| News Capsules - May-June - Online Extra |
Computer Diagnoses
Better Than Human Doctors
A computer has been found to be
more accurate than doctors in
diagnosing certain brain diseases,
according to recent research.
Programmed to diagnose
Alzheimer’s from brain tissue, a
standard computer had a 96%
success rate. Standard scans,
blood tests, and interviews by a
clinician produced a success rate
of only 85%. The findings,
published in the journal Brain,
could lead to earlier diagnosis
and better treatment of dementias.
—news.bbc.uk (2/22/08)
Methane Gas Discovery
Worries Scientists
A huge source of methane gas,
more than a trillion tons, lies
under frozen lakes and the
permafrost of the Arctic. As the
region thaws, some of it is
bubbling out. This happening is
worrying climatologists but exciting
capitalists. The U.S. Geological
Survey thinks there may be more
organic carbon in the methane
than in all of the world’s coal, oil,
and nonhydrate natural gas
combined. However, the methane
could increase global warming.—
Discover (February, 2008)
Better Than Human Doctors
A computer has been found to be
more accurate than doctors in
diagnosing certain brain diseases,
according to recent research.
Programmed to diagnose
Alzheimer’s from brain tissue, a
standard computer had a 96%
success rate. Standard scans,
blood tests, and interviews by a
clinician produced a success rate
of only 85%. The findings,
published in the journal Brain,
could lead to earlier diagnosis
and better treatment of dementias.
—news.bbc.uk (2/22/08)
Methane Gas Discovery
Worries Scientists
A huge source of methane gas,
more than a trillion tons, lies
under frozen lakes and the
permafrost of the Arctic. As the
region thaws, some of it is
bubbling out. This happening is
worrying climatologists but exciting
capitalists. The U.S. Geological
Survey thinks there may be more
organic carbon in the methane
than in all of the world’s coal, oil,
and nonhydrate natural gas
combined. However, the methane
could increase global warming.—
Discover (February, 2008)
Smoking Ban Helps Irish
In March of 2004 Ireland became
the first country to ban smoking in
the workplace. A study reported in
2007 disclosed significant
improvement in air pollution and
health since that time. Air
pollutants in pubs declined 83%,
the carcinogen benzene declined
more than 80%, and
improvements in lung function of
pub workers were significant.—
Mayo Clinic Health Letter
(February, 2008)
No More Drugs?
Doctors at Massachusetts
General Hospital in Boston report
a breakthrough technique could
free organ transplant patients
from having to take anti-rejection
drugs for the rest of their lives.
The treatment involves injecting
the patient with bone marrow from
the organ donor after first
weakening the patient’s immune
system. The method tricks the
body into thinking the donated
organ is part of the patient’s
natural self.—CitizenLink.com-
reported in Clearly Caring (March-
April, 2008)
Find Oldest Recording
A 10-second recording of a
woman singing a French folk song
150 years ago has been played
for the first time. California
scientists were able to play the
“phonautograph”, which was
actually representations of sound
waves etched onto paper covered
with soot from an oil lamp. The
scientists made high-resolution
digital scans of the paper and
used a “virtual stylus” to read the
scrawls. A phonograph of Thomas
Edison singing in 1877 had been
thought to be the oldest such
record.—news.bbc.co.uk (3/28/08)
In March of 2004 Ireland became
the first country to ban smoking in
the workplace. A study reported in
2007 disclosed significant
improvement in air pollution and
health since that time. Air
pollutants in pubs declined 83%,
the carcinogen benzene declined
more than 80%, and
improvements in lung function of
pub workers were significant.—
Mayo Clinic Health Letter
(February, 2008)
No More Drugs?
Doctors at Massachusetts
General Hospital in Boston report
a breakthrough technique could
free organ transplant patients
from having to take anti-rejection
drugs for the rest of their lives.
The treatment involves injecting
the patient with bone marrow from
the organ donor after first
weakening the patient’s immune
system. The method tricks the
body into thinking the donated
organ is part of the patient’s
natural self.—CitizenLink.com-
reported in Clearly Caring (March-
April, 2008)
Find Oldest Recording
A 10-second recording of a
woman singing a French folk song
150 years ago has been played
for the first time. California
scientists were able to play the
“phonautograph”, which was
actually representations of sound
waves etched onto paper covered
with soot from an oil lamp. The
scientists made high-resolution
digital scans of the paper and
used a “virtual stylus” to read the
scrawls. A phonograph of Thomas
Edison singing in 1877 had been
thought to be the oldest such
record.—news.bbc.co.uk (3/28/08)
Frog Has Invisible Skin
Japanese scientists have created
a frog with skin so transparent its
internal organs are visible. Not
only might this development make
frog dissection unnecessary for
biology students, it could help
biologists study how organs
develop and respond to tumors or
toxins. The researchers from
Hiroshima U. bred Japanese
brown frogs having recessive
genes for light-colored skin.
Apparently, some transparent
frogs also exist in the wild.—
Discover (February, 2008)
Heated Sidewalks Now
Okay In Wisconsin
Wisconsin has lost the distinction
of being the only state with a ban
against heated sidewalks. Gov.
Jim Doyle signed a bill on March
26 that abolished the law, which
was established in 1980 in
response to the energy crisis of
the 1970s.—(Racine) Journal
Times (3/27/08)
Record Cold in
International Falls
International Falls, Minnesota
experienced its coldest
temperature on record February
11 when the thermometer
registered 40 degrees below zero.
Only a few days earlier the town
won a federal trademark making it
officially the “Icebox of the
Nation.” The previous record of
37 degrees below zero was set in
1967. Area residents use electric
block heaters to keep their cars
from freezing—cnn.com (2/11/08)
Japanese scientists have created
a frog with skin so transparent its
internal organs are visible. Not
only might this development make
frog dissection unnecessary for
biology students, it could help
biologists study how organs
develop and respond to tumors or
toxins. The researchers from
Hiroshima U. bred Japanese
brown frogs having recessive
genes for light-colored skin.
Apparently, some transparent
frogs also exist in the wild.—
Discover (February, 2008)
Heated Sidewalks Now
Okay In Wisconsin
Wisconsin has lost the distinction
of being the only state with a ban
against heated sidewalks. Gov.
Jim Doyle signed a bill on March
26 that abolished the law, which
was established in 1980 in
response to the energy crisis of
the 1970s.—(Racine) Journal
Times (3/27/08)
Record Cold in
International Falls
International Falls, Minnesota
experienced its coldest
temperature on record February
11 when the thermometer
registered 40 degrees below zero.
Only a few days earlier the town
won a federal trademark making it
officially the “Icebox of the
Nation.” The previous record of
37 degrees below zero was set in
1967. Area residents use electric
block heaters to keep their cars
from freezing—cnn.com (2/11/08)
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