السبت، 14 مارس 2015

Bored pilot draws penis on FlightRadar with private plane and 10 More

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Bored pilot draws penis on FlightRadar with private plane

We're at a cruising altitude of 41,000 feet and we're just going to be making penis shapes in the air today.

Awkward 'Final Jeopardy' with one contestant is painful to watch

Alex Trebek called the game, "Not one of our greatest days."

Obsessing over the perfect social media post is ruining your life, study says

Hunting for social media-worthy posts is ruining your life — and now there's proof.

Where the hell is Putin? Rumors swirl of botched Botox, cancer and death

It's been over a week since the Russian president made his last public appearance, prompting many to wonder what's become of him.

Monstrous Category 5 Cyclone Pam makes direct hit on tiny Vanuatu

Category 5 Cyclone Pam veered west of its forecast track, straight into the capital of the tiny nation of Vanuatu. Port Vila is likely to see major damage.

Nick Offerman and Chelsea Handler bare their butts on Esquire cover

Comedians Nick Offerman and Chelsea Handler showed another side of themselves on the April 'Esquire' cover.

Just a guy parachuting a snowmobile off a mountain. Casual.

A stunt team does the first-ever snowmobile paragliding.

Catastrophic damage feared in tiny Vanuatu after Category 5 Cyclone Pam

Catastrophic damage is feared in the tiny island nation of Vanuatu after Category 5 Cyclone Pam tore through the capital city of Port Vila and other areas.

10 pi facts for the most irrational Pi Day of your life

3/14/15 is the perfect, sequential Pi Day that happens only once in 1000 years.

The time may be near for Microsoft to surrender in mobile

As Windows Phone transitions to Windows 10 on phones, Microsoft is struggling harder than ever to stay relevant in mobile.

Michelle Obama and Ellen break it down to 'Uptown Funk'

Michelle Obama celebrated the fifth anniversary of the "Let's Move" campaign by dancing to "Uptown Funk" with Ellen DeGeneres.

Lincoln Tribune

Lincoln Tribune

Link to The Lincoln Tribune

This Week at NCDOT – March 13, 2015

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 09:58 AM PDT

RALEIGH — From the North Carolina mountains to the coast, the N.C. Department of Transportation has numerous programs, activities and initiatives in communities throughout the state. The following are highlights from the department this week. They are also featured in our weekly newscast, NCDOT Now, which can be viewed by clicking here. You can also download the episode by clicking here. Halifax County Amtrak Accident On Monday, North Carolina's Amtrak train 80, the Carolinian, was involved in an accident South of Roanoke Rapids in Halifax County. The passenger train was heading north from Charlotte to New York when it collided with a tractor-trailer on the tracks at the N.C. 903 and U.S. 301 rail crossing. NCDOT Division Four staff rushed to the scene to quickly set up detours and reroute traffic. Transportation Secretary Tony Tata also traveled to the site along with NCDOT Rail Division leaders to meet with the train crew and first responders, lend support and thank them for their quick response. While there, Tata checked on passengers at the Halifax Agricultural Center as they waited to board buses to complete their journey, as well as visited with staff at Halifax Regional Medical Center. NCDOT is continuing to work with authorities who are investigating the cause of the crash. Pothole Repair Crews across the state are working to fill potholes, which usually form during winter months when moisture seeps into cracks in the pavement, freezes, expands and then thaws. As traffic loosens the pavement, it eventually creates a pothole. Since most asphalt plants are not operating during winter months and "hot mix" asphalt is not available, crews are using "cold patch," as well as spray patchers, to fix the holes as an interim treatment. "Cold patch" is a premix that NCDOT stockpiles for winter pothole response. Crews will perform permanent patches with hot mix when it is available later this spring. If you see a pothole you can report it by calling 1-877-368-4968 or by filling out a form online at www.ncdot.gov/contact. Click on "County Contacts" on the left side of your screen and then select your county. Crews will prioritize repair work based on the size, depth and location of the pothole. Model Bridge Building Competition The regionals for the NCDOT Model Bridge Building Competition have been rescheduled for Friday, March 27, after recent snow and ice caused the department to postpone the event. The competition is an educational opportunity for middle and high school students to learn more about the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. "I think events such as the model bridge competition, and the job shadowing events that we do give students a much broader perspective of careers within transportation," said NCDOT Office of Education Initiatives Director Ashley Goolsby. For more information on the Model Bridge Building Competition, visit the NCDOT Office of Education Initiatives website. Passenger Ferry Test Runs NCDOT will soon begin test runs for passenger ferry service between Hatteras and Ocracoke village. These runs will help determine how long the voyage would take, how much fuel is needed and ultimately if passenger ferry service is a viable option. NCDOT commissioned a feasibility study last year to help solve summertime congestion on the Hatteras Inlet route. The test runs will take place May 4 and 5 on a catamaran-style ferry that carries 150 passengers. The study is scheduled to be completed by December. For more information on NCDOT Now, contact the NCDOT Communications Office at (919) 707-2660. ***NCDOT***
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ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News


Expanding blood pressure screenings beyond primary care can improve hypertension detection

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 10:09 AM PDT

Expanding blood pressure screenings to non-primary care settings can help identify more patients with high blood pressure, commonly called hypertension, and could contribute to better hypertension control and management, according to a study.

How cannabis use affects people with Bipolar Disorder

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 10:08 AM PDT

The first study to examine the use of cannabis in the context of daily life among people with Bipolar Disorder has shown how the drug is linked to increases in both manic and depressive symptoms. 

More than 2 million people die prematurely every year because treatment for kidney failure is unavailable

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 10:08 AM PDT

At best, only half of people worldwide needing kidney dialysis or transplantation to treat kidney failure in 2010 received it, new research shows. This suggests that at least 2.3 million people may have died prematurely from kidney failure because they could not access this life-saving treatment.

Energy drinks raise resting blood pressure, with effect most dramatic in those not used to caffeine

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PDT

Healthy young adults who don't consume caffeine regularly experienced greater rise in resting blood pressure after consumption of a commercially available energy drink — compared to a placebo drink — thus raising the concern that energy drinks may increase the risk of cardiac events, researchers found.

Common herpes medication reduces HIV-1 levels, independent of herpes infection

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PDT

Valacyclovir reduces HIV-1 levels — even when patients do not have herpes -- results from a resent study indicate. The result not only means that Valacyclovir can be used effectively with a broader range of HIV-1 patients, but also suggests promising new avenues for the development of HIV-fighting drugs. This insight is particularly significant given that some forms of HIV-1 have become resistant to existing medications.

Prolonged shortened sleep increases blood pressure at night, researchers find

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PDT

People exposed to prolonged periods of shortened sleep have significant increases in blood pressure during nighttime hours, researchers report in a small study of eight participants.

High-end imaging: New blending techniques

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PDT

Researchers have achieved the first "image fusion" of mass spectrometry and microscopy — a technical tour de force that could, among other things, dramatically improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Bariatric surgery appears to cut risks for serious asthma-related events

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 08:04 AM PDT

Bariatric surgery can significantly reduce the risk of asthma attacks -- also called exacerbations -- in obese patients with asthma, research shows. The report is the first to find that significant weight reduction can reduce serious asthma-associated events.

Enhanced flu protection: Four beats three

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 08:04 AM PDT

New research findings parallel earlier results: Adding a strain of influenza B could improve effectiveness of an influenza vaccine. Findings from this study of flu vaccines delivered by a small needle intradermally parallel earlier results that found adding a strain of influenza B could improve the effectiveness of a flu vaccine nasal spray and a traditional intramuscular vaccine that is injected as a shot in the arm muscle. All studies showed the addition of the B strain improved the antibody response to that strain and didn't weaken the body's immune response to other flu strains in the vaccine.

Big toe's big foot holds evolutionary key

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 07:18 AM PDT

Our skeletons hold tell-tale signs that show that human bipedalism are unique to humans especially when compared to our closest living relatives, apes. Exactly when these signs first appear in our evolutionary history is one of the fundamental questions driving Palaeoanthropology studies today. Scientists have now combined visualization techniques, engineering principles, and statistical analysis into a powerful new way of analyzing the structure of long bones.

Evolution of childbirth: Wider hips don't make locomotion easier, so why is labor so hard?

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 06:45 AM PDT

A new study found no connection between hip width and efficient locomotion, and suggests that scientists have long approached the problem in the wrong way. "This idea, that pelvic width for birth and pelvic width for locomotion are connected, is deeply ingrained in this discipline," said the first author of the study. "Everyone thinks they know this is true...but it's wrong, and it's wrong for two reasons. First, the way we had modeled the forces involved didn't make sense. Second, we found that you can't predict, from the width of the pelvis, how much energy someone is using, so we've been looking at this biomechanical problem entirely wrong."

Why do cells rush to heal a wound? Mysteries of wound healing unlocked

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 06:45 AM PDT

A multidisciplinary research team has discovered how cells know to rush to a wound and heal it -- opening the door to new treatments for diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The findings shed light on the mechanisms of cell migration, particularly in the wound-healing process. The results represent a major advancement for regenerative medicine, in which biomedical engineers and other researchers manipulate cells' form and function to create new tissues, and even organs, to repair, restore or replace those damaged by injury or disease.

Environmental tobacco smoke is associated with periodontitis in US non-smokers

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 05:36 AM PDT

Periodontitis affects approximately 47% of adults in the United States and the U.S. Surgeon General has concluded that cigarette smoking is one of its causes. Despite numerous adverse health effects of environmental tobacco smoke, an association between periodontitis and this "second-hand smoke" in non-smokers remains questionable. In this study, the researchers aimed to investigate the association between serum cotinine and periodontitis among U.S. non-smokers.

Birth weight and pregnancy complications associated with the enamel defects

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 05:36 AM PDT

A cross-sectional representative study aimed to assess the association between birth weight and severity of defects development of enamel (DDE) in the primary dentition. The sample was comprised 1,309 children five years of age, enrolled in kindergarten in the city of Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. The children were examined at school for the diagnosis of DDE. The mothers answered a questionnaire containing information of complications during pregnancy. The response variable was dichotomized in greater and lesser gravity of developmental defects of enamel, depending on the location of the DDE, when in the previous sector was considered minor and when he was in the posterior region or both, greater severity. The covariates were child gender, birth weight, prematurity, age of the mother during pregnancy and complications during pregnancy.

Genetically engineered immunotoxin shows early promise in patients with B-cell malignancies

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 05:36 AM PDT

DT2219, a new bispecific ligand-directed diphtheria toxin, was found to be safe and clinically effective in a small group of patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies, according to phase I clinical trial data.

Novel monitoring tools tackle chemical surface waters pollution

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 05:34 AM PDT

With the socio-economic developments of the last decades, new emerging compounds have been produced, released and discharged through different point and diffuse sources in European rivers, lakes, and marine-coastal and transitional waters. Treated municipal wastewaters contain a multitude of organic chemicals including pharmaceuticals, hormones, and personal care products, which are continuously introduced into aquatic ecosystems. Their possible effects on the environment and human health is often unknown.

Presentation is key in patient information, research suggests

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 05:34 AM PDT

The font type of written text and how easy it is to read can be influential when it comes to engaging people with important health information and recruiting them for potentially beneficial programs, new research has found.

Tablet use: significance of usage position, potential for neck damage

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 05:34 AM PDT

Tablet use has rocketed. Last year in the US, for example, 42% of under 18's owned one and more than half of 35-49 year olds used them regularly. This figure seems unlikely to decrease and yet only limited guidance is available on minimizing health risks. Tablet use requires significant head and neck flexion and has implications for potential neck injury to users. In a new article, researchers evaluate the head-neck biomechanics during tablet use, the implications for the neck musculature and future ergonomics recommendations.

Blood pressure drug protects against symptoms of multiple sclerosis in animal models

Posted: 13 Mar 2015 05:32 AM PDT

An FDA-approved drug for high blood pressure, guanabenz, prevents myelin loss and alleviates clinical symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in animal models, according to a new study. The drug appears to enhance an innate cellular mechanism that protects myelin-producing cells.

Minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery: Less painful, faster recovery, smaller incisions

Posted: 12 Mar 2015 07:16 PM PDT

A minimally invasive spinal fusion back surgery results in less blood loss, less postoperative pain, smaller incisions, a shorter hospital stay and faster recovery and return to work. Rather than cutting through paraspinal (back) muscles, the surgeon spreads and dilates the muscles to obtain access to the lumbar (lower back) spine.

New genome-editing technology to help treat blood cancers

Posted: 12 Mar 2015 05:22 PM PDT

A new genome editing technology has been developed that can target and kill blood cancer cells with high accuracy. Using the technology, researchers were able to kill human lymphoma cells by locating and deleting an essential gene for cancer cell survival.

Antibiotic nanoparticles attack respiratory infection at source, reduce drug side effects

Posted: 12 Mar 2015 05:21 PM PDT

Treating respiratory disease is often difficult because drugs have to cross biological barriers such as respiratory tissue and mucosa, and must therefore be given in large quantities in order for an effective amount to reach the target. Now researchers have shown that the use of nanoparticles to carry antibiotics across biological barriers can be effective in treating lung infections. Doing so allows better delivery of the drug to the site of infection, and hence prevents the development of antibiotic resistance which may be caused by too large and continued doses of antibiotic. Additionally, such a strategy might help to overcome the rapid metabolism and excretion of the antibiotic from the body, which happens when it is administered by traditional routes, either orally or intravenously.

Building a genomic GPS

Posted: 12 Mar 2015 02:38 PM PDT

A new 'app' for finding and mapping chromosomal loci using multicolored versions of CRISPR/Cas9, one of the hottest tools in biomedical research today, has been developed by scientists.

New protocol can help emergency departments evaluate patients with acute chest pain

Posted: 12 Mar 2015 02:37 PM PDT

A recently developed risk-evaluation protocol can help hospital emergency department personnel more efficiently determine which patients with acute chest pain can be sent home safely, according to a randomized trial.

Nine superfruits and super seeds to add to your diet

Posted: 12 Mar 2015 02:35 PM PDT

Although there is no universal standard definition of a super seed or superfruit, they are often described as providing a number of nutrients and health benefits all in one package. A new article describes nine seeds and superfruits that fit the bill for consumers' desire for natural, minimally processed foods.

Electronic cigarette vapors contain toxins, have potential to be a public health concern

Posted: 12 Mar 2015 12:38 PM PDT

On the heels of the Federal Drug Administration's (FDA) second public workshop to explore the public health considerations associated with e-cigarettes, researchers explore the composition of e-cigarette vapor and the potential health impacts of secondhand exposure.

Inflammatory factor IL-3 may play essential role in development of sepsis

Posted: 12 Mar 2015 11:29 AM PDT

A new study finds that Interleukin-3, an inflammatory factor most associated with allergic reactions, has an important role in the overwhelming, life-threatening immune reaction called sepsis. Investigators found that the presence of IL-3 is essential to the development of sepsis in a mouse model and that IL-3 levels in human patients with sepsis are higher in those at greater risk of dying.

Origin of lymphatic vasculature uncovered

Posted: 12 Mar 2015 09:35 AM PDT

A novel mechanism by which lymphatic vessels form during embryonic development has been described by researchers. The finding may open new possibilities for repairing damaged lymphatic vessels using stem cells, scientists say.