Army's New Brain Injury Test: "Breakthrough" or Bomb? Can one simple blood test diagnose a brain injury before symptoms of the brain injury show themselves to medical practitioners? Last fall, the Army touted its new brain injury test as a quick answer to a medical diagnosis that traditionally has been difficult for doctors to make in the early days following head trauma. Not only that, but the Army doctors that headed up the study on brain injury diagnosis claim that the test will save lives and keep soldiers with traumatic brain injuries from undergoing ...

A recently published study revealed that virological breakthrough (VBT) is common in patients receiving nucleoside analogs (NUCs) for chronic hepatitis B. Nearly 40% of the VBTs found were not related to antiviral drug resistance. Details of this retrospective study are published in the May issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. VBT is the first manifestation of antiviral drug resistance during NUC therapy of chronic hepatitis B. NUC drugs approved for treatment of chronic hepatitis ...

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have shown that the electronic properties of two layers of graphene vary on the nanometer scale. The surprising new results reveal that not only does the difference in the strength of the electric charges between the two layers vary across the layers, but they also actually reverse in sign to create randomly distributed puddles of alternating positive and negative charges. Reported in Nature Physics,* the new measurements bring graphene a step closer to being used in practical electronic devices. Graphene, ...

Illinois Drugged Driving Law: Unbending and Complex Illinois law is tough on anyone caught behind the wheel under the influence of drugs to the point that he or she cannot safely drive. And it is not a defense that the drug was legal for the individual to use. A Rising Trend? According to the federal government, the percentage of fatally injured drivers with drugs in their systems is on the rise nationally. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, announced in November 2010 the results of an important ...

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Atlanta Perimeter Hotel (North) near Perimeter Mall announces the Perimeter Dining Card Package. Available for a limited time, guests who book this package will receive a $25 Perimeter Passion Dining Card (must have a minimum $50 purchase). Only one certificate can be used per table and does not include alcoholic beverages, gratuity or tax. Some restrictions and blackout dates may apply. Perimeter Passion Dining Card restaurants include: - Wildfire - McKendricks - Ruth's Chris Steak House - Nancy G's Cafe - Sage Woodfire Tavern ...

As manufacturers and other businesses step up efforts to cut waste, reduce energy use and improve the overall sustainability of their products and processes, the number of planet-friendly standards and regulations also is increasing at a rapid clip, creating a sometimes-confusing array of options for "going green." National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researchers have prototyped a framework to help organizations of all types sort through the welter of choices and evaluate and implement sustainability standards most appropriate for their operations and interests. The ...

Tampa, FL (For immediate release) -- Cotinine, a compound derived from tobacco, reduced plaques associated with dementia and prevented memory loss in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, a study led by researchers at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System and the University of South Florida found. The findings are reported online in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in advance of print publication. "We found a compound that protects neurons, prevents the progression of Alzheimer's disease pathology, enhances memory and has been shown to be safe," said Valentina Echeverria, ...

Peter Symbas, an Atlanta orthopedic doctor with Southern Orthopaedic Specialists, was recently named the Official Sports Medicine Provider and Team Physician for the Atlanta Silverbacks, an Atlanta soccer organization. Southern Orthopaedics Specialists, an official partner of the Silverbacks, is a full service Atlanta orthopedics practice specializing in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. Dr. Symbas, an Atlanta native, has a relevant background in soccer, experience that will be valuable as his work as an Atlanta orthopedic doctor for the Silverbacks. Symbas was ...

New research shows that high maternal viral load and co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are the only risk factors associated with vertical transmission of the hepatitis C virus (HCV-VT). A variation in the infant's IL28B gene (CC) is associated independently with the spontaneous clearance of HCV genotype-1 among infected children. The status of IL28B in the mother or children did not increase risk of HCV-VT in this study. Findings are published in the May issue of Hepatology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. ...

After the manufacturer of the Alzheimer's drug memantine submitted a supplementary analysis of study data, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) sees proof of a benefit of the drug for cognitive function, as well as indications of a benefit for activities of daily living, at least for a treatment period of 6 months. This changes the conclusions of the first IQWiG benefit assessment of 2009. IQWiG had repeatedly called upon the manufacturer Merz to provide a renewed analysis of study data appropriate to the research question. Additional ...

VIDEO: ESA's fleet of space telescopes has captured the nearby Andromeda Galaxy, also known as M31, in different wavelengths. Most of these wavelengths are invisible to the eye and each shows... Click here for more information. ESA's fleet of space telescopes has captured the nearby Andromeda Galaxy, also known as M31, in different wavelengths. Most of these wavelengths are invisible to the eye and each shows a different aspect of the galaxy's nature. Visible light, as seen ...

Atlanta pool service company Piranha Pool Management is recommending that homeowners in the Atlanta area properly prepare their pools for renewed use in the coming months. After going unused with minimal maintenance in the winter, pool preparation is essential before summertime. Piranha Pool Management provides comprehensive Atlanta pool maintenance and repair, including a summer start-up service. In temperate cities like Atlanta, pools are strongly affected by the change in seasons. In the fall, they are covered to keep out the falling leaves and dropping temperatures, ...

Philadelphia, PA, April 27, 2011 – Americans may not be getting enough calcium in their diets, according to a new study published in the May 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. This study is unique among those focusing on calcium intake in the US population because both dietary and supplemental sources were evaluated across adult age groups and compared to accompanying patterns in energy intake. "Calcium plays a fundamental role in promoting bone health and forestalling osteoporosis. In light of evidence that energy intake declines with aging, ...

The following highlights summarize research papers that have been recently published in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL), the Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics (JGR-A), the Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans (JGR-C), and the Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences (JGR-G). In this release: Could the cold winter of 2009-2010 have been predicted? Coastal cooling and marine productivity increasing off Peru Lightning radio-wave pattern tied to gamma ray flashes Analyzing peat's ability to trap methane bubbles Probe of influential Greenland current ...

When a 34-year-old bicyclist was found collapsed on a roadside and rushed to the University of Rochester Medical Center emergency room on the verge of kidney failure and muscle breakdown, doctors were surprised to discover that a trendy tea derived from the kava plant was the cause of his ills. The URMC team reported the case study, believed to be the first of its kind in the scientific literature, in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine. They described it as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the importance of taking a thorough medical history, including the use ...

Male peacock tail plumage and courtship antics likely influence their success at attracting and mating with females, according to recent Queen's University research. Roz Dakin and Robert Montgomerie have found that natural variation in the number of eyespots on a peacock's tail does not impact a male's mating success. However, peacocks whose tails are clipped to considerably reduce the number of eyespots are less successful at mating. Female rejection of males with substantially fewer eyespots on their tails may have a number of explanations, including the perceived ...

Atlanta moving company Atlanta Peach Movers is the official mover for the Georgia Chapter of the Women's Council of Realtors (WCR). Atlanta Peach Movers is a full-service moving company in Atlanta, managing local, long distance, and international moves. Atlanta Peach Movers works hand in hand with the Georgia WCR so that it can better address the relocation needs of metro Atlanta and Georgia. The Realtors and businesswoman who serve on the Georgia WCR have a reliable and quality resource in Atlanta Peach Movers to advocate for clients who are moving from Atlanta across ...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- While the primary job of DNA in cells is to carry genetic information from one generation to the next, some scientists also see the highly stable and programmable molecule as an ideal building material for nanoscale structures that could be used to deliver drugs, act as biosensors, perform artificial photosynthesis and more. Trying to build DNA structures on a large scale was once considered unthinkable. But about five years ago, Caltech computational bioengineer Paul Rothemund laid out a new design strategy called DNA origami: the construction of ...

Twenty-four hour cycles, known as circadian rhythms, are important for proper body functions, including for normal brain function and mental health. Disruptions of circadian rhythms and sleep-wake cycles have been observed in patients with Alzheimer's disease. A new study by Douglas Institute researchers unravels a possible basis for these perturbations. First study to show function of clock genes in multiple areas of the human brain Until now, the genes contributing to this timing, known as clock genes, have only been found to be active in areas outside the brain, such ...

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a protein that shows distinct changes in structure between pancreatic cancer, non-cancerous diseases and normal blood serum. The protein also changes from early stage pancreatic cancer to advanced disease. The finding suggests a blood test could serve as a potential screening tool to detect pancreatic cancer – which has the worst prognosis of any cancer type – at an earlier, more treatable stage. "One of the difficulties in screening for pancreatic cancer is distinguishing ...

British Airways has increased capacity on its popular London City to Palma service by 50 per cent to meet the demand for seats this summer. With additional frequency and larger aircraft the airline will be providing over 25,000 seats to the Spanish holiday island direct from the Docklands making holidays to Palma de Mallorca more accessible than ever before. Due to the high early season demand, the three-times-a-week flights will increase to six-days-a-week, excluding Saturdays, in July and August. The Friday and Sunday flights to Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza, on ...

University of Alberta-led research has confirmed that a relatively harmless inorganic form of mercury found worldwide in ocean water is transformed into a potent neurotoxin in the seawater itself. After two years of testing water samples across the Arctic Ocean, the researchers found that relatively harmless inorganic mercury, released from human activities like industry and coal burning, undergoes a process called methylation and becomes deadly monomethylmercury. Unlike inorganic mercury, monomethylmercury is bio-accumulative, meaning its toxic effects are amplified ...

Guoman Hotels Grand Imperial London has launched its unique take on a timeless classic by offering its customers Oriental Afternoon Tea. Recalling the glamour of the orient with a sleek modern twist, guests can unwind safe in the knowledge that even their 'chi' will get some much needed rejuvenation in an ambience designed with a Feng Shui master. The Asian-inspired tea arrives presented on a stand laden with Cantonese sweets, treats and savouries. The first course includes fresh black cod rolls, wrapped in Kataifi pastry and Char Sui Bao. Both made with the freshest ...

Edmonton – Researchers in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta have made an important discovery that provides a new understanding of how our immune system "learns" not to attack our own body, and this could affect the way doctors treat patients with autoimmune diseases and cancer. When patients undergo chemotherapy for cancer or as part of experimental therapies to treat autoimmune diseases such as diabetes and lupus, the treatment kills the patients' white blood cells. What can be done afterwards, is to give these patients blood stem cells ...

Berkeley, CA-- As China's economy continues to soar, its energy use and greenhouse gas emissions will keep on soaring as well—or so goes the conventional wisdom. A new analysis by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) now is challenging that notion, one widely held in both the United States and China. Well before mid-century, according to a new study by Berkeley Lab's China Energy Group, that nation's energy use will level off, even as its population edges past 1.4 billion. "I think this is very good news,'' says Mark Levine, co-author of ...