New Rochelle, NY, February 25, 2014—Repeated concussions and mild brain trauma can result in reduced levels of growth hormone, gonadotropin, and thyroid hormones, causing disorders such as metabolic syndrome and erectile dysfunction and overall poor quality of life. The results of a new study of retired professional football players that compares number of concussions sustained during their careers and health problems associated with hormonal deficiency is published in Journal of Neurotrauma, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is ...

The rate of mother to child HIV transmission is at an all-time low in the UK, according to a paper published today in the journal AIDS. The study examined over 12 000 pregnancies in women diagnosed with HIV before or during pregnancy and delivered in 2000-2011; there was a four-fold drop in the rate of mother to child transmissions, from 2.1% in 2000-2001 to 0.46% in 2010-2011. Dr Claire Townsend (UCL Institute of Child Health) said: "Mother to child HIV transmission is now at the lowest level ever in the UK & Ireland, and as far as we're aware such low levels have ...

Since he was a graduate student, Armando Solar-Lezama, an associate professor in MIT's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has been working on a programming language called Sketch, which allows programmers to simply omit some of the computational details of their code. Sketch then automatically fills in the gaps. If it's fleshed out and made more user-friendly, Sketch could ultimately make life easier for software developers. But in the meantime, it's proving its worth as the basis for other tools that exploit the mechanics of "program synthesis," ...

The sun emitted a significant solar flare, peaking at 7:49 p.m. EST on Feb. 24, 2014. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which keeps a constant watch on the sun, captured images of the event. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation, appearing as giant flashes of light in the SDO images. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however -- when intense enough -- they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel. To see how this event may impact Earth, please ...

A study led by Manchester scientists has shown promising results for a new treatment approach in follicular lymphoma. Follicular lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma– a blood cancer - that usually develops slowly. The majority of patients are diagnosed when their disease is at an advanced stage. Recent improvements in treatment have included the use of antibodies to specifically target the tumour cells and to stimulate the patient's own immune system to attack their tumour. The use of such antibodies has improved treatment response, but unfortunately most patients ...

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 24, 2014) – Researchers at the Cedars-Sinai Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute and Department of Neurosurgery have developed a unique, compact, relatively inexpensive imaging device to "light up" malignant brain tumors and other cancers. The experimental system consists of a special camera designed and developed at Cedars-Sinai and a new, targeted imaging agent based on a synthetic version of a small protein – a peptide – found in the venom of the deathstalker scorpion. The imaging agent, Tumor Paint BLZ-100, a product of Blaze Bioscience Inc., homes ...

A real-time hurricane analysis and prediction system that effectively incorporates airborne Doppler radar information may accurately track the path, intensity and wind force in a hurricane, according to Penn State meteorologists. This system can also identify the sources of forecast uncertainty. "For this particular study aircraft-based Doppler radar information was ingested into the system," said Fuqing Zhang, professor of meteorology, Penn State. "Our predictions were comparable to or better than those made by operational global models." Zhang and Erin B. Munsell, ...

Of the top 10 cancers in the UK, bladder cancer is only one where survival rates have been shown to be getting worse. New figures published this month in the Journal of Clinical Urology confirm in a study of cases of bladder cancer in England over a 19 year period (from 1990 until 2009) that survival rates here in the UK are falling and are worse than in than in other European countries with similar incidence rates. Shockingly, bladder cancer isn't a rare cancer that only affects a few people every year. In fact, bladder cancer is our 7th most common cancer (the 4th most ...

New research shows that almost one-third of adults with mental illness are likely to be victims of violence within a six-month period, and that adults with mental illness who commit violence are most likely to do so in residential settings. The study also finds a strong correlation between being a victim of violence and committing a violent act. The work was done by researchers at North Carolina State University; RTI International; the University of California, Davis; Simon Fraser University; and Duke University. "We hear about the link between violence and mental illness ...

A belief in anti-vaccine conspiracy theories may have significant and detrimental consequences for children's health, new research from the University of Kent has shown. Researchers Daniel Jolley and Dr Karen Douglas, of the University's School of Psychology, surveyed 89 parents about their views on anti-vaccine conspiracy theories and then asked them to indicate their intention to have a fictional child vaccinated. It was found that stronger belief in anti-vaccine conspiracy theories was associated with lower intention to vaccinate. In a second study, 188 participants ...

RICHLAND, Wash. – By adjusting water discharges in ways designed to boost salmon productivity, officials at a dam in central Washington were able to more than triple the numbers of juvenile salmon downstream of the dam over a 30-year period, according to a study published Feb. 25 in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. "This is one of the most productive populations of fall Chinook salmon anywhere in the Pacific Northwest," said Ryan Harnish, first author of the paper and a fish ecologist at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. ...

Teenage girl suffers second-degree burns in iPhone fire Article provided by Miller Schirger LLC Visit us at http://www.millerschirger.com A 13-year-old girl was treated for second-degree burns recently after her smartphone caught fire in her pocket while she was sitting in school. Although the exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined, some commentators have speculated that it may have been due to a dangerous defect in the phone itself. A popping sound, then smoke According to a report by PCMag, the eighth-grader was carrying the two-month-old iPhone ...

The Texas bad faith insurance claim Article provided by Kustoff & Phipps, L.L.P. Visit us at http://www.kplegal.com Insurance permeates many aspects of our lives. At a minimum, most Texans have health, house or renter, car and life insurance. Long-term care insurance pays for nursing home and similar care. Malpractice or professional liability insurance protects professionals against claims of negligent or reckless professional conduct. Most business owners need liability, property, business interruption coverage, and more depending on the unique needs of their ...

Texas Attorney General challenges court's overturning sex crime law Article provided by Law Office of Larry P. McDougal Visit us at http://www.larrymcdougal.com Courts in Texas recently decided to strike down a law that addressed online chatting in certain situations. The law banned online chatting between adults and minors that was deemed sexually explicit. Those opposed to the law argued it was a violation of free-speech rights, and the court unanimously agreed. The state's attorney general is challenging this ruling, leading to a type of "legal turf war" ...

Landlord may be liable for trampoline and swimming pool accident Article provided by Law Offices of Aleixo and Murray, P.C. Visit us at http://www.aleixoandmurray.com Under "premises liability" law, the owner of land may be held liable under certain circumstances for injuries that are caused by dangerous conditions on the property. While this liability generally does not extend to open and obvious dangers, a property owner may still be found liable where the landowner should have anticipated that the dangerous condition could cause physical harm, even ...

Dealing with creditors in Florida after the death of a loved one Article provided by The Law Office of Silverman, Vorhis & Mack Visit us at http://www.flstatewideprobate.com When you and your family are still reeling from the loss of a family member, the last issue you want to deal with is outstanding debts of the decedent. Unfortunately, creditors may engage in unethical and, sometimes, illegal tactics in attempts to collect from unsuspecting family members. When a loved one dies, it is very difficult to know what to do. During the overwhelming mourning ...

Trooper's stop of vehicle for speeding using pace method was invalid Article provided by Edward R. La Rue Visit us at http://www.edwardrlarue.com In State v. Jarosz, the Eleventh District Court of Appeals of Ohio upheld the trial court's ruling suppressing evidence in a case involving speeding and drunk-driving charges. The appellate court agreed that the evidence did not adequately prove that the officer had reasonable suspicion to stop the defendant's vehicle for speeding, and therefore the stop was invalid, where the officer failed to keep a uniform distance ...

With economic recovery comes a new wave of divorces, study shows Article provided by Dobrowski Law Firm, PLLC Visit us at http://www.gwdlaw.com It is often said that money problems are a leading cause of marital distress and divorce in the United States. One may think, therefore, that the national divorce rate would have shot through the roof in recent years as families across the country grappled with the fallout of the Great Recession -- but, in fact, the opposite is true. Divorce rates plummeted after the financial crisis struck the nation in 2008, a recent ...

Report: Missouri highway safety laws could be better Article provided by Hullverson Law Firm Visit us at http://www.hullverson.com Recently, the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety issued its annual report on highway safety laws throughout the nation, and for Missouri, the news was not all good. Specifically, the recent report gave Missouri an overall rating of "yellow," meaning the organization believes Missouri has "numerous gaps" in the state's highway safety laws. For instance, while Missouri scored well in certain areas, such as child ...

Moving away--How far is too far? Article provided by Beth M. Terry, P.A. Visit us at http://www.bethmterrypa.com It happens quite often--two parents, a divorce, sharing custody in the same geographic area. Then, for might be very good reasons, one of the parents moves from the area--sometimes moving hundreds of miles away. The battles of divorce, thought to be over, are reborn. The case of Halbert v. Morico decided by the Florida Court of Appeals is instructive as to the legal impact of a parent's relocation on child custody and visitation under Florida law. ...

How to bring an end to calls from creditors Article provided by Jeffrey P. White and Associates, P.C. Visit us at http://www.whitelawoffices.com Many people would say that they try to put aside some money into a savings account each month. They want to have something to fall back on should they experience any financial problems. Unfortunately, many of those individuals are living paycheck to paycheck, and will experience significant challenges making ends meet should they experience any unplanned major expenses. When debt problems arise, it can be a very stressful ...

Florida advocates of alimony reform double their efforts in early 2014 Article provided by Lasky, Hendrix & Davis Visit us at http://www.jacksonvillemilitarydivorce.com In some Florida divorces, one former spouse must make periodic payments and/or a lump sum payment to the other. These payments are known as alimony. Alimony, also sometimes referred to as spousal support, has been an issue of contention in Florida's family law system for quite some time now. Supporters of alimony reform laws say that in many cases, alimony awards have become inconsistent and ...

Splitting retirement accounts during divorce: what you need to know Article provided by Michael D. Schmitt, Attorney at Law Visit us at http://www.michaelschmittlaw.com A divorce is more than just the split of a romantic relationship; it also symbolizes the end of a financial partnership. As such, property and assets are split during the divorce proceeding. This includes real, tangible propertylike the family home, various possessions, cars and savings accounts as well as debts in addition to the less tangible, like retirement accounts. Those going through a ...

Bigger Michigan property tax rebates, but assessors move to increase tax Article provided by Hoffert & Associates, P.C. Visit us at http://www.hoffertlaw.com During the first week of February, Governor Rick Snyder called for $103 million in property tax refund checks, primarily for low- and middle-income renters and homeowners. The Michigan governor's proposal to expand the Homestead Property Tax Credit would be retroactive to the 2013 tax year. As the Michigan legislature convenes to put together a budget for fiscal year 2015, many state lawmakers are coming ...

Half in US have more credit card debt than savings, according to study Article provided by Richard Banks & Associates Visit us at http://www.rbankslawfirm.com A survey conducted by the consumer finance information website Bankrate.com in February 2014 revealed that almost half of people in the U.S. have more credit card debt than money in savings. Those overwhelmed with credit card debt may want to consider how bankruptcy can help them reorganize their finances. Low levels of savings According to the survey, 49 percent of those in the U.S. do not have ...