Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers have identified in the most aggressive forms of cancer a gene known to regulate embryonic stem cell self-renewal, beginning a creative search for a drug that can block its activity. The gene, SALL4, gives stem cells their ability to continue dividing as stem cells rather than becoming mature cells. Typically, cells only express SALL4 during embryonic development, but the gene is re-expressed in nearly all cases of acute myeloid leukemia and 10 to 30 percent of liver, lung, gastric, ovarian, endometrial, and breast cancers, ...

Researchers have found that antibodies against the human papillomavirus (HPV) may help identify individuals who are at greatly increased risk of HPV-related cancer of the oropharynx, which is a portion of the throat that contains the tonsils. In their study, at least 1 in 3 individuals with oropharyngeal cancer had antibodies to HPV, compared to fewer than 1 in 100 individuals without cancer. When present, these antibodies were detectable many years before the onset of disease. These findings raise the possibility that a blood test might one day be used to identify ...

System 91W appears ripe to become Tropical Depression 4 in the next couple of days as it continues moving north and parallels the east coast of the Philippines. NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of the developing low pressure area as it passed overhead in space on June 17. On June 16 at 2200 UTC (6 p.m. EDT) System 91W was located near 13.5N and 126.9E, about 355 miles east-southeast of Manila, Philippines. NASA's Aqua satellite passed over System 91W on June 17 at 05:08 UTC (1:08 a.m. EDT) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) ...

On June 12, 2013, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite captured this image of the Silver fire burning east of Silver City, New Mexico. In addition to producing gray smoke plumes, the fire spawned a pyrocumulus cloud—a tall, cauliflower-shaped cloud that billowed up above the smoke. Pyrocumulus clouds are similar to cumulus clouds, but the heat that forces the air to rise (which leads to cooling and condensation of water vapor) comes from fire instead of sun-warmed ground. In satellite images, pyrocumulus cloud appear as opaque ...

Tropical Depression 2 formed in the western Caribbean Sea during the early afternoon hours (Eastern Daylight Time) on June 17. NOAA's GOES-13 satellite captured an image of the storm as it consolidated enough to become a tropical depression while approaching the coast of Belize. NOAA's GOES-13 satellite sits in a fixed orbit and monitors the weather in the eastern half of the continental United States and the Atlantic Ocean. NASA's GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland uses the data from GOES-13 and creates imagery. NASA's GOES Project ...

OAK BROOK, Ill. – In a study of more than 2,000 adults, researchers found that two MRI measurements of the abdominal aorta — the amount of plaque in the vessel and the thickness of its wall — are associated with future cardiovascular events, such as a heart attack or stroke. Results of the study are published online in the journal Radiology. "This is an important study, because it demonstrates that atherosclerosis in an artery outside the heart is an independent predictor of adverse cardiovascular events," said the study's lead author, Christopher D. Maroules, M.D., a ...

WASHINGTON — When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) imposes new graphic warning labels for tobacco products, they can survive a First Amendment challenge if they depict health consequences and their effectiveness is supported by adequate scientific evidence, says a Georgetown University Medical Center public health expert and attorney. Graphic tobacco warning labels—which combine images with health warnings—are a widely used tool for reducing tobacco use in other countries, but the tobacco industry argues they are unconstitutional in the United States. In ...

OAK BROOK, Ill. – The distribution of white matter brain abnormalities in some patients after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) closely resembles that found in early Alzheimer's dementia, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. "Findings of MTBI bear a striking resemblance to those seen in early Alzheimer's dementia," said the study's lead author, Saeed Fakhran, M.D., assistant professor of radiology in the Division of Neuroradiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "Additional research may help further elucidate a link ...

(Washington, DC) – A new language has been discovered in a remote Indigenous community in northern Australia that is generated from a unique combination of elements from other languages. Light Warlpiri has been documented by University of Michigan linguist Carmel O'Shannessy, in a study on "The role of multiple sources in the formation of an innovative auxiliary category in Light Warlpiri, a new Australian mixed language," to be published in the June, 2013 issue of the scholarly journal Language. The people who live in a small community in the Tanami Desert speak a ...

A new social media initiative helped to boost organ donor registration rates, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Transplantation. The findings suggest that social media might be an effective tool for tackling a variety of problems related to public health in which communication and education are essential. Organ donation rates in the United States have remained static while increasing numbers of individuals join transplant waiting lists each year. To provide organs to the more than 100,000 patients in need, new efforts to boost organ donation ...

Boston, MA — Women in the U.S. exposed to high levels of air pollution while pregnant were up to twice as likely to have a child with autism as women who lived in areas with low pollution, according to a new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). It is the first large national study to examine links between autism and air pollution across the U.S. "Our findings raise concerns since, depending on the pollutant, 20% to 60% of the women in our study lived in areas where risk of autism was elevated," said lead author Andrea Roberts, research associate in the HSPH ...

Patients in Vietnam and other locations with central nervous system infections may well be suffering from the effects of a newly discovered virus, according to a study to be published in mBio®, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology. Researchers have detected the virus in spinal fluid from 4 percent of 642 patients with central nervous system infections of unknown cause, and in an average of 58 percent of fecal samples from pigs and poultry, suggesting animals may serve as reservoirs for transmission to humans. The virus, called CyCV-VN, ...

A social media push boosted the number of people who registered themselves as organ donors 21-fold in a single day, Johns Hopkins researchers found, suggesting social media might be an effective tool to address the stubborn organ shortage in the United States. The gains were made in May 2012 when the social-networking giant Facebook created a way for users to share their organ donor status with friends and provided easy links to make their status official on state department of motor vehicle websites. The findings are being published in the American Journal of Transplantation. "The ...

Researchers have identified a new virus in patients with severe brain infections in Vietnam. Further research is needed to determine whether the virus is responsible for the symptoms of disease. The virus was found in a total of 28 out of 644 patients with severe brain infections in the study, corresponding to around 4%, but not in any of the 122 patients with non-infectious brain disorders that were tested. Infections of the brain and central nervous system are often fatal and patients who do survive, often young children and young adults, are left severely disabled. ...

RICHLAND, Wash. – A single advanced building control now in development could slash 18 percent – tens of thousands of dollars – off the overall annual energy bill of the average large office building, with no loss of comfort, according to a report by researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. "An 18-percent boost in building energy efficiency by modifying a single factor is very, very good," said team leader Michael Brambley. "The savings were much greater than we expected." The report is based on extensive simulations of the impact ...

Massachusetts alimony: what's all the fuss about? Article provided by Law Offices of Lisa A. Ruggieri Visit us at http://www.lisaruggieri.com Massachusetts alimony law recently underwent a transformation in the way that it is defined, viewed and calculated. Also known as spousal support or spousal maintenance, alimony is the payment of monetary support from one former spouse to the other, more financially needy spouse, usually monthly. A groundswell of dissatisfaction with the way alimony was determined historically in the commonwealth prompted the creation of ...

Financing requirements can lead to disputes between condominium owners Article provided by Avallone Law Associates Visit us at http://www.lawrenceavallone.com Every condominium has a homeowner's association with a board of directors that decides issues related to the common areas. The effectiveness of the condo association often lies with the board, as well as the management company. A well run association will address maintenance issues as they arise and ensure proper reserves. A less active board may make it more difficult to sell or rent a unit. Divergent ...

ArtRoom Designz has developed GoMobile an education management smart device app that gives parents, students and educators of the Cliffside Park School District (CPSD), one-touch access to school-related information and notifications at their fingertips. The app has been adopted by six New Jersey schools and is revolutionizing communication inside and outside of the classroom. Education and Technology are becoming increasingly linked as more and more smart devices make their way into schools. While many studies have shown that Technology in the classroom helps students ...

Radcal Corporation announces launch of their family of radiation survey meters. Making up this family are three versions: the RSM, RSM1 and RSM*. Radcal is happy to announce the official launch of our new Family of Radcal Survey Meters. The RSM is a pressurized ion chamber meter which can be used for a variety of medical and health physics applications. They are ideal for measuring exposure rates from leakage and scatter radiation around diagnostic and therapeutic x-ray rooms. The impressive 256K color display provides an optimized presentation of the data. All logged ...

Red Planet Software, a leading provider in Premium Funding and Professional Fee Funding applications, today announced the release of its iPhone application for its Odyssey Premium Funding solutions. The iPhone application will enable all funders, brokers and insurers that use Red Planet's solution greater flexibility for processing and approving premium funding for their clientele. The application provides premium funding repayment calculations and integrates with real-time approval processes, and electronic client authorisations. This will significantly reduce the ...

Gary Douglas, who founded the movement more than 25 years ago, and Dr. Dain Heer, who has been instrumental in its worldwide growth over the past 12 years, are both going to make the Houston area their home. Gary Douglas said, "There are several reasons for the move. First of all, Houston has become a wonderful international hub with a tremendous amount of art and literature, an area with a greater capacity for achievement and openness to new ideas. Second, and very important, is that the taxes in Houston and Texas are so much more favorable than California. And ...

Cindi Cameron, a mortgage loan officer with First Rate Mortgage, was honored in Kent this spring for her outstanding work in the business community. At its annual dinner gala, the Kent Chamber of Commerce gave Cindi a Leadership Award for her work in membership development. The following month Cindi was named Kent's best mortgage loan officer in the Kent Reporter's 2013 "Best of Kent" contest. Winners for the contest are selected by readers of the newspaper. With 16 years of lending experience, Cindi is a residential mortgage specialist with a focus on helping ...

The June 2013 fires have been documented as the most destructive in Colorado history, with hundreds of homes determined to be total losses. The first step to recovery after any loss is to be able to file a thorough insurance claim. VanMark Inventory Services of Colorado Springs is offering to assist those who did not have an inventory of their belongings already prepared. Insurance companies and the Disaster Relief Center in Colorado are suggesting the fire victims to complete their claims as soon as possible. Time is of the essence so the policyholders can receive the ...

This month, Grammy Nominated Singer and Songwriter Melky Jean held the 6th Annual Geminis Give Back Event for The Carma Foundation, a non profit organization dedicated to improving the health and welfare of the economically less fortunate women and children of Haiti. A who's who was in attendance as celebrities flooded the red carpet in support of this noteworthy cause. NYC's Hot 97.1 and VH1's Gossip Game's K. Foxx, Fuse TV's G Fella of the new show G-Thing, actor Mike Williams from HBO's The Wire and Board Walk Empire, and ThisIs50.com's Young Jack Thriller, are among ...

The organizers of the 2013 National Indigenous Health Conference: Building Bridges in Indigenous Health to be held at the Pullman Cairns International Hotel on 25th -27th November 201, Cairns Queensland are extending the June registration rates for invoices issued until 15th of July to allow for end of financial year's last minute bookings, an attempt to give a chance for grassroots Indigenous Health workers to participate. One of the highlights of this year's conference is that on the 27th November 2013, Ms. Julie Nankervis, Director of Australian Bureau of Statistics ...