Traumatic brain injury -- often called TBI -- is brain damage that can be caused by a blow or jolt to the head, as well as by an object penetrating the skull. Oftentimes, TBIs are not life threatening and those who suffer from mild injuries experience temporary brain-cell dysfunction -- which results in symptoms such as headaches, sleep-pattern changes, mood alterations and loss of consciousness that lasts for a few seconds to a few minutes. In other cases, TBIs can be quite severe, causing serious damage or even death to the victims. The Causes and Effects of Severe ...

Use of the antioxidant urate to protect against the neurodegeneration caused by Parkinson's disease appears to rely on more than urate's ability to protect against oxidative damage. In the May issue of the open-access journal PLoS One, researchers from the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (MGH-MIND) describe experiments suggesting the involvement of a novel mechanism in urate's protection of cultured brain cells against Parkinson's-like damage. "Our experiments showed, unexpectedly, that urate's ability to protect neurons requires the presence of ...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Blame it on your genes? Researchers from The Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center say individuals with variations in certain "obesity genes" tend to eat more meals and snacks, consume more calories per day and often choose the same types of high fat, sugary foods. Their study, published online by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and appearing in the June issue, reveals certain variations within the FTO and BDNF genes – which have been previously linked to obesity – may play a role in eating habits that can cause obesity. ...

If you have filed for bankruptcy, you may wonder what your credit will look like after you obtain your discharge of debt. You understand that a bad credit rating means credit cards and loans will be more expensive and harder to get. However, you may be surprised to find your credit could be better than you expect. Bad Credit? The good news is your credit can probably only improve. If you had to file bankruptcy, your financial situation was probably rather unstable. All of your creditors were aware of this; after all, they were the ones harassing you to pay their bills. Once ...

Seagrasses are a vital part of the solution to climate change and, per unit area, seagrass meadows can store up to twice as much carbon as the world's temperate and tropical forests. So report researchers publishing a paper this week in the journal Nature Geoscience. The paper, "Seagrass Ecosystems as a Globally Significant Carbon Stock," is the first global analysis of carbon stored in seagrasses. The results demonstrate that coastal seagrass beds store up to 83,000 metric tons of carbon per square kilometer, mostly in the soils beneath them. As a comparison, a ...

About a year ago, 15 people were killed in a commercial bus that was traveling from Connecticut to New York City. A few months later, 30 bus passengers were injured in upstate New York in an accident that killed a truck driver. According to Governor Andrew Cuomo, these New York bus accidents are just two examples of why it's necessary to increase the amount of commercial bus inspections conducted by the Department of Transportation. To that end, Cuomo and the New York State Legislature recently approved $1 million in the state budget to create a program that will allow ...

An elongated crack, a random upheaval -- less than perfect sidewalks can send almost anyone caught off guard tumbling. For those in wheelchairs, shoddy sidewalks can even mean a complete lack of mobility. In New York State, a person in a wheelchair is considered a pedestrian, and is subject to all pedestrian traffic laws. Yet, the neglected state of a good number of sidewalks in Albany can make compliance with the law difficult or impossible, substantially raising the risk of pedestrian accidents. Wheelchair Users Can Be Forced Into Traffic Due to Unsafe Sidewalks If ...

DURHAM, N.C. – Women receiving care for breast cancer have significantly impaired cardio-pulmonary function that can persist for years after they have completed treatment, according to a study led by scientists at Duke University Medical Center. The findings, reported online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, also provide initial evidence that poor cardio-pulmonary function may be a strong predictor of survival among women with advanced breast cancer. "We know that exercise tolerance tests, which measure cardiopulmonary function, are among some of the most important ...

Anyone who has had to face more than one health problem at a time knows the cumulative effect multiple illnesses may have on your life. From daily treatment regimens to long stays in the hospital, the effects of several illnesses can be more than just disruptive; they can be disabling. New Study Links Mental Illness, Physical Manifestations A new report issued in April by an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services details the connection between mental illness and related physical health problems. According to researchers, individuals with major ...

When confronted with adverse situations such as the loss of a loved one, some people never fully recover from the pain. Others, the majority, pull through and experiment how the intensity of negative emotions (e.g. anxiety, depression) grows dimmer with time until they adapt to the new situation. A third group is made up of individuals whose adversities have made them grow personally and whose life takes on new meaning, making them feel stronger than before. Researchers at the Basic Psychology Unit at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona analysed the responses of 254 students ...

The hordes of bark beetles that have bored their way through more than 6 billion trees in the western U.S. and British Columbia since the 1990s do more than damage and kill stately pine, spruce and other trees. A new study finds that these pests can make trees release up to 20 times more of the organic substances that foster haze and air pollution in forested areas. It appears in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology. Kara Huff Hartz, Gannet Hallar and colleagues explain that western North America is experiencing a population explosion of mountain pine beetles, ...

In 2010, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration began implementation of the Compliance, Safety and Accountability, or CSA, program. Among other things, CSA involves the gathering of trucking industry data. Much of this data pertains to safety compliance, and the latest set of findings released in May, 2012, is indicative of the current state of trucking safety. More Trucking Operations, and More than a Third Have Fatigued Driving Incidents Do more independent trucking operations translate into more tractor trailer accidents? Only time will tell for certain, ...

Army scientists and industry collaborators have successfully protected laboratory animals from lethal hantavirus disease using a novel approach that combines DNA vaccines and duck eggs. The work appears in a recent edition of the online scientific journal PLoS ONE, published by the Public Library of Science. According to first author Jay W. Hooper of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), this is the first time that the DNA vaccine/duck egg system has been shown to produce an antiviral product capable of protecting against hantavirus ...

The Hampton Inn & Suites Atlanta Airport Hotel (North, I-85) is now offering the perfect summer package. Available at participating Hampton hotels, The Great Getaway lets guests save 15% to 40% off Best Available Rate for trips booked by July 23, 2012 for stays through September 30, 2012. Some restrictions may apply; special offers and rates are subject to availability. Conveniently located near the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, this Atlanta Airport hotel is the perfect place for families traveling to the area this summer to stay. "The Great ...

Scientists are reporting development of a new, higher-yield, two-step, less costly process that may ease supply problems and zigzagging prices for the raw material essential for making the mainstay drug for malaria. That disease sickens 300-500 million people annually and kills more than 1 million. The report on the process, which uses readily available substances and could be easily implemented by drug companies, appears in ACS' journal Organic Process Research & Development. David Teager and Rodger Stringham of the Clinton Health Access Initiative explain that artemisinin ...

Velvet spiders include some of the most beautiful arachnids in Europe and some of the world's most cooperative species. Social species can be very abundant in parts of tropical Africa and Asia with conspicuous colonies dotting the landscape. Social colonies may consist of hundreds of closely-related individuals that participate in dramatic mass attacks on prey (Figure 1) and care for their young. The ecology of these social species is fascinating and has been the subject of several landmark scientific papers. The study was published in a special issue of the open access ...

Fostering People Ireland, the non-statutory Dublin-based fostering agency, has announced two upcoming events aimed at recruiting more carers to help the growing number of children in need of care in the capital and the surrounding area. Fostering People Ireland has grown its reputation since its launch in September 2011, but remains in need of qualified, enthusiastic carers. The first event will be held at Maudlin House Hotel in Naas, County Kildare on 23 May 2012 from 4pm - 8pm. The second event will be held on 6 June 2012 at the Premier Inn, Airparks in Swords, County ...

The latest in a series of events marking the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting will be a May 24 reception introducing Kimberly Coley who has recently been appointed Vice President of External Affairs for Girl Scouts of California's Central Coast (GSCCC). Coley, who brings a wealth of experience in community advocacy, volunteer coordination, youth program, and marketing and public relations, will head-up a new Girl Scout office in Santa Barbara. Ms. Coley's primary responsibilities will be to serve as a Girl Scout leadership liaison for Santa Barbara, and to oversee community ...

Scientists are reporting development of a healthy "designer fat" that, when added to infant formula, provides a key nutrient that premature babies need in high quantities, but isn't available in large enough amounts in their mothers' milk. The new nutrient, based on hazelnut oil, also could boost nutrition for babies who are bottle-fed for other reasons. The report appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Casimir Akoh and colleagues explain that human milk is the "gold standard" for designing infant formulas. Mothers naturally provide the healthful ...

The emergence of weeds resistant to the most widely used herbicide is fostering a new arms race in the war against these menaces, which cost society billions of dollars annually in control measures and lost agricultural production. That's the topic of a story in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly magazine of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society. In the story, Melody M. Bomgardner, C&EN senior business editor, points out that glyphosate – introduced in the 1980s – has been the best-selling herbicide ...

Millions of teenagers suffer from acne, and they deal with the embarrassing skin blemishes by taking popular prescription medications such as Accutane or Roaccutane. Now, however, research from Tel Aviv University shows that these pills can also cause eye infections such as conjunctivitis (pink eye) or sties. According to Dr. Gabriel Chodick of TAU's School of Public Health at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, clinicians have long theorized a connection between acne and eye infections, but there was little available statistical research on the subject. "Acne itself can ...

Sixty years ago this June Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne. To celebrate this momentous anniversary - the Diamond Jubilee - a series of events and exhibitions are taking place across the country with the epicentre of the celebrations in the capital. Some of the events marking the Queen's Diamond Jubilee include: Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton: A Diamond Jubilee Celebration, a series of images by the famous Royal Photographer on display at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum; The Big Jubilee Lunch which hopes to be the biggest street party the UK has ever ...

WASHINGTON, May 23—Whether used in telescopes or optoelectronic communications, infrared detectors must be continuously cooled to avoid being overwhelmed by stray thermal radiation. Now, a team of researchers from Peking University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Duke University (USA) is harnessing the remarkable properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) to create highly sensitive, "uncooled" photovoltaic infrared detectors. This new type of detector, which the team describes in a paper published today in the Optical Society's (OSA) open-access journal ...

Grub Crawl has announced a new partnership with Bon Appetit magazine through 2014. Beginning in June 2012 as part of the new deal, the magazine will promote future Grub Crawls in their magazine and on their online webpage. Grub Crawl will be part of "The List" in the magazine's upcoming issue, set to hit newsstands in May. Bon Appetit, one of the top circulating food magazines in the country, will also send an annual email newsletter blast to all San Francisco-based subscribers about Grub Crawl's future events. Also, Bon Appetit will also have the option to ...

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2012 — The latest episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS') award-winning Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions podcast series describes a simple, inexpensive dip-and-dry treatment can convert ordinary silk into a fabric that kills disease-causing bacteria — even the armor-coated spores of microbes like anthrax — in minutes. This new "killer silk" has many potential uses, including make-shift curtains and other protective coatings that protect homes and other buildings in the event of a terrorist attack with anthrax. Based on an article by ...