Monthly Archives: March 2017

More Evidence for How a Trip to Mars Will Wreck the Human Body – Inverse

Posted: March 11, 2017 at 8:31 am

With Congress passing a bill authorizing NASA to prioritize sending humans to Mars, were likely to see some deep space travel in the next two decades. However, we need to consider how to protect astronauts health, since extended space missions increase the risk of developing cancer.

In a study published in the journal Leukemia, researchers at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and colleagues further investigated the effects of exposing astronauts to radiation levels present in outer space, and found a greatly increased risk of developing leukemia. This poses as a threat to astronauts, since there currently isnt a way of treating leukemia on board.

That would be physically troubling from the standpoint of astronauts, Christopher Porada, Ph.D., associate professor of regenerative medicine and senior researcher on the project, tells Inverse. These were the first findings to suggest space radiation may have the possibility of inducing leukemia. We are trying to find out what the risk may be.

Researchers used mice transplanted with healthy human stem cells from donors between ages 30 and 55 to study the health risks from space radiation. They found that exposure to these types of radiation over long periods of time causes mutations in certain genes, and these mice ended up developing T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

These mutations would reduce the human hematopoietic stem cells ability to make mature blood cells, which are crucial to transporting oxygen and fighting infections.

A round-trip mission to Mars would take three years, and extended exposure would increase the likelihood of leukemia. Whats more, radiation isnt the only threat to astronauts microgravity conditions also affect astronauts immune systems. That along with radiation raise the risk of immune-dysfunction and cancer.

Previously, scientists had found that the Apollo astronauts are dying from cardiovascular risks four to five times the rate of their counterparts, likely due to deep space radiation. Cosmic radiation can also impair the brain, and its a major obstacle thats preventing us from embarking on longer space missions.

To prepare for deep space missions, scientists must work to estimate the risks from space radiation and identify ways to prevent its effects. Right now, the research team is working to quantify how dangerous the risk of leukemia is, since the human cells they collected were only a small sample. NASA is also working on a galactic cosmic ray simulator to further test the effects of radiation.

Poradas team is currently testing a dietary supplement for its ability to protect astronauts from radiation effects. The researchers have tested an agent and found that if they administer the agent to the cells before, during and after radiation exposure, it reverses the effects of space radiation by 50 to 70 percent. This is still in the works though.

Were going to quantify the risk and find if theres some way to prevent and mitigate the risk, Porada says. Well see if there are counter measures that can be given to the astronauts as a dietary supplement to shield their systems from the radiation theyre exposed to.

Photos via Flickr / NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

Read the rest here:

More Evidence for How a Trip to Mars Will Wreck the Human Body - Inverse

Posted in Space Travel | Comments Off on More Evidence for How a Trip to Mars Will Wreck the Human Body – Inverse

Extropy SHIFT>

Posted: at 8:28 am

Extropy is the idea that human intelligence and technology will enable life to expand in an orderly way throughout the entire universe. Extropy expresses a metaphor, rather than serving as a technical term, and so is not simply the opposite of entropy. Extropy presents the idea that advances in science and technology will some day let people live indefinitely and that humans alive today have a good chance of seeing that day. It also describes a pragmatic consilience of transhumanist thought guided by a proactionary approach to human evolution and progress.

Extropian thinking places strong emphasis on rational thinking and practical optimism. These principles do not specify particular beliefs, technologies, or policies. Extropians share an optimistic view of the future, expecting considerable advances in computational power, life extension, nanotechnology and the like.

Many extropians foresee the eventual realization of unlimited maximum life spans, and the recovery, thanks to future advances in biomedical technology, of those whose bodies/brains have been preserved by means of cryonics or some similar method. Extropy emphasizes finding solutions to problems of the human condition, as well proactively considering potential unwanted side-effects of new technologies.

It should be understood that since the term extropy is a metaphor, a name for a moderately integrated group of values and attitudes, and it is not a force or a thing or a single value or principle; it cannot be measured.

Principles of Extropy

Perpetual Progress

Extropy means seeking more intelligence, wisdom, and effectiveness, an open-ended lifespan, and the removal of political, cultural, biological, and psychological limits to continuing development. Perpetually overcoming constraints on our progress and possibilities as individuals, as organizations, and as a species. Growing in healthy directions without bound.

Self-Transformation

Extropy means affirming continual ethical, intellectual, and physical self-improvement, through critical and creative thinking, perpetual learning, personal responsibility, proactivity, and experimentation. Using technology in the widest sense to seek physiological and neurological augmentation along with emotional and psychological refinement.

Practical Optimism

Extropy means fueling action with positive expectations individuals and organizations being tirelessly proactive. Adopting a rational, action-based optimism or proaction, in place of both blind faith and stagnant pessimism.

Intelligent Technology

Extropy means designing and managing technologies not as ends in themselves but as effective means for improving life. Applying science and technology creatively and courageously to transcend natural but harmful, confining qualities derived from our biological heritage, culture, and environment.

Open Society information and democracy

Extropy means supporting social orders that foster freedom of communication, freedom of action, experimentation, innovation, questioning, and learning. Opposing authoritarian social control and unnecessary hierarchy and favoring the rule of law and decentralization of power and responsibility. Preferring bargaining over battling, exchange over extortion, and communication over compulsion. Openness to improvement rather than a static utopia. Extropia (ever-receding stretch goals for society) over utopia (no place).

Self-Direction

Extropy means valuing independent thinking, individual freedom, personal responsibility, self-direction, self-respect, and a parallel respect for others.

Rational Thinking

Extropy means favoring reason over blind faith and questioning over dogma. It means understanding, experimenting, learning, challenging, and innovating rather than clinging to beliefs.

References

http://www.ultim8team.com/modules/future/extropy_faq.php

http://www.extropy.org/

Originally posted here:

Extropy SHIFT>

Posted in Extropy | Comments Off on Extropy SHIFT>

Greydon Square Extropy Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

Posted: at 8:28 am

[Verse 1: Greydon] Waves. A behavior in space-time. Vibration. Sound. Oscillation Light. A fancy way of saying electromagnetic radiation Sight. Visual perception. The ability to discern direction Might. What I bring to the mic. When these emcees gonna learn they lesson? ...Line throwin' mind blowing rhyme poet, that flows While you condone your time stolen Astro. Greek. Meaning star. Flaming plasma ball Equations embedded in space-time while adinkran images mask it all Some of us were passed down martial science from the ancients A one inch punch? I could pull a strike off from the planck length ....Among humans, the differences are marginal Free to move at light anywhere, like any massless particle Chart and go, spark and blow dro, then explain a parallax And how a nearer object moves faster than when its there in the back We deal in octaves Physics, math, chemistry, logic Enemy? stop it. Youre better off described as an entropy novice

[Chorus] Wake up They want to know how far into the future youre gonna take them Then want to know just.. how stark the view is through an ape lense Cause theyll only respond to perpetual progress if its flagrant Complacent with life, yet are fearful of death

[Verse 2: Greydon] Let me see, while you still stuck on the collection fee Im wreckin' beats, when you check for me Mark the box that says, Extra heat! Technically. Peep it, its like trying to keep a secret the DMT trip When youve already had ego death and your heart is ready to release it This oceanll make you seasick But at least you under the night sky Not only in the right place, but even born in the right time To make music, dj, and write rhymes Everyone has a crew, but no ones doing it like mine Verbal graffiti we spray and hurl in your city The ruckus we create interrupts the early committees ...Theyll scramble in panic thinking that its a takeover But in the context of #GU, were just a placeholder The most powerful of us havent even been born yet Formed yet Why do you think they call us the Hornet's Nest? But, we wont stop until we see, civilization level Z And the only language wed have is Peace, knowledge, and extropy

[Chorus] (x2) Wake up They want to know how far into the future youre gonna take them Then want to know just.. how stark the view is through an ape lense Cause theyll only respond to perpetual progress if its flagrant Complacent with life, yet are fearful of death

More on Genius

Dev Hynes & Starchild Debut VeilHymn Project With New Track Hymn

View post:

Greydon Square Extropy Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

Posted in Extropy | Comments Off on Greydon Square Extropy Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

Man arrested, $20,000 worth of marijuana seized in Ascension – WBRZ

Posted: at 8:26 am

ASCENSION A nine-month investigation led to the arrest of a man in possession of an estimated $20,000 worth of marijuana in Ascension Parish.

The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office arrested 47-year-old Ron McZeal on Mar. 9 following the investigation into drugs being shipped to his home.

Detectives began a joint investigation with the Baton Rouge Police Department and saw McZeal get a package from his home and then leave the area.

Detectives initiated a traffic stop of his vehicle and McZeal agreed for detectives to conduct a search of his vehicle. Detectives found a package with five pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $20,000. A digital scale and $1,500 in cash was also seized from the vehicle.

McZeal was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute schedule I drugs, drug paraphernalia and no use of turn signals. He was booked on the above charges into the Ascension Parish Jail.

Read more:

Man arrested, $20,000 worth of marijuana seized in Ascension - WBRZ

Posted in Ascension | Comments Off on Man arrested, $20,000 worth of marijuana seized in Ascension – WBRZ

Ascension Parish President Matassa indicted – Weekly Citizen

Posted: at 8:26 am

Greg Fischer

After months of uncertainty and a continued push from some Ascension residents Parish President Kenny Matassa was indicted by a grand jury on Friday, March 10, 2017.

Gonzales businessman Olin Berthelot was indicted separately. Both men are officially charged with offering a bribe to former candidate for Gonzales City Council, Wayne Lawson. This was said to be done in order to get Lawson to drop out of the council race, last Summer.

"Those indictments were based on a bribery scheme perfected by Mr. Matassa and Mr. Berthelot wherein they attempted to induce a candidate for a city council election to withdraw in exchange for cash and political favors," Brandon J. Fremin, Director of the Criminal Division with the Attorney General said.

Their bonds have been set at $5,000 each. The men now have warrants out for their arrest but will most likely be given a chance to turn themselves in, according to Assistant Attorney General Jeff Traylor, who will also serve as lead prosecutor. They will likely post bond.

The jury began their proceedings at 10:30 a.m., and finished near 3 p.m.

"Attorney General Jeff Landry has on many occasions said that public officials have to be held accountable for their actions," Fremin said. "They must hold themselves to a higher standard. They must be fair, honest and ethical, and that they must follow the law. If that does not happen it undermines the public trust in our system of government, and that is absolutely unacceptable."

Berthelot's lawyer Steven Moore maintains that his client is not guilty. He said particularly that he would like the case to play out in the courtroom.

"I think I should let it play out in the courtrooms," Moore said. "And not in the media, and not in blogs that people have, and just kind of let that ridiculousness go away."

Moore is most likely referring to a July 31 blog posted in the Pelican Post, owned by Wade Petit, who posted a video of the bribe almost as it occurred. And which can still be viewed as of today.

However, both sides maintain that this is just the beginning.

"At the outset, we started this investigation at the request of the locals here," Fremin said. "Following the recusal of attorney Ricky Babin, our attorneys took the lead in the case, brought the case to the grand jury, which culminated in the events for which we're here right now."

The charge carries 0-2 years imprisonment with or without hard labor, or a maximum $2,000 fine, according to Fremin.

Follow Greg on Twitter @AscensionEditor

See the original post:

Ascension Parish President Matassa indicted - Weekly Citizen

Posted in Ascension | Comments Off on Ascension Parish President Matassa indicted – Weekly Citizen

Skeletal remains found January in Ascension Parish identified … – The Advocate

Posted: at 8:26 am

PRAIRIEVILLE The skeletal remains found in a wooded area of Prairieville in January have been identified as those of William Winters, 55, Ascension Sheriff's Chief Deputy Bobby Webre said.

Foul play is not suspected in his death, Webre said.

On Jan. 30, deputies responded to a call to a wooded area off Germany Road after a family's dog found a human skull in a wooded area.

The LSU FACES lab assisted in the identification of the remains.

Webre said that investigators had suspected that Winters might be the person whose remains were found, but that two sets of indentification were found at the site, one belonging to Winters and one to a relative of Winters.

A DNA match was made with Winters' son, who is currently an inmate at the Ascension Parish jail, Webre said.

William Winters had been living with others in a trailer park in an area behind where the remains were found.

"The people he was staying with were evicted. I think he was staying in the woods there. He had no place to go," Webre said.

See the article here:

Skeletal remains found January in Ascension Parish identified ... - The Advocate

Posted in Ascension | Comments Off on Skeletal remains found January in Ascension Parish identified … – The Advocate

Congress Passes Space Exploration Act, Targets Mars – America Now

Posted: at 8:25 am

Both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have officially passed the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017, a piece of legislation that grants $19.5 billion to the agency to get humans to Mars.

Members of Congress have stated that NASA is tasked with getting human beings "near or on the surface of Mars in the 2030s," according to the language of the bill itself.

"It is the sense of Congress that (1) expanding human presence beyond low-Earth orbit and advancing toward human missions to Mars in the 2030s requires early strategic planning and timely decisions to be made in the near-term on the necessary courses of action for commitments to achieve short-term and long-term goals and objective."

NASA was the benefactor of $19.3 billion in federal money during 2016.

The document details not only Mars and Mars orbit as possible destinations for targeted space exploration, but interim destinations as well, such as cis-lunar space and the moons of Mars.

To accomplish this, the newly recognized bill orders the design and construction of a Space Launch System, or a rocket of massive scale that will be able to propel a space capsule across the chasm of space between Earth and Mars.

The Act calls for "a specific process for the evolution of the capabilities of the fully integrated Orion with the Space Launch System," as well as an explanation of how these specifications will help further the cause of getting a human safely to Mars.

The lengthy bill does not limit itself to the subject of traveling to Mars, either, but continues with a list of auxiliary projects that could further humanity's reach into space.

The bill approved a long-standing plan NASA has had to send a probe to Europa, a moon of Jupiter that may host a subsurface ocean.

The Act details numerous other explorations of "near-Earth objects," exoplanets, as well as design and build probes and instruments to gather critically important data.

President Donald Trump has shared brief words about Congress' move to further space exploration, saying he is "ready to unlock the mysteries of space."

Though reportedly supportive of continued exploration of the moon, President Trump has expressed intent to end NASA's long-established studies of Earth and its climate.

At this point, the Act is at the discretion of the President, though the passage of the bill is a likely prospect, according to Business Insider.

The current President has not yet made public any plans he may have for the bill or its passage.

Follow this link:

Congress Passes Space Exploration Act, Targets Mars - America Now

Posted in Space Exploration | Comments Off on Congress Passes Space Exploration Act, Targets Mars – America Now

Huge Step Toward Nanotech-Based Drugs – Controlled Environments Magazine

Posted: at 8:25 am

Nanotechnology has become a growing part of medical research in recent years, with scientists feverishly working to see if tiny particles could revolutionize the world of drug delivery.

But many questions remain about how to effectively transport those particles and associated drugs to cells.

In an article published in Scientific Reports, FSU Associate Professor of Biological Science Steven Lenhert takes a step forward in the understanding of nanoparticles and how they can best be used to deliver drugs.

After conducting a series of experiments, Lenhert and his colleagues found that it may be possible to boost the efficacy of medicine entering target cells via a nanoparticle.

We can enhance how cells take them up and make more drugs more potent, Lenhert says.

Initially, Lenhert and his colleagues from the University of Toronto and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology wanted to see what happened when they encapsulated silicon nanoparticles in liposomes or small spherical sacs of molecules and delivered them to HeLa cells, a standard cancer cell model.

The initial goal was to test the toxicity of silicon-based nanoparticles and get a better understanding of its biological activity.

Silicon is a non-toxic substance and has well-known optical properties that allow their nanostructures to appear fluorescent under an infrared camera, where tissue would be nearly transparent. Scientists believe it has enormous potential as a delivery agent for drugs as well as in medical imaging.

But there are still questions about how silicon behaves at such a small size.

Nanoparticles change properties as they get smaller, so scientists want to understand the biological activity, Lenhert says. For example, how does shape and size affect toxicity?

Scientists found that 10 out of 18 types of the particles, ranging from 1.5 nanometers to 6 nanometers, were significantly more toxic than crude mixtures of the material.

At first, scientists believed this could be a setback, but they then discovered the reason for the toxicity levels. The more toxic fragments also had enhanced cellular uptake.

That information is more valuable long term, Lenhert says, because it means they could potentially alter nanoparticles to enhance the potency of a given therapeutic.

The work also paves the way for researchers to screen libraries of nanoparticles to see how cells react.

This is an essential step toward the discovery of novel nanotechnology based therapeutics, Lenhert says. Theres big potential here for new therapeutics, but we need to be able to test everything first.

Other researchers contributing to the work are Aubrey Kusi-Appiah, Lida Ghazanfari, and Plengchart Prommapan from Florida State University; Melanie Mastronardi, Chenxi Qian, Ken Chen, and Geoffrey Ozin from the University of Toronto; and Christian Kubel from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany.

This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Source: Florida State University

Read the original post:

Huge Step Toward Nanotech-Based Drugs - Controlled Environments Magazine

Posted in Nanotech | Comments Off on Huge Step Toward Nanotech-Based Drugs – Controlled Environments Magazine

Tattooed devotees transform in Thai temple trance – Reuters

Posted: at 8:23 am

By Jorge Silva | WAT BANG PHRA, Thailand

WAT BANG PHRA, Thailand Deep in trances, devotees of a Thai temple charged through gathered crowds on Saturday mimicking the beasts on their tattoos.

Some had their hands curled into tiger claws, some became crocodiles, some were transformed into Hanuman, the monkey god.

The annual tattoo festival at Wat Bang Phra, about 80 km (50 miles) from Bangkok, draws thousands of devotees every year who come to recharge the power of sacred Sak Yant tattoos.

The tattoos are inked by Buddhist monks using sharpened bamboo sticks or long metal needles. Originally etched for warriors needing protection in battle, they are also believed to bring luck and give strength.

But every year, their magic power needs to be restored at the festival, where thousands of devotees pay their respects to the temples master tattooist.

Not everyone goes into a trance. Those who do take on the characteristics of their tattoos. They try to charge toward the temple, but are held back by a wall of temple guards and soldiers.

(Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Sam Holmes)

The majority of respondents to a new U.S. poll opposed laws barring transgender people from using bathrooms consistent with their gender identities and indicated growing acceptance for gay rights, a nonpartisan research group said on Friday.

CAIRO Archaeologists from Egypt and Germany have found a massive eight-meter statue submerged in ground water in a Cairo slum that they say probably depicts revered Pharaoh Ramses II, who ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago.

BERLIN Turkey expressed hopes on Friday for a revival of its tourism industry after security concerns caused a 30 percent drop in foreign visitors and revenues last year.

Read more:

Tattooed devotees transform in Thai temple trance - Reuters

Posted in Trance | Comments Off on Tattooed devotees transform in Thai temple trance – Reuters

The week’s best mixes: Lorenzo Senni’s trance classics and jackin’ moves from Clone boss Serge – FACT

Posted: at 8:23 am

Each week, FACT trawls through the untamed world of free mixes, radio specials and live blends so you dont have to.

This week, Lorenzo Senni inspires euphoria with a selection of trance build-ups that inspired his recentPersona EP, Sega Bodega makes the Bomfunk MCs cool again and Beat Librae showcases her heady, dub-tinged techno.

Theres also a mix from the UK-based gal-dem zine, jackin house from Clone boss Serge and two hours of neo-classical from Sicario composer Jhann Jhannsson. Dive in.

Lorenzo Senni The Making of Persona

Nobody knows trance like Lorenzo Senni, and here the Warp artist shows us the inner workings of his musical mind with this mix of music that inspired last years Persona EP. Mixing the best bits of everything from commercial EDM and the sounds of Darudes Sandstorm, this mix proves that you can get high without drugs. Just dont expect any drops.

gal-dem Outlook 2017 Mix Series #2

Gal-Dems trilpill reps the UK underground with a mix that packs in everything from garage and grime to dancehall and bassline. Kicking off with Dawn Penns You Dont Love Me (No No No) and folding in tracks by Giggs, General Levy and more, its a party-starting blend that doesnt let up.

Sega Bodega i-DJ Mix

Hot on the heels of his Ess B EP for Crazylegs, rising club artist Sega Bodega lands on the i-D mix series for 40 minutes of edits and originals. As well as tracks from Staycores Dinamarca, Kid Kishore and lo-fi Lisbonite DJ Fatigado, expect VIPs of Halcyon Veil artist Celyn June, Arca and Bomfunk MCs 1999 classic Freestyler. Bonkers, but brilliant.

Beta Librae Truancy Volume 170

Keep this one stored up for when you next require a moment of peaceful immersion, as Kansas-born, New York-based Beta Librae has the perfect recipe. She draws for sparse, fluid house from the deepest depths on a two-part mix that combines her own productions (in the first half) with some of her recent influences, and its heady, soothing stuff perfect for a dazed walk through the city or an late night/early morning session.

Jhann Jhannsson Electronic Explorations 461

Theres still seven months to go until we can hear Jhann Jhannssons Blade Runner 2049 score, but we can at least tide ourselves over with this mix for the Electronic Explorations series. Theres music from fellow soundtrack composers Michael Nyman and Ennio Morricone, but also avant-garde sounds from Morton Feldman, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Greek chamber music trio Mohammad. Perfect for a quiet Sunday morning.

Serge Clone Jack For Daze @ Snar 2015

Clone is 25! The bossman Serge celebrates one of the greatest dance labels in history by sharing his Snar mix from 2015, and its a jackin, smackin spectacular of broken booty shakers and four-to-the-floor filth from DJ Deeon and the like. Wallflowers stay home.

Read next: Blade Runner 2049s Jhann Jhannsson on Orphe and his biggest challenge yet

Go here to see the original:

The week's best mixes: Lorenzo Senni's trance classics and jackin' moves from Clone boss Serge - FACT

Posted in Trance | Comments Off on The week’s best mixes: Lorenzo Senni’s trance classics and jackin’ moves from Clone boss Serge – FACT