COLLEGE STATION, TX—Although water consumption and conservation are widely recognized as significant environmental concerns in the United States, most Americans are still unaware of the major impact of landscape irrigation on their regional water supplies. One startling example: a 2004 study of homeowners in College Station, Texas, estimated that more than 24 to 34 million gallons of excess water were used annually for landscape irrigation alone. According to the authors of a study published in HortScience, end-users lack understanding of best management practices for ...

Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a natural mechanism that might one day be used to block the expression of the mutated gene known to cause Huntington's disease. Their experiments offer not an immediate cure, but a potential new approach to stopping or even preventing the development of this relentless neurodegenerative disorder. Huntington's disease is a rare, fatal disorder caused by a mutation in a single gene and marked by progressive brain damage. Symptoms, which typically first appear in midlife, include jerky twitch-like movements, coordination troubles, ...

COLLEGE STATION, TX—Service learning involves the incorporation of community service into a course as a requirement for credit or graduation. In the service learning model, students participate in ''real life'' and hands-on activities while also working within the community. Researchers T.M. Waliczek and J.M. Zajicek reported on a study of service learning integrated into a university-level horticulture course in HortTechnology. The team found that involvement in service learning changed students' opinions regarding community involvement and also increased their understanding ...

Blood vessels and supporting cells appear to be pivotal partners in repairing nerves ravaged by diabetic neuropathy, and nurturing their partnership with nerve cells might make the difference between success and failure in experimental efforts to regrow damaged nerves, Johns Hopkins researchers report in a new study. About 20 percent of diabetics experience neuropathy, a painful tingling, burning or numbness in the hands and feet that reflects damage to nerves and sometimes leads to infections and amputation of the toes, fingers, hands and feet over time. Current treatments ...

WIMAUMA, FL—When natural ecosystems are replaced by roads, homes, and commercial structures, soil is negatively impacted. Studies have shown that, among other issues, distressed urban soils are often significantly compacted, may have alkaline pH, and may contain low amounts of essential organic matter and nutrients. This altered soil is typically not conducive to healthy plant root growth and establishment, leading to challenges for urban landscapes and home gardens. "The management of urban soils often requires a different approach than is applied to natural or agricultural ...

No matter what your area of business, even if it is as seemingly localized and simplistic as a lawn-mowing service, you cannot ignore the power of the blog in today's world of business. True, the area of social media as a whole is vital but this has become such a daunting subject, deserving of several months of blog posts to even scratch its surface, that it is easier to focus on one area, and the blog is certainly one effective and very doable area in which businesses can market themselves at a low cost, reach a whole new demographic of customers and dictate its entire ...

Philadelphia, PA, June 24, 2011 – Adolescents who diet and develop disordered eating behaviors (unhealthy and extreme weight control behaviors and binge eating) carry these unhealthy practices into young adulthood and beyond, according to a study conducted by University of Minnesota researchers and published in the July 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. "The findings from the current study argue for early and ongoing efforts aimed at the prevention, early identification, and treatment of disordered eating behaviors in young people," commented ...

Lithium profoundly prevents the aggregation of toxic proteins and cell loss associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) in a mouse model of the condition. Preclinical research is now underway at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging to determine correct dosages for a drug that continues to be the gold standard for the treatment of bipolar disorder. The Buck is currently working toward initiating a Phase IIa clinical studies of lithium in humans in conjunction with standard PD drug therapy. The research appears in the June 24 online edition of the Journal of Neuroscience ...

Psychosocial stress appears to enhance the lung-damaging effects of traffic-related pollution (TRP) in children, according to new research from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. The results will appear online ahead of the print edition of the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. "This is the first study demonstrating that growing up in a stressful household was associated with larger traffic pollution-induced lung deficits in healthy children compared to low stress ...

Most economic analysts and experts agree, Florida's economic future depends on creating and nurturing a healthy environment for business development, job creation and economic growth. Florida entrepreneurs often cite the Access to Capital as one the biggest stumbling blocks to starting a new business. Florida entrepreneurs who may be feeling a bit like they've been chasing their own tail, when it comes to securing the business financing they need. Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has a solution to get them finally barking up the right tree! Access Florida Capital ...

[EMBARGOED FOR JUNE 24, 2011] Vaccination against rotavirus, a major cause of severe acute gastroenteritis in children, dramatically decreased hospitalization rates for the infection among infants in three U.S. counties, according to a new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and now available online (http://www.oxfordjournals.org/our_journals/cid/prpaper.pdf). From 2006 to 2009, researchers examined the impact of the vaccine among children hospitalized for diarrhea and/or vomiting in the Cincinnati, Ohio; Nashville, Tenn.; and Rochester, N.Y., areas. In ...

(Boston MA) – A group of 26 of the nation's leaders in medicine, health care, patient safety, and research today called for sweeping changes in the design, supervision and financing of U.S. hospital residency care programs to protect patients from serious, preventable medical errors, and end dangerously long work hours for physicians in training. In a set of recommendations published in the June 24 issue of the online journal Nature & Science of Sleep, the authors say the rules for residency training set to take effect on July 1 "stop considerably short" of best practices ...

STANFORD, Calif. - Tobacco companies increased the advertising and lowered the sale price of menthol cigarettes in stores near California high schools with larger populations of African-American students, according to a new study from the Stanford School of Medicine. Although cigarette makers have denied using race or ethnicity to target customers, the lead researcher for the study said the data shows a "predatory" marketing pattern geared to luring young African Americans into becoming smokers. "The tobacco companies went out of their way to argue to the Food & Drug ...

It has recently launched an exclusive offer called the Premier Club Rewards which consists of a variety of features. These Club rewards have been planned by experts from the hospitality industry who possess years of experience in the market. The guests who opt for the Club rewards membership at the Budget Hotels London can avail a range of exclusive offers. There are various membership levels which the guests can opt and all of them have been planned very carefully for the complete convenience of the guests. The guests should know that is a very beneficial program and ...

The main feature of this package revolves around availing the various offers which comes with it and securing exclusive reward points. The guests can avail the membership and avail the various benefits related to them. There are a variety of membership plans on offer and each of them has been designed exclusively for the convenience of the guests. The London Luxury Hotels and the premier club reward membership plans which are on offer provide the guests with the opportunity to enroll up as per their convenience. Each of the membership plans vary from one to the other. ...

QiBing Software has announced the release of the new version of the powerful website promotion software Addurl Express V11 which will help webmasters get many more backlinks and generate a top rank on search engines. The older version of the Addurl Express could submit to thousands of search engines. The new version of Addurl Express V11 provides a unique function called "backlinks anywhere". With "backlinks anywhere", websites' webmasters only need to enter a keyword then search and get unlimited backlinks. As we all know, more backlinks are ...

Esteemed cosmetic dentist in University Heights, CA, Dr. Allan Patch, is pleased to introduce a variety of new procedures and technologies for added convenience and increased dental health care for all patients. These new dental services and innovations include Lumineers, Snap-On Smile, laser dentistry and precise cancer detection. Snap-On Smile is an affordable, non-invasive and completely reversible, cosmetic, removable arch that can easily and painlessly give patients a beautiful smile. It does not require shots or drilling, and can be completed in two visits. Snap-On ...

Leading dentist in Columbia, MD, Dr. Ray Becker is pleased to introduce the use of Total BioPAK and T-Scan for increased patient care. Patients who suffer from headaches can benefit from the use of Total BioPAK and T-Scan for accurate diagnosis and treatment of occlusal pain and discomfort. Dr. Becker, dentist in Ellicott City, MD, understands that a person's bite, or occlusion, is a function of the teeth, the jaw-joint and the muscles of the face. Assessing the alignment of the teeth can be very complex and interfaces that are even as minute as the thickness of a human ...

The Fourth of July is coming. Fireworks, barbecues, picnics, concerts, parades, baseball games, family reunions, the Stars and Stripes Forever, and what's new this year? Audio4fun.com today announced the launch of 'Speak like a President', its first-ever Internet video contest, aimed at celebrating Independence Day in America. For more information visit Audio4fun.com's fan page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Audio4funcom/149128588493714 "The Fourth of July is a milestone in man's history, embodying the greatest of human aspirations. It is the day when ...

Critical Information Network (CiNet), LLC, and its Professional Security Training Network (PSTN) announces the release of its newly updated Campus Security Training Series. The interactive video and web-based training was created to offer campus security personnel and school resource officers the knowledge and skills needed to ensure safety and protect essential assets. PSTN's training curricula include real-world demonstrations and actual situations, greatly enhancing the learning experience and results. "Our nation's schools must be safe havens for teaching and ...

Unemployment numbers are extremely high with no forecasted end in sight. With job loss and unemployment benefits running out, many people are considering programs that advertise making money online from home. But during hard times, many scams start appearing and people are left wondering if any work at home programs are legitimate. With so many scams out there, people want to know which ones are affordable, worth their time, and will actually make money. During the research process, it didn't take long to weed out the rip-offs and scams. One program quickly proved itself ...

Prime Source Accessories, Inc. announces the launch of their new lifestyle brand, Sloane Ranger. The brand began as an idea to fashion the checklist for the Sloane Ranger. Inspired by the streets of Sloane Square in London, it was time to bring the Sloane's effortless cool and confident styling across the pond, and thus the Sloane Ranger brand was born. "London is such a special place for me. I make the trip at least twice per year and I have always been inspired by the Sloanes of Chelsea. With this brand we will bring the Sloane Ranger lifestyle to the American ...

TeamSupport.com (http://www.TeamSupport.com) - a trend setting provider of SaaS-based customer service and help desk tools - today announced a successful integration between the company's flagship TeamSupport product and Batchbook, a powerful social CRM system from BatchBlue Software. "Customer Support & Bug Tracking solutions rarely communicate efficiently with CRM systems, so keeping their separate customer databases synchronized is often a tedious and error-prone manual process," explained Robert C. Johnson, CEO of TeamSupport. "We make it easy ...

The People's Republic of China should improve its system for ensuring the safety of its rapidly expanding nuclear power program, experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences say. Despite having 40% of the world's proposed nuclear power plants, the country lacks an independent regulatory agency and sufficient staff to keep pace with nuclear power development, they describe in a viewpoint article in ACS's journal Environmental Science & Technology. Qiang Wang and colleagues note that the Chinese government announced that it would suspend approvals for nuclear power plant ...

Scientists are reporting development and successful initial tests of a potential new delivery system for the biological signaling agent responsible for the effects of Viagra. It could be used to deliver the substance, called nitric oxide or NO, to treatment conditions ranging from heart disease to skin ulcers and other wounds that fail to heal, according to a report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. João Rocha and colleagues explain that NO acts as an important agent in the body for expanding blood vessels (its role in Viagra and related medicines for erectile ...