How do changed living conditions in rural regions affect people's health and lifestyles? This is the question that Thomas Elkeles and colleagues from the Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences investigate, using rural communities in north-eastern Germany as their study populations. In the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, the authors present the results of their Landesgesundheitsstudie (LGS, Rural Health Study) (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2012; 109(16): 285-92). The particular characteristic of this study lies in the fact that the 2008 survey ties in ...

Bob Miller is one of America's most controversial authors. His new book, "Epilogue", is crammed packed with information every American needs to know...or is it? "The difference between contract killers and mob assassins is a contract killer's only goal is to complete the contract as quickly and quietly as possible; the mob assassin's job is to make you wish you were dead and then see to it that your wish comes true." This new book by Miller is a quick read; a book about a war weary Vietnam veteran getting caught in the middle of mob wars in Las Vegas. ...

University of Warwick astrophysicists have pinpointed four white dwarfs surrounded by dust from shattered planetary bodies which once bore striking similarities to the composition of the Earth. Using the Hubble Space Telescope for the biggest survey to date of the chemical composition of the atmospheres of white dwarf stars, the researchers found that the most frequently occurring elements in the dust around these four white dwarfs were oxygen, magnesium, iron and silicon – the four elements that make up roughly 93 per cent of the Earth. However an even more significant ...

A study carried out by researchers from Spain, the Netherlands and Argentina suggests that in a work environment, sexual competition affects women more than men. However, a rival's social skills provoke jealousy and professional envy equally in both sexes. A group of researchers from the universities of Valencia, Groningen (the Netherlands) and Palermo (Argentina) have analysed the differences between men and women in their way of feeling envious and jealous at work. "Women with a high level of intrasexual competition are more jealous if the rival is more attractive ...

There have been encouraging signs from the year's early shows. The Hainan Rendezvous showed particularly encouraging signs of the industries' continued recovery into 2012. Indeed, Fraser Yachts' Global Marketing Director, Patrick Cootes commented: "Our concerted efforts over the last 6 years or so have really started to pay dividends. We've invested significant time and effort in building strong local relationships and partnerships and there is no doubt that things are now beginning to move forwards. A strong and highly regarded brand is a particularly important ...

In classical mythology, the cypress tree is associated with death, the underworld and eternity. Indeed, the family to which cypresses belong, is an ancient lineage of conifers, and a new study of their evolution affords a unique insight into a turbulent era in the Earth's history. During the geological era known as the Mesozoic, the continental crust was concentrated in a single huge landmass, the supercontinent Pangea. Pangea began to break up about 150 million years ago, and the fragments drifted apart, eventually giving rise to the disposition of continents we know ...

Scientists have discovered an Achilles heel within our cells that bacteria are able to exploit to cause and spread infection. The researchers say their findings could lead to the development of new anti-infective drugs as alternatives to antibiotics whose overuse has led to resistance. University of Manchester researchers studied Listeria – a potentially deadly group of bacteria that can cause listeriosis in humans when digested – and found they are able to spread infection by hitching a ride on a naturally occurring protein called calpain. "Bacteria produce a number ...

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Researchers at Michigan State University have shown a prebiotic may help the body's own natural killer cells fight bacterial infection and reduce inflammation, greatly decreasing the risk of colon cancer. Prebiotics are fiber supplements that serve as food for the trillions of tiny bacteria living in the gut. When taken, they can stimulate the growth of the "good" bacteria. The evolution of prebiotic supplements (as well as probiotics, which are actual bacteria ingested into the system) provide new therapeutic targets for researchers and physicians. In ...

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It also saw the Antibes Yacht Show, the only pre-season charter and brokerage show enjoy another successful year with a record number of serious offers shown for vessels attending. Organizers claim this was the most successful show to date. "The Antibes Yacht Show is now on its way to becoming Europe's '#1' Brokerage and Charter Show," Stephane Trabet, the show's Commissaire General, commented. "With an increasing number of qualified international visitors from around the world, the show performed well this year with a significant number of professional ...

May 3, 2012 - The traditional Southern belief that men must defend their honor is alive and well but not just among men. A new study finds that both men and women in the Southern United States believe in responding aggressively – and sometimes in the extreme – to attacks on the nation. In two studies, researchers sought to measure both individual and regional differences in honor ideology in the United States. "Honor ideology encompasses beliefs about how men are supposed to behave in the face of provocations and the attributes that 'real' men should exhibit," says Collin ...

A new systematic assessment of malnutrition, created by researchers at Penn State, will aid dietitians and other health care providers in diagnosis and treatment. Up to 50 percent of patients in hospitals and nursing facilities are estimated to be malnourished, according to Gordon Jensen, professor and head of nutritional sciences, Penn State. Although malnutrition is widespread, confusion exists in the clinical community on how to best make this diagnose. Malnourished patients are frequently not identified as such, and those not affected are sometimes thought to be ...

Professional Dragon King hunter Didier Sornette from the Department of Management, Technology and Economics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, together with his colleague Guy Ouillon, present the many facets of Dragon Kings in a review about to be published in EPJ ST. Their work¹ will appear alongside nineteen other contributions² exploring the ways in which this emerging field of statistical analysis could become further established. Dragon Kings are events akin to catastrophes. They don't belong to the same power law regime as the more standard events. For example, they can ...

In a paper published May 3, in the journal Evolution, University of Cincinnati graduate student Karl Grieshop and Michal Polak, associate professor of biological sciences at UC, examine the role of genital spines in the reproductive success of a species of fruit fly. Their investigation identifies the specific type of advantage these spines bestow in the competition to reproduce. "The leading hypothesis to explain the remarkable diversification of male genital traits is that such complexity evolves in response to sexual selection," Grieshop said. "Specifically, mechanisms ...

SEATTLE – For the first time, scientists have found what could be a causative link between the concentration of circulating Y-chromosome fetal cells in women who gave birth to children of either sex and their risk of later developing breast cancer and colon cancer. The findings show that the presence of fetal cells is a double-edged sword: Women with the lowest concentration of fetal cells were 70 percent less likely to have breast cancer, while women with the highest concentration of fetal cells had a four-fold increased risk for colon cancer when compared with healthy ...

UPTON, NY - By measuring how strongly electrons are bound together to form Cooper pairs in an iron-based superconductor, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cornell University, St. Andrews University, and collaborators provide direct evidence supporting theories in which magnetism holds the key to this material's ability to carry current with no resistance. Because the measurements take into account the electronic bands and directions in which the electrons are traveling, which was central to testing the theoretical predictions, ...

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Baltimore, MD — Insect glands are responsible for producing a host of secretions that allow bees to sting and ants to lay down trails to and from their nests. New research from Carnegie scientists focuses on secretions from glands in the reproductive tract that help sperm survive and guide the sperm on the trip to fertilize an egg. The gene that controls the development of these glands in fruit flies provides important information about gland development in all insects, as well as potential clues to similar human reproductive glands. Their work is published this month in ...

Reston, Va. (May 3, 2012) – The use of single positron emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) has been reported to change clinical management in a significant number of thyroid cancer patients according to research presented in the May issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Information obtained from these scans not only helps determine the need for radioiodine therapy or alterative options, but also impacts the long-term follow-up strategy. "In this article I aimed to highlight the role of radioiodine imaging in risk stratification of patients ...

Philadelphia, PA, May 9, 2012 – Shop the perimeter and avoid center isles, don't buy anything at eye level, investigate the label. Grocery shopping can be a daunting task. Moreover, studies have shown that Americans obtain most of their food from grocery stores and their shopping habits are predictive of their consumption of fruits, vegetables, and sugared soft drinks. Many grocery stores are taking an active role in helping consumers make healthful food choices. You may have even seen your grocery store use a nutritional score placed right on the shelf's price label ...

LONDON, ON - In a new study from Lawson Health Research Institute, Dr. Joseph Torchia has identified a new genetic pathway influencing the spread of cancer cells. The discovery of this mechanism could lead to new avenues for treatment. Regular cell division is regulated by methylation, a series of chemical changes. Methylation modifies DNA to ensure cells divide at a healthy, balanced rate. In cancer, the methylation process is unbalanced, causing cells to resist regulation and divide uncontrollably. Research suggests changes in genetics play a role in this process, ...

There are two federal laws regarding breast augmentation surgery. The first, passed in 2000, states that it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to have breast augmentation surgery unless such surgery is for legitimate medical or reconstructive purposes. The second, passed in 2006, states that it is illegal for anyone under the age of 22, even in instances of necessary reconstruction, to have silicone breast implants placed. This means, legally, you need to be 18 to get breast implants and 22 if you'd prefer silicone implants. The reasons behind these laws are relatively ...

Stephanie Woodward, a second-year student at Syracuse University College of Law and a research assistant with the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at SU, has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Olinsky Law Group/Burton Blatt Institute Fellowship. The fellowship was established through a generous gift from disability law attorney Howard D. Olinsky L'85, a member of BBI's Board of Advisors and its executive committee. "The fellowship will provide invaluable practical experience each academic year for a law student interested in the field of civil rights law. ...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The flexible properties of hydrogels — highly absorbent, gelatinous polymers that shrink and expand depending on environmental conditions such as humidity, pH and temperature — have made them ideal for applications from contact lenses to baby diapers and adhesives. In recent years, researchers have investigated hydrogels' potential in drug delivery, engineering them into drug-carrying vehicles that rupture when exposed to certain environmental stimuli. Such vesicles may slowly release their contents in a controlled fashion; they may even contain more ...

Astronomers from Queen's University Belfast have gathered the most direct evidence yet of a supermassive black hole shredding a star that wandered too close. The Queen's astronomers are part of the Pan-STARRS international team, whose discovery has been published in the journal Nature today (Wed, 2 May). Supermassive black holes, weighing millions to billions times more than the Sun, lurk in the centers of most galaxies. These hefty monsters lie quietly until an unsuspecting 'victim', such as a star, wanders close enough to get ripped apart by their powerful gravitational ...