Grand Rapids, Mich. (September 28, 2010) – New findings from Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) scientists could lead to environmentally-friendly sprays that help plants survive drought and other stresses in harsh environments to combat global food shortages. The study is a follow-up to findings published in Nature last year that were named among the top breakthroughs of 2009 by Science magazine. "I think that the work established the methodologies and feasibilities of finding cheap and environmentally benign chemicals for agricultural application to improve the water ...

A global temperature increase of up to 4.2 º C and the end of coral reefs could become reality by 2100 if national targets are not revised in the Copenhagen Accord, the international pledge which was agreed at last year's Copenhagen's COP15 climate change conference. Just ahead of the next United Nations Climate Change Conference, which starts on 4 October in Tianjin, China, a new report published today, Wednesday, 29 September, in IOP Publishing's Environmental Research Letters describes how, due to lack of global action to date, only a small chance remains for keeping ...

In a recently published study in the journal Addiction, researchers from Bowling Green State University report evidence of an association between father's incarceration and substantially elevated risks for illegal drug use in adolescence and early adulthood. The number of persons incarcerated in the United States has sharply risen over the past several decades, from about 250,000 in 1975 to 2,250,000 in 2006. So too has the number of children with incarcerated parents, particularly fathers. The consequences of father's incarceration for their children, families, and communities ...

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Twelve years ago, then 28-year-old graduate student Brian Zikmund-Fisher was forced into the toughest choice of his life: Die from a blood disorder within a few years or endure a bone marrow transplant that could cure him or kill him in weeks. Zikmund-Fisher, now an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health specializing in health communication, chose to gamble. After nine months of blood transfusions, a bone marrow match was found in Australia. Zikmund-Fisher spent another month in isolation until his new immune system ...

Home owners using the new Solar Home Loan Calculator can determine how to leverage their home equity to install solar power and gain a secure and cheap power source, said ZEN Home Energy Systems Chief Executive Officer, Richard Turner. "We've known for some time now it is cheaper to produce your own energy at home than buy, but one of the biggest barriers facing householders is finding the cash to finance installation of a whole home solar energy system," Mr Turner said. "Currently the only other solar funding alternatives in the market are consumer finance packages ...

Professor Ewart Keep. ESRC Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE). Professor Ewart Keep's research interests include the links between skills and economic performance (broadly defined), the education and training policy formation process, employers' perceptions of training and the factors that influence their willingness to invest in skills, 14-19 vocational education and training, higher education policy and the graduate labour market, lifelong learning, and the linkages between skills and people management issues. Dr Scott Hurrell. University ...

It is 88 days before Christmas and Warplanes is throwing away an early Christmas gift for all their Facebook fans and Twitter followers! They are giving away beautiful hand-made models of the F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon and an Apache Longbow AH-64D through their blogging and twitting contest. "Blog, Grab and Brag" Warplanes.com's Win a Model Airplane Contest are for Facebook fanatics and bloggers. To join, one must post a blog article stating the reason(s) on why he/she should win. A link to the entry should be posted on Warplanes' fan page wall. Started ...

On the premiere of the show last February, Ally Loprete, Founder and CEO of OurMilkMoney.com and host of the show, had declared she would "Bring 1 million parents home" but the mission has since been redefined to "Helping 1 million parents work from home."
 There had been a lot of unnecessary controversy about what our mission was about, and Loprete saw the show's temporary hiatus as the perfect opportunity to fine tune its purpose. "All of a sudden it became a feminism issue, and that was certainly not what was intended," says Loprete, "With so much to accomplish, ...

Taste of Haiti - Artists and Their Brushes Who: The Caribbean American Network and Billionaire Girls Club What: Taste of Haiti The Artist and Their Brushes Fundraiser When: Thursday September 23,2010 Where: 320 Studios 320 West 37th Street 4th Fl, New York, NY 10018 This past weekend The Caribbean American Network, Inc. in collaboration with Billionaire Girls Club, Inc hosted an enchanting art exhibition Taste of Haiti: Artists and their Brushes at the lavish 320 Studios NYC, Hosted by Guy Evans Fords this event was geared towards the preservation of ...

People who suffer from scoliosis now have a better, more effective, and less painful option than the common Harrington Rod Implantation treatment. The new, non-surgical, non-bracing scoliosis treatment option focuses on using specialized equipment, weights, exercises, and chiropractic care and is being offered at the Spine Correction Center of the Rockies in Fort Collins, Colorado by Dr. Michael Farrell and Dr. April Cardwell. The new treatment method was researched and created by the non-profit organization Clear Institute. The institute's process effectively repositions ...

Dr. Allan Acton and Cary Family Dental recently hosted a check presentation ceremony to representatives of Interact, a private, nonprofit United Way agency that provides safety, support, and awareness to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. This year, Cary Family Dental, through their participation in the Crown Council's annual Smiles for Life campaign, donated $6,276 to the agency. Last year, the dental practice donated $9,493, bringing their two-year total to over $15,000. During the four-month campaign, Crown Council members offer teeth whitening ...

Pacific Ridge School, a non-profit, independent college-preparatory school located in Carlsbad, Calif., welcomes local families to attend its fall and winter Admissions Open House events for the 2011-2012 academic year. On the heels of the record-breaking attendance at last yearfs Open Houses and the opening of its energy-efficient high school building in fall 2010, the school looks forward to opening its doors to prospective families interested in learning more about student life at Pacific Ridge. Prospective families may begin the application process by completing ...

iHASMD, a software-based and comprehensive telehealth platform is launched today by iHAS, an innovative technology company based in Lexington, Massachusetts. iHAS delivers virtual healthcare visits through its web-based software platform iHASMD. iHASMD is simple-to-use and office-ready and allows healthcare professionals the ability to provide telehealth and telemedicine visits from their desk. iHASMD gives providers the opportunity to extend their reach to patients, other providers, and academic institutions in a cost-effective manner. iHASMD's integrated and software-based ...

Sanctuary Belize is excited to announce that they have just released a new cul-de-sac in Waterway Village, consisting of 13 lots, 4 of which are waterfront. Sanctuary Belize, a state of the art community built with complete care for the natural surroundings, is the prime destination for anyone looking for a piece of paradise. A Master Planned community with everything from a marina to an equestrian area, Sanctuary Belize is changing the face of Belize Real Estate. A Sanctuary Belize spokes person said, "Waterway Village is a great, affordable way to buy in Sanctuary ...

Parvati, a Canadian musical artist and yoga instructor, is taking a courageous journey to the North Pole. Parvati's mission is to bring awareness to the urgent ecological effect of melting polar ice caps. Charged with purity of heart, clear intention, and the willingness to serve, Parvati will become the first artist to ever perform this far North. There she will offer her songs to help raise awareness of just how quickly the ice caps are disappearing and the powerful impact this is having on the entire planet. Born in Montreal and now living in Toronto, Parvati ...

The Boy Scouts of America Capitol Area Council is welcoming media to join them along with Scout Alumni, visiting Scouts from Mexico, corporate sponsors and exhibitors for ScoutJam 2010. The event, which will be held on October 9th at the Travis County Expo Center, will be the Council's largest yet, and will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America with fun and educational activities and shows for the entire community. Details: ScoutJam 2010 presented by Capitol Area Council, Boy Scouts of America October 9, 2010 8:00am to 10:30pm Austin, Texas ...

Calling all Virginia dog lovers! The polls are open through October 1! Local rescue leagues, animal shelters, and other dog-related charities are competing for your votes -- and the winning organizations will receive grants to support their important work, such as educating pet owners, providing veterinary care, spaying and neutering, and to finding loving homes for their animals! Four local charities have submitted essays on the joys and responsibilities of dog ownership. They are now competing for votes from Virginia dog owners. The charities are: • Akita Rescue ...

Peanut Labs, Inc. today announced that it will be acquired by e-Rewards, Inc. of Dallas, Texas, owner of Research Now, the leading global online sampling and online data collection company. The deal is expected to close in October following the completion of customary closing conditions. The deal establishes Peanut Labs' market research surveys as the definitive form of alternate monetization in social media. Today's acquisition increases by more than tenfold the inventory of market research surveys available to the publishers of social media applications and communities ...

After 14 months of testing, Tork Teknology is releasing the first adjustable overflow valve for the P7100 injection pump. Cummins owners can now adjust their fuel pressure with the turn of a wrench, without adding shims or stretching springs. Every problem that plagued the OEM design has been solved, including hammered seats and broken springs. The Bosch spring has a history of breaking or takes a set, which lowers its compression force. This dramatically reduces the fuel pressure in the injection pump, causing low power, and the Cummins will be difficult to start. ...

A block of the month quilting club from Mill House Quilts of Waunakee WI was recently accepted to show a grouping of 18 quilts as a special display at the Quilt Expo in Madison, WI, hosted by Wisconsin Public Television. and Nancy Zieman Productions. All quilts were made based on a single pattern called "Pieceful Nights" designed by Lori Smith. The display was particularly exciting because it showed the tremendous variations based on fabric choice, color choice and combinations and the final quilting of the fabrics, but all based on a single pattern. The club, hosted ...

The forecast team at Colorado State University is predicting above-average storm activity in the Atlantic basin between June 1 and Nov. 30, 2010, with eight expected to be hurricanes and four developing into major hurricanes with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater. "Reinforced garage doors are critical to preserving a home's structural integrity during a hurricane," says Mark Westerfield, manager of product development and engineering for residential and commercial garage door manufacturer Clopay Building Products. Because of their size, garage doors are more susceptible ...

Amazing Books teams with "It's a Small World" composer on a REVOLUTIONARY 3D advancement in children's literature. Based around their exclusive and interactive Flomotion (tm) control system developed for the iPhone , iPod touch and iPad , Amazing Books (tm) ( http://www.theamazingbooks.com ) updates the classic pop-up book for the digital age. Simply by running your finger back and forth across the screen, you make the characters come to life and perform each part of the story as you read. Ever wanted to take control of the Big Bad Wolf and make him blow down the ...

Trivani International, the world's first Purpose Marketing company, has announced that it is currently purchasing all of its murumuru extract from special suppliers who purchase it directly from Aborginal tribes, in an effort to help strengthen struggling economies and protect the environment. Murumuru is used in Trivani products as a healthy alternative to other man-made chemicals which perform the same tasks. Murumuru palm is a natural plant extract which aids the hydration process in creating smooth and soft skin. In addition it helps improve moisture, gloss, and ...

Roni Deutch initially launched her franchise concept in April 2007 by promoting a concept that ushered in a wave of competent, professional tax return preparation, something she felt was strongly missing from the tax preparation industry. She soon found that there was a need for competent, professional business services as well. Deutch recently announced that Roni Deutch Tax Center franchise formed multiple partnerships with affiliate business services to be available for customers at its tax center locations across the country, transforming Roni Deutch Tax Center franchises ...

In recognition of this, the National Kitchen & Bath Association has announced October as National Kitchen & Bath Month, and to show this is the perfect time of year for kitchen and bath remodeling, Natural Stone and Tile Supplier Surfaces USA in North Hollywood, CA will be offering free shipping and up to 50% off specials through their online catalog until October 15th!. A member of the NKBA, Surfaces USA specializes in design consultation, wholesale natural stone and tile, and installation. They have been proudly serving their clients for over 20 years through 5 local ...