From bacteria to humans, all forms of life are based on the capacity of one cell to divide into two or more identical daughter cells. In doing so, cells have to produce a copy of their genetic material (DNA) and separate it into two identical sets, one for each daughter cell. Immediately after duplication and before its segregation, DNA is packed in chromosomes that consist of two identical strands joined at a point along their length, called centromeres. Centromeres ensure accurate separation of the chromosomes between daughter cells by directing the assembly of the molecular ...

Even though it is not very romantic to consider death or divorce on the eve of beginning a new life together, there are various situations where couples about to wed should consider prenuptial agreements. A prenuptial agreement is a contract that couples sign prior to marriage which details the rights and obligations of each party in the event of death or divorce. A well-drafted prenuptial agreement can make things easier during difficult times that may arise in the future. Requirements of a Valid Prenuptial Agreement A prenuptial agreement is a legally binding contract, ...

Research led by astrophysicists at the University of Warwick has resolved a 40 year old problem with observations of turbulence in the solar wind first made by the probe Mariner Five. The research resolves an issue with what is by far the largest and most interesting natural turbulence lab accessible to researchers today. Our current understanding tells us that turbulence in the solar wind should not be affected by the speed and direction of travel of that solar wind. However when the first space probes attempted to measure that turbulence they found their observations ...

It is increasingly common for parents to relocate in today's mobile society. Some do so because of military deployment orders. Others move to pursue professional opportunities. Some people relocate to care for ailing family members. Under California law, a parent who has been awarded primary custody of a child may change his or her residence, even if the parent has previously agreed not to do so. However, a move is subject to approval by the court. Essentially, a court will not allow a move if it is not in the best interests of the child. This is especially important ...

Through social networking websites like Facebook and MySpace, more and more of our personal lives are ending up flashed across the Internet. While many thoroughly enjoy social networking and its many benefits, being careless with your profile can have grave financial consequences: disability insurers and even the Social Security Administration are increasingly turning to sites like Facebook to dig up evidence that can be used to deny a disability claim. Photos, Posts Can Be Problematic The issue at question in most Social Security Disability cases is whether or not ...

CHESTNUT HILL, MA (8-26-11) -- Hovering helicopter parents who restrict their kids' unstructured play may actually harm, rather than help, children according to the latest issue of the American Journal of Play, a scholarly journal which has gathered a distinguished group of experts to probe the near-extinction of free play and its effects on children and society. "Remarkably, over the last 50 years, opportunities for children to play freely have declined continuously and dramatically in the United States and other developed nations; and that decline continues, with serious ...

A surgery is usually one of the first therapy options in cancer treatment. However, some tumors, such as brain tumors, can be difficult to operate on if there is a risk of damaging surrounding nerve tissue. Other cancerous tumors, such as prostate carcinoma, grow at a very slow rate and primarily affect older patients. Operating in these cases often lowers patients' quality of life without significantly extending their life expectancy. A team of medical engineers headed by Prof. Bernhard Wolf at the TUM Heinz Nixdorf Chair of Medical Electronics have now developed a ...

Each year, the U.S. Congress sets a budget to determine how the country will spend its money. However, the U.S. does not raise enough revenue to cover every dollar that is being spent. Therefore, the budget includes revenues that need to be borrowed from other sources. This part of the process does not necessarily include discussion about where the borrowed money will come from, or if Congress will okay borrowing these additional funds. Back in April, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner stated that the U.S. would be in default on August 2nd of this year if the debt ...

CHAMPAIGN, IL (August 26, 2011) – Eggs produced by free-range hens are often perceived by the public to be nutritionally superior to eggs obtained from layers kept in traditional battery cages. However, a recent scientific study has called this popular perception into question by finding essentially no differences in the nutritional quality of eggs produced by hens from both management systems, said the Poultry Science Association (PSA).The findings also showed that cholesterol levels in all eggs were lower than U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, prompting the USDA ...

EAST LANSING, Mich. — An engineering researcher and a global health expert from Michigan State University are working on bringing a low-cost, hand-held device to nations with limited resources to help physicians detect and diagnose cancer. Syed Hashsham, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at MSU, is developing the Gene-Z device, which is operated using an iPod Touch or Android-based tablet and performs genetic analysis on microRNAs and other genetic markers. MicroRNAs are single-stranded molecules that regulate genes; changes in certain microRNAs have ...

There are few things as eye-opening as being charged with a crime. Just knowing that you could be facing prison time can be a scary thought to someone who has no experience with the criminal justice system. Not knowing what to do next or where to turn can leave a person completely unprepared to protect their rights. But not all crimes are created equal, as certain charges by their very nature carry serious potential consequences. Most sex crimes fit into this category, as the Colorado legislature has created very specific sentences that must be imposed if someone is ...

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — People with lower socioeconomic status are much more likely to develop heart disease than those who are wealthier or better educated, according to a recent UC Davis study. Published online in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, the outcomes also show that this risk persists even with long-term progress in addressing traditional risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. "Being poor or having less than a high school education can be regarded as an extra risk when assessing a patient's chances of developing cardiovascular ...

Miami — August 26, 2011 — Remember frozen iguanas falling from trees during Florida's 2010 record-breaking cold snap? Well, a new study led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science shows that Florida's corals also dropped in numbers due to the cold conditions. "It was a major setback," said Diego Lirman, associate professor at the UM Rosenstiel School and lead author of the study. "Centuries-old coral colonies were lost in a matter of days." The chilly January temperatures caused the most catastrophic loss of corals ...

The problems experienced by the Nassau County crime lab have been well-publicized. Evidence tested by the lab has been found to be unreliable due to a lapse in protocol. Now, many cases are starting to go through the courts in an effort to determine if some individuals have been wrongly convicted. Many of these cases concern drug crimes or DWI matters that went to trial. Technicians at the lab were found to have not followed basic crime lab procedures, meaning that either samples or equipment may have been contaminated in drug cases. For those who were convicted of driving ...

Case is Complicated by Biological Father, Who Also Now Wants Custody of Young Girl Child custody issues are possibly some of the most contentious cases in family law. As couples dissolve relationships, conflict over influence and contact with their adopted, step and biological children can become a new battleground. A prime example is the case of little Miranda Wilkerson, where the battle is between Miranda's grandmother and her legal father, who is a registered sex offender, and her biological father, who was not married to Miranda's mother at the time of birth. In ...

While a great number of people are preparing to evacuate in the face of Hurricane Irene, Andrew Kennedy, a researcher in the University of Notre Dame Department of Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences, rushed to the outer banks of North Carolina yesterday in anticipation of its arrival. Kennedy, a member of Notre Dame's Hydraulic Computation Research Group, is on a helicopter rapidly deploying wave and surge gauges for data collection in conjunction with Irene. "Irene looks likely to have large impacts in North Carolina and I am at the outer banks to deploy wave/surge ...

Embattled Philadelphia Schools Superintendent Arlene C. Ackerman formally resigned her post today in a contract settlement negotiated by the legal team at MyPhillyLawyer. Behind the scenes over the last month, the lawyers of MyPhillyLawyer represented Ackerman throughout the process, ensuring that the terms of her employment contract and compensation were fully met and that the school system would be able to move on with new leadership in an orderly transition. Under the agreement, Ackerman will receive a $905,000 settlement to end her employment contract with the school ...

A new University of Alberta study says when it comes to goal setting, your unconscious mind can be a great motivator. Alberta School of Business researcher Sarah Moore and colleagues from Duke and Cornell universities say that unconscious feelings about objects in the environment influence the pursuit of long-term goals. Their study explores how the unconscious mind responds to objects in relation to an individual's goals—and how the unconscious continues to influence feelings about these objects once the goals are reached—whether or not the outcome has been successful. ...

The same trait that makes a rare immune cell invaluable in fighting some infections also can be exploited by other diseases to cause harm, two new studies show. In papers published online in Immunity, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reveal that the cells, known as CD8 alpha+ dendritic cells (CD8a+ DCs), can help the body beat back infection by a common parasite, but the same cells can be hijacked by a bacterium to decimate the body's defenses. The trait that makes the cells both an asset and a liability is the way they alert other ...

In a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly five percent of drivers admitted that they had nodded off at the wheel at least once during the past month. The actual number may be even higher than that. In a 2005 poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, more than a third of all adult drivers acknowledged falling asleep at the wheel in the past year. Another 13 percent reported having done so regularly -- at least once a month. One result of all this dozing while driving is car accidents caused by fatigued driving. The ...

Names like Bernie Madoff, Lee Farkas, Jeffrey Skilling and Raj Rajaratnam have gained household recognition in the United States, held up as examples of financial excess and criminal culpability. The U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation have affirmed their priorities in pursuing alleged perpetrators of securities fraud, health care fraud and bank fraud in response to recent economic struggles nationwide. On the other end of those prosecutions, federal judges are imposing harsh sentences for white collar crimes. A strong sense that the public ...

August 26, 2011 -- The rising prevalence of obesity around the globe places an increasing burden on the health of populations, on healthcare systems and on overall economies. A major challenge for researchers is to quantify the effect of these burdens to inform public policies. Using a simulation model to project the probable health and economic consequences from rising obesity rates in the United States and the United Kingdom, researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and Oxford University forecast 65 million more obese adults in the U. S. and ...

Europcar, the leader in car hire services in Europe for both leisure and business users, is reinforcing its commitment to the environment by being the first UK rental provider to add the new Peugeot iON to its fleet. This follows the announcement of Europcar's global partnership with PSA Peugeot Citroen last October and responds to increasing demand for access to electric vehicles to rent. Providing travellers arriving at several of London's airports and heading into the Capital with a congestion-charge-free option, Peugeot iONs will be available for customers at Europcar's ...

Northern Rock has launched three new competitive instant access savings accounts, adding further options to its flexible savings range. To make it easier to navigate to the relevant product pages on its award-winning website, Quick Response (QR) codes have also been introduced on selected new product adverts. For those who are looking for a straightforward, instant-access savings account which can be operated in branch, by post or by phone, Everyday Access offers the interest rate of 2.05% gross* pa/AER** variable on balances over GBP1, with no bonus rate attached. (Balances ...

Europcar, the leader in car hire services in Europe, is keeping businesses on the move with an innovative new service that tackles the issues that company fleets face when waiting for new vehicle delivery. 6 Advantage offers vehicle hire for a fixed period of six months, but with all the benefits of short-term business car hire, reflecting Europcar's sustained commitment to bring corporate customers services that reflect the changing needs of the marketplace, delivering flexible and cost effective car hire solutions. "Currently there is a real gap in the solutions ...