Bost 7 News

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Push for Deal Between Kosovo and Serbia Puts National Divisions on Display

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

The two countries’ presidents have been willing to discuss territorial swaps. But anger among voters is an opportunity for rival politicians, like Kosovo’s prime minister.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2Wfkg2r

Eastern Canada Grapples With Extreme Flooding

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Residents in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick have been forced to evacuate their homes after extreme flooding some have linked to climate change.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2DHtQUO

Abdication of Japan’s Emperor, Who Put a Human Face on the Monarchy

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Emperor Akihito, 85, the son of the wartime emperor Hirohito, will relinquish the Chrysanthemum Throne in a short ceremony on Tuesday afternoon.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2vuAuck

Sri Lanka, ISIS, British Police: Your Tuesday Briefing

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Let us help you start your day.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2Lr219F

survival of the throne: episode five: The Suitor With the Shaggy Hair

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Princess Mako was never getting anywhere near the Japanese throne. But the public still seemed to have a say over her romantic life.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2LczrZa

Survival of the throne: episode two: The Long Shadows of a Failed War

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

A Japanese royal sought to make peace with the lands his country had once conquered. But at home, too, there were fences to mend.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2Vy9rvy

Survival of the throne: Episode four: A Princess in a Cage

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

The survival of Japan’s monarchy rested on her shoulders. No one ever let her forget it.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2LdaYDj

Survival of the throne: episode three: The Reluctant Bride

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

She had her sights on a career in diplomacy. The Japanese prince had his sights on her.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2VDQ2ZS

MS-13 Gang Put Fake Body in Car, Then Detonated a Bomb When Police Came

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

A street gang in El Salvador wrapped a mannequin in blankets inside a car, then set off explosives when the police arrived to investigate, wounding two officers.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2vu6g9y

6 Killed in Attack on Church in Burkina Faso

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

The violence took place after Sunday services at a church in the country’s north, near the volatile border with Mali. A pastor was among those killed.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2V4LWe3

U.N. Issues Urgent Warning on the Growing Peril of Drug-Resistant Infections

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

A new report says the overuse of antimicrobial drugs in humans, animals and plants is fueling resistant pathogens that could kill 10 million people annually by 2050.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2V5QYH0

Poway Synagogue, Measles, ‘Game of Thrones’: Your Monday Evening Briefing

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Here’s what you need to know at the end of the day.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2PA3ysl

Sri Lanka, Japan, ISIS: Your Tuesday Briefing

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

ISIS leader resurfaces.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2PGRPZ2

For Sri Lanka’s Children, the Deepest Scars Are Not Physical

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Some suffered terrible injuries in the bombings. But for many others, witnesses to unimaginable scenes of carnage, the wounds are psychological.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2DCDXKs

Global Health: Measles Cases Surpass 700 as Outbreak Continues Unabated

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

The outbreak is now the worst in decades. Children under age 5 account for about half of the cases.

from NYT > World https://nyti.ms/2vuDTYS

Miniature transponder technology to be used in the war against ocean plastic

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(Newcastle University) An international team embarks on a new project to reduce marine litter through lost fishing gear.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2ZNOqfJ

Berkeley Lab science snapshots April 2019

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Three science briefs from Berkeley Lab.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2UOXWeu

New polymer films conduct heat instead of trapping it

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(Massachusetts Institute of Technology) MIT engineers have flipped the picture of the standard polymer insulator, by fabricating thin polymer films that conduct heat -- an ability normally associated with metals. In experiments, they found the films, which are thinner than plastic wrap, conduct heat better than many metals, including steel and ceramic.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2GKDruz

Sensor-based technologies are promising to support independent living for older women

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus) A study conducted at the University of Colorado College of Nursing on older women's perception of technology found that more active older adult women prefer wearable sensors for themselves and smart home sensors for their older parents.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2GM1xFb

Brain area tied to emotions is larger in vets, service members with mild TBI and PTSD

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(Veterans Affairs Research Communications) A new study finds that veterans and active-duty service members with combat-related PTSD and mild traumatic brain injury had larger amygdalas -- the region of the brain that processes such emotions as fear, anxiety, and aggression -- than those with only brain injuries.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2V5Gbgc

Astronauts might soon grow SPACE tomatoes

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(University of California - Riverside) Tiny tomato plants developed at the University of California, Riverside, could one day feed astronauts on the International Space Station. The plants have minimal leaves and stems but still produce a normal amount of fruit, making them a potentially productive crop for cultivation anywhere with limited soil and natural resources. Dubbed SPACE plants by the researchers, the technology could be applied to other plants to develop a suite of crops for agriculture on the International Space Station and future space colonies.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2V5cdZM

House hunting is a struggle for mixed-race families

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(Brigham Young University) Couples with a black partner were significantly more likely to move to a neighborhood that was racially diverse but less affluent. And because schools are generally funded through local property taxes, that means their children get fewer resources for their education.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2WiuQ9e

Patterns of compulsive smartphone use suggest how to kick the habit

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(University of Washington) UW researchers conducted in-depth interviews to learn why we compulsively check our phones.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2UNImje

NASA shows winds causing Tropical Cyclone Lorna's demise

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) NASA's Aqua satellite saw Tropical Cyclone Lorna was being torn apart by strong northwesterly wind shear in the Southern Indian Ocean.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2vtTzeO

NASA looks at Tropical Storm Fani's rainfall rates

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) Tropical Storm Fani formed in the Northern Indian Ocean over the weekend of April 27 and 28, 2019. The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite passed over the storm and measured rainfall occurring throughout the new storm.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2J3OLVt

UVA Engineering hosts National Academy of Engineering Regional Meeting and Symposium

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science) The day-long meeting, entitled 'Cyber-Physical Systems: The Defining Technologies of the 21st Century,' features distinguished speakers with expertise in cybersecurity, cyber-physical systems, smart cities, smart health and autonomous systems.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2Wf4aG2

Cosmic dust reveals new insights on the formation of solar system

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering) The study of a tiny grain of stardust -- older than our solar system -- is shining new light on how planetary systems are formed. Alongside planetary scientists at the University of Arizona, the grain was studied at the atomic-level by University of Toronto Engineering professor Jane Howe.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2Ldym3B

What makes memories stronger?

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology)) A team of scientists at NeuroElectronics Research Flanders (NERF- empowered by imec, KU Leuven and VIB) found that highly demanding and rewarding experiences result in stronger memories. By studying navigation in rats, the researchers traced back the mechanism behind this selective memory enhancement to so-called replay processes in the hippocampus, the memory-processing center of the brain.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2PDO32r

Water creates traps in organic electronics

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(Linköping University) Poor-quality organic semiconductors can become high-quality semiconductors when manufactured in the correct way. Researchers at Linköping University show in an article in Nature Materials that the motion of charges in organic electronic devices is dramatically slowed down by minute amounts of water.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2vudZUS

Record solar hydrogen production with concentrated sunlight

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) EPFL researchers have created a smart device capable of producing large amounts of clean hydrogen. By concentrating sunlight, their device uses a smaller amount of the rare, costly materials that are required to produce hydrogen, yet it still maintains a high solar-to-fuel efficiency. Their research has been taken to the next scale with a pilot facility installed on the EPFL campus.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2PDSWsw

Filaments and fibres three times finer than a human hair

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(University of Seville) The experts have discovered that there is a moment at which a polymer in liquid state -- specifically one that has been worked from polyethylene glycol, which is widely used in industry -- shows greater elasticity that, instead of breaking up and forming drops, the liquid experiences a stretching which causes filaments to be formed.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2V6tpy3

Samara Polytech innovations in cheese making

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(Samara Polytech (Samara State Technical University)) The recipe of each type of cheese is unique, primarily because it uses milk from local producers. This significantly affects the taste of the product. In addition, a unique method of preparing milk has been developed, new substances have been synthesized, giving the cheese a special piquancy.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2UQdkHT

Earlier detection of diabetic retinopathy with smartphone AI

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan) Equipping a smartphone to capture retinal images and utilizing artificial intelligence to interpret them may help overcome barriers to ophthalmic screening for people with diabetes, new Kellogg Eye Center research shows.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2VzPS5Z

'Pedigree is not destiny' when it comes to scholarly success

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

(Santa Fe Institute) A new analysis of academic productivity finds researchers' current working environments better predict their future success than the prestige of their doctoral training.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2VziPyO

Is the Digital Age Making Us Petty?

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Mobile payment apps help us keep track of shared costs but may also frustrate personal relationships. Research into perceived pettiness by Tami Kim, Ting Zhang, and Michael I. Norton.

from HBS Working Knowledge https://hbs.me/2UMndpY

Your genetic make-up has little impact on your dental health, new study finds

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

A new study estimates that one in three Australian children have tooth decay by the time they start school.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2vBVJcx
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Expert: Justin Trudeau's French isn't bad; Quebecers just don't think he belongs

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Quebec's criticism of Justin Trudeau's French serves to position him as an 'outsider' to Quebecois identity, according to a professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2PEekNX
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A promising new treatment for infants with Noonan syndrome

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Infants less than six months old with Noonan Syndrome, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure normally have a poor prognosis, with a one-year survival rate of 34%. In the new study, doctors used Trametinib to try to treat NS in two patients.They observed dramatic improvement of clinical and cardiac status in the patients only three months after treatment.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2GK7X7P
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EGLN inhibitor protects normal tissue and enables RT in mouse model of pancreatic cancer

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Administration of the EGLN inhibitor FG-4592 prior to ablative radiotherapy provided protection against fatal gastrointestinal bleeding and improved survival in a mouse model of unresectable pancreatic cancer.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2vuQHOR
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Test allows doctors to determine most effective treatment for women with breast cancer

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

A breast cancer test has been found that helps doctors make treatment decisions for some breast cancer patients, following research carried out at Queen Mary University of London and funded by Cancer Research UK.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2PArXOt
via IFTTT

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder prevalence is very high in susceptible groups worldwide

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

A major new review of the world literature has found that fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is 10 to 40 times higher in certain susceptible groups than the general population. These groups include children in care, people in correctional services or special education services, Aboriginal populations, and people using specialized clinical services.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2vqRujT
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Confidence in asthma inhaler technique doesn't match actual skills

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Many children with asthma think they are using their asthma inhaler medications correctly when they are not. A new study in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology finds African American school children, along with their parents, had misplaced confidence in their asthma inhaler technique.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2PBH4Hg
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A novel method for assessing combined risk of multiple tap water pollutants

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

The array of toxic pollutants in California drinking water could cause more than 15,000 cases of cancer, according to a peer-reviewed EWG study that is the first ever to assess the cumulative risk from all contaminants in the state's public water systems.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2vqwcCQ
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Readmission penalties for safety net hospitals drop under new rules

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Readmission penalties against hospitals providing care to socioeconomically disadvantaged patients have dropped 14 percentage points under new rules adopted in 2019 that more equitably account for low-income populations being served, according to a new analysis led by UT Southwestern Medical Center and Harvard researchers.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2UPKXJI
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Diving into the details: A lipid-binding pocket is a target for new cancer therapies

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Cell growth is tightly controlled; however, cancer cells overcome the normal growth controls and proliferate uncontrollably. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina examined the molecular details underlying the interaction of ceramide, a lipid that plays a critical role in several signaling pathways, with a protein complex involved in modulating cell growth. They showed that ceramide and a similar compound, fingolimod, disrupt the interaction of SET with PP2A to repress cell growth.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2ZNFCqb
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Berkeley Lab science snapshots April 2019

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Three science briefs from Berkeley Lab.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2UOXWeu
via IFTTT

The Tietê, São Paulo State's main river, is filtered by dam reservoirs

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Reservoir cascade steadily improves water transparency by retaining matter in suspension that affects light absorption, as measured by a study conducted in Brazil.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2UNCaIn
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Federal research significant in environmental rule-making

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Federally-sponsored science plays a more significant role in bringing together stakeholders and facilitating environmental governance debates than all other types of research, according to an international team of researchers.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2ZFFzwt
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'Right' cover-crop mix good for both Chesapeake and bottom lines

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Planting and growing a strategic mix of cover crops not only reduces the loss of nitrogen from farm fields, protecting water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, but the practice also contributes nitrogen to subsequent cash crops, improving yields, according to researchers.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2UNGqr9
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African-American moms are helicopter parents too, but endgame is survival

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

African-American moms share many traits with helicopter parents, specifically when it comes to being overprotective and hypervigilant about their children's lives. But their goal is not only to get them into college. It's survival. That's the conclusion of a study recently published in The Professional Counselor, which documents the experience of African-American mothers raising boys and young men in the United States.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2JbeFqz
via IFTTT

New polymer films conduct heat instead of trapping it

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

MIT engineers have flipped the picture of the standard polymer insulator, by fabricating thin polymer films that conduct heat -- an ability normally associated with metals. In experiments, they found the films, which are thinner than plastic wrap, conduct heat better than many metals, including steel and ceramic.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2GKDruz
via IFTTT

Sensor-based technologies are promising to support independent living for older women

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

A study conducted at the University of Colorado College of Nursing on older women's perception of technology found that more active older adult women prefer wearable sensors for themselves and smart home sensors for their older parents.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2GM1xFb
via IFTTT

Brain area tied to emotions is larger in vets, service members with mild TBI and PTSD

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

A new study finds that veterans and active-duty service members with combat-related PTSD and mild traumatic brain injury had larger amygdalas -- the region of the brain that processes such emotions as fear, anxiety, and aggression -- than those with only brain injuries.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2V5Gbgc
via IFTTT

Oral cancer detection by dentists is significantly on the rise

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

After examining data gathered over an 11-year period in a first-of-its-kind provincial study, University of Toronto clinician-scientist Marco Magalhaes says that dentists in Ontario are detecting more cases of oral cancer and pre-cancer than ever before -- and it's saving lives.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2IUaVKL
via IFTTT

House hunting is a struggle for mixed-race families

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Couples with a black partner were significantly more likely to move to a neighborhood that was racially diverse but less affluent. And because schools are generally funded through local property taxes, that means their children get fewer resources for their education.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2WiuQ9e
via IFTTT

Parasitoid wasps may turn spiders into zombies by hacking their internal code

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

A hijacked hormone may zombify spiders, altering their web-spinning behavior to favor wasp parasites.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2DPqzD1
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Patterns of compulsive smartphone use suggest how to kick the habit

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

UW researchers conducted in-depth interviews to learn why we compulsively check our phones.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2UNImje
via IFTTT

Study: Mindfulness may help decrease stress in caregivers of veterans

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Caregivers of veterans who engaged in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy found it relieved stress, anxiety and worry, according to a new study led by University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Sandraluz Lara-Cinisomo.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2GPL3NI
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FSU researcher finds hate crimes committed by groups hurt the most

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Brendan Lantz, an assistant professor in the FSU College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, found that co-offending, or committing a crime with others, was significantly related to increased chances of serious injury regardless of the motivation behind the crime.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2LbDmpq
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Research suggests strategy for more equitable Medicare reimbursement

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Those who were enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid were sicker, had more cognitive impairments and difficulty functioning, and needed more social support than those who were not enrolled in both government programs, Saint Louis University research found. These patients also had significantly higher healthcare costs.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2DDXhXU
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Plant cells eat their own ... membranes and oil droplets

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Biochemists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered two ways that autophagy, or self-eating, controls the levels of oils in plant cells. The study describes how this cannibalistic-sounding process actually helps plants survive, and suggests a way to get bioenergy crops to accumulate more oil.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2WeDNAe
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US 1 of 8 nations where child & adolescent health improved but maternal mortality worsened

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

The United States is one of only eight countries in the world where decreases in child and adolescent mortality over a 27-year period haven't also been matched by reductions in maternal mortality, according to a new scientific study. This divergent trend also was found in American Samoa, Canada, Greece, Guam, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Zimbabwe. Of these countries, the United States had the largest increase in maternal mortality rate at 67.5%.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2PzJh6d
via IFTTT

NASA shows winds causing Tropical Cyclone Lorna's demise

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

NASA's Aqua satellite saw Tropical Cyclone Lorna was being torn apart by strong northwesterly wind shear in the Southern Indian Ocean.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2vtTzeO
via IFTTT

NASA looks at Tropical Storm Fani's rainfall rates

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Tropical Storm Fani formed in the Northern Indian Ocean over the weekend of April 27 and 28, 2019. The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite passed over the storm and measured rainfall occurring throughout the new storm.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2J3OLVt
via IFTTT

Your present self is your best future self, according to new research

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Predicting similarity over time is strongly related to happiness later on in life according to new study appearing Social Psychological and Personality Science.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2GPIoDy
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Why Everyone Is Watching TV With Closed Captioning On These Days

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Jason Kottke: A few months ago I noticed that several friends (who speak English and aren't deaf) routinely watch TV and movies with closed captions and subtitles on. I asked about this on Twitter and the resulting thread was fascinating. Turns out many of you watch TV this way for all kinds of different reasons -- to follow complex dialog in foreign or otherwise difficult accents, some folks better retain information while reading, keeping the sound down so as not to wake sleeping children in tight living spaces, and lots of people who aren't deaf find listening difficult for many reasons (some have trouble listening to dialogue when thereâ(TM)s any sort of non-ambient noise in the background).

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2vt5RUT

US Will Rethink Cooperation With Allies Who Use Huawei

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Washington does not see any distinction between core and non-core parts of 5G networks and will reassess sharing information with any allies which use equipment made by China's Huawei, a U.S. cybersecurity official said on Monday. From a report: "It is the United States' position that putting Huawei or any other untrustworthy vendor in any part of the 5G telecommunications network is a risk," said Robert Strayer, deputy assistant secretary for cyber, international communications and information policy at the State Department. "If other countries insert and allow untrusted vendors to build out and become the vendors for their 5G networks we will have to reassess the ability for us to share information and be connected with them in the ways that we are today," he said. Further reading: UK To Let Huawei Firm Help Build 5G Network.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2GS906Q

A Bitter Turf War is Raging on the Brexit Wikipedia Page

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Wikipedia editors are battling to tell the story of Brexit as it happens. And on such a hotly-debated page, every edit is controversial and suspicions run wild. From a report: Editors are parrying death threats, doxxing attempts and accusations of bias, as the crowdsourced epic has become the centre of a relentless tug-of-war over who gets to write the history of the UK as it happens. Originally posted in January 2014, what began life as "Proposed referendum on United Kingdom membership of the European Union" has bloated into a 11,757-word behemoth. But the article's vast size is the least of its problems. In private, and on discussion pages, editors tell tales of turf wars, sock puppet accounts, and anonymous figures hellbent on stuffing the article with information that supports their point of view. "I was heavily involved with the Brexit page, but gave up more than a year ago because the level of bias on it proved impossible to address and the aggravation of trying to deal with that was not worthwhile," says EddieHugh, a Wikipedia editor who has made 186 edits on the Brexit page -- making them one of its most prolific contributors. Since leaving the page behind, EddieHugh now specialises in editing entries about obscure mid-century jazz musicians. For the dedicated cabal of Wikipedians who are still editing the page, the battle against bias is never-ending. [...] One sentence Snoogans added to the page's opening paragraphs is particularly divisive. Early on the article refers to a "broad consensus" among economists that Brexit will damage the UK economy. Soon after he added the sentence, other editors tried to remove the edit, arguing that economists aren't reliable enough to be included in Wikipedia articles. Wikipedia's rules don't contain specific guidelines about economists, but recommend that "academic and peer-reviewed publications, scholarly monographs and textbooks" should be used as sources where possible.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2UOIi2L

Robotics Startup Anki Shuts Down After Burning Through Almost $200 Million

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Anki, the San Francisco startup behind AI-imbued robotics toys like Overdrive, Cozmo, and Vector, today shuttered its doors after raising close to $200 million in venture capital from Index Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, J.P. Morgan, Andreessen Horowitz, and other investors. From a report: According to Recode , it'll lay off its entire workforce of just over 200 employees, each of whom will receive a week of severance. A failed round of financing was reportedly to blame. CEO Boris Softman told employees last week that a deal failed to materialize "at the last minute," as did acquisition interest from companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Comcast. Anki claimed to have sold 6.5 million devices total, and 1.5 million robots last August alone. (Cozmo was the top-selling toy on Amazon in 2017 with a community of more than 15,000 developers.) And in fall 2018, the company revealed that revenue was close to $100 million in 2017, a figure it expected to beat the subsequent year.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2GRrjcz

Microsoft Outlook Email Breach Targeted Cryptocurrency Users

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Earlier this month, we learned that Microsoft's email services were compromised. Multiple victims now say that hackers stole their cryptocurrency. From a report: Now, multiple victims have come forward to flag what they believe may be one of the motivating reasons behind the breach: emptying peoples' cryptocurrency accounts. "The hackers also had access to my inbox allowing them to password reset my Kraken [dot] com account and withdrawal [sic] my Bitcoin," Jevon Ritmeester, a Microsoft user that the company alerted to the data breach, told Motherboard in an email, referring to popular cryptocurrency exchange Kraken. For verification purposes, Ritmeester provided Motherboard with the breach notification emails he received from Microsoft, as well as a screenshot showing what he said was an email forwarding rule the hackers set up: anytime an email mentioned the term "Kraken," his account would automatically forward it to a Gmail address presumably controlled by the hackers. [...] It appears Ritmeester isn't the only person who hackers stole cryptocurrency from due to the Microsoft breach.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2PEsleH

How an Obsolete Medical Device With a Security Flaw Became a Must-Have For Some Patients With Type 1 Diabetes

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

From a report on The Atlantic: In 2014, a few hackers realized that the security flaw in certain Medtronic pumps could be exploited for a DIY revolution. Type 1 diabetes is a disease where the pancreas is unable to produce insulin to control blood sugar. For years, Boss (the anecdote in the story who purchased used insulin pumps from some dealer on Craiglist) had counted, down to the gram, the carbohydrates in every meal and told his pump how much insulin to dispense. [...] By 2014, the hardware components of a DIY artificial pancreas -- a small insulin pump that attaches via thin disposable tubing to the body and a continuous sensor for glucose, or sugar, that slips just under the skin -- were available, but it was impossible to connect the two. That's where the security flaw came in. The hackers realized they could use it to override old Medtronic pumps with their own algorithm that automatically calculates insulin doses based on real-time glucose data. It closed the feedback loop. They shared this code online as OpenAPS, and "looping," as it's called, began to catch on. Instead of micromanaging their blood sugar, people with diabetes could offload that work to an algorithm. In addition to OpenAPS, another system called Loop is now available. Dozens, then hundreds, and now thousands of people are experimenting with DIY artificial-pancreas systems -- none of which the Food and Drug Administration has officially approved. And they've had to track down discontinued Medtronic pumps. It can sometimes take months to find one. Obviously, you can't just call up Medtronic to order a discontinued pump with a security flaw. "It's eBay, Craigslist, Facebook. It's like this underground market for these pumps," says Aaron Kowalski, a DIY looper and also CEO of JDRF, a nonprofit that funds type 1 diabetes research. This is not exactly how a market for lifesaving medical devices is supposed to work. And yet, this is the only way it can work -- for now.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2Wkp8DP

Cloud Database Removed After Exposing Details on 80 Million US Households

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

The addresses and demographic details of more than 80 million US households were exposed on an unsecured database stored on the cloud, independent security researchers have found. From a report: The details listed included names, ages and genders as well as income levels and marital status. The researchers, led by Noam Rotem and Ran Locar, were unable to identify the owner of the database, which until Monday was online and required no password to access. Some of the information was coded, like gender, marital status and income level. Names, ages and addresses were not coded. The data didn't include payment information or Social Security numbers. The 80 million households affected make up well over half of the households in the US, according to Statista. "I wouldn't like my data to be exposed like this," Rotem said in an interview with CNET. "It should not be there." Rotem and his team verified the accuracy of some data in the cache but didn't download the data in order to minimize the invasion of privacy of those listed, he said.

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from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2VBlJmS

Walmart Bets on TV Shows for Families, Date Night in Media Push

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Walmart already sells more TVs than anyone. Now it wants to make the shows you watch on them, too. From a report: The retailer plans to bankroll at least a half-dozen original programs over the next year, and will unveil the first few to advertisers in New York this week, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing people familiar with the plans said. Walmart has talked with several Hollywood studios about rebooting family-friendly projects from years ago, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren't public yet. Walmart's slate is supposed to lure more viewers to Vudu, a company-owned streaming service that already offers free programs with commercials, along with online rentals and sales of movies and shows. [...] With streaming starting to supplant DVDs, Walmart acquired Vudu in 2010 to gain a foothold in the burgeoning market for online entertainment. But the service has been an also-ran, while Netflix, Google, Apple and Amazon built global audiences in the tens of millions. [...] Unlike Netflix and Amazon, Walmart isn't going to sell its customers a subscription. It sees an opportunity to generate cash by using shows on Vudu to advertise products. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer has been pitching advertising agencies in recent weeks, eager to line up deals in time for its presentation this week.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2IQ9o8a

Propelled By Spread of Misinformation About Vaccines, Measles Outbreak Hits 'Completely Avoidable' 25-Year-High in the US

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

The number of measles cases in the United States has reached a 25-year peak, propelled by the spread of misinformation about the vaccine that can prevent the disease, federal health officials said on Monday. From a report: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 704 cases as of April 26, a 1.3 percent increase since the most recent tally of 695 reported on Wednesday. The vast majority of cases have occurred in children who have not received the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, which confers immunity to the disease, officials said. "The suffering we are seeing today is completely avoidable," U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Monday. "We know vaccines are safe because they're among some of the most studied medical products we have." A vocal fringe of U.S. parents refuse to vaccinate their children believing, contrary to scientific evidence, that ingredients in them can cause autism or other disorders.

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from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2GRGDWE

Microsoft Confirms It's Distancing Itself From Minecraft Creator 'Notch'

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Minecraft creator Marcus 'Notch' Persson, who sold the title to Microsoft for $2.5 billion in 2014, won't be part of 10-year anniversary plans for the game because of his "comments and opinions," Microsoft said in a statement. From a report: Minecraft's creator Marcus Notch Persson has recently made some seemingly controversial white supremacist and transphobic comments via Twitter that have all but forced Microsoft to put some space between itself and the games creator. "His comments and opinions do not reflect those of Microsoft or Mojang and are not representative of 'Minecraft'," a Microsoft spokesperson said. Fortunately, Persson's has had little to no involvement with Minecraft since its sale to Microsoft for $2.5 billion back in 2014, so it's been easier for the company to remove loading screen text that referenced Notch as well as uninviting him from future Minecraft events such as the 10-year anniversary shindig coming up soon.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2JaWnFV

Google Hasn't Updated Android Distribution Data In 6 Months

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

An anonymous reader writes: The Android developer website hosts a distribution dashboard that details the adoption of Google's mobile operating system versions. With over 2 billion active Android devices out there, this is useful information that Google updates on a monthly cadence. But Google stopped updating the page last year -- today marks the six-month mark. We've reached out to Google multiple times in the past half a year. In January, Google told us that the dashboard was undergoing site maintenance and that we'd hear back when it's fixed. In April, the company declined to comment.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2GR34en

Apple Says It Restricted Screen Time-like Apps Due To Concerns Over Children Privacy

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Apple has issued a rare public statement following a report by the New York Times on Saturday that alleged Apple was cracking down on apps that its Screen Time feature emulates. From a report: The Times story says that over the past year, Apple has removed or restricted at least 11 of the 17 apps that offer Screen Time-like features. Screen Time is a feature on iOS 12 and later that allows a user to see how much time they spend on their iPhone, what apps they use the most, and the ability for the user or parents of the users to set limitations on the apps. While it's true that Apple has removed some of the apps from the App Store since the company introduced its Screen Time software, the company's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, said the Times did not publish the full reason Apple gave them as to why some of the competing apps were pulled. From Apple's response: Over the last year, we became aware that several of these parental control apps were using a highly invasive technology called Mobile Device Management, or MDM. MDM gives a third party control and access over a device and its most sensitive information including user location, app use, email accounts, camera permissions, and browsing history. We started exploring this use of MDM by non-enterprise developers back in early 2017 and updated our guidelines based on that work in mid-2017. MDM does have legitimate uses. Businesses will sometimes install MDM on enterprise devices to keep better control over proprietary data and hardware. But it is incredibly risky -- and a clear violation of App Store policies -- for a private, consumer-focused app business to install MDM control over a customer's device. Beyond the control that the app itself can exert over the user's device, research has shown that MDM profiles could be used by hackers to gain access for malicious purposes.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2DChDAE

Sudan protesters say army trying to break up sit-in

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Sudan's protest leaders say the military is trying to break up their sit-in outside army headquarters in the capital Khartoum.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2Lmh1VU

Iraq's undocumented children: 45.000 IDPs denied basic rights

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

After ISIL's defeat in Iraq, IDP children struggle to obtain education, healthcare, without adequate identification.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2VvP5D9

EU extends ban on arms sales to Myanmar over Rohingya crisis

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

The measures, including embargo on weapons and other equipment, to stay until at least April, 30 2020.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2ZK7lrx

China 'to help' Cambodia if EU implements trade sanctions

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

The EU said it would launch action because of 'severe deficiencies when it comes to human rights and labor rights'.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2PDxaEZ

Beijing's 'baleful influence' on Hong Kong's freedom of speech

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Activists say jailing Umbrella Movement leaders shows how freedom of speech is being restricted in the city.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2GWVIFl

US Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein sends resignation to Trump

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Rosenstein's departure ends a nearly two-year run defined by his appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2J9Etmy

US combat veteran arrested for plot to cause 'mass casualties'

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Officials say Mark Domingo was arrested as he finalised plans for an attack to 'cause the maximum number of casualties'.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2PDK5GV

Indonesia plans to move capital from Jakarta

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

President Widodo decided at a special Cabinet meeting to move the capital outside of Indonesia's populous island, Java.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2vpqz82

Trump, Erdogan discuss working group on Russian S-400

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Turkey's President Erdogan says he won't step back from the deal to acquire missile defence system despite US pressure.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2UQLtY5

Amnesty: Iran secretly executes two minor boys over rape

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Teenage cousins kept in dark about death sentences and flogged before executions, rights group says.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2ZBM970

Can Iran close the Strait of Hormuz?

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Tehran threatens to shut off waterway to one of the world's most important shipping channels.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2UQLsmZ

ISIL fighters' families stage German protest for their return

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

According to interior ministry, at least 59 children of German ISIL fighters were still in Syria at the end of March.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2ZSTpvA

ISIL chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi appears in propaganda video

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Unclear when footage was filmed but Baghdadi purportedly refers to Sri Lanka attacks and fight for Syria's Baghouz.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2ZNak2H

Sudan's army rulers, protesters differ on joint council make-up

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Joint council, if agreed, would replace existing 10-member military body that took power after al-Bashir's overthrow.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2vq1B8s

DR Congo opposition leader calls for removal of president

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Self-proclaimed opposition "president-elect" claims the presidential election in December was rigged.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2PAWYBB

US: Young migrants seeking legal status sue Trump administration

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

In latest lawsuit of its kind, four young migrants say the US government is unfairly denying their claims.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2J9ozsm

Spain election: Socialists likely to form coalition

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

It remains to be seen if the Socialists will be able to form a coalition for a stable and effective government.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2IOdQV6

Ugandan pop star opposition MP Bobi Wine arrested again

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Musician-turned-politician charged with leading a protest in Kampala last year without prior approval, police say.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2IS9GLU

Spain election: Catalan independence dream still alive

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Catalans have not forgotten their pro-independence leaders after eighteen months in prison.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2IOQ4sa

Dozens killed after Cyclone Kenneth batters northern Mozambique

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Tens of thousands of homes damaged or destroyed by second major storm to hit Mozambique in six weeks, officials say.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2IYFE8y

US measles outbreak hits 'completely avoidable' 25-year-high

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

CDC reports 704 measles cases so far this year. The vast majority occurred in children who haven't received the vaccine.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2GHZl1J

Spain's Socialists dominate vote but new government uncertain

By April 30, 2019 No comments:

Leader Pedro Sanchez celebrates after his Socialist party wins the most seats in Sunday's vote, but questions remain.

from Al Jazeera English http://bit.ly/2WcbSAN

Lithuanian researchers are developing a system for quality post-stroke rehabilitation

By April 29, 2019 No comments:

(Kaunas University of Technology) Researchers of Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) and Italian high-tech company Gruppo Fos Lithuania are developing innovative technology for the personalized care of the patients who have experienced a stroke.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2ZG1zHq

Fleming's method in miniature

By April 29, 2019 No comments:

(ETH Zurich) Scientists in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich in Basel have developed a method with which they can quickly test a very large number of molecules for antibiotic effect. With it, they have already successfully discovered new antibiotic candidates produced by microorganisms. In the future, they will use their new technology to examine soil samples and the microbiome on human skin for medically useful microorganisms.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2UNSd8L

Insilico to present at the FT US Pharma and Biotech Summit

By April 29, 2019 No comments:

(InSilico Medicine, Inc.) Insilico to present at the FT US Pharma and Biotech Summit.

from EurekAlert! - Technology, Engineering and Computer Science http://bit.ly/2DDs7Qe

Wax helps plants to survive in the desert

By April 29, 2019 No comments:

The leaves of date palms can heat up to temperatures around 50 degrees Celsius. They survive thanks to a unique wax mixture that is essential for the existence in the desert.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2ZBaGcm
via IFTTT

Fleming's method in miniature

By April 29, 2019 No comments:

Scientists in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich in Basel have developed a method with which they can quickly test a very large number of molecules for antibiotic effect. With it, they have already successfully discovered new antibiotic candidates produced by microorganisms. In the future, they will use their new technology to examine soil samples and the microbiome on human skin for medically useful microorganisms.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2UNSd8L
via IFTTT

Alcohol ads in sport fuel drinking culture

By April 29, 2019 No comments:

Repeated exposure to alcohol advertising in sport -- either at venues or during media coverage of matches -- can have long-term effects on drinking attitudes, according to a new international study.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2vtvdSk
via IFTTT

Major findings help understand bacteria's 'superglue'

By April 29, 2019 No comments:

Molecular details on how harmful bacteria attach to the human body have been revealed for the first time by researchers from the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS). This new knowledge could have huge impacts in anti-microbial development.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2PzPq29
via IFTTT

New study aims to validate pediatric version of sequential organ failure assessment

By April 29, 2019 No comments:

A new study aims to validate the pediatric version of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score in the emergency department setting as a predictor of mortality in all patients and patients with suspected infection.

from EurekAlert! - Breaking News http://bit.ly/2vqWULF
via IFTTT

Samsung Thinks Millennials Want Vertical TVs

By April 29, 2019 No comments:

The latest addition to Samsung's TV range is the Sero, a 43-inch TV that was designed with the millennial generation in mind and therefore pivots between horizontal and vertical orientations. From a report: It's a much smarter idea than the phrase "vertical TV" would lead you to believe. Acknowledging that most mobile content is vertical, Samsung says the Sero is designed to encourage young people to project more of their smartphone stuff onto the TV by allowing it to go vertical. Throwing in 4.1-channel, 60W speakers along with an integrated navy stand and a minimalist rear design, Samsung seems to hope this TV will function as both a music streaming hub and a handsome piece of furniture. When it's not used as a conventional TV or a phone enlarger, the Sero can also serve as a huge digital photo frame or a music visualizer, and Samsung's Bixby voice assistant will be on hand, too. Samsung intends to put the Sero on sale for 1.89m KRW (around $1,600) in its home market of South Korea at the end of May.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://bit.ly/2ZKKwUz

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