BOSTON, MA -- Learning, memory and habits are encoded in the strength of connections between neurons in the brain, the synapses. These connections aren't meant to be fixed, they're changeable, or plastic. Duke University neurologist and neuroscientist Nicole Calakos studies what happens when those connections aren't as adaptable as they should be in the basal ganglia, the brain's "command center" for turning information into actions. "The basal ganglia is the part of the brain that drives the car when you're not thinking too hard about it," Calakos said. It's also ...

The fibrous threads helping mussels stay anchored – in spite of waves that sometimes pound the shore with a force equivalent to a jet liner flying at 600 miles per hour – are more prone to snap when ocean temperatures climb higher than normal. At the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Boston, Emily Carrington, a University of Washington professor of biology, reported that the fibrous threads she calls "nature's bungee cords" become 60 percent weaker in water that was 15 degrees F (7 C) above typical summer temperatures where the mussels were ...

When it comes to sticking power under wet conditions, marine mussels are hard to beat. They can adhere to virtually all inorganic and organic surfaces, sustaining their tenacious bonds in saltwater, including turbulent tidal environments. Northwestern University's Phillip B. Messersmith will discuss his research in a talk titled "Mussel-Inspired Materials for Surgical Repair and Drug Delivery" at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in Boston. His presentation is part of the symposium "Translation of Mussel Adhesion to Beneficial ...

In a world of increasing global connections, predicting the spread of infectious diseases is more complicated than ever. Pandemics no longer follow the patterns they did centuries ago, when diseases swept through populations town by town; instead, they spread quickly and seemingly at random, spurred by the interactions of 3 billion air travelers per year. A computational model developed by Northwestern University's Dirk Brockmann could provide better insight into how today's diseases might strike. Brockmann, an associate professor of engineering sciences and applied mathematics ...

Efforts to reduce lead pollution have paid off in many ways, yet the problem persists and will probably continue to affect the health of people and animals well into the future, according to experts speaking at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Boston. "Things have substantially improved with the virtual elimination of leaded gasoline, restrictions on lead paint, and other efforts to limit releases of industrial lead into the environment. But the historic legacy of lead pollution persists, and new inputs of industrial ...

For women in science and research, finding a network of colleagues in their specialized area might be difficult: relevant researchers and activists can be spread across generations, cultures and continents. Finding a mentor within this group proves particularly difficult for young women and minorities. Northwestern University's Noshir Contractor will discuss his network research in a presentation titled "Understanding and Enabling Networks Among Women's Groups in Sustainable Development" at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting ...

Cynthia Thompson, a world-renowned researcher on stroke and brain damage, will discuss her groundbreaking research on aphasia and the neurolinguistic systems it affects Feb. 16 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). An estimated one million Americans suffer from aphasia, affecting their ability to understand and/or produce spoken and/or written language. Thompson, Northwestern's Ralph and Jean Sundin Professor of Communication Sciences, will participate in a 10 a.m. media briefing on "Tools for Regaining Speech" in Room ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- As people move more often and become more urbanized, skin color -- an adaptation that took hundreds of thousands of years to develop in humans -- may lose some of its evolutionary advantage, according to a Penn State anthropologist. About 2 million years ago, permanent dark skin color imparted by the pigment -- melanin -- began to evolve in humans to regulate the body's reaction to ultraviolet rays from the sun, said Nina Jablonski, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology. Melanin helped humans maintain the delicate balance between too much ...

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. -- Just as ice sheets slide slowly and steadily into the ocean, researchers are returning from each trip to the Arctic and Antarctic with more data about climate change, including information that will help improve current models on how climate change will affect life on the earth, according to a Penn State geologist. "It is not just correlation, it is causation," said Richard Alley, Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences. "We know that warming is happening and it's causing the sea levels to rise and if we expect more warming, we can expect the sea levels ...

BOSTON – Researchers today more than ever focus their work on real-world problems, often times making their research relevant to the public locally, regionally and sometimes nationally. But engaging the public in their research can be a daunting task for researchers both professionally and personally. Leah Gerber, an Arizona State University associate professor in the School of Life Sciences and a senior sustainability scientist in the School of Sustainability, has identified impediments to productive science communication and she shared her recommendations at the 2013 ...

Why is the world so full of "morons" and "degenerates" and what, if anything, can be done to fix them? These are questions that Robert W. Sussman, PhD, a professor of anthropology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, will explore Feb. 15 as he addresses the 2013 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Boston, Mass. — one of the world's largest gatherings of scientific researchers. Sussman will deliver a talk on "The Importance of the Concept of Culture to Science and Society" (http://aaas.confex.com/aaas/2013/webprogram/Paper8433.html ...

Around the world, at least a billion people are hungry or need better diets. To feed a global population projected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, we will need to increase food production by as much as 70 percent, most analysts believe. Achieving that goal requires civilization to address overpopulation and overconsumption through a bottom-up movement focused on agricultural, environmental and demographic planning, among other strategies, argues Stanford Woods Institute Senior Fellow Paul Ehrlich (Biology). A crucial first step is to give equal rights to women worldwide, ...

TORONTO, Feb. 15, 2013—Considering the many things a cancer patient has to think about, it's easy to understand why maintaining proper nutrition may not be top of mind. This can be true, too, at busy outpatient settings where it's often difficult to find the time and resources to test cancer patients for malnutrition. However, researchers at St. Michael's Hospital have found a shorter version of a commonly used nutrition-assessment tool does the job effectively and can potentially improve outcomes for cancer patients. "The full-length test for malnutrition is too ...

BUFFALO, N.Y. – University at Buffalo engineers have created a more efficient way to catch rainbows, an advancement in photonics that could lead to technological breakthroughs in solar energy, stealth technology and other areas of research. Qiaoqiang Gan, PhD, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at UB, and a team of graduate students described their work in a paper called "Rainbow Trapping in Hyperbolic Metamaterial Waveguide," published Feb. 13 in the online journal Scientific Reports. They developed a "hyperbolic metamaterial waveguide," which is essentially ...

Evaluation of PEPFAR, a new report from the Institute of Medicine, presents the results of an assessment of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief as requested by Congress in its reauthorization of funding for the initiative in 2008. The report includes recommendations for how PEPFAR and its partner countries can most effectively sustain and advance gains made in preventing and treating the HIV/AIDS epidemic worldwide. Congress will review the initiative later this year. The report will be released at a public briefing starting at 9 a.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 20 ...

The founder of a decades-long scientific study that has proved the enduring benefits of early education today (Feb. 15, 2013) applauded President Barack Obama's recent call for universal access to high-quality preschool in the United States. "Investing in high-quality early education has dramatic and sustained payoffs not just for the children directly involved, but for society as well," said Craig Ramey, Ph.D., the originator and founding principal investigator of the Abecedarian Project, a scientific study of the potential benefits of early childhood education for economically ...

Bunions bothering you? How about lower back pain, or impacted wisdom teeth? As we humans evolved over the millennia to walk on two legs, grow larger brains and shorter jaws, bear big babies and live longer, we've also experienced some negative consequences on our way to becoming the world's most successful primate, at nearly 7 billion strong. But keeping our evolutionary history in mind can help us better deal with issues from obesity to difficult childbirth in a much more productive way, according to Karen Rosenberg, professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology ...

Amsterdam, NL, February 15, 2013 – Administration of the active compound tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside (TSG) derived from the Chinese herbal medicine Polygonum multiflorum Thunb, reversed both overexpression of α-synuclein, a small protein found in the brain, and its accumulation using a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. These results, which may shed light on the neuropathology of AD and open up new avenues of treatment, are available in the current issue of Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience. Aberrant accumulation of α-synuclein can form insoluble aggregates ...

Research shows long-term effects of traumatic brain injury Article provided by B. L. Jensen, L.P. Visit us at http://www.bjensenlaw.com In recent years, researchers and health care providers have been devoting increased attention to the long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs. In the past, it was thought that most TBIs cleared up on their own with no lasting consequences. However, modern research has revealed that even relatively mild TBIs often result in physical and cognitive problems that may persist for years after the initial injury. A traumatic ...

Getting to yes: five ways to improve your SSDI claim Article provided by The Bollinger Law Firm, P.C. Visit us at http://www.bollingerlawfirmnc.com Permanent disability can cause devastating economic results and significant changes to your ability to work (or end it altogether). To assist in these cases, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), managed by the Social Security Administration (SSA), was created to provide life-long financial support to workers who become disabled. Although SSDI benefits are designed to help, the application process can be frustrating, ...

Sleeping in car can result in DWI charge Article provided by Glenn R. Bruno, Esq. Visit us at http://www.hudsonvalleycriminallaw.com New York residents know a DWI charge comes with devastating consequences. Along with hefty fines and potential jail time, a DWI charge results in a significant loss of freedom. A driver's license is normally suspended or revoked, and installation of an ignition interlock device is usually required. Man charged with DWI after found sleeping in car Recently, a 48-year-old man was charged with a DWI after officers found him sleeping ...

California grandparents can take steps to continue relationships Article provided by Lerner o Poole, LLP Visit us at http://www.cafamilylaw.com/ Like in most states, grandparents in California do not automatically have custody or visitation rights over their grandchildren. In the event a grandparent wishes to be awarded either custody or visitation, they must receive an order from the court. Of course, there are several different factors the court will consider in determining whether such arrangements will be allowed. When can a grandparent request visitation? When ...

Surge in student debt prompts Congress to reconsider bankruptcy laws Article provided by John Christopher Robinson Visit us at http://www.debtfreeky.com Go to college, get a good job. Unfortunately, this old maxim may no longer hold true. In these tough economic times getting a college degree does not always lead to a job, let alone a good one. The national unemployment rate continues to hover around 8 percent and college graduates are struggling to find employment after graduation. Unemployment rates for college graduates over 25 were estimated at 4.1 percent ...

Divorce and finances, bankruptcy may offer a fresh start Article provided by John Christopher Robinson Visit us at http://www.debtfreeky.com When a couple gets a divorce, most property accumulated by the couple is divided. This includes any debts accumulated by the couple. This can lead to financial stresses in a number of ways. The most common stressor comes from the fact that the same amount of money now needs to support two households. Additional issues can arise if accounts were not properly managed during the divorce process. If, for example, confusion existed ...

Oregon Chapter 13 bankruptcy and lien stripping Article provided by Hackett & Harris LLC Visit us at http://www.portlandlawyerbankruptcy.com Oregon residents who are going through bankruptcy may be able to strip liens from second mortgages and car loans to make the payments more manageable. However, lien stripping is only available to individuals or families that are going through a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. What is chapter 13 bankruptcy? In a chapter 13 bankruptcy debts are repaid on a three to five year payment plan schedule. The payment plan amount is ...