Morning Digest: Santorum wins big in South, grabs conservative banner

Click to View in Browser 03/14/2012 Santorum wins big in South, grabs conservative banner BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Reuters) - Republican Rick Santorum won a pair of crucial Deep South primaries on Tuesday, taking control of the party's conservative wing in the presidential race and dealing a severe setback to rival Newt Gingrich.. U.S. defense chief in Afghanistan as bombs kill 9 CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan (Reuters) - U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit on Wednesday, as the United States tried to contain fallout from a massacre of 16 Afghan civilians by an American soldier.. Stock index futures signal mixed Wall Street opening (Reuters) - Stock futures signaled a mixed opening for Wall Street on Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.1 percent, the Dow Jones futures down 0.2 percent and the Nasdaq 100 futures falling 0.1 percent.. Malawi "fed up" with Madonna, slams school plans LILONGWE (Reuters) - Malawi's government on Tuesday accused Madonna of not consulting over her plans to build 10 new schools in the poor southern African state and said the singer seemed more interested in promoting her global image than helping with education there.. Bucks acquire Ellis in five-player trade with Warriors (Reuters) - The Milwaukee Bucks acquired Monta Ellis from the Golden State Warriors in a five-player swap between the teams on Tuesday as the NBA's impending trade deadline loomed into sharp focus.. Facebook touts success in revamped pages for brands SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook's efforts to make its social network a friendlier place for businesses and popular brands are off to a strong start, the company said.. Show time for commercial spaceflight at hand CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - The first privately owned passenger spaceship is on track for a test flight beyond the atmosphere this year, and nearly 500 people have signed up for rides.. No rise in heart deaths after 2008 market crash-in LA (Reuters) - The 2008 stock market crash generated a lot of stress, but it did not trigger a spike in heart attack deaths -- at least, not in Los Angeles, according to a study.. Related Video Suicide bomber kills at least four Yemeni soldiers Dow's best close since 2007 Great Debate A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend

FlowingData - Personal map of 2.5m GPS data points, 3.5 years in the making

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Contents: Personal map of 2.5m GPS data points, 3.5 years in the making Character relationships in the Iliad Personal map of 2.5m GPS data points, 3.5 years in the making Mar 14, 2012 02:19 am  •  Permalink Aaron Parecki, co-creator of location platform Geoloqi, has collected his location every few seconds for over three years. He put his data on a map. Approximately one GPS point was recorded every 2-6 seconds when I was moving, and these images represent about 2.5 million total GPS points. Collectively, they represent a data portrait of my life: everywhere I've been and the places I've been most frequently. The map is colored by year, so you can see how my footprint changes over the years, depending on where I live. We've seen projects like this a few times before (Hey, Andy, where's your 2011 map?), but the longevity still surprises me, in a good way. (I think I've got this quantified self thing for the masses figured out. Don't even bother mentioning tracking, self-improvement, or the gadgets. Just show them stuff like this and attach some sentimental value, and there you go.) [via infosthetics] Character relationships in the Iliad Mar 14, 2012 12:27 am  •  Permalink The Iliad is an epic poem by Homer with a lot of characters and story lines going on at once. I vaguely remember reading bits and pieces in high school and getting totally lost. Santiago Ortiz explores these relationships in his latest work, which draws on the connections i.e. character sentence co-occurrences. There are two views. One is a network diagram (above), with characters sized according to number of connections with others, and a matrix view accompanies. The network has sort of a fisheye effect as you mouse over, which I think is there to make it easier to browse, but as it goes with these sort of visualizations, there are still some challenges as you try to get more details or look at smaller nodes. The second view is a streamgraph, with a stream for each character. I had trouble getting excited about the content, but it's fun to play around with the interactions. Sponsored by: More to read: Odds of losing in roulette Generative art portrays beauty in movement Geography of the basketball court Who voted for Santorum and Romney Geographic news coverage visualized  follow on Twitter | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2012 FlowingData, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in on FlowingData. Our mailing address is: FlowingData PO Box 3381 Livermore, CA 94550 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Rats match humans in decision-making that involves combining different sensory cues
• More trans fat consumption linked to greater aggression, researchers find
• Get me out of this slump: Visual illusions improve sports performance
• Scientists tap the cognitive genius of tots to make computers smarter

Rats match humans in decision-making that involves combining different sensory cues Posted: 13 Mar 2012 04:00 PM PDT The next time you set a trap for that rat running around in your basement, here's something to consider: you are going up against an opponent whose ability to assess the situation and make decisions is statistically just as good as yours. A new study has found that just like humans, rodents also combine multisensory information and exploit it in a "statistically optimal" way -- or the most efficient and unbiased way possible.

More trans fat consumption linked to greater aggression, researchers find Posted: 13 Mar 2012 09:25 AM PDT Researchers have shown -- by each of a range of measures, in men and women of all ages, in Caucasians and minorities -- that consumption of dietary trans fatty acids is associated with irritability and aggression.

Get me out of this slump: Visual illusions improve sports performance Posted: 13 Mar 2012 09:17 AM PDT With the NCAA men's college basketball tournament set to begin, college basketball fans around the United States are in the throes of March Madness. Anyone who has seen a game knows that the fans are like extra players on the court, and this is especially true during critical free throws. Fans of the opposing team will wave anything they can, from giant inflatable noodles to big heads, to make it difficult for players to focus on the basket.

Scientists tap the cognitive genius of tots to make computers smarter Posted: 13 Mar 2012 09:17 AM PDT People often wonder if computers make children smarter. Scientists are now asking the reverse question: Can children make computers smarter? It appears so.

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ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Research reveals carbon footprint caused by China's irrigation system
• Rats match humans in decision-making that involves combining different sensory cues
• Flying through a geomagnetic storm
• Input of iron linked to biological productivity in ancient Pacific Ocean
• Data support theory on location of lost Leonardo da Vinci painting
• Global warming skepticism climbs during tough economic times
• Potential drug for speeding up cellular recycling
• Fertilization by invasive species threatens nutrient-poor ecosystems
• Santorini: The ground is moving again in paradise
• Increased honey bee diversity means fewer pathogens, more helpful bacteria
• New theory on formation of oldest continents

Research reveals carbon footprint caused by China's irrigation system Posted: 13 Mar 2012 08:04 PM PDT China's groundwater irrigation system is responsible for polluting the atmosphere with more than 30 million tonnes of CO2 per year – according to research from the University of East Anglia.

Rats match humans in decision-making that involves combining different sensory cues Posted: 13 Mar 2012 04:00 PM PDT The next time you set a trap for that rat running around in your basement, here's something to consider: you are going up against an opponent whose ability to assess the situation and make decisions is statistically just as good as yours. A new study has found that just like humans, rodents also combine multisensory information and exploit it in a "statistically optimal" way -- or the most efficient and unbiased way possible.

Flying through a geomagnetic storm Posted: 13 Mar 2012 01:39 PM PDT Glowing green and red, shimmering hypnotically across the night sky, the aurora borealis is a wonder to behold. Longtime sky watchers say it is the greatest show on Earth. It might be the greatest show in Earth orbit, too. High above our planet, astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) have been enjoying an up-close view of auroras outside their windows as the ISS flys through geomagnetic storms.

Input of iron linked to biological productivity in ancient Pacific Ocean Posted: 13 Mar 2012 11:04 AM PDT Scientists have found compelling evidence from marine sediment that supports the theory that iron in the Earth's oceans has a direct impact on biological productivity, potentially affecting the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and, in turn, atmospheric temperature.

Data support theory on location of lost Leonardo da Vinci painting Posted: 13 Mar 2012 09:24 AM PDT Evidence uncovered during research conducted in Florence's Palazzo Vecchio late last year appears to support the theory that a lost Leonardo da Vinci painting existed on the east wall of the Hall of the 500, behind Giorgio Vasari's mural "The Battle of Marciano."

Global warming skepticism climbs during tough economic times Posted: 13 Mar 2012 09:24 AM PDT The American public's growing skepticism in recent years about the existence of human-made global warming is rooted in apprehension about the troubled economy, a new study suggests.

Potential drug for speeding up cellular recycling Posted: 13 Mar 2012 09:17 AM PDT Cell biologists have identified a potential drug that speeds up trash removal from the cell's recycling center, the lysosome.

Fertilization by invasive species threatens nutrient-poor ecosystems Posted: 13 Mar 2012 07:39 AM PDT Biologists have developed a new method for quantifying the effect of non-native species on ecosystem functioning.

Santorini: The ground is moving again in paradise Posted: 13 Mar 2012 07:38 AM PDT The Santorini caldera, which sits underneath a famous tourist destination, is awake again and rapidly deforming at levels never seen before.

Increased honey bee diversity means fewer pathogens, more helpful bacteria Posted: 12 Mar 2012 04:27 PM PDT A novel study of honey bee genetic diversity has for the first time found that greater diversity in worker bees leads to colonies with fewer pathogens and more abundant helpful bacteria like probiotic species.

New theory on formation of oldest continents Posted: 12 Mar 2012 11:03 AM PDT Geologists have demonstrated new scientific results to support a new theory on the earliest phase of continental formation.

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ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Fatty diets may be associated with reduced semen quality
• Losing belly fat, whether from a low-carb or a low-fat diet, helps improve blood vessel function
• Dietary patterns exist among US adults based on demographics
• Treating intestinal E. coli infection with antibiotic may reduce duration of bacterial carriage
• Potential Alzheimer's disease drug slows damage and symptoms in animal model
• Scientists produce eye structures from human blood-derived stem cells
• Reduced baby risk from another Cesarean
• Simple, low-cost yoga program can enhance coping and quality of life for the caregivers
• Children at risk for schizophrenia show disordered brain networks
• Multiple sclerosis study documents negative effect of warmer weather on cognition
• Gene known to protect against cancer can also promote tumor growth
• More trans fat consumption linked to greater aggression, researchers find
• Get me out of this slump: Visual illusions improve sports performance
• Microbubbles and ultrasound help penetrate blood-brain barrier
• Body clocks may hold key for treatment of bipolar disorder
• Scientists find insulin, nutrition prevent blood stem cell differentiation in fruit flies

Fatty diets may be associated with reduced semen quality Posted: 13 Mar 2012 08:03 PM PDT Men's diets, in particular the amount and type of different fats they eat, could be associated with their semen quality according to the results of a study. The study of 99 men in the USA found an association between a high total fat intake and lower total sperm count and concentration.

Losing belly fat, whether from a low-carb or a low-fat diet, helps improve blood vessel function Posted: 13 Mar 2012 08:03 PM PDT Overweight people who shed pounds, especially belly fat, can improve the function of their blood vessels no matter whether they are on a low-carb or a low-fat diet, according to a new study.

Dietary patterns exist among US adults based on demographics Posted: 13 Mar 2012 04:00 PM PDT Scientists say they have identified five eating patterns for US adults that are strongly influenced by age, race, region, gender, income and education.

Treating intestinal E. coli infection with antibiotic may reduce duration of bacterial carriage Posted: 13 Mar 2012 03:59 PM PDT In the E. coli outbreak in Germany in May 2011, treatment with azithromycin was associated with a lower frequency of long-term carriage of the bacteria and shorter duration of shedding of the bacteria in stool specimens, according to a new study.

Potential Alzheimer's disease drug slows damage and symptoms in animal model Posted: 13 Mar 2012 03:58 PM PDT A compound that previously progressed to Phase II clinical trials for cancer treatment slows neurological damage and improves brain function in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. The compound epothilone D is effective in preventing further neurological damage and improving cognitive performance in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The results establish how the drug might be used in early-stage AD patients.

Scientists produce eye structures from human blood-derived stem cells Posted: 13 Mar 2012 03:52 PM PDT For the first time, scientists have made early retina structures containing proliferating neuroretinal progenitor cells using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells derived from human blood.

Reduced baby risk from another Cesarean Posted: 13 Mar 2012 03:52 PM PDT A major study has found that women who have had one prior cesarean can lower the risk of death and serious complications for their next baby -- and themselves -- by electing to have another cesarean.

Simple, low-cost yoga program can enhance coping and quality of life for the caregivers Posted: 13 Mar 2012 11:50 AM PDT For dementia caregivers, researchers have found that engaging in a brief, 12-minute yogic practice that included an ancient chanting meditation, can lead to improved cognitive functioning, and lower levels of depression for caregivers.

Children at risk for schizophrenia show disordered brain networks Posted: 13 Mar 2012 11:50 AM PDT Neuroscientists have discovered stark developmental differences in brain network function in children of parents with schizophrenia when compared to those with no family history of mental illness.

Multiple sclerosis study documents negative effect of warmer weather on cognition Posted: 13 Mar 2012 11:50 AM PDT Scientists have shown that outdoor temperature significantly impacts cognitive functioning in multiple sclerosis (MS). In cross-sectional and longitudinal samples, patients performed worse on processing speed and memory tasks during warmer outdoor temperatures. Previous research documented increased disease activity during warmer months; this study is the first to show that cognition also fluctuates. This is the first study to support the subjective impression of patients with MS that warm weather negatively affects their cognition.

Gene known to protect against cancer can also promote tumor growth Posted: 13 Mar 2012 11:07 AM PDT Can a gene simultaneously protect against cancer and favor its growth? Researchers have discovered a gene with this double-edged property and suspect there may be many more that share it.

More trans fat consumption linked to greater aggression, researchers find Posted: 13 Mar 2012 09:25 AM PDT Researchers have shown -- by each of a range of measures, in men and women of all ages, in Caucasians and minorities -- that consumption of dietary trans fatty acids is associated with irritability and aggression.

Get me out of this slump: Visual illusions improve sports performance Posted: 13 Mar 2012 09:17 AM PDT With the NCAA men's college basketball tournament set to begin, college basketball fans around the United States are in the throes of March Madness. Anyone who has seen a game knows that the fans are like extra players on the court, and this is especially true during critical free throws. Fans of the opposing team will wave anything they can, from giant inflatable noodles to big heads, to make it difficult for players to focus on the basket.

Microbubbles and ultrasound help penetrate blood-brain barrier Posted: 13 Mar 2012 09:17 AM PDT One of the trickiest parts of treating brain conditions is the blood-brain barrier, a blockade of cells that prevent both harmful toxins and helpful pharmaceuticals from getting to the body's control center. But, a new technique uses an MRI machine to guide the use of microbubbles and focused ultrasound to help drugs enter the brain, which may open new treatment avenues for devastating conditions like Alzheimer's and brain cancers.

Body clocks may hold key for treatment of bipolar disorder Posted: 13 Mar 2012 07:39 AM PDT Scientists have gained insight into why lithium salts are effective at treating bipolar disorder in what could lead to more targeted therapies with fewer side-effects.

Scientists find insulin, nutrition prevent blood stem cell differentiation in fruit flies Posted: 12 Mar 2012 07:21 AM PDT Stem cell researchers have shown that insulin and nutrition keep blood stem cells from differentiating into mature blood cells in Drosophila, the common fruit fly.

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