Hundreds of times during a baseball game, the home plate umpire must instantaneously categorize a fast-moving pitch as a ball or a strike. In new research from the University of Chicago, scientists have pinpointed an area in the brain where these kinds of visual categories are encoded. While monkeys played a computer game in which they had to quickly determine the category of a moving visual stimulus, neural recordings revealed brain activity that encoded those categories. Surprisingly, a region of the brain known as the posterior parietal cortex demonstrated faster and ...

A team of four British engineers has returned to the UK after completing a gruelling journey to one of the most remote and hostile locations on the planet to put in place equipment and supplies for an ambitious project later this year. Enduring temperatures of minus 35°C the Subglacial Lake Ellsworth 'Advance Party' has successfully paved the way to explore an ancient lake buried beneath 3 km of Antarctic ice. A powerful 'tractor-train' towed nearly 70 tonnes of equipment across Antarctica's ice over deep snow and steep mountain passes. In December a science and engineering ...

The problem is the sheer number: In the family tree of modern-day corn, there are two main groups with 10,000 pure-breed lines each. Each of these lines could potentially be used for producing a new variety by means of cross-breeding. In mathematical terms, that equates to 100 billion possibilities. In terms of corn, however, a parent's performance is no indicator of what potential lies hidden in their offspring. Even the feeblest of parents can produce mighty offspring when cross-bred. But time is of essence: Currently it takes approximately 10 years for breeders to ...

Scientists working at the Medical Research Council have identified changes in the patterns of sugar molecules that line pre-cancerous cells in the esophagus, a condition called Barrett's dysplasia, making it much easier to detect and remove these cells before they develop into esophageal cancer. These findings, reported in the journal Nature Medicine, have important implications for patients and may help to monitor their condition and prevent the development of cancer. Oesophageal cancer is the fifth biggest cause of cancer death in the United Kingdom and the eighth leading ...

Killer T-cells in the human body which help protect us from disease can inadvertently destroy cells that produce insulin, new research has uncovered. The study provides the first evidence of this mechanism in action and could offer new understanding of the cause of Type 1 diabetes. Professor Andy Sewell, an expert in human T-cells from Cardiff University's School of Medicine worked alongside diabetes experts from King's College London to better understand the role of T-cells in the development of Type 1 diabetes. The team isolated a T-cell from a patient with Type ...

Telomeres, the very ends of chromosomes, become shorter as we age. When a cell divides it first duplicates its DNA and, because the DNA replication machinery fails to get all the way to the end, with each successive cell division a little bit more is missed. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy shows that cells from osteoarthritic knees have abnormally shortened telomeres and that the percentage of cells with ultra short telomeres increases the closer to the damaged region within the joint. While the shortening of ...

Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. – A new technology developed by neuroscientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) transforms the way highly detailed anatomical images can be made of whole brains. Until now, means of obtaining such images – used in cutting-edge projects to map the mammalian brain -- have been painstakingly slow and available only to a handful of highly specialized research teams. By automating and standardizing the process in which brain samples are divided into sections and then imaged sequentially at precise spatial orientations in two-photon microscopes, ...

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Rutgers University and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have developed a novel strategy to protect the liver from drug-induced injury and improve associated drug safety. In a report receiving advance online publication in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the team reports that inhibiting a type of cell-to-cell communication can protect against damage caused by liver-toxic drugs such as acetaminophen. "Our findings suggest that this therapy could be a clinically viable strategy for treating patients with drug-induced liver injury," ...

A recent California court decision highlights the need for state residents who buy a car from a private party to make sure that they are covered under a policy before driving it away, according to Online Auto Insurance (OAI). New car buyers in the Golden State must purchase California auto insurance for any car they plan to drive, but consumers may be uncertain when the coverage provided by the seller's policy ceases. And that issue played a large role in a recent California court decision. The state's 6th Court of Appeals found that Daniel Thiel--who purchased ...

With winter session classes already in full gear, CSUN students and faculty are just within reach of the 2012 spring semester. While things have been financially tight for the CSU system, everyone is still looking towards this new year with excitement and hope for what it has to bring. This is why the leading printing company in Los Angeles is now offering a 10% discount on all services to CSUN students and faculty to take just a little bit of the burden off of the already struggling California university system. While tuition may seem bad these days, the real problems ...

Recent Gun Crimes Could Trigger New Pennsylvania Self-Defense Law News outlets from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia recently reported on Pennsylvania homicide cases involving firearms that implicate Pennsylvania's new "stand-your-ground" law. Recent changes by lawmakers strengthened so-called Castle Doctrine principles in the state criminal code. House Bill 40 passed with wide majorities in both houses of the Pennsylvania General Assembly last summer, and took effect in late August after it was signed by Governor Tom Corbett. The new law redefines general principles ...

BOSTON, MA -- From tracking activities within bacteria to creating images of molecules that make up human hair, several experiments have already demonstrated the unique abilities of the revolutionary imaging technique called multi-isotope imaging mass spectometry, or MIMS, developed by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH). MIMS can produce high-resolution, quantitative three-dimensional images of stable isotope tags within subcellular compartments in tissue sections or cells. With its use of stable isotopes as tracers, MIMS has opened the door for biomedical ...

Fewer children required hospitalization following a drowning incident over the last two decades, according to a new study from the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy. According to the study, pediatric hospitalizations from drowning-related incidents declined 51 percent from 1993 to 2008. The rates declined significantly for all ages and for both genders, although drowning-related hospitalizations remained higher for boys at every age. Hospitalization rates also decreased significantly across the U.S., with the greatest decline in the South. Despite the ...

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have found a new way to block infection from the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the liver that could lead to new therapies for those affected by this and other infectious diseases. More than 170 million people worldwide suffer from hepatitis C, the disease caused by chronic HCV infection. The disease affects the liver and is one of the leading causes of liver cancer and liver transplant around the world. HCV is spread by blood-to-blood contact and there is no vaccine to prevent it. Current treatments for the disease are only ...

Jan 31 tax form mailing deadline is approaching. Payroll tax software provider Halfpricesoft.com (www.halfpricesoft.com) is proud to announce that ezW2 2011, the new edition of W2 and 1099 software for 2012 tax season, will support unlimited accounts, unlimited recipients and unlimited tax form printing with no extra charge. "Tax issues are the single most significant set of regulatory burdens for most small firms. We believe small business software should simple, reliable and affordable. We hope ezW2 can help employers and HR managers spend less time on preparing ...

A leading cancer researcher has identified very high levels of doctor-patient trust and confidence within the NHS. University of Leicester researcher Professor Paul Symonds also highlights the risk of jeopardizing this record of success if measures to become more cost effective are not carefully thought through and implemented. In two papers published this month in the journal Clinical Oncology, Professor Paul Symonds of the Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine, assesses attitudes and beliefs concerning cancer care in the UK. In one paper, Professor ...

There will be three Friday the 13th's in 2012 but thankfully more than three chances for taxpayers to contact Blue Tax for help in solving their tax issues! Michael and Amy (Gilbertsville, KY) came to the Blue Tax offices with a balance of roughly $26,000 owed to the State and IRS for 2010. 2010 IRS and State. They were desperate to make sure that they were not going to be collected on by the State or IRS with tax levies and wage or bank garnishments. Blue Tax understood this immediately and aimed to place Michael and Amy on the best possible resolution program, based ...

Alexandria Financial Associates ("AFA" - Private Wealth Management Division of Botree Westmount Partners) today announced that on December 31, 2011, it acquired Capital Management Group ("CMG"), a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) with more than USD $160 million in assets under management. CMG, based in Washington DC, provides independent "Fee-Only" asset management services to High Net Worth individuals, estates and trusts primarily in The Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. "CMG is a strong fit with our business. ...

Southern Petroleum Laboratories, Inc. ("SPL") is pleased to announce its newest addition to the family of SPL locations - Pleasanton, Texas. This new facility will service the oil and gas production companies, midstream operations, plants, and pipelines in the Eagle Ford shale area. SPL is not new to the shale play market. In addition to our Pleasanton, TX location, our facilities in Venus, Carthage, and Houston, Texas and Shreveport and Carencro, Louisiana are in close proximity to the Barnett, Eagle Ford, and Haynesville shale areas. With a total of ten facilities ...

Conventional mattresses are very likely to contain chemicals, some potentially toxic to humans and/or harmful to the environment. Most of these chemical compounds have a cloud surrounding the information on the possible harms they can cause. The way to go green is to choose a mattress with fewer chemicals or no chemicals. The ideal mattress would have low VOCs, no CFCs, no PBDEs, no heavy metals, no formaldehyde, and no phthalates. But what are these chemicals and how do they affect the environment and you? Understanding Low Emissions (low VOCs) - (VOCs) Volatile ...

MEN Micro Inc., a world-renowned provider of embedded computing and I/O solutions for mission-critical industrial, mobile and harsh environment applications, now offers a PowerPC-based rugged computer-on-module (COM) that offers speeds up to 1.5 GHz via multi-core processing. Equipped with a Freescale QorIQ processor, the new XM51 is an extension on MEN Micro's family of ruggedized COMs based on the space-saving ESMexpress standard, currently in preparation with ANSI/VITA as RSE 59. When coupled with an application-specific carrier board, the compact XM51 becomes a semi-custom ...

Natalie Perkins, president of Clean Design, Inc. (http://www.cleandesign.com), a branding and design agency, has announced that Jennifer Hazelett has joined the agency as vice president, account management director. With more than 13 years of experience, Hazelett will bring valuable skills to the management team for building brand and client relationships to achieve client and agency business goals. Prior to joining Clean Design, Hazelett was most recently an account director at McKinney in Durham, N.C. She has experience with such clients as Travelocity, Lands' End, First ...

Eco Associates specialise in renewable energy systems, particularly photovoltaic systems, and design and produce photovoltaic systems for both private and commercial users. Working closely with Grain and Co, a consultancy specialising in property development ensures that Eco Associates know a lot about property developing, getting the best out of land and using alternative routes in every way. Eco Associates takes its inspiration from nature, combining economics with the best ecological thinking. So you get the best knowledge, the best advice on possibilities and ...

Woodward Landscape Supply is sponsoring four booths at the Suburban Home & Garden Show February 23-26 to be held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. One booth will display CST walls and Mono-Cast pavers; one will feature EP Henry hardscaping products; one will exhibit Techo-Bloc products focusing on simulated stone products; and the final booth will display natural stone. Contractors from across the Philadelphia area will be available in these booths to discuss outdoor living projects at the home show. Contractors will also be booking no-charge project ...

Waiting Room Solutions (WRS), the leading web based EMR and PM provider, announced today that AG Pain Management has chosen Waiting Room Solutions as their practice management and electronic medical records solution. AG Pain Management will be using WRS to automate their successful pain management practice located in Simi Valley, California. The use of Waiting Room Solutions' web based EMR will qualify this practice to collect Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) EHR Stimulus Incentive monies. Waiting Room Solutions ...