't rolling in.

On the one hand, the city isn't as vulnerable as New Orleans. But some of its neighborhoods are expected to flood from rising tides along the Delaware River. To pay for upgrades, the city has to turn to its residents, who pay a stormwater fee each month. For most it's only a few bucks, but for others it can be a handful.

Gina Rucci operates Popi's, an Italian restaurant in South Philadelphia. Several years ago, she bought an adjacent property and turned it into a parking lot. Then she received a $330 bill.

"And I wasn't thinking about a water bill because there was no water on the lot," Rucci says.

It was a bill from the city for the water run-off from her parking lot. To reduce that bill, she recently found out about a program where the city encourages "green infrastructure" — things like rain gardens, tree trenches and green roofs.

"Once your own ground here becomes permeable, that water's not going that way; it's going to just sink," Rucci says. "And that's what you need it to do."

Today, she has cut her water runoff bill by 60 percent.

So far Philadelphia has built hundreds of green infrastructure projects in streets, parks and parking lots.

Chris Crockett, an engineer with Philadelphia's water department, is in charge of planning for climate change.

"Instead of doing these greener practices, we could just go and dig a hole to China and build a tunnel, but that has a huge carbon footprint," Crockett says.

And green infrastructure is cheaper — especially compared to more traditional engineering approaches like building a large concrete tunnel to hold the extra water. That hole-and-tunnel approach would have cost the city's ratepayers $10 billion and taken decades to complete. The thousands of rain gardens, green roofs, and tree trenches will cost the city around $2 billion.

Tegan Wendland is a reporter at member station WWNO and Susan Phillips is a reporter at member station WHYY.



“It's an experiment with pervious surfaces and water-absorbing parks located in Gentilly, one of the worst-hit areas after Hurricane Katrina. It'll include water features in medians to reduce flooding, as well as lagoons and a pond. Hebert points to a spot where he says a large sports field "will be allowed to inundate under water when it rains. You'll see almost a creek that will go through here." …. "New Orleans is identified as a place that has gone through that thinking and is actually setting up the best practices and the models," Keegan says. …. In Philadelphia, those big checks from government and private entities aren't rolling in. On the one hand, the city isn't as vulnerable as New Orleans. But some of its neighborhoods are expected to flood from rising tides along the Delaware River. To pay for upgrades, the city has to turn to its residents, who pay a stormwater fee each month. …. It was a bill from the city for the water run-off from her parking lot. To reduce that bill, she recently found out about a program where the city encourages "green infrastructure" — things like rain gardens, tree trenches and green roofs. "Once your own ground here becomes permeable, that water's not going that way; it's going to just sink," Rucci says. "And that's what you need it to do." Today, she has cut her water runoff bill by 60 percent. …. That hole-and-tunnel approach would have cost the city's ratepayers $10 billion and taken decades to complete. The thousands of rain gardens, green roofs, and tree trenches will cost the city around $2 billion.”


Great stuff! Cheaper and better, too. Rain that is needed by people can soak into the earth to grow plants and enter the water table. Several years ago the city of Atlanta, GA had a massive water shortage due to a long drought. The lake that functioned as their reservoir was almost dried up. Finally, it rained. Hopefully, though, all cities will create projects that manage and use water in much better ways. I believe a city with lots of water gardens and green rooftops will be more beautiful, too. While the Republicans in Congress keep saying that climate change is not real, or at any rate is not manmade (and therefore industrial and power plant emissions should not have to be reduced) the individual citizens and municipal governments are wading into the matter and working toward solutions. We still need government funding, though. I hope to find more articles like this. So intelligent and hopeful!




http://abcnews.go.com/International/marine-robot-finds-monster-depths-scotlands-loch-ness/story?id=38361852

Marine Robot Finds a 'Monster' in the Depths of Scotland's Loch Ness
By LOUISE DEWAST
Apr 13, 2016, 11:32 AM ET

PHOTO: Scientists and experts with The Loch Ness Project working on underwater surveying. Courtesy VisitScotland


A monster has been discovered in Scotland's famous Loch Ness -- but not exactly the Nessie that enthusiasts of the elusive creature may have been hoping for.

Scientists and experts were surveying the 755-foot deep body of water with a marine robot when they stumbled upon a 30-foot monster model from the 1970 film, "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes," directed by Billy Wilder and starring Robert Stephens and Christopher Lee.

"Although it is the shape of Nessie, it is not the remains of the monster that has mystified the world for 80 years," the official Scottish tourist board said in a statement. "It is thought the model sank after its humps were removed, never to be seen again -- until now."

For the past two weeks, experts from the Loch Ness Project, in conjunction with Kongsberg, a Norwegian company, have been looking for a trench in the depths of the Loch Ness. They have been working with Munin, a 13-foot long marine robot equipped with sonar imaging equipment.

"The trench was not there," Adrian Shine from the Loch Ness Project told ABC News. "But there's plenty to look for in the Loch Ness!"

A 27-foot long shipwreck was also uncovered, Shine added.

Despite no evidence of a real monster, the mystery surrounding its existence is worth an estimated $85 million to the Scottish economy, according to Scottish tourism officials, as thousands of visitors travel to Loch Ness and Drumnadrochit every year to try and catch a glimpse of the famous monster.



“Scientists and experts were surveying the 755-foot deep body of water with a marine robot when they stumbled upon a 30-foot monster model from the 1970 film, "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes," directed by Billy Wilder and starring Robert Stephens and Christopher Lee. "Although it is the shape of Nessie, it is not the remains of the monster that has mystified the world for 80 years," the official Scottish tourist board said in a statement. "It is thought the model sank after its humps were removed, never to be seen again -- until now." …. Despite no evidence of a real monster, the mystery surrounding its existence is worth an estimated $85 million to the Scottish economy, according to Scottish tourism officials, as thousands of visitors travel to Loch Ness and Drumnadrochit every year to try and catch a glimpse of the famous monster.”


I really do enjoy humans at our most playful and imaginative. I don’t believe in any supernatural entities, but I do love thinking about them. One of the old monster stories of the Kraken now looks to be the giant squid. At least twice now, they have been captured on video by scientists, as well as numerous cases of dead samples found floating up to the surface. Yuk! It seems that when they are healthy they stay down in the deepest levels of the ocean. Take a look at this website for Widder’s Ted Talk.

http://www.themarysue.com/edith-widder-ted-talk-squid/

Oceanographer Edith Widder Explains How She Found the Kraken for the Discovery Channel
she blinded me with science
by Susana Polo
Wednesday, March 6th 2013 at 9:33 am


VIDEO ONLY: “How we found the giant squid.” (8.39 minutes) --

Edith Widder is an oceanographer and inventor who, as she explains in her TED talk, put together a camera rig designed to be as interesting and unthreatening to a giant squid as possible. And while hearing about her process and reasoning behind the rig that captured much of the first footage of living giant squid in their natural habitat is definitely interesting, I think the camera that captured the reaction of these scientists and biologists upon seeing the squid for the first time deserves special mention as well.