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Comment Re:Glowing is cool, but the novelty is elsewhere (Score 1) 174

by damian cosmas (#28121757) Attached to: Fluorescent Monkeys Cast Light On Human Disease

I posted these when the article was on the firehose for the benefit of the non-technical audience, but I guess they don't carry over when the story gets promoted:

Summary:
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090527/full/459492a.html

Editorial:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v459/n7246/full/459483a.html

Summary for Scientists:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v459/n7246/full/459515a.html

Comment Links to Primary Source(s) (Score 1) 2

by damian cosmas (#28116131) Attached to: Fluorescent Monkeys Cast Light on Human Disease

Summary:
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090527/full/459492a.html

Editorial:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v459/n7246/full/459483a.html

Summary for Scientists:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v459/n7246/full/459515a.html

Actual Article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v459/n7246/full/nature08090.html
Biotech

Submission + - Fluorescent Monkeys Cast Light on Human Disease 2

Submitted by
Hugh Pickens
Hugh Pickens writes: "BBC reports that a team of Japanese scientists has integrated a new gene for green fluorescent protein into the common marmoset, causing them to glow green under ultraviolet light, creating second-generation, glow-in-the-dark monkeys in what could be a powerful new tool in human disease research. Though primates modified to generate a glowing protein have been created before, these are the first to keep the change in their bloodlines. If a fluorescent protein gene can be introduced into the monkey genome and passed onto future generations, other genes could be too opening up a world of possibilities for medical research, such as the generation of specific monkey colonies containing genetic defects that mirror human diseases aiding efforts to cure such diseases as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. However many people are likely to find the routine use of monkeys in medical research far less acceptable than that of rodents, drawing action from animal rights activists. "I'm worried that these steps are being taken without any overall public discussion about whether we want to go down that road. We may find ourselves gradually drifting towards the genetic engineering of human beings," says Dr David King, from the group Human Genetics Alert. "'Slippery slope' is a quite inadequate description of the process, because it doesn't happen passively. People push it forward.""

Comment Science reporting at its best! (Score 2, Informative) 188

by damian cosmas (#28055617) Attached to: Plastic and Fuel That Grow On Trees

The article reports the ground-breaking/unprecedented/whatever direct conversion of cellulose to HMF. Here's an earlier article from a different research group that the editors of "Gizmag" seem to be unaware of. It was published earlier and actually describes the same process from either cellulose or untreated biomass:

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ja808537j
The Internet

China Treats Internet Addiction Very Seriously 249

Posted by Zonk from the glad-i-don't-live-in-china dept.
eldavojohn writes "China has taken new extremes in preventing internet addiction in youths and is even offering boot camps to parents who want their child weaned from the electric teat. The article notes that 'no country has gone quite as far as China in embracing the theory that heavy Internet use should be defined as a mental disorder and mounting a public crusade against Internet addiction.' The article mentions the story of Sun Jiting who 'spends his days locked behind metal bars in this military-run installation, put there by his parents. The 17-year-old high school student is not allowed to communicate with friends back home, and his only companions are psychologists, nurses and other patients. Each morning at 6:30, he is jolted awake by a soldier in fatigues shouting, "This is for your own good!"' Sun found himself spending 15 hours or straight on the internet. Thanks to his parents' intervention and the treatment, he now has life mapped out until he's 84. "
NASA

Submission + - NASA Scientist: Stop Building Coal Power Plants

Submitted by
eldavojohn
eldavojohn writes: "Yesterday speaking as a private citizen & without authority from the U.S. space agency, James Hansen from NASA told Washington to stop building coal plants. From the article, "In his briefing to leaders of the press corps, entitled "Global Warming: Connecting the Dots from Causes to Solutions", Hansen said that evidence in the international scientific community shows global warming is occurring at a much faster pace than earlier forecasts predicted and that the burning of coal is a leading cause of elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which traps heat via the so-called greenhouse effect. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, coal-fueled power plants produce about half of the electricity consumed in America. Plans currently call for the construction of some 160 new coal-based facilities to meet future energy needs over the next decade." Hansen is a controversial but high ranking scientist at NASA who is a well known outspoken opponent of the Bush administration's handling & policies of environmental issues."
Quickies

Submission + - Global Warming No Big Deal for Earth

Submitted by anthemaniac
anthemaniac writes: Officials from 113 nations meeting in Paris have reportedly agreed to language that says global warming was "very likely" caused by human activity and is causing stronger hurricanes. Meanwhile, Scientists say Earth will survive just fine, as it has in the past when biology drove even more dramatic changes in climate. The question, they ask, is whether humans will make it.
Microsoft

Submission + - BBC considers catering for Microsoft users only

Submitted by pthompson
pthompson writes: In a public consultation at [1] the BBC is asking for views on whether its on-demand services should be made available only to those who use Microsoft software (Question 5). I'm sure the Slashdot community won't be shy in giving their opinion of that idea...

[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/consult/open-consult ations/ondemand_services.html
Programming

Submission + - Open source portal for grassroots carbon reduction

Submitted by
SAF
SAF writes: "Some volunteers in Cornwall, Ontario have gotten together this week to start a local carbon reduction initiative that will encourage the entire community to work together to fight climate change.

I sit on the technical committee and was asked to look into the details on creating a web portal that would keep the community up-to-date and allow them to log in and record what they are doing to reduce their CO2 output (example: I bike to work, I've purchase a hybrid car, etc).

I think that we're on the verge of seeing many concerned citizens come together to form these grassroots organizations and I see a need for an open source project that would provide them with a template to quickly and easily set up a carbon reduction information and tracking web portal.

This web portal template would have to:

*Be easily customizable to allow any group to add their organization's name, logo, local projects, etc, etc.

*Allow non-techies to easily update the website's information.

*Allow members of the community to log in and track what they are doing to reduce their CO2 output.

*Somehow connect to a back-end database to record this information.

Does anyone at Slashdot know if this currently exists? If not, is anyone interested in teaming up and creating one."
Media (Apple)

iPods Becoming Entrenched In Major League Baseball 115

Posted by samzenpus from the You-can-observe-a-lot-just-by-watching dept.
DreadfulGrape writes "ESPN.com reports on how video iPods are being used increasingly by baseball players to study opponents' game footage. In fact, Houston Astros' pitcher Jason Jennings credits the device with improving his game last summer." Jennings says, "Eventually, more than two-thirds of the roster had piled on and turned this team into baseball's official iSquad. Every player gets his own custom set of videos loaded onto his personal iPod, sorted by date, hitter, pitcher and opponent — and updated every week or so."
Television

Submission + - BBC's public consultation on new on-demand service

Submitted by
ico2
ico2 writes: "The bbc are taking suggestions for their new on-demand tv service.
Questions include "How important is it that [This service] is available to consumers who are not using Microsoft software?"

From the site:
The BBC Trust is carrying out its first Public Value Test (PVT) — a new procedure that must be applied when the Trust considers applications from BBC management for the approval of new BBC services.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/consult/open-consult ations/ondemand_services.html"
Media

Submission + - Cartoon Network publicity stunt zings Boston

Submitted by davidwr
davidwr writes: In a publicity stunt gone awry, Homeland Security and Boston police shut down part of the Charles River and diverted traffic all over Boston. At least 8 Cartoon Network Hunger Force advertisements in the form of circuit boards sporting a lighted Mooninite design. The ad campaign is running in 10 other cities and the Cartoon Network is now cooperating with officials to avoid further panic. When asked why he put the Boston police to so much trouble, one of the circuit boards is reported to have said "Cause I'm badass." Need news links? Try Google News.
User Journal

Journal Journal: Its now M.S.Science Vs.M.B.A

Journal by Usbanker
I am completing my Engineering Degree on Electronics and Instrumentation from one of the leading Engineering colleges.I am now confused about my future course of action.Many of my friends advise me to go for GRE to take up M.S.Science in any of the US Universities.Others stress that I should take up M.B.A as this will lead me to better career prospects. Dear Market stalwarts,can you please advise which course of action will be ideal in the present scenario to persue. Thanks

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