CHICAGO – Vitamin D levels are significantly lower in patients with recurrent inflammatory spinal cord disease, according to a study published Online First by Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Vitamin D is a steroid vitamin that promotes the intestinal absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorus. In recent years, low levels of vitamin D have been linked to a variety of autoimmune conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS, a disease of the central nervous system marked by numbness, weakness, loss of muscle coordination, and problems with ...

CHICAGO – Telephone-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy and an exercise program, both separately and combined, are associated with short-term positive outcomes for patients with chronic widespread pain, and may offer benefits for patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. "In the United States, mean [average] per-patient costs (including pain and non-pain-related medication, physician consultations, tests and procedures, and emergency department visits) in the ...

CHICAGO – Retinal microvascular changes appear to be associated with development of disability in performing activities of daily living among older adults, and retinal signs may be useful in predicting outcomes among this population, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. "We have recently found that a higher burden of retinal signs was associated with poor executive function and physical function in a cross-sectional analysis," the authors write as background information in the article. "Based on ...

CHICAGO – Integrating genetic testing into the management of retinoblastoma by using a multidisciplinary team approach is associated with more timely evaluation of patients and ensuring that all members of the patient's health care team are aware of genetic implications with regard to cancer risk, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. "Retinoblastoma is a rare malignant tumor of the developing retina, with an incidence of one case in 16,000 to 18,000 live births," the authors write as background information ...

With the launch of TODD|Co:, Todd Rosholt combines his 20 years of experience in the event industry with his vast network of strategic thinkers and solution providers to offer his clients a new model for driving success. "We approach every project and client from the same starting point: What if you did things differently? What if you didn't make assumptions? What if you tried something new? What if you were willing to fail to succeed? "When you throw those barriers away, a whole universe of potential opens up," said Rosholt. "Success for live events ...

ORLANDO, Fla. – Patients suffering from heart failure due to a previous myocardial infarction showed an average of 12 percent improvement one year following an investigative treatment that involved infusing them with their own stem cells. The results triple the 4 percent improvement average the researchers projected for the Phase I trial. Results of the trial are published today (Nov. 14) in The Lancet and concurrently presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Fla. They are the first report of administering subjects' own cardiac stem ...

Izzycue has launched a proprietary line of USDA Certified Organic canola mayonnaise for Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WFMI) in the Mid-Atlantic Regional prepared foods kitchen. This new line of mayonnaise is made with a healthier non-GMO expeller-pressed canola oil and packed in a bulk format. "Today we reaffirmed our company's mission of catering to companies whose CSRs are aligned to that of ours," says Kenneth H. Tan, the company's Founder and CEO. "Producing good food with good ingredients is a strong CSR," continues Kenneth. In the food service ...

DURHAM, N.C. and SINGAPORE – A commonly held theory says that flu virus originates every year in Southeast and Eastern Asia, making this region the source of seasonal flu epidemics in other parts of the world. However, researchers at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School in Singapore have found that influenza virus in tropical areas isn't the only global source of flu epidemics. The international team of scientists involved in the work found that any one of the urban centers they studied could act as a source for a flu epidemic in any other locality. "We found that these ...

The long awaited Teambox Apps for iPhone and iPad are now available on the App Store. Now, more than 100.000 organizations around the world can get things done anywhere, from their couch, while traveling or taking notes while in a meeting with others. "Since we launched Teambox we knew clearly the web would not be the only platform for our users. The new mobile environment in which we all live offers endless possibilities - and we want our users to be able to go mobile with their projects, too!" says Pablo Villalba, Teambox founder. Users of other mobile ...

Athens, Ga. – In principle, stem cells offer scientists the opportunity to create specific cell types—such as nerve or heart cells—to replace tissues damaged by age or disease. In reality, coaxing stem cells to become the desired cell type can be challenging, to say the least. In a paper published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, however, scientists at the University of Georgia describe a method that—in a single step—directs undifferentiated, or pluripotent, stem cells to become neural crest cells, which are the precursors of bone ...

When it was announced that New Jersey's The Penguin internet radio station was changing names and tailoring its format to a more-Jersey-centric playlist, many asked how that would affect the stalwart programs that were hosted by The Penguin; in specific, Radioshow With Dw. Dunphy. The answer, according to Dunphy: "Not much!" The series, a longtime fixture of The Penguin mixed Dunphy's radically eclectic musical tastes with an anarchic freeform radio aesthetic. "There were days when the D.J. was given free reign to play whatever he or she wanted," ...

Delay in initiation of therapeutic hypothermia and delay in return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), evidenced by a palpable pulse or a measurable blood pressure, were both associated with poor neurologic outcomes in post cardiac arrest patients, according to a study being presented Nov. 14 at the at the American Heart Association (AHA) scientific sessions in Orlando, Fla. Also, caregivers who have an appropriate understanding of the patient's post cardiac arrest neurologic state could ensure better patient management at discharge. The researchers were seeking to determine ...

Cardiomyopathy is common among cardiac arrest survivors. The survival and neuroprotective benefits of therapeutic hypothermia is similar in patients with preexisting cardiomyopathy, compared with those patients without cardiomyopathy, according to a scientific poster being presented Nov. 14 at the at the American Heart Association (AHA) scientific sessions in Orlando, Fla. Therefore, the researchers recommended the use of therapeutic hypothermia in patients with the preexisting condition. "While it is well established that therapeutic hypothermia is neuroprotective and ...

Thomas T. Riquier, CFP , CLU, President of The Retirement Financial Center in Danvers, recently attended the 4th Annual Retirement Income Symposium in Boston. This intensive 2-day conference featured discussions by leading industry experts about potential strategies to optimize retirement income planning. The topics covered were especially relevant as the first wave of baby boomers are reaching retirement age while our nation is recovering from financial instability. Speakers discussed issues ranging from Retirement Income as a National Priority to Retirement Readiness. ...

EVANSTON, Ill. --- So you're flocking to online dating sites with a wish list of ideal traits that you desire in a mate. Not so fast! Once you actually meet a potential dating partner, those ideals are likely to fall by the wayside, according to new research from Northwestern University and Texas A&M University. People liked potential partners that matched their ideals more than those that mismatched their ideals when they examined written descriptions of potential partners, but those same ideals didn't matter once they actually met in person, according to a new study ...

Want to find out what really keeps children interested in learning? Nancy Campbell Author of LEARNING TIME children's book, claims there are better ways to help Children enjoy learning. Campbell has worked with children for several years. The Author says" It is best to foster positive reading habits for kids at an early age. CREDENTIALS: Motivational speaker, Author of children's book LEARNING TIME. She holds a Medical Certification and one in Early Childhood Education. The author also received the Editor's Choice award for her poetry in 2004. She is a member of the ...

SALT LAKE CITY – Atrial Fibrillation patients who are prescribed the powerful blood thinner warfarin often take it with vitamins or supplements that can hamper its effectiveness, or skip doses completely, increasing their risk for stroke, according to new research. The study, jointly conducted by researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute and registered dieticians from Utah State University, also suggests these same patients don't know much about this powerful blood thinner and why they need to take it as directed. Results will be presented today ...

World citizen number 7 billion is less likely to die from infectious diseases like measles or even AIDS, and more likely to contract diabetes or other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as they are now the leading causes of deaths globally. 14th of November is official World Diabetes Day. In a world of 7 billion people with changing disease patterns, this day is more relevant than ever, according to external lecturer Siri Tellier from the Copenhagen School of Global Health at the University of Copenhagen. "Our new world citizen number 7 billion is more likely to grow ...

The Erato Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Richard Haglund, will present "The Best of Bach" on Saturday, December 10th at 7:30 pm at The Arts Center of Oak Park (Same building as the Hemingway Museum) 200 North Oak Park Avenue Oak Park, IL 60302. The concert is open to the public with an admission charge of $10 for adults and students are FREE! Music Director Richard Haglund and the Erato Chamber Orchestra will perform the following works: Bach's Orchestral Suite #2, the Violin Concerto in a minor, a movement from his Cello Suite, Arias, and more! ...

John R. Math, Director of the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery recently announced that Leon Sarantos won a Special Recognition Award in "The Elements" International Art Exhibition. Leon's winning entry was for his triptych painting, entitled "Dawn Twilight - The Sun, The Moon, The Stars". His winning entry can be viewed at: http://www.leonsarantosartist.com/blog/special-recognition-for-my-dawn-twilight-painting-at-online-gallery-light-space-time/ In order to be considered and selected for this event, artists had to compete in the "The ...

Upconversion emission materials are ideal for bioimaging due to its effectiveness as contrast agents for the detection of cancer cells, more so when the background emission of non-cancerous tissues can be minimised. These materials could be used as biomarkers for luminescent labeling of cancerous cells. Opaque tissues can be turned into glassy, transparent substances by using these biomarkers which rely on near-infrared excitation. The Singapore research team led by Associate Professor Xiaogang Liu and its co-researchers from Saudi Arabia and China succeeded in developing ...

Researchers from Hull, Bristol and Frankfurt have shown that a new technique for identifying molecular structure can be used effectively on small samples of biological proteins, particularly proteins that are targeted for drug development. The technique, an enhanced form of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, could enable the structure of a protein to be identified within hours, rather than weeks or months, radically speeding up the process of drug discovery. The findings are published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Dr Mark Lorch ...

The winner of the singles was Dimitris Giorgiou from Nicosia in straight sets with a scoreline of 6-4 6-0. In the doubles, Yiannos Trillides and Menelaos Theodoulou were victorious edging paste in the ties breaker to take it at 6-3 3-6 7-6 (8-5). Umpire and head coach at Aphrodite Hills, Wyn Lewis, said, "I'd like to congratulate all the players today. They played at a very good level in tough conditions, with the wind pretty strong throughout. This is a great example of how exciting tennis can be and I'm looking forward to seeing it grow further here in Cyprus." In ...

November 14, 2011 – The possibility that functional, three-dimensional tissues and organs may be derived from pluripotent cells, such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), represents one of the grand challenges of stem cell research, but is also one of the fundamental goals of the emerging field of regenerative medicine. Developmental biology has played a central role in informing such efforts, as it has been shown that stem cell differentiation can be directed to follow a given lineage pathway by culturing stem cells in conditions that ...

A new study published this week suggests that a link may exist between radon exposure and non-melanoma skin cancer. Researchers from the European Centre for Environment & Human Health (part of the Peninsula College of Medicine & Dentistry) have detected a connection following analysis of data on radon exposure and skin cancer cases from across southwest England. The study, which looked at small geographical areas across Devon and Cornwall, builds upon a similar study conducted 15 years ago. Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas found in soil and bedrock common ...