LIVERMORE, Calif.-- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers have broken the record for tracking the movement and concentration of carbon dioxide in a geologic formation using the world's deepest Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) system. The research provides insight into the effects of geological sequestration to address the impact of greenhouse gases. The team led by LLNL's Charles Carrigan obtained time lapse electrical resistivity images during the injection of more than 1 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) more than 10,000 feet deep in an oil ...

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Performing experiments in a river in Trinidad, a team of evolutionary biologists has found that male guppies continue to reproduce for at least ten months after they die, living on as stored sperm in females, who have much longer lifespans (two years) than males (three-four months). "Populations that are too small can go extinct because close relatives end up breeding with each other and offspring suffer from inbreeding," said David Reznick, a professor of biology at the University of California, Riverside and the principal investigator of the research ...

Multiple drug classes commonly prescribed for common medical conditions are capable of influencing the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers at The Mount Sinai Medical Center. The findings are published online in the journal PLoS One. Led by Giulio Maria Pasinetti, MD, PhD, the Saunders Family Chair and Professor in Neurology at Mount Sinai, a research team used a computer algorithm to screen 1,600 commercially-available medications to assess their impact on the brain accumulation of beta-amyloid, a protein abnormally accumulated in the ...

PORTLAND, Ore. June 12, 2013. A recent study in the Journal of Forestry now offers managers a tool to help them identify regions exposed to multiple forest threats. The tool uses a novel 15-mile radius neighborhood analysis to highlight locations where threats are more concentrated relative to other areas, and identifies where multiple threats may intersect. It is a technique that may have never been used before to describe forest threats, according to the researchers. "Policymakers and managers often rely on maps showing where forest threats are most prevalent; they ...

LEMONT, Ill --- A new study on the feeding habits of ocean microbes calls into question the potential use of algal blooms to trap carbon dioxide and offset rising global levels. These blooms contain iron-eating microscopic phytoplankton that absorb C02 from the air through the process of photosynthesis and provide nutrients for marine life. But one type of phytoplankton, a diatom, is using more iron that it needs for photosynthesis and storing the extra in its silica skeletons and shells, according to an X-ray analysis of phytoplankton conducted at the U.S. Department ...

LA JOLLA, CA – June 12, 2013 – Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found evidence that an emotion-related brain region called the central amygdala—whose activity promotes feelings of malaise and unhappiness—plays a major role in sustaining cocaine addiction. In experiments with rats, the TSRI researchers found signs that cocaine-induced changes in this brain system contribute to anxiety-like behavior and other unpleasant symptoms of drug withdrawal—symptoms that typically drive an addict to keep using. When the researchers blocked specific brain receptors ...

Microbes are living more than 500 feet beneath the seafloor in 5 million-year-old sediment, according to new findings by researchers at the University of Delaware and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). Genetic material in mud from the bottom of the ocean — called the deep biosphere —revealed an ecosystem of active bacteria, fungi and other microscopic organisms at depths deeper than a skyscraper is high. The findings were published in Nature on June 12. "This type of examination shows active cells," said co-author Jennifer F. Biddle, assistant professor of ...

Young adults who deem themselves "spiritual but not religious" are more likely to commit property crimes — and to a lesser extent, violent ones — than those who identify themselves as either "religious and spiritual" or "religious but not spiritual," according to Baylor University researchers. The sociologists' study, published in the journal Criminology, also showed that those in a fourth category — who say they are neither spiritual nor religious —are less likely to commit property crimes than the "spiritual but not religious" individuals. But no difference was found ...

Infrared imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite on June 11 showed that Tropical Depression Yagi's strongest quadrant was east of its center. However, since them the storm has weakened after running into an upper-level low pressure area and cooler waters. When NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Yagi on June 11 it was a tropical storm with strong thunderstorms on its eastern side. An infrared image of the storm was taken from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite on June 11 at 12:05 a.m. EDT. The areas with the coldest cloud top temperatures ...

District policies and state laws help reduce the availability of sugar- and fat-laden foods and beverages in elementary schools, according to a study published online in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago looked at the association between established policies and laws and the availability of candy, baked goods, ice cream, chips, sugar-sweetened beverages, and soda sold outside the school meal program. More than 1,800 elementary schools in 45 states responded to surveys during the 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 school years. The researchers ...

It's not reruns of "The Jetsons", but researchers working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new microscopy technique that uses a process similar to how an old tube television produces a picture—cathodoluminescence—to image nanoscale features. Combining the best features of optical and scanning electron microscopy, the fast, versatile, and high-resolution technique allows scientists to view surface and subsurface features potentially as small as 10 nanometers in size. The new microscopy technique, described in the journal AIP ...

(Lebanon, NH, 6/11/13) — Subgroup analyses from a phase III clinical trial comparing a newer chemotherapy agent called eribulin mesylate, with capecitabine, a standard chemotherapy medication in women with previously treated metastatic breast cancer, showed increased benefit among women sharing certain traits. Specifically, these analyses demonstrated a greater potential benefit in certain subsets of patients with metastatic breast cancer. This analysis was presented by Peter A. Kaufman, M.D., during the 2013 ASCO Annual Meeting. The specific patient populations who ...

STANFORD, Calif. — Rape is shockingly common in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, where as many as one in four adolescent girls are raped each year. But a short self-defense course can dramatically reduce the girls' vulnerability to sexual assault, according to a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and an organization called No Means No Worldwide. "Self-defense training taught these young girls to stand up and say 'no' with confidence, and empowered them to escalate their own defense to a higher level, if necessary," ...

The ability to distinguish between odors declines steadily with age, but a new study shows that African-Americans have a much greater decrease in their sense of smell than Caucasians. This can have serious consequences. Olfactory loss often leads to impaired nutrition. It also may be an early warning sign of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, and can predict death. The study, published early online in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, found that as they aged, African-Americans and Hispanics had comparable deficits. For Hispanics, ...

(Santa Barbara, Calif.) –– In the race against climate change and ocean acidification, some sea urchins may still have a few tricks up their spiny sleeves, suggesting that adaptation will likely play a large role for the sea creatures as the carbon content of the ocean increases. "What we want to know is, given that this is a process that happens over time, can marine animals adapt? Could evolution come to the rescue?" said postdoctoral researcher Morgan Kelly, from UC Santa Barbara's Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology. She is a co-author of the paper ...

LEMONT, ILL. --- When you squeeze something, it gets smaller. Unless you're at Argonne National Laboratory. At that suburban Chicago laboratory, a group of scientists has seemingly defied the laws of physics and found a way to apply pressure to make a material expand instead of compress/contract. "It's like squeezing a stone and forming a giant sponge," said Karena Chapman, a chemist at the U.S. Department of Energy laboratory. "Materials are supposed to become denser and more compact under pressure. We are seeing the exact opposite. The pressure-treated material ...

Researchers from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) have proven a new technique that will provide a clearer picture of the Universe's history and be used with the next generation of radio telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). In research published today in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, ICRAR PhD Candidate Jacinta Delhaize has studied distant galaxies en masse to determine one of their important properties – how much hydrogen they contain – by 'stacking' their signals. As astronomers use telescopes to ...

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Research by Indiana University environmental scientists shows that air-pollution-removal technology used in "self-cleaning" paints and building surfaces may actually cause more problems than they solve. The study finds that titanium dioxide coatings, seen as promising for their role in breaking down airborne pollutants on contact, are likely in real-world conditions to convert abundant ammonia to nitrogen oxide, the key precursor of harmful ozone pollution. "As air quality standards become more stringent, people are going to be thinking about other ...

Working through the challenges of divorce Article provided by Fleischer & Associates Attorneys at Law Visit us at http://www.fleischerlawoffice.com Nearly every married couple confronts challenges in their marriage. Some of these challenges can be easily resolved, with the spouses gaining an understanding into the other's wants and needs. But sometimes a relationship faces serious disagreements that cannot be resolved. Problems can grow into stressful, even dangerous situations. At this point, a divorce is often the best option for the couple and the entire ...

Changes in DUI laws could help accident victims Article provided by Law Offices of Lori S. Murray Visit us at http://www.lorimurraylaw.com In South Carolina 315 people died in drunk driving accidents in 2011, according to the state's chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Across the nation, drunk driving kills and injures thousands of people every year, says the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB recently proposed a number of actions aimed at reducing the toll of drunk driving. The NTSB's rationale for its current recommendations is that no headway ...

ACLU study shows significant racial disparity in marijuana arrests Article provided by Serino, MacKay & Berube PLLC Visit us at http://www.smandb.com Despite more tolerate social attitudes, marijuana is still illegal in New York. Even though many people think of social marijuana use as a relatively common and innocuous activity, the truth is that a conviction for possessing or selling marijuana can have serious long-term consequences. However, not every marijuana smoker bears this risk equally. According to a new report from the American Civil Liberties Union, ...

How to help avoid toxic child custody battles in Pennsylvania Article provided by Law Office of Elaine Smith & Adam M Horwitz Visit us at http://www.smithhorwitz.com Many potential unpleasant battles may arise in a divorce; what to do with the marital home and dividing possessions may be hotly contested issues, for example. However, when two parents love their children and actively participate in their lives, establishing child custody can escalate to a level far beyond deciding who gets the most of a 401(k). There are ways to minimize stress and conflict ...

The term "grave robbing" used to refer to the appalling act in which thieves would dig up graves and steal a deceased person's body and/or belongings. Today that term has taken on a new definition that is not only atrocious; it is also becoming an alarming trend. Over the past few years the number of identity theft cases involving the deceased has grown exponentially. Identity thieves know family members are too busy mourning the loss of a loved one to worry about protecting his or her identity. After all, who would think to protect the identity of a loved one ...

Heidi Nazarudin is a writer, public speaker and professional blogger. She is also the President of The Blogger Babes, an exclusive association that she has just launched. Nazarudin blogs about beauty and women's lifestyle topics on her two main blogs, The Plastic Princess and Heidi and Co. Her goal is to help women everywhere achieve beauty - for themselves, but also in their everyday lives. The Blogger Babes is an exclusive, one-of-a-kind association comprised of female bloggers worldwide, acting as the leading informational source focused on, well,...babes who blog. ...

Many of our most beloved dishes act as toxic time bombs, contributing to an unsustainable health epidemic in our country. A recent study revealed that several chain-restaurant comfort-foods contain more than 5,000 calories in a single entree, several times the recommended daily allowance. We explain the risks and foods to avoid on your path back to a life and body in balance. UrbanSculpt's Book-a-Day series was developed to provided our readers with a knowledgeable, insightful and sometimes provocative perspective of issues surrounding environmental-health, sustainability, ...