Researchers Solve 1912 Flu Mystery

Researchers have found out what made the 1918 flu pandemic so deadly — a group of three genes that lets the virus invade the lungs and cause pneumonia.

They mixed samples of the 1918 influenza strain with modern seasonal flu viruses to find the three genes and said their study might help in the development of new flu drugs.

The discovery, published in Tuesday’s issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could also point to mutations that might turn ordinary flu into a dangerous pandemic strain.

Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin and colleagues at the Universities of Kobe and Tokyo in Japan used ferrets, which develop flu in ways very similar to humans.

Usually flu causes an upper respiratory infection affecting the nose and throat, as well as so-called systemic illness causing fever, muscle aches and weakness.

But some people become seriously ill and develop pneumonia. Sometimes bacteria cause the pneumonia and sometimes flu does it directly.

During pandemics, such as in 1918, a new and more dangerous flu strain emerges.

“The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most devastating outbreak of infectious disease in human history, accounting for about 50 million deaths worldwide,” Kawaoka’s team wrote.

It killed 2.5 percent of victims, compared to fewer than 1 percent during most annual flu epidemics. Autopsies showed many of the victims, often otherwise healthy young adults, died of severe pneumonia.

“We wanted to know why the 1918 flu caused severe pneumonia,” Kawaoka said in a statement.

They painstakingly substituted single genes from the 1918 virus into modern flu viruses and, one after another, they acted like garden-variety flu, infecting only the upper respiratory tract.

But a complex of three genes helped to make the virus live and reproduce deep in the lungs.

The three genes — called PA, PB1, and PB2 — along with a 1918 version of the nucleoprotein or NP gene, made modern seasonal flu kill ferrets in much the same way as the original 1918 flu, Kawaoka’s team found.

Most flu experts agree that a pandemic of influenza will almost certainly strike again. No one knows when or what strain it will be but one big suspect now is the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

H5N1 is circulating among poultry in Asia, Europe and parts of Africa. It rarely affects humans but has killed 247 of the 391 people infected since 2003.

A few mutations would make it into a pandemic strain that could kill millions globally within a few months.

Four licensed drugs can fight flu but the viruses regularly mutate into resistant forms — just as bacteria evolve into forms that evade antibiotics.

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This article was writen by author Reuters.

Groups Urge Obama to Enact Media Reform

What do we want? Media reform. And when do we want it? Now. As in, now that we have a champion of media reform headed to the White House.

Along the campaign trail, in recent speeches, and in his technology agenda, President-elect Barack Obama has made big promises on media and technology issues. We finally have an opportunity to see real change in our media landscape – from diversity in our news to safeguarding Net Neutrality.

At any moment, Obama will announce his pick to lead the Federal Communications Commission, and we hope he chooses someone that shares his commitment to the public interest. Today, we sent a letter to Obama – signed by over 100 individuals and organizations, representing millions of people – urging him to choose a candidate who will embrace and enact the policy proposals he’s already outlined.

Some of the people and organizations who are stepping up to support the Obama media agenda include members of Pearl Jam, R.E.M., and My Morning Jacket as well as organizations like SEIU, NOW, DailyKos, the Hip Hop Caucus and hundreds more.

The letter includes six of Obama’s best quotes on media reform to remind him that his words have not fallen on deaf ears; we’ve been listening, and now we’re watching to make sure these promises aren’t hollow.

What did Obama say? Enough to bring a tear to the eye of any media reformer battered during the last administration. Here are the choicest sound bytes:

Protecting an Open Internet: To “take a backseat to no one in my commitment to Net Neutrality” and “protect the Internet’s traditional openness to innovation and creativity and ensure that it remains a platform for free speech and innovation that will benefit consumers and our democracy.”
Promoting Universal, Affordable Broadband: To see that “in the country that invented the Internet, every child should have the chance to get online” by bringing “true broadband to every community in America.”
Diversifying Media Ownership: To create “the diverse media environment that federal law requires and the country deserves.”
Renewing Public Media: To foster “the next generation of public media,” and “support the transition of existing public broadcasting entities and help renew their founding vision in the digital world.”
Spurring Economic Growth: To “strengthen America’s competitiveness in the world” and leverage technology “to grow the economy, create jobs, and solve our country’s most pressing problems.”
Ensuring Open Government: To reverse “policies that favor the few against the public interest,” close “the revolving door between government and industry,” and achieve “a new level of transparency, accountability and participation for America’s citizens.”
Obama has already made the call to create a more vibrant, diverse and democratic media system and to deliver the benefits of the open Internet and new technology to all Americans. Now he simply has to appoint someone at the FCC who will carry out his mandate.

For the original article visit the link here.

This article was writen by author megantady of Save the Internet Blog.

Maria de Jesus, the world’s oldest person, dies at age 115

Hat’s Off to the 120th Rose Parade

Hours after seeing off the turbulent, historic year that was 2008, hundreds of thousands of spectators lined the streets of Pasadena on Thursday to embrace the familiar traditions of the 120th Tournament of Roses Parade.
With nary a cloud in sight – save for some sky-written ads for a local television station – the parade kicked off just past 8 a.m., signaled by a burst of smoke and confetti from the doffed top hat of 49-foot-tall robot ASIMO, American Honda’s float entry.

It was followed by an array of floats, marching bands and equestrian units along the 5.5-mile route, with few delays along the way. The spectacle included a fly-over by the sleek, black B-2 stealth bomber.

The ASIMO robot – which, with its spherical helmet of a head and sleek white body could have doubled as a sculpture by pop artist Jeff Koons – also set the tone for the parade’s theme, “Hats Off to Entertainment.”

One small mishap marred the beginning of the parade when the robot float snapped a pair of cables stretched across Colorado Boulevard at Fair Oaks Boulevard. The cables had been stretched across the street for banners, but for some reason were not removed for the parade.

The cables landed on a sidewalk, but no one was injured. Pasadena police said the incident was minor.

Several floats, including a “Saturday Matinee” float that featured a popcorn-spewing Godzilla in 3-D glasses and a harvest-themed “Hee Haw” float dedicated to the television variety show of the same name, seemed to take special revelry in the kitsch of past decades.

One of the most crowd-pleasing floats, “Natural Entertainers” from Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc., did not fit so neatly into the overall theme.

But few could argue with the “entertainment” factor of a 16-foot-tall bulldog on a skateboard, cruising to a soundtrack of Baha Men’s ageless canine anthem, “Who Let the Dogs Out.”

“That’s going to drive those guys crazy by the end of the parade,” said one bystander, referring to the float’s riders.
The Rain Bird Corp. float, “Entertaining Expedition,” featuring towering, yellow feathery trees in a fantasy forest, won the Sweepstakes Trophy. A float built by volunteers in Downey won the award for floats built by civic groups, and the La-Canada-Flintridge float, also built by volunteers, won the award for best animation and motion.

Only two floats needed towing, authorities said. The city of Anaheim’s “Crank Up the Entertainment” float, which featured a large music box, and the ornate “Bollywood Dreams” entry by Sierra Madre needed help across the finish line.

The Boek family traveled all the way from their home in Tokyo to participate in the festivities.

“It was the best part about being in America,” said Jeremiah Boek, who was there with his wife, Gigi, and three children, California, Jazz and Justin.

“New Year’s is so different here,” said California, the Boeks’ 11-year-old daughter. “Here, it’s all about having fun.”

Some took the fun a bit too far. Thirty-four arrests were made overnight, up from 22 last year, authorities said, but police said the overnight crowd appeared bigger than in previous years. Thirty-one of those arrests were for public intoxication, Pasadena Police Department spokeswoman Janet Pope Givens said.

Security was maintained by a contingent of more than 1,300 law-enforcement personnel, with Sheriff’s Department deputies, California Highway Patrol officers and police from several area cities augmenting the local department.

About 30 people were treated for injuries, most of them heat-related as the temperature warmed into the low 70s by the end of the parade. Most of those treated were marching band members wearing heavy winter uniforms, who collapsed after marching for two hours in the Pasadena sun, said Lisa Derderian of the Pasadena Fire Department.

“Some from out of the state may be not acclimated to Southern California weather,” she said. “Were treating a lot of band members at the end of the parade.”

Police said they made at least one felony arrest when suspect Peter Horvath, 49, was arrested at about 5:55 p.m. Wednesday in front of 96 E. Colorado Blvd. for allegedly throwing beer bottles at passersby. He was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

No major crimes or injuries were reporter, police and fire officials said.

The gentle jeering of NBC television personality Al Roker, meanwhile, reached a climax right after the parade as one bystander challenged Roker to “stand up.”

“We can’t see you Al,” the man yelled.

Roker didn’t disappoint, cheerfully wishing a “Happy New Year” to “my people!” before showering the crowd with roses from the booth in which he was filming.

Standing back in the crowd on Colorado, west of Lake Avenue, Jacques DuLong from Manhattan Beach used some ingenuity to record the event. His “$99 video camera” was securely strapped to a walking stick that DuLong held above the heads of viewers curbside.

“It seems to work,” DuLong said.

The Holloway family, hailing from La Verne, drove their motor home to Pasadena on Tuesday and camped out in anticipation of the parade.

“I want to do it every year now,” said Samantha Holloway, who came with her son, two nieces and brother. “The weather was absolutely gorgeous. A typical California day.”

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This article was writen by author Alfred Lee of Whittier Daily News

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Air New Zealand tests biofuel Boeing

Air New Zealand, along with Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and Honeywell, retooled one of the four Rolls-Royce RB211 engines on a Boeing 747-400 to run on an unusually fruity blend of half Jet A1 fuel and half jatropha oil, according to Air New Zealand.

Jatropha is a flowing succulent plant commonly grown in the semi-arid areas of India that produces seeds containing an oil that can be harvested and processed into a biofuel.

Jatropha has been used in making biodiesel for cars and trucks, but this is one of the first known attempts to use it as a biofuel in a commercial-size airplane.

Air New Zealand is not, however, the first commercial airline to try flying on a mixture containing biofuels.Several airlines, including Virgin Atlantic, have been testing out the sustainable idea of bio jet fuel mixed with jet fuel.

The jatropha bio jet fuel was supplied by Terasol Energy, which certified that the fuel supply met sustainability criteria.

The fuel stock in no way affected the environment or displaced other crops, David Morgan, chief pilot at Air New Zealand, explained in a video press release (below).

The two-hour test flight took off and landed from an Auckland, New Zealand, airport on Tuesday.

The test run was part of a program to research better sustainable air travel.

International Air Transport Association (IATA) lists jatropha as a promising next-generation bio-jet fuel for the airline industry because the hardy plant can be grown in poor quality soil needing little water.

 

For the original article visit http://preview.tinyurl.com/76yh3e

This article was writen by author Candace Lombardi of CNET.

Wikimedia Foundation raises $6.2 million for Wikipedia

The Wikimedia Foundation announced Friday that it has reached its goal of raising over $6 million to sustain Wikipedia.
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BOOKS in NYC?

Book-a-holics Delight in NYC’s Rare Book Shops
From famous to unknown, NYC’s used book shops are unlike any other city’s.

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