Flooded rivers threaten German cities

Members of the red cross make their way by boats in the flooded street in the center of Passau, southern Germany, Monday, June 3, 2013. Raging waters from three rivers have flooded large parts of the southeast German city following days of heavy rainfall in central Europe. A spokesman for the city?s crisis center said Monday that the situation was ?extremely dramatic? and waters are expected to rise further by midday to their level highest in 70 years. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Members of the red cross make their way by boats in the flooded street in the center of Passau, southern Germany, Monday, June 3, 2013. Raging waters from three rivers have flooded large parts of the southeast German city following days of heavy rainfall in central Europe. A spokesman for the city?s crisis center said Monday that the situation was ?extremely dramatic? and waters are expected to rise further by midday to their level highest in 70 years. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

An aerial view of the flooding in Passau, Germany, photographed Monday June 3, 2013. Heavy rainfalls caused flooding along rivers and lakes in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. (AP Photo/dpa, Peter Kneffel)

An aerial view of the flooding in Passau, Germany, 03 June 2013. The floodings in Bavaria continue to worsen. Photo by: Peter Kneffel/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

An old street lantern is surrounded by the swollen river Mulde in Grimma, eastern Germany Monday June 3, 2013. Heavy rainfalls caused flooding along rivers and lakes in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. (AP Photo/dpa, Jan Woitas)

In this aerial view the swollen river Mulde floods a street near Leisnig, Germany, Monday June 3, 2013. Heavy rainfalls cause flooding along rivers and lakes in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. ( AP Photo/dpa,Jens Wolf)

BERLIN (AP) ? Floodwaters in Passau are receding from the highest level seen in more than five centuries but cities downstream are bracing themselves as swollen rivers sweep through southeastern Germany.

At least eight people have been reported dead and nine missing in the floods in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

The Danube hit its highest level since 1501 in Passau on Monday before receding a half meter (yard) by Tuesday morning. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was on her way to the city, where waters were expected to recede by another 2 meters (yards) by midday.

But farther downstream in Regensburg, streets were being closed as the Danube rose.

Other rivers were flooding cities in the eastern states of Thuringia, Saxony Anhalt, Saxony and Brandenburg.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-04-Europe-Floods/id-d733108c76164aaa9cf95cfb08cf3499

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How To Fly a Model Helicopter Using Only Your Thoughts

Courtesy of the University of Minnesota

For decades, scientists have been developing brain-computer linkages they hope will enable people to manipulate objects hands free. Duke neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis reported a few years ago that a monkey fitted with implanted electrodes could use its brainpower to control the walking patterns of a robot . Less invasive, more commercial efforts include electroencephalalography (EEG) headsets that let players control video games via neural signals .

Now a team of University of Minnesota biomedical engineers has demonstrated the ability to fly a remote-controlled helicopter through hoops simply by thinking about different hand gestures. The person navigating the four-blade helicopter?also known as a quadcopter?wears an EEG cap laden with 64 electrodes, which detect electric currents produced by neurons in the brain?s motor cortex. The electrodes send signals to a computer, which translates the signal pattern into a command that is then sent to the helicopter via Wi-Fi.

Courtesy of the University of Minnesota

As the researchers explain in the video below, they asked subjects to imagine, for example, making a fist with their right hand to make the aircraft turn to the right. If the subjects imagined making a fist with both hands, the aircraft rose. Their research was published Tuesday in IOP Publishing?s Journal of Neural Engineering.

The ultimate goal of all these brain-computer interface efforts is to develop robotic prosthetics that can help restore the autonomy of paralyzed patients or those suffering from neurodegenerative disorders, says Bin He, a University of Minnesota professor of biomedical engineering. He adds: ?We envision they will use this technology to help control wheelchairs, artificial limbs or other devices.?

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Source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=how-to-fly-a-model-helicopter-using-only-your-thoughts

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Worst storms over in east, south but more coming

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) ? The remnants of a violent storm that claimed 13 lives in Oklahoma sent punishing winds and torrential downpours to northern New England and a tornado to South Carolina. And there could be more coming, though meteorologists say the worst is over.

The National Weather Service said the work week could begin with storms bringing showers to the Northeast and mid-Atlantic and large hail and high winds to the Great Plains.

But it won't be like Sunday, when storms flattened trees and utility poles in parts of northern New England, delayed flights in New York City and caused a tornado to touch down in South Carolina.

The weather service issued a rare tornado warning as a line of thunderstorms raced through New Hampshire into western Maine. It said a tornado warning was issued as radar indicated a possible tornado moving from Kingfield, Maine, to Bingham, Maine. The tornado was not immediately confirmed.

By early Monday, more than 19,000 were still without power in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, just under half the number of outages at the peak.

Weather service meteorologist Bill Goodman said a slow-moving cold front across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic could bring more rain on Monday. "We could get repeat showers over the same areas. It's a recipe for flooding," he said.

In northwestern South Carolina, a tornado knocked a home off its foundation and blew part of the roof off, said Taylor Jones, director of emergency management for Anderson County. Some trees were blown down and there was heavy rain, but no widespread damage. No injuries were reported.

"It was an isolated incident," Jones said.

The stormy weather in the New York City region shortened the Boston Red Sox-New York Yankees game to 5 ? innings and produced backups at major airports. But by early Monday, delays were down to 15 minutes or less at airports on the East Coast.

Patrick Herb, 34, was traveling from Dulles with his 1- and 3-year-olds to his home in Wisconsin, and had his departure time for a connecting flight in Detroit moved back three times. He described the mood at Dulles as "frustration and fatigue."

In other parts of the South, thunderstorms, high winds and hail rolled through as part of a slow-moving cold front.

In Texas, the Coast Guard said its crews saved or helped rescue 17 people caught in storms along the Gulf Coast. Lt. Matthew J. Walter of Coast Guard Sector Houston/Galveston cited "the devastating effects of strong winds and heavy rains" as the reason for three separate boats capsizing.

Meanwhile, residents in Oklahoma cleaned up after the storms there killed 13 people, including three veteran storm chasers. Tim Samaras; his son, Paul Samaras; and Carl Young were killed Friday. The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., said the men were involved in tornado research.

Authorities said five children and two adults remained missing and aren't expected to be found alive.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin toured damage in El Reno, about 30 miles from Oklahoma City. She said the death toll could rise as emergency workers continue searching flooded areas for missing residents.

The state Medical Examiner's Office spokeswoman Amy Elliott said the death toll had risen to 13 from Friday's EF3 tornado, which charged down a clogged Interstate 40 in the western suburbs. Among the dead were two children ? an infant sucked out of the car with its mother and a 4-year-old boy who along with his family had sought shelter in a drainage ditch.

In Missouri, areas west of St. Louis received significant damage from an EF3 tornado Friday that packed estimated winds of 150 mph. In St. Charles County, at least 71 homes were heavily damaged and 100 had slight to moderate damage, county spokeswoman Colene McEntee said.

Northeast of St. Louis, the town of Roxana, Ill., also saw damage from an EF3 tornado. Weather service meteorologist Jayson Gosselin said it wasn't clear whether the damage in Missouri and Illinois came from the same twister or separate ones.

Five tornadoes struck the Oklahoma City metro area on Friday, the weather service said. Fallin said Sunday that 115 people were injured.

The storms formed out on the prairie west of Oklahoma City, giving residents plenty of advance notice. When told to seek shelter, many ventured out and snarled traffic across the metro area ? perhaps remembering when a tornado hit Moore on May 20 and killed 24 people.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Betsy Randolph said roadways quickly became congested with the convergence of rush-hour traffic and fleeing residents.

"They had no place to go, and that's always a bad thing. They were essentially targets just waiting for a tornado to touch down," Randolph said. "I'm not sure why people do that sort of stuff, but it is very dangerous."

___

Associated Press writers Thomas Peipert in Denver, Jim Suhr in St. Louis, Sean Murphy in El Reno, Okla., Tom McElroy in New York and AP Radio correspondent Julie Walker contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/worst-storms-over-east-south-more-coming-074649963.html

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Test to improve stem cell safety

June 4, 2013 ? CSIRO scientists have developed a test to identify unsafe stem cells. It is the first safety test specifically for human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) -- as published today in the international journal Stem Cells.

The breakthrough is a significant step in improving the quality of iPS cells and identifying unwanted cells that can form tumours. The test also determines how stable iPS cells are when grown in the lab.

"The test we have developed allows us to easily identify unsafe iPS cells. Ensuring the safety of these cell lines is paramount and we hope this test will become a routine screen as part of developing safe and effective iPS-based cell therapies."

Dr Andrew Laslett and his team have spent the last five years working on the project. The research has focused on comparing different types of iPS cells with human embryonic stem cells. iPS cells are now the most commonly used pluripotent stem cell type for research.

"The test we have developed allows us to easily identify unsafe iPS cells. Ensuring the safety of these cell lines is paramount and we hope this test will become a routine screen as part of developing safe and effective iPS-based cell therapies," says Dr Laslett.

Using their test method, Dr Laslett's team has shown that certain ways of making iPS cells carry more risks. When the standard technique is used, which relies on viruses to permanently change the DNA of a cell, unwanted tumours are more likely to form. In comparison, cells made using methods which do not alter cell DNA, do not form tumours.

Dr Laslett hopes the study and the new test method will help to raise the awareness and importance of stem cell safety and lead to improvements in quality control globally.

"It is widely accepted that iPS cells made using viruses should not be used for human treatment, but they can also be used in research to understand diseases and identify new drugs. Having the assurance of safe and stable cells in all situations should be a priority," says Dr Laslett.

The test uses laser technology to identify proteins found on the surface of the cells. Based on the presence or absence of specific proteins the cells are then separated and monitored. Unsafe stem cell lines are easily identified because they form recognisable clusters of cells and the safe ones don't. This test could also be applied to assess the safety of the recently announced somatic cell nuclear transfer human embryonic stem cells.

Professor Martin Pera, Program Leader of Stem Cells Australia, said: "Although cell transplantation therapies based on iPS cells are being fast-tracked for testing in humans, there is still much debate in the scientific community over the potential hazards of this new technology."

"This important study provides a simple and powerful technique for assessing how safe stem cell lines are for use in patients," he adds.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/2r1mTx-3fSE/130604094730.htm

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'Game Of Thrones': The Stars React To This Week's Shocking Episode

OBVIOUS SPOILERS All anybody could talk about yesterday was that "Game of Thrones" episode. You know the one. The one that probably made you cry. We brought you MTV Geek's video recap, featuring Felicia Day, and today, we've done our best to collect reactions from celebrity fans on Twitter. Click past the jump to see [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/06/04/game-of-thrones-star-react-red-wedding/

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Former Bills QB Kelly battling cancer of the jaw

BATAVIA, N.Y. (AP) ? Jim Kelly intends to confront the cancer found in his upper jaw bone much like the Hall of Fame quarterback has approached many of the numerous challenges he's faced in life: Head on.

Revealing on Monday that he's been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, Kelly drew upon his family, faith and perseverance. Those are three qualities that have helped him overcome the death of his son, Hunter, his mother and whatever obstacles stood in his way on the football field.

"You have challenges. You have to confront them head on. And this is just another one. I'm down at the bottom. But I will rise to the top again," Kelly said. "I am extremely confident in my road to recovery. I plan to tackle this challenge head on, as we Kellys always do."

Informed of the diagnosis two weeks ago, Kelly called the prognosis for recovery "very good." He said tests show the cancer is isolated to the jaw and not spread to other parts of his body.

Doctors plan to remove part of Kelly's jaw during an operation scheduled to take place at a Buffalo hospital on Friday. It won't be determined until after the operation whether he will require chemotherapy

"We caught it in time," the 53-year-old Kelly said. "It's just another challenge for me and I know I'll beat it."

The announcement was made shortly before the start of quarterback's 27th annual Kelly for Kids charitable foundation's celebrity golf tournament.

The news of Kelly's condition immediately drew support from former teammates and friends attending the tournament.

"The first thought is you say a prayer that everything works out OK," said Bill Polian, former general manager of the Bills. "Secondly, he didn't earn a reputation as the toughest guy ever to play quarterback for no reason at all. So if anybody can overcome this, Jim can. He takes challenges head on."

Receiver Andre Reed, Kelly's favorite target, called the quarterback a "tough dude."

"Jim's a fighter. We think he'll be OK. We're all in his corner," Reed said. "He's such a resilient guy, and that's been our motto forever, in whatever we did.

"He's got the support, and Jim will be OK."

Kelly spent 11 seasons with the Bills before retiring following the 1996 campaign, and has since made Buffalo his home. Known for his fearless, swashbuckling style, Kelly was the face of Bills teams that made four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s, only to lose them all.

Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002, Kelly still holds nearly every significant career franchise passing record ? 35,467 yards, 237 touchdowns and 26 300-yard games.

News of Kelly's condition also attracted many well-wishers from around the world on social media. The term, "PrayersForJK," became popular on Twitter.

"I LOVE JIM KELLY," Kelly's teammate and Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas posted on his Twitter account.

The diagnosis stems from pain Kelly began experiencing in his jaw in December. He initially thought it was an infection, but grew concerned when antibiotics failed to help.

Tests eventually led to doctors removing a nickel-sized cyst from his gums and nasal cavity during an operation in early March. Follow-up tests revealed the cancer.

"When you hear the word 'cancer,' it automatically scares you," he said. "But I'm very confident. My faith is definitely there. And that probably, more than anything, has kept me going, and the support I've gotten from my family."

Concerns about the 53-year-old's health were first raised last week when his wife, Jill Kelly, posted a message published on imgur.com. Without going into detail, Jill Kelly noted that the family was going through a "more serious battle under our roof," and asked followers to pray for her husband "for healing."

Later, a youth sports foundation in Sioux Falls, S.D., announced that Kelly would not be able to attend the Hy-Vee/Sanford Legends banquet on June 13 for personal reasons.

This is but the latest operation Kelly will have had over the past few years. He's also had surgery to correct back, neck and hernia problems.

Kelly has remained active despite the diagnosis.

On May 26, Kelly joined country music artist Tim McGraw on stage and threw footballs into the crowd during a concert outside Buffalo. A week earlier, he attended The Preakness in Baltimore.

And then there was Kelly playing host to the many weekend festivities regarding his charitable foundation.

Kelly was upbeat in addressing reporters on Sunday, while attending the foundation's annual gala and auction. He was just as engaging before the golf tournament in making sure to greet many of his guests. Taking the microphone to start the tournament, Kelly joked in reminding everyone to enjoy themselves while cautioning that mulligans were not allowed.

"Jim cuts a wide swath," former teammate-turned-broadcaster Steve Tasker said. "He doesn't forget people. And for that, people love him. That's why Buffalo loves him. That's why I love him.

"He's a teammate in life."

The Kelly for Kids Foundation was established in 1987, and has since donated tens of millions of dollars to numerous organizations around the region.

Kelly later founded the Hunter's Hope Foundation in honor of his son, Hunter, who was born in 1997 with Krabbe disease. That's an inherited degenerative disorder of the central and peripheral nervous systems. The disease hinders development of the myelin sheath, a fatty covering that protects the brain's nerve fibers.

Given little more than three years to live, Hunter died at the age of 8 in 2005.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/former-bills-qb-kelly-battling-cancer-jaw-130340936.html

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Feedly promises raft of new features, integration with Reeder and other apps

Now that Feedly has taken in more than 500,000 Google Reader refugees, it's unveiled a community-driven feature roadmap that'll guide it for the rest of the year. Sitting atop the list is speed, which the team says will be boosted by fresh hardware and the help of new hires. Windows 8 and Windows Phone support, access to Feedly via the web, searching within a user's feeds and refined group sharing are coming down the pipeline as well. Naturally, a raft of bug fixes round out the planned updates. The outfit also revealed that Reeder, Press, Nextgen Reader, Newsify and gReader will sport Feedly integration before Mountain View's service retires on July 1st. Word of Google Reader's demise may have caused anguish, but it looks like suitable alternatives are beginning to flourish.

Filed under: Software, Mobile

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Source: Feedly

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