New research on mice has shown that pulmonary administration of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) significantly reduces flu symptoms and prevents death after a lethal dose influenza virus. While GM-SCF therapy for humans as a flu prophylaxis or treatment may be years away, the study results were striking: All of the mice treated with GM-SCF survived after being infected with the influenza virus, whereas untreated mice all died from the same infection. "Such unique and unambiguous results demonstrate the great potential of GM-CSF and may be the ...

Scotland's first fully protected marine reserve, and only the second in the UK, is already providing commercial and conservation benefits, according to new research. After only two years in operation, it is already showing positive signs for both fishermen and conservationists, according to a study by the University of York and the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST). The research, published in the journal Marine Biology, shows that commercially valuable scallops and several species of algae known to promote biodiversity are much more abundant in the marine reserve, ...

Delivering the News: How to Tell the Kids You Are Getting a Divorce Choosing to get a divorce can be a difficult decision, especially if you and your spouse have children. However, communicating the facts of your decision and simply explaining how the children's lives will change -- and how they will stay the same -- can make the transition a better experience for them. To deliver the divorce news in an understandable and kid-friendly way, Lynn Louise Wonders, a licensed professional counselor who works with children and families going through divorce, offers the ...

PHOENIX, Ariz.-- April 22, 2011-- A gene called PVT1 may help reduce the kidneys ability to filter blood, leading to kidney disease, kidney failure and death, according to a study published today by researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). The TGen team found PVT1 expression levels increased up to 5-fold in response to hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, a condition that often accompanies diabetes. But by knocking down or reducing the expression of the PVT1gene, TGen researchers lowered the amount of proteins associated with the excessive ...

An article in Science Signaling by researchers at the RIKEN Research Center for Allergy and Immunology (RCAI) has clarified for the first time the mechanism governing differentiation of B cells into antibody-producing plasma cells. The finding establishes a role for the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway in B cell differentiation, a key step toward the development of B cell-targeted drugs for treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergies. As the only cells in the body that produce antibodies, B cells play an essential role in the immune system's ...

Dallas Man Petitions Texas Supreme Court for Review of Gay Divorce Case Texas is one of several states that have amended their constitutions to limit legal recognition of marriage to one man and one woman. Same-sex couples who want to formalize certain aspects of their relationship can explore Texas domestic partnership solutions, including adoption, cohabitation agreements and designation of end-of-life rights. But given that other states have formally recognized gay marriage, many Texans have traveled to places like Iowa and Massachusetts to obtain a legal marriage. If ...

PHILADELPHIA--During embryonic development, cells migrate to their eventual location in the adult body plan and begin to differentiate into specific cell types. Thanks to new research at the University of Pennsylvania, there is new insight into how these processes regulate tissues formation in the heart. A developmental biologist at Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine, Jean-Pierre Saint-Jeannet, along with a colleague, Young-Hoon Lee of South Korea's Chonbuk National University, has mapped the embryonic region that becomes the part of the heart that separates the outgoing ...

Mortgage Fraud and the Financial Crisis In Oregon and across the country, the fallout from the subprime mortgage collapse and the ensuing financial meltdown has still not ended. This fallout does not only include depressed housing values and the seemingly endless waves of foreclosures that have affected so many lives. It also includes the unfairness of bringing mortgage fraud cases against people who were rank-and-file players in the deregulated mortgage industry. Mortgage fraud is a serious charge that often requires a vigorous federal criminal defense. Systemic ...

Michigan Crime and Punishment for Reckless or Drunk Driving Two fiery Michigan crashes lead to very different charges. In 2009, Robert Gorter crashed his car into a truck in a construction zone on I-196. Authorities say he was driving too fast for the conditions when he struck the truck. Both the car and the truck caught fire and the truck was pushed down an embankment. Gorter's 83-year-old wife and the 70-year-old driver of the truck were killed instantly. In 2010, Lauraetta Carey pursued her boyfriend and his female companion at speeds of up to 100 mph before he ...

Humans are not born as blank slates for nature to write on. Neither are they behaving on genes alone. Research by Lee A. Thompson, chair of Case Western Reserve University's Psychological Sciences Department, and colleagues found that the link between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and academic performance involves a complex interaction of genes and environment. Genetic influence was found to be greater on reading than for math, while shared environment (e.g., the home and/or school environment the twins shared) influenced math more so than reading. ...

The University of Connecticut and California State University researchers found that seafloor communities in a restricted fishing area in NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary showed indications of recovery from chronic fishing gear impacts but is not fully stable. The finding is significant because bottom trawlers, dredges and certain gillnets, for example, can alter the ocean floor and benthic ecosystems that provide food and shelter for fish and other marine species. The Western Gulf of Maine habitat closure area overlaps 22 percent of the sanctuary and ...

The exponentially increasing amount of digital information, along with new challenges in storing valuable data and massive datasets, are changing the architecture of today's newest supercomputers as well as how researchers will use them to accelerate scientific discovery, said Michael Norman, director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). In a presentation during the 3rd Annual La Jolla Research & Innovation Summit this week, Norman said that the amount of digital data generated just by instruments such as DNA ...

The Long Term Effects of Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) Only recently have the serious consequences of concussions become generally understood. Muhammad Ali and his Parkinson's disease is a popular and extreme case of someone living with a brain injury from a (or a series of) sports related concussion. However, research shows that even non-professional athletes can suffer unseen injuries from common accidents that may last a lifetime. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury generally caused by a blow to, or the rapid back and forth movement of, the head. While ...

RICHLAND, Wash. -- Atmospheric scientists trying to pin down how clouds curb the amount of sunlight available to warm the earth have found that it depends on the wavelength of sunlight being measured. This unexpected result will help researchers improve how they portray clouds in climate models. Additionally, the researchers found that sunlight scattered by clouds — the reason why beachgoers can get sunburned on overcast days — is an important component of cloud contributions to the earth's energy balance. Capturing such contributions will increase the accuracy of climate ...

Divorce Concerns Evolve As We Age Divorce in each stage of life presents its own unique challenges. For instance, divorce in your mid-twenties is very different from divorce as you near or are in retirement. Life circumstances make the issues and concerns of divorce as an older adult different from divorce as a younger adult. As a younger adult we most likely have fewer assets and small children, making child custody and support key issues. Whereas, those of retirement age presumably have many more assets and grown children, making the division of assets more of a ...

Alexandria, Va., USA – The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have published two studies about oral health inequalities in older people and low income individuals. These articles, titled "Income-related Inequalities in Dental Service Utilization by Europeans Aged 50+" by Stefan Listl, and "Income Inequality and Tooth Loss in the United States" by Eduardo Bernabe and Wagner Marcenes, are published in the Journal of Dental Research, the official publication of the IADR/AADR. The study by Barnebe and Mercenes explores the relationship ...

The owners of ChecknGold are so convinced that now is the best time to sell silver coins, gold and jewelry, they are willing to reward you with up to a $100 bonus gas card just for bringing your valuables to one of their locations. You can even sell your old silver coins. In fact, they are excited to talk to anyone who wants to sell jewelry or coins and take advantage of the recent spike in precious metal prices. Record-setting gold and silver figures have made this the perfect opportunity to unload what you don't use for instant ready cash that you can spend on bills ...

"We read to know we are not alone," wrote C.S. Lewis. But how do books make us feel we are not alone? "Obviously, you can't hold a book's hand, and a book isn't going to dry your tears when you're sad," says University at Buffalo, SUNY psychologist Shira Gabriel. Yet we feel human connection, without real relationships, through reading. "Something else important must be happening." In an upcoming study in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, Gabriel and graduate student Ariana Young show what that something is: When we read, ...

Thalmann Commodities (www.thalmanncommodities.com), a leading Independent Broker Dealer based in Zurich announced that its flagship strategy, the Hard Currency Fund (HCF), reached $150 million euro in assets, after reaching $100 million just three months earlier. The Fund, which was launched in December, 2010, is a no-load, open-end mutual fund that seeks to protect against the fall of the dollar relative to other currencies. "We are pleased to have reached this milestone because it demonstrates the demand for hard currency diversification," said Walter Mayerbach, ...

Bars and Restaurants Receive Free Marketing and Advertising! Join Today http://www.MyDrinkon.com My Drink On (MDO) is an innovative approach to group buying for the top nightlife venues in the Windy City that incorporates socializing, networking and philanthropy into a single experience. What does this mean? My Drink On has great drink deals and specials to the hottest bars, clubs, restaurants, and lounges. They also host great events, accompanied by a great drink deal and offer charity events including a great drink special. "Our mission is to promote a safe ...

Insurance Navy announced yesterday that it has expanded its operations of auto insurance and business insurance to Joliet Illinois, effective April 1st 2011. This is the tenth location for the agency which started marketing auto insurance in Chicago Illinois area since 2007. The new facility in Juliet is located at 18 S Larkin Ave, Joliet, Illinois. Fadi Sneineh, Agency Spokesman, said that this is "our 10th location that comes consistent with our goal to expand our auto and sr22 insurance quotes marketing as well as business insurance in the Chicago area and Northwest ...

SunPods Inc., a manufacturer of the first complete, factory-built solar array, announced today that Brian C. Boguess has joined the company as Director of Sales - Channel Partners and Business Development. Brian will report to Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Michael Gumm to oversee the development of multiple sales channels within the SunPods Partner Program. He brings over 15 years of focused sales, business development, and entrepreneurial experience to the SunPods' management team. "Brian Boguess has a successful track record in exceeding revenue goals and ...

On Monday morning, a crowd converged at the new Dillon Middle School construction site at 1803 Joan Drive, in Dillon, South Carolina. The original school, J.V. Martin Junior High School, built in 1896, suffers from roof leaks and winter classroom temperatures in the 50s; a portion of the building is condemned. When special guests and media arrived to the ceremony for the new facility, their focus was on the esteemed keynote speaker. A speaker, who was not only the catalyst for the school's makeover, but who also helped to raise approximately $40,000 in aid for the dilapidated ...

participates in the National March for Meals Campaign, sponsored by the Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) through a special component known as "Mayors for Meals Day". This year, Mathew J. Muratore, Selectman in Plymouth, Constance DiLego, Plymouth Council on Aging Director and Tim Valentine, Assistant Executive Director of Old Colony Elder Services delivered noontime meals for the nutrition site at the Plymouth Council on Aging. This campaign is designed to increase public awareness of the Meals on Wheels program, recruit new volunteers and ...

Renaissance Cosmetic Laser (RCL) has been named an Artefill * Center of Excellence by Suneva Medical, the manufacturer of Artefill. RCL is one of only two centers in Illinois and one of 50 in the country. "We are pleased to offer our clients the latest in dermal fillers. Artefill is the first and only FDA-approved microsphere-enhanced collagen filler with results that last for 7-10 years," said Taek Kim, M.D., RCL's medical director. "What this means for the recipient," Dr. Kim added, "is that the microspheres in Artefill are not absorbed by the ...