Combined treatment with two drugs targeting different points in the same growth-factor pathway delayed the development of treatment resistance in patients with BRAF-positive metastatic malignant melanoma. The results of a phase I/II study of treatment with the kinase inhibitors dabrafenib and trametinib will be published in the New England Journal of Medicine and are being released online to coincide with a presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Vienna. "We investigated this combination because of research we and others have conducted ...

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. – September 28, 2012 – Scientists at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography have made the first observation of a predator avoidance behavior by a species of phytoplankton, a microscopic marine plant. Susanne Menden-Deuer, associate professor of oceanography, and doctoral student Elizabeth Harvey made the unexpected observation while studying the interactions between phytoplankton and zooplankton. Their discovery will be published in the September 28 issue of the journal PLOS ONE. "It has been well observed that phytoplankton ...

The apple flea weevil, a sporadic insect pest in the early 1900s, has reemerged as a severe pest in organic apple orchards in Michigan, where outbreak population levels have been observed since 2008, and damage has resulted in up to 90% losses for apple growers. According to the authors of "The Reemergence of an Old Pest, Orchestes pallicornis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)," an open-access article appearing in the lastest issue of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management, the weevil can be managed by broad-spectrum insecticides used in conventional agriculture, but there ...

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — UC Davis investigators have found new evidence that a promising type of stem cell now being considered for a variety of disease therapies is very similar to the type of cells that give rise to cancer. The findings suggest that although the cells -- known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) -- show substantial promise as a source of replacement cells and tissues to treat injuries, disease and chronic conditions, scientists and physicians must move cautiously with any clinical use because iPSCs could also cause malignant cancer. The article, ...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — University of Illinois researchers have a new low-cost method to carve delicate features onto semiconductor wafers using light – and watch as it happens. "You can use light to image the topography and you can use light to sculpture the topography," said electrical and computer engineering professor Gabriel Popescu. "It could change the future of semiconductor etching." Chip makers and semiconductor researchers need to very precisely control the dimensions of their devices. The dimensions of the components affect performance, speed, error rate and time ...

Tadpole shrimp are pests of rice production systems in California and have recently been found impacting Missouri and Arkansas rice fields. The shrimp feed on rice seedlings and uproot them during foraging, and their foraging behavior causes water to become muddy, which reduces light penetration to submerged seedlings and delays the development of the rice plant. In "Review of a New Pest of Rice, Tadpole Shrimp (Notostraca: Triopsidae), in the Midsouthern United States and a Winter Scouting Method of Rice Fields for Preplanting Detection," a new open-access article appearing ...

This gives new meaning to the complaint "I'm bored" — literally. Canadian researchers — including a professor from the University of Guelph — have come up with a new, precise definition of boredom based on the mental processes that underlie the condition. Although many people may see boredom as trivial and temporary, it actually is linked to a range of psychological, social and health problems, says Guelph psychology professor Mark Fenske. He's among authors of a new study in Perspectives on Psychological Science, published by the Association for Psychological Science. Boredom ...

Millions of pounds of unexploded bombs and other military ordnance that were dumped decades ago in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as off the coasts of both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, could now pose serious threats to shipping lanes and the 4,000 oil and gas rigs in the Gulf, warns two Texas A&M University oceanographers. William Bryant and Neil Slowey, professors of oceanography who have more than 90 years of combined research experience in all of the Earth's oceans, along with fellow researcher Mike Kemp of Washington, D.C., say millions of pounds of bombs are scattered ...

The IUCN World Conservation Congress has adopted a motion sponsored by the Wildlife Conservation Society and partners to create a Green List to assess conservation success. The Green List for Species would include species identified as 'fully conserved,' which are those that exist in ecologically significant numbers, interacting fully with other species in their ecosystems. The motion was adopted at the World Conservation Congress, which was held this month in Jeju, Republic of Korea. The aim of the Green List is to highlight species that are thriving parts of a healthy ...

Super Typhoon Jelawat is a large and powerful storm that has been bringing very rough seas to areas in the western North Pacific. NASA's Terra satellite passed over the monster storm and captured a visible image as it nears the big island of Japan. NASA's Terra satellite passed over Super Typhoon Jelawat on Sept. 28 at 0238UTC (10:38 p.m. EDT, Sept. 27) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer captured an infrared image as the storm approaches Okinawa, Japan. Jelawat's center passed by Ishigaki-jima by 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) on Sept. 28 and was approaching ...

The sun erupted with a wide, Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME) on Sept. 27, 2012 at 10:25 p.m. EDT. CMEs are a phenomenon that can send billions of tons of solar particles into space that can reach Earth one to three days later, affecting electronic systems in satellites and on the ground. Experimental NASA research models estimate that the CME is traveling at around 700 miles per second and will reach Earth on Sept. 29. CMEs of these speeds are usually benign. In the past, similar CMEs have caused auroras near the poles but have not caused disruption to electrical ...

Infrared data from NASA's Aqua satellite today, Sept. 28, revealed strong convection and thunderstorms have built up again in Tropical Storm Nadine as it moved over warm waters in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. That convection strengthened Nadine back into a hurricane today. Nadine has lasted over two weeks, but is nowhere near breaking the record for longest-lived tropical cyclone. NASA's Aqua satellite passed over long-lived Nadine on Sept. 28 at 0441 UTC (12:41 a.m. EDT) when it was still a tropical storm and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument captured ...

The National Hurricane Center issued their last advisory on Miriam on Sept. 27 at 11 p.m. EDT when it became a remnant low pressure area. At that time, the center of post-tropical cyclone Miriam was located near latitude 22.0 north and longitude 116.7 west, just over 400 miles west of the southern tip of Baja California. Miriam had maximum sustained winds near 30 knots (35 mph/55 kmh). NOAA's GOES-15 satellite captured an infrared image of Tropical Storm Miriam and a developing low pressure area in the Eastern Pacific on Sept. 28 at 1145 UTC (7:45 a.m. EDT), off the coast ...

There are a number of things happening under the hood of Tropical Storm Ewiniar's clouds that have been deciphered by satellite data today, Sept. 28, 2012, and NASA's TRMM satellite has noticed one area of heavy rainfall remaining. NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite noticed light to moderate rainfall around most of the tropical storm, with the heaviest rainfall east of the center of circulation. Rainfall in that area was falling at a rate of 2 inches (50 mm) per hour). Tropical Storm Ewiniar has a partially exposed low-level circulation center, ...

University of Notre Dame entomologists are part of a team of researchers that recently discovered a potentially dangerous new malaria-transmitting mosquito. The as yet unnamed, and previously unreported, mosquito breeds in the western areas of Kenya and has an unknown DNA match to any of the existing malaria-transmitting species. The Anopheles species of mosquitoes which transmits malaria in Africa is already widely studied by researchers. It prefers to rest indoors during the day and feed on humans during the night. Current malaria control programs, including spraying ...

The University of Notre Dame has received a five-year, $6.1 million award from the National Science Foundation to support the continuation of the nationwide QuarkNet program, which uses particle physics experiments to inspire students and provide valuable research, training and mentorship opportunities for high school teachers. Through the QuarkNet program, physicists at Notre Dame, Fermilab and 50 other research institutions will continue to mentor teachers in research experiences, enabling them to teach the basic concepts of introductory physics in a context that high ...

Because there are more risks with having a total knee replacement in both legs at the same time than having a knee replacement in one leg, doctors in recent years have been selecting younger and healthier patients for the bilateral procedure. Now a new study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery has revealed that although patients are younger and healthier than those undergoing only one-sided surgery, they are becoming sicker and some complication rates have risen. "Although we are selecting younger people, we can't ignore the fact that the population in general ...

Julio M. Pow-Sang, M.D., chair of Moffitt Cancer Center's Department of Genitourinary Oncology, and colleagues have published two prostate cancer articles in the September issue of JNCCN – The Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. The articles review and clarify recent updates made to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network's (NCCN) guidelines for the screening and treatment of prostate cancer. According to the NCCN, nearly 242,000 cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2012, accounting for 29 percent of new cancers among men. It is estimated ...

Darien, IL - A new study suggests that increasing the amount of sleep that teenagers get could improve their insulin resistance and prevent the future onset of diabetes. "High levels of insulin resistance can lead to the development of diabetes," said lead author Karen Matthews, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry. "We found that if teens that normally get six hours of sleep per night get one extra hour of sleep, they would improve insulin resistance by 9 percent." The study, appearing in the October issue of the journal SLEEP, tracked the ...

NKSJ Holdings, Inc. a joint company of Sompo Japan and Nipponkoa founded in April 2010, has released its Corporate Responsibility Communication 2012. The purpose to publish this report is to engage with our stakeholders both globally and locally in a more proactive way, to create synergy between affiliated companies and integrate CSR at the highest levels to the entire group. To see the full CSR report, please visit: http://www.nksj-hd.com/en/csr/communications/ Highlights in this yearfs report include: 1. Specifying NKSJ Groupfs New Five CSR Material Issues ...

Salt Lake City, UTAH - People who enthusiastically start any network marketing or multi-level marketing business opportunity continually run into the same problem - they run out of prospects. Now there is a solution, and it works for any online network marketing or multi-level marketing business. The marketing system has been adapted for use by a group of independent marketing representatives who are promoting EPXBody, and it has made a significant difference in their level of success, according to Dave Bresnahan, founder of the Bresnahan Freedom Team (www.FreedomResidualIncome.com). "Typically ...

In an effort to better serve business owners and their staff, Tracey Fieber and her team have completed work on a new brand image and new website content. This redesigned website showcases the company's approach to attract and connect with business owners and CEOs who desire smoother operations in their companies. Tracey Fieber Business Solutions helps businesses to train employees in specific operations, as well as offering unique management strategies and assessments. In order to highlight the company's services, the new website will help prospective clients see their ...

Get to The Underberg Agricultural Show to sing, dance and laugh with the legendary Irish band, the Blarney Brothers on Saturday evening 29 September. With the Blarney Brothers, audiences can be assured of a great big, foot-stomping, sing-along party. Perhaps it is just because they simply play for the audience, making music they know everyone will love. But, this is certainly helped along with a liberal flavouring of genuine Irish Blarney and humour, because the Blarney Brothers are as Irish as shamrock and poteen. Their music is a mixture of Irish ballads, foot-tapping ...

In May of this year, the Huntington Beach Human Relations Task Force released a report on bullying. The Human Relations Task Force conducted a study on bullying in Huntington Beach that primarily focused on traditional middle and high school students. The report found that "bullying is a serious problem with long-term consequences which potentially threatens the safety and well-being of Huntington Beach children and young adults" and "it is likely that 28% to 30% of Huntington Beach children are involved in some form of bullying as either a victim or as ...

On October 14th, 2012, Nike celebrates the ninth year of the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. Earth and Sky Oasis - a five star rated business offering therapeutic massage, and a neighbor of the Nike flagship store on Union Square - is proud to have been invited to support the 25,000 women who will be running this year to raise money and awareness for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. "Running a marathon puts tremendous strain on the body," says Jill Jodar, owner of Earth and Sky Oasis, "and runners have always understood the importance of being ...