First Self-regulating Artificial Heart Successfully Implanted

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. artificial /ˌɑrtəˈfɪʃəl/ (adj.) – unnatural or man-made

Example: The leg amputee can now walk properly because of his new artificial leg.

2. implant /ɪmˈplænt, -ˈplɑnt/ (v.) – to insert something inside the body through a surgery

Example: The dentist implanted three teeth to John’s gums.

3. pace /peɪs/ (n.) – the speed of someone or something’s movement

Example: Our digestion is at a slower pace when we sleep.

4. strenuous /ˈstrɛnyuəs/ (adj.) – in need of great effort and energy

Example: Mountain climbing is a strenuous outdoor activity.

5. conscious /ˈkɒnʃəs/ (adj.) – fully awake and aware

Example: The patient is now conscious after sleeping for four days.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

The first artificial heart that beats similarly with a human heart has been successfully implanted in a French patient’s body. The Carmat bioprosthetic [BAHY-oh pros-THET-ik] artificial heart is the first of its kind, said the inventor Alain Carpentier [uh-LEYN kahr-puhn-TYAIR]. Artificial hearts were developed in the early 1980s as temporary replacement for patients with heart problems. Unlike Carpentier’s invention, these devices usually beat at a constant rate, which limits the person’s activities. Carpentier referred to his invention as the only self-regulating artificial heart, as it can change its beating pace based on the body’s needs. For instance, if the person performs strenuous activity, the device would beat faster to sustain the action. The artificial heart consists of multiple sensors and a microprocessor and is powered by an external lithium-ion [LITH-ee-uhm AHY-on] battery pack. The device is expected to function for at least five years, which is equivalent to 230 million heartbeats. Although it looks like a real heart, the artificial heart is larger and heavier. The device is estimated to fit inside 86 percent of men but only 20 percent of women. It weighs around 900 grams or two pounds, three times heavier than the average human heart. The 75-year-old male recipient showed good signs after his operation. He is fully conscious and can talk with his family while resting in a hospital in Paris. While the successful operation can mean that the artificial heart can now be used for other patients, Carmat CEO Marcello Conviti [MAR-selo KON-viti] believes that it is too early to draw conclusions. Carmat expects to release the device in the European Union by early 2015, which would cost from $190,000 to $250,000.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         Do you approve of using an artificial heart? Why or why not?

         Do you think experts should invent more devices like the Carmat artificial heart? Why?

Discussion B

         What do you think are the factors causing heart problems? Kindly explain.

         How can one keep his or her heart healthy?

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NBA Player Fined for Untying Other Players’ Shoelaces

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. fine /faɪn/ (v.) – to charge money as penalty or punishment

Example: The game officials fined the player $10,000 for playing while drunk.

2. prank /præŋk/ (n.) – an action done to make fun of a person, often taken as a joke

Example: Hiding a fellow player’s shoes is a common prank.

3. condone /kənˈdoʊn/ (v.) – to let something bad continue

Example:  The league officials do not condone malicious acts.

4. hefty /ˈhɛfti/ (adj.) – huge or large in amount

Example: Basketball superstars get a hefty salary.

5. notorious /noʊˈtɔriəs, -ˈtoʊr-, nə-/ (adj.) – well-known for bad qualities

Example: The notorious player brought a gun in the gym.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) fined a player for untying an opponent’s shoelace [SHOO-leys] during a game. New York Knicks’ [niks] guard J.R. Smith first did his prank on Dallas Mavericks’ forward, Shawn Marion. Because of this incident, the league warned Smith about his inappropriate behavior. However, he ignored the warning and tried to do the prank again on another game. The prank failed this time as Detroit Pistons’ center Greg Monroe was alert enough to move his shoe away from Smith. While Smith’s prank failed, it still resulted in a $50,000 NBA fine for his repeated misconduct. Mike Woodson, NY Knicks’ coach, expressed how unhappy he was with Smith’s behavior. He reminded the player not to repeat the wrongful act since the NBA already gave a warning. Since Smith did the prank twice without hesitation, Woodson said he will no longer condone the unprofessional acts by his player. The coach said he will address the problem and have a serious talk with Smith. Hefty fines are not new to Smith since he had committed many violations in his 10-year NBA career. This season, the NBA suspended him for the first five games for violating the league’s anti-drug policy. This no-pay suspension deducted $253,000 from his $5.6 million salary. Soon after, the league again fined him $25,000 for indirectly threatening a Pistons player on Twitter. Despite his notorious reputation, Smith is a key player for the Knicks. He won the Sixth Man of the Year award last season, which is an award for substitute players who play well.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         Do you think imposing a fine on Smith is enough to correct his bad behavior? Why or why not?

         If you were Smith’s coach, how would you make sure that your players show professionalism in each game?

Discussion B

         Why is sportsmanship important?

         How can good sportsmanship be encouraged?

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Climate Change: Shorter Arctic Winters & The California Water Shortage

As I've mentioned, published scientific studies run in cycles.  Here are two more about the subject of climate change that support the last post on this blog.  

• "Winter" in the Arctic 24 Days Shorter than 1950
• The Water Supply for California the Lowest in a Decade

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Arctic Winter 24 Days Shorter than in 1950

Research, sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA) and published in The Cryosphere, also reveals that climate change has dramatically affected the thickness of lake ice at the coldest point in the season: In 2011, Arctic lake ice was up to 38 centimetres thinner than it was in 1950.

Suggested Reading
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"We were stunned to observe such a dramatic ice decline."
"We've found that the thickness of the ice has decreased tremendously in response to climate warming in the region," said lead author Cristina Surdu, a PhD student of Professor Claude Duguay in Waterloo's Department of Geography and Environmental Management. "When we saw the actual numbers we were shocked at how dramatic the change has been. It's basically more than a foot of ice by the end of winter."

The study of more than 400 lakes o the North Slope of Alaska, is the first time researchers have been able to document the magnitude of lake-ice changes in the region over such a long period of time.

"Prior to starting our analysis, we were expecting to find a decline in ice thickness and grounded ice based on our examination of temperature and precipitation records of the past five decades from the Barrow meteorological station," said Surdu "At the end of the analysis, when looking at trend analysis results, we were stunned to observe such a dramatic ice decline during a period of only 20 years."

The research team used satellite radar imagery from ESA to determine that 62 per cent of the lakes in the region froze to the bottom in 1992. By 2011, only 26 per cent of lakes froze down to the bed, or bottom of the lake. Overall, there was a 22 per cent reduction in what the researchers call "grounded ice" from 1992 to 2011.

Researchers were able to tell the difference between a fully frozen lake and one that had not completely frozen to the bottom, because satellite radar signals behave very differently, depending on presence or absence of water underneath the ice.

Radar signals are absorbed into the sediment under the lake when it is frozen to the bottom. However, when there is water under the ice with bubbles, the beam bounces back strongly towards the radar system. Therefore, lakes that are completely frozen show up on satellite images as very dark while those that are not frozen to the lake bed are bright.

Researchers used the Canadian Lake Ice Model (CLIMo) to determine ice cover and lake ice thickness for those years before 1991, when satellite images are not available.

Winter 24 Days Shorter in the Arctic
The model simulations show that lakes in the region froze almost six days later and broke up about 18 days earlier in the winter of 2011 compared to the winter of 1950. Shorter ice-cover seasons may lead to shifts in lake algal productivity as well as thawing of permafrost under lake beds.

"The changes in ice and the shortened winter affect Northern communities that depend on ice roads to transport goods," said Surdu. "The dramatic changes in lake ice may also contribute to further warming of the entire region because open water on lakes contribute to warmer air temperatures, albeit to a lesser extent than open sea water."

California Water Supply Lowest in a Decade

Satellite data show that California's Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins are at near decade-low water storage levels. These and other findings on the State's dwindling water resources were documented in an advisory report released today from the UC Center for Hydrologic Modeling (UCCHM) at the University of California, Irvine.

Responding to Governor Jerry Brown's recent declaration of a drought emergency in California, a team of UCCHM researchers has updated its research on the state's two largest river basins, and the source of most its water. The region also encompasses the Central Valley, the most productive agriculture region in the country. The Central Valley depends entirely on the surface and groundwater resources within the river basins to meet its irrigation needs and to produce food for the nation.

Using satellite data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, the researchers, led by UCCHM Director and UC Irvine Professor Jay Famiglietti, found that as of November 2013, total water storage in the river basins -- the combination of all of the snow, surface water, soil moisture and groundwater, and an integrated measure of basin-wide water availability -- had declined to its lowest point in nearly a decade. GRACE data for the record-dry 2013-2014 winter months were not yet available for analysis.

The data show particularly steep water losses between November 2011 and November 2013, the early phase of the current drought. Famiglietti and fellow UCCHM researchers estimate that the basins have already lost 10 cubic kilometers of fresh water in each of the last two years -- equivalent to virtually all of California's urban and household water use each year. "That's the steepest decline in total water storage that we've seen in California since the GRACE mission was launched in 2002," Famiglietti said.

Researchers noted that snow pack, surface water and soil moisture storage in the river basins were all at their lowest points in nearly a decade, illustrating a growing threat to groundwater supplies in the Central Valley, and highlighting the urgent need to manage them sustainably. Groundwater is typically viewed as a strategic reserve that supplements sparse surface water supplies in times of drought.

By combining their satellite-based estimates of 10 years (October 2003 -- November 2013) of Central Valley groundwater storage changes with long-term estimates of groundwater losses from the U. S. Geological Survey, the researchers noted that steep declines in groundwater storage are typical during droughts, when Central Valley farmers are forced to rely more heavily on groundwater to meet irrigation demands.

The advisory report underscores that the rates of declining groundwater storage during drought almost always outstrip rates of groundwater replenishment during wet periods, and raises fears about the impact of long-term groundwater depletion on sustaining a reliable water supply in the current, record-setting drought. The team's previous 2011 study estimated that the Central Valley lost 20 cubic kilometers of groundwater during the 2006-2010 drought.

Communities on track to run out of water within months
Historically, drought conditions and groundwater depletion in the Central Valley are responsible for widespread land subsidence, reductions in planted acreage, higher food costs and ecological damage.

Famiglietti notes that if the drought continues "Central Valley groundwater levels will fall to all-time lows." Stephanie Castle, a UCCHM researcher who contributed to the report, believes that groundwater supplies should be more actively managed. Castle states that "the path of groundwater use that we are on threatens the sustainability of future water supplies for all Californians." She noted that several communities within the state are on track to run out of water within the next few months.

*  *  *  *  *

Story Sources:  

1. Based on materials provided by University of Waterloo.  Journal Reference: C. M. Surdu, C. R. Duguay, L. C. Brown, D. Fernández Prieto. Response of ice cover on shallow lakes of the North Slope of Alaska to contemporary climate conditions (1950–2011): radar remote-sensing and numerical modeling data analysis. The Cryosphere, 2014
2. Based on materials provided by UC Center for Hydrologic Modeling. "Satellites show 'total' California water storage at near-decade low." ScienceDaily.

Astronauts Fix Space Station’s Cooling System

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. spacewalk /ˈspeɪsˌwɔk/ (n.) – the act of going out of a spacecraft to carry out a certain task or experiment

Example: The two astronauts had a spacewalk to install new equipment in the satellite.

2. deactivate /diˈæktəˌveɪt/ (v.) – to shut down something, especially a machine

Example: The scientists deactivated the machine because of power shortage. 

3. speedy /ˈspidi/ (adj.) – quick or happening in a fast manner

Example: The speedy construction of the building lasted for only a year.

4. operational /ˌɒpəˈreɪʃənl/ (adj.) – in good working condition, especially an equipment

Example: After repairing the broken machine, it is now operational and ready to use. 

5. airlock /ˈɛərˌlɒk/ (n.) – an airtight chamber that can control air pressure 

Example: No air enters the facility because it has an airlock.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

NASA astronauts have successfully repaired a problem at the orbiting International Space Station on Christmas eve last year. American astronauts Rick Mastracchio [mas-truh-shi-YO] and Mike Hopkins went on a spacewalk to fix the station’s cooling system.  One of the two external cooling lines of the station had shut down, which forced the six-man crew to deactivate all the not-so-important equipment and experiments. Mastracchio and Hopkins did the repair at a speedy pace. They completed two days’ worth of work in just five and a half hours on a single spacewalk. They have disconnected and pulled out the old cooling pump that regulated the temperature of the equipment at the space station and installed a new ammonia pump module. A NASA commentator has said that the space station now has a cooling pump that is operational and well-functioning. Flight engineer Koichi Wakata, who is also part of the six-man crew and is from the Japan Aerospace [AIR-oh-speys] Exploration Agency, manipulated the space station’s 17-meter robotic arm. This robot pulled Hopkins and the refrigerator-sized pump to the place where it was to be installed. Wakata arrived at the space station in November last year. He will be staying there for six months and will become the first Japanese commander of the space station in March. On another note, a small amount of water made its way into the cooling system of Mastracchio’s space suit during the repair of the cooling system. It happened when he was at the station’s airlock right after the spacewalk. An astronaut may drown if water enters his spacesuit, as in the case of Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano who almost drowned because of a water leak in his helmet. NASA is still investigating this case.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         What do you think are the other risks of being an astronaut? Kindly explain.

         If given the chance, would you ever consider becoming an astronaut despite the risks? Why or why not?

Discussion B

         How can one ensure his/her own safety in the workplace? Explain.

         What measures can a company or any business do to guarantee the employee’s safety in the workplace? Please explain briefly.

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When the Midwest U.S. Becomes Desert; What Then?

Part of the fun of writing for any author or screenwriter is to put characters in new or unusual conditions to see how they react.

Recommended Reading
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These could be important thought experiments, for it seems humanity as a whole is working this experiment on ourselves without too much consideration on where it might lead.  Already, the southern U.S. and northern Mexico are experiencing drought conditions with about half the rainfall than just a decade ago as weather patterns "shift" to the north.

While debate about why this is happening continues, the fact that it is happening is obvious.  This report predicts that at the current rate of warming, Alaskan and Canadian tundra will become woodlands and grasslands by the year 2100.  There are many questions about this change to be answered, fertile ground for writers of fiction.  Try putting your characters in a world where the southern U.S. is sandy, barren desert, the strip from Seattle to New England is similar to what was found in the south, and Canada north is the temperate zone for agriculture, and most comfortable for human habitation.  

1. How might this change the human condition?  
2. How will this change the current geo-political situation?  
3. What will people be forced to do to survive let alone prosper?  
4. Will society collapse into anarchy? 
5. Or will other political systems evolve?

I'm sure you can come up with many more questions than this.  

Here's the report out of the University of Arkansas:

*  *  *  *  *

Climate researchers have calculated that the spread of plant species in nearly half the world's land areas could be affected by predicted global warming by the end of the century.

An international research team led by Song Feng, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Arkansas, used a scenario projecting an annual 3- to 10-degree increase in Celsius temperatures by 2100 to calculate that climate types will change in 46.3 percent of the global land area.

That scenario is referred to by climate scientists, according to Song, as "business as usual" because it assumes that "what we continue to do today we will do in the future, meaning that there will be no significant measures to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions that are warming the planet," he said.

The scenario has been adopted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and calls for moderate to strong warming in the middle and high latitudes of the northern hemisphere and weaker warming in the tropics and the southern hemisphere.

"Climates are associated with certain types of vegetation," Feng said. "If the surface continues to get warmer, certain native species may no longer grow well in their climate, especially in higher latitudes. They will give their territory to other species. That is the most likely scenario."

Native vegetation is the best expression of climate
Their study examined shifts in climate regimes around the world using the Köppen-Trewartha climate classification, which is based on the concept that native vegetation is the best expression of climate. The researchers analyzed observations made from 1900 to 2010, and simulations from 1900 to 2100 from 20 global climate models participating in a project of the World Climate Research Programme.

"Changes in precipitation played a slightly more important role in causing shifts of climate type during the 20th century. However, the projected warming plays an increasingly important role and dominates shifts in climate type when the warming becomes more pronounced in the 21st century," said Feng, an assistant professor of geosciences in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

"Those vast changes also imply that the global land area is experiencing vegetation-type conversions, with species distributions quite different from those that are familiar to us in modern civilization," he said. "This study is on the broad scale, it showing the big picture."

Overall, models consistently project increasing precipitation over the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere and reduced precipitation in southwestern North America, the Mediterranean, northern and southern Africa and all of Australia, according to the study.

Based on the projected changes in temperature and precipitation, current climates will shift toward warmer and drier climate types. Regions of temperate, tropical and dry climate types are projected to expand, while regions of polar, sub-polar and subtropical climate types are projected to contract.

Predictions show the tundra in Alaska and Canada giving way to trees, shrubs and plants typical of more southerly climates, as well as other global landscape changes.

*  *  *  *  *

Story Source: Song Feng et al. Projected climate regime shift under future global warming from multi-model, multi-scenario CMIP5 simulations. Global and Planetary Change, January 2014

Eating at McDonald’s is Not Always Unhealthy, Teacher Claims

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. deteriorate /dɪˈtɪəriəˌreɪt/ (v.) – to worsen or to decrease in quality through time

Example: My eyesight deteriorated fast because I’m addicted to computer games.

2. theorize /ˈθiəˌraɪz, ˈθɪəraɪz/ (v.) – to suggest an idea that can be proved scientifically

Example: The scientist’s experiment proved that the idea he theorized is true.

3. regimen /ˈrɛdʒəmən, -ˌmɛn, ˈrɛʒ-/ (n.) – a routine that makes one healthy

Example: He follows a regimen to help him stop smoking.

4. consume /kənˈsum/ (v.) – to eat or drink

Example: Luke consumes lots of rice every day.

5. discretion /dɪˈskrɛʃən/ (n.) – the ability to make choices in a specific situation

Example: My grades depend on the teacher’s discretion.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

A high school teacher proves through an amateur documentary that eating fast food products may not be harmful to one’s health. A 2004 film titled Supersize Me showed a man who ate only the food from McDonald’s for one month. The film showed that the man’s health deteriorated because of his fast food diet. This film inspired science teacher John Cisna to verify if eating McDonald’s food is indeed unhealthy. In his own documentary, Cisna theorized that eating at McDonald’s does not necessarily make a person unhealthy. Cisna and three of his students planned an eating regimen consisting of McDonald’s meals. The students referred to McDonald’s online nutritional information and considered other nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, fats, and cholesterol.  For 90 days, Cisna consumed different McDonald’s meals that were limited to 2,000 worth of calories per day. His breakfast included eggs, oatmeal, and milk, while he ate salads for lunch and fries and burgers for dinner. Cisna said he also ate high-fat products like ice creams and big burgers. During this period, he walked for 45 minutes daily. The owner of the local McDonald’s branch was interested in the experiment, so he provided free meals for the teacher. After 90 days, Cisna lost 37 pounds and his cholesterol level dropped from 249 to 170. Before the experiment, Cisna did not monitor his calories and had no regular exercises. He was surprised with his weight loss and how his theory proved to be true. The findings of the experiment suggest that being fat depends on people’s discretion and their lifestyle and not solely on McDonald’s food, said Cisna.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         After reading the story, would you still eat in fast food restaurants? Why or why not?

         Do you agree that getting fat does not depend exclusively on one’s diet? Kindly explain your answer,

Discussion B

          Why do you think many people like eating in fast food restaurants?

          How else can a person stay healthy even when eating fast food meals?

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