LA JOLLA, CA – Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified a new pathway that appears to play a major role in information processing in the brain. Their research also offers insight into how imbalances in this pathway could contribute to cognitive abnormalities in humans. The study, published in the November 9, 2012 issue of the journal Cell, focuses on the actions of a protein called HDAC4. The researchers found that HDAC4 is critically involved in regulating genes essential for communication between neurons. "We found that HDAC4 represses these ...

PHILADELPHIA — When a virus such as influenza invades our bodies, interferon proteins are among the first immune molecules produced to fight off the attack. Interferon can also play a role in suppressing tumor growth and the effects of autoimmune diseases, and doctors may use an artificial form of interferon to treat patients with certain cancers or multiple sclerosis. But even this approach sometimes fails when patients' bodies reject the foreign interferon or growing resistant to its effects. A study by scientists from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary ...

University Hospitals Case Medical Center's MacDonald Women's Hospital is leading an international trial investigating a first-of-its-kind on-demand drug for pre-menopausal women with sexual dysfunction. Led by Sheryl Kingsberg, PhD, this international Phase II study is one of the largest clinical studies to ever explore a "use-as-needed" treatment, Tefina, for women experiencing orgasmic disorder. Tefina is a nasal gel containing testosterone and is inserted in the nose with an easy to use applicator 1-4 hours before sexual activity. The study, which will involve 240 ...

Pica -- craving and intentionally consuming nonfood substances, such as earth -- and amylophagy, eating raw starches -- are widespread among people around the world, including the U.S. Some 180 species of animals are also known to engage in pica, possibly to rid themselves of toxins. A study appearing Oct. 17 in the online journal Public Library of Science One provides the first population-level data of pica in Madagascar. It is one of only a few studies to assess the consumption of earths, raw starches, chalk, ash and other nonfoods across men, women and children. Study: ...

Children need a minimum of seven minutes a day of vigorous physical activity, demonstrates recently published findings by University of Alberta medical researchers and their colleagues across Canada. "If you watch late-night television, or look in the backs of magazines, you'll see magical ads saying you need just 10 minutes a day or five minutes a day of exercise to stay fit. And for those of us in the medical field, we just rolled our eyes at that. But surprisingly, they may actually be right and that's what this research shows," says co-principal investigator Richard ...

COLLEGE STATION – Can you imagine trying to build a competitive race car with old parts? Chances are, the entry would not fare well at the Indy 500. Very much the same thing might be said about today's crops, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist. "Contemporary crops such as Texas cotton are like finely tuned racing machines — they need high quality parts to perform optimally," said Dr. David Stelly, AgriLife Research cotton geneticist in College Station. "And they constantly need new ones to replace ones that are no longer functional, as well as those ...

COLLEGE STATION – The old adage "you can't see the forest for the trees" might mean more to Dr. Sorin Popescu than most people. Popescu, a Texas A&M University associate professor in the department of ecosystem science and management, uses remote sensing and other advanced technology to make sure he sees both the individual trees and the overall forest. Forests change continually for various reasons – fires, insect defoliation, hurricanes, drought and more, he said. These changes can affect the communities that depend on the forest industry. Popescu monitored the ...

AMARILLO – An accurate estimation of nitrous oxide and methane emissions from beef cattle feedlots is an increasing concern given the current and potential future reporting requirements for greenhouse gas emissions. Dr. Ken Casey, Texas A&M AgriLife Research air quality engineer in Amarillo, is working on an ongoing study to quantify the nitrous oxide and methane emission rates from pen surfaces at two commercial beef cattle feedlots in Texas. This research was supported in part by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant from the U.S. Department of ...

COLLEGE STATION – Fertilizing one's lawn is considered a necessary practice, as is with most agricultural crops. But how many people know about fertilizing a commercial forest, and how that might affect the environment and their investment? Dr. Jason Vogel, assistant professor of forest ecosystem science within the Texas A&M University department of ecosystem science and management, is studying just how much difference fertilization can make to the productivity of the forest and carbon sequestration. Vogel is a part of the Pine Integrated Network Education, Mitigation ...

COLLEGE STATION – A typical landscaped yard consists of lawn area and ornamental plants. If watered properly, homeowners can see the beauty, pocket some green and save some water, according to a Texas A&M University turfgrass professor. Supplemental watering of urban lawns and landscaped areas is required to keep the plants healthy through the typical long, hot and dry summers and falls in Texas, according to Dr. Richard White, Texas AgriLife Research turfgrass management scientist in College Station. White discussed different studies during the annual turf and landscape ...

AMARILLO – Fresh, refrigerated or frozen, colostrum still is the best thing dairy owners can feed newborn calves, according to a joint study by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the University of Florida. Colostrum is the milk secreted for a few days from a mother, whether human or animal, after giving birth and is characterized by high protein and antibody content. "It is well known that an adequate colostrum feeding is the most important management factor determining calf health and survival," said Dr. Pablo Pinedo, AgriLife Research ruminant animal health scientist ...

November 8, 2012 - Jackson Hole, Wyoming Scientists believe that prior to the advent of DNA as the earth's primary genetic material, early forms of life used RNA to encode genetic instructions. What sort of genetic molecules did life rely on before RNA? The answer may be AEG, a small molecule when linked into chains form a hypothetical backbone for Peptide Nucleic Acids, which have been hypothesized as the first genetic molecules. Synthetic AEG has been studied by the pharmaceutical industry as a possible genesilencer to stop or slow certain genetic diseases. The ...

A comprehensive survey of genital injuries over the last decade involving mishaps with consumer products like clothing, furniture, tools and toys that brought U.S. adults to emergency rooms reveals that such injuries are common and may be preventable, according to doctors at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The study, described this week in The Journal of Urology, was the largest ever to look at major and minor "genitourinary" injuries, which involve the genitals, urinary tract and kidneys. It showed that 142,144 U.S. adults went to emergency rooms ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Resveratrol, a compound found commonly in grape skins and red wine, has been shown to have several beneficial effects on human health, including cardiovascular health and stroke prevention. Now, a University of Missouri researcher has discovered that the compound can make prostate tumor cells more susceptible to radiation treatment, increasing the chances of a full recovery from all types of prostate cancer, including aggressive tumors. "Other studies have noted that resveratrol made tumor cells more susceptible to chemotherapy, and we wanted to see if ...

Divorce and Taxes: How a Separation Impacts Tax Filings Getting a divorce or separation marks the end of more than just a personal relationship. In addition to dealing with the emotional turmoil of determining where children go, whether to sell the house and even who keeps the pets, a couple is also ending a financial partnership. As a result, it is important that those going through a separation are aware of the tax implications tied to divorce. A Few Big Tax Concerns Divorce impacts many areas of taxes, including: -Filing status -Child support payments ...

Asset Division in Connecticut: Who Gets What in Divorce? Determining how to divide property during a divorce can be difficult. Not only should the worth of the assets be considered, but it's also important to take into account potential tax implications. Before dividing assets, is important to have a basic understanding of how courts in Connecticut determine property division in a divorce proceeding. Basics of Asset Division Connecticut is considered an equitable distribution state. This means that property is not distributed in a simple 50 percent split. Instead, ...

More spouses keeping tabs on one another with high-tech spying devices Many Americans who fear their marriage may be in trouble are turning to new methods to confirm their suspicions. In the past, if someone was concerned that his or her spouse was having an affair, there were limited options available to determine the truth. For instance, the spouse could hire a private detective or follow the other spouse by car -- both of which require a significant investment of time or money. These days, new technologies have provided an outlet for suspicious spouses to take ...

An Overview of Workers' Compensation in Pennsylvania When a worker in Pennsylvania is injured on the job or suffers a work-related illness, he or she will likely be covered by Pennsylvania's workers' compensation system. Workers' compensation provides coverage for medical expenses and, if an injured worker is unable to return to work, provides compensation for the loss of wages until the injured worker is able to return. If an injured worker is killed because of work, family members may recover death benefits. Who is Covered by Workers' Compensation in Pennsylvania Practically ...

The Basics of Workers' Compensation in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania workers who are unable to work because of a job-related injury or illness may worry about their financial situation, as the medical bills incurred because of the accident or injury can be overwhelming. However, many Pennsylvania workers have a benefit that is designed to help them in such a predicament--workers' compensation benefits. What Is Workers' Compensation? Workers' compensation benefits are paid pursuant to the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act (WCA). The WCA provides for benefits in ...

U.S. Supreme Court to decide on warrantless blood draws for DUI cases When police pull a driver over for drinking and driving, they need to have reasonable suspicion that the law is being violated. Frequently, police will stop a driver suspected of drinking and driving for speeding or for swerving. After the driver is stopped and conversant, the officer will then look for indications of intoxication, such as the smell of the driver's breath, sufficient to provide probable cause to arrest the driver for being behind the wheel illegally. Often, officers use a breath test ...

Man faces extended sentencing for predatory sexual offender status Under Missouri's sentencing laws, an individual who is convicted of a sexual offense and was previously convicted of a sexual offense, or multiple sexual offenses at a certain felony level or higher, faces extended sentencing. A 68-year-old Missouri man faces an extended sentence after being deemed a predatory sexual offender near Strafford, Missouri. Story of the man's arrest The facts leading up to the predatory sexual offender charge began in southwest Missouri, according to an article by the ...

Think Ahead: Make a Will Those in the Hoosier State owe it to themselves and their families to think ahead and plan sensibly for the future. This means facing the fact that humans are mortal. Making an estate plan for the future necessarily involves making a will, especially if there are children in the family. Once a person has decided to make a will, it is important to do it right. After all, there is little benefit in creating an estate plan if it cannot be administered according to the creator's wishes. In the first place, this means getting competent help; do-it-yourselfers ...

Retaining wall in Texas collapses, diminishes home values Homeowners are still dealing with loss two years after a retaining wall collapsed in a Texas suburb. Those who owned homes in The Rivermist and Hills of Rivermist subdivisions faced diminished home values after the incident and are still fighting to recoup their losses. Unfortunately, this story covers only one of many disasters homeowners can face. In addition to construction disputes based on cases like a faulty retaining wall, homeowners may need to deal with a wide range of homeowner insurance claim disputes. Home ...

Drunk Boating a Growing Concern in Illinois Over the last few years the number of alcohol-related boating deaths has increased in Illinois as the number of drinking and boating accidents fall in other states. Only the state of Wisconsin ranks ahead of Illinois in fatalities caused by intoxicated boating. The growing number of drunk boating accidents and related fatalities is drawing greater scrutiny by law enforcement at a time when their resources are down. The victims of boating accidents involving alcohol in Illinois can recover compensation by working with a personal ...

FarStone Technology, Inc. Develops Total Backup Recovery 8 Series! FarStone Technology, a data backup and disaster recovery software developer, is excited to reveal the new features and enhancements for their Total Backup Recovery 8 Series. Business users will find that the newly added benefits and features will make data system backup and recovery easier and more efficient. Though the previous versions of products in the Total Backup Recovery Suite have already served as beneficial to small/medium businesses and corporations, FarStone´s engineers have been working ...