The mild winter of 2012 has many people asking, "Where's the snow?" These two snow cover maps show the difference between snow extent on March 3, 2011, and March 5, 2012. The maps were compiled from data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite. In 2012, the snow cover is very spotty compared to 2011. In 2011, the Great Lakes were clearly defined by surrounding snow, and snow blanketed the Rocky Mountains, Nevada's Basin and Range, and the Sierra Nevada all the way into southern California. In 2012, ...

A study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and The University of Minnesota indicates that a parent's weight change is a key contributor to the success of a child's weight loss in family-based treatment of childhood obesity. The results were published today in the advanced online edition of the journal Obesity. "We looked at things such as parenting skills and styles, or changing the home food environment, and how they impacted a child's weight," said Kerri N. Boutelle, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at ...

A tropical storm called Lua formed in the Indian Ocean off Australia's northwestern coast on March 13, 2012. NASA's TRMM satellite passed over Lua and observed moderate rainfall and strong towering thunderstorms within on March 13. By March 14, it was turning back toward Australia and storm warnings had been posted. The area of Australia where Cyclone Lua is located is sparsely populated, but Lua caused the shutdown of over one quarter of the country's crude oil production. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite flew over that area on March 13, 2012 ...

RICHLAND, Wash. -- A study that examines a new type of silicon-carbon nanocomposite electrode reveals details of how they function and how repeated use could wear them down. The study also provides clues to why this material performs better than silicon alone. With an electrical capacity five times higher than conventional lithium battery electrodes, silicon-carbon nanocomposite electrodes could lead to longer-lasting, cheaper rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles. Published online in the journal Nano Letters last week, the study includes videos of the electrodes ...

The Kathy Freeman Company, a retained executive search firm focused exclusively on assignments within the investment industry, has concluded its latest proprietary research designed to identify current trends among senior sales and marketing executives. Based on that research the firm has just published its most recent annual whitepaper: "Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?" The trends identified in the paper can be leveraged by CEOs, their human resources partners, or line executives to design a more effective and relevant approach to retaining or attracting ...

A new topical gel now available by prescription significantly decreases the amount of time needed to treat actinic keratosis, a skin condition that is a common precursor to skin cancer, according to a multi-center trial led by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The gel, called ingenol mebutate, is applied to the skin for just a few days, making it quicker and even more effective as current therapies require weeks to months to apply. The Phase III study results of the trial are published in the March 15, 2012 issue of the The New England Journal of Medicine. Actinic ...

Some NHS trusts consistently outperform others on a range of measures of patient experience, finds research published online in BMJ Quality & Safety. Furthermore, the top performers tend to be Foundation Trusts and teaching hospitals, the study shows. Patient experience is one of the five domains for assessing NHS performance (NHS Outcomes Framework) and is recognised internationally as a key dimension of healthcare quality. But it is one of the more difficult areas to measure because of the many contributory factors involved, say the authors. The authors, from ...

Significant numbers of teens regularly carry rucksacks for school which top 10 to 15 per cent of their body weight and risk back pain and other related disorders, finds research published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. The problem is compounded by a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, say the researchers. They assessed the back health of 1403 pupils between the ages of 12 and 17, drawn from 11 schools in one province in North Western Spain. The teens were weighed twice - once without coats and other items likely to add weight, such as mobile phones, ...

Advising women to breastfeed exclusively for six months may be "unhelpful" and far too idealistic, suggests a qualitative study of new mothers, their partners, and close relatives, published in the online journal BMJ Open. Exclusive breastfeeding for six months is known to confer considerable health benefits for mother and baby, and many governments around the world endorse the World Health Organization recommendations to do so. But more realistic, incremental, and achievable goals should be set instead, particularly in countries that have struggled to meet targets ...

PHILADELPHIA — Dietary cadmium, a toxic metal widely dispersed in the environment and found in many farm fertilizers, may lead to an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a study published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Cadmium occurs at low concentrations naturally, but scientists are concerned because contamination of farmland mainly due to atmospheric deposition and use of fertilizers leads to higher uptake in plants. "Because of a high accumulation in agricultural crops, the main sources of dietary cadmium ...

Worldwide increases in the incidences of asthma, allergies, infectious and cardiovascular diseases will result from a variety of impacts of global climate change, including rising temperatures, worsening ozone levels in urban areas, the spread of desertification, and expansions of the ranges of communicable diseases as the planet heats up, the professional organization representing respiratory and airway physicians stated in a new position paper released today. The paper is published online and in print in the Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society. The society ...

Philadelphia, PA, March 15, 2012 – Record numbers of Americans are receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, as food stamps are now known, and many SNAP participants live in neighborhoods with little or no access to healthy food. A study conducted at the Clark Park Farmers' Market, in Philadelphia, PA, has found that making it easier for vendors to collect SNAP payments with electronic point-of-sale systems increased fresh produce sales to SNAP recipients by 38%. However, the costs associated with such systems may put them out of reach for farmers. ...

The forthcoming EU collection objective for discarded electrical equipment and energy saving lamps (e-waste) is only achievable if governments are prepared to introduce additional measures. By 2021, all EU countries will need to collect 65 percent of the average weight of equipment and lamps which was sold annually the three previous years. However, part of the e-waste is outside of the producers' reach, as this concerns legal or illegal exports, or because it has disappeared into the waste bin. This conclusion was reached during an international e-waste conference ...

These days, there is a wide swath of online information readily available regarding treatment of and recovery from breast cancer. Finding a website that targets overall health and healing of the mind, body, and spirit is a challenging task for breast cancer patients, survivors, and the people closest to them. Finding doctors and other healthcare professionals who offer expertise grounded in an integrative approach of both holistic and allopathic medicine is an even more daunting search. At last, a website that joins these two audiences as one vibrant community is available: ...

Jon F. Thoms, CPA, partner and Michael P. Welbes, CPA, ABV, partner of Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C. (HK) recently addressed Culver's single and multi-unit franchisee owners at the Culver's Leading the True Blue Way 2012 Reunion in Phoenix, Arizona. Thoms presented "The Seven Steps of Fiscal Fitness." This presentation provided franchise owners the opportunity to learn about budgeting and business planning, understanding integrated financial statements, creating a useful accounting system and accounting functions. Welbes informed Culver's franchisee ...

Arlington, VA (March 15, 2012) — As the supply of life-saving antibiotics becomes increasingly threatened, infectious diseases experts urge healthcare systems and policymakers to step up efforts to protect patients by preserving the effectiveness of available antibiotics through antimicrobial stewardship initiatives. A new position paper from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) outlines measures necessary to improve the use and ensure the impact of antibiotics ...

CHICAGO (March 12, 2012)— Curbing unnecessary use of antibiotics is our best defense against the spread of drug-resistant infections. A new study suggests another benefit to antimicrobial stewardship: a potential cost savings of millions of dollars now wasted on therapies that don't help patients. The research is published in the April issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, in a special topic issue focused on antimicrobial stewardship. Antimicrobial stewardship programs and interventions ...

Epigenetics is the new hip science. Time Magazine's front cover and article, 'Why your DNA isn't your Destiny' from January 2010 explains why. Its more explicit subtitle provided the hook - 'The new science of epigenetics reveals how the choices you make can change your genes - and those of your kids'. Who wouldn't be interested in this? Epigenetics is the study of ways in which the genetic code in our DNA is regulated - switching genes on and off, or amplifying or muting their expression - results in changes in metabolic pathways and in bodily functions. The exciting ...

Trafalgar (www.trafalgar.com) is pleased to announce the overwhelming success of the recently sponsored Patricia Schultz US book tour. Taking Patricia to signings and expos in 20 cities across the US, the book tour showcased the second edition of the author's New York Times bestseller, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die and the partnership with Trafalgar. "My whirlwind book tour across America & Toronto would not have been possible without the support and enthusiasm of Trafalgar. Our Spain sweepstakes increased the fun factor - a giveaway-for-two to one of ...

eloquii by The Limited is a new online retailer of the best in trendy plus size clothing, tailored for full figured women with a passion for fashion. The Limited's famous classy designs and silhouettes have been brought to clothing designed for women with curves who want great style. Everything a woman needs in her wardrobe, from skirts and tops to suits and outwear, are included in the fashion line. Even height is considered in the fit of the clothing, which allows shoppers to search by short, regular and long pant lengths of pants. Knowing your clothes fit your body perfectly ...

Corcentric, a leading provider of Accounts Payable automation solutions, today announced the appointment of Paul Santini to the role of National Account Manager. Paul brings more than 25 years of experience in Finance, Accounts Payable, and Financial Systems implementations with him. Previously, Paul served as Vice President of Financial Operations/Systems at The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc., where he was responsible for managing financial operations including initiatives around Accounts Payable workflow automation, expense reporting automation, as well as most ...

Researchers have taken another crack at a promising approach to stopping Alzheimer's disease that encountered a major hurdle last year. In research published this week in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, scientists have developed a compound that targets a molecular actor known as RAGE, which plays a central role in mucking up the brain tissue of people with the disease. Scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center and the University of Southern California synthesized a compound that stops RAGE in mice – reversing amyloid deposits, restoring healthy blood ...

WASHINGTON – The times are changing, and not necessarily for the better when it comes to giving back to society, according to 40 years of research on 9 million young adults. Since the baby boomer generation, there has been a significant decline among young Americans in political participation, concern for others and interest in saving the environment, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association. "Popular views of the millennial generation, born in the 1980s and 1990s, as more caring, community-oriented and politically engaged than previous ...

A novel type of sensor, based on nanometer-scale pores in a semiconductor membrane, is a step closer to practical use in applications such as analyzing the protein contents of a single cell. Researchers pioneering single-molecule nanopore sensor technology at the Technische Universität München (TUM) have shown its potential through a succession of experiments over the past few years. Now, in collaboration with biochemists at Goethe University Frankfurt, they have been able to advance this effort past what had been a sticking point: enhancing the selectivity of the sensor ...

Kennett Square, Pennsylvania-based IKOR Industries, Inc. recently entered into a two year agreement for the provision of outsourced manufacturing support, or "shelter," services in Mexico with The Offshore Group of Tucson, Arizona. Under the terms of the agreement, and at the projects maturity, IKOR will occupy 30,950 square feet of industrial space in The Offshore Group's Bella Vista Industrial Park. These facilities are located in Empalme, in the Mexican State of Sonora. IKOR will eventually employ 50 workers in the manufacture of electrical cables, harnesses ...