Confused.com has designed a new road sign, specifically to alert road users to the UK's two million potholes*. The road sign is the first of its kind and the car insurance expert is petitioning to urge the Department for Transport to introduce it to roads across the UK. A constant source of frustration for drivers, the sign has been developed in response to recent findings that even with sufficient budgets; it would take councils at least 11 years to repair the UK's damaged roads**. With this in mind, 82% of drivers would like to see a road sign dedicated to potholes. ...

LOS ANGELES – June 30, 2011 – A study by a global consortium of physician-scientists has identified a genetic variation that may predispose people to double the risk of having a sudden cardiac arrest, a disorder that gives little warning and is fatal in about 95 percent of cases. Although previous, smaller studies have identified some genes with a potential association with sudden cardiac arrest, this is the first study large enough to enable scientists to apply results to the general population. Findings are published today by the Public Library of Science (PloS Genetics). "We ...

Washington, DC – African-Americans are less likely than whites to receive critical stroke treatment primarily because they do not get to a hospital soon enough for time-sensitive treatment and because of preexisting medical conditions. For patients who are eligible for treatment, no racial disparity was found. Those are the findings of a new Georgetown University Medical Center study involving the review of almost 1,000 patient records from all seven acute care hospitals in Washington, DC. The new study will be published in the June 30th issue of American Stroke Association's ...

Whilst pay, perks and a pleasant working environment all score highly, being kept in the loop with high levels of communication is the single most important factor in keeping UK workers content within their jobs. The survey conducted by reed.co.uk, which polled more than 2,500 UK workers, revealed that strong communication (87% of respondents), opportunities for career advancement (86%) and job security (85%) are amongst the most important factors contributing to staff happiness, whilst training (81%) and recognition of a job well done (77%) also influence job satisfaction. ...

In the first study to consider the impact of gender on patient outcomes in major gastrointestinal surgeries, researchers at UC San Diego Health System have found that women are more likely to survive after the procedure than men. The pattern is even more pronounced when comparing women before menopause with men of the same age. Results, now published online in the Journal of Surgical Research in a paper titled "The Battle of the Sexes: Women Win Out in Gastrointestinal Surgery," shed light on major differences between patients which impact treatment success, and open ...

MADISON, WI, JUNE 30, 2011 -- Agroforestry, the deliberate placement of trees into crop and livestock operations, can help capture substantial amounts of carbon on agricultural lands while providing production and conservation benefits. However, we currently lack tools for accurately estimating current and projected carbon values in these systems. In North America, windbreaks are an effective carbon-capturing option. Only occupying about 2 to 5% of the land, windbreaks also help protect crops and livestock, as well as reduce wind erosion. They provide a means to increase ...

IDMS Account Ability has launched a Wage and Information Reporting Data Module ("AADM") that is free to all software developers. AADM merges data extracts from any authored application with Account Ability's library of government approved information returns and annual wage reports. AADM supports the entire family of Information Returns (1097-BTC, 1098, 1098-C, 1098-E, 1098-T, 1099-A, 1099-B, 1099-C, 1099-CAP, 1099-DIV, 1099-G, 1099-H, 1099-INT, 1099-K, 1099-LTC, 1099-MISC, 1099-OID, 1099-PATR, 1099-Q, 1099-R, 1099-S, 1099-SA, 3921, 3922, 5498, 5498-ESA, 5498-SA, ...

The position of the foot just before ground contact during running and walking may put people at risk for ankle sprains, according to a new study published by a University of Georgia kinesiology researcher. The results of the study, which appear in the June online edition of the American Journal of Sports Medicine, found that people who have a history of repetitive ankle sprains demonstrated lower clearance heights between their feet and the floor during running and pointed their toes down more during walking. Ankle sprains are the most common sports-related injury, and ...

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---In type 2 diabetes, a protein called amylin forms dense clumps that shut down insulin-producing cells, wreaking havoc on the control of blood sugar. But zinc has a knack for preventing amylin from misbehaving. Recent research at the University of Michigan offers new details about how zinc performs this "security guard" function. The findings appear in the July 8 issue of the Journal of Molecular Biology. Amylin is something of a two-faced character. In healthy people who have normal levels of zinc in the insulin-producing islet cells of the pancreas, ...

Los Angeles, CA (July 1, 2011) – After Fukushima, it is now imperative to redefine what makes a successful nuclear power program - from cradle to grave. If nuclear waste management is not thought out from the beginning, the public in many countries will reject nuclear power as an energy choice, according to research that appears today in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by SAGE. According to Allison Macfarlane, associate professor of environmental science and policy at George Mason University, and a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear ...

STANFORD, Calif. — Young basketball players spend hours dribbling up and down the court aspiring to NBA stardom. Now, new Stanford University School of Medicine research suggests another tactic to achieving their hoop dreams: sleep. In a study appearing in the July issue of SLEEP, Cheri Mah, a researcher in the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory, has shown that basketball players at the elite college level were able to improve their on-the-court performance by increasing their amount of total sleep time. The study suggests that "sleep is an important ...

Integration with a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) improves radiologists' use of clinical decision support tools, according to a study in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (www.jacr.org). Decision support systems for radiologists can provide information during image interpretation that may improve diagnostic accuracy and increase radiologists' confidence. However, most decision support systems require radiologists to exit the PACS environment, which may deter busy radiologists from pursuing decision support. Forty-eight ...

Generally healthy patients who undergo total hip replacement (THR) can be fast tracked to be discharged in two days compared with the standard three to six days, according to a new study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City. The study could help cut down on hospital-acquired infections, reduce hospital costs and improve patient satisfaction. "Before this study, we were uncertain how safe it would be to discharge patients within two days after a total hip replacement, but based on this study, we now know that it is safe. This is evidenced ...

DARIEN, Ill. – A study in the July 1 issue of the journal SLEEP shows that sleep extension is beneficial to athletic performance, reaction time, vigor, fatigue and mood in collegiate basketball players. The study is the first to document sleep extension and the athletic performance of actively competing athletes. Results of objective measurements show that the mean total sleep time per night during sleep extension was 110.9 minutes longer than at baseline. Indices of athletic performance specific to basketball were measured after every practice to assess changes in performance. ...

7-Year-ARM.com was recently launched to provide mortgage shoppers with information on 7/1 adjustable rate mortgage programs. The niche, mortgage research website also provides current 7 year arm mortgage rates advertised by a number of banks and mortgage lenders. Low mortgage rates and fear of "risky" home loan programs have resulted in an overwhelming majority of purchase and refinance borrowers opting to take out a fixed rate loan. Some home buyers and homeowners aren't even presented with additional choices when they shop for financing - they are simply ...

The bank, which specialises in a range of personal financial services from bank accounts to mortgages, found household expenditure on DIY totalled GBP9.5 billion in 2010, equivalent to an average outlay of GBP352 per household: a fall of 13% in real terms (i.e. after allowing for inflation) from the GBP10.9 billion spent in 2009. Overall, expenditure on home maintenance (DIY and tradesmen's services) has fallen by 9% over the past year, from GBP17.8bn in 2009 to GBP16.2bn in 2010. Expenditure on tradesmen's services declined by 3% over the same period from GBP6.9bn ...

The intention of this initiative is to raise funds and awareness for Cerebral Palsy, represented by Chase Winshaw, a 2-year-old boy suffering from the disease. There is cutting edge stem cell surgery available in Germany that has increased the quality of life of its recipients by up to 70% and we would like to contribute towards getting Chase to Germany to have this surgery and possibly other children in the future. How are we raising the funds: We have enticed 70 runners to be part of the initiative to walk/run the Knysna Half marathon (21.1km) on 9 July, next weekend, ...

This summer, from July 1st to August 31st, celebrate the opening of the innovative Canadian publishing company, IMAJIN BOOKS. Our huge summer event will begin on July 1, 2011 and we'll be rewarding readers and book reviewers. This is our way to say "Thank you" for reading our books. Great things come in threes! So we have 3 ways you can help us celebrate: 1. Summer eBook Sale: July 1-July 31 All ebooks on sale for $2.99 or less, via Amazon or Smashwords only. Check out www.imajinbooks.com for quick links, coupon codes and more info. 2. Summer ...

Homes Media Solutions , a branch of Dominion Homes Media and a division of Dominion Enterprises, has announced the promotion of Wendy Froehlich to the position of vice president of marketing for Dominion Homes Media. Froehlich most recently held the position of assistant vice president of Marketing for For Rent Media Solutions , and in her newly expanded role will lead the marketing efforts for both For Rent Media Solutions and the newly branded Homes Media Solutions. Froehlich, a marketing professional with over 20 years of experience, is a master of marketing solutions ...

Blanket America, known for its BUY 1, GIVE 1 American blanket donation model, recently added a selection of brightly colored comforter sets just in time for summer. Along with its regular selection of sheet sets, blankets and throws, the company is excited to promote its new tripanel comforter sets, available in four color schemes, as well as its reversible down alternative comforter sets. "These new styles have really expanded our selection to include bright, modern designs ideal for summer weather. Best of all, Blanket America is a one-stop shop for blankets ...

On the heels of the company's first opening in Denver at the Sheraton Downtown Denver Hotel, Zoup! Fresh Soup Company will be opening their second Colorado restaurant location at the Shops at Greenwood Village, located at 9672 E. Arapahoe Road in Greenwood Village. Scheduled to open June 30, 2011, local owner Tim McKennie will be hosting a grand opening fundraiser event on Wednesday, June 29, 2011. From 5:00 - 8:00 pm, customers can visit the new store and purchase a bowl of soup, a hunk of bread and a drink for only $5. 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit the ...

RentSentinel was in attendance at the National Apartment Association (NAA) Education Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas this June 23-25, 2011. At the Conference, the RentSentinel team presented their newest products: RentSentinel Tablet, Prospector and Prospect Portal. "It was a great conference to familiarize the multifamily industry with the newest additions to the RentSentinel Suite," said Eric Broughton, President and COO of Yield Technologies and RentSentinel. "Most of the industry is familiar with our RentSentinel Marketer and ILS Integrator tools; ...

VAINSTYLE & Co has partnered with Wardrobe Fiends to present their second annual "Mommy Makeover," at Haven Lounge NYC on July 1, 2011, in association with, Fashion With Compassion. Acknowledging the personal sacrifice that often comes with parenthood, co-founders of Wardrobe Fiends and fashion stylists Kalitza Pagan and Yasmine Caceres created Fashion With Compassion, a charity designed to honor parents who have forfeited their own wardrobe needs for the sake of maintaining their family. Recognizing that motherhood can have a huge impact on image and ...

Both the staff and site visitors can provide answers or comments to the questions submitted by others. So far the submissions have ranged from needing to know about how to travel internationally when owing child support to trying to replace an unused India visa for free. The following are more examples of the type of questions being asked already. - If a multiple entry visa is needed for Thailand when a tourist re-enters the country at different times throughout the year. - Clearing up the confusion about the travel restrictions that the passport card has and the ...

The City of Daytona Beach, in conjunction with The Continental Group (TCG) will host a "2011 Hurricane Preparedness Summit" on Thursday, July 7th, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the Daytona Beach Resort and Conference Center, located at 2700 N. Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. The event is open to all residents of the Daytona Beach community, Condo Association Board Members and Property Managers. The interactive panel will discuss best practices in hurricane preparedness with members of the community and focus on helping attendees create a realistic, ...