It's one of life's special moments: a child finds a fat caterpillar, puts it in a jar with a twig and a few leaves, and awakens one day to find the caterpillar has disappeared and an elegant but apparently lifeless case now hangs from the twig. Then, when the jar has been forgotten, soft beating against its glass walls calls attention to a new wonder: the jar now holds a fragile-winged butterfly or dusky moth with fringed antennae. These transformations are so startling that a child's awe seems a more appropriate response than an adult's calm acceptance. How is it, ...

A recent decline in ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla), a ground-nesting migratory songbird, in forests in the northern Midwest United States is being linked by scientists to a seemingly unlikely culprit: earthworms. A new survey conducted in Minnesota's Chippewa National Forest and Wisconsin's Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest by a research team led by Scott Loss of the University of Minnesota and the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has revealed a direct link between the presence of invasive European earthworms (Lumbricus spp.) and reduced numbers of ovenbirds in mixed ...

Employees at Atlanta granite countertop fabricator Premier Surfaces have shaved their heads to support one of their own. When a beloved team member learned that she would be undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, she made the brave decision to shave her head instead of letting the chemo take her hair. The men at Atlanta granite counters supplier Premier Surfaces felt it was important to lend her moral support, and roughly 20 of them shaved their heads with her. The employee was diagnosed with breast cancer in December of 2011, and began her first chemotherapy ...

Alexandria, VA – What if we could cheaply and efficiently detect a potent new energy source, while also monitoring for environmental safety? Olivier Carrière, a physicist in the Marine Physical Laboratory at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and other researchers are using the symphony of sound produced in the ocean to do just that. When natural gas is released from the seafloor, it produces bubbles; similarly, gas leaking from a pipeline also produces bubbles. Instead of traditional acoustic methods that use active surveys of the ocean floor with sonar or seismic ...

The following highlights summarize research papers that have been recently published in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL), Journal of Geophysical Research-Earth Surface (JGR-F), Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres (JGR-D), Journal of Geophysical Research-Solid Earth (JGR-B), and Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics (JGR-A). In this release: 1. Effect of vegetation die-off tested on tidal marshland 2. Capsizing icebergs release earthquake-sized energies 3. Asian emissions contribute to air pollution in western United States 4. Remote sensing ...

A drug once taken by people with HIV/AIDS but long ago shelved after newer, modern antiretroviral therapies became available has now shed light on how the human body uses its natural immunity to fight the virus—work that could help uncover new targets for drugs. In an article published online this month by the journal PNAS, a group of U.S. and Swiss researchers led by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) presented the first clinical assessment of how this drug fights infections in people. The drug, called interferon, is a biotechnology product ...

The Atlanta pest control experts at North Fulton Pest Solutions are proud to announce that they now offer Builders Club rewards for new construction termite services. Eligible Atlanta termite control services contracted through North Fulton Pest Solutions can earn home builders and remodelers Club Points which are redeemable for merchandise or travel through Builders Club. "Builders Club is a great opportunity for builders and remodelers," says Blake Edwards, Director of Business Development for North Fulton Pest Solutions, the exterminators Atlanta trusts. ...

A subpopulation of the immune cells targeted by HIV may play an important role in controlling viral loads after initial infection, potentially helping to determine how quickly infection will progress. In the February 29 issue of Science Translational Medicine, a team of researchers from the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), MIT and Harvard describe finding a population of HIV-specific CD4 T cells – cells traditionally thought to direct and support activities of other immune cells – that can directly kill HIV-infected cells. "We observed the emergence ...

In science, refuting a hypothesis can be as significant as proving one, all the more so in research aimed at elucidating how diseases proceed with a view toward preventing, treating, or curing them. Such a discovery can save scientists from spending precious years of effort exploring a dead end. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Munich-based researchers refute a widely accepted hypothesis about a causative step in neurodegenerative conditions. These results deal specifically with animal models of human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ...

Healthe Trim's proprietary blend of over 15 natural ingredients includes hoodia gordonii, a natural, time-tested appetite suppressant, green tea leaf extract that provides a natural energy boost and burns fat, and resveratrol, which is packed with antioxidants and increases the burning of nutrients and fat into energy. The natural health and wellness supplement company has expanded its presence into retail to meet the growing demand of customers nationwide who are looking to enhance their metabolism, curb their appetite and lose weight now. Healthe Trim founder Matthew ...

Boston, MA (February 26, 2012)—Bacteria live in a state of perpetual warfare, with different species battling for dominion over their competitors and when pathogen, over their infected host. New research suggests that the human pathogen Vibrio cholerae, which causes the disease cholera, kills off its microbial rivals by jabbing them with a spring-loaded poison dagger. Were it not for that defense, called the Type 6 secretion system (T6SS), V. cholerae might not out-compete its neighbors to sicken millions of people every year. The results will be published online February ...

SEATTLE -- Scientists from Seattle Children's Research Institute and the University of Washington, in collaboration with the Genomic Disorders Group Nijmegen in the Netherlands, have identified two new genes that cause Baraitser-Winter syndrome, a rare brain malformation that is characterized by droopy eyelids and intellectual disabilities. "This new discovery brings the total number of genes identified with this type of brain defect to eight," said William Dobyns, MD, a geneticist at Seattle Children's Research Institute. Identification of the additional genes associated ...

New Rochelle -- Inhaled interferon-gamma may be an effective treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic and progressive form of lung disease caused by excessive formation of fibrotic, or scar tissue, in the lungs, according to an article published in Journal of Aerosol Medicine and Pulmonary Drug Delivery (http://www.liebertpub.com/jamp), a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (http://www.liebertpub.com) The article on inhaled interferon-gamma (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jamp.2011.0919) is available free online at the Journal ...

"Medisoft Medical Billing Software ANSI 5010 conversion is moving along smoothly," notes Harry Selent, CEO of www.MedicalBillingSoftware.com. Although the initial deadline for compliance has passed, the government has postponed enforcement of the adoption of the new standards to March 31, 2012 to allow time for both payers and doctors to fully comply. However, as more payers fully adopt the ANSI-5010 standards, doctors could see increased claim rejections from non-compliant claims. "Don't put your cash flow at risk" warns Selent. Verify that the latest ...

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- A study recently published by the University of Kentucky's Scott Livingston shows that physiological problems stemming from a concussion may continue to present in the patient even after standard symptoms subside. Currently, concussions are diagnosed and monitored through a patient's self-reported symptoms (including headache, confusion or disorientation, poor concentration, and memory loss) and through computerized neuropsychological testing programs, which measure cognitive abilities including attention and concentration, cognitive processing, learning ...

Foresters are pleased to announce that they will be sponsoring Wallace and Gromits 'Big Breakfast' fundraising event from 20th - 27th April. Wallace & Gromit are calling on people across the UK to join The BIG Breakfast to raise thousands of pounds for sick children in hospitals and hospices by enjoying their BIG Breakfast. People from all walks of life are being invited to take part and host a 'Wallace & Gromit BIG Breakfast', from the 20th - 27th April. The fundraising event hopes to raise over GBP60,000. 'Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation is ...

A nationwide survey shows a positive correlation between Green School practices and student achievement in science. The study was conducted by the University of Colorado Denver's Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences. And presented Wednesday at the Green Schools National Network conference in Denver. Schools that took part in the survey observe GreenPrint core practices as defined by the Green Schools National Network (GSNN). The core practices are: Curriculum that advances environmental literacy and sustainability Stewardship and service learning Sustainable ...

Political Studies professor Colin Farrelly wants to see more research into remarkable examples of health – such as why some people live 100 years disease-free. He describes the current pathology-based approach that emphasizes what causes specific diseases as "negative biology" and suggest more resources should be focused on "positive biology." "Currently the medical sciences presume that answering the question 'what causes disease?' is the most significant question to ask and answer," says Professor Farrelly. "Positive biology encourages us to invest just as much time, ...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- MIT neuroscientists have shown that an enzyme overproduced in the brains of Alzheimer's patients creates a blockade that shuts off genes necessary to form new memories. Furthermore, by inhibiting that enzyme in mice, the researchers were able to reverse Alzheimer's symptoms. The finding suggests that drugs targeting the enzyme, known as HDAC2, could be a promising new approach to treating the disease, which affects 5.4 million Americans. The number of Alzheimer's victims worldwide is expected to double every 20 years, and President Barack Obama recently ...

VIDEO: Certain kinds of male birds gather into small clusters of land called leks to perform their courtship dances, and according to science, who they choose to associate with matters.... Click here for more information. CORAL GABLES, FL -- Certain kinds of male birds gather into small clusters of land called leks to perform their courtship dances, and according to science, who they choose to associate with matters. A new study by University of Miami Evolutionary Biologist ...

As a journalist for Rolling Stone and The New York Times, Strauss has interviewed celebrities from Lady Gaga to Tom Cruise to Howard Stern and hundreds more. He's picked up Brittany Spears and wooed Jessica Alba on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Now he's taken all that knowledge and experience about social dynamics and packed it into the ultimate party game called "Who's Got Game?" The Backstory: How Facebook Paved the Way for Turning the Game from a Dream into a Reality: How did "Who's Got Game?" come to be? Through social networking, a young entrepreneur ...

If you want a preschooler to get the point, point. That's a lesson that can be drawn from a new study in Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science. As part of their investigation of how small children know what other people know, the authors, Carolyn Palmquist and Vikram K. Jaswal of the University of Virginia, found they were able to mislead preschoolers with the simple introduction of a pointing gesture. "Children were willing to attribute knowledge to a person solely based on the gesture they used to convey the information," ...

URBANA – Adding prebiotic ingredients to infant formula helps colonize the newborn's gut with a stable population of beneficial bacteria, and probiotics enhance immunity in formula-fed infants, two University of Illinois studies report. "The beneficial bacteria that live in a baby's intestine are all-important to an infant's health, growth, and ability to fight off infections," said Kelly Tappenden, a U of I professor of nutrition and gastrointestinal physiology. "Breast-fed babies acquire this protection naturally. Formula-fed infants get sick more easily because the ...

Infectious diseases can spread very rapidly, so quickly identifying them can be crucial to stopping an epidemic. However, current testing for such diseases can take hours and days. But not for much longer. Jayne Wu, associate professor of computer science and electrical engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Shigetoshi Eda, associate professor of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries at the UT Institute of Agriculture Center for Wildlife Health, have developed a portable device that can be used onsite to detect infectious diseases, pathogens as well as ...

The pecan weevil, Curculio caryae (Horn), is a major pest of pecans throughout the southeastern United States, as well as portions of Texas and Oklahoma. In "Biology and Management of the Pecan Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)," (http://bit.ly/xrqS3d) a new article appearing in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management, scientists from Oklahoma State University and Texas A&M University describe the biology, life stages, crop injury, monitoring approaches, and primary control strategies currently used for pecan weevil in pecan. Aimed at pecan growers extension personnel ...