Clarksburg, MD—Two different research groups have independently made the same important discoveries on how Alzheimer's disease spreads in the brain, according to a February 2 New York Times story. The groups' findings have the potential to give us a much more sophisticated understanding of what goes wrong in Alzheimer's disease and, more importantly, what can be done to prevent or repair damage in the brain. The Times reported on the research teams of Bradley T. Hyman, MD, Ph.D., at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and Karen E. Duff, Ph.D., of Columbia University ...

When a friend tells you she had a rough day, do you feel sandpaper under your fingers? The brain may be replaying sensory experiences to help understand common metaphors, new research suggests. Linguists and psychologists have debated how much the parts of the brain that mediate direct sensory experience are involved in understanding metaphors. George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, in their landmark work 'Metaphors we live by', pointed out that our daily language is full of metaphors, some of which are so familiar (like "rough day") that they may not seem especially novel or ...

DETROIT – Henry Ford Hospital researchers have identified for the first time two molecules that hold promise as a biomarker for measuring cartilage damage associated with osteoarthritis. Researchers say the concentration of two molecules called non-coding RNAs in blood were associated with mild cartilage damage in 30 patients who were one year removed from reconstruction surgery to repair an anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, injury. The findings are described as significant in the ongoing and tedious search of biomarkers for osteoarthritis, the most common form of ...

For the first time, a group of chemists, physicists, and engineers has developed crystalline materials that allow an optical fiber to have integrated, high-speed electronic functions. The potential applications of such optical fibers include improved telecommunications and other hybrid optical and electronic technologies, improved laser technology, and more-accurate remote-sensing devices. The research was initiated by Rongrui He, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Chemistry at Penn State University. The international team, led by John Badding, a professor of ...

Today, ZyLAB, a leading eDiscovery and information management technology company, officially opened registration for "De-Construction eDiscovery: Special Challenges in Construction Litigation," featuring Steven C. Bennett, a partner with Jones Day in New York City, and Mary Mack, Esq., enterprise technology counsel for ZyLAB. The live, online event takes place on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 1:00 EST. To register, please visit https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/843596078. This program qualifies for one New York Areas of Professional Practice CLE credit. "In ...

This press release is available in German. The composition of land surface – such as vegetation type and land use – regulates the interaction of radiation, sensible heat and humidity between the land surface and the atmosphere and, thus, influences ground level climate directly. For the first time, the Innsbruck climate scientists quantitatively examined whether land-cover changes (LCC) may potentially affect glacier loss. "We used Kilimanjaro in East Africa as a test case, where a significant decrease of forests at elevations between 1,800 and 3,000 meters, caused by ...

A genetic variant that increases the risk of a common type of stroke has been identified by scientists in a study published online in Nature Genetics today. This is one of the few genetic variants to date to be associated with risk of stroke and the discovery opens up new possibilities for treatment. Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide (more than one in 10 of all deaths, and over six million deaths annually), and also in developed countries is a major cause of chronic disability. As the world's populations age the impact of stroke on wellbeing is likely ...

How is a spine injury patient supposed to make an informed decision about his/her medical care if they don't understand the basics about the spine? The problem isn't as bad as it was a few decades ago, but many doctors still don't adequately explain the anatomy of the spine, the reasons for a patient's pain and the anticipated treatment plan when a patient goes to an orthopedist or neurosurgeon. All too frequently, I find myself performing the treating doctor's job by having to explain information to new clients that should have come from the doctor. Spine Anatomy: The ...

Scientists at the University of Southampton, in collaboration with Penn State University have, for the first time, embedded the high level of performance normally associated with chip-based semiconductors into an optical fibre, creating high-speed optoelectronic function. The potential applications of such optical fibres include improved telecommunications and other hybrid optical/electronic technologies. This transatlantic team will publish its findings in the journal Nature Photonics this month. The team has taken a novel approach to the problems traditionally associated ...

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 ...