The U.S. plastics industry accounts for about 10 percent of the country's total oil consumption. And despite widespread public outrage about the harmful environmental impacts of plastic bottles and bags, among other ubiquitous items of daily life, only about one percent of that is recycled. Fortunately, technologies and consumer demands for greener products have created an entire industry dedicated to changing the resources used for the products in our throw-away culture--bioplastics (PLA). Derived from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable oils, corn starch ...

This month, CERAWeek provides optimism for the energy industry as executives gather to discus environmental responsibility and transparency as the keys to success. The 2012 CERAWeek showcased a tremendous sense of optimism within the U.S. and global energy industry, largely due to the potential for vast new oil and natural gas reserves. Industry leaders also exhibited a sincere appreciation for public concern over the technologies used to extract these resources; and specifically noted that concerns related to hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" are legitimate ...

Computer scientists in India have developed a two-pronged algorithm that can detect the presence of a botnet on a computer network and block its malicious activities before it causes too much harm. The team describes details of the system in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Wireless and Mobile Computing. One of the most significant threats faced by computer networks is from "bots". A bot is simply a program that runs on a computer without the owner's knowledge and carries out any of a number of tasks over the network and the wider internet. It can run ...

Although supply chain officers are starting to crop up in the boardroom, they've usually been the behind-the-scenes types - you know, the bean-counters making sure everything gets everywhere so everyone can have everything they want. It's not a small job, and it's usually not a very glamorous one either. And yet, with natural disasters causing major disruptions in the global supply chain and markets rollicking as a result, it's not the charismatic leaders who can get us where we need to be. It's the bean counters. Good supply chain operations means getting the job ...

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The use of stun guns by police significantly increases the chances of citizen injury, yet also protects the officers more than other restraint methods, according to the most comprehensive research to date into the safety of stun guns in a law enforcement setting. William Terrill, lead researcher on the project and Michigan State University criminologist, said the federally funded research presents a dilemma for police agencies weighing use of the controversial weapon. Nationally, some 260,000 electronic control devices, or stun guns, are in use in ...

Tony Guice, CPA, and Manager / Member of Gunther Roberts Consulting said, "We are always looking for opportunities to offer our clients a broader range of services around our core competencies of accounting, human resources, and IT. This new offering fits well within our HR suite of services and expands our footprint into the Transportation Industry. Companies in this industry need sound advice on compliance with the many DOT regulations that exist and a means to deliver that message to its employees. Given our background and over 15 years of experience in Industrial ...

Dr. Remus Repta of Advanced Aesthetic Associates says he's not surprised that the Los Angeles County coroner found scars associated with breast implants on Whitney Houston's body, since breast augmentation in Phoenix and across the nation is extremely common. What Dr. Repta finds interesting is the spin the media put on the results of the coroner's report, which indicated there were small scars associated with breast implants on Houston's breasts. "Whitney Houston's tragic death was covered by news sources across the nation, but I was shocked to see that evidence ...

A process that spins starch into fine strands could take the sting out of removing bandages, as well as produce less expensive and more environmentally-friendly toilet paper, napkins and other products, according to Penn State food scientists. "There are many applications for starch fibers," said Lingyan Kong, graduate student, food science, "Starch is the most abundant and also the least expensive of natural polymers." Kong, who worked with Greg Ziegler, professor of food science, used a solvent to dissolve the starch into a fluid that can then be spun into long strands, ...

PITTSBURGH—The millions of "check-ins" generated by foursquare, the location-based social networking site, can be used to create a dynamic view of a city's workings and character, Carnegie Mellon University researchers say. In contrast to static neighborhood boundaries and dated census figures, these "Livehoods" reflect the ever-changing patterns of city life. Researchers from the School of Computer Science (SCS) have developed an algorithm that takes the check-ins generated when foursquare members visit participating businesses or venues, and clusters them based on a ...

Washington, April 30, 2012 -- The 2008 decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to cease additional reimbursement to hospitals for certain healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) has led to enhanced focus on infection prevention and changes in practice by front-line staff, according to a national survey of infection preventionists published in the May issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). A team of researchers and public health ...

Dr. Michael Menachof of The Center for Aesthetic Facial Surgery says the relatively high Worth It Rating for nose surgery on RealSelf.com, a popular online cosmetic surgery forum, does not surprise him considering the high level of satisfaction his Denver rhinoplasty patients experience. "Rhinoplasty is an extremely effective procedure that is tailored to the personal needs of each patient," Dr. Menachof says. "The almost 80% Worth It Rating on RealSelf reflects how successful this procedure is for creating the desirable results." Dr. Menachof, ...

AMHERST, Mass. – Though the human genome has been sequenced, scientists are still trying to figure out how the accomplishment can help people, for example, how it can be used to treat disease. As University of Massachusetts Amherst geneticist Jacob Mayfield notes, "It was easy to think of the human genome as the big prize, but what we realize now is, it's just a foot in the door." "What we're beginning to understand is that the information we're interested in knowing lies in comparisons between genomes," he adds. As society moves to personalized, genome-based medicine, ...

Wrist, hand and finger trauma are the most common injuries presenting to emergency departments nationwide, yet only 7 percent of Tennessee hospitals have a hand specialist on call 24/7 to treat these patients, according to a Vanderbilt study published online today in the Annals of Plastic Surgery. Patients from Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama are traveling long distances to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for treatment and follow-up care. Wesley Thayer, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of Plastic Surgery, and of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, ...

Georgia-based DIYAutoTune, manufacturer and distributor of the trademarked MegaSquirt line of engine management systems (EMS) for racing, off-road and other sport and recreational vehicles, has released the next generation of its MegaSquirtPNP Engine Management System (EMS), the MegaSquirtPNP Gen 2. The MegaSquirtPNP Gen2 takes things in a different direction from the original MegaSquirt EMS do-it-yourself (DIY) automotive tuning products, by offering a fully PNP (Plug-and-Play) line of EMS systems for several vehicle makes and models, providing full control engine management ...

VIDEO: Thousands of children die every day from water-borne diseases in the developing world. Joshua Pearce of Michigan Technological University has discovered a simple and cheap method of making even the... Click here for more information. Nearly 80 percent of disease in developing countries is linked to bad water and sanitation. Now a scientist at Michigan Technological University has developed a simple, cheap way to make water safe to drink, even if it's muddy. It's easy ...

Hollywoodsportsbook (www.hollywoodsportsbook.eu, formerly www.hollywoodsportsbook.com) a leading online entertainment gaming site since 1997, today announced that they are launching a new promotion to coincide with The famed Kentucky Derby. Robert Evans, Hollywood's Director of Operations says "The Kentucky Derby is America's original, extravagant springtime sports party. While a horse race is at the heart of the spectacle, there are many intriguing aspects of the Derby Experience such as the special promo we are offering our clients." Hollywood is allowing ...

LONDON, ON – Over the past decade, there has been a steady stream of information promoting the health benefits of fish oil capsules. According to Dr. Louise Moist, a Scientist at Lawson Health Research Institute, fish oil may also improve outcomes for kidney patients undergoing hemodialysis. Hemodialysis can be delivered through arteriovenous (AV) grafts, artificial vessels created to join an artery to a vein. Unfortunately, AV grafts are prone to congestion and clotting, causing disruptions to treatment and a need for surgical correction. Research suggests fish oil ...

New Rochelle, NY, May 1, 2012—Herbal, dietary, and energy or nutritional supplements may offer specific health benefits, but they can also have harmful and even life-threatening effects when combined with commonly used medications. Clinicians need to be aware of and educate their patients about the potential risks of mixing supplements and therapeutic agents, since their interaction can diminish or increase drug levels. This timely topic is explored in a provocative article in Alternative and Complementary Therapies, published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The article is available ...

Simple Pastimes, one of the country's largest online distributors of online jigsaw puzzles, has relocated from Washington state to a warehouse doubled in size in Central California in order to accommodate a soaring rise in sales. Simple Pastimes, founded in 2004, has completed its relocation from Port Townsend, Washington to San Luis Obispo, CA and now occupies a 5,000 square foot warehouse, double the size of its former location of 7 years. The move, says co-founder Mary O'Brien, will accommodate the company's plans for expected continued inventory growth that she ...

The world's leading independent publisher of celebrity and branded GPS voices, NavTones, announces today the release of the world's least-confident navigation voice, Nervous Nancy. From the company that brought you the celebrity GPS voices of Mr. T, Gary Busey, and Flavor Flav, comes this hilarious and familiar character with a universal story. Be it a mother, grandmother, great aunt, sister, girlfriend, or wife, just about everyone has a Nervous Nancy in their life, and now drivers all over the world can bring her with them wherever they go. Like all NavTones GPS voices, ...

Dr. Jack Fisher is discussing the recent revealing of the first patient to have breast augmentation with implants. Esteemed among plastic surgeons in Nashville, Dr. Fisher says it's interesting to see how this woman's procedure in 1962 positively affected her life. MailOnline.com recently published an article on Timmie Jean Lindsey, an 80-year-old woman who was the first patient to have breast implants, taking her from a B to a C cup. "It's fascinating to see how breast augmentation has evolved since Timmy Jean's first procedure," says Dr. Fisher. "While ...

New Rochelle, NY, May 1, 2012—Passage of the America Invents Act into law led to the most dramatic changes in the U.S. patent system in 60 years. These reforms will have a significant impact on technology innovators such as biotechnology-based businesses, as detailed in two articles in Industrial Biotechnology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The articles are available free online on the Industrial Biotechnology website. "Industrial biotechnology companies rely heavily on their patents to attract investment to fund the research and development necessary ...

Dr. Michelle Spring of Marina Plastic Surgery says a recent study published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery offers insights into how rhinoplasty in Los Angeles can help her patients appear more youthful. "My Los Angeles rhinoplasty patients usually share one key goal: They want a nose that is more attractively shaped and proportioned," Dr. Spring says. "As the study noted, for many people, rhinoplasty can also help them look younger. Although they might not initially choose nose surgery specifically to look younger, my older patients often are ...

Badbeat.com sponsored and mentored player Alan Davie continues his winning streak. Davie started the week finishing 2nd in the $200,000 Guaranteed Sunday Blast on Poker Encore, winning an incredible $24,000 (EUR18,158) , and ended it with winning the EUR20,000 Guaranteed on Poker Time taking home the first place prize of EUR5,378. This is the second time Davie has won this tournament since he became a Badbeat.com sponsored player. "Joining Badbeat.com gave me the resources to play a lot more volume and bigger games, which of course helps me improve as a player," ...

Koi Market, the leading koi fish supplier on the east coast, announced the revamp of its website. "Countless hours were spent on the redesign," said Shawn Rosen, owner of Koi Market. "We value our customers and wanted to improve their overall shopping experience." Koi Market focused the redesign on enabling its customers to easily navigate the website and find what they needed. "Our customer loyalty program Koi Cash Rewards is one of the main reasons customers enjoy shopping online with us," said Rosen. "They receive instant cash ...