According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, over 500,000 large commercial vehicles were involved in accidents in 2010. More than 100,000 people sustained serious injuries and over 5,000 people were killed in these truck accidents. This number is up from only 3,200 deaths reported from truck accidents in 2009. These figures are staggering, but not surprising. Increasingly, unrealistic demands placed on truck drivers leads to irresponsible behaviors like sleep deprivation, excessive speeds, and the use of drugs to battle exhaustion. Despite the fact that there ...

Someone is more likely to predict the quality of a product by its price if someone else is buying it, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. But when consumers buy products themselves, they are more likely to judge quality by a product's attributes. "Consider the following scenario: you observe that a friend has bought a well-designed attractive handbag for a surprisingly low price. What inference would you draw regarding the quality of that bag?" write authors Dengfeng Yan and Jaideep Sengupta (both Hong Kong University of Science and Technology). ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Toddlers who do not have a secure emotional relationship with their parents, and particularly their mothers, could be at increased risk for obesity by age 4 ½, according to new research. The study suggests that children at age 24 months who show insecure attachment patterns have at least 30 percent higher odds for obesity by age 4 ½. The association persisted even after researchers accounted for other family-related factors that could provide alternative explanations for the children's obesity. Psychologists describe securely attached children as ...

If you have been injured or lost a loved one due to the negligence or wrongdoing of someone else, you may have a valid personal injury case. Many factors have to be taken into consideration when determining if you do have a personal injury case. Upon meeting with an experienced, knowledgeable personal injury lawyer, he or she will be able to determine whether or not you have a valid legal claim against some other party or parties. Determining legal responsibility for an accident or injury is called liability. This can be complicated, but often rests on whether someone ...

The scarcity of raw materials and increasing usage of rare metals is making electronic components and devices more and more costly. Such rare metals are used, for example, to make the transparent electrodes found in mobile phone touchscreen displays, liquid-crystal displays, organic LEDs and thin-film solar cells. The material of choice in these cases is indium tin oxide (ITO), a largely transparent mixed oxide. Because ITO is relatively expensive, however, it is uneconomic to use in large area applications such as solar cells. The search for alternatives Indium-free ...

Thalidomide may have been withdrawn in the early 1960s for use by pregnant women, but its dramatic effects remain memorable half a century later. Now, researchers have taken a major step toward understanding exactly how thalidomide causes the birth defects. This is important as thalidomide is still used to treat diseases like multiple myeloma and leprosy, and is being tested for cancers and autoimmune disorders. This discovery was recently published online in the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org). "The ability of thalidomide breakdown products to cause birth defects ...

Sculptra is a popular dermal filler used in facial rejuvenation procedures. It is very effective in reducing facial wrinkles and nasolabial folds. For maximum effectiveness, you will need to undergo three to six treatments, and your results can last for as long as two years. Sculptra is composed of a synthetic Poly-L-lactic acid material which is very similar to the lactic acid naturally produced by your body as a by-product of exercise. The synthetic Poly-L-lactic acid works by increasing the thickness of your skin, diminishing the appearance of facial wrinkles. Over ...

A new study published in The American Journal on Addictions reveals that Veterans who suffer from mental health disorders also have high rates of substance use disorders. Led by Ismene Petrakis, MD, of Yale University School of Medicine, researchers used national administrative data from the Department of Veterans Affairs to examine rates of substance use disorders among Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan who were also diagnosed with PTSD and other psychiatric disorders. A total of 1,001,996 VA patients were diagnosed with one of the six designated mental disorders. ...

Mediterranean landscapes have undergone great change in recent decades, but species have adapted to this, at least in the case of roe deer, Spanish ibex, red deer and wild boar. This has been shown by Spanish researchers who have analysed the effects of changes in land use on the past, present and future distribution of these species. "In the last few decades there has been an increase in the area of distribution of wild ungulates", explains Pelayo Acevedo, lead author of the study and researcher in the Department of Animal Biology at the University of Málaga, speaking ...

When a dangerous product is on the market, it's important to get the word out quickly about product defects, especially when a recall is involved. Two new websites are helping to do just that. The goal is to give the consumer more useful, comprehensive information all in one place. Prior to the new websites, multiple different government agencies were responsible for announcing various different types of product recalls to the public via the many agency websites or other sources. ClickCheckandProtect.org This new website focuses on families with school-aged children ...

Eating raw or undercooked mollusks may pose a safety hazard if they are harvested from waters polluted with pathogenic microbes, so U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are studying ways to enhance the food safety of these popular shellfish. For example, USDA molecular biologist David H. Kingsley at Delaware State University in Dover is exploring new techniques that will decontaminate mollusks while protecting the seafood's flavor, texture, and color. Kingsley, with USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), is investigating the use of a specialized commercial ...

A prenuptial agreement is a legal contract that can be used to limit the transfer of assets or income to a former spouse, should a couple divorce. The agreement is made before the marriage and is interpreted by the courts using the rules of contract law. The California legislature has created detailed requirements for the creation of a prenuptial agreement. When is a prenuptial agreement invalid in California? The basic requirements of a prenuptial agreement are established in the California Family Code. Full Disclosure To be valid, a prenuptial agreement must ...

BINGHAMTON, NY – Many of the newest weapons in the war on cancer come in the form of personalized therapies that can target specific changes in an individual's tumor. By disrupting molecular processes in tumor cells, these drugs can keep the tumor from growing and spreading. At the forefront of this work are Binghamton University researchers, Susan Bane, and Susannah Gal, who are deploying a new tool in their study of an enzyme called tubulin tyrosine ligase, or TTL. In developing these targeted therapies, scientists need to understand exactly what kind of activities ...

Underage drinking is not an uncommon occurrence in our society. High school and college students all too frequently have parties where excessive amounts of alcohol are being consumed by minors. This may not be terribly surprising, but it should be alarming. Dangerous consequences can occur when minors drink alcohol or take drugs, including alcohol poisoning and other serious injuries that may result due to overconsumption. Additionally, drunk driving accidents and death may even be possible. Many adults may not realize that they can be held liable under Illinois's social ...

If a patient dies because of medical malpractice, a person loses her mobility because of a reckless driver in a motor vehicle accident, or severe injury is suffered because of a defective product or device, one thing is certain: A jury can tally the medical bills and lost earnings, but it's impossible to tally the losses that matter even more -- noneconomic damages like pain and suffering. For that reason, we leave the question of noneconomic damages to juries. Only jurors, after they have heard stories of loss, are in the best position to determine what those losses ...

BOSTON – The long-standing prohibition against testosterone therapy in men with untreated or low-risk prostate cancer merits reevaluation, according to a new study published in The Journal of Urology. "For many decades it had been believed that a history of prostate cancer, even if treated and cured, was an absolute contraindication to testosterone therapy, due to the belief that testosterone activated prostate cancer growth, and could potentially cause dormant cancer cells to grow rapidly," says Abraham Morgentaler, MD of Men's Health Boston. "Generations of medical ...

Breast implants appear to be associated with a rare form of lymphoma, but there is not yet evidence to show that the cancer is caused by implants or to suggest an underlying mechanism for how the disease might develop, according to a study by researchers from the RAND Corporation. The study, published online by the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, also finds that the disease takes a slow course and can be controlled by surgical removal of the implant and surrounding capsule. The conclusions are based on an exhaustive review of the medical literature regarding ...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A repeat of a corporate tax holiday that found little success in stimulating the economy in 2005 is still a long-shot to jump-start a stagnant U.S. economy, says a University of Illinois expert in corporate and international taxation. Dhammika Dharmapala, a professor of law at Illinois, says that while the idea of a tax holiday has found favor among some politicians and presidential hopefuls looking to jolt the country out of the financial doldrums, it would have little positive effect on economic growth. "Ostensibly, the aim is to increase domestic ...

When a couple decides that it is time to end their marriage they face many challenges, not the least of which is dividing the marital property. While there are exceptions, marital property is generally defined as property that is acquired after the date of marriage and before a spouse files for divorce. This can include a house, vehicles, bank accounts, debts, retirement funds and business interest. The division of marital property at times can be fairly straight forward and at other times very complex -- dividing a closely-held or family business is one of the most ...

Independent contractors are widely utilized in the construction business to help reduce costs and bring in valuable outside expertise. For employers, using independent contractors means employment tax savings and the avoidance of certain labor laws. But, problems arise when employers start calling regular employees "independent contractors." Misclassified workers miss out on a number of benefits, including workers' compensation rights, unemployment insurance, and the ability to collectively bargain. In the construction industry, misclassification of employees ...

The BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused social disruption and psychological stress among Gulf residents that is similar to the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez spill and the impacts are likely to persist for years, a new study finds. "Just ask the residents of Cordova today whether they are over the Exxon Valdez," said study co-author Liesel Ritchie, assistant director for research of the University of Colorado Boulder's Natural Hazards Center. The Alaska community was considered "ground zero" for the 1989 oil spill. The research was a collaborative effort among Ritchie, ...

Homeowners facing foreclosure could see additional, although potentially short-term, relief from the Florida courts in the near future. Those with pending foreclosure actions that have not moved forward may see the case against them dismissed by the court because the bank has essentially abandoned the case or has not moved closer to concluding the action. Courts across the country are perpetually overwhelmed with cases; judges often struggle to keep their dockets moving along in a timely manner. To address the number of cases and to ensure that courts do not get bogged ...

In today's modern families it is common for fathers and mothers to both play active roles in the parenting of their children. When these marriages come to an end, one of the most troublesome problems is the issue of where the children will live. Illinois law provides two options to resolve custody disputes, namely Sole or Joint Custody. When applied traditionally either option unsatisfactorily results in the children residing primarily with one parent while the other parent exercises visitation and pays child support. The response to this problem in Illinois family ...

New Orleans, LA –In the first animal model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), developed by Dr. Udai Pandey, Assistant Professor of Genetics at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, Dr. Pandey's lab has found in fruit flies that blocking the abnormal movement of a protein made by a mutated gene called FUS also blocks the disease process. The research is available online in the Advanced Access section of the journal Human Molecular Genetics website, posted on April 12, 2011. It will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal. The fruit flies were engineered ...

Chicago's streets are home to almost 400 red light cameras that monitor 190 of the city's most dangerous intersections. The program began in 2003, when the city installed cameras at two intersections: 55th and Western, and Peterson and Western. Since then, the city has issued millions of violations--763,419 in 2010 alone--and made millions of dollars in revenue from the red light cameras. The cameras are connected to the intersection's traffic lights. When the light turns red, any vehicle that passes under the sensor get its picture taken and is recorded on a video device. ...