Researchers Repair Brain Injuries With New Cells

A group of researchers at Rice University in Texas are learning how to help the brain heal from serious injuries. Brain cells, called neurons, connect with each other through chemical and electrical signals. They form networks. They use proteins to grow. The researchers want to find out if they can direct the growth of neurons and help them form these important links. If the researchers can understand this process, they think they will be able to help people who have suffered brain injuries stimulate new nerve tissue. Amina Qutub is a bioengineer who studies the brain. She studies what happens when a person’s brain does not receive enough oxygen. When the brain lacks oxygen, it is having a stroke. Qutub says scientists used to think brain cells were “static.” That means everyone was born with a limited number of brain cells, and the number of those cells could never increase. “But a lot of new research shows we’re able to regenerate nerve cells,” she says. Qutub works with an electrical engineer and a biologist on the research team. The goal is to learn how to repair parts of the brain that are damaged in a stroke. The brains can be damaged by a degenerative disease like Alzheimer’s disease. Or in a traumatic injury, such a getting hit in the head. The networks the brain forms as called neural networks, and they are complex. Pre-neurons are even harder to understand. "They form very elaborate and beautiful networks and the different network structures relate to what they do, their function. And what we are trying to do is figure out  what are the chemical signals that lead to a particular structure and, in turn, how does that structure lead to the electrical signals you get when you have active neurons." The Rice research is supported in part by President Barack Obama's $300 million BRAIN Initiative, which is modeled after the Human Genome Project. Qutub says the research “opens up a huge door to better understanding the brain." A small, tropical fish is contributing to the research. It is called a zebrafish because of its stripes. Zebrafish embryos are being used by the research team because their embryos are transparent. That way they can see a living brain work. Qutub says that is not possible with humans. “In zebrafish, we can watch the neural progenitor cells become neurons.” The research program will create a computer model. That model will help researchers get a better idea of how the brain works. One day, they may be able to provide better treatment for people with brain injuries. I’m Dan Friedell. Greg Flakus wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. How close are we to being able to help brain cells regenerate? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   degenerative – adj. causing the body or part of the body to become weaker or less able to function as time passes elaborate – adj. made or done with great care or with much detail : having many parts that are carefully arranged or planned embryo – n. a human or animal in the early stages of development before it is born, hatched, etc genome – n. an organism’s complete set of DNA huge – adj. very large neuron – n. a cell that carries messages between the brain and other parts of the body and that is the basic unit of the nervous system progenitor– n. something that begins the development of something else static – adj. showing little or no change, action, or progress stimulate – v. to cause or encourage (something) to happen or develop traumatic– adj. related to or caused by a severe injury to your body tropical fish – n. a small, brightly colored fish that lives in warm water in tropical areas function– v. to work or operate

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Prince

Music fans and professionals are mourning the loss of revolutionary performer Prince Roger Nelson, better known as Prince. The artist was found dead in his home near Minneapolis, Minnesota, Thursday. He was 57 years old. Prince was a highly skilled musician. He played many instruments including guitar, piano and drums. He wrote popular songs that crossed many musical borders. He had a powerful voice with a wide high to low range. Prince’s music brought together many musical styles including jazz, rhythm & blues, rock and roll, funk, and disco. He had his own unmistakable sound. Prince had music in his blood. His father was a jazz musician and his mother was a singer. He became a performer at a young age. His first album, “For You” came out in 1978. Prince was 19 at the time. Prince was famous for more than just his music. He wore makeup and bright, sexy clothing, including pink furs, shiny purple brocade, and high boots. Sometimes he wore very little at all. Many of the performer’s lyrics described or referred to sex. One song, “Darling Nikki,” came under special attack by a powerful critic: Tipper Gore. She was married at the time to then Senator Al Gore. Tipper Gore helped lead a parents' movement to place Parental Advisory messages on albums that included offensive words or language about sex, drugs. She said that she decided to act after watching her young daughter listen to “Darling Nikki.” Another of Prince’s best-known songs is the 1984 single, “Purple Rain.” The album of the same name sold 20 million copies. “Purple Rain” was also made into a movie starring Prince. He won an Academy Award for the movie’s music. Prince was a seven-time Grammy award winner. He was admitted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. The Hall of Fame said Prince “rewrote the rule book, forging a synthesis of black funk and white rock that served as a blueprint for cutting edge music in the 80s.” Yet, the performer also fought with his record company, Warner Bros., over control of his music. He even temporarily changed his name to a symbol after a contract dispute. For a time, reporters called him “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.” He left the record company, but returned several years ago. Prince sold more than 100 million albums around the world with hit songs such as “Little Red Corvette,” “1999,” “When Doves Cry.” He also wrote hit music for other performers including Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and The Bangles’ “Manic Monday." Many celebrities have been remembering Prince on social media sites.  Stevie Wonder praised him for bringing different cultures together in music. Katy Perry tweeted “the world lost a lot of magic.” Madonna called him “a true visionary.” President Barack Obama also honored the musician. He called the artist “a creative icon.” He said “As one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time, Prince did it all.”Doctors will examine Prince’s body to try to learn the cause of death. Official say police found the musician in his home after they received an emergency call. They tried to rescue him but he died. Prince was hospitalized last week. His private airplane made an emergency landing in Illinois after concerts in Georgia. Some reports said he was suffering from the flu. I’m Caty Weaver.   Materials from VOA News, AP and the New York Times were used in this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise and Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   range –n. from highest to lowest, including all parts of a set in his blood –idiom, meaning a person was born with an ability forge –v. to create with great effort synthesis –n. bringing two or more things, often ideas, together to create something new blueprint –n. the plans for building something cutting edge –n. the newest, most modern part of some activity or movement symbol –n. an object that represents an idea, movement or group icon –n. someone who is the object of devoted attention prolific –adj. producing a large amount of something  

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Fans Remember Music Icon Prince

The 57-year-old artist died Thursday morning at his home outside the northern U.S. city of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Born Prince Rogers Nelson, the multi-talented and influential musician is known for such songs as "1999," "Little Red Corvette," and "Purple Rain," the title track of his breakthrough 1984 album and movie.

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For Prince or Queen Elizabeth? Niagara Falls Turns Purple

This is What’s Trending Today. The death of music superstar Prince shocked and saddened the world yesterday. In his honor, many famous monuments turned purple.  The color was chosen in memory of his hit song “Purple Rain.” ​ Yesterday, even Niagara Falls - in Canada - turned purple. People on social media were impressed that such huge waterfalls could turn purple in such short notice. ​ But, the purple color was not, in fact, meant to honor Prince. The agency that manages Niagara Falls had been planning to make the falls purple on April 21 in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday. Purple is the color of royalty. Canada is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Canadian travel site Canoe.com wrote on Twitter: “Niagara Falls goes purple for the Queen’s birthday -- and, inadvertently, for Prince.” Another Canadian landmark, Toronto's CN Tower, also glowed purple Thursday night. That, too, was for the Queen’s birthday. A Toronto politician tweeted the reason: The confusion has made “Niagara Falls” a trending topic on social media. And, even though it is now clear that officials planned to make the falls purple to honor the Queen’s birthday, many people are choosing to believe it was also in memory of Prince. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dorothy Gundy.   Ashley Thompson wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   inadvertently - adv. not planned or intended glow - v. to shine with a steady light  

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India Wants to Recover Crown Jewel from Britain

  The Indian government has launched an effort to recover a priceless diamond from Britain. The Koh-i-Noor diamond was given to Britain’s Queen Victoria as a present in 1850, when India was a British colony. The diamond is now kept as part of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. Ownership of the Koh-i-Noor was the subject of a hearing this week in India’s highest court. Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told the Supreme Court Monday that the diamond belonged to Great Britain. “It was given to the British as compensation for help in the Sikh Wars,” he said. “The Koh-i-Noor is not a stolen object.” His comments shocked many Indians. In a written statement, India’s Ministry of Culture said the government does not agree with Kumar’s position. The statement said the government would like to bring back the diamond in what it called “an amicable manner.” Media reports say India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have each tried to claim ownership of the Koh-i-noor. In recent years, the four nations have demanded its return from Britain. The mother of Queen Elizabeth II wore the diamond in her crown prior to her death in 2002. The name Koh-i-Noor means "Mountain of Light" in Persian. Several media sources reported the diamond to be worth as much as $200 million. I’m Anna Matteo.   VOANews.com reported on this story. Jim Dresbach adapted the report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   compensation – n. payment amicable – adj. showing a polite and friendly desire to avoid disagreement and argument manner – n. a way in which something is done crown – n. an object shaped like a circle that is worn on the head of a king or queen

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The Story of an Eyewitness by Jack London

The western American city of San Francisco, California suffered a huge earthquake on April 18th, 1906. More than three thousand people are known to have died.  The true number of dead will never be known.  Two hundred fifty thousand people lost their homes. Just a few hours after the terrible earthquake, a magazine named Collier’s sent a telegraph message to the famous American writer Jack London.  They asked Mr. London to go to San Francisco and report about what he saw.  He arrived in the city only a few hours after the earthquake.  The report he wrote is called, “The Story of an Eyewitness.”  Not in history has a modern city been so completely destroyed.  San Francisco is gone.  Nothing remains of it but memories and a few homes that were near the edge of the city.  Its industrial area is gone.  Its business area is gone. Its social and living areas are gone.  The factories, great stores and newspaper buildings, the hotels and the huge homes of the very rich, are all gone.  Within minutes of the earthquake the fires began.  Within an hour a huge tower of smoke caused by the fires could be seen a hundred miles away.  And for three days and nights this huge fire moved in the sky, reddening the sun, darkening the day and filling the land with smoke. There was no opposing the flames.  There was no organization, no communication.  The earthquake had smashed all of the modern inventions of a twentieth century city.  The streets were broken and filled with pieces of fallen walls.  The telephone and telegraph systems were broken.  And the great water pipes had burst.  All inventions and safety plans of man had been destroyed by thirty seconds of movement by the earth. By Wednesday afternoon, only twelve hours after the earthquake, half the heart of the city was gone. I watched the huge fire.  It was very calm.  There was no wind.  Yet from every side, wind was pouring in upon the city.  East, west, north and south, strong winds were blowing upon the dying city. The heated air made a huge wind that pulled air into the fire, rising into the atmosphere.  Day and night the calm continued, and yet, near the flames, the wind was often as strong as a storm. There was no water to fight the fire.  Fire fighters decided to use explosives to destroy buildings in its path.  They hoped this would create a block to slow or stop the fire.  Building after building was destroyed.  And still the great fires continued.  Jack London told how people tried to save some of their possessions from the fire. Wednesday night the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, yet the city was quiet.  There were no crowds.  There was no shouting and yelling.  There was no disorder.  I passed Wednesday night in the path of the fire and in all those terrible hours I saw not one woman who cried, not one man who was excited, not one person who caused trouble. Throughout the night, tens of thousands of homeless ones fled the fire.  Some were wrapped in blankets. Others carried bedding and dear household treasures. Many of the poor left their homes with everything they could carry.  Many of their loads were extremely heavy.  Throughout the night they dropped items they could no longer hold.  They left on the street clothing and treasures they had carried for miles. Many carried large boxes called trunks. They held onto these the longest.  It was a hard night and the hills of San Francisco are steep.  And up these hills, mile after mile, were the trunks dragged.  Many a strong man broke his heart that night. Before the march of the fire were soldiers. Their job was to keep the people moving away from the fire.  The extremely tired people would arise and struggle up the steep hills, pausing from weakness every five or ten feet.  Often, after reaching the top of a heart-breaking hill, they would find the fire was moving at them from a different direction.  After working hour after hour through the night to save part of their lives, thousands were forced to leave their trunks and flee. At night I walked down through the very heart of the city.  I walked through mile after mile of beautiful buildings.  Here was no fire.  All was in perfect order.  The police patrolled the streets.  And yet it was all doomed, all of it.  There was no water.  The explosives were almost used up.  And two huge fires were coming toward this part of the city from different directions.  Four hours later I walked through this same part of the city.  Everything still stood as before.  And yet there was a change.  A rain of ashes was falling.  The police had been withdrawn.  There were no firemen, no fire engines, and no men using explosives.  I stood at the corner of Kearney and Market Streets in the very heart of San Francisco.   Nothing could be done. Nothing could be saved.  The surrender was complete.  It was impossible to guess where the fire would move next.  In the early evening I passed through Union Square.  It was packed with refugees.  Thousands of them had gone to bed on the grass.  Government tents had been set up, food was being cooked and the refugees were lining up for free meals.  Late that night I passed Union Square again.  Three sides of the Square were in flames.  The Square, with mountains of trunks, was deserted.  The troops, refugees and all had retreated. The next morning I sat in front of a home on San Francisco’s famous Nob Hill.  With me sat Japanese, Italians, Chinese and Negroes.  All about were the huge homes of the very rich.  To the east and south of us were advancing two huge walls of fire.  I went inside one house and talked to the owner.  He smiled and said the earthquake had destroyed everything he owned.  All he had left was his beautiful house.  He looked at me and said, “The fire will be here in fifteen minutes.” Outside the house the troops were falling back and forcing the refugees ahead of them.  From every side came the roaring of flames, the crashing of walls and the sound of explosives. Day was trying to dawn through the heavy smoke.  A sickly light was creeping over the face of things.  When the sun broke through the smoke it was blood-red and small.  The smoke changed color from red to rose to purple.  I walked past the broken dome of the City Hall building. This part of the city was already a waste of smoking ruins.  Here and there through the smoke came a few men and women.  It was like the meeting of a few survivors the day after the world ended. The huge fires continued to burn on.  Nothing could stop them.  Mister London walked from place to place in the city, watching the huge fires destroy the city.  Nothing could be done to halt the firestorm. In the end, the fire went out by itself because there was nothing left to burn.  Jack London finishes his story: All day Thursday and all Thursday night, all day Friday and Friday night, the flames raged on.  Friday night saw the huge fires finally conquered, but not before the fires had swept three-quarters of a mile of docks and store houses at the waterfront. San Francisco at the present time is like the center of a volcano.  Around this volcano are tens of thousands of refugees.  All the surrounding cities and towns are jammed with the homeless ones.  The refugees were carried free by the railroads to any place they wished to go.  It is said that more than one hundred thousand people have left the peninsula on which San Francisco stood.  The government has control of the situation, and thanks to the immediate relief given by the whole United States, there is no lack of food.  The bankers and businessmen have already begun making the necessary plans to rebuild this once beautiful city of San Francisco.   "The Story of an Eyewitness" was written by Jack London and adapted by Paul Thompson. It was published in Collier’s Magazine, May 5, 1906.  Your narrator was Doug Johnson.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   smash - v. to break into many pieces; to shatter or destroy atmosphere - n. the whole mass of air that surrounds the Earth surrender - v. to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting, etc., because you know that you will not win or succeed retreat - v. to move or go away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc. survivor - n. a member of a group who continues to live after other members have died firestorm - n.  a very large fire that destroys everything in its path and produces powerful winds jammed - v. to fill (a place) completely    

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North Korea Struggling but Determined on ICBMs

A top U.S. military official said North Korea will one day have nuclear-armed missiles capable of reaching all its enemies. U.S. Army General Vincent Brooks is the commander of the U.S. Pacific Command. He told members of Congress the North Koreans are working to improve their nuclear missile program. Brooks told the Senate Armed Services Committee, “Over time, I believe we are going to see them acquire [ICBM] capabilities if they are not stopped” ICBM stands for intercontinental ballistic missile. These missiles can be fired from one continent and land on another. Brooks did not say when the North Koreans would be able to launch long-range nuclear missiles. U.S. Senator John McCain asked Brooks about “the immaturity and unpredictability” of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The general said Kim does not like taking advice from top military officials. Brooks also told lawmakers there is “some evidence” North Korea is getting help from Iran. He said that was “very dangerous for the world, very dangerous for the region.” General Brooks has been nominated by U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to lead the U.S. military in South Korea. I’m Marsha James.   Jeff Seldin wrote this story for VOA News. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English and VOANews.com. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   ICBM – n. a type of missile that can fly from one continent to another immaturity – adj. having or showing a lack of emotional maturity unpredictability – n. not capable of being known before happening or being done ​

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Everybody Wants Some in this Linklater Movie

Award-winning filmmaker Richard Linklater looks back at college in the 1980s in his new humorous film, “Everybody Wants Some.” The new movie is not a sequel to “Boyhood.” That 2014 Linklater film followed 12 years of a boy’s life as he grew to adulthood. “Everybody Wants Some” is a much lighter look at young adults.   "Two rules: No booze in this house. Number two, no girls upstairs in those bedrooms." "Everybody Wants Some" takes place over one weekend at a college in Texas. The year is 1980. A group of athletes, or jocks, gather at the school before classes start. They are there to attend baseball practice, and to party. Blake Jenner stars as Jake, a new player on the team. Quinton Johnson as Dale to Jake: "You have not earned teammate status yet." Another Jock: "Who are you? Blake Jenner as Jake: Oh, Jake...Bradford" Quinton Johnson as Dale: "Until you do, you are a nobody." Richard Linklater said this college comedy was based on his own college experience. "This is such a unique time in your life, you know. You're away from home, all the freedom you're confronted with, to try to figure out who you are in the world."  Quinton Johnson plays a teammate named Dale. He said the young actors had to put themselves into a different time. "We're a bit more disconnected as college students today. We have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, there is Bumble now, I don't even know what Bumble is, there is Tinder. You know? All these things that substitute for real human interaction." Actor  Wyatt Russell also plays one of the athletes in the film. He described how they made the time and the relationships seem real. "We did the wardrobe, we've listened to the music. And then you just kind of play with your friends." But some things do not change, says actor Glen Powell, who plays Finnegan. In the 1980s, like today, college students were testing the limits of a new freedom.  "It's about a bunch of guys who think they know who they are and don't, but they are confident in whatever version that is that they are choosing at the moment." Richard Linklater’s film representation of the American college experience is a happy one. "You got to hang out with some fun, eccentric, kind of cool people, who seemed like your friends and it was just a good time. You kind of absorbed their energy and spirit and it was a good place to be." I’m Caty Weaver.   VOA correspondent Penelope Poulou reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. What kind of movie would you make about the university experience? Tell us, and practice your English-language writing skill in the Comments Section. You can also post a message on our Facebook page. ​ _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   booze - n. alcohol jock - n. athlete practice - n. a regular occasion at which you practice something​ unique - adj. very special or unusual​ confront - v. to deal with (something, such as a problem or danger)​ wardrobe - n. the clothes worn by actors in films, plays, etc.​ confident - adj. certain that something will happen or that something is true​ eccentric - adj. strange or unusual​

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English @ the Movies: 'Make It Count'

The movie "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part II" is the last in The Hunger Games series. This week's English @ the Movies phrase is "make it count." Are they talking about counting, like in a math class? Listen and find out.

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April 22 2016

A look at the best news photos from around the world.

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World Leaders to Sign Climate Agreement on Earth Day

Leaders from 130 nations are gathering at the United Nations to sign the historic climate deal reached in Paris last December. The signing happens on the 46th anniversary of Earth Day. Since 1970, every year people around the world observe the day by doing different activities to clean up the environment. On April 22, 1970, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson organized the first Earth Day with a “national teach-in on the environment.” Earth Day Network says 20 million Americans gathered in the streets, parks and meeting halls “to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment” in large rallies across the country. This year, more than a billion people will celebrate the day by working for a clean environment. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has urged countries to take action to fix climate change. “That is the only way which we can save this one, only, planet Earth.” Island nations are very vulnerable the stronger storms and rising sea levels brought on by climate change. One example is the Pacific island of Fiji. Super Cyclone Winston crashed into the island nation last February, killing 44 people and causing $1 billion in damage. Fiji’s Prime Minister Josaia Bainimarama talked about their fear about the future: “The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as Winston’s is increasing. And we all have to be fearful about what this means—not only for ourselves, but for future generations.” It was last December, in Paris, France that world leaders worked out the details for the historic agreement. It limits the rise in global temperatures to well below two degrees Celsius. It provides a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – those include pollution from factories and the burning of fossil fuels like coal. The agreement calls for a way to stop the effects of warming the planet. That includes moving towards using renewable energies, like wind and solar— or power from the sun. Putting the plan into action will take several steps. First, the 130 leaders gathering in New York Friday will sign the agreement. Then their governments must ratify – or formally approve it-- to put it into action. Selwin Hart is director of the U.N. Climate Change Support Team. He says the Paris Agreement must cross two important lines to become enforceable. First, at least 55 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change must ratify the agreement. And those 55 countries must represent 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. China and the U.S. are the biggest contributors to the world’s global greenhouse gases. Together, the countries are responsible for about 40 percent of the world’s emissions. Both the U.S. and China support the agreement. They are pushing for its early adoption by all the nations.  The target date to start the agreement is 2020. That could change. If all the countries ratify it quickly, it could happen this year, or in early 2017. I’m Anne Ball.   Margaret Besheer reported on this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sustainable - adj. involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources vulnerable - adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally greenhouse gas emissions - n. gases released into the air that cause heat to be trapped and heat the planet enforceable - adj. to make sure that people do what is required by (a law, rule, etc.) global - adj. of the whole planet

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