Reporters, please see "For news media only" box at the end of the release for embargoed sound bites of researchers. In a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have developed innovative technology to selectively inhibit the part of the immune system responsible for attacking myelin—the insulating material that encases nerve fibers and facilitates electrical communication between brain cells. Autoimmune disorders occur when T-cells—a type of white blood cell within the immune system—mistake the body's own tissues ...

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) -- An international team of geneticists, pediatricians, surgeons and epidemiologists from 23 institutions across three continents has identified two areas of the human genome associated with the most common form of non-syndromic craniosynostosis ― premature closure of the bony plates of the skull. "We have discovered two genetic factors that are strongly associated with the most common form of premature closure of the skull," said Simeon Boyadjiev, professor of pediatrics and genetics, principal investigator for the study and leader of the International ...

The prevailing wisdom has been that every cell in the body contains identical DNA. However, a new study of stem cells derived from the skin has found that genetic variations are widespread in the body's tissues, a finding with profound implications for genetic screening, according to Yale School of Medicine researchers. Published in the Nov. 18 issue of Nature, the study paves the way for assessing the extent of gene variation, and for better understanding human development and disease. "We found that humans are made up of a mosaic of cells with different genomes," ...

STANFORD, Calif. — Whether you are an apple tree or an antelope, survival depends on using your energy efficiently. In a difficult or dangerous situation, the key question is whether exerting effort — sending out roots in search of nutrients in a drought or running at top speed from a predator — will be worth the energy. In a paper to be published online Nov. 18 in Nature, Karl Deisseroth, MD, PhD, a professor of bioengineering and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, and postdoctoral scholar Melissa Warden, PhD, describe how they have isolated ...

STANFORD, Calif. — Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have demonstrated, in a study conducted jointly with researchers at Yale University, that induced-pluripotent stem cells — the embryonic-stem-cell lookalikes whose discovery a few years ago won this year's Nobel Prize in medicine — are not as genetically unstable as was thought. The new study, which will be published online Nov. 18 in Nature, showed that what seemed to be changes in iPS cells' genetic makeup — presumed to be inflicted either in the course of their generation from adult cells or during ...

Young children who attend daycare on a regular basis are 50% more likely to be overweight compared to those who stayed at home with their parents, according to a study by researchers at the University of Montreal and the CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre. "We found that children whose primary care arrangement between 1.5 and 4 years was in daycare-center or with an extended family member were around 50% more likely to be overweight or obese between the ages of 4-10 years compared to those cared for at home by their parents," said Dr. Marie-Claude Geoffroy, who ...

Decreased kidney function is associated with decreased cognitive functioning in areas such as global cognitive ability, abstract reasoning and verbal memory, according to a study led by Temple University. This is the first study describing change in multiple domains of cognitive functioning in order to determine which specific abilities are most affected in individuals with impaired renal function. Researchers from Temple, University of Maine and University of Maryland examined longitudinal data, five years apart, from 590 people. They wanted to see how much kidney function ...

A drug commonly prescribed to help patients sleep in hospitals has been associated with an increased risk of falls, according to a study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine. U.S. sleep specialists from the Mayo Clinic found that the fall rate among the 4,962 patients who took zolpidem during their hospital stay was more than four times as high as the 11,358 who did not take the drug. They also found that the risk posed by the drug was greater than the risks posed by factors such as age, cognitive impairment, delirium or insomnia, regardless of the dosage used. "Ensuring ...

PHOENIX, Ariz. — A program at Mayo Clinic using telemedicine technology is showing promise for patients with concussions in rural Arizona. A case study published in the December 2012 issue of Telemedicine and e-Health validates "teleconcussion" as a useful means to assess concussed patients. In the case study, doctors at Mayo Clinic in Arizona conducted a live audio-video evaluation of a 15-year-old soccer player in Show Low, Ariz., who received a concussion during a game. The teleconcussion evaluation, believed to be the first in the state to use telemedicine for concussions, ...

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY'S HAAS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS – As a corporate responsibility consultant, Kellie McElhaney publicly criticized Apple's recent appointment of another man to an already all-male executive team. McElhaney's new research goes one step further, indicating that the number of women on a corporate board correlates with a firm's sustainability performance. "While not studied in this paper, the cases of strong ESG performance leading to improved financial and more women in leadership leading to better financial performance has been well documented," ...

Time marches relentlessly forward for you and me; watch a movie in reverse, and you'll quickly see something is amiss. But from the point of view of a single, isolated particle, the passage of time looks the same in either direction. For instance, a movie of two particles scattering off of each other would look just as sensible in reverse – a concept known as time reversal symmetry. Now the BaBar experiment at the Department of Energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has made the first direct observation of a long-theorized exception to this rule. Digging ...

According to the World Health Organization, COPD was the fifth leading cause of death worldwide in 2002 and is estimated to be the third leading cause by 2030 [WHO, 2010]. Are you a current or ex-smoker are suffering from a new or increased shortness of breath, cough, or congestion? If have COPD, Bronchitis, Emphysema or suffer from these symptoms this trial may fit for you. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been defined as a preventable and treatable disease with some significant extra-pulmonary effects that may contribute to the severity in individual ...

myASDF (www.myASDF.org), a national organization that provides direct support for children living with autism, has helped make life better for Ryan McGrath and his family. Ryan was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder when he was very young, and has since required specialized care to assist him in developing the necessary skills typically acquired by children in the natural course of social interaction and learning. The incidence of autism has been steadily growing in the United States, as the Centers for Disease Control now report that one out of every 88 ...

Josh Silvers, the founder of Wicked Catch (and http://www.wickedcatchgear.com), is a 26 year old Florida native. He has been a graphic designer for 7 years and grew up near the Tampa Bay area where he acquired a passion for fishing because of the easy access he has had to these great fresh and saltwater Florida fisheries. When asked how Wicked Catch got started, Josh stated "Wicked Catch was brought to reality through a single vision I had in 2009, which was to one day combine my graphic design career with my passion for fishing and form an apparel company to create ...

What's the best way to attract customers to your business? Until recently, the standard answer was first, rank well on Google. Second, rank well on Google. A distant third, consider other promotion platforms as a supplement. Business owners could spend a bit of effort on a website, twiddle with keywords, link exchanges, articles, and a blog, then watch the ranks, clicks, and sales grow. At least, that was the idea. Those standard steps are now a sure way to attract the wrong kind of search engine attention -- and get banned from the ranch. Many businesses that previously ...

Eneset Group's premium website SEO Blasts recently announced the achievement of a new milestone by signing up its 500th customer. SEO Blasts is an online search engine optimization management service provider based in Australia with a global clientele. Recently, it has announced a restructuring of their prices on SEO packages in a bid to become the biggest SEO services re-seller in Australia, as announced by their newly appointed CEO Egor Pervuninski. "Our immediate goal for 2013 is to become the biggest SEO services re-seller in Australia", Mr. Pervuninski ...

After a successful LA screening at the LA Femme Film Festival and sell-out Arizona premier, inspirational film, Sacred Journey of the Heart continues for its fourth week at Harkins Camelview Theatre in Scottsdale. A new version of the inspirational film has been released and has proven to be a great success. Digital downloads and DVD will be available soon along with workshops open to the public. According to Prince "Audience members have been so gracious They have greeted me warmly after seeing my film and are thanking me for providing this healing forum for them. ...

Wink Soap Company, a small startup business in Phoenix, Arizona, has officially launched with their new product line of handmade bar soap and lip balms. Not only are their items creating a buzz with eco-conscious shoppers looking for natural alternatives to synthetic based soaps, but all of their items are also vegan, meaning they contain no animal products. All of their soaps are ethically handcrafted with natural vegetable bases including olive oil, coconut oil, soybean oil, hemp oil and organic shea butter. Their lip balm is made primarily with candelilla wax, a plant-based ...

Ess-Jee Rautenbach, author of 'How To Stand For Your Marriage: Giving Hope To A Broken Generation', has been chosen as a finalist for '50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading'. Winners will appear in this years edition of the book. Rautenbach was chosen as the result of his appearance on The Authors Show Radio. Many people go through divorce or marriage separation in society today. Marriages have become disposable and. when faced with marital difficulties and adversity, some just cut their losses and move on. This results in many people carrying guilt, shame and brokenness. "I ...

Kathy Marlowe of Kathy Marlowe & Associates Realty has sold a home in The Trails for $175,000, which was $5,000 over the asking price and the highest price per square foot for a home its size in The Trails. The home sold in 38 days in a cash transaction for $117.45 per square foot. "I brought the seller three cash offers at the same time," said Marlowe, who was the listing agent for the property. This is the second time in the past six months that Marlowe has broken a neighborhood price point, which she frequently has done in her 12-year career. The ...

Payroll and check printing software solution provider halfpricesoft.com released the new ezPaycheck payroll software for small businesses, non-profits and accountants. The new version includes the MICR check feature. Designed with simplicity in mind, ezPaycheck payroll software speeds up and automates the payroll tax calculation, paycheck printing and tax reporting for small businesses and non-profits. ezPaycheck developing team hope this new feature also make it easier to write a check for 1099 contractors, pay employee reimbursements and pay bills. ezPaycheck developers ...

Fidelity National Title Group (Maitland, FL) and Chicago Title Timeshare (Escondido, CA) have formed an alliance to be known as Fidelity National Timeshare (FNT). The two entities have joined forces to strengthen their service and respond better to the needs of an ever-changing timeshare industry. The new relationship enhances the company's ability to serve the industry through its existing East and West Coast office and is dedicated solely to working within the timeshare and shared ownership arena. Grant Miller, Vice President and Executive Director of Fidelity National ...

Bible Publisher Crossway and digital Bible maker Immersion Digital announced today that they are coming together to launch two new apps for the iPhone and iPad that will pair the award-winning 2009 Bible of the Year (ESV Study Bible) with the award-winning 2010 Bible of the Year (Glo Bible) to offer a unique experience for the Bible reader. The new apps include the ESV Study Bible and the FREE ESV Bible App, available today in the App Store for the iPad and iPhone. These "powered by Glo" apps include trusted Crossway content, feature the English Standard Version ...

Software Consortium (SCI), a leading information technology solutions and professional services provider, gained national attention earlier this year when its CEO was recognized as the Small Business Person of the Year for Maryland at SBA's National Small Business Week. To commemorate this achievement, SCI decided to give its website a facelift and partnered with LeapFrog Solutions (LFS), an award-winning marketing communications management firm based in Fairfax, Virginia, to assist with the project. "We wanted a fresh look and a clear message that spoke to our ...

Hungry Tampa Foodies now have an easier way to save money on dining out with Shuffle and Dine Tampa (www.shuffleandinetampa.com). With one 54-card deck of Shuffle and Dine Tampa, diners can deal themselves more than $500 worth of savings at 50 local restaurants, cafes and eateries such as Byblos Cafe, Carmel Cafe, The Bungalow, Vizcaya, Mello Mushroom, Catch 23, Pizza Fusion and Shrimp & Co. Shuffle and Dine Tampa decks are the perfect stocking stuffer for people who like to dine at premiere Tampa area restaurants. Every one of the 50 Shuffle and Dine Tampa Cards ...