A new study of high-tech startups that participated in the Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC) shows that these entrepreneurs have a much higher rate of success than typical new ventures and are therefore more likely to contribute to job growth. The study by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship spans the 11-year life of the RBPC, the world's richest and largest business plan competition, which comprises teams of graduate students from throughout the world. The comprehensive and longitudinal study offers insights into the experiential factors that can ...

It's a high-pressure environment within solid tumors. Abnormal blood and lymphatic vessels cause fluids to accumulate, and the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells within limited space leads to the buildup of what is called solid stress. Both types of pressure can interfere with the effectiveness of anticancer treatments, but while strategies have been developed that reduce fluid pressures, little has been known about the impact of solid stress or potential ways to alleviate it. Now a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team has identified factors that ...

If two birds meet deep in the forest, does anybody hear? Until now, nobody did, unless an intrepid biologist was hiding underneath a bush and watching their behavior, or the birds happened to meet near a research monitoring station. But an electronic tag designed at the University of Washington can for the first time see when birds meet in the wild. A new study led by a biologist at Scotland's University of St. Andrews used the UW tags to see whether crows might learn to use tools from one another. The findings, published last week in Current Biology, supported the theory ...

PASADENA, Calif.—At any given moment, millions of cells are on the move in the human body, typically on their way to aid in immune response, make repairs, or provide some other benefit to the structures around them. When the migration process goes wrong, however, the results can include tumor formation and metastatic cancer. Little has been known about how cell migration actually works, but now, with the help of some tiny worms, researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have gained new insight into this highly complex task. The team's findings are ...

Los Angeles, CA (September 20, 2012) SAGE and The Society for Medical Decision Making are pleased to announce the release of seven new reports that will have a significant impact on modeling techniques in health care research and medical decision making. Written by the Modeling Good Research Practices Task Force, a special group of leading experts in decision analysis, economics, simulation, and health policy, these reports were published in a special issue of Medical Decision Making (MDM), a SAGE journal. "The history of decision and economic modeling to support health ...

Investigators at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine have identified two promising therapies to treat patients with acute megakaryocytic leukemia (AMKL), a rare form of leukemia where the number of cases is expected to increase with the aging population. The disease is characterized by an overload of white blood cells that remain forever young because they can't mature into specialized cells. Published in a recent issue of the journal Cell, the study found that the drug with the generic name alisertib (MLN8237), induced division and growth of healthy ...

The pressures of global trade may heighten disease incidence by dictating changes in land use. A boom in disease-carrying ticks and chiggers has followed the abandonment of rice cultivation in Taiwanese paddies, say ecologist Chi-Chien Kuo and colleagues, demonstrating the potential for global commodities pricing to drive the spread of infections. Their work appears in the September issue of ESA's journal Ecological Applications. After Taiwan joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, active cultivation of rice paddies fell from 80 percent to 55 percent in just three ...

Scientists and forecasters have been analyzing Tropical Storm Nadine using various NASA satellites as NASA's Global Hawk flew over the storm gathering information. Both the Global Hawk and NASA's TRMM satellite noticed that Nadine has continued to display tropical characteristics, indicating that it has not transitioned to an extra-tropical storm. Forecasters noted that Nadine could have started transitioning into an extra-tropical storm, because there was little significant rainfall near Nadine's center of circulation yesterday, Sept. 19. However, satellite data and ...

Tried-and-true techniques could help optimize oilseed yield for biodiesel production, according to studies conducted by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists. For more than 30 years, near infrared (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy has been used as a rapid and nondestructive method for measuring protein, moisture, and oil levels in whole grains. Now Agricultural Research Service (ARS) research leader Dan Long is studying how to use remote sensing tools to quickly assess seed oil quality and quantity before and after harvest. ARS is USDA's chief intramural scientific ...

The sun's atmosphere dances. Giant columns of solar material – made of gas so hot that many of the electrons have been scorched off the atoms, turning it into a form of magnetized matter we call plasma – leap off the sun's surface, jumping and twisting. Sometimes these prominences of solar material, shoot off, escaping completely into space, other times they fall back down under their own weight. The prominences are sometimes also the inner structure of a larger formation, appearing from the side almost as the filament inside a large light bulb. The bright structure around ...

In a preliminary clinical trial, investigators at Johns Hopkins have shown that even partially-matched bone marrow transplants can eliminate sickle cell disease in some patients, ridding them of painful and debilitating symptoms, and the need for a lifetime of pain medications and blood transfusions. The researchers say the use of such marrow could potentially help make bone marrow transplants accessible to a majority of sickle cell patients who need them. After a median follow-up of two years, the transplants successfully eliminated sickle cell disease in 11 of 17 patients. ...

Scientists from Queen Mary, University of London have tracked bumblebees for the first time to see how they select the optimal route to collect nectar from multiple flowers and return to their nest. In a paper published in PLOS Biology today (18 September), the scientists, working with the Harmonic Radar Group at Rothamsted Research, were able to use radar tracking to show how bumblebees discover flowers, learn their location and use trial and error to find the most efficient route between flowers over large distances. Professor Lars Chittka and Dr Mathieu Lihoreau ...

An international team of physicists has pushed the boundaries on ultra-precise measurement by harnessing quantum light waves in a new way. It is one thing to be able to measure spectacularly small distances using "squeezed" light, but it is now possible to do this even while the target is moving around. An Australian-Japanese research collaboration made the breakthrough in an experiment conducted at the University of Tokyo, the results of which have been published in an article, "Quantum-enhanced optical phase tracking" in the prestigious journal, Science. Leader ...

New Book Equips Readers With What It Takes To Feel Clear, Energized, Engaged, And Fulfilled In Today's Uncertain World Prize-winning author, award-winning transformational trainer, and founder of the global Create Your Difference Community, Nadine Love announces the release of her newest book and workbook, Hot Confidence: Conscious Pathways to Take You from Mini-Me to Magnificent. Hot Confidence is a beautiful, softbound, 200-page book filled with real-life stories and powerful life-coach strategies taught one-on-one by the world's most successful life coaches. The ...

Sunshine Coast TAFE student Abbie Williams is more determined than ever to launch her hairdressing career after landing a spot amongst some of Australia's top stylists at the Sunshine Coast International Fashion Week earlier this month. The budding hairdresser, who is due to graduate in less than nine weeks, worked alongside some of the biggest names in the industry to primp, pin and prep hair for three back to back fashion shows. The event celebrated the culmination of fashion week at Novotel Twin Waters, showcasing the talents of local and international designers ...

RentFoodBroke.com and BrokeLA.com provide real-world education, advice, tips, and resources on everything from finding affordable medical care to the cheapest movie theaters around town, as well as a full calendar of free and low-cost events to meet the needs of Angelenos and visitors alike. What started as a fanciful "Wouldn't it be cool if..." idea during a night of serious partying has become the ultimate resource for living life on a budget in the greater LA area. "Many people think up 'great' ideas when they're drunk," said Hanina Stettin, "Head ...

Lee Enterprises Consulting, the world's largest alternative and renewable fuels consulting group, announced today that they will host their annual teleconference call on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 2:00 pm Central Standard Time. The one hour call is by-invitation-only and is open to biodiesel producers and plant owners, obligated parties, investors, lenders, small and others directly involved in the biodiesel industry. The group's annual call covers items that the group considers to be among the most pressing in the industry, and features industry experts to speak about ...

GammaTech Computer Corp., a major international manufacturer and supplier of innovative notebook and tablet computers, will show its line of mobile rugged tablets and convertible computers during the MINExpo International 2012 in booth 26212 in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The expo will take place from September 24-26, 2012. GammaTech will feature a variety of models that can easily be used both in the mining field and in an office, with screen sizes ranging from 7" to 13.3" and customizable features to meet every user's unique requirements. GammaTech ...

Yampu Tours claims the 2012 World Travel Award as Leading Tour Operator in South America, accepting the award for the third consecutive year. September 17, 2012 (Stowe, Vermont): Yampu Tours has demonstrated their unwavering commitment to responsible tourism, and has enthusiastically received the World Travel Award as South America's Leading Tour Operator for the third sequential year. Yampu Tours is devoted to providing their clients with customized, authentic itineraries while still portraying the resident culture and highlighting local interactions. The company's ...

As Halloween quickly approaches, many people are taking time to learn about one of the holiday's most notable icons, yet one of nature's most misunderstood creatures - bats. Mostly seen as frightening creatures, bats actually play a large role in helping control the insect population. In fact, according to Bat Conservation International (BCI), one bat can capture hundreds of mosquitoes in an evening! In addition to keeping insects at a reasonable number, bats are also the main pollinator throughout most of the tropics and in many desert habitats. Furthermore, many of ...

When people marry, they join all the aspects of their lives together to form a new union going forward. What many forget is that they also unite their financial situations and credit. People may not be aware of the different ways they can share credit with a spouse, the benefits and drawbacks of shared credit and how bankruptcy can impact shared credit. Types of Joint Credit People tend to use the term "joint credit" rather loosely, using it to reference a variety of shared credit situations. There are three main ways that people can share credit: -Joint ...

Sharone Martinelli Giordano has joined RE/MAX Alliance Group as a Sales Associate in the Anna Maria Island Office. Her husband, Michael Giordano, has joined the newly formed Alliance Group Property Management (AGPM) company. Sharone, a licensed Realtor for 18 years, was formerly Relocation Director for Wagner Realty. She also has experience in general real estate sales, and managed Wagner Realty's Property Management Division. Sharone is past president of the Manatee Women's Council of Realtors (WCR) and recipient of the WCR 2006 Realtor of the Year Award. She earned ...

Calling all musicians: Flying Elephant Pub & Grill, the premier entertainment and live music venue in North County, will host its first Battle of the Bands Competition. The winner will receive a grand prize of $1,000 cash and an opportunity to open for a headlining band at Flying Elephant Pub & Grill. Beginning Sept. 1, all bands and artists interested in participating are invited to submit their band name, genre of music, city of residence, contact name and phone number to FlyingElephantPub@gmail.com. There is a $50 entry fee per band and the submission deadline ...

Milwaukee, WI - Hupy and Abraham, S.C. showed its continued support of the Milwaukee branch of the NAACP in its attendance at the association's Annual Freedom Fund Dinner, which took place on Saturday, September 15, 2012. The event is an annual celebration of the history of the NAACP, the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the United States, which was founded 88 years ago. Milwaukee council members in attendance at the event included Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, and Alderman Nik Kovac. The keynote speaker was Leon W. Russell, Vice ...

Time is running out to take advantage of special pre-construction pricing for one of the hottest new addresses in the Greater Toronto Area. Only 18 units remain at Centro Condos on Yonge Street, a highly anticipated boutique condominium by Kaitlin Group in downtown Aurora, and for a limited time prices start at just $269,990. "Centro Condos will be a standout building in a standout location," said Kaitlin Group Sales and Marketing Co-ordinator Michelle Orlow, noting that visitors to the model suite continue to be impressed by deluxe interior finishes that ...