Galaxies have a voracious appetite for fuel — in this case, fresh gas — but astronomers have had difficulty finding the pristine gas that should be falling onto galaxies. Now, scientists have provided direct empirical evidence for these gas flows using new observations from the Hubble Space Telescope. The team led by Nicolas Lehner, research associate professor at the University of Notre Dame, is presenting its work today at the meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Long Beach, Calif. The team's observations using Hubble's two ultraviolet spectrographs, the ...

Rockville, MD — A new Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (IOVS) article reveals that increasingly aggressive therapies that block VEGF could cause damage in treating eye diseases. Scientists discovered inhibiting anti-VEGF might have a harmful effect on the tissue responsible for producing the fluid that bathes the eye, medically termed the ciliary body. "Very little is known about the factors that regulate the integrity and function of this tissue [the ciliary body] in the adult," said author Patricia A. D'Amore, PhD, of Schepens Eye Research Institute/Massachusetts ...

How Pennsylvania decides which court will hear a divorce case Which Pennsylvania court will hear a divorce case can be a simple matter; if one of the parties to the divorce has lived in Pennsylvania for longer than 6 months before filing for divorce, the county family law court in which that person resides can preside over the divorce process. Unfortunately life, as in the law, is not always that simple. If both of the parties are new to Pennsylvania or the parties live in separate counties in the Commonwealth, there is some room for negotiation as to where the divorcecase ...

Push for immigration reform to begin this month The Obama administration will begin a push for immigration reform this month, the Huffington Post quoted an unnamed administration official as saying in an article on Jan. 2. The specifics of the potential bill are far from clear, however. Democrats have expressed a desire for a bill for comprehensive reform, from immigration assistance for undocumented workers to policy changes seeking to promote foreign investment in U.S. housing. Republicans have also indicated a willingness to change certain immigration laws; however, ...

Child custody matters in the state of Florida When a marriage ends and children are involved, they become a primary concern of every divorcing parent. Because they don't understand the situation or even feel as if it's their fault, children often struggle with divorce. Parents have to take extra precautions when going through a divorce to ensure that it is as smooth a process as possible, and children who might already feel vulnerable do not get caught up in the middle of their parents' disagreements. The first thing parents should discuss is a "parenting plan." ...

Tort reform will limit medical malpractice recovery in North Carolina North Carolina Senate Bill 33 entitled "Medical Liability Reforms" will apply to all mal-prac-tice lawsuits against doctors, nursing homes, hospitals and other health care providers in North Car-olina filed after October 1, 2011. The new law limits a patient's ability to recover civil damages for medical negligence that occurs in this state. In North Carolina, it has been estimated that more than 4,000 patients die each year as a result of preventable medical errors. This number is greater ...

Proposed Alimony Amendments in Utah would account for cheating spouses When a couple decides to get a divorce, in many cases one spouse has greater earning power or potential than the other. To account for the sudden change in income, courts may award alimony to either the husband or the wife after the divorce. Recently, members of the Utah legislature proposed a bill, which would allow courts to consider certain factors when determining whether alimony should be awarded and the appropriate amount of the award. Under the bill, referred to as the "Alimony Amendments," ...

Stricter health testing for commercial drivers in Nevada It's important for all drivers to be safe and healthy, but the risks are even higher when it comes to individuals who drive commercial vehicles like trucks and buses. The health of commercial drivers can make the difference between safe transportation and an accident resulting in the serious injury or death of many other drivers on the road. A recent rule from the Department of Transportation tightens the requirements that must be met in order for commercial drivers to pass health tests. New requirements for ...

The many faces of fraud In October 2012, a former Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor trader was sentenced to three years in federal prison for an investment fraud scheme. A consultant at Boca Raton, Florida based, Avidus Trading Inc., the 54-year-old engaged in foreign exchange trading for investors according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Between July 2006 and October 2008, the company lost $2.3 million of its investors' money. The former floor trader hid the losses to retain investors by disseminating false monthly spreadsheets with false information he knew would be ...

Early release possible for those awaiting trial in Los Angeles County In 2011, California Gov. Jerry Brown implemented a statewide public safety "realignment" of certain prisoners to relieve the pressure on the overflowing state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. However, that shifted the burden to county jails to house these non-violent, non-serious and non-sexual offenders. Now that county jails are nearly overflowing, counties are looking for ways to relieve the pressure, even though it means releasing some prisoners while they await trial. As ...

Study: Misdiagnosis a major cause of ICU deaths For many, having a loved one needing to visit the intensive care unit in one of the nation's hospitals is a very terrifying experience. Due to the need for fast medical decisions, it requires the family and the patient to trust his or her physician to correctly determine the medical problem and apply the correct treatment. Although the diagnosis and treatment of the patient's condition is often correct, according to a recent study, a misdiagnosisin the ICU has been a factor in the death of up to a quarter of patients. ...

Intellectual property lawsuits risk exposing company secrets How is your smartphone so smart? How does your Xbox do that? The answers to these questions are what technology giants, like Microsoft and Google, are trying to keep quiet. Microsoft Corp and Google Inc's Motorola Mobility division have requested a Seattle federal judge to keep several details from their recent trial concerning the value of technology patents confidential from the public. The trial ran from November 13 to November 20 and concerned what rates Microsoft should pay Motorola for the use of its ...

Recent accidents highlight the importance of automobile safety Three men were recently killed in a car accident along Highway 1 in San Mateo County after the driver of the vehicle veered off the road and fell 40 feet off a cliff near Pescadero Creek Road. The driver of the car survived, but was seriously injured. The California Highway Patrol has not determined the cause of the accident, but has ruled out the possibility that the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the crash. An investigation is underway. In another recent accident, a bicyclist ...

Legal fatherhood in New York All children deserve support from both parents, and the State of New York has a vested interest in protecting its children's interests. When parents are not married, legally establishing the father's paternity serves as a gateway to the rights and responsibilities associated with parenthood. How paternity is established A father can establish paternity at the time of a child's birth if both he and the mother sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity form. When an unmarried woman gives birth in New York, the hospital must provide this form ...

Parents, grandparents declaring bankruptcy because of kid's student loans Parents want what is best for their children, but sometimes they forget what is best for their own financial security. About 2.2 million borrowers over the age of 60 took out student loans last year, this is triple the amount for the same age group in 2005. About ten percent of these borrowers are delinquent on their payments. Financial analysts say that almost all of this debt is related to parents or grandparents taking out loans for their children's college education. Struggling parents applying ...

Court gives marital rights to out-of-state domestic partnership The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently handed down a ruling that will affect the parental custody rights of some same-sex partners in the state. The court ruled that a same-sex domestic partnership that was entered into in California is the equivalent of a Massachusetts marriage. Furthermore, the court decided that children that were born after the domestic partnership was entered into are legally the children of both the partners. About the case The facts of the case started when Miko Rose ...

Estate and gift taxes after the fiscal cliff At the end of 2012, many people scrambled to make gifts and changes to their estate plans in anticipation of big changes in estate tax laws. Thankfully, at what seemed like the final hour, Congress reached a deal that will allay the concerns of many people who have not yet updated their estate plans. Concerns about the fiscal cliff Many people were rightly concerned that unless Congress moved to change things, the estate tax would affect far more people and result in much higher federal estate taxes. This was because ...

Some North Carolina Crime Lab Analysts Not Certified With the rise in popularity of television shows featuring forensic scientists, people are becoming more accustomed to seeing scientific evidence as part of criminal trials. Juries almost seem to expect forensic evidence to be a major component of the state's case against a person facing criminal charges. North Carolina's crime lab may not be producing evidence as reliable as people think it is, however, since many of the analysts have not passed their necessary certification exams, according to state records. One-Third ...

Why it is important to divide debts in divorce Couples that are going through a divorce have to face the difficult task of dividing up debts that were incurred during the marriage. This task can be particularly hard because it is common for one spouse to incur debt during a marriage that the other spouse has nothing to do with. But when married, debts incurred during the marriage are "marital debts" and therefore can be apportioned between the spouses in the divorce. Therefore, Colorado residents should be sure to divide debts when getting a divorce. Division ...

Domestic violence against men: Steps husbands should take Domestic violence committed against anyone is wrong, but when men going through divorce claim they're the victim of domestic violence in court proceedings the claim is often interpreted as being disingenuous or as a power play. Husbands, like wives, can be the victims of the domestic violence. Recent data shows that more men are subjected to domestic violence than what is perceived by the public. The statistics regarding women and domestic violence are sobering. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic ...

Recent study sheds doubt on DUI checkpoint effectiveness Colorado residents may have encountered a DUI checkpoint before, but according to a recent University of Maryland study, DUI checkpoints are not as effective as they were thought to be. The study finds that the checkpoints often fail to make any drunk driving arrests even though many drivers are pulled over and tested. The study also found that the checkpoints do not typically change driver behaviors. A DUI checkpoint is a point on the road established by officers who then pull over either every vehicle or a ...

Financial steps individuals should take to prepare for divorce A person going through a divorce can expect many changes, particularly with respect to his or her finances. When preparing for a divorce, it is important for people to plan for how the separation might affect their financial situation. Spending some time thinking about the financial future can be a huge help to people preparing for their lives post divorce. When getting a divorce, it can be important for each spouse to prepare a budget that plans for his or her new financial situation. Sometimes when couples ...

Icy Sidewalks Bring Lawsuit Risk for Missouri Homeowners Winter is on its way, and that means that cold temperatures, snow and freezing rain will soon be facts of life for St. Louis residents. With this comes the risk of slipping and falling on an icy sidewalk. Nearly everyone has fallen on the ice at some point in their life. In most cases, the worst consequences are wet pants and a bruised ego. However, slip and fall accidents also have the potential to cause very serious injuries. Falling on an icy sidewalk could result in bone fractures, joint damage, back injuries, ...

Bomar Interconnect Products, Inc. expanded their RF connector offering with the introduction of the new SMP Interface System. The robust, multi-functional, system is commonly employed in a wide range of subminiature, high frequency coaxial cable-to-board and board-to-board applications. Engineered to securely mate and maintain performance through 40 GHz, the 50-Ohm subminiature devices additionally feature a VSWR of 1.18 max at 40GHz. SMP male PCB connectors are available in vertical surface mount, vertical surface mount through-hole (for extra board retention), and in ...

Attorney and Certified Public Accountant Jo Ann M. Koontz has been reappointed to the Board of Directors of the Realtor-Attorney Joint Committee of the Sarasota County Bar Association and the Sarasota Association of Realtors. She will serve another two-year term. Koontz is owner of Koontz & Associates, PL, a law firm focusing on residential and commercial real estate transactions, federal and state tax law and business law. She also serves on the Human Services Advisory Council, an advisory board for Sarasota County, and is co-chair of the Bar Association's Real ...