The White House has created a panel comprised of 18 members to consider changes to Social Security in order to keep it solvent. Among the changes being considered is raising the retirement age. One Republican representative has called for raising the retirement age as high as 70 over the next 20 years; some Democrats are endorsing similar steps. These considerations and discussions focus largely on employees who work sedentary or less demanding jobs at desks and computers. Lawmakers and those promoting raising the retirement age are comprised largely of those who spent ...

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Using recent advances in genomics, researchers have uncovered a genetic pathway that affects the development of breast cancer, work that could help predict which patients are at risk of relapse for the disease. By studying which genes are expressed – or "turned on" – in breast cancer, research led by Michigan State University's Eran Andrechek uncovered a role for several members of the E2F family of genes, which control cell division and growth. Specifically, Andrechek's team found the activation of the specific gene E2F2 was associated with a ...

A study conducted by researchers at Columbia University found that mandatory alcohol testing of motor carrier drivers has resulted in a significant decrease in fatal crashes involving truck, bus and other commercial drivers and alcohol use. The study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. This study was the first of its kind to provide empirical evidence that the 1995 federal regulations requiring those holding commercial driver's licenses to undergo mandatory testing for alcohol have had an impact on decreasing the incidence of multi-vehicle drunk driving ...

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Dinosaurs squashed them with impunity. Thousands of species that lacked culinary appreciation have turned up their noses at them. And a study based on advanced DNA analysis has shown that this shameful indifference went on for 129 million years. Finally, however, one animal species came along that would learn to appreciate this particular fungus with almost a global reverence – homo sapiens. Thus was born the human affection for the morel – for millions of people around the world, it's what you mean when you say "mushroom hunting." Spring is coming ...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories researcher Steve Plimpton, who led development of a widely used computer code that models how materials behave, has been invited to present a keynote lecture at the Feb. 27-March 3 Minerals, Materials & Materials Society (TMS) meeting in San Diego. Plimpton developed the LAMMPS molecular-dynamics software code. The acronym LAMMPS (Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator) is also a pun on the word "lamp," a device that brings light to dark places. "This symposium [on Massively Parallel Simulations of ...

A recent settlement involving the estate of the late Jacksonville financial adviser Wayne McLeod is the latest example of how legal complexities can encroach upon the timely resolution of an estate. At the time of his suicide, McLeod's financial services firm was under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission. This investigation revealed that McLeod's alleged financial planning prowess was actually a large "Ponzi" scheme. A significant portion of McLeod's estate will now be used to repay the defrauded investors. McLeod's wife will keep some of her jewelry ...

Troy, N.Y. – Recent research by doctoral student Sevan Goenezen holds the promise of becoming a powerful new weapon in the fight against breast cancer. His complex computational research has led to a fast, inexpensive new method for using ultrasound and advanced algorithms to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors with a high degree of accuracy. Goenezen, a student in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer, is one of three finalists for the 2011 $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Rensselaer Student Prize. A public ceremony announcing ...

According to the Annual Workplace Class Action Litigation Report, the value of class action employment discrimination settlements has gone up substantially over the past year. The report notes that, in 2010, the value of the top ten settlements was $346 million. By comparison, the total value of the ten largest settlements in 2009 was $84.4 million. The settlement in Velez v. Novartis Corp., a federal case from the Southern District of New York, accounts for over half of this years' total. The case was originally filed in 2004 by Amy Velez and four female coworkers who ...

Cornelius Dupree Jr. was recently released from prison after DNA testing revealed that he could not have committed the crime. After being convicted of rape and robbery, Dupree was sentenced to 75 years in prison in 1980. He spent 30 years maintaining his innocence. He would have been paroled had he admitted committing the crimes, but he refused. Finally, DNA testing of evidence cleared him of any wrongdoing. Dupree's story is all too familiar in Texas. Dallas County leads the nation in DNA exonerations. The county has released 21 individuals who were convicted of crimes, ...

HUNTSVILLE -- Students from two university campuses in Texas and Washington recently were surveyed on allowing concealed handguns on campus. According to research led by Dr. Jeffrey Bouffard at Sam Houston State University's College of Criminal Justice, more students were uncomfortable with concealed weapons on campus than those at ease with guns on college grounds. The study will be presented at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Meeting in Toronto this month. "To date, little effort has been made to assess students' opinions about whether concealed handgun carrying ...

There comes a time in life for every bird to spread its wings and leave the nest, but for gray catbirds, that might be the beginning of the end. Smithsonian scientists report fledgling catbirds in suburban habitats are at their most vulnerable stage of life, with almost 80 percent killed by predators before they reach adulthood. Almost half of the deaths were linked to domestic cats. Urban areas cover more than 100 million acres within the continental the United States and are spreading, with an increase of 48 percent from 1982 to 2003. Although urbanization affects ...

New findings on how tuberculosis (TB) bacteria develop multi-drug tolerance point to ways TB infections might be cured more quickly. The study will be published April 1 in the journal Cell. The results identify both a mechanism and a potential therapy for drug tolerance that is induced in the TB bacteria by the host cells they infect. Currently, TB treatment requires a complex, long-term curative regimen of at least six months, explained the senior author of the study, Dr. Lalita Ramakrishnan, University of Washington (UW) professor of medicine, microbiology and immunology. ...

Teplis Travel, a premier corporate travel agency, recently attended the Concur Fusion 2011 No Limit conference. Held February 15-18, 2011 at The Cosmopolitan Hotel Las Vegas, this event brought together Concur clients, partners, and employees to exchange ideas and knowledge on products and services available to easily manage corporate travel and expenses. Fusion 2011 session highlights included: - Reviewing top expense features companies should be using - Going global with travel - Delivering value through integration with suppliers, customers and mobile applications - ...

A new paper by University of Calgary researchers, published today in PLoS ONE, demonstrates the edge given to prey in the "space race" by human activity. The research was conducted by two University of Calgary students, a University of Calgary Post-Doctoral Fellow and two University of Calgary professors from the Faculty of Environmental Design, Department of Geomatics in the Schulich School of Engineering and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. The research looked at how predator-prey interactions and use of space were influenced by human activity. The team deployed ...

Topshop has announced the inspiration behind their autumn/winter 2011 Unique collection For AW11, Topshop Unique journeys back to early 1930s America. Drawing on the culture of luxury and status of the Industrial Age, prints are bold and boastful and the silhouette is overall sleek and refined. Prints are key in the collection and the recurring motif of the dog and car reflect the importance of social status during the decade. Automobiles with headlights streaming are appliqued onto down-sized luggage bags, and printed on satin shoes. Whippets, Grey Hounds and Dalmatians ...

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Maps are great for showing where things are. They're also good for showing where things aren't. Two Michigan State University professors have developed interactive maps that offer a visual perspective of urban food deserts. By using GIS (geographic information systems) technology, they are showing, rather than simply telling, how urban residents are losing access to fresh produce and balanced nutrition. Phil Howard, assistant professor of community, agriculture, recreation and resource studies, and Kirk Goldsberry, assistant professor of geography, ...

Biodiversity around the world is increasingly threatened by global warming, habitat loss, and other human impacts. But what does this loss of species mean for the functioning of ecosystems that humans depend on for goods and services? Can ecosystems around our planet survive and maintain their primary functions with fewer species in them? After decades of research on many issues pertaining to life on Earth, are scientists any closer to attaining these answers? In a Biodiversity Special Issue of the American Journal of Botany, to be published in March, many of the world's ...

According to figures from the latest Prudential Class of 2011 research, 62% of those who had planned to retire in 2011 would consider postponing their pension and continuing to work in order to boost their retirement income. Of those considering putting off their retirement, 46% said they will definitely have to continue to work in order to supplement their pensions or build up their savings further. Prudential's Class of 2011 study surveyed people intending to retire during the forthcoming year. The findings highlight the growing trend for part-retirement in the ...

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have discovered that a natural product isolated from a traditional Chinese medicinal plant commonly known as thunder god vine, or lei gong teng, and used for hundreds of years to treat many conditions including rheumatoid arthritis works by blocking gene control machinery in the cell. The report, published as a cover story of the March issue of Nature Chemical Biology, suggests that the natural product could be a starting point for developing new anticancer drugs. "Extracts of this medicinal plant have been used to treat ...

Motorsportsunplugged.com has taken the exciting step of launching sister site NHRAunplugged.com, a website devoted to providing the NHRA fan with commentary, interviews, opinions and insights that go beyond typical news items. The site will feature articles and blogs from such drag racing notables as Kenny Bernstein, and others, while professional journalists will provide frequent updates. Longtime motorsports expert Jay Wells will be NHRAunplugged's supervising editor and his decades of experience will be a valuable asset. "With Wells' experience and the contributions ...

The American Thoracic Society has released a new report detailing recent global changes in the management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated pulmonary disease. The report examines the evolving landscape of HIV and its associated diseases in areas where combination antiretroviral therapies (ART) are available, as well as offering insight into the trends occurring in areas of the world where ART use is limited. The report appears in the March 1, 2011, issue of the Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society. Since it first came to the public eye in the ...

LA JOLLA, CA – March 3, 2011 – Unexpected results from a Scripps Research Institute and ModGene, LLC study could completely alter scientists' ideas about Alzheimer's disease—pointing to the liver instead of the brain as the source of the "amyloid" that deposits as brain plaques associated with this devastating condition. The findings could offer a relatively simple approach for Alzheimer's prevention and treatment. The study was published online today in The Journal of Neuroscience Research. In the study, the scientists used a mouse model for Alzheimer's disease to ...

Pat Vitucci, a Bay Area Independent Financial Advisor, recently launched his second weekly radio program called "Sound Money- A Conservative Approach To Investing". The program airs several times each week on Fox News Radio 910 AM and KDIA 1640AM. The 30 minute program focuses on conservative approaches to investing and saving money. "There are many people who prefer products that are relatively conservative with not a lot of risk", says Vitucci, "and that is what this show is all about". Pat Vitucci was also recently named NPC's (National Planning Corporation) #1 producing ...

The American Thoracic Society has released a new official report recommending research priorities in incorporating ambulatory management of adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) into healthcare systems. The report identifies barriers preventing incorporation of portable monitor testing into clinical management pathways and recommends research and development needed to address those barriers. The statement appears in the March 1, 2011, issue of the Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society. It is estimated that OSA occurs in roughly 20 million Americans, and ...

DALLAS (SMU) – Blood group incompatibility between Henry VIII and his wives could have driven the Tudor king's reproductive woes, and a genetic condition related to his suspected blood group could also explain Henry's dramatic mid-life transformation into a physically and mentally-impaired tyrant who executed two of his wives. Research conducted by bioarchaeologist Catrina Banks Whitley while she was a graduate student at SMU (Southern Methodist University) and anthropologist Kyra Kramer shows that the numerous miscarriages suffered by Henry's wives could be explained ...