When a loved one is under the care of a medical facility, you may trust that he or she is provided with superior and attentive medical care. Unfortunately, some nursing homes neglect the elderly. In some cases, this lack of attentiveness can result in death. For example, the West Virginia Supreme Court recently heard positions on a matter concerning a $91 million judgment against a Charleston nursing home. In 2011, a jury out found that Heartland of Charleston did not adequately feed and care for one of its residents, who stayed at the nursing home for approximately ...

What does the misclassification of employees as independent contractors have to do with workers' compensation? An employer avoids the duty and cost of carrying workers' compensation coverage for independent contractors. In one case described in a New York Times op-ed, a construction employer forced an employee, who had worked for the company for six years, to switch to independent contractor status. The worker's duties did not change, but he accepted the change, because of the poor economy. A U.S. Department of Labor study estimated that approximately 30 percent ...

The Affordable Care Act, now widely known as "Obamacare," is a law that attempts to provide universal health care coverage for every American. The law expands Medicaid at the state level so that more low-income people are covered, allows people with pre-existing conditions the right to obtain insurance, eliminates annual and lifetime limits on coverage, and eliminates caps on out-of-pocket spending. These provisions allow many people the opportunity to obtain insurance who otherwise would not be able to obtain insurance through work or the open market. Unfortunately, ...

New Jersey is reeling from a second fatal dog attack in less than a month. According to a recent report by a local ABC affiliate, the first attack occurred when a large bull mastiff escaped his yard and mauled two boys. One boy was treated for bite wounds on his hands. The other boy's body was found later that night. The 13 year-old victim likely died from dog bite wounds inflicted by the massive dog. More on the attacks According to the report, the dog's owner attempted to stop the dog from attacking by repeatedly stabbing it. Witnesses also note the dog had a reputation ...

Safety experts have long recognized that fatigue is a factor in a significant number of truck accidents throughout the U.S. Just last year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instituted new rules intended to ensure that interstate truck drivers get enough rest before they get behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle. While initial studies indicate that these new hours of service regulations appear to be working, some safety experts have suggested that regulatory action is simply not enough. Indeed, according to one recent proposal, new technology may be the ...

The Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) has used data to decipher the top five most hazardous crossings in Charlotte. The data was assessed by tallying the number of car collisions in a particular area, divided by the count of vehicles that moved through the studied intersection during a particular period of time. For example, Mecklenburg County holds a traditional city landmark. Unfortunately, Mom's Treasures, the well-known furniture business, is positioned on the corner of one of the most hazardous crossroads in the county. The owner of the family-owned ...

Those who are considering filing bankruptcy may be confused by all of the different steps to the bankruptcy process. One of the parts that unnerves many people is the idea of the meeting of creditors, often because they do not know what will occur in the meeting. Knowing the purpose and format of the meeting of creditors help people feel more relaxed during the meeting and makes it go more smoothly. What is a meeting of creditors? The meeting of creditors, also called a 341 meeting because of the section of the Bankruptcy Code that establishes the meeting, is an important ...

When an animal is in need, the American Humane Association, under the direction of President and CEO Robin Ganzert, is quick to respond. The organization offers multiple services geared toward protecting and helping animals - and children - throughout the world. After receiving a call for assistance from the district attorney general for Tennessee's 25th Judicial District, the AHA sprang into action. In an event when animals need medical assistance, shelter, or supplies, the Red Star Rescue program is prepared to provide support. With a fully equipped mobile command ...

The release of Gift's EP "The Trip" has been eagerly awaited by fans since mid-2013, the uniquely creative video countdown gave fans but a glimpse inside the mind of the independent rapper and the creative process of the project, leaving listeners and viewers wanting more. Gift first began writing at 16 years old after a serious hamstring injury that ended his future in track and field, but ended up being what would pave the way for his future. Fans have the choice of downloading the EP for free or making a donation by visiting www.giftrapsmusic.com or the artist's SoundCloud ...

According to Deans & Lyons, LLP, da Vinci robotic surgery is increasingly used in the United States but is not without risk to patients. A recent Johns Hopkins study backs up this claim, showing that the robotic surgery has been responsible for 71 deaths and 174 injuries during a 12-year period. Intuitive Surgical, Inc., is the creator of the da Vinci system. Hospitals pay anywhere from $1.5 to $2.5 million for the surgical robot and so far, it is estimated that 1,400 of these systems have been purchased. The systems can perform a number of surgical procedures in ...

Invited journalists visited the Monte Carlo Casino, the Columbus Hotel, as well as several of La Costa Properties Monaco's luxury apartments and penthouses. After touching down at Nice Cote d'Azur airport journalists were transported to Monte Carlo Square and were introduced to SBM press officers who presented the world's number one Monte Carlo Casino. The Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco has numerous restaurants and private gambling rooms and journalists were shown around these VIP areas. Owners of the Casino, Monte Carlo SBM, also boast three other casinos in Monaco ...

Novato, California, attorney Michael Mandelbrot of the Mandelbrot law firm has vowed to appeal the adverse orders of the bankruptcy judge, the Hon. Sheri Bluebond, entered on March 27, 2014. Mandelbrot has retained veteran bankruptcy attorney Paul Jamond of Santa Rosa, California, to represent him on the appeal. Judge Bluebond's orders currently prevent Mandelbrot and his law firm from filing asbestos injury compensation claims with the Thorpe Insulation, J.T. Thorpe, Western Asbestos, and soon-to-be-created Plant Insulation asbestos compensation injury trusts. Mandelbrot ...

An exclusive group of prominent doctors will meet in Spooner, Wisconsin on May 17th and 18th to present their research and evidence of life after death at the Wisconsin Healing Conference. One of the key speakers will be Dr. Raymond Moody whose New York Times best seller, "Life after Life," started a tidal wave of discussion on the subject and encouraged people to come out of the closet about amazing personal experiences related to the continuation of life after death. Dr. Moody has been featured on The CBS Morning News, NBC News, and Oprah Winfrey. Other principal ...

Adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer is "gerontogenic", accelerating the pace of physiologic aging, according to a new study published March 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Loss of organ function, characterized by an increase in cellular senescence, is one physiological part of aging. Studies have identified leukocyte telomere length, expression of senescence-associated cytokines including interleukin-6, and expression of p16INK4aand ARF in peripheral blood T lymphocytes (PBTLs) as markers of cellular senescence. The authors previously showed p16INK4a ...

Physicians have long suspected that chemotherapy can accelerate the aging process in patients treated for cancer. Using a test developed at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center to determine molecular aging, UNC oncologists have directly measured the impact of anti-cancer chemotherapy drugs on biological aging. Researchers measured the level of p16, a protein that causes cellular aging, in the blood of 33 women over the age of 50 who had undergone chemotherapy for curable breast cancer. Samples were taken for analysis of molecular age from patients before chemotherapy, ...

Since the dawn of civilization people were searching for clues to longevity and trying to extend human lifespan. But only in the past two decades with the advances in genetic sequencing, epigenetic analysis, and increased government investments the area experienced rapid expansion in the knowledge base, allowing scientists to develop comprehensive models and theories of aging. And while there is still much disagreement among scientists, the evolutionary theories are dominating the field. These theories predicted existence of certain genes that provide selective advantage ...

Ammonia pollution from agricultural sources poses larger health costs than previously estimated, according to NASA-funded research. Harvard University researchers Fabien Paulot and Daniel Jacob used computer models including a NASA model of chemical reactions in the atmosphere to better represent how ammonia interacts in the atmosphere to form harmful particulate matter. The improved simulation helped the scientists narrow in on the estimated health costs from air pollution associated with food produced for export – a growing sector of agriculture and a source of trade ...

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released the final report on its technical investigation into the impacts of the May 22, 2011, tornado that struck Joplin, Mo. The final report is strengthened by clarifications and supplemental text suggested by organizations and individuals from across the nation in response to the request for comments on the draft Joplin report, released Nov. 21, 2013. The revisions did not alter the investigation team's major findings or its 16 recommendations, highlighted by NIST's call for nationally accepted standards ...

BUFFALO, N.Y. – One of the serious health consequences of obesity is elevated blood pressure (BP), a particular problem in children because research has found that high BP in children usually follows them into adulthood, carrying with it a wide range of possible negative consequences. Even modest elevations in the BP of adolescents, according to recent research, can pose cardiovascular problems later in life. A systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies of the effect of child obesity intervention programs on blood pressure has found that whether such programs ...

Stigmatization may have once served to protect early humans from infectious diseases, but that strategy may do more harm than good for modern humans, according to Penn State researchers. "The things that made stigmas a more functional strategy thousands of years ago rarely exist," said Rachel Smith, associate professor of communication arts and sciences and human development and family studies. "Now, it won't promote positive health behavior and, in many cases, it could actually make the situation worse." Stigmatizing and ostracizing members stricken with infectious ...

MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS. -- Tufts University engineers have demonstrated that it is possible to generate nanostructures from silk in an environmentally friendly process that uses water as a developing agent and standard fabrication techniques. This approach provides a green alternative to the toxic materials commonly used in nanofabrication while delivering fabrication quality comparable to conventional synthetic polymers. Nanofabrication is at the heart of manufacture of semi-conductors and other electronic and photonic devices. The paper describing this work, "All ...

A recent study in the journal Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, showed that two doses of the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline) are non-inferior to three-doses in the current schedule. Since high coverage and compliance rates can be difficult to achieve with the current three-dose HPV vaccineregimen, several studies have looked at the possibility of reducing the number of doses. Proof-of-principle that a two-dose schedule can provide sufficient protection against cervical cancer came initially from a study performed in Costa Rica in 2011. ...

Putnam Valley, NY. (Mar. 28 2014) – New insight has been gained into treating an inherited disorder that creates serious neurological and behavioral disabilities in children and usually leads to death in the teen years. In a recent study into the effects of human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (hUCB MNCs) when they are injected to counter the symptoms and progression of Sanfilippo syndrome type III B (MPS III B), researchers found that repeated injections into laboratory mice modeled with the disorder had clear benefits for the mice receiving multiple injections ...

BUFFALO, N.Y. – More efficient photovoltaic cells. Improved radar and stealth technology. A new way to recycle waste heat generated by machines into energy. All may be possible due to breakthrough photonics research at the University at Buffalo. The work, published March 28 in the journal Scientific Reports, explores the use of a nanoscale microchip component called a "multilayered waveguide taper array" that improves the chip's ability to trap and absorb light. Unlike current chips, the waveguide tapers (the thimble-shaped structures above) slow and ultimately absorb ...

DALLAS – March 28, 2014 – UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers are developing a new predictive tool that could help patients with breast cancer and certain lung cancers decide whether follow-up treatments are likely to help. Dr. Jerry Shay, Vice Chairman and Professor of Cell Biology at UT Southwestern, led a three-year study on the effects of irradiation in a lung cancer-susceptible mouse model. When his team looked at gene expression changes in the mice, then applied them to humans with early stage cancer, the results revealed a breakdown of which patients have ...