Courtship rituals can be all-consuming, demanding time and effort – but now scientists have discovered why it might be worth it. Attracting a mate – which can take significant effort, such as in a peacock's show of feathers or the exhaustive rutting of stags – can produce benefits for a species in the long term, a study suggests. Scientists have shown that animals and plants which reproduce sexually are at a considerable advantage to those species – such as some insects and reptiles – that reproduce without a partner. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh studied ...

While exercise is accepted universally as the most beneficial prescription physicians can write for patients, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that generate its widespread health benefits. Researchers from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine have shed light on this mystery by discovering that a genetic factor, Kruppel-like Factor 15 (KLF15), governs the body's ability to burn fat during exercise. Previous research from the laboratory of Mukesh Jain, MD, FAHA, identified the importance of KLF15 in the metabolism of two of the three basic nutrients used ...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new study offers compelling genetic evidence that head and body lice are the same species. The finding is of special interest because body lice can transmit deadly bacterial diseases, while head lice do not. The study appears in the journal Insect Molecular Biology. Scientists have long debated whether human head and body lice are the same or different species. The head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) is a persistent nuisance, clinging to and laying its eggs in the hair, digging its mouthparts into the scalp and feeding on blood several times a ...

HOUSTON -- (April 9, 2012) -- A new study by Rice University scientists reveals that plants can use the sense of touch to fight off fungal infections and insects. The study, which will be published in the April 24 issue of Current Biology, finds that plant defenses are enhanced when plants are touched. "From previous studies, we knew that plants change their growth in response to touch but we didn't know how these growth changes were activated," said Wassim Chehab, a faculty fellow in Rice's Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology and lead author of the new study. ...

AMES, Iowa -- Scientists have overcome a major hurdle facing quantum computing: how to protect quantum information from degradation by the environment while simultaneously performing computation in a solid-state quantum system. The research was reported in the April 5 issue of Nature. A group led by U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory physicist Viatsheslav Dobrovitski and including scientists at Delft University of Technology; the University of California, Santa Barbara; and University of Southern California, made this big step forward on the path to using the ...

On March 28, 2012, O'Reilly Collins obtained a verdict in favor of its client, Stephens & Stephens XII, LLC, and against Fireman's Fund Insurance Company for $4,673,125.10 for failure to pay an insurance claim. Stephens' warehouse was stripped of copper wiring, causing over $2 million electrical and mechanical damages. Stephens was notified of the theft on July 1, 2007 by the Richmond police who apprehended two thieves. Stephens promptly notified its insurance company, Fireman's Fund, of the loss and asked to pay for the repairs. Fireman's Fund initially promised ...

Major life decisions such as marriage, divorce, abortion, having a child and attending university may be subconsciously influenced by how long people believe they will live, according to a Queen's University study. "Life expectancy might be driving all of these major decisions," says Daniel Krupp, a post doctoral fellow in the Queen's math department who has a background in psychology and biology. The longer someone expects to live, the more time they will invest in education. If life expectancy is short, someone may decide to get married and have children sooner, or ...

NEW YORK, April 9, 2012 – In the current hyper-charged United States healthcare debate, the focus on lowering cost without compromising quality of care remains a priority. But according to a new study by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and colleagues, one common approach may have serious unintended consequences. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's (RWJF) Clinical Scholars program and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the study, which appears today in the April issue of Health Affairs, examines the potential impact of policies ...

Lowering glucose levels for people with diabetes is normally critical to improving health outcomes. But for those with heart failure, that might not always be the case, say UCLA researchers. A new study found that for advanced heart failure patients with diabetes, having higher blood glucose levels may actually help improve survival rates. Currently published online in the American Journal of Cardiology, UCLA researchers compared levels of a marker used to track glucose levels called glycosylated hemoglobin in advanced heart failure patients with and without diabetes. ...

Techniques for leveraging e-discovery and social media evidence. The West LegalEdcenter webinar will include discussions on the importance of e-discovery and social media evidence and how to use it as leverage in civil and criminal litigation. Mr. Isaacs, a New Jersey attorney, mediator, and arbitrator, will provide techniques for obtaining e-discovery and uses for social media. He will also cover material on the recent privacy invasion and bullying issues that resulted in the Rutgers University student's criminal trial and guilty verdicts. Hanan M. lsaacs, M.A., J.D., ...

AURORA, Colo. (April 9, 2012) – Dozens of American youth under the age of 20 die on the job each year while thousands more are injured, often due to poorly regulated work environments, according to a new report released by the Colorado School of Public Health. "We don't tend to think of child labor as a major issue in the U.S. but we should," said the study's lead author Carol Runyan, Ph.D., MPH, and professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health. "Laws governing the employment of youth ages 14 to 17 in this country are often very lenient and in the ...

TravelShark today unveiled the first 30 winners of the Sharky Awards, a hyper-local awards program designed to recognize the freshest, most inspiring travel experiences across the globe. The first group of winners is divided into three categories: People, Places, and Things. TravelShark launched the Sharky Awards in late 2011 and named this class of honorees as its first quarterly collection of rare discoveries and unique finds that make memorable additions to people's travel itineraries. TravelShark singled out the water slide at Golden Nugget Las Vegas for top ...

CORVALLIS, Ore. – A survey done on the loss in the Northern Hemisphere of large predators, particularly wolves, concludes that current populations of moose, deer, and other large herbivores far exceed their historic levels and are contributing to disrupted ecosystems. The research, published today by scientists from Oregon State University, examined 42 studies done over the past 50 years. It found that the loss of major predators in forest ecosystems has allowed game animal populations to greatly increase, crippling the growth of young trees and reducing biodiversity. ...

A national consortium of researchers has published new findings that could change the standard of practice for those treating Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy (FECD), a disease characterized by cornea swelling that can eventually lead to the need for corneal transplantation. The Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy Genetics Multi-Center Study Group, led by co-principal investigators Jonathan Lass, MD, Charles I Thomas Professor and chair, Case Western Reserve University Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and director, University Hospitals Eye Institute, ...

Development of a new way to make a powerful tool for altering gene sequences should greatly increase the ability of researchers to knock out or otherwise alter the expression of any gene they are studying. The new method allows investigators to quickly create a large number of TALENs (transcription activator-like effector nucleases), enzymes that target specific DNA sequences and have several advantages over zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), which have become a critical tool for investigating gene function and potential gene therapy applications. "I believe that TALENs ...

(Santa Barbara, Calif.) — The trade in live plants from around the world has become a major industry in the United States, with new imports now valued at more than $500 billion annually. According to a study conducted by researchers at UC Santa Barbara's National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, however, what has proved to be a boon for the economy has also been shown to have devastating effects on the environment. The multidisciplinary working group found that almost 70 percent of the most damaging non-native forest insects and diseases currently afflicting ...

The part of the brain we use when engaging in egalitarian behavior may also be linked to a larger sense of morality, researchers have found. Their conclusions, which offer scientific support for Adam Smith's theories of morality, are based on experimental research published in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study, coming seven months after the start of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, which has been aimed at addressing income inequality, was conducted by researchers from: New York University's Wilf Family Department of Politics; ...

PHILADELPHIA – More than 60 percent of breast cancer survivors report at least one treatment-related complication even six years after their diagnosis, according to a new study led by a researcher from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The findings are part of a special issue of Cancer devoted to exploring the physical late effects of breast cancer treatment and creating strategies to prevent, monitor for, and treat these conditions in the nation's 2.6 million survivors of the disease. "Our work provides the first accounting of the true ...

Los Angeles, CA (April 9, 2012) Does the growing number of psychiatric disorder diagnoses have an effect on people with mental illnesses? According to a new study, as definitions of mental illnesses become broader, people who show signs of depression and other common mental illnesses are less likely to evoke a supportive response from friends and family members as are people with other severe mental disorders. This new study was released in a recent issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior (published by SAGE). Author Brea L. Perry studied interviews conducted ...

ATLANTA—April 10, 2012—A new report by American Cancer Society scientists says new data showing aspirin's potential role in reducing the risk of cancer death bring us considerably closer to the time when cancer prevention can be included in clinical guidelines for the use of aspirin in preventative care. The report, published early online in Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, says even a 10% reduction in overall cancer incidence beginning during the first 10 years of treatment could tip the balance of benefits and risks favorably in average-risk populations. Current guidelines ...

URBANA – New research from the University of Illinois sheds light on the nutritional value of whey powder and whey permeate as a lactose source for pigs. "We wanted to determine the energy concentration and digestibility of phosphorus in whey powder, in conventional whey permeate, and in low-ash whey permeate because these values had not been determined," said Hans H. Stein, a U of I professor of animal sciences. Skim milk powder has been used to meet the requirement for lactose by weanling pigs, but it is costly and usually uneconomical to use in commercial production. ...

ProfitKey International, a leader in ERP software for discrete manufacturing companies for over 30 years, has entered into an agreement with PowwowHR to integrate their Human Resource Management System (HRMS) with ProfitKey's Rapid Response Manufacturing ERP system. PowwowHR is a leading provider of HRMS software and solutions delivered via a SaaS-based integrated platform which eliminates the need to manage multiple vendors. Founded by principals with over 20 years experience providing HR solutions, they believe it takes a group of people who are HR professionals ...

Stress and anxiety among Americans is under increasing concern –in the doctor's office, in the workplace and at home. UC student researchers will be examining different facets of the crisis as they take part in a national conference aimed at bringing relief to that suffering. UC graduate and undergraduate research posters will be presented at the 32nd annual conference of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, which will be held April 12-15 in Arlington, Va. All of the student researchers are under the mentorship of Alison Mcleish, a UC assistant professor of psychology. Three ...

AMES, Iowa – Christopher Karstens was on the ground studying the damage caused by the deadly April 27, 2011, tornado that hit Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Ala. It was just a week after the tornado. He was between the two cities, in the rough country of the southern Appalachians about 20 miles northeast of Tuscaloosa. He said it's terrain that's "beyond hilly." It's covered by dense forest and clogged by high brush that's tough to walk through. A hike of about 100 yards sometimes took as long as 45 minutes. It was a perfect place for Karstens – a doctoral student from ...

MAYWOOD, Ill. -- Researchers have determined that bacteria are present in the bladders of some healthy women, which discredits the common belief that normal urine is sterile. These findings were published in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology by researchers at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine (SSOM). "Doctors have been trained to believe that urine is germ-free," said Linda Brubaker, MD, MS, dean, SSOM. "However, these findings challenge this notion, so this research may have positive implications for how we treat patients with ...