Soft robots — which don't just have soft exteriors but are also powered by fluid flowing through flexible channels — have become a sufficiently popular research topic that they now have their own journal, Soft Robotics. In the first issue of that journal, out this month, MIT researchers report the first self-contained autonomous soft robot capable of rapid body motion: a "fish" that can execute an escape maneuver, convulsing its body to change direction in just a fraction of a second, or almost as quickly as a real fish can. "We're excited about soft robots for a variety ...

Populations of endangered salmonids are supported by releasing large quantities of hatchery-reared fish, but the fisheries' catches have continued to decrease. Earlier research has shown that certain behavioural traits explain individual differences in how fish survive in the wild. A new Finnish study conducted on brown trout now shows that there are predictable individual differences in behavioural traits, like activity, tendency to explore new surroundings and stress tolerance. Furthermore, certain individual differences were observed to contain heritable components. ...

This news release is available in German. How does the hip joint of a crawling weevil move? A technique to record 3D X-ray films showing the internal movement dynamics in a spatially precise manner and, at the same time, in the temporal dimension has now been developed by researchers at ANKA, KIT's Synchrotron Radiation Source. The scientists applied this technique to a living weevil. From up to 100,000 two-dimensional radiographs per second, they generated complete 3D film sequences in real time or slow motion. The results are now published in the Proceedings of the ...

New research reveals that 57% of liver transplant centers use living donor evaluation consent forms that include all the elements required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and 78% of centers addressed two-third or more of the items recommended by the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN). The study published in Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society, reviewed the living donor evaluation consent forms from 26 of the 37 transplant centers ...

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that tropical grassy areas, which play a critical role in the world's ecology, are under threat as a result of ineffective management. According to research, published in Trends in Ecology and Evolution, they are often misclassified and this leads to degradation of the land which has a detrimental effect on the plants and animals that are indigenous to these areas. Tropical grassy areas cover a greater area than tropical rain forests, support about one fifth of the world's population and are critically important ...

More than 100 million humans around the world are infected with hepatitis C virus. The infection gives rise to chronic liver inflammation, which may result in reduced liver function, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Even though anti-viral medications often efficiently eliminate the virus, the infection recurs in approximately one fifth of the patients. Prevents incorporation in DNA Martin Lagging and co-workers at the Sahlgrenska Academy have studied an enzyme called inosine trifosfatas (ITPase), which normally prevents the incorporation of defective building blocks ...

LOS ANGELES (March 12, 2014) – Researchers at the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute have found that emotional stressors – such as those provoking anger – may cause changes in the nervous system that controls heart rate and trigger a type of coronary artery dysfunction that occurs more frequently in women than men. They will describe their findings at the American Psychosomatic Society's annual meeting on March 13 in San Francisco. In men with coronary artery disease, the large arteries feeding the heart tend to become clogged ...

They're called the Alberta oilsands but most of the sand actually came from the Appalachian region on the eastern side of the North American continent, a new University of Calgary-led study shows. The oilsands also include sand from the Canadian Shield in northern and east-central Canada and from the Canadian Rockies in western Canada, the study says. This study is the first to determine the age of individual sediment grains in the oilsands and assess their origin. "The oilsands are looked at as a Western asset," says study lead author Christine Benyon, who is just ...

VIDEO: An area of the brain called the hippocampus stores memories based on their sequence in time, instead of by their content, UC Davis researchers have found. The discovery has implications... Click here for more information. Before I left the house this morning, I let the cat out and started the dishwasher. Or was that yesterday? Very often, our memories must distinguish not just what happened and where, but when an event occurred — and what came before and after. New research ...

Philadelphia, PA, March 13, 2014 – Only one third of individuals identified as being at clinical high risk for psychosis actually convert to a psychotic disorder within a 3 year follow-up period. This risk assessment is based on the presence of sub-threshold psychotic-like symptoms. Thus, clinical symptom criteria alone do not predict future psychosis risk with sufficient accuracy to justify aggressive early intervention, especially with medications such as antipsychotics that produce significant side effects. Accordingly, there is a strong imperative to develop biomarkers ...

When scientists observe minute particles like nanoparticles or bacteria in fluid under a microscope, they don't see a motionless image. What they do see are particles making the tiniest irregular twitches not unlike the nervous ups-and-downs of market prices and exchange rates. These two forms of random twitching – microparticles in fluid and price developments on the financial market – are not just similar at first sight as a Japanese-Swiss team has now demonstrated. The underlying mechanism is the same too. Brownian motion, the name given by scientists to the microtwitching ...

Although the remarkable benefits of combined training have been clarified by numerous investigations, fitness enthusiasts struggle with the same question: Does the order of cardio- and resistance training influence the effectiveness of a training program? This question has now been the focus of a series of investigations in the Department of Biology of Physical Activity at the University of Jyväskylä. The international research group led by Professor Keijo Häkkinen and coordinated by PhD student Moritz Schumann has recruited a total of almost 200 recreationally active ...

Compassionate Allowances Program yields faster SSDI benefit decisions Article provided by Smolich & Smolich Visit us at http://www.smolichlaw.com An oft-overlooked option for applicants seeking Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits could make the process both less tedious and quicker. The Compassionate Allowances Program (CAP) essentially fast-tracks disability benefits applications for people whose medical conditions are so severe they objectively meet the Social Security Administration (SSA)'s definition ...

Immigrants accused of crimes often held for months and face deportation Article provided by Law Offices of Mark A. Davis Visit us at http://www.madlawonline.com For any individual, getting charged with a crime can be a serious matter. If you are an immigrant to this country, the stakes are particularly high. Even a relatively minor offense can affect the status of your visa, can make you ineligible for citizenship or permanent residency, and, in some cases, can lead to deportation. According to ICE data, last year 82 percent of the agency's deportations concerning ...

Celebratory gunfire the target of a new Virginia gun law Article provided by A. Mark Nicewicz, Esq. Visit us at http://www.nicewicz.com Only on rare occasion is a gun fired in anger. Much more often, gun owners use their weapons for hunting, protection and target practice. Firing a gun can also be a tribute to a fallen veteran or used in celebration, especially as an expression of pride for America on the Fourth of July or on New Year's Eve as a remembrance of the past year. However, guns are deadly weapons, and the misuse of a weapon can bring severe and tragic ...

Who is a "contractor" under New York scaffold and workplace safety laws? Article provided by The Cohen Law Group Visit us at http://www.cohenpersonalinjury.com/ In Rauls v. DirecTV, Inc., the Fourth Department, of the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, ruled that the defendant, a satellite television company, who the hired the plaintiff to install satellite system equipment was a "contractor" within meaning of the New York scaffold law and workplace safety law. The Fourth Department also upheld as proper the trial court's decision refusing ...

Conn. legislature exploring child custody issues Article provided by Law Office of Robert A. Skovgaard Visit us at http://www.robskovlaw.com A Connecticut legislative task force studied sharedchild custody, deciding by majority not to recommend the presumption that a 50-50 division of child time between two parents is in the child's best interest, unless the parents agree otherwise or there is evidence of neglect or abuse. The task force issued its January 2014 report after considering public testimony and correspondence, legal and mental health literature, Connecticut ...

Divorcing doesn't have to ruin the family business in Pennsylvania Article provided by Karen Ann Ulmer, P.C. Visit us at http://www.ulmerlaw.com Small businesses are the heart and soul of the economy in Bucks County and throughout the rest of the country. According to the Small Business Administration, approximately 90 percent of all of the businesses in the U.S. are family owned and run. Running a small family business comes with several advantages, like more convenience, flexibility and lower employment costs. However, things can quickly get complicated when the ...

National and Idaho pedestrian accidents statistics mixed Article provided by Goicoechea Law Offices Visit us at http://www.lawnorthwest.com After several years of increasing pedestrian fatalities, recent evidence suggests a decline in 2013 pedestrian deaths across the country. At the beginning of March, the Governors Highway Safety Association released a report that found pedestrian deaths fell by 8.7 percent between 2012 and 2013. The report compared the first six months of each year. Engineering changes along with education and enforcement efforts may explain ...

County may be liable for dog attack, where dogs had been reported before Article provided by Law Offices of Michael R. Kaiser Visit us at http://www.mkaiserlaw.com If an individual is attacked by a vicious dog, it seems clear that the owner should be held liable for any resulting injuries. However, are there other parties, in addition to the owners, who might also have contributed to the injuries? The California Court of Appeal case of Christian v. County of Orange provides an example where a county government might also have responsibility for a dog bite incident. A ...

Kansas bills seek to increase sentences imposed by "Jessica's Law" Article provided by Cornwell Vokins Visit us at http://www.vokinslaw.com Since 2006, those accused of sex offenses in Kansas - particularly offenses involving children - have likely encountered the state's version of "Jessica's Law." However, while this law already calls for especially long criminal sentences for those convicted of certain sex crimes in Kansas, lawmakers have recently introduced two different bills that, if passed, will make these sentences even longer in certain ...

In step with the season natural skin care Aneisha Knight owner of Aerogance Essentials presents Modish Styles: Sexy Spring Sip & Shop. This exclusive event hosted will take place at Lenox Cupcakes in Atlanta, GA on Saturday March 15 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. Guests have the chance to view Aerogance's product line which includes soaps, scubs, lipbalms and much more. A booth will be available to purchase all of your natural skin care needs. Modish Styles: Sexy Spring Sip & Shop also includes opportunities to save on great fashion, complimentary cocktails, networking ...

The First Murder, written by Russell Garbutt and based on a concept by David Seth Cohen, is looking to shoot this year and will star Richard Switzer in the role of Lloyd Newman, an everyday teenager that we soon learn has a dark side. Switzer and Cohen will produce the project with Connecticut entrepreneur and filmmaker David Gere. Garbutt wrote the original screenplay in 1998 and it is currently being revised. James Camali, who directed A Fatal Obsession earlier this year, is in talks to direct the film, which will shoot in Connecticut. Switzer is the youngest producer ...

Raquel Herring best known as Roque (pronounced roc-key) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, speaker and producer. Known for her rich vocals and big voice, Roque has quite a hefty portfolio. You may remember Roque as the first African-American ingenue casted as a series regular for the Disney Channel's sketch comedy and music series The Mickey Mouse Club (MMC) where she showed off her quirky antics, her powerful pipes, and likable persona. Chosen from many aspiring child stars with two seasons to her credit, she soars among the elite list of superstar alumni, such ...

Al's #1 Italian Beef, a famous Chicago eatery known for its iconic Italian beef sandwich, will show appreciation to the customers of its first location in Southern California with $1 Beef Day in Chino on Thursday, March 13. Al's Beef is located in the Chino Spectrum Towne Center at 4021 Grand Ave. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Al's Beef will offer their signature sandwich, a regular 6-inch Italian Beef sandwich for just $1. This special offer is limited to one per person. Guests will also be entertained by ESPN LA, and have the chance to win prizes including tickets to ...