CHICAGO --- If you have optimal heart health in middle age, you may live up to 14 years longer, free of cardiovascular disease, than your peers who have two or more cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study. The study was published Nov. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). "We found that many people develop cardiovascular disease as they live into old age, but those with optimal risk factor levels live disease-free longer," said John T. Wilkins, M.D., first author of the study. "We need to do everything ...

After a natural disaster occurs, we often find ourselves glued to the TV, seeking out details about the extent of the damage and efforts at recovery. While research has shown that exposure to this kind of coverage is associated with symptoms of traumatic stress in youths, new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggests that the relationship isn't quite so simple. The new study finds that while the amount of exposure to disaster coverage matters, children's preexisting symptoms of posttraumatic stress also ...

Administering to patients stem cells derived from their own bone marrow either three or seven days after a heart attack is safe but does not improve heart function six months later, according to a clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health. The results of the trial, called Transplantation In Myocardial Infarction Evaluation (TIME), mirror a previous, related study, LateTIME, which found that such cells (called autologous stem cells) given two to three weeks after a heart attack did not improve heart function. Both TIME and LateTIME were conducted by ...

Results of a new study show that episodes of reduced precipitation in the Southern Rocky Mountains, especially during the 2001-2002 drought, greatly accelerated a rise in numbers of mountain pine beetles. The overabundance is a threat to regional forests. The research is the first to chart the evolution of the current pine beetle epidemic in the southern Rocky Mountains. It compared patterns of beetle outbreaks in the two primary host species, the ponderosa pine and lodgepole pine, said University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder) researcher Teresa Chapman. A paper ...

Amsterdam, NL, November 5, 2012 – Over the last 15 years, researchers have found a significant association between vascular diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes type 2, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease and an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. In a special issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, leading experts provide a comprehensive overview of the pathological, biochemical, and physiological processes that contribute to Alzheimer's disease risk and ways that may delay or reverse these age-related abnormalities. "Vascular risk factors ...

New research shows that ocean turbulence directly affects the ability of microscopic marine organisms to recycle organic material back into the food web. Results of the study are published in this week's issue of the journal Science. Scientists John Taylor of Cambridge University and Roman Stocker at MIT found that there's a relationship between the natural movement of water in the ocean and the ability of marine bacteria to act as recyclers. "The research provides a unique insight into how small organisms, such as bacteria, interact with their environment," says ...

Biologists at the University of Rochester have determined how blind mole rats fight off cancer—and the mechanism differs from what they discovered three years ago in another long-lived and cancer-resistant mole rat species, the naked mole rat. The team of researchers, led by Professor Vera Gorbunova and Assistant Professor Andrei Seluanov, found that abnormally growing cells in blind mole rats secrete the interferon beta protein, which causes those cells to rapidly die. Seluanov and Gorbunova hope the discovery will eventually help lead to new cancer therapies in humans. ...

A Northwestern University research team has found a way to manufacture single laser devices that are the size of a virus particle and that operate at room temperature. These plasmonic nanolasers could be readily integrated into silicon-based photonic devices, all-optical circuits and nanoscale biosensors. Reducing the size of photonic and electronic elements is critical for ultra-fast data processing and ultra-dense information storage. The miniaturization of a key, workhorse instrument -- the laser -- is no exception. The results are published in the journal Nano Letters. "Coherent ...

Healthcare ethics consultants are called upon in the most difficult of times; where do they turn for advice? The American Society For Bioethics and Humanities' Clinical Ethics Consultation Affairs Committee (CECA) is taking a community approach, creating an online forum for feedback and shared experiences to accompany a paper published in the Fall 2012 issue of the Journal of Clinical Ethics. The paper, titled "HCEC Pearls and Pitfalls: Suggested Do's and Don'ts for Healthcare Ethics Consultants," compiles lessons learned and advice for best practices from members of ...

Phosphorus (P) is both an essential nutrient in agricultural fields and a contributor to poor water quality in surface waters. To encourage improved P management in fields, the P Index was proposed as a risk assessment tool in 1992. After 20 years of use, modifications, and growing pains, does the P Index accurately assess the risk of P loss? A special section being published next month in the Journal of Environmental Quality addresses that question. The collection of papers grew out of a symposium at the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, ...

This press release is available in French. Common medication to treat insomnia, anxiety, itching or allergies can have a negative impact on memory or concentration in the elderly, according to Dr. Cara Tannenbaum, Research Chair at the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM, Montreal Geriatric University Institute) and Associate Professor of Medicine and Pharmacy at the University of Montreal (UdeM). Up to ninety percent of people over the age of 65 take at least one prescription medication. Eighteen percent of people in this age group complain of memory ...

According to current data, foreclosures continue to remain high all across the nation -- proof that the real estate market is far from stabilized. The Home Affordable Modification Program, known as HAMP, put forth in 2007, was designed to help homeowners modify their mortgage to a sustainable monthly payment and avoid foreclosure. However, data from a new study conducted at the Columbia Business School indicates that the initiative simply fell short and failed to help many borrowers. Tomasz Piskorski, an Edward S. Gordon Associate Professor of Real Estate at Columbia ...

Ohio motorists who believe they are in most danger while driving at high speed on the state's highways would be mistaken. According to the Federal Highway Administration, drivers are at greatest risk of suffering serious personal injury in car accidents at intersections. Statistics from the FHWA indicate that more than 2.8 million accidents at intersections are reported annually in the United States. These amount to over 44 percent of all reported accidents. Out of the nation's 33,808 traffic fatalities in 2009, 20.8 percent of them, a total of 7,043, occurred in accidents ...

The United States Supreme Court has recently agreed to hear a case that will have a far-reaching effect on the 1.4 million people who are arrested each year for driving while intoxicated. The issue that the court will decide is whether individuals who have been stopped on suspicion of DWI have a Fourth Amendment protection against compulsory blood tests. The case is called Missouri v. McNeely. It began when a Missouri highway patrol officer pulled over Tyler McNeely for speeding. During the stop, the officer claims that McNeely exhibited signs of intoxication. In order ...

The New Jersey legislature is moving toward an overhaul of state laws governing alimony, the regular payment that is sometimes awarded in a divorce to help pay one ex-spouse's living expenses. A legislative committee recently voted unanimously to create a commission to study the laws, after previously approving a bill that would allow some modification of alimony and child support awards. The proposed commission's job would be to study New Jersey alimony laws, compare the state's laws to those in other states, analyze the effect of the economy on alimony laws and examine ...

On an average day in the United States, two children age 14 or younger die as a result of accidental drowning, many in swimming pools such as those commonly found at hotels and apartment complexes. Many more children survive near-drowning only to be left with severe injuries and disabilities that change the course of their lives forever. Drowning is the second leading cause of death from unintentional injuries among children age 14 and younger, second only to car accidents. The risk of drowning is particularly high for children ages 1 to 4, who die more often from drowning ...

Massachusetts residents depend on road crews to keep our state's highways safe for travel. However, this public benefit comes with a steep risk of injury or death for road crew workers. Hazardous working conditions and motor vehicle accidents are an unfortunate fact of life. This notion was made real last August, when a highway construction worker fell to his death from an Interstate 91 overpass in Springfield. Authorities say the 46-year-old man fell through a gap in the median north of Exit 7. He plummeted nearly 60 feet before landing near a set of train tracks. The ...

Families own a vast majority of our nation's companies. Mom and Pop businesses still abound but a dark shadow looms over all of them -- the ever-present threat of divorce. Nationwide surveys report that: -90 percent of U.S. businesses are family owned -Family-owned businesses account for 50 percent of our nation's gross national product -1.2 million companies are operated by husband and wife teams -Half of all marriages end in divorce -Baby boomer divorce rates doubled over the past 20 years Although California reports a slightly lower divorce rate than ...

In a unanimous ruling on August 16, 2012, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that the controversial mortgage-tracking organization known as MERS, or Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc., lacks the authority to initiate out-of-court foreclosures in the state. In its written opinion, the court also found that MERS may have violated state consumer protection laws with its involvement in robo-signing and other practices that appear to violate the Washington Consumer Protection Act. Hundreds or even thousands of Washington foreclosures may have been affected, according ...

Virginia residents facing a DUI conviction have major rights at stake. Virginia prides itself on being a state with some of the toughest drunk driving laws, and a recent change has made their laws even tougher. Governor Bob McDonnell recently signed a bill into law that requires everyone convicted of a DUI to install ignition interlock devices in their vehicles, even those convicted for the first time. Serious Change in the Law Ignition interlock devices work by requiring the driver to give a breath sample before the car's engine will start. If the driver's sample ...

Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs can lead to serious consequences in Arizona. The state has a law penalizing anyone convicted of DUI whose blood alcohol test indicated a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or greater within two hours after being stopped on suspicion of drunk driving. Additionally, Arizona law prescribes stiffer penalties for drivers whose blood alcohol content is 0.15 percent or above. Arizona DUI Laws Under Arizona law, a person may face DUI charges if his or her blood alcohol concentration was 0.08 percent or higher within ...

A district court judge in Salt Lake County, Utah, made an unusual move recently when he dismissed a DUI case after questions arose about the arresting officer's credibility. The judge found that the police officer, a corporal in the Utah Highway Patrol, had given false testimony about reprimands she had previously received. As a result, the judge concluded that the officer's testimony regarding the DUI arrest was unreliable and could not be used to convict the suspect, according to a report by the Salt Lake Tribune. The UHP officer testified that she had arrested the ...

One of the most difficult things about a divorce is often deciding who gets custody of the children. In some cases, parents are able to make arrangements between themselves that they feel best suit the needs of their children. However, often times parents cannot resolve their differences of opinion regarding child custody and the court must step in to make the decision. Parents in Rhode Island should be aware of the different types of child custody and how Rhode Island courts make custody determinations. Types of Child Custody in Rhode Island Rhode Island Law breaks ...

Making Holidays Easier for Co-Parents and Children After Divorce Holidays can be stressful for many people, with the shopping, entertaining, events and family obligations that accompany holidays. Things can become even more hectic for parents who are divorced, since they have to try to work out who gets time with the children on which holidays. Parents can take some steps to make holiday scheduling easier on themselves and their children. Plan Ahead Parents should begin discussing holiday plans well in advance of the actual holidays themselves. Discussions may ...

Sex Offender Registration Requirements in Kansas A conviction for a sex crime in Kansas can have a greater impact than many people may anticipate. Aside from the serious legal consequences - which can include long prison sentences and in many cases life sentences - a conviction can burden a man for the rest of his life with other consequences like lifetime registration and non-expungability so the conviction remains on their record forever. Of course, registration can be humiliating, like hanging a 21st century scarlet letter around a person's neck wherever they may ...