(Santa Barbara, Calif.) –– In nature, it's a dog-eat-dog world, even in the realm of bacteria. Competing bacteria use "toxic darts" to disable each other, according to a new study by UC Santa Barbara biologists. Their research is published in the journal Nature. "The discovery of toxic darts could eventually lead to new ways to control disease-causing pathogens," said Stephanie K. Aoki, first author and postdoctoral fellow in UCSB's Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB). "This is important because resistance to antibiotics is on the rise." Second ...

Employee wellness programs have often been viewed as a nice extra, not a strategic imperative. But the data demonstrate otherwise, according to a team of researchers led by Leonard L. Berry of Texas A&M University, Ann M. Mirabito of Baylor University and William B. Baun of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Their research shows that the return on investment on comprehensive, well-run employee wellness programs is impressive — sometimes as high as six to one. The findings are compiled in a comprehensive piece in the December issue of Harvard Business ...

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- On its recent trip by comet Hartley 2, the Deep Impact spacecraft took the first pictures of, and flew through, a storm of fluffy particles of water ice being spewed out by carbon dioxide jets coming from the rough ends of the comet. The resulting images and data shed new light on the nature and composition of comets, according to the University of Maryland-led EPOXI science team, which today announced its latest findings and released the first images of this comet created snowstorm. See images at: http://epoxi.umd.edu/index.shtml "When we visited ...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2010 — The latest episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS) award-winning podcast series, "Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions," focuses on development and successful initial tests of an inexpensive new filtering technology that kills up to 98 percent of disease-causing bacteria in water in just seconds without clogging. The technology could aid many of the almost one billion people lacking access to clean, safe drinking water. A report on the work appears in the American Chemical Society's monthly journal Nano Letters. Most water purifiers ...

(Boston) - Five U.S. federal agencies recently cosponsored a set of expert work groups to formulate common data elements for research related to psychological adjustment and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Danny G. Kaloupek, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at Boston University School of Medicine, chaired the work group on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dr. Kaloupek's work at the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare helped to guide identification of key PTSD-related characteristics and evidence-based measures that might ...

MAYWOOD, Ill. -- Taking time off from certain osteoporosis drugs may be beneficial to bone health, according to a study conducted at Loyola University Health System. Researchers found that bone density remained stable for three years in patients who took a drug holiday from bisphosphonates, a popular class of osteoporosis drugs that can cause fractures in the thigh bones and tissue decay in the jaw bone. "These drugs are potentially harmful when taken for long durations, yet little has been known until now about the length of time osteoporosis patients should go without ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Residents of the Middle East who are heavy viewers of Arab television news networks like Al Jazeera are more likely to view their primary identity as that of Muslims, rather than as citizens of their own country, a new study suggests. Because networks like Al Jazeera are transnational – focusing on events of interest across the region rather than those in any one country – they may encourage viewers to see themselves in broader terms than simply residents of a particular nation, the researchers said. "The goal of these relatively new networks is not ...

A treatment model designed to accommodate the beliefs and concerns of Chinese immigrants appears to significantly improve the recognition and treatment of major depression in this typically underserved group. In a report in the December American Journal of Public Health, a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team describes how their model for screening and assessing patients for depression in a primary care setting increased the percentage of depressed patients entering treatment nearly sevenfold. "Ours is the first study to incorporate a culturally sensitive ...

PITTSBURGH—Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, news about 20-somethings becoming billionaires from the sale of their software companies flooded the media, giving the impression that a good idea was all it took to succeed in the software industry. Jennifer Shang, an associate professor of business management in the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, along with colleagues Shanling Li of McGill University and Sandra Slaughter of the Georgia Institute of Technology, investigated what caused software companies to succeed or fail. Their research study, titled "Why Do Software ...

What are borders these days? When travel was local, borders and communities were easy to define, but now our connectivity is more complex. It's time to think of borders differently, according to Northwestern University researchers. To reflect today's reality, they have taken a look at human mobility and redrawn the borders within the United States, showing areas of the country that are most connected. Some of the borders in this new map are familiar, but many are not. The research team, led by professor Dirk Brockmann, used the wealth of data generated by Wheres's George? ...

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—Patients undergoing plastic or reconstructive surgery should receive a risk assessment before their procedure to predict whether they'll develop potentially fatal blood clots in the legs or lungs, according to research at the University of Michigan Medical School. Researchers also found that 1 in 9 patients at highest risk based on that assessment will develop clots if not given clot-preventing medications after surgery. Published in the November 2010 Journal of the American College of Surgeons, the study evaluated the Caprini Risk Assessment Model, a ...

Athens, Ga. ¬¬-- New University of Georgia research, published this week in the early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has found that blocking the action of an enzyme called GnT-V significantly delays the onset and spread of tumors in mice with cancer very similar to many cases of human breast cancer. When the GnT-V enzyme activity in the cells was increased in mammary gland cells, they increased proliferation and began to take on many characteristics of cancer cells. Using a mouse model of human breast cancer, tumors appeared ...

Physical activity promotes changes in the brain that may protect high-risk individuals against cognitive decline, including development of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study done at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). J. Carson Smith, an assistant professor of health sciences, included in the study both people who carry a high-risk gene for Alzheimer's disease, and other healthy older adults without the gene. "Our study suggests that if you are at genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease, the benefits of exercise to your brain function might be even ...

Months of volcanic restlessness preceded the eruptions this spring of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull, providing insight into what roused it from its centuries of slumber. An international team of researchers analyzed geophysical changes in the long-dormant volcano leading up to its eruptions in March and April 2010. In a study published in the Nov. 18 issue of the journal Nature, the scientists suggest that magma flowing beneath the volcano may have triggered its reawakening. "Several months of unrest preceded the eruptions, with magma moving around downstairs in ...

College students participating in a new study on online courses said they felt less connected and had a smaller sense of classroom community than those who took the same classes in person – but that didnt keep online students from performing just as well as their in-person counterparts. The study by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln gauged students' perception and performance in three undergraduate science courses that had both online and face-to-face class versions. It found that online students did not feel a sense of cohesion, community spirit, trust or interaction, ...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Nine supercomputers have been tested, validated and ranked by the new "Graph500" challenge, first introduced this week by an international team led by Sandia National Laboratories. The list of submitters and the order of their finish was released Nov. 17 at the supercomputing conference SC10 meeting in New Orleans. The machines were tested for their ability to solve complex problems involving random-appearing graphs, rather than for their speed in solving a basic numerical problem, today's popular method for ranking top systems. "Some, whose supercomputers ...

A recent study (1) suggesting that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be attributed to "repetitive head trauma experienced in collision sports" lacks scientific epidemiological evidence to support this claim. In a review of the 12-patient study, several experts specializing in motor neuron diseases challenge the findings as entirely pathological and without clinical merit. Their editorial, which aims to dispel doubts of Lou Gehrig's ALS diagnosis, is now available online in the peer-reviewed journal Muscle & Nerve. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive ...

People who contract gastroenteritis from drinking water contaminated with E coli are at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, kidney problems and heart disease in later life, finds a study published online in the British Medical Journal. The findings underline the importance of ensuring a safe food and water supply and the need for regular monitoring for those affected. It is estimated that E coli O157:H7 infections cause up to 120,000 gastro-enteric illnesses annually in the US alone, resulting in over 2,000 hospitalizations and 60 deaths. However, ...

Kuwait Bilingual School was established in 1998 in Al-Jahra City, Kuwait, by Saleh Al Mekhlef, with the backing of Sheikh Ali Al Salem Al Ali Al Sabah. The first private bilingual school in the north of the country, Kuwait Bilingual School made quality education accessible to students from Al-Jahra City and its surrounding areas. Kuwait Bilingual School has been around for 12 years now, and clearly knows what they need. "There are many providers for such school software systems," says Mr. Ghassan Jilani, Director General, Kuwait Bilingual School. "But, from my long experience ...

A new website aimed at home and garden lovers has just been launched with the aim of describing the many different types of solar powered outdoor lightings and why they would be a great way to light up their outdoor living areas. 'I created this website to help home and garden enthusiasts become aware of the variety of solar powered lights that are available' said Leo Bookham. 'If people knew just what types of solar lights do exist, they could easily enhance and light up their outdoor living areas and to also do this themselves without the need to hire professionals ...

Probably the two most important aspects of a business owner's life are family and money. Therefore, it makes sense that when two entrepreneurs are considering forming a partnership, they communicate openly about these two topics. Partners who share similar views on family and money are more likely to find success. Characteristics to Evaluate in a Prospective Partner Part 3 is the latest article by entrepreneurial expert Michele DeKinder-Smith. The article reveals why it is absolutely crucial for two prospective business partners to open discussions about money and family ...

Since 1986 Dr. Paul has practiced dentistry in Fullerton. Coming from a family of dentists, this graduate of the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, San Francisco is offering comprehensive dental care for the entire family. His recently launched website, PaulNelsonDental.com is putting people in touch with the friendly and effective services that are available at his clinic while giving valuable information that will help every member of the family to receive the best dental care. Dr. Paul approaches dentistry as the perfect blend of his fascination with ...

A collection of reflections on each of Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences, "Falling but Fulfilled" reads like a personal memoir, guiding readers through the maze of intelligences with both clarity and joy. Dr. Zachary M. Oliver Ed.D is an organizational leader, scholar and instructor. Currently Program Chair for the College of Business and the College of Undergraduate Studies at Argosy University Hawaii, Dr. Oliver works to develop interested learners into successful professionals. He lives a quiet and busy life in Honolulu, Hawaii, with his wife and two children. ...

Karuna, a privately held luxury skin care company in Los Angeles, and creator of the only high-quality, one-step, no-mess, no-rinse, do-it-yourself mask, today announced its signature collection is available at Henri Bendel, a New York icon and the chicest shopping playground for women since 1895 with locations across the U.S. The luxury store, which is owned by Limited Brands, is known to have the new and the next in beauty, cosmetics, fashion and accessories will feature Karuna's signature line of six premium masks, including: • Anti-Aging - Through vitality and ...

The Boston String Quartet, a creative leader in contemporary classical music in New England, will perform their new holiday program "Christmas in Buenos Aires" on Saturday, December 18 at St. David's Episcopal Church on Route 1 at 7 p.m. The Boston String Quartet, known for their unique sound and contemporary playing techniques, has collaborated with famous performers such as John Mayer and the Boston Ballet and has been critically acclaimed in the Boston Globe. Their eclectic holiday program will feature a stylistic toe-tapping mix of tango, salsa, rumba, and other ...