University of Cincinnati research is revealing how gender and civil status shaped devotional networks in 18th century colonial Latin America, and how economically independent, single women played a key role in shaping the spiritual economy of their communities. Brianna Leavitt-Alcántara, a UC assistant professor of history, will present her research on Sunday, Jan. 6, at the annual meeting of the Conference on Latin American History (CLAH), in New Orleans. The conference is held in conjunction with the 127th annual meeting of the American Historical Association. Leavitt-Alcántara's ...

A new research report published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology shows how the bacteria known for causing gum disease--Porphyromonas gingivalis--manipulates the body's immune system to disable normal processes that would otherwise destroy it. Specifically, the report shows that this pathogen prompts the production of the anti-inflammatory molecule Interleukin-10 (IL-10). This, in turn, inhibits the function of T-cells, which would otherwise help to protect the host from this particular microbial infection. "Since greater than 50 percent of the U.S. population over ...

WASHINGTON – Five personality traits widely thought to be universal across cultures might not be, according to a study of an isolated Bolivian society. Researchers who spent two years looking at 1,062 members of the Tsimane culture found that they didn't necessarily exhibit the five broad dimensions of personality – openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism – also known as the "Big Five." The American Psychological Association's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology published the study online Dec. 17. While previous research has ...

Washington, DC, January 3, 2013 -- Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) dropped by 52 percent when an alcohol-impregnated disinfection cap was used instead of standard scrubbing protocol, according to a new study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). A team of researchers from NorthShore University HealthSystem conducted a study of adult patients in order to determine the efficacy of 70 percent alcohol-impregnated ...

Philadelphia, Pa. (January 3, 2013) – When initial computed tomography (CT) scans show bleeding within the brain after mild head injury, decisions about repeated CT scans should be based on the patient's neurological condition, according to a report in the January issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health. The study questions the need for routinely obtaining repeated CT scans in patients with mild head trauma. "The available evidence indicates ...

This press release is available in German. Shopping is more than the rational exchange of goods against money. Emotions, however, do not only play a role when buying a red sports car or the fiftieth pair of shoes. At the stock exchange or during auctions, bidders also are often influenced by irrational motives. In the current issue of the International Journal of Electronic Commerce, KIT scientists point out that the end price of auctions depends on the framework conditions and the emotional pressure of the bidders (DOI 10.2753/JEC1086-4415170201). The study with more ...

WASHINGTON (Jan. 3, 2012) – Research out of the George Washington University (GW), published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), reveals another piece of the puzzle in a genetic developmental disorder that causes behavioral diseases such as autism. Anthony-Samuel LaMantia, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology and physiology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) and director of the GW Institute for Neuroscience, along with post-doctoral fellow Daniel Meechan, Ph.D. and Thomas Maynard, Ph.D., associate research professor of ...

A new study funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) finds that the western part of the massive West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is experiencing nearly twice as much warming as previously thought. The findings were published online this week in the journal Nature Geoscience. NSF manages the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) and coordinates all U.S. research and associated logistics on the southernmost continent and in the surrounding Southern Ocean. The temperature record from Byrd Station, an unmanned scientific outpost in the center of the ice sheet, demonstrates ...

HOUSTON – (Jan. 3, 2013) – Plasmonic gold nanoparticles make pinpoint heating on demand possible. Now Rice University researchers have found a way to selectively heat diverse nanoparticles that could advance their use in medicine and industry. Rice scientists led by Dmitri Lapotko and Ekaterina Lukianova-Hleb showed common gold nanoparticles, known since the 19th century as gold colloids, heat up at near-infrared wavelengths as narrow as a few nanometers when hit by very short pulses of laser light. The surprising effect reported in Advanced Materials appears to be related ...

Much of the DNA that makes up our genomes can be traced back to strange rogue sequences known as transposable elements, or jumping genes, which are largely idle in mammals. But Johns Hopkins researchers report they have identified a new DNA sequence moving around in bats — the first member of its class found to be active in mammals. The discovery, described in a report published in December on the website of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offers a new means of studying evolution, and may help in developing tools for gene therapy, the research team ...

Bleeding gums during tooth brushing or when biting into an apple could be an indication of periodontitis, an inflammatory disease of the tissues that surround and support the teeth. Bacterial plaque attacks the bone, meaning teeth can loosen over time and in the worst case even fall out, as they are left without a solid foundation to hold them in place. Furthermore, periodontitis also acts as a focal point from which disease can spread throughout the entire body: If the bacteria, which can be very aggressive, enter the bloodstream, they can cause further damage elsewhere. ...

If you are struggling with something and you think that it would be beneficial for you to speak with a qualified psychologist or counselor, you may want to go to the Psychologoist South Florida center so that you can receive professional help. They are a Counseling Palm Beach County facility and they now have specialized in many different types of practice areas that they have never offered to their clients before. If you are struggling with anxiety, the Dr Mike MD Psychologist Center in Florida can help. They provide professional help to patients that are struggling ...

January is National Jump Out Of Bed Month and one Solo-E.com certified expert is celebrating and helping other heart-based solopreneurs and small business owners to stay energized and excited to jump out of bed each morning with inspiration and purpose. "It's not enough to have a business as a solo professional," says Paula Eder, owner of Finding Time in Francestown, New Hampshire. "To achieve success, you need to focus on what gets you excited each and every day - what gets you to jump out of bed, ready to take on the challenges ahead." Founded ...

A New University-Model School is set to open Fall 2013 in the Round Rock Area. Trinity Preparatory Academy will provide a classical, college preparatory, Christian education to Grades K-4 of the Grammar School its opening year. The following years, the 5th grade and the School of Logic and the School of Rhetoric will be added. Head of School, Dr. Elizabeth Swanson is excited about the potential the University-Model offers students and families. "Our desire is to cultivate delight and wonder in learning. We want to prepare our children for academic excellence and ...

LOS ANGELES, CA January 1, 2013 - Blink Bazaar proudly announces the launch of a new online store retailing high-quality prescription eyewear including polycarbonate prescription lenses, starting at $88. Garnering over 20 years of experience in the eyewear industry, founders Tony Xiao and Moses Thai came up with a simple but brilliant idea: to create an independent online eyewear company that offers high quality eyeglasses and prescription lenses at an exceptional value. After years of hard work working closely with trusted manufacturers, designers, and technicians, ...

The Midnight Troop Team introduces the 'Moments of Gratitude' application, the first full-featured gratitude journal application on Android. This application encourages the users to reflect on the good things in their lives, and cultivate gratitude towards them. This simple practice fills the users' minds with positive energy, and by the Law of Attraction of "like attracts like", the users can expect to attract more positive things to them. For years, experts have recommended writing gratitude journals to improve the quality of lives. Such practice effectively ...

The green building and remodeling movement puts great emphasis on natural lighting, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency. Moving air through our homes and distributing light can be, and usually is, accomplished by a combination of mechanical and passive means, with a fan and an open window being simple examples. But, in today's technical world, what's simple? According to Joe Patrick, who heads national product management for VELUX America, the chimney effect achieved by creating an opening in a roof is simple. "Warm air rises. If there's an opening in the ...

Homeowners are sometimes reluctant to cut a certain type of hole in a perfectly good roof. They don't question cutting dozens of holes in the walls for windows and doors. They don't question holes in the roof for chimneys, ventilation fans or plumbing vent pipes. But for a skylight? The problem in the past has always been a fear of leaks, and with some justification due to inferior materials and less than dependable installations. But that should no longer be a valid concern. According to Joe Patrick, who heads national product management for skylight manufacturer ...

That wet mist that sometimes clouds the interior glass on your home's windows could be the first warning sign that your home is retaining too much moisture. And even if your home doesn't actually feel damp, excess moisture can do damage in unseen places. Roger LeBrun, product certification engineer with VELUX America, says that condensation is the tip-off. Understanding Condensation "Condensation is the conversion of vapor to liquid. It occurs when the air becomes saturated with moisture and releases it in the form of water," LeBrun says. The air around ...

Poorly lit attics and bonus rooms tend to be underutilized areas in many homes. But with additional natural light and fresh air from venting skylights or roof windows, gloomy spaces can easily become more inviting and productive. "Whether as a playroom, home office, or extra bedroom, finishing or remodeling your bonus room with venting skylights, or with roof windows, which open wider to provide egress, could be the highest value, yet lowest cost per square foot option you can choose," says Joe Patrick, who heads national product management for VELUX America. Patrick ...

VELUX America is introducing a 14-inch diameter, curb mount VELUX SUN TUNNEL skylight, for use on commercial and residential roofs with low slopes, at the International Builders' Show in Orlando, Florida in February 2012. The new unit utilizes many of the same elements as earlier residential Sun Tunnel skylights, including a dual-frosted diffuser system, but a specialized flashing component will allow installation of the tubular skylights on roofs with zero to 30 degrees of slope. Bruce Mosher, Sun Tunnel skylight product manager for VELUX America, says that the ...

VELUX America is introducing its new FSR series of replacement No Leak Skylights designed to simplify replacement for older VELUX and competitor units. The new No Leak Skylight replacement series matches the techniques used by roofers to replace skylights from the roof. The products are being shown for the first time at the International Builders' Show in Orlando, Florida in February 2012. The most common four skylight sizes are available in the new series. These four sizes feature a larger, 2.75-inch wide deck seal flange and gasket that allows them to span inconsistent, ...

VELUX America is introducing a new blind collection with 85 colors and pattern choices, offering homeowners the opportunity to design their spaces to reflect their personalities and turn ordinary spaces into something special. The products are being shown for the first time at the International Builders' Show in Orlando, Florida in February 2012. The new blind collection features a designer series by Karim Rashid, a leading international figure in the field of modern design. His perspective and clients are global and his projects range from products, interior design ...

Rooms filled with natural light and fresh air are more beautiful, spacious and uplifting to our spirits. "With added natural light and ventilation from skylights, homeowners have attractive and effective tools to balance the light and improve ventilation in their homes," says Joe Patrick, who heads national product management for skylight manufacturer VELUX America. Priscilla Ulmann, founder of the New York design firm, Scott-Ulmann, Inc., agrees. "I love the drama of skylights. There's nothing like walking into a room drenched in natural light with ...

VELUX America supplied skylights, SUN TUNNEL skylights and the solar water heating system for the first Active House prototype in the United States. The home is being built in the St. Louis suburb of Webster Groves and is scheduled for occupancy in early 2013. Active House USA balances three key sustainability factors: actively balanced energy consumption, outstanding indoor climate, and positive impact on the surrounding environment. VELUX Group, the Danish parent company of VELUX America, was involved with the founding of the Active House Alliance in 2010 in Copenhagen ...