Cigarettes and alcohol serve as gateway drugs, which people use before progressing to the use of marijuana and then to cocaine and other illicit substances; this progression is called the "gateway sequence" of drug use. An article in Science Translational Medicine by Amir Levine, MD, Denise Kandel, PhD; Eric Kandel, MD; and colleagues at Columbia University Medical Center provides the first molecular explanation for the gateway sequence. They show that nicotine causes specific changes in the brain that make it more vulnerable to cocaine addiction -- a discovery made by ...

Boulder, CO, USA - Highlights for GSA Bulletin articles published ahead of print between 30 Sept. and 21 Oct. 2011 are provided below. Studies include U-Pb geochronology and major and trace element geochemistry in the Andes; wide-angle reflections generated by five controlled blasts and over 110 timed quarry blasts in the Appalachians; cosmogenic isotope burial dating in Wonderwerk Cave, South Africa; and SHRIMP analysis of zircons in Redoubt Volcano, Alaska. GSA BULLETIN articles published ahead of print can be accessed online at http://gsabulletin.gsapubs.org/content/early/recent. ...

Plastic Surgery of Gwinnett, PC announces they are now offering surgical treatments for migraine headaches. Techniques initially developed at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland are now brought to the Atlanta area for the treatment of medication resistant intractable migraines. 18% of the population suffers from debilitating migraines headaches, 2/3 of them women. Standard medical treatment fails to provide relief in a high percentage of patients. With the discovery that cosmetic Botox was an effective treatment, the nerve compression causes of migraine was ...

Durham, NC November 2011 Chinese stem cell scientists have published new research that improves the survival and effectiveness of transplanted stem cells. The research led by Dr Hsiao Chang Chan, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, is published in Stem Cells. Research into differentiation has led to a variety of breakthroughs as stem cell researchers harvest cells from one part of the body and genetically adapt them to fulfill a specialized role. However, if the implanted cells are too much like the cells of the targeted area they may not have the plasticity to ...

A new study indicates that many patients undergoing spine surgery have low levels of vitamin D, which may delay their recovery. In a study of 313 patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery, orthopaedic surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that more than half had inadequate levels of vitamin D, including one-fourth who were more severely deficient. The researchers report their findings today at the 26th Annual Meeting of the North American Spine Society. The study was chosen as one of the meeting's best papers. "Our findings suggest ...

As a first line of defense, steel barrels buried deep underground are designed to keep dangerous plutonium waste from seeping into the soil and surrounding bedrock, and, eventually, contaminating the groundwater. But after several thousand years, those barrels will naturally begin to disintegrate due to corrosion. A team of scientists at Argonne National Lab (ANL) in Argonne, Ill., has determined what may happen to this toxic waste once its container disappears. "We want to be sure that nuclides (like plutonium) stay where we put them," says Moritz Schmidt, an ANL post-doctoral ...

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- For the first time, researchers have combined gene therapy and stem cell transplantation to successfully reverse the severe, crippling bleeding disorder hemophilia A in large animals, opening the door to the development of new therapies for human patients. Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's Institute for Regenerative Medicine, collaborating with other institutions, report in Experimental Hematology that a single injection of genetically-modified adult stem cells in two sheep converted the severe disorder to a milder form. The journal ...

With the UK in a state of flux, several changes are being made to restore the balance of our economy. One of the topics with the most controversy surrounding it has been the recent rise in University tuition fees. Although students are not required to pay there fee's upfront, it is predicted that the average graduate will leave university with a debt of GBP39,000. The Outsource Sales Association believes "[t]hat this is a staggering increase, something that many graduates will struggle to pay back even if they gain employment." With unemployment at an all ...

The Outsources Sales Association is an authoritative, governing body formed independently to represent and regulate the Outsourced Sales industry in the United Kingdom. The OSA acts as an impartial organization, offering interested parties clear and concise information regarding the Outsources Sales industry within the UK. It is our aim to present the industry with clarity, dispelling myths and misconceptions alike to eradicate potential misunderstandings. The OSA's mission is to offer the facts about the Outsource Sales across a broad spectrum. OSA considers what ...

Mobile insurance company 2U announces the launch of its new website www.insurance4mobiles.co.uk, making it easier than ever to compare iPhone insurance rates and benefits quickly and choose the right policy to protect an iPhone, laptop or any other valuable gadget. Purchasing an iPhone is not cheap and owners will be anxious not to lose their phone - leaving it on a restaurant table, having it stolen or dropping it in water are just some of the mishaps that frequently happen to mobile phones. Phone theft, in particular, is all too common in the UK, with iPhones being ...

Colorado police recently arrested the treasurer of Ellicott school board for allegedly sending sexually explicit text messages to a 14-year-old boy. Police believe 37-year-old Stefanie Dickinson began sending the text messages to the minor after a camping trip in late August 2011. Upon returning from the camping trip, which also included Dickinson's husband and two sons, the Huffington Post reports that Dickinson asked the minor for his cell phone number so that she would be able to send him pictures that were taken during the trip. Instead of pictures, it is alleged ...

Children are back to school in Ohio and across the country. This means that drivers need to be mindful of children out on the roads and at bus stops. Drivers who fail to take simple precautionary measures contribute to the dangers for children on buses. School districts are investing in sophisticated technologies to make buses safer for students, but by following a few safety tips, drivers can reduce the risk of vehicle accidents. Ohio School Bus Accident Rates According to statistics from the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the number of school bus accidents ...

The U.S. Supreme Court recently handed down a decision that will have disastrous effects on patient and drug safety. The decision effectively grants generic drug companies immunity when they fail to warn about the dangerous side effects of the drugs that they produce. In a 5-4 decision written by Justice Clarence Thomas, the court held that federal regulations, which require generic drugs to have the same warning labels as brand-name drugs, override state laws that allow people to sue drug manufacturers for inadequate labeling. Background of the Case The case, Pliva ...

Second Impact Syndrome (SIS) has moved from a controversial issue to a public health debate. Once considered rare and elusive, more and more sports athletes are suffering from the condition, which has resulted in hundreds of deaths in the past three decades. A study published in the June edition of the Journal of Pediatrics draws attention to the potential dangers of interscholastic sports and SIS outcomes. SIS is a condition that occurs when a person suffers from an initial head injury, such as a concussion, and then suffers a second head injury before the symptoms ...

The Pennsylvania Protection From Abuse Act is designed to stop domestic violence. The orders can have durations of up to three years. Behavior that qualifies under the act as abuse includes: Attempting to cause or causing (with or without a deadly weapon): - Bodily injury - Rape - Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse - Sexual assault - Aggravated indecent assault - Indecent assault - Incest - Placing another in reasonable fear of immediate serious bodily injury - False imprisonment - Physical or sexual abuse of a child - Stalking or harassment that causes ...

A recent study completed by the University of Virginia's National Marriage Project shows that while the nation's divorce rate has dropped in the years since the so-called "Great Recession" began, divorce continues to disparately impact the finances of women long after the dissolution is finalized. Why Are Women Hit Harder Economically? Unfortunately, the outmoded division of household labor that left men in charge of the family finances has resulted in countless women -- particularly those of the baby-boomer generation -- newly divorced and not possessing ...

New School Year Brings New Dangers to Oklahoma City Roadways With the end of summer comes the beginning of a new school year and the annual transportation challenge each family must face: how to get the kids to and from school. Though younger students often walk, bike, carpool or ride the bus, older students are hitting the streets in a different way. For many teenagers, the school year provides opportunity for them to get behind the wheel, gain some independence and practice their driving skills. The unfortunate truth is that many of these teen drivers will put themselves ...

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites North Atlanta Perimeter Hotel offers convenient lodging to guests attending the 22nd annual production of A Christmas Carol at Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff. Based on Charles Dickens classic novel, A Christmas Carol tells the heartwarming story of Ebenezer Scrooge as he discovers the true meaning of Christmas. Enjoyed by patrons age 6 and up, A Christmas Carol will be on the Alliance Stage November 25 - December 24, 2011. The nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre has been the recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award , among ...

Rezidor has hired Pasquale Baiguera as the new general manager for the Radisson Blu Conference and Aiport Hotel in Instabul, Turkey.   Baiguera, who is Italian, holds a Certificate from the Cornell University in Strategic Management. He has 29 years of experience in the hotel industry and has worked in room division operations, sales, training, accounting and F&B. Though this position will be Baiguera's first time working for one of the hotels in Istanbul, he has a long, varied history working in several different Rezidor hotels across the globe. He first joined ...

Standard Life, the savings and investment specialist, has published new insight that suggests that the UK could be heading towards a perfect retirement storm; one in five (21%) of 45-65 year-olds who have financial plans in place to provide for their long term future no longer feel that their financial plans will support them into the future. Six per cent in this age group who aren't already retired don't think they will ever be able to retire, equating to over three quarters of a million people. Of those who have financial plans in place to provide for their long term ...

National Trust members gathered in Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall for the Annual General Meeting. Cliodhna Giltinan and Frank Allais, along with their daughters Bo (aged six) and Eve (aged eight), were welcomed by Director-General Fiona Reynolds and Chairman Simon Jenkins and received life membership, in celebration of becoming the four millionth family member. Cliodhna is a teacher from Dublin and Frank is a photographer, originally from France. They live with their children in Hackney, East London. Looking to find out more about the UK and British history, they joined ...

The Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Airport Hotel (North) offers convenient lodging to guests attending Georgia Tech football games. Home games are played in Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field, in midtown Atlanta. Upcoming Yellow Jackets' Georgia Tech 2011 home games include: - Georgia Tech versus Virginia, November 10 - Georgia Tech versus Georgia, November 26 "We are happy to welcome alumni and fans visiting Atlanta this fall for Georgia Tech football games," explains Debbie Wells, the Atlanta Airport hotel's Director of Sales. Wells continues on to say, ...

Personal income taxes generally make up both the largest and most manageable expense we each face every year. However personal expenses whether they are real estate taxes, mortgage payment, or living expenses, are generally fixed, and therefore little can be done to alter or "manage" these expenses. The primary reason income taxes are "manageable" is that unlike any other expense, there are financial decisions that can be made that could significantly increase or decrease tax liabilities. The key of course is understanding what will happen "if" ...

Britons living overseas cancel their plans to return to the United Kingdom citing poor socio-economic indicators. - Around 825,000 expats have cancelled their plans to return to the UK in last 12 months - Sixty-nine per cent say they will stay abroad indefinitely - an increase of 13 per cent in a year - Expats say UK is now 'more expensive, less safe and offers a lower quality of life' Following continued concerns over the state of the UK economy and riots in August, a new report from Lloyds TSB International has emerged that reveals 15 per cent of British expats ...

Creativity and innovation expert, Julie Austin, will be kicking off the Northern California Human Resources Association's HR Leadership and Strategy Conference this Thursday. Her topic is "Driving Innovation and Competitive Advantage" and she will explain why companies need both innovation and creativity to stay on top. With all of the choices we have today, how can your business stand out in the crowd? "With constant, fearless creativity and innovation", says Austin. "History is full of examples of companies that failed to innovate, like MySpace, ...