Scientists use light to nuke cancer cells in mice
In the great fight against cancer, scientists look for solutions that are both effective and less ravaging than current treatments like chemotherapy. One experimental concept, optogenetics, uses light to reduce or eliminate cancer cells. Researchers at UT San Antonio have devised a method using this school of treatment to attack inoperable or hard-to-reach tumors, which could give options to patients who were considered too high of risk to help.
The technique involves injecting the chemical compound nitrobenzaldehyde into the tumor and waiting for it to diffuse through it. Then a beam of ultraviolet light is aimed at the chemical-filled tumor, which becomes so highly acidic that it basically commits suicide, according to a UT San Antonio press release. In two hours, 95 percent of the cancer cells targeted in the test mice were dead, estimated the researcher.
While still very experimental, this method limits the treatment to a specific area, unlike chemotherapy that affects all cells in the body. Since it only requires an injection it’s also non-invasive, making it appealing for complicated areas like the brain stem or spine. There are others tinkering with optogenetic methods: Tufts University researchers injected frog embryos with genes that produced light-sensitive ion channels in tumor cells that shrunk when exposed to blue light. While both are still far from ready for human trials, they’re promising options for future patients who wouldn’t be treatable today.
Via: MedicalXpress
Source: “Photodynamic acidification therapy to reduce triple negative breast cancer growth in vivo” (study)
George Stroumboulopoulos to Kick Off Canadian ‘Takeover’ of Beats 1 Tomorrow
Canadian music and TV personality George Stroumboulopoulos will kick off a Canadian “takeover” of Beats 1 with an hourlong segment on July 2 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time, Apple has confirmed to the Financial Post.
George Stroumboulopoulos, left, and Beats 1 host Zane Lowe (Financial Post)
Part entertainment, part education, these hour-long sessions are a chance for local talent to shine a light on a particular country’s artists for people around the world, or even someone unaware down the street. Now it is Canada’s turn to take the stage for the first time.
Stroumboulopoulos most recently served as the main host of Canada’s popular Hockey Night in Canada show, but he will be replaced by his predecessor Ron MacLean as of the 2016-17 NHL season. The 43-year-old is also known as being a former VJ for Canadian music channel MuchMusic and for hosting the CBC talk show George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, formerly The Hour, from 2005 to 2014.
“People have spent decades trying to discuss who Canadians are, so it’s impossible to accomplish such a big task in one hour,” said Stroumboulopoulos, a popular voice in the country’s music scene thanks to his work at CBC Radio and MuchMusic. “What I worry about is if I can create a show that gives you an idea globally about what’s cool and what’s happening here … reflecting the coast-to-coast-to-coast of this country.”
After Stroumboulopoulos, Beats 1’s Canadian “takeover” series will continue for four successive Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time:
– July 9: Josie Dye and Dine Alone Records
– July 16: Coeur de Pirate and Dare To Care Records
– July 23: Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew representing Arts & Crafts Productions
– July 30: Metric’s Emily Haines and Last Gang Records
Beats 1 has hosted similar country “takeovers” for Australia and Japan over the past year.
Beats 1 turned one year old on Thursday. Canada celebrated its 149th birthday on Friday.
Tags: Canada, Beats 1
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The Public Access Weekly: I want to believe
Yes, we did accidentally rickroll y’all this week in the Trent Reznor/Juno post. Our (hilarious, unintentional but not really regrettable) bad. Thanks to the attentive commenters who alerted us to the error. Also, for those of you keeping track of geek holidays, tomorrow is World UFO Day! Break out the martian antenna headbands and watch the X-Files.
Last week I put up the Q&A contest post — wherein you can get details on how to enter to become our next Q&A guest star — and so far I have received a total of zero entries or emails. What gives? No one wants to be a Q&A interviewee? Or perhaps no one is digging the contest? Let me know in the comments; I’m genuinely curious.
Last week I also mentioned that I would be sending out special topic suggestions to frequent contributors (and a gentle reminder to those of you who have never, ever logged into your Public Access accounts). Although this was our last week of first year anniversary celebration posts, I’m still going to send out those topic suggestions! It’s taken me a wee bit longer than expected to pull everything together but keep an eye on your Public Access account next week — you might see an exclusive invite to write on a particular theme.
In other community happenings, a few folks in the comments have been complaining about harassment and negative interactions with other commenters. Please, please — if you are experiencing harassment or are finding harassing comments, flag them. We have a flag feature specifically to alert staff to issues in the comments, and while we do our best to make sure that everyone is adhering to the community guidelines, we simply cannot be everywhere at once. We rely on you to let us know when there’s a problem brewing, so if you see something, flag it!
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It’s official! Google introduced Android Nougat this week on Snapchat, disappointing all those Nutella and Nerds fans out there. (But hey, you can still hold out hope that the next variant will be Oreo right?)
Our second-look review of the PlayStation 4 is up — and our score of 86 is right in-line with the user reviews of 8.6. Read on to find out how we feel about the controllers battery life, UI and offerings like PlayStation Now and PS Vue.
As a Community Editor, I found Nicole Lee’s article on the difference between forums and social networks (and how they serve their users) really interesting. And I’m inclined to agree with her, that social networks are more about broadcasting yourself out to online followers while forums are more centered around an idea of community.
Looking for something to write about? Mull over:
Personally, I’ve been ignoring the hell out of the “Upgrade to Windows 10” pop up boxes but others are finding the process a lot more confusing (or invasive enough to sue over). How do you feel about Microsoft’s attempts to get folks to upgrade? Have you upgraded yet? If so, how are you feeling about Windows 10?
Although I only recently opted to start paying for Spotify, I’ve long known that if Evernote ever went to a subscription model or paid version I would shell out for it entirely willingly. So when the company rolled out some new service tiers this week, I took it in stride. However, a lot of folks in the comments here are saying they’ll be jumping ship to OneNote. Will you stop using Evernote due to this price change? What would you use instead? And if you’re willing to shell out for the service, tell us why.
In which Zach Hines discusses diving into the wormhole that is retro consoles, complete with details on CRT resolutions, pixels and interlacing. Have you ever hooked a ‘retro’ gaming console to a more modern television? Any tips for those who are attempting to do the same? And, bonus question, tell us why you keep older devices or gadgets.
NASA’s New Horizons probe is officially set to explore the Kuiper Belt
After capturing and transmitting the most detailed images of Pluto we’ve ever seen, NASA’s New Horizons space probe is getting a new mission. NASA announced today that the probe had received funding to continue its exploration of the outer reaches of our solar system. Going deeper into the Kuiper Belt, New Horizons is set to reach the small icy object known as 2014 MU69, which was first discovered by the Hubble telescope in June of 2014. This potential destination was announced last year, but now the probe has officially been given clearance to make the trip. It should arrive at 2014 MU69 on January 1st, 2019.
2014 MU69 is estimated to have a diameter of only 20 to 30 miles, making it a much smaller target than Pluto. But scientists believe that Kuiper Belt objects (KBO) like 2014 MU69 are similar to what the pieces that made up Pluto when it came together billions of years ago. And the limited amount of sunlight reaching the Kuiper Belt means that this a pretty well-preserved specimen.
Despite the fact that New Horizons is set to intercept the KBO in early 2019, the probe’s mission in full has been extended to 2012, reports The Verge. And on the trip, it’ll be collecting information about dozens of other KBOs along the way. While the images and info gathered on this trip probably won’t be quite as attention-grabbing and dramatic as the probe’s photos of Pluto were, we’re still talking about all kinds of info from a new region of space that’s a billion miles away from Pluto — there should be plenty to dissect and analyze as New Horizons makes the trip.
Via: The Verge
Source: NASA
How to use Samsung Smart Switch to backup your Galaxy phone
How do I back up my data on my Samsung Galaxy device?
Looking for a reliable way to back up the data on your Samsung Galaxy phone? Look no further than Samsung’s Smart Switch application.
Simply download the application onto your computer, connect your phone, and before too long you’ll have everything backed up in case you need to transfer your data to a new phone, or restore your phone to an older state.
- How to install Samsung Smart Switch on your computer
- How to set up Samsung Smart Switch for the first time
- How to backup your phone data with Samsung Smart Switch
- How to restore your phone from a previous backup using Samsung Smart Switch
How to install Samsung Smart Switch on your computer
We’ll show you the process for installation on Windows, but it’s a pretty standard installation process on Mac as well.
Navigate to the Samsung Smart Switch support website.
Click on the download link for Windows or Mac — whichever system you’re using. For this how-to, we’re using Windows
Click to launch the downloaded .exe file (.dmg on Mac).
Click the two check boxes to verify that you accept the terms of the licence agreement.
Click Next.
Click Finish once the installation process is complete. Smart Switch will then launch by default.
Now that we’ve installed Samsung Smart Switch, let’s set it up to connect to your Samsung Galaxy phone.
How to setup Samsung Smart Switch for the first time
Once you’ve installed the Smart Switch application, you’ll need to get it synced up with your phone.
Launch the Samsung Smart Switch application after installation or from the desktop icon on your computer.
Connect your phone to your computer via USB cable to get started. The program should instantly recognize when it’s connected. You may be prompted to allow USB file transfers on your phone.
Switching over to your phone, unlock and swipe down from the top to pull down the notification shade.
Tap the notification for other USB options.
Tap the Transferring media files option.
Switching back over to the computer, your phone should now be connected in the Smart Switch application.
How to backup your phone data with Samsung Smart Switch
Once you’ve launched the Smart Switch application and have your phone connected, backing up your data is as easy as pie.
Launch the Smart Switch app on your computer.
Click Backup.
You’ll be required to allow access permissions on your phone.
Pick up your phone.
Tap Allow.
Once the backup is complete, you get a breakdown of all the data that was successfully backed up. Click OK to finish.
How to restore your phone from a previous backup using Samsung Smart Switch
If it’s time to upgrade to a new Samsung phone or something has gone wrong, requiring you to restore your data, it’s super easy if you’ve got an existing Smart Switch backup.
Launch Samsung Smart Switch on your computer and connect your phone via USB.
Click Restore.
Click Select a different backup if you want to restore from an eariler backup, otherwise click Restore now.
You will be prompted to allow access permissions on your phone.
Switching focus to your phone, tap Allow to continue the restore process
Once the restore process is complete, you’ll get a breakdown of the data that’s been restored. Click OK to finish the restore.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 7 shown off in triad of colors in leaked renders
It wasn’t that long ago that we got our first peek at the rumored specs of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 7, and now we’ve got a look at some leaked renders that show what is likely to be the plus-sized phone’s design. The renders were shown off by avid leaker Evan Blass on Twitter, and include the Note 7 in three colors: onyx, silver titanium, and blue coral.
As we previously reported, the Galaxy Note 7 is expected to pack a 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED display, 64GB of expandable (via microSD) storage, and a 12MP camera around back with a 5MP shooter up front. The handset will also pack an iris scanner as a secondary layer of security, according to Blass. It’s also expected to feature IP68 resistance to dust and water, much like its sibling, the Galaxy S7.
What do you think of the leaked renders? Be sure to let us know in the comments and on our forums!
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
- The latest Galaxy Note 7 rumors!
- Galaxy Note 7: Imagining the next Note
- Expected Note 7 colors surface
- Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!
BMW partners with Intel to get autonomous cars on the road by 2021
BMW has already said it wants to get autonomous cars on the road by 2021, but the automaker doesn’t have all the technological know-how to make that a reality. To get there, BMW today announced a partnership with Intel and computer vision / sensing company Mobileye to build a platform that’ll help the company meet its goals. But what the three companies are working on won’t just benefit BWM — it sounds like the idea is to make an open industry platform that other car makers can use in an effort to make autonomous vehicles more widely available.
From a technology perspective, Intel and Mobileye are both bringing experience in machine learning and computer technology; Intel’s been working on autonomous driving tech for several years now. Ultimately, the companies all want to push driverless cars forward to the point where they reach the “eyes off” and “mind off” stage of the game, where passengers aren’t required to keep their hands on the wheel, eyes on the road or any of the other things we take as part of the current driving experience.
All three companies have agreed to “deliverables and milestones” to reach that 2021 goal, but they aren’t talking much about what those are just yet. In the short term, the partners will show off an autonomous test drive featuring a “highly automated driving” prototype. What exactly that means remains unclear, but it seems like we should see things come out of those partnership before too long — by 2017, BWM, Intel and Mobileye want to have full fleets of vehicles performing “extended” autonomous test drives.
Source: BMW (BusinessWire)
Police confirm DVD player found in Tesla Autopilot wreck
A day after we learned that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating a fatal crash involving Tesla’s Autopilot feature, more details have emerged. The Florida Highway Patrol confirmed to Reuters that a portable DVD player was found in the wreckage. The driver of the truck that was crossing the highway when it was struck by the Model S told the Associated Press that the driver was playing a Harry Potter movie at the time. He said he could he could hear it playing after the car hit a telephone pole further down the road.
BREAKING: After truck driver suspected Tesla driver in fatal crash was watching a video, police say DVD player found pic.twitter.com/qoZjd6jt62
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) July 1, 2016
When engaged, the Autopilot feature reminds drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and remain attentive, however many posted videos show that not everyone actually does that. From what we know about this particular crash, there are a number of elements at play. Slashgear points out that while Florida laws ban forbid TV screens visible to the driver while a car is in motion, the driver, identified as Joshua Brown, was from Ohio, which does not have a specific law against that.
Mobileye, the company behind some of the sensor tech involved in the Tesla, said in a statement to Electrek that “today’s collision avoidance technology, or Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) is defined as rear-end collision avoidance, and is designed specifically for that. This incident involved a laterally crossing vehicle, which current-generation AEB systems are not designed to actuate upon.” It’s planning to add detection for that type of incident beginning in 2018, while Tesla again pointed out that the combination of the box truck’s design and color resulted in the automatic braking not firing.
Source: Reuters, Electrek, Slashgear, CNBC (AP)
ESPN2 will televise the ‘Street Fighter V’ finals from Evo 2016
Professional gaming continues its slow creep into the mainstream, landing airtime for another tournament on a prominent sports channel. ESPN2 will air the world championship matches for Street Fighter V live from the Mandalay Bay events center on July 17th at 10pm ET, but they’ll also broadcast it on WatchESPN for you cord-cutters.
The elite Street Fighter tournament is just one of several in the weekend-long Evolution Championship Series (Evo), which hosts top-level fighting game competitions. Eight other titles will be played including Mortal Kombat X, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Tekken 7 and Pokken Tournament. While it’s a little late to register yourself, you can still buy tickets here.
ESPN is really beefing up its esports coverage. They’ve aired events like BlizzCon and The International Dota2 Championships on ESPN3 and the Heroes of the Dorm final on ESPN2 for a couple years now, dragging pro-gaming off the internet and in front of cable subscribers. After launching a dedicated esports vertical in January broadcasting the Madden NFL 16 championships back in June, ESPN seems more and more invested in catering to the digital athletics crowd.
Source: ESPN2
Tansfer money securely with Circle Pay (review)
Hamburger Menu
In today’s digital age, it has become common place for us to want to want to do everything from our mobile devices, including banking. Speaking for myself, I hardly ever carry cash anymore. If someone asks me for money I have recently been resorting to, “Why don’t I pay and you can pay me back?” or vice versa. The next dilemma is paying them back. I again look to my mobile device for answers. Circle Pay offers an easy way to send someone that reimbursement with a simple text or email.
Impression
A simple, free download from the Google Play store and you can launch the app. The only setup required is to register an email address for your account. Upon login, we find warm and inviting colors matched by that classic material design we all feel comfortable with. Taking a look at the home screen, we have a hamburger menu in the top left, an ellipse menu in the top right, our account balance in the center and below the balance, we see our recent activity. Finally, in the bottom right of the screen, we have a “+” button that allows us to initiate sending or requesting of money.
Hamburger Menu
Home Screen
When we try to dig a little deeper we find how simplistic Circle Pay really is. The whole basis of the app is quick, convenient money transfer. From the hamburger menu, you can quickly send money, request money, add money to your account (yes, Circle Pay has its own account balance) or Cash Out (put you balance back into your Bank). The only downside is the $300 per week limit for deposits which is understandable for a free service and can be increased if you are a frequent user. On the other hand, cash out, spend and receive is unlimited.
Great, sending and receiving money is easy but where does the money come from. Simple, Circle Pay allows you to link directly to your bank account or debit card for free and, if you so choose, you can convert your money to Bitcoin right from the app (after accepting all potential liabilities that come with Bitcoin of course).
Settings and Security
More Settings and Security
Along with discussions of money and technology comes the ever looming question of security. Circle Pay has you covered. By default, it requires two-factor authentication to sign in and to send or receive anything over $30 (this can be adjusted in the settings). The app also allows you to easily create a PIN number that must be typed in before you can access the app. Finally, there is an option to hide your account balance from the home screen if you are worried about prying eyes over your shoulder.
Looking ahead, the developers tell us that there will soon be support for the Euro as well.
We will soon open Circle Euro support to consumers in Spain as the first part of a broader European-wide rollout to come over the coming month. We are currently working with the regulators to finalize our approach, but are excited about the opportunity.
Conclusion
Circle Pay has succeeded in what it has set out to do, become an easy way for people to quickly share funds. They have not skipped out on security, functionality, or style. I would love to see the app grow into becoming more than just a money sharing app but an all purpose purchasing app. If you think Circle Pay might be just what you need in your life, click the link below and get started today.
Download Circle Pay from Google Play
AIVAnet 