Avoiding a DUI: Is There an App for That? Cell phone owners may have a new use for their favorite device. In addition to providing access to a host of applications for staying in touch with friends, tracking weather, playing games, shopping and keeping tabs on our expenses, your cell phone now may be able to help you avoid a DUI. Recently, several developers have created applications designed to tell users when they have had too much alcohol to operate a motor vehicle. It remains to be seen if the application is accurate or reliable enough to be of any use. How It ...

Stanford, CA— Plants leaves are sealed with a gas-tight wax layer to prevent water loss. Plants breathe through microscopic pores called stomata (Greek for mouths) on the surfaces of leaves. Over 40% of the carbon dioxide, CO2, in the atmosphere passes through stomata each year, as well a water volume twice that of the whole atmosphere. As the key conduits for CO2 uptake and water evaporation, stomata are critical for both our climate and plant productivity. Thus, not surprisingly, the total number and distribution of stomata are strictly regulated by plants to optimize ...

North Carolina State University researchers have created specially engineered mammalian cells to provide a new "chemical handle" which will enable researchers to label proteins of interest more efficiently, without disrupting the normal function of the proteins themselves or the cells in which they are found. Protein labeling is used by researchers in a variety of fields to help them understand how these important molecules affect the normal functioning of cells. Currently, proteins are labeled for study simply by fusing them to other fluorescent proteins, which allows ...

Some climate cooling caused by past volcanic eruptions may not be evident in tree-ring reconstructions of temperature change because large enough temperature drops lead to greatly shortened or even absent growing seasons, according to climate researchers, who compared tree-ring temperature reconstructions with model simulations of past temperature changes. "We know these tree rings capture most temperature changes quite well," said Michael Mann, professor of meteorology and geosciences and director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center. "But the problem appears ...

Eighty % of the world's brains have defective wiring. The brain's physical structure is defective and the mind's comprehension has bugs in it. This causes emotionally challenged behavior that results in all these individual and group problems. Main stream education has finally woken up to the essential need for emotional intelligence education but has still not realized the actual nature of human intelligence. Experts consider emotional intelligence and regular intelligence as two independent entities which enhance each other. Actually the relationship between emotional ...

University of British Columbia researchers have discovered the molecular pathway that enables receptors inside immune cells to find, and flag, fragments of pathogens trying to invade a host. The discovery of the role played by the molecule CD74 could help immunologists investigate treatments that offer better immune responses against cancers, viruses and bacteria, and lead to more efficient vaccines. The findings are published in this week's edition of Nature Immunology. "This could ultimately lead to a blueprint for improving the performance of a variety of vaccines, ...

Online dating has not only shed its stigma, it has surpassed all forms of matchmaking in the United States other than meeting through friends, according to a new analysis of research on the burgeoning relationship industry. The digital revolution in romance is a boon to lonely-hearters, providing greater and more convenient access to potential partners, reports the team of psychological scientists who prepared the review. But the industry's claims to offering a "science-based" approach with sophisticated algorithm-based matching have not been substantiated by independent ...

Leading Vancouver-based marketing specialist, Sandy Gerber, is inviting local business owners and marketing directors to an exclusive industry event that claims to change marketing strategy on the spot. Known for her innovation and inspiring leadership in marketing education, there is no other event like it in Vancouver. The unique, high-energy February 22 event will include a fun talk show component where Gerber interviews notable marketing industry representatives to showcase best practices for taking your business to the next level. Gerber will then focus on her ...

Philadelphia, PA, February 6, 2012 – DNA sequencing to detect genetic mutations can aid in the diagnosis and selection of treatment for cancer. Current methods of testing DNA samples, Sanger sequencing and pyrosequencing, occasionally produce complex results that can be difficult or impossible to interpret. Scientists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have developed a free software program, Pyromaker, that can more accurately identify such complex genetic mutations. Pyromaker is a web-based application that produces simulated pyrograms based on user ...

New York City, February 6, 2012 – Programs that support parents during their child's early years hold promise for obesity prevention, according to a new study in the online February 6 issue of Pediatrics. Today, one out of five American children is obese. Young children who are overweight are five times more likely than their peers of normal weight to be obese by adolescence. Obese children and adolescents, especially low-income and minority youth, are at increased risk for a range of medical, social and academic problems. The new study led by Laurie Miller Brotman, ...

The recent trend in "staycations" is highly touted for budget-conscious vacationers, but another alternative to pricey hotels is becoming ever more popular: renting privately owned fully furnished houses and condominiums along the Florida coast. By staying in a facility that includes a kitchen and may include free extras such as a swimming pool or tennis courts, families can save money while keeping everyone entertained. And many Florida vacation rentals are pet-friendly, eliminating kennel fees and enabling the whole family to travel together! Florida's coast ...

In one year alone, over 4,500 children in the United States were hospitalized due to child abuse, and 300 of them died of their injuries, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in a new study. The findings are published in the March 2012 issue of Pediatrics (published online Feb. 6). Several measures have been used to track the national occurrence of child abuse, including data from Child Protective Services. But until now none quantified the severity of the abuse or whether the child was hospitalized as a result. Led by John M. Leventhal, M.D., professor of pediatrics ...

In support of its expansion efforts, Stratos Jet Charters, Inc., a worldwide air charter agency headquartered in Orlando, Fla., has opened a new office in Farmingdale, New York. Stratos Jets is now able to offer a higher level of personalized charter service in and out of New York. Since its inception, Stratos Jets has experienced steady growth, year over year. In 2011, Stratos Jets moved to a larger office near the Orlando Executive Airport (ORL),which has allowed for the expansion of Stratos Jets' support staff. In 2012, Stratos Jets now turns its attention to improving ...

Chandler's Roofing, Inc. announced today it had completed its fifth roofing project for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (HFH GLA). With the completion of the roofs in Lawndale, Lynwood and Long Beach, CA, Chandler's Roofing has helped provide new roofs for six HFH GLA families in the Greater Los Angeles area. Two exciting partnerships with GAF Corporation and Malarkey Roofing Products allowed for the roofs to be completed with donated and/or highly discounted roofing materials, saving HFH GLA thousands of dollars in material costs. "We are very ...

BambooApps releases VoteMe app for iPhone/Android - the very new social game that mimics presidential elections in US. VoteMe is a fresh start-up that connects people who want to take their place in presidential race this year. The new application is a simple and entertaining simulation of 2012 presidential elections where end user plays the main role. The idea behind VoteMe is that everyone has a chance to express their ideas and concerns to the public. After downloading the app, the user is suggested to register as a new candidate and start presidential campaign ...

Frac Rock International, Inc. today announced that it has completed its Series A Preferred Stock offering. The Company expects to utilize the proceeds of the offering for working capital and for general corporate purposes. The Company's Chief Executive Officer, J. Christopher Boswell, stated "We are extremely pleased to have concluded this financing in such a timely manner. This financing, which was funded by some of the most knowledgeable energy investors in the industry, will allow the Company to continue building a world-class internationally focused well stimulation ...

Oculus Capital Group ("OCG"), a multifamily and student housing owner and developer, has announced plans to develop Phase II of University Village @ Slippery Rock ("UV@SR"), located one-eighth of a mile from Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, PA. Phase II will consist of 5 buildings totaling 44 units and 152 beds. The units will consist of three-bedroom, three-bathroom and four-bedroom, four-bathroom units. All units will be equipped with stainless steel appliances, brushed nickel fixtures, leather furniture, full-size washer and dryer, vinyl ...

Craigslist, the go-to website for finding jobs, housing and deals, offered an unexpected opportunity for LA director Ryan Sage and Chicago writer Dale Zawada to realize their dream of making a movie. "Worth the Weight," the story of one man's quest to find love while on the challenging journey of major weight loss, will have its World Premiere at San Jose's Cinequest film festival Friday, March 2nd, capping off a year long production that began with a short post on Craigslist and culminating with the writer and director meeting in person for the first time at ...

The Container Store, the nation's originator and leading retailer of storage and organization products, today announced it will open six locations in 2012, making this the largest real estate growth year in the company's history and bringing the company's store count to 59 by year's end. The new stores will generate more than 400 jobs with additional job growth planned across other areas of the retailer's business. The new stores will be located in Arlington, TX., Las Vegas, El Segundo, Calif., Peabody, MA., and Westbury, NY, with a sixth location still being finalized. ...

For the first time in Germany, a woman has given birth to a child after removal and preservation of tissue from one of her ovaries. This course of action was necessary to avoid infertility owing to chemo- and radiotherapy. Andreas Müller and his colleagues report the case in the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2012; 109[1-2]: 8-13). The majority of young female patients who need radio- or chemotherapy for treatment of a tumor express concerns about fertility. The retransplantation of frozen (cryopreserved) ovarian tissue is an experimental ...

Researchers at CIC Biogune, the Cooperative Centre for Research into Biosciences and led by Dr. Maria Luz Martinez Chantar, have found a strong relationship between high levels of Hu antigen R (HuR) protein and the malignancy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, through a novel molecular process in the investigation of this pathology and known as neddylation. The project provides new opportunities for making advances in the quest for personalised therapeutic applications in the treatment for Hepatocarcinoma. Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the cause of most liver cancers, the ...

DETROIT – Having diabetes may cause women to experience a greater degree of hearing loss as they age, especially if the metabolic disorder is not well controlled with medication, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Women between the ages of 60 and 75 with well-controlled diabetes had better hearing than women with poorly controlled diabetes, with similar hearing levels to those of non-diabetic women of the same age. The study also shows significantly worse hearing in all women younger than 60 with diabetes, even if it is well controlled. Men, ...

A new system for delivering a drug to organ transplant patients, which could avoid the risk of harmful side effects, is being developed by scientists at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. The drug, cyclosporine (CsA), is widely used in transplant operations and helps prevent the patient's body rejecting the organ but it can cause adverse drug reactions, of which the most serious problems are kidney and liver damage, in the doses which are currently administered in the long term. The gap between a safe, effective dose of the treatment and a toxic dose is extremely ...

Multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurodegenerative disease, causes periodic attacks of neurologic symptoms such as limb weakness and mobility defects. And while MS patients' walking abilities and muscle strength are examined on a regular basis, doctors have yet to determine when the lower limb muscles begin to deteriorate. That's important because with earlier identification of mobility problems, doctors would be able to implement early intervention programs that could make all the difference for those with MS. Now, Dr. Alon Kalron and his fellow researchers from Tel Aviv ...

Scientists have found that micron-size particles which are trapped at fluid interfaces exhibit a collective dynamic that is subject to seemingly unrelated governing laws. These laws show a smooth transitioning from long-ranged cosmological-style gravitational attraction down to short-range attractive and repulsive forces. The study by Johannes Bleibel from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, Germany, and his colleagues has just been published in the journal EPJ E¹ . The authors used so-called colloidal particles that are larger than molecules ...