COLUMBUS, Ohio – New research suggests that the addition of ultraviolet light to the brushing and suction of a vacuum cleaner can almost double the removal of potentially infectious microorganisms from a carpet's surface when compared to vacuuming alone. Researchers say the findings suggest that incorporating the germicidal properties of UV light into vacuuming might have promise in reducing allergens and pathogens from carpets, as well. "What this tells us is there is a commercial vacuum with UV technology that's effective at reducing surface microbes. This has promise ...

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Researchers at the University at Buffalo have developed a novel technology using quantum dots that is expected to have major implications for research and treatment of tuberculosis, as well as other inflammatory lung diseases. A paper appearing online in Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine as an article-in-press describes specific delivery of a chemotherapeutic drug to specific cells in the lung, particularly the alveolar white cell, without causing acute inflammation. Quantum dots are tiny semiconductor particles generally no larger ...

Washington, November 1, 2010 – Elderly women are at high risk for inappropriate urinary catheter utilization in emergency departments, according to a new study in the November issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). The study was conducted at St John Hospital and Medical Center, a 769-bed tertiary care teaching hospital in Detroit, Mich. The authors examined 532 instances in which urinary catheters were placed in emergency room patients over a 12-week ...

Along with energy conservation and storm-water reduction, scientists may soon be adding crime-fighting to the list of benefits that urban trees provide. Researchers with the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Northwest (PNW) and Southern Research Stations have published a new study that suggests that certain types of city trees may help lower property and violent crime rates. Their study—which is posted online in advance of its appearance in a forthcoming printed issue of the journal Environment and Behavior—is the first to examine the effects of trees and other factors on crime ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. – It may seem difficult to change stereotypical thinking. Perceptions can be very important in forming an individual's attitudes. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found that people conditioned to think in opposition to racial stereotypes are more receptive to people from minority groups starring in commercial advertising. Saleem Alhabash, a doctoral candidate in the University of Missouri School of Journalism. "This research shows that when people are trained to think in a non-stereotypical way, they will pay more attention to ads with ...

GMOs, or Genetically Modified Organisms, may raise concerns of genes escaping from crops and having unknown effects on natural, wild species. But what is the real risk that traits associated with GMOs will actually migrate to and persist in their wild relatives? Interest in plant ecology, crop production and weed management led John Lindquist and his colleagues from the University of Nebraska and USDA-ARS to investigate how gene flow from a cultivated crop to a weedy relative would influence the ecological fitness of a cropwild hybrid offspring. They published their findings ...

WASHINGTON —People aren't very accurate at predicting how good or bad they'll feel after an event -- such as watching their team lose the big game or getting a flat-screen TV. But afterwards, they "misremember" what they predicted, revising their prognostications after the fact to match how they actually feel, according to new research. These findings appear in the November issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, published by the American Psychological Association. Although the process of predicting emotions seems imprecise from start to finish, misremembering ...

To a hungry fish on the prowl, the split-second neural processing required to see, track, and gobble up a darting flash of prey is a matter of survival. To scientists, it's a window into how our brain coordinates the eye motions that enable us to hit a baseball, sidestep an errant skateboarder, and otherwise make our way in a world full of danger and opportunity. This process is now better understood, thanks to a team of scientists that imaged the activity of individual neurons in a part of a zebrafish's brain called the optic tectum. The optic tectum receives signals ...

When Stephen Barrager was diagnosed in 2007 with acute multiple myeloma, a form of bone marrow cancer, he endured the same anxiety that troubles all those who receive an upsetting diagnosis. The way he went about dealing with his disease and its treatment, however, was different. Barrager drew upon his engineering and management science background to help him make difficult decisions. Now he is sharing his insights with hospitals and doctors in his native Bay Area and with colleagues at a conference coming to Austin on Nov. 7, 2010. The annual meeting of the Institute ...

Orange, Calif., Nov 1, 2010 — A UC Irvine oncologist's work with a targeted therapy is showing great promise in patients with a deadly form of lung cancer. The results were published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The multicenter study is testing whether the drug crizotinib effectively slows, stops or reverses growth in advanced non-small cell lung cancer tumors by targeting a genetic mutation that causes uncontrolled tumor growth. Study participants all tested positive for a mutation in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene. According to the findings, ...

It is one thing to learn a new piece of information, such as a new phone number or a new word, but quite another to get your brain to file it away so it is available when you need it. A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience by researchers at the University of York and Harvard Medical School suggests that sleep may help to do both. The scientists found that sleep helps people to remember a newly learned word and incorporate new vocabulary into their "mental lexicon". During the study, which was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, researchers ...

OAK BROOK, Ill. – Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain could expand the number of stroke patients eligible for a potentially life-saving treatment, according to a new study, published online and in the December issue of the journal Radiology. Some patients who suffer an acute ischemic stroke — in which a blood clot or other obstruction blocks blood flow in the brain — can be treated with a drug called tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, that dissolves the clot and restores blood flow. However, the clot-busting drug can only be administered within four and a ...

New York, NY, November 2, 2010—An initiative by the U. S. technology company Pitney Bowes to make medications of proven value less expensive for their employees succeeded in stabilizing employees' adherence to their treatment regimens, according to a Commonwealth Fund-supported study published in this month's Health Affairs. The study, led by Niteesh K. Choudhry at Brigham and Women's Hospital, found that adherence to cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, which had been on the decline, immediately stabilized after Pitney Bowes eliminated copayments for the drugs for all ...

Russia traditionally overproduces grain. Regardless of the fact that a considerable amount of grain has been destroyed this year as a result of heatwaves and drought, the grain production sector in Russia is normally very stable, although it is still in the early stages of its development towards being a major global player. This development is based on the fact that over 8000 enterprises are engaged in the cultivation of grain and other staple crops in Russia. Oversupply of grain to the domestic market leads to reduction in prices and makes the production of cereals ...

Montana Timing http://www.montanatiming.com is a new race timing company, now based in Billings, Montana, that offers state-of-the-art race timing systems for competitions throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Competitive events include race running, triathlons, bike races, adventure races, and more. "We literally have the equipment to support any size or type of race or timed competition," notes Jennifer Drinkwalter, General Manager of Montana Timing. Drinkwalter explains that Montana Timing uses a disposable timing chip, dubbed "Jaguar" which can be attached to ...

Loud and Clear Home Theater Solutions has been selected to participate in the fourth Boot Camp and Business Plan competition session hosted by the Delaware Emerging Technology Center. Their selection to the Fall 2010 ETC Boot Camp and Business Plan Competition will provide them the opportunity to develop, enhance or refine their business concept and plan, develop an Investor's Presentation so critical to obtaining funding for their business idea, connect with other businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators, and finally learn critically important strategies and skills from ...

The joy and excitement of a child opening a gift can easily fill a room. Unfortunately, for many foster families the holidays can be a struggle symbolizing change and uncertainty, where money is used to replace necessities, leaving little for gifts. To help make sure no child is left wondering why Santa 'missed their house' this year, Sleep Train (www.sleeptrain.com) the number one bedding specialist on the West Coast, offers six steps for becoming a "Secret Santa" this year, donating new, unwrapped toys and gifts to its Foster Kids Secret Santa Toy Drive. Six Simple ...

Brazilian jiu-jitsu has never been bigger in the United States. As mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions have grown in popularity, with monthly pay-per-view broadcasts making millions of dollars and the top fighters now better known than the heavyweight boxing champion, countless people have decided they want to learn the Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) techniques that form an integral part of the sport. Jon Garfield, a 1st degree black belt who opened the first BJJ and MMA studio in the Annapolis area - Garfield Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - understands well why the once relatively ...

In a first of its kind offering, GeneSiC Semiconductor announces the availability of a family of 6.5kV SCR-mode Silicon Carbide Thyristors for use in power electronics for Smart Grid applications. Revolutionary performance advantages of these power devices are expected to spur key innovations in utility-scale power electronics hardware to increase the accessibility and exploitation of Distributed Energy Resources (DER). "Until now, multi-kV Silicon Carbide (SiC) power devices were not openly available to US researchers to fully exploit the well-known advantages - namely ...

DIRECTUS (a Tatmar Technologies Company), an industry leader and innovator in 12 Volt Automotive & Mobile Electronics markets, launches an all new product line up at this year's SEMA show. Like a fresh UFC title fighter emerging through the ranks, DIRECTUS kicks open the doors at SEMA with a killer combo of their all new Prodigy One system and the new line up of TD-43 mirror systems. Blindsiding the competition with the release of the Prodigy One Series; this innovative system by DIRECTUS allows the Prodigy One to work in both aftermarket head units such as Pioneer and ...

Michael Ortiz Hill, author and registered nurse, will discuss self compassion, compassion for others, radical empathy, and how to manifest compassion, subjects from his highly praised new book The Craft of Compassion at the Bedside of the Ill on Thursday, November 4, 2010 at 7:00 pm PT and 10:00 pm ET on Ashe! Motivational Radio Show with African folk artist and wise woman Imakhu. The one hour radio show entitled "How Does One Cultivate Compassion?" can be accessed at blogtalkradio.com/imakhu/2010/11/04/the-craft-of-compassion. Ortiz Hill's teachings are based on thirty ...

The goal of the Brazilian Butt Lift is to create a perkier, more youthful, and sensual backside. It requires taking fat from one area of the body, such as flanks, hips, or tummy, and strategically transferring this fat to reshape the buttocks. The reshaping can provide lift and/or a more voluptuous shape and sensuous body profile. The results can be customized to the individual and cultural desires of each woman. "Meticulous attention to minute detail is crucial to achieve beautiful outcomes in body contouring surgery", Dr. Jugenburg says, The transfer of fat is achieved ...

Wales Connects International limited creates an environment for international business relationships to prosper around the world from Wales. Having the right trustworthy business connection is vital for the growth of businesses and Wales Connects International Limited will provide those environments, via face to face events and networking meetings to online and providing contacts and information for Welsh business to trade internationally and for international businesses to trade within Wales. Wales Connects International Ltd aims to promote and development new international ...

The North West of England was the only region of the UK to see an increase in property asking prices last month, according to FindaProperty.com's House Price & Affordability Index. FindaProperty.com is putting the rise down to the influx of around 2,500 BBC employees moving to Salford's MediaCity UK from London. While average asking prices across the UK fell by 0.5% in August, prices in the North West rose by 0.1%. It was the only region in the UK to experience an increase in asking prices in the period. The average property asking price in the North West is GBP ...

National Australia Bank Group, owner of the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank, has released full year results for its UK banking operations for the 12 months to 30 September 2010. Unless otherwise stated, figures are comparisons with the 12 months to 30 September 2009. Financial Performance Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank achieved a substantial recovery in profitability in the year, with pre-tax cash earnings growth of 53% to GBP164 million (from GBP107m). This significant improvement in profitability was achieved while balancing profit with increased security. The ...