Scientists have moved a step closer to being able to develop a computer model of the brain after developing a technique to map both the connections and functions of nerve cells in the brain together for the first time. A new area of research is emerging in the neuroscience known as 'connectomics'. With parallels to genomics, which maps the our genetic make-up, connectomics aims to map the brain's connections (known as 'synapses'). By mapping these connections – and hence how information flows through the circuits of the brain – scientists hope to understand how perceptions, ...

The benefits of blueberry consumption have been demonstrated in several nutrition studies, more specifically the cardio-protective benefits derived from their high polyphenol content. Blueberries have shown potential to have a positive effect on everything from aging to metabolic syndrome. Recently, a researcher from Texas Woman's University (TWU) in Denton, TX, examined whether blueberries could play a role in reducing one of the world's greatest health challenges: obesity. Shiwani Moghe, MS, a graduate student at TWU, decided to evaluate whether blueberry polyphenols ...

C.S. Lewis, the famous author and Oxford academic, once proclaimed "You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." We sip it with toast in the morning, enjoy it with sweets and biscuits in the afternoon, and relax with it at the end of the day. Tea has for generations been an integral infusion worldwide, carrying both epicurean and economic significance. But, does it impart honest-to-goodness health benefits? In other words, is its persistence in the human diet perhaps coincident with enhanced quality (or quantity) of life? Dr. Chwan-Li (Leslie) ...

Jenny Wan-chen Lee, a graduate student in Cornell University's Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, has been fascinated with a phenomenon known as "the halo effect" for some time. Psychologists have long recognized that how we perceive a particular trait of a person can be influenced by how we perceive other traits of the same individual. In other words, the fact that a person has a positive attribute can radiate a "halo", resulting in the perception that other characteristics associated with that person are also positive. An example of this would be judging ...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Scientists at Harvard University have harnessed the prowess of fast-replicating bacterial viruses, also known as phages, to accelerate the evolution of biomolecules in the laboratory. The work, reported this week in the journal Nature, could ultimately allow the tailoring of custom pharmaceuticals and research tools from lab-grown proteins, nucleic acids, and other such compounds. The researchers, led by Professor David R. Liu, say their approach -- dubbed phage-assisted continuous evolution, or PACE -- is roughly 100 times faster than conventional ...

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight. But there are conflicting reports about how much alcohol, if any, it is safe for a pregnant woman to drink. New research published in Biomed Central's open access journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth looked at the amounts of alcohol women drank during their early pregnancy and showed the effect this had on their babies. Researchers in Dublin questioned more than 60,000 pregnant women during their hospital booking interview, which usually occurred ...

Robert Lauri, an eclectic international musician, controls a wide variety of musical genres and the extent of his musical creativity truly characterizes him as an artist. He knows how to build a melody into a unique musical work of art, a true canvas of harmonies and color variations that, upon hearing, will remain etched in the listener's memory. He always operates with the same mastery in terms of harmonies and musical arrangements. He is a melodic visionary, a unique creator within his genre in all musical styles that he offers his listeners. He literally puts ...

JUPITER, FL, April 10, 2010 – For years, scientists have thought of DNA as a passive blueprint capable only of producing specific proteins through RNA transcription. Now, research led by scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute has shown DNA can also act to fine-tune the activity of certain proteins known as nuclear receptors. These new findings may make it possible to design therapies that could activate specific genes in a highly targeted manner in a number of important diseases including osteoporosis, obesity, autoimmune disease, and cancer. ...

The evolution and diversification of the more than 300,000 living species of flowering plants may have been "jump started" much earlier than previously calculated, a new study indicates. According to Claude dePamphilis, a professor of biology at Penn State University and the lead author of the study, which includes scientists at six universities, two major upheavals in the plant genome occurred hundreds of millions of years ago -- nearly 200 million years earlier than the events that other research groups had described. The research also indicates that these upheavals produced ...

DURHAM, N.C.— An investigational combination of drugs already approved to treat obesity, migraine and epilepsy produced up to a 10 percent weight loss in obese individuals participating in a one-year clinical trial, according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center. Appearing online in The Lancet today, the study found that treatment with the controlled-release combination therapy consisting of phentermine and topiramate also achieved significant reductions in blood pressure and hemoglobin A1C. Study participants also experienced improvements in cholesterol, ...

The Antarctic Peninsula has warmed rapidly for the last half-century or more, and recent studies have shown that an adjacent area, continental West Antarctica, has steadily warmed for at least 30 years, but scientists haven't been sure why. New University of Washington research shows that rising sea surface temperatures in the area of the Pacific Ocean along the equator and near the International Date Line drive atmospheric circulation that has caused some of the largest shifts in Antarctic climate in recent decades. The warmer water generates rising air that creates ...

When viruses attack, one molecule more than any other fights back. Interferon triggers the activation of more than 350 genes, and despite the obvious connection, the vast majority have never been tested for antiviral properties. A team of researchers, led by scientists from Rockefeller University, for the first time has carried out a comprehensive, systematic evaluation of the antiviral activity of interferon-induced factors. The findings, published online today in the journal Nature, are a first step toward unraveling how these naturally occurring molecules work to inhibit ...

SALT LAKE CITY, April 11, 2011 – University of Utah geophysicists made the first large-scale picture of the electrical conductivity of the gigantic underground plume of hot and partly molten rock that feeds the Yellowstone supervolcano. The image suggests the plume is even bigger than it appears in earlier images made with earthquake waves. "It's like comparing ultrasound and MRI in the human body; they are different imaging technologies," says geophysics Professor Michael Zhdanov, principal author of the new study and an expert on measuring magnetic and electrical ...

A new analysis has found that childhood cancer survivors often suffer from sleep problems and fatigue, which negatively impact their attention and memory. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that addressing sleep hygiene among survivors of childhood cancer may help to improve their cognitive health. Cognitive problems, such as trouble with attention and memory, often arise in survivors of childhood cancer. These problems, which are either a direct or indirect result of treatment, negatively impact ...

Children with inborn errors of metabolism received vaccines on the same immunization schedule as did healthy infants, according to Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center scientists who examined the Kaiser Permanente Northern California population. In addition, immunization was not associated with significant increases in emergency room visits or hospitalizations during the month following vaccination, according to Nicola Klein, MD, PhD, lead author of the study and co-director of the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center. The study appears in the current online issue ...

Bingo Liner recently introduced a great new addition to their fun and exciting bingo games by adding an 'invite a friend' feature. Now, whenever a current Bingo Liner user invites a friend to join, they get GBP10 for free! As soon as the friend makes their first deposit, GBP10 immediately goes into their 128-bit encrypted account which has multiple firewalls, built to secure your account and protect your privacy. This is just one of the features that Bingo Liner offers to keep the fun of online bingo going. This combines with their reload bonus offer, a 100% deposit ...

WASHINGTON, DC (April 11, 2011) – Drinking 100 percent fruit juices could have protective health benefits similar to those of whole fruits, according to research presented in a literature review yesterday at the 2011 Experimental Biology (EB) meeting. Highlights from a new report summarizing recent research on the potential benefits of fruit juice suggest a positive association between intake of 100 percent juice and reduced risk for several chronic diseases, including cancer, markers for cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. "While it is universally accepted ...

What began as a closed door and a "do not tell" in the swingers realm has recently become a popular trendy event. Swinging started out in the early war era when air force pilots would swap their wives. Some attribute the first type of these swinging events even further back to the time of the Romans. Since the Internet boom in the late 90s sites like SwingLifeStyle have given an all access place to meet and date swinger couples with a directory of swinger clubs across the US. When the social site boom happened a few years back, most companies and websites were left in ...

PacketMicro and High Speed Design Center (HSDC) announce today that they are offering the "Flex Probing System" family for testing large printed circuit boards (PCB). Comprising of Flex Positioners, Flex Scopes, and Flex Bridges, this system can typically be configured for either horizontal or vertical probing of large PCB in less than 10 minutes. "The unique, stackable structure makes our Flex Probing System the perfect solution for testing the PCB system in a vertical probing configuration," said Ben Chia, HSDC President. "With the 2 mega-pixel Flex Scope and the ...

A recent study reveals that the new electronic vaporizers are the answer for many people looking to quit their expensive addiction. The 6-month study was conducted on men and women ranging from the ages of 22 - 55. The incredible vapor technology applied in the research is made using a heating unit, stainless steel stick, and a flavor cartridges. The new technology is well tested and built to last with most manufacturers offering a lifetime warranty. The new versions used in this study have a stronger and more realistic taste. They also look and feel exactly like the real ...

The question is: Should you Trust a Tax Relief Firm? Its tough to do. Here are the steps to follow: 1. Ask them if they use licensed Enrolled Agents. Enrolled Agents are trained and licensed to negotiate with the IRS. 2. Ask for Real Case Histories. 3. Be careful with the quick quoter. If they don't care about your case details and quickly give a price and ask for money, proceed with caution. A good firm will be concerned with the details of your case before making promises. 4. Will they give you a tour of their operation? Here are a few case stories about ...

Alliance Benefit Group of Illinois (ABG) reached a corporate milestone in the first quarter of 2011, surpassing $2 billion in assets under administration. As of March 31, the company reported over $2.1 billion of retirement plan assets for which it provides daily valuation recordkeeping and administration service. Achieving the $2 billion asset mark has placed ABG in very select company among retirement plan administrators across the country. The Peoria based company is now in the top 1% (ranked by assets under administration) of retirement plan advisors in the USA (as ...

The re-opening of a Brian Hoffman's Red Skelton comedy show means there's great news for everyone who likes to laugh. Now entering his third year performing in Las Vegas as 'America's Favorite Clown,' Brian's newest version of the show will open just off the strip at The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas Hotel Casino and Spa located at 160 East Flamingo Road (corner of Koval and Flamingo) Starting April 19th show times will be every Monday and Tuesday at 2pm. Now you can take advantage of the upscale dining and gaming elegance and style in The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas Hotel ...

Odyssey Seminars will be having an Easter Carnival on Sat. April 23rd at Mile Square Park (south Euclid entrance) located in Fountain Valley, Orange Co., CA. 92708 Time: 1-6 PM. This will benefit TACA - Talk About Autism, Inclusion Infusion, Cub Scout Pack #667 and Boy Scout Troop #295. There will be game booths, craft booths, field games, egg hunts, egg decorating and more. Odyssey notes will be exchanged for cash; only these notes will be accepted at the park. Odyssey Notes are a way that local businesses can contribute to the charities as well as bringing new businesses ...

Gold's Gym, the world's leading authority in health and fitness, announced today that Kanye West can officially lay claim to the strongest song in the gym. After an intense nationwide vote, his popular track, nominated by Super Bowl XLII champion Michael Strahan, survived a star-studded bracket of 64 iPod all-stars to be named the greatest workout song of all time. "Stronger," West's 2007 hit from his "Graduation" album, was voted the winner in Gold's Gym's first ever March Music Madness competition. The competition was designed to put an end to the age old debate about ...