Menthol cigarettes may be harder to quit, particularly for some teens and African-Americans, who have the highest menthol cigarette use, according to a study by a team of researchers. Recent studies have consistently found that racial/ethnic minority smokers of menthol cigarettes have a lower quit rate than comparable smokers of regular cigarettes, particularly among younger smokers. One possible reason suggested in the report is that the menthol effect is influenced by economic factors -- less affluent smokers are more affected by price increases, forcing them to consume ...

In research published today, scientists have studied human brain samples to isolate a set of proteins that accounts for over 130 brain diseases. The paper also shows an intriguing link between diseases and the evolution of the human brain. Brain diseases are the leading cause of medical disability in the developed world according to the World Health Organisation and the economic costs in the USA exceeds $300 billion. The brain is the most complex organ in the body with millions of nerve cells connected by billions of synapses. Within each synapse is a set of proteins, ...

About 580 million years ago, life on Earth began a rapid period of change called the Cambrian Explosion, a period defined by the birth of new life forms over many millions of years that ultimately helped bring about the modern diversity of animals. Fossils help palaeontologists chronicle the evolution of life since then, but drawing a picture of life during the 3 billion years that preceded the Cambrian Period is challenging, because the soft-bodied Precambrian cells rarely left fossil imprints. However, those early life forms did leave behind one abundant microscopic fossil: ...

Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. – The nucleus of a cell, which houses the cell's DNA, is also home to many structures that are not bound by a membrane but nevertheless exist as distinct compartments. A team of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) scientists has discovered that the formation of one of these nuclear subcompartments, called paraspeckles, is triggered by a pair of RNA molecules, which also maintain its structural integrity. As reported in a study published online ahead of print on December 19 in Nature Cell Biology, the scientists discovered this unique structure-building ...

the growing popularity of barbecue across the U.S. in 2010 has boosted sales and distribution, announces Sadler's Smokehouse, Ltd., North America's leader in premium, pit-smoked meats. Retail and club distribution has increased to more than 7,000 stores, and year-to-date sales of brisket, dinners and other Sadler's products are up 15 percent in this channel. Traditionally a regional favorite in the south, smoked brisket is gaining popularity throughout the U.S. as consumers from coast to coast are adding it to their weekly menus. To meet the demand, the company has ...

Eswaran Brothers Exports announced that it has achieved CarbonNeutral company certification, a major milestone in the sixty-seven year history of the family-owned tea company. The Vice Chairman of Eswaran Brothers and a third generation tea taster, Mr. Subramaniam Eassuwaren, stated, "As part of a family that has been devoted to tea, this is an important landmark for us. It's among the initial steps we have taken in our drive to become a truly ethical and sustainable business while still maintaining profitability. It is also an extension of our heritage and values that ...

As the UN's International Year of Biodiversity draws to a close, scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew are celebrating the diversity of the planet's plant and fungal life by highlighting some of the weird, wonderful and stunning discoveries they've made this year from the rainforests of Cameroon to the UK's North Pennines. But it's not just about the new – in some cases species long thought to be extinct in the wild have been rediscovered. Professor Stephen Hopper, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew says, "Each year, botanists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, ...

Blog Talk Radio Show Totally (In)Appropriate Explores the Question "How could my husband be GAY" WHO: Foresight Publishing, LLC, book authors Ondrea L. Davis, J'son M. Lee and Totally (In)Appropriate's Radio Host Natasha Rennie WHAT: A Discussion on the Controversial Non-fiction Novel "How Could My Husband Be Gay?" DATE: Thursday, December 23, 2010 TIME: 6:00pm (EST) CALL-IN NUMBER: 714.510.3742 LINK: blogtalkradio.com/inappropriate/2010/12/23/how-could-my-husband-be-gay SHOW DESCRIPTION: On the next episode of Totally (In)Appropriate ...

DSE Technology has launched an iPhone app designed to give new drivers crucial stopping distance and time information, called StopOMeter. In order to gain experience, drivers have to cover many miles before they begin to understand the relationship between speed of travel and the distance (and time) required for them to come to a stop in an emergency. New drivers have not yet had the luxury of covering enough miles to understand this relationship. But now, the new StopOMeter iPhone app helps them learn about this relationship in a much shorter period of time. The ...

Kustomatic is your one-stop information hub on everything you want and need to know about customizing cars. This blog is geared in providing you with the latest and the greatest trends in auto customization. It�EUR s like Pimp My Ride, but without Xzibit. What the site lacks in star power, it makes up for with creativity (if self-deprecating humor could be counted as such). A band of auto enthusiasts band together to create the writing force behind this informative and entertaining website. So what can one expect to spot in this super-blog? Well, the site is basically ...

It may seem odd that a local tree servicer who specializes in tree removal wants to preserve trees, but that's just what Premiere Tree Services of Birmingham has in mind. "Trees add to the intrinsic value of Birmingham and must be preserved," said Mark Smith, the community-minded VP of the company. Premiere Tree Services of Birmingham focuses on community involvement by supporting programs that encourage young people to get involved in planting trees. Such programs teach youngsters how to plant and maintain trees in the woodlands of Birmingham's parks and open spaces ...

In 2010, the price of gold reached record highs. Alaskan Gold Rush Fine Jewelry is trying something disruptive and new to serve their worldwide discerning clientele. Mike Webb, owner of Alaskan Gold Rush Fine Jewelry, just announced their yearly Christmas sale: Everything in stock and all custom orders at Alaskan Gold Rush Fine Jewelry will be sold at 2008 prices. That's a 35% savings on gold nugget jewelry, gold chains, gold rings and anything else gold in stock or made in their Fairbanks, Alaska shop. With the current economy, Webb opted to give back to the customer. ...

Already proven and tested by KVA STAINLESS in other industries such as automotive, patented KVA martensitic stainless steel (MS2) structural tubing can now be integrated into high performance bicycle frames and fork blades to reduce weight, increase strength and stiffness, at a significant cost savings over competitive metal alloys. MS2 Stainless steel bike tubing for road and mountain bike frames was just released to bike frame builders and to the public in November 2010. KVA STAINLESS recently finalized several new stainless steel fork blade designs with the intention ...

The CIO Healthcare Summit team announced today the members of the event's strategic Content Committee, a group of leading technology executives who will determine the topics to be discussed during the event. The executive members of the 2011 Content Committee include: • Dr. John Mattison, CMIO, Kaiser Permanente • Scott Ranson, VP & CIO, Brookdale Senior Living • Patrick Hale, CTO, Sparrow Health System • Sri Bharadwaj, Director & SVP, IT, Molina Healthcare • David Wanner, SVP & CIO, St Mary's of Michigan/Accession Health "This year's Content Committee includes ...

The 2011 Stanley Clarke Scholarship Performance Benefit at the Musicians Institute. Founded by jazz legend Stanley Clarke (who just earned two Grammy Nominations); The Stanley Clarke Foundation will award the prestigious 2011 scholarships to five very talented finalists from high schools across Los Angeles. Each finalist will perform live on MI's Main Stage for Stanley and a panel of celebrity and industry judges. Musicians' Institute scholarships of $12,000 will be awarded to each of the top two performers. The evening will also include an onstage jam session with Stanley ...

Flip Flop Shops is exposing its toes in Tallahassee. The only lifestyle retail franchise to capture the essence of the flip flop connoisseur way of life, Flip Flop Shops recently opened its first local shop in Tallahassee at Governor's Square Mall, located at 1500 Apalachee Way. "Flip flops have evolved into a premium lifestyle necessity, and Flip Flop Shops was created to fill the void in the retail industry," said Jason Swinford (Size 12), owner of the new Flip Flop Shops in Tallahassee. "Our goal is to make finding the perfect flip flop a cinch! We offer local consumers ...

West Palm Beach Antiques Festival owners Kay and Bill Puchstein reported over 400 dealers set up on site at the December 3,4 and 5 edition of the Festival with all outside dealer spaces sold out to take advantage of the Chamber of Commerce weather. Attendance exceeded the previous month and visitors were in a holiday buying mood. Dealers gladly accommodated the holiday shoppers with wide selections of tempting gift ideas like Steiff animals, silver items, vintage linens and mid century modern furniture leading the way. In gearing up for the 2011 season the Puchsteins ...

Valley author and resident, Vincent Rocca, has published Rebel without a Deal, a 334­page book that chronicles Rocca's firsthand experiences making the cult indie movie Kisses and Caroms. Inspiring moviemakers and film lovers will enjoy this first ever complete moviemaking resource that contains every aspect of filmmaking down to profit and loss statements. Rocca's $11,000. film garnered distribution from Warner Bros. landing on the shelves of Wal*Mart and has gone on to gross over $1 million dollars. Unlike many film books that only discuss making and marketing movies, ...

NetStairs.com , Inc., the intelligent digital media delivery enabler, announced today the execution of global marketing agreement with FranTech USA, LLC. "NetStairs is excited to work closely with FranTech's global network who will promote and distribute the world's first intelligent media delivery enabler IV~8 (http://netstairs.com/iv8demo). founded on NetStairs intelligent algorithm, the media middleware platform provides ideal settings for Telecom providers, Cloud, ICT, and Data Centers who wish to empower their clients with intelligent media delivery for the Mobile, ...

Gap Adventures, the world's adventure travel leader, introduces its 2011/12 Arctic and Antarctica cruise season with a slew of new features. Perfect for the cold and adventure enthusiasts, trips aboard the M/S Expedition delve deep into the vast array of cold-weather wildlife and breathtaking scenery of narrow waterways, glaciers, icebergs, and rugged mountains very few people will ever have the opportunity to see. "We're excited to launch the next line-up of our glacial trips," says Bruce Poon Tip, founder of Gap Adventures. "The polar regions of the planet epitomize ...

Organizing your information and being prepared for an emergency is just as important as organizing your home. But it is one area that most people ignore. Karin E. Fried of Organizational Consulting Services is proud to announce her affiliation with CareBinders . CareBinders is Personal RecordKeeping Software to Simplify Your Life. CareBinders is a unique software tool that organizes and stores individual, family and small business documents - all in one place, fully secure, residing right on your personal computer. CareBinders tracks personal, medical and financial data ...

AT&T has offered Brandon West a contract to expand the ever growing Charlotte Market. West is expected to open a new firm in the North Charlotte area for him to manage at the first of the year. West has been an Assistant Manager at Elevation for the past eight months where he has focused on the financial aspect of running a successful firm and further developing his management skills. "Its no surprise to me that Brandon has exceeded his goals and is predicted to be one of the top managers in 2011. He has always had the skills to be a succesful young professional, but ...

More than 150,000 troops are serving overseas and are away from their families. Cell Phones for Soldiers and Comfort Inn Columbia are calling on all Americans to support for these brave men and women by donating your unused cell phones. Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to collect over 1 Million cell phones this year to help keep troops connected with their families. "Over the past few years, we have been amazed by the generosity of others. But, we have also seen the need to support our troops continue." says Brittany Bergquist, Cell Phones for Soldiers co-founder. "It ...

Motorcycle Attorney Brad Sinclair, an avid motorcycle rider and an active Lifetime Member of ABATE (American Bikers Aiming Towards Education) attended and supported the 29th Annual ABATE Toy Run that started at noon on December 5, 2010 at Merritt Square Mall, in Merritt Island, FL. The front parking lot was lined with motorcycles from JCPenney to Macy's. Sinclair Law offices donated 5,000 customized Sinclair Law and Abate Toy Run branded koozies to the event participants. "Sinclair Law proudly supports the Annual ABATE Christmas Toy Run," says Sinclair. "We hope our attendance ...

The Blue Apple, LLC (Blue Apple) is pleased to announce that it has purchased the interests in Mapleside Farms in Brunswick, Ohio, which were previously held by Fifth Third Bank. Blue Apple is owned and operated by Greg and Kelly Clement who are lifelong Brunswick residents. Greg is the founder and President of Realeflow, LLC, an internet software company based in Parma Heights, OH. "We are incredibly happy with this outcome", said Bill Eyssen, whose family has owned and operated Mapleside Farms since 1927. "This has been weighing on us for a long time, but what I thought ...