Athens, Ga. – Although choosing to do something because the perceived benefit outweighs the financial cost is something people do daily, little is known about what happens in the brain when a person makes these kinds of decisions. Studying how these cost-benefit decisions are made when choosing to consume alcohol, University of Georgia associate professor of psychology James MacKillop identified distinct profiles of brain activity that are present when making these decisions. "We were interested in understanding how the brain makes decisions about drinking alcohol. Particularly, ...

BOSTON (March 11, 2014) — Traumatic brain injury is a risk factor for epilepsy, though the relationship is not understood. A new study in mice, published in Cerebral Cortex, identifies increased levels of a specific neurotransmitter as a contributing factor connecting traumatic brain injury (TBI) to post-traumatic epilepsy. The findings suggest that damage to brain cells called interneurons disrupts neurotransmitter levels and plays a role in the development of epilepsy after a traumatic brain injury. The research team, led by David Cantu and Chris Dulla, studied the ...

Melbourne scientists are a step closer to creating a new drug to stop a heart attack in its tracks and reduce the damage caused, without any side effects. The Monash University research, published today in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA (PNAS), offers new hope to thousands of people who experience heart attacks and heart failure – one of the major causes of death worldwide. Professors Arthur Christopoulos and Peter Scammells from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) led a team of scientists combining molecular pharmacology ...

Baboons learn from other baboons about new food sources – but only if they are bold or anxious – according to a new study published in the journal PeerJ). The results suggest that personality plays a key role in social learning in animals, something previously ignored in animal cognition studies. Studying animals at the Zoological Society of London's Institute of Zoology Tsaobis Baboon Project in Namibia, the researchers examined how personality influenced whether baboons solved foraging tasks and whether they then demonstrated to others how to solve the tasks. They found ...

DURHAM, N.C. -- Brain imaging using radioactive dye can detect early evidence of Alzheimer's disease that may predict future cognitive decline among adults with mild or no cognitive impairment, according to a 36-month follow-up study led by Duke Medicine. The national, multicenter study confirms earlier findings suggesting that identifying silent beta-amyloid plaque build-up in the brain could help guide care and treatment decisions for patients at risk for Alzheimer's. The findings appeared online March 11, 2014, in Molecular Psychiatry, a Nature Publishing Group journal. "Our ...

Obesity in adolescent girls is associated with lower academic attainment levels throughout their teenage years, a new study has shown. The research conducted by the Universities of Strathclyde, Dundee, Georgia and Bristol is the most comprehensive study yet carried out into the association between obesity and academic attainment in adolescence. The results are published in the International Journal of Obesity. The results showed that girls who were obese, as measured by BMI (body mass index) at age 11 had lower academic attainment at 11, 13 and 16 years when compared ...

VIDEO: An animation that illustrates the positions of the nearby galaxies, including those in the "Council of Giants, " in three dimensions. Click here for more information. We live in a galaxy known as the Milky Way – a vast conglomeration of 300 billion stars, planets whizzing around them, and clouds of gas and dust floating in between. Though it has long been known that the Milky Way and its orbiting companion Andromeda are the dominant members of a small group ...

Medical debt continues to be a leading cause of new filings in Ohio Article provided by Bailey & Gunderson Co., L.P.A. Visit us at http://www.baileyandgunderson.com If the number of bankruptcies filed is any indication of an economic recovery, the latest statistics indicate that Ohio is recovering from the recession of 2008. According to the data, the number of personal bankruptcyfiling declined in Ohio by five percent to 46,892 filings during 2013. Along with the good news, the data also had some negative points. Although the number of bankruptcies declined ...

Should you use retirement assets to pay down debts? Article provided by Bankruptcy Centers of Michigan Visit us at http://www.bankruptcycentersofmichigan.com Most people have some type of debt that they are working to repay each month. Whether they are paying the minimum balance on their credit cards, trying to stay current in their mortgages or dealing with unplanned medical expenses, these obligations can place a significant strain on the resources that they may have available. When they start falling behind on certain bills, they may be confused about the steps ...

More divorced fathers and mothers sharing custody in Washington Article provided by Madow Law Office Visit us at http://www.madowlaw.com Single fathers with sole custody of minor children are not the rare breed they once were. According to Pew Research, single fathers make up 8 percent of U.S. households. In 1960, only 1 percent of single fathers cared for minor children. This means that in 2011, the most recent year that data is available, 2.6 million single fathers were doing their best to parent after a divorce or split from the mother. Single mothers are still ...

Indiana police to crackdown on impaired driving this March Article provided by Arnold Terrill Anzini, P.C. Visit us at http://www.fortwaynedefense.com/ This month, more than 250 law enforcement agencies across Indiana, including the Indiana State Police, will participate in a concentrated effort to crackdown on drivers who may be over the legal limit. The expressed aim of this enforcement campaign - which is known as Operation Pull Over - it to catch more impaired drivers by utilizing saturation police patrols and sobriety checkpoints throughout Indiana. Penalties ...

How businesses can recover past-due debts Article provided by Manfred Sternberg & Associates, PC Visit us at http://www.msternberg.com Many businesses sell their goods and services on credit to their customers. Some may have had long-term relationships that are built on decades of prior transactions, and there is complete confidence that each side will deliver on its obligations. Other businesses may be looking to expand their customer base, and take a chance on new buyers in the hopes of developing a more lasting arrangement. While many of these deals will ...

Pennsylvania may soon allow adult adopted children access to birth certificates Article provided by Gary R. Swavely, Jr. Visit us at http://www.readingpalawyer.com Adoption is a rewarding but sometimes taxing process. As all families are unique, so too are adoptions. A stepparent may wish to formally adopt a stepchild. Grandparents may wish to adopt a minor whose parents may not be capable of caring for the child. Couples unable to conceive may wish to raise a child whose biological parents do not have the means to do so. Once completed, an adopted child can ...

Understanding trade secrets and protections against misappropriation Article provided by Reminger Attorneys at Law Visit us at http://www.businesslawresults.com Trade secrets are an important component to any business--just ask the global iconic Coca-Cola Company. Their priceless million-dollar Coke recipe invented in the late 19th century has been guarded from disclosure for decades. But what exactly encompasses a trade secret? Is a trade secret the same as a patent? Many people may be surprised to know that both are different and that a trade secret doesn't ...

Federal court finds Texas' ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional Article provided by Heinrich Christian, PLLC Visit us at http://www.heinrichlaw.com Things are likely to change in Texas for same-sex couples because of a Feb. 26, 2014, federal court finding that the state's ban on same-sex marriage violates the U.S. Constitution's guarantees of due process and equal protection under the law. Texas marriage licenses will not be issued to couples of the same gender in the immediate future, though. Citing prevention of "legal and practical complications," ...

Addressing and avoiding common real estate disputes in California Article provided by Enterprise Counsel Group, A Law Corporation Visit us at http://www.enterprisecounsel.com While Bloomberg reports that U.S. homebuyer and homebuilder confidence slumped to record lows during the past number of months due to horrible winter weather, California avoided much of the downturn in activity. In fact, while much of the country sat twiddling their thumbs during February, Southern California buyers were busy bemoaning the lack of inventory. This is good news for sellers ...

Texas man arrested for DWI despite blowing 0.00 on breath test Article provided by Law Offices of Q. Lynn Johnson, PLLC Visit us at http://www.qlynnlaw.com After more than a year wait, prosecutors have finally dropped the drunk driving charges pending against a Texas man who registered an alcohol concentration of only 0.00 percent at the time of arrest. And, although it may seem unbelievable for a Texas driver to be charged with driving while intoxicated after blowing the lowest possible breathalyzer reading, what is even more surprising is the fact the police officials ...

Considering the marital debts in divorce agreements Article provided by Richard Hasley Visit us at http://www.hasleylaw.com The breakdown in communication that leads to the end of many marriages can continue causing problems during the divorce proceedings. The spouses may not be able to find any agreements on basic issues, which can prolong the entire divorce. The stress level of the parties will increase, and the entire matter can quickly spin out of control. Some spouses may actually be able to find an agreement on certain issues with one another, but they ...

Truck company with poor safety record involved in fatal crash Article provided by The Healy Law Firm Visit us at http://www.illinoistruckingaccidents.com The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is responsible for crafting the rules that truck and bus companies in the U.S. must follow in order to stay in business. These rules cover a variety of topics, but the overall focus is the same: safety. Indeed, federal safety rules are key to preventing truck accidents. While most trucking companies do their best to carefully follow federal safety rules, there are some ...

Low staffing levels at Cal/OSHA hurting workers? Article provided by Law Offices Of Thomas M. DeBenedetto Visit us at http://www.workerinjurysandiego.com California workers depend upon many different groups to ensure their safety when they are on the job. They trust that their employers are following all of the property safety precautions and doing whatever possible to prevent a serious accident from happening on-the-job. Workers also rely upon agencies like the California Division of Occupational Safety & Health (Cal/OSHA) to step in and request changes when ...

Modifying child custody orders in Texas Article provided by Law Office of Brian Turner Visit us at http://www.brianturnerlaw.com Under Texas law, divorced couples with children are obliged to follow the terms of their child custody orders. Unless they receive permission from the court, any deviation from the terms of the order can be met with serious legal consequences. Although custody orders must be strictly followed, it does not mean that they cannot be changed. If the circumstances of either parent change significantly, he or she may ask the court to modify ...

Michigan lawsuits for personal injury from dog attacks Article provided by Howard Law Group Visit us at http://www.howardlawgr.com Two German shepherds loose in the suburban Detroit area reportedly were involved in a series of unprovoked attacks that caused personal injuryin early February 2014. Before the two dogs were shot in separate incidents by law enforcement, they had apparently: -Attacked a woman who had gotten out of her car in the late afternoon to help them, requiring about 50 stitches for puncture wounds on her legs from dog bites and eventual cosmetic ...

Pennsylvania may require more drunk drivers to use ignition interlock Article provided by Law Offices of Anthony Urban, P.C. Visit us at http://www.urbanlaw.com Drunk driving has long been known as a dangerous activity. Nearly one in three traffic deaths involve alcohol. In an effort to cut down on injury and death resulting from drunk driving, state Senator John Rafferty introduced legislation early in 2014 that would require all drivers with a single DUI conviction to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicles in order to have driving privileges reinstated. ...

Heavy snowfalls, low temperatures and more car crashes in Massachusetts Article provided by Giarrusso Norton Cooley & McGlone, P.C. Visit us at http://www.gncm.net The 2013-2014 winter has already been the most brutal in recent memory, with no respite yet in sight. The Northeast has been repeatedly battered with snow and unusually frigid temperatures. In Massachusetts, one of the most heavily affected states, the poor driving conditions pervasive throughout this winter can be a significant contributor to motor vehicle accidents. Drivers should be prepared ...

Rancho Santa Fe Estate and Fine Jewelry located at 6024 Paseo Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe will be hosting a trunk show featuring the jewelry of artist Konstantina Dimitra Mahlia (Mahlia Collection) beginning Thursday, March 27th from 4:00 p.m. through 9:00 p.m. and continuing through Friday, March 28th and Saturday, March 29th, both days from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served and children and pets are welcome to attend. Born in Vancouver, B.C. to Greek immigrants, Konstantina is renowned for her harmonious and creative designs that define the Mahlia ...