JUPITER, FL, April 29, 2013 – Proteins, the workhorses of the body, can have more than one function, but they often need to be very specific in their action or they create cellular havoc, possibly leading to disease. Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have uncovered how an enzyme co-factor can bestow specificity on a class of proteins with otherwise nonspecific biochemical activity. The protein in question helps in the assembly of ribosomes, large macromolecular machines that are critical to protein production and cell growth. ...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. —Well-intentioned policies to make achieving tenure more family-friendly actually have negative consequences for the salaries of college faculty members, a study co-written by a University of Illinois labor and employment relations professor shows. Whether it's for the birth or adoption of a child, or a family situation that involves extended caregiving, both male and female faculty members who "stop the tenure clock" for family reasons earn a salary that's 3.1 to 4.3 percent lower the following year – even when there is no significant drop-off in the ...

Bethesda, MD (April 29, 2013) — Pregnant women with mid to high levels of antibodies common in patients with celiac disease are at risk for having babies with reduced fetal weight and birth weight, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. The antibody tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) is most commonly found in patients with celiac disease. "While several observational studies have suggested that celiac disease is associated with different pregnancy outcomes, this research takes into account the ...

A study in The Journal of General Physiology presents new methods to evaluate how astrocytes contribute to brain function, paving the way for future exploration of these important brain cells at unprecedented levels of detail. Astrocytes—the most abundant cell type in the human brain—play crucial roles in brain physiology, which may include modulating synaptic activity and regulating local blood flow. Existing research tools can be used to monitor calcium signals associated with interactions between astrocytes and neurons or blood vessels. Until now, however, astrocytic ...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Obama administration's controversial proposal to "means-test" Medicare recipients is ostensibly aimed at generating more cash for the government from those who can afford it – or squeezing more money out of upper-income seniors, depending upon one's point of view. But according to a University of Illinois expert on retirement benefits, the Medicare program is already means-tested. Law professor Richard L. Kaplan says whenever the issue of cutting Medicare emerges, one of the first ideas to "fix" the program is to make its upper-income beneficiaries ...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When designing product lines, one important decision marketing and manufacturing managers must consider is whether to use common or product-specific components. While the use of common components can reduce manufacturing costs, firms have traditionally shied away from that strategy over concerns of intensifying what scholars call "product cannibalization." But according to research from two University of Illinois business professors, commonality can actually reduce product line cannibalization, a finding that could allow firms to redesign their product ...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — For companies with employees around the globe, the challenges of distance, diversity and technology may threaten team cohesiveness among their long-distance workers. But according to a new study by a University of Illinois business professor, out of sight doesn't necessarily have to mean out of mind for virtual teams. Ravi S. Gajendran, a professor of business administration at Illinois, says leaders of globally distributed teams can mitigate the isolation of virtual employees by taking a relationship-based approach in the form of a "leader-member exchange" ...

WATERLOO, Ont. (Monday, April 29, 2013) – Researchers at the University of Waterloo have found that children hear more complex language from parents when they read a storybook with only pictures compared to a picture-vocabulary book. The findings appear in the latest issue of the journal First Language. "Too often, parents dismiss picture storybooks, especially when they are wordless, as not real reading or just for fun," said the study's author, Professor Daniela O'Neill. "But these findings show that reading picture storybooks with kids exposes them to the kind of talk ...

Bethesda, MD (April 29, 2013) — A commonly used class of biologic response modifying drugs can cause acute liver injury with elevated liver enzymes, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. Patients with inflammatory diseases such as Chron's disease or ulcerative colitis often are prescribed tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) antagonists, which modify the body's response to infection. Patients with inflammatory arthropathies and selected dermatological ...

Predecessors to dinosaurs missed the race to fill habitats emptied when nine out of 10 species disappeared during Earth's largest mass extinction 252 million years ago. Or did they? That thinking was based on fossil records from sites in South Africa and southwest Russia. It turns out, however, that scientists may have been looking in the wrong places. Newly discovered fossils from 10 million years after the mass extinction reveal a lineage of animals thought to have led to dinosaurs in Tanzania and Zambia. That's still millions of years before dinosaur relatives ...

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Suppose you hear someone say, "The man gave the ice cream the child." Does that sentence seem plausible? Or do you assume it is missing a word? Such as: "The man gave the ice cream to the child." A new study by MIT researchers indicates that when we process language, we often make these kinds of mental edits. Moreover, it suggests that we seem to use specific strategies for making sense of confusing information — the "noise" interfering with the signal conveyed in language, as researchers think of it. "Even at the sentence level of language, there is ...

HOUSTON – (April 29, 2013) – Squeeze a piece of silicone and it quickly returns to its original shape, as squishy as ever. But scientists at Rice University have discovered that the liquid crystal phase of silicone becomes 90 percent stiffer when silicone is gently and repeatedly compressed. Their research could lead to new strategies for self-healing materials or biocompatible materials that mimic human tissues. A paper on the research appeared this month in Nature's online journal Nature Communications. Silicone in its liquid crystal phase is somewhere between a solid ...

LA JOLLA, CA----In the spring following a forest fire, trees that survived the blaze explode in new growth and plants sprout in abundance from the scorched earth. For centuries, it was a mystery how seeds, some long dormant in the soil, knew to push through the ashes to regenerate the burned forest. In the April 23 early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), scientists at the Salk Institute and the University of California, San Diego, report the results of a study that answers this fundamental "circle of life" question in plant ...

More than a third of stroke patients don't get to the hospital by ambulance, even though that's the fastest way to get there, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal. Researchers studied records on more than 204,000 stroke patients arriving at emergency rooms at 1,563 hospitals participating in the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke quality improvement program in 2003-10. Emergency medical services (EMS) transported 63.7 percent of the patients, ...

Scientists have devised a method for delivering tumor cell-killing enzymes in a way that protects the enzyme until it can do its work inside the cell. In their study in mBio®, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, researchers assembled microscopic protein packages that can deliver an enzyme called PEIII to the insides of cells. By attaching a protein called ubiquitin to the enzyme, they were able to protect it from degradation by the cell, allowing the enzyme to complete its mission. The results indicate that ubiquitin may be a useful ...

A new virus that causes severe breathing distress and kidney failure elicits a distinctive airway cell response to allow it to multiply. Scientists studying the Human Coronavirus-Erasmus Medical Center, which first appeared April 2012 in the Middle East, have discovered helpful details about its stronghold tactics. Their findings predict that certain currently available compounds might treat the infection. These could act, not by killing the virus directly, but by keeping lung cells from being forced to create a hospitable environment for the virus to reproduce. The ...

EMBARGOED UNTIL 12:01 A.M. ET, Tuesday, April 30, 2013, Cleveland: The use of Internet-based stress management programs (ISM) effectively reduce stress for a sustainable period, according to a Cleveland Clinic study published recently in Annals of Behavioral Medicine. Online stress management programs aim to increase accessibility for individuals affected by chronic stress at a lesser cost than traditional methods. Data suggests that stress reduction using ISM is comparable to face-to-face stress management. Three-hundred study participants completed an eight-week ISM ...

Chapter 13 bankruptcy provides options for debt repayment Article provided by The Smith Law Offices, P.C. Visit us at http://www.smithlawmichigan.com/ Many people assume that if they do not pass the means test for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, then bankruptcy may not be appropriate. This is may not be true, however. Chapter 13 is a viable option for those who have regular income but face a distressing amount of debt. The benefits of Chapter 13 As with Chapter 7 bankruptcy, Chapter 13 provides an "automatic stay" from most collection and foreclosure proceedings. ...

How Chapter 13 can help you save your home Article provided by Ehrlich & Arcodia, P.C. Visit us at http://www.albanymetrobankruptcylaw.com The decision to file for bankruptcy can be a painful one, but sometimes it is the right one. Chapter 13 bankruptcy, in particular, is ideal for those who are earning a steady salary, but are facing foreclosure. In addition, Chapter 13 can help those who are having problems with their mortgages because of other debt, such as medical bills or credit cards. How Chapter 13 works Once an individual files for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, ...

Wage garnishment in Texas: When and how can it be done? Article provided by Mastriani Law Firm, PC Visit us at http://www.texasdebtdefense.com Sometimes an item of property may be taken to pay off a debt, such as when a car is repossessed because the owner failed to make payments on the loan. In other cases, an individual may have a portion of his or her paycheck or wages withheld and used to pay off a debt. The latter is called wage garnishment, and it can only be used to collect on certain debts and within set limitations. Debt collectors may threaten to have ...

Debt collection acts protect Texans against creditor harassment Article provided by Mastriani Law Firm, PC Visit us at http://www.texasdebtdefense.com Living with more debt than you can afford can add a lot of strain to daily life. When struggling to make ends meet, harassing phone calls and letters from credit card companies, debt collectors and collection agencies can make it even worse. Sometimes debt collectors may make threats or take certain actions that are prohibited by law, though, and they should be stopped. The Texas Debt Collection Act and the Fair Debt ...

Changes coming to Alabama motorcycle licenses? Article provided by Hollis, Wright, and Couch, P.C. Visit us at http://www.hollis-wright.com Motorcycle enthusiasts often look forward to the spring and summer, because this means that they will have more opportunities to head out on area roadways. Experienced motorcyclists know that they need to remain alert each time they go out for a ride, because if an accident happens, it almost always means that the rider will suffer serious injuries. In many states, drivers must undergo specific testing, including a skills ...

Drug-detecting dogs potentially an issue in Colorado marijuana cases Article provided by Joneson & Michael, LLC Visit us at http://www.gerijoneson.com The recent changes to marijuana laws within Colorado have led to many questions for both residents and law enforcement officers. Individuals need to learn the new rules in place to understand the use that is permitted, because some activities, including driving under the influence of the drug may still result in potential criminal charges. For police, the changes are leading to changes in the way they investigate ...

North Carolina cracking down on extremely impaired drivers Article provided by Wood, Rabil & Peake, LLP Visit us at http://www.wrplaw.net Many states have passed laws that hand down very severe punishments for individuals convicted of driving while intoxicated. These laws are often the topic of much debate each year, as legislators try to create tougher penalties that serve as a strong deterrent to motorists who might think about getting behind the wheel after they have had a few drinks. The North Carolina House of Representatives recently passed two bills ...

Searching for the answers to questions about traumatic brain injury Article provided by Donohue, Sabo, Varley & Huttner, L.L.P. Visit us at http://www.dsvalaw.com We live in a fast-paced world where cars are driven faster, sports are one of the most popular forms of entertainment and many search for the next big thrill. However, with a world that travels at high speeds comes a higher risk of serious injury when someone crashes--especially brain injury. The NFL has been the subject of several civil liability lawsuits filed by families of players who died from ...