In the current online issue of PLoS ONE, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say they have identified a set of laboratory-based biomarkers that can be useful for understanding brain-based abnormalities in schizophrenia. The measurements, known as endophenotypes, could ultimately be a boon to clinicians who sometimes struggle to recognize and treat the complex and confounding mental disorder. "A major problem in psychiatry is that there are currently no laboratory tests that aid in diagnosis, guide treatment decisions or help predict ...

CORAL GABLES, FL (July 11, 2012)—Emotional problems in childhood are common. Approximately 8 to 22 percent of children suffer from anxiety, often combined with other conditions such as depression. However, most existing therapies are not designed to treat co-existing psychological problems and are therefore not very successful in helping children with complex emotional issues. To develop a more effective treatment for co-occurring youth anxiety and depression, University of Miami (UM) psychologist Jill Ehrenreich-May and her collaborator Emily L. Bilek analyzed the efficacy ...

A Harvard researcher studying the evolution of drug resistance in cancer is predicting that, in a few decades, "many, many cancers could be manageable." Martin Nowak, a Harvard Professor of Mathematics and of Biology and Director of the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, is one of several co-authors of a paper, published in Nature, that details how resistance to targeted drug therapy emerges in colorectal cancers, and suggests a new, multi-drug approach to treatment could make many cancers manageable, if not curable, illnesses. The key, Nowak's research suggests, ...

Putnam Valley, NY. (July 11, 2012) –A research team in the Netherlands has found that cells from burn eschar, the non-viable tissue remaining after burn injury and normally removed to prevent infection, can be a source of mesenchymal cells that may be used for tissue engineering. Their study compared the efficacy of those cells to adipose (fat)-derived stem cells and dermal fibroblasts in conforming to multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) criteria. Their study is published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (21:5), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/. ...

Putnam Valley, NY. (July 11, 2012) – A research team in the United Kingdom has found that insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) impacts cell transplantation of photoreceptor precursors by manipulating the retinal recipient microenvironment, enabling better migration and integration of the cells into the adult mouse retina. Their study is published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (21:5), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/. "Photoreceptor death is an irreversible process and represents one of the largest causes of untreatable ...

Amid the growing recognition that only a small fraction of the cells and genes in a typical human being are human, scientists are suggesting a revolutionary approach to developing new medicines and treatments to target both the human and non-human components of people. That's the topic of an article, which reviews work relating to this topic from almost 100 studies, in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research. Liping Zhao, Jeremy K. Nicholson and colleagues explain that human beings have been called "superorganisms" because their bodies contain 10 percent human cells and 90 ...

People are being exposed to higher levels of the substitute for BPA in cash register thermal paper receipts and many of the other products that engendered concerns about the health effects of bisphenol A, according to a new study. Believed to be the first analysis of occurrence of bisphenol S (BPS) in thermal and recycled paper and paper currency, the report appears in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology. Kurunthachalam Kannan and colleagues point out that growing evidence of the potentially toxic effects of BPA has led some manufacturers to replace it with ...

Scientists are reporting new evidence that a white rot fungus shows promise in the search for a way to use waste corn stalks, cobs and leaves – rather than corn itself – to produce ethanol to extend supplies of gasoline. Their study on using the fungus to break down the tough cellulose and related material in this so-called "corn stover" to free up sugars for ethanol fermentation appears in the ACS' journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. Yebo Li and colleagues explain that corn ethanol supplies are facing a crunch because corn is critical for animal feed ...

Although a walkout by disgruntled activists may have grabbed headlines, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro last month did produce hundreds of individual commitments from participants with potential for having major impacts. That's the topic of the cover story of this week's Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. C&EN Senior Correspondent Cheryl Hogue explains that the Rio+20 conference brought together representatives from companies, governments, ...

Tropical Storm Daniel was once a hurricane and now a rapidly weakening tropical storm as a result of moving over cooler waters. NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite provided a look at just how cool the waters are that have sapped Daniel's strength. The TRMM satellite flew above weakening tropical storm Daniel on July 10, 2012 at 0003 UTC. TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) data from that pass showed that only light to moderate rainfall (.0.78 to 1.57 inches/20 to 40 mm/hour) was occurring with the weakening storm. At NASA's ...

In the name of science, but with aim of saving lives, preventing injuries and reducing property losses, members of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) spent much of the first two weeks in July setting fire to 20 abandoned townhouses on Governors Island, about a kilometer from the southern tip of Manhattan. In a series of "live burn" experiments, conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL), New York firefighters challenged the conventional wisdom on, and tested new tactics for, controlling ...

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a guide to help improve the design of electronic health records for pediatric patients so that the design focus is on the users—the doctors, nurses and other clinicians who treat children. While hospitals and medical practices are accelerating their adoption of electronic health records, these records systems often are not ideal for supporting children's health care needs. Young patients' physiology is different from adults—and varies widely over the course of their growing years. Tasks that are routine ...

Paleontologist Carlos Jaramillo's group at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and colleagues at North Carolina State University and the Florida Museum of Natural History discovered a new species of fossil turtle that lived 60 million years ago in what is now northwestern South America. The team's findings were published in the Journal of Paleontology. The new turtle species is named Puentemys mushaisaensis because it was found in La Puente pit in Cerrejón Coal Mine, a place made famous for the discoveries, not only of the extinct Titanoboa, the world's ...

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a proposed update to its guidelines for securing mobile devices—such as smart phones and tablets—that are used by the federal government. NIST is asking for public comment on the draft document. Mobile devices allow workers, including government employees, to work in multiple locations and to improve their efficiency. But the same features that make these devices desirable make them a security challenge. Mobile devices can easily be lost or stolen, and users may be tempted to download nonsecure apps ...

Next-generation "smart" electrical meters for residential and commercial buildings will have computerized operating systems just as laptops or mobile devices do. On July 10, 2012, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published its first-ever draft guidelines* to help utility companies test their procedures for upgrading meters securely from a remote location. The draft publication offers a generic set of testing criteria to help any utility determine whether its method of upgrading meters conforms with the security and functionality requirements in ...

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released the second-round draft version of its updated security standard for identity credentials in the Personal Identity Verification cards (PIV cards) that all federal employees and contractors must use. NIST is requesting comments from the public on the document, which is intended to be the last draft before the final version is published. The document is the next step toward updating Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 201, which was published in February 2005. Among its requirements are that ...

BALTIMORE, MD – As interest in concussion rates and prevention strategies at all levels continues to grow, one population that appears to have increasing head injury rates is collegiate football players. Research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in Baltimore highlights that the concussion rate in three college football programs has doubled in recent years. "We monitored concussions at three service academies in the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 football seasons, and saw the combined number of reports increased ...

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Scientists have discovered two viruses that appear to infect the single-celled microalgae that reside in corals and are important for coral growth and health, and they say the viruses could play a role in the serious decline of coral ecosystems around the world. These viruses, including an RNA virus never before isolated from a coral, have been shown for the first time to clearly be associated with these microalgae called Symbiodinium. If it's proven that they are infecting those algae and causing disease, it will be another step toward understanding ...

BALTIMORE, MD – Surgically repairing a painful shoulder injury in baseball players known as a SLAP tear (superior labral) varies widely and often doesn't allow for return to play at the same level as before the injury. However, researchers presenting their findings at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland suggest that nonsurgical treatment may be more beneficial. "Our research showed that nonsurgical treatment of SLAP tears was more often successful than surgery, and in position players more frequently than for ...

The paintings of American artist Arnold Gonzales are steeped in a rich sense of family, culture and heritage. Varying in style and theme, Gonzales' works are timeless, speaking to a diversity of traditions through smooth, lyrical, painterly forms. Despite his abundant thematic scope, the artist always approaches his canvases in the same manner, imbuing his subjects with a desire to connect and thus relate to his viewers. Smooth yet palpable textures compose calmly bucolic landscapes, while poetically hewn figures compose intimate portraits. No matter his subject or style, ...

Charming Walls, a new ecommerce website, announces its official launch today. The site, http://www.charmingwalls.com, features a collection of home decor items exclusively for walls. Product categories include wall clocks, mirrors, picture frames, candleholders, hooks, shelves, signs and tapestries. A large variety of wall art is also available ranging from contemporary canvas art to framed prints. "We've created Charming Walls as a single source for everything 'wall decor' which is a unique approach," explains Founder and President Kimberly Brandt. "We're ...

The non-profit VisionServe Alliance, whose executive members directly represent every aspect of services to people who are blind or visually impaired, has received the 2012 "Chairman's Award" from Chicago-based First Nonprofit Insurance Company for 25 years of accomplishments and service. Roxann Mayros, president and CEO of VisionServe Alliance, said, "We are honored to receive the 2012 'Chairman's Award' from First Nonprofit Insurance Company for our work in representing the interests of organizations that serve people who are blind or visually impaired, ...

As part of an ongoing commitment to giving back to the community, Sydney's boutique graphic design agency Attractivo has launched Pro Bono Initiative 2012. Dedicated to utilising the design agency's creative skills to helping others, Attractivo's goal with this program is to support 30 not-for-profit organisations and charities by the year 2015. Exclusively for Australian NPOs and charities, part of the Attractivo Pro Bono Intiative program is the Pro Bono Annual Report Design Service. With this initiative, Attractivo is offering pro bono service for the design of ...

1% Realty San Antonio is proud to announce that a couple whose remodeled home brought Alamo Heights into the national spotlight will see their latest work showcased again, as part of Jefferson Bank's Tour of Homes. Award-winning architect Ryan Jones, AIA, and his wife Jennifer were featured on a 2008 episode of HGTV's "My House Is Worth What?" for the work they had done on their former home. Their latest project, also located in the heart of Alamo Heights, will be spotlighted in the Tour of Homes, an event allowing brokers and agents an opportunity to preview ...

Iroff and Son Jewelers, a leading diamond engagement ring jeweler located in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta, GA, today announced that they are hosting a bridal and engagement ring show and sale on July 28th and 29th, 2012. The show is being sponsored by Artcarved rings. "We are very excited to have this show hosted at our location," said Brian Iroff, owner of Iroff and Son. "Artcarved has an excellent brand, with an amazing selection of beautiful diamond rings to choose from. They will be bringing over 1000 different styles and combinations to the show, ...