'Chasing Coral' wins an Emmy Award for Outstanding Nature Documentary

I concluded PBS NewsHour and Al Gore explain the latest IPCC climate report with the topic of today's bonus entry.

Speaking of award-winning environmental films that examine climate change, I need to follow up on "Chasing Coral" and the outcome of its nomination for Outstanding Nature Documentary.  Since it's Sunday, it's time for an entertainment feature, so I'll do that later today.  Stay tuned.

As I expected last December, "Chasing Coral" won Outstanding Nature Documentary.


Congratulations to Jeff Orlowski and the scientists whose work he recorded.

Speaking of which, two of the researchers' institutions issued press releases about the Emmy win.  Follow over the jump for both of them.

Wearable tech news: SciFi is Now

Last week, WXYZ reported on Wearable tech trend at Consumer Electronics Show.

Wearables continue to be a big trend in the technology industry.

Technology you can throw on your wrist, foot, ear, head to track x, y or z--you name it and it appears to be cooking at this year's Consumer Electronics Show.

This report reminded me that I had six months of news about wearable tech in my archives.  Follow over the jump to read and watch it.

Good economic news for election day

While I'm actually in a doomy mood, I'm just not up to posting something appropriately pessimistic.  Instead, I'm going to update Good economic news from Michigan universities with the latest good economic news.  I'm in need of cheering up after tonight's election results.

I begin with the national picture from the University of Michigan: Consumer sentiment in October highest in seven years, posted October 31, 2014.

ANN ARBOR—Consumer confidence posted its third consecutive monthly gain in October, rising to its highest level since July 2007, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers.

Conducted by the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR) since 1946, the Surveys monitor consumer attitudes and expectations.

"Consumers have been gradually regaining their economic footing in the past several months, with confidence rising to the highest level since the start of the Great Recession," said Richard Curtin, director of the surveys. "This is not the first time such a strong rebound has occurred, but this time it appears to have more forward traction. Consumers have not overreacted to the negative news of a global slowdown or Ebola, nor to the positive news of lower gas prices. Instead, consumers have kept their focus on improved job and wage prospects. Finally, five years after the start of the recovery, consumers have begun to adopt the expectations and behaviors that have driven past expansions."

The October gain was due to improved personal finances as well as a more favorable outlook for the overall economy, according to Curtin. Indeed, consumers reported the most favorable personal financial expectations as well as the most positive year-ahead outlook for the national economy in the past seven years. What the survey did not find was any negative impact on confidence from the global economic slowdown, military conflicts, or Ebola. None of these issues was mentioned by more than a few respondents; instead, respondents emphasized improved wage and employment prospects due to a stronger economy. Gains in holiday spending are expected to be the best in several years, benefiting from higher confidence as well as falling gas prices at the pump.

Trick or Treat!  Hey, a treat!

Next, Wayne State University with the local economic picture in Southeast Michigan Purchasing Managers Index remains strong in October, finishing at 54.7 , posted November 3, 2014.

DETROIT— The Southeast Michigan Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for October is 54.7, down slightly from September’s 59.4.  A PMI value above 50 generally suggests economic growth.

“We continue to enjoy a bright economic outlook, said Timothy Butler, associate professor of supply chain management at Wayne State’s School of Business, who interpreted this month’s results.  Key indicators for growth include the New Orders Index, the Finished Goods Inventory Index and the Employment Index.  In fact, the Employment Index has remained over 50 since July 2012.”

Purchasing managers’ confidence continues to be up, with 93.4 percent believing the Southeast Michigan economy will remain stable or become more stable over the next six months, while only 6.7 percent anticipate a less stable economy.

Respondents reported prices were up for resins, aluminum and steel for the month, while oil and copper were down in price. They also noted the Ebola crisis disrupted air transportation and reported travel cost increases.

Professor Farnsworth approves in general, although I'm sure that he's not too keen on Ebola.

Follow over the jump for economic reports from Florida, Colorado, and Georgia.

Ebola news from campuses on the campaign trail and Discovery News

I ended Discovery News on high-fructose corn syrup with a half-hearted promise.

That would be after an Ebola update, if I'm up for it.  Stay tuned.  Even I don't know what I'm doing next!

I wasn't up for an Ebola update last week.  Instead of following up on Michigan prepares for Ebola after Dallas patient dies, I posted Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!  It paid off, as that entry got 354 page views in 24 hours.  Today, I don't have the excuse of a holiday to avoid an update, plus I have a fair amount of material.

I begin with Northern Illinois University, which asks Ebola: Should we worry?

NIU professor: Money spent to protect U.S. from Ebola better spent in Africa

So, is there reason for concern in this country? Yes and no, say two NIU biologists and a professor of public health.

"We maybe should worry," says Neil Blackstone, a professor in the NIU Department of Biological Sciences whose field of interest is evolutionary biology.

"We don't yet have a grasp of how it got to West Africa, and the concern is that it's evolving. It's evolving to be a better human parasite than it has been, perhaps less deadly but more transmittable," Blackstone adds. "If it infects 1,000 and kills them all, that's one thing. But if it infects 1 million people and kills 10 percent of them - 100,000 - that's another."

Barrie Bode, chair of the department, similarly urges caution.

“The likelihood that we could see a pandemic here is extremely remote, but vigilance is probably advisable right now. We do have a great deal more resources here and protocols that are in place. We can easily isolate the virus and prevent its spread here,” says Bode, who studies the biology of cancer.

“In these Third World countries, it’s much more difficult because they don’t have the resources,” he adds, “and viruses are notorious for mutating. Because the human-to-human transmission rate has been so high, it gives the virus more opportunity to evolve with each subsequent infection.”

Bode and Blackstone are quick to point out that neither is an expert in infectious disease or Ebola itself. They can offer scientifically literate interpretations of the emerging epidemic, however, and are following the news closely.

Sarah Geiger, assistant professor of public health in the NIU School of Nursing and Health Studies, agrees that the possibility of a widespread Ebola outbreak in the United States remains remote.

Geiger traces some of the anxiety to modern advances in outbreak containment. “Public Health Preparedness as a sub-field has grown substantially in terms of workforce as well as funding dollars since the events of Sept. 11,” she says, “so I think as a nation we’re more aware of the value of preparedness, which can unfortunately also lead to unreasonable fear.”

However, “I do think that parts of Africa will ultimately be devastated by the virus,” Geiger says.

As I wrote in the previous update...

Once again, the message from the authorities is "Don't Panic."  One of these days I should post the cover of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in response to these pronouncements.

One of these days has arrived.


Follow over the jump for more Ebola stories.

The science of peanut allergies

Once again, I'm in an "I can't be all DOOM all the time" mood.  Fortunately, I collected three stories for Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Ebola in the U.S.) on a common theme that suits my mood, the science of peanuts, particularly peanut allergies.

First, Discovery News asks Why Are Peanut Allergies Becoming So Common?

Peanut allergies are becoming more and more common, and researchers are trying to find the cause. Trace is here to discuss this unique allergy, and how we might have finally found a cure.

Discovery News cited a University of Florida study about one of their scientists working on eliminating the source of the problem.  Here's the press release: UF/IFAS researcher continues quest for peanut that won't cause allergic reaction.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- A University of Florida scientist has moved one step closer to his goal of eliminating 99.9 percent of peanut allergens by removing 80 percent of them in whole peanuts.

Scientists must eliminate peanut allergens below a certain threshold for patients to be safe, said Wade Yang, an assistant professor in food science and human nutrition and member of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

If Yang can cut the allergens from 150 milligrams of protein per peanut to below 1.5 milligrams, 95 percent of those with peanut allergies would be safe. It’s challenging to eliminate all peanut allergens, he said, because doing so may risk destroying peanuts’ texture, color, flavor and nutrition. But he said he’s using novel methods like pulsed light to reach an allergen level that will protect most people.

Looks like good news, but no Professor Farnsworth yet.

Peanut allergies weren't the only topic covered in last week's Science Digest on Daily Kos.  Follow over the fold for a press release from the University of Georgia on how to convert peanut skins from waste into a useful product.

Georgia and Florida give love to the reptiles

I'm still in something of an "I can't be all DOOM all the time" mood, so here is some good news about reptile biodiversity from the University of Georgia and the University of Florida that I first published on Daily Kos.

First, the stories I included in Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Solar storm and aurora), beginning with University of Georgia: University of Georgia, Orianne Society form partnership for research, conservation.

Athens, Ga. - An international nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of imperiled reptiles and amphibians has partnered with the University of Georgia to collaborate on conservation efforts for these species and their habitats.

The Orianne Society, a worldwide conservation organization, is now working with researchers from UGA's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources on several projects that focus on the conservation of reptiles and amphibians and their habitats. Mike Clutter, dean of the Warnell School, said that by combining resources, UGA and the Orianne Society are able to collaborate more effectively on a global conservation initiative.

"We both have a serious and sincere interest in the conservation of these species," he said.

Follow over the jump for examples of the Bulldogs' efforts to save endangered species of turtles along with the University of Florida working with crocodilians.

Flesh-eating bacteria in Florida

Ebola and plague weren't the only disease stories in the news on Daily Kos last week.  Flesh-eating Vibrio bacteria in Florida were as well.  Discovery News and the University of Georgia have the story.

First, Flesh Eating Bacteria On Florida Beaches!

A flesh eating bacteria has been claiming lives near a Florida beach! What are the symptoms, and is this a serious issue? Dr. Carin Bonder joins DNews to discuss this rare bacteria.

Next, Experts available to comment on flesh-eating bacteria.

Athens, Ga. - Warnings have been issued for beach-goers surrounding a flesh-eating bacteria thriving in the warm ocean waters. Vibrio vulnificus grows in warm water and if swallowed can cause stomachache, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If it enters an open wound, "skin breakdown and ulceration" can also occur, the CDC said. University of Georgia experts are available to offer commentary on flesh-eating bacteria.

"People worry about getting eaten by a shark, but the risk from a Vibrio infection may actually be greater, especially during the summer," said James Hollibaugh, Distinguished Research Professor of marine sciences at the University of Georgia. "What's different is that you can't see the bacteria. But they are there."

Vibrio grow best when water temperatures are 20 to 30 degrees Celsius, or 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the CDC, 75 percent of infections occur between May and October. Contact with the bacteria can occur through open wounds or when eating raw or undercooked shellfish.

I already tell my students not to eat shellfish during months that lack the letter R in their names because of Red Tide.  Now I'll have to include Vibrio in the story as another reason to avoid oysters during the summer.

Identity theft warning for last-minute tax filers

Tax Day is tomorrow, which means it's time for me to pull the following articles out of my archives.  It may be too late for all of us who filed early, but the last-minute filers can still benefit from it.

The University of Georgia warned in February that Identity thieves may wait to use stolen data during tax season.

Athens, Ga. - Identity thieves may take advantage of tax season by filing false tax returns with their victims' stolen personal information, warns a data security proponent at the University of Georgia.

"During tax season, identity thieves are quick to file returns and get refunds from the government that will cause a legitimate taxpayer's refund to be denied as a duplicate return," said Laura Heilman, a security awareness training and education manager at UGA's Enterprise Information Technology Services office. "The legitimate taxpayer then takes on the burden of proving they are who they say they are and an identity thief was the fraudulent filer."

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, fraudulent tax refunds claims associated with identity theft reached $12.1 billion in 2012. Tax-related identity theft and fraud is expected to reach an all-time high as people begin to file their tax returns for 2013.

The same week, the University of Alabama explained how to defend against this threat in UA Matters: Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft.

Identity theft is the most prevalent white collar crime in the United States today. The University of Alabama’s Caroline Fulmer helps consumers understand how it occurs, the steps that can be taken to minimize the chances of being a victim and where to get help if they are a victim.

The most common ways identity theft occurs are when your wallet or purse is stolen; records are stolen from inside your home or from your mailbox; you willingly share information with a person who turns out to be a scam artist; using unsecure websites; or your information is stolen from a business.

The next month, Texas A&M chimed in with AgriLife Extension expert: Consumers can increase vigilance on identity theft.

FTC report shows U.S. consumers lost $1.6 billion-plus to fraud in 2013

COLLEGE STATION – Identity theft continues to top the list of consumer complaints, according to a recent report by the Federal Trade Commission.

The report noted that American consumers lost over $1.6 billion to fraud in 2013, based on more than  2 million complaints reported in the agency’s Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2013. Of these complaints, 14 percent were identity theft-related.

Complaints against debt collectors, banks and lenders, imposter scams, and telephone and mobile services rounded out the report’s top five consumer complaint categories.

Stay safe against this 21st Century crime.

Technology for the developing world

It's time to finish the project I began with Steampunk fans ejected from San Diego area mall and left off at Post-apocalyptic book list as part of last month's perspective theme.  Here are two links and excerpts that tie into 'A Steampunk calculator' and six other sustainable technologies from The Archdruid.  Both of them are about technologies developed for developing countries that might be imported into the developed countries like the U.S. during what Greer calls "The Long Descent."

First, I present this article from the University of Georgia that I originally used in Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Sochi Olympics).

UGA engineer receives $1 million to develop milk cooler
February 3, 2014

Athens, Ga. - Keeping milk safe and healthy to drink is a challenge in areas without electricity. A University of Georgia engineer received $1 million to continue working on a milk cooler designed to help dairy farmers, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, who lack access to refrigeration.

The milk cooler, developed by William Kisaalita, professor of biological and mechanical engineering in the UGA College of Engineering, uses the principle of evaporative cooling to quickly bring the temperature of milk to a safe holding temperature.

"It's the same phenomenon that occurs when you jump into a swimming pool and then you come out on a windy day," said Kisaalita. "If there's water on your skin, you will feel cold. This same principle is applied in chilling the milk."

That might come in handy if electricity and other forms of refrigeration become scarce.

The second link and excerpt describe an explicit proposal from the University of Michigan about "reverse innovation" in transportation.  Follow over the jump for it.

NASA on California drought and other drought and water stories

Since Drought news for Groundhog Day from KPBS, NASA has weighed in on the issue with a video from Science at NASA: ScienceCasts: California Drought.

California is experiencing a historic drought--by some measures the deepest in more than 100 years. NASA researchers are investigating a number of explanations for what the underlying cause may be.

There has also been a welcome development in the story as David Wagner of KPBS reported last Friday ‘Pineapple Express’ Is Bringing Rain To Northern California.

Heavy precipitation is predicted for Northern California this weekend. But don't expect the so-called "Pineapple Express" to end California's historic drought, say San Diego climate scientists.

This weekend, Scripps Institution of Oceanography sent Marty Ralph on flights straight into an "atmospheric river" over Northern California. Atmospheric rivers are narrow but powerful plumes of moisture. The ones that hit the West Coast tend to originate in Hawaii, hence their fruity nickname. These storms are responsible for delivering a huge amount of California's annual precipitation.

Scripps climate researcher Dan Cayan contributed to the research while staying grounded in La Jolla. He says if we think of normal storms like lawn sprinklers, then atmospheric rivers are more like fire hoses. They can cause floods, but can also replenish drought-stricken regions.

I'd post Professor Farnsworth, but even the foot of water in northern California over the weekend is not enough to end the drought.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the news, including a story from Georgia.  California isn't the only state with drought issues.

Health research and outreach from KPBS and campuses on the campaign trail

It's time to post the rest of the health news from Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Die, Selfish Gene!).  Under the "if it moves, it leads" preference, KPBS starts off with San Diego Professor Discusses Warning Signs For Communication Difficulties In Children.

After a poll finds many caregivers are missing the warnings signs, a new campaign underway aims to educate them about identifying the signs of a communication disorder in children.

Also read the related story San Diego Professor Discusses Warning Signs For Communication Difficulties In Children.

Follow over the jump for more health research and outreach from UCSD, University of Alabama, Auburn University, University of Georgia, and University of Kentucky.  Yes, it's an SEC night here at Crazy Eddie's Motie News.

Health and diet tips for the holidays

Here are two health tips for the holidays from campuses on the campaign trail I first included in Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Die, Selfish Gene!).

The University of Alabama at Birmingham goes first under the policy of "if it moves, it leads" with Diabetes study helping save Santa and you.

The GRADE study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham had a special visitor in November. Red suit. Black boots. White beard. Belly that shook like a bowl full of jelly. A V.I.E. (Very Important Elf) visited this national clinical trial for Type 2 diabetes.

For more, here's the press release: UAB GRADE study for diabetes: Saving Santa and you By Bob Shepard, Wednesday, December 04, 2013.

The GRADE study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham had a special visitor in November. Red suit. Black boots. White beard. Belly that shook like a bowl full of jelly. A V.I.E. (Very Important Elf) visited this national clinical trial for Type 2 diabetes.

The GRADE study is evaluating four new medications for Type 2 diabetes. Patient confidentiality issues prohibit UAB from confirming anything about the health status of any patient, including our V.I.E. Suffice it to say that the Big Guy has some risk factors for diabetes.

“He has several risk factors associated with the development of Type 2 diabetes,” said Andrea Cherrington, M.D., associate professor of Preventive Medicine in the School of Medicine. “He’s overweight, he has a pretty sedentary lifestyle, and he doesn’t maintain the healthiest diet. These risk factors are also related to the development of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and stroke.”

The University of Georgia concludes with advice to avoid overeating with UGA research shows that food portion size and shape can deceive the brain.
Incomplete-looking portions can lead to over-eating
December 4, 2013

Athens, Ga. - As the holiday season gears up, beware of the popular tip that advises dieters to eat only half the food on their plate. According to a new study from the University of Georgia, that advice can play tricks on the brain-and the waistline.

Julio Sevilla, a marketing professor at UGA, recently had research published in the Journal of Marketing Research. That research shows that the shape of objects can fool the brain. An "incomplete" portion of food, like half a sandwich or a snack-sized candy bar, tends to lead viewers to believe that it's less caloric despite its actual nutritional value.

This can lead people to over-consume when their portions look incomplete.

Here's to maintaining a healthy weight over the holidays.

Tongue drives for wheelchairs and other health research news

I wrote "this week's news...took six installments to present[;] I don't think next week's will be so time consuming" at the end of Condoms and Florence Nightingale plus other health news.  That prediction has come to pass, as the health news from Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Comet ISON at perihelion) only required two installments, with the health care policy news in KPBS and others on the ACA for the week of Thanksgiving and the rest here.

Georgia Tech gets the featured position under my policy of "if it moves, it leads."  This is quite literally true in Georgia Tech Tongue Drive System.

Tongue-Controlled Wheelchair Outperforms Sip-and-Puff Wheelchairs

The Rambling Wrecks have more in Clinical Trial Shows Tongue-Controlled Wheelchair Outperforms Popular Wheelchair Navigation System, Posted November 27, 2013 | Atlanta, GA.

After a diving accident left Jason DiSanto paralyzed from the neck down in 2009, he had to learn how to navigate life from a powered wheelchair, which he controls with a sip-and-puff system. Users sip or puff air into a straw mounted on their wheelchair to execute four basic commands that drive the chair. But results from a new clinical study offer hope that sip-and-puff users like DiSanto could gain a higher level of independence than offered by this common assistive technology.

In the study, individuals with paralysis were able to use a tongue-controlled technology to access computers and execute commands for their wheelchairs at speeds that were significantly faster than those recorded in sip-and-puff wheelchairs, but with equal accuracy. This study is the first to show that the wireless and wearable Tongue Drive System outperforms sip-and-puff in controlling wheelchairs. Sip-and-puff is the most popular assistive technology for controlling a wheelchair.

The Tongue Drive System is controlled by the position of the user’s tongue. A magnetic tongue stud lets them use their tongue as a joystick to drive the wheelchair. Sensors in the tongue stud relay the tongue’s position to a headset, which then executes up to six commands based on the tongue position.

Follow over the jump for more health research from UCSD, Texas A&M, University of Georgia, and University of Massachusetts.

Cybersecurity and Bitcoins for the holidays

I concluded KPBS and others on the ACA for the week of Thanksgivingwith "Speaking of technology and security, I have some items about both for holiday shopping.  Stay tuned."  It's time for this timely advice.

University of Georgia advises that Holiday shopping should include online security steps.
November 26, 2013

Athens, Ga. - Many holiday shopping lists include online purchases, but is that website safe for credit cards? A security proponent at the University of Georgia has some tips for secure online shopping for shoppers making their lists and checking them twice.

"Use your head when doing your online shopping this holiday season," said Laura Heilman, a security awareness and education manager in the university's Enterprise Information Technology Services office. "Do not shop on public Wi-Fi networks or on public computers. And, avoid making purchases directly through links in emails."

Heilman suggests shopping online with a credit card, instead of a debit card.

Next, KPBS takes a technological angle on shopping with Why Some Holiday Shoppers Are Spending Bitcoin This Black Friday By David Wagner.
Friday, November 29, 2013

Bitcoin—the currency of choice for buying illegal goods online—has cultivated quite the bad-boy image. But some entrepreneurs believe a wholesome makeover could take this unregulated digital currency mainstream, and what could be more wholesome than holiday shopping?

On Black Friday, Bitcoin boosters are urging shoppers to ditch their credit cards and open up their Bitcoin wallets. And shoppers like David Allison are doing just that. He's been giving a lot of thought to what he'll buy for his wife this Christmas.

"My wife and I are expecting a baby in March," he says. "And I know she loves the concept of nesting."

Follow over the jump for more about technology and security.