Each year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) numbers show that there are more than 4 million babies born. While most of the babies born each year are healthy infants, it is estimated that approximately 185,000 are born each year with health problems from genetic disorders such as spina bifida or Down syndrome; and another five to seven newborns per 1,000 experience birth injuries or birth trauma that can cause permanent damage, such as Erb's palsy or cerebral palsy. Parents experience a significant amount of stress and anxiety in the course of pregnancy, childbirth ...

A longstanding debate as to whether genius is a byproduct of good genes or good environment has an upstart challenger that may take the discussion in an entirely new direction. University of Alberta researcher Marty Mrazik says being bright may be due to an excess level of a natural hormone. Mrazik, a professor in the Faculty of Education's educational psychology department, and a colleague from Rider University in the U.S., have published a paper in Roeper Review linking giftedness (having an IQ score of 130 or higher) to prenatal exposure of higher levels of testosterone. ...

Proteins in fluids bathing the brain are essential for building the brain, discover scientists in a report published March 10 in the journal Neuron. The finding promises to advance research related to neurological disease, cancer and stem cells. Before now, the fluid surrounding the brain was generally considered to be a sort of salt-solution that simply maintained the brain's ionic balance. Recent reports of fluctuating proteins in the fluid suggested otherwise, however. And thus, a multi-institutional research teams at the Children's Hospital in Boston, led by Maria ...

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Cheer up. Stop worrying. Don't work so hard. Good advice for a long life? As it turns out, no. In a groundbreaking study of personality as a predictor of longevity, University of California, Riverside researchers found just the opposite. "It's surprising just how often common assumptions – by both scientists and the media – are wrong," said Howard S. Friedman, distinguished professor of psychology who led the 20-year study. Friedman and Leslie R. Martin , a 1996 UCR alumna (Ph.D.) and staff researchers, have published those findings in "The Longevity ...

When most people hear about an arrest for driving under the influence, they think that the driver had too much to drink. However, the number of fatal accidents caused by drivers who are under the influence of drugs has increased over the past five years. With this number on the rise, officials are more focused on reducing the number of drugged drivers on roadways. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a study that took a deeper look at the issue. It examined drug tests that were conducted after drivers were killed in accidents. While the report ...

Parents who believe that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder makes their kids more creative got a little more scientific support recently. A new study in the Journal of Personality and Individual Differences found adults with ADHD enjoyed more creative achievement than those who didn't have the disorder. "For the same reason that ADHD might create problems, like distraction, it can also allow an openness to new ideas," says Holly White, assistant professor of cognitive psychology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida and co-author of the paper. "Not being ...

Most discussions about the dangers of distracted driving focus on the problems posed by electronic devices like cell phones, MP3 players and GPS navigation systems. And while many states have enacted legislation to curb the improper in-car use of electronic devices, some experts suggest that electronic devices are only part of the problem. Indeed, dangerous driving distractions can arise from a variety of sources, including one that many of us would find unlikely: our pets. Although no definitive numbers are available, experts believe that unrestrained pets cause thousands ...

In biology, the key to a healthy life is organization. Cells that properly organize themselves into communities live long and prosper, whereas disorganized cells can become cancerous. A study by researchers with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) of the different types of cells that make up the human breast shows that not only do cells possess an innate ability to self-organize into communities, but these communities of different types of cells can also organize themselves with respect to one another to form and maintain healthy tissue. Understanding ...

The rules of the road are becoming more specific and safety-focused, especially when it comes to regulating or banning the use of certain technological devices while driving. Late last year, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed one such regulation, which aims to outlaw hand-held cell phone use by interstate commercial truck and bus drivers. This type of law is not new; many states have some form of texting while driving ban. But it is a new DOT tactic to put the enforcement spotlight on commercial drivers. The goal is to prevent trucking accidents and ...

PHILADELPHIA - For rodent pups, bonding with mom isn't hard-wired in the womb. It develops over the first few weeks of life, which is achieved by their maturing sense of smell, possibly allowing these mammals a survival advantage by learning to identify mother, siblings, and home. Blending electrophysiological, biochemical, and behavioral experiments, Minghong Ma, PhD, an associate Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, led a study published in a recent issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. With students Anderson Lee and Jiwei ...

UPTON, NY - Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, Stony Brook University, and collaborators have demonstrated the efficacy of a "wearable," portable PET scanner they've developed for rats. The device will give neuroscientists a new tool for simultaneously studying brain function and behavior in fully awake, moving animals. The researchers describe the tool and validation studies in the April 2011 issue of Nature Methods. "Positron emission tomography (PET) is a powerful tool for studying the molecular processes that occur ...

Stena Line, one of the world's largest ferry operators, has announced it is predicting a 100 per cent increase in Indian passengers in 2011 on its twice daily ferry service between Harwich and the Hook of Holland. Some 10,000 Indian tourists travelled the route between Harwich and the Hook of Holland in 2010 and 20,000 are expected to travel it in 2011 as Indians holidaying in Europe are trying to avoid the Air Passenger Duty (APD) costs that would be incurred if they chose to fly back home from the UK. India is in the APD band C which means that the tax has doubled ...

A hidden trove of historical crop yield data from Africa shows that corn – long believed to tolerate hot temperatures – is a likely victim of global warming. Stanford agricultural scientist David Lobell and researchers at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) report in the inaugural issue of Nature Climate Change next week that a clear negative effect of warming on maize – or corn – production was evident in experimental crop trial data conducted in Africa by the organization and its partners from 1999 to 2007. Led by Lobell, the researchers ...

Bupa has revealed that the average Brit is at risk of cutting more than a decade off their life through unhealthy lifestyle habits. This is according to new research from the leading international healthcare group. The Bupa study assessed lifestyle behaviours such as smoking, alcohol intake, diet and exercise as well as other factors, in nearly 5,000 adults across Britain to calculate the nation's average Health Age, which is the impact that lifestyles are having on Briton's life expectancy. The results showed that on average, Brits have a Health Age 12 years older ...

Researchers have provided new clues into the genetics underlying a chronic form of liver disease, called primary biliary cirrhosis, which can lead to transplant surgery for patients. The new study identifies 15 genetic regions that affect a person's risk of developing the disease, more than trebling the number of known genetic regions, which now stands at 22. The study was based on the genomes of 2,500 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and more than 7,500 apparently healthy people. The results are the first to emerge from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium ...

CINCINNATI—University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers have determined the structure of human HDL cholesterol and say the finding could help explain how this "fat packet" protects against cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke. The study, led by W. Sean Davidson, PhD, professor in UC's pathology and laboratory medicine department, appears online ahead of print March 13, 2011, in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. HDL (high-density lipoproteins) also known as "good cholesterol," are packets of protein and fat that deliver fat to specific ...

HOUSTON - Breast cancer tumors take numerous paths to resist the targeted drug Herceptin, but a single roadblock at a crucial crossroads may restore a tumor's vulnerability to treatment, scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report on line at Nature Medicine. Adding the drug saracatinib to Herceptin treatment shrinks previously resistant tumors by cutting off at least five different molecular pathways, each of which can resist, said senior author Dihua Yu, M.D., Ph.D., professor in MD Anderson's Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology. "Scientists ...

Bigmouthmedia has expanded the range of analytics services on offer to clients after announcing that the agency has been awarded global professional accreditation status by Nedstat. Underlining bigmouthmedia's expertise in web analytics, two members of its team recently passed Nedstat's prestigious Sitestat professional exam qualifications. The accreditation, which will allow the agency to work as a Sitestat Authorized Partner, represents the latest step in the company's strategy to expand and diversify the range of services on offer to clients. "This is a significant ...

Cold Spring Harbor, NY -- A new method of analyzing cancerous tumors developed by scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) suggests that tumors may not evolve gradually, but rather in punctuated or staccato-like bursts. It is a finding that has already shed new light on the process of tumor growth and metastasis, and may help in the development of new methods to clinically evaluate tumors. The new analytic method, devised by CSHL Professor Michael Wigler and colleagues, features a process called single cell sequencing (SNS), which enables accurate quantification ...

Since the 1970s, hydrogen has been touted as a promising alternative to fossil fuels due to its clean combustion —unlike hydrocarbon-based fuels, which spew greenhouse gases and harmful pollutants, hydrogen's only combustion by-product is water. Compared to gasoline, hydrogen is lightweight, can provide a higher energy density and is readily available. But there's a reason we're not already living in a hydrogen economy: to replace gasoline as a fuel, hydrogen must be safely and densely stored, yet easily accessed. Limited by materials unable to leap these conflicting ...

Key Assets, a 'not for profit' non-government fostering agency operating in South Australia, is providing carers with the opportunity to commit to fostering on a full-time basis with 24-hour support and a rewarding fostering fee. This will enable carers to commit the time and attention that this fulfilling career deserves. Working in partnership with the Department for Families and Communities, Key Assets provides foster care placements for a wide range of children and young people across South Australia. Through the delivery of Team Parenting, an approach based upon ...

With so many free bets available for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival, it is difficult for punters to decide which the most suitable and best value is. As part of Free Bet Finder's online Cheltenham betting microsite, over twenty five bookmakers' promotions have been reviewed and rated to determine the best Cheltenham free bet. With just hours to go before the start of the Cheltenham Festival, and most punters already deciding who their fancied horses and best bets are, Free Bet Finder have announced that Bet 365 are the winner of this award. Following a number ...

Evans Consoles, the leader in design and manufacturing of 24/7 mission critical environments, is pleased to announce the acquisition of both Dutch Airport Solutions B.V. (DAS) and the assets relating to the airport interiors division of NKI Solutions B.V. (NKI), both based in the Netherlands. NKI has a 35-year history and is recognized worldwide, with a reputation for excellence in the design, manufacturing, installation and project management of airport counters, terminal interiors and signage. These entities have been acquired by the newly created airport division ...

Everyone has heard of the Cheltenham Festival - the 4 day extravaganza of horse racing that takes place every year in March - but did you know there are four other festivals that Cheltenham is world renowned for, as well as it being a town made famous by its architecture and numerous other points of historical interest? Situated on the edge of the Cotswolds, in the south-west region of England, Cheltenham is a wealthy spa town which became a health and holiday resort in 1716 when mineral springs were discovered. The spring waters are the only consumable alkaline waters ...

The Gay-Friendly Source is a website that was built to foster community and dialogue between the LGBT community and the world at large. The site was created for the gay community and beyond. The Gay-Friendly Source was designed to be used by all ages, both by those who are gay and by their families, friends, and coworkers, as well as by those who seek to gain greater insight and understanding of gay issues. The Gay-Friendly Source offers news, editorials, and an extensive listing of gay-friendly events nationwide. The site appeals to a wide audience and is an ideal venue ...