ALFRED UNIVERSITY NEWS

Sea Snails Help Scientists Explore a Possible Way to Enhance Memory (Click Here to View) Efforts to help people with learning impairments are being aided by a species of sea snail known as Aplysia californica. The mollusk, which is used by researchers to study the brain, has much in common with other species including humans. Research involving the snail has contributed to the understanding of learning and memory. At The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), neuroscientists used this animal model to test an innovative learning strategy designed to help improve the brain's memory and the results were encouraging.

 

OTHER ALFRED UNIVERSITY NEWS

How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways, and Also Ace That Interview
Narcissism, a trait considered obnoxious in most circumstances, actually pays off big-time in the short-term context of a job interview, according to a new study.


ACOEM Opposes Bill Undermining Pollution Protections
The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has joined other organizations to oppose S.J. Res. 37, a resolution by Sen. Inhofe (R-OK) that employs the Congressional Review Act to reverse the Environmental Protection Agency's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for Power Plants.


Healthcare Providers Respond to IOM Report of Gaps in Epilepsy Care
Institute of Medicine study finds gaps in the nation's ability to deal with epilepsy prevail in so many spheres that vigorous action is urgently needed to affect change and create a system that will assure accessible, comprehensive, high-quality optimal care for every person who has the condition.


Coordinated Blocking of Cancer Cell Survival Pathway Enhances Cell Death in Melanoma
Research from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey shows that a coordinated effort to block signaling pathways that promote cancer cell growth and survival enhances programmed cell death in melanoma. A combination of an anti-malaria drug and treatment for kidney cancer were at focus.


Space Telescope Science Institute Announces the 2012 Hubble Fellows
The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) announces today the selection of 17 new candidates for the Hubble Fellowship Program. This is one of three prestigious postdoctoral fellowship programs funded by NASA.


Obama Hosts North American Leaders' Summit
Robert Pastor is available to discuss the importance North American Leaders' Summit (NALS) hosted by President Obama. "While many focus on China's rise and Europe's fall, few seem to realize that our first and second largest markets in the world and largest sources of energy imports are Canada and Mexico," Pastor said.


American University Appoints New School of Public Affairs Dean
American University has named Barbara Romzek, an expert in the area of public management and accountability,to be the new dean of its School of Public Affairs (SPA). Dr. Romzek will assume leadership of SPA on July 1, 2012.


Older Drivers at High Crash Risk Are 'More Distractible,' Reports Optometry and Vision Science
Older drivers rated at high crash risk on a computerized vision test are more likely to have driving problems related to distractions in the car, reports a study in the April issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.


Whole Genome Sequencing Not Informative for All
With sharp declines in the cost of whole genome sequencing, the day of accurately deciphering disease risk based on an individual's genome may seem at hand. But a study involving data of thousands of identical twins by Johns Hopkins investigators finds that genomic fortune-telling fails to provide informative guidance to most people about their risk for most common diseases, and warns against complacency born of negative genome test results.


Sex-Offender Registries in Five States Inflate Counts by 43 Percent
Do an online search for sex offenders living in your neighborhood and you may be alarmed by how many you find. But a new study of sex-offender registries in five states shows that they overestimate the number of offenders actually living in the community by as much as 60 percent.


Experts Recommend Cutting Global Forage Fishing by Half
Fishing for herring, anchovy, and other "forage fish" in general should be cut in half globally to account for their critical role as food for larger species, recommends an expert group of marine scientists in a report released today.


Growing up Supermassive: A Black Hole's Diet of Stars
A study led by a University of Utah astrophysicist found a new explanation for the growth of supermassive black holes in the center of most galaxies: they repeatedly capture and swallow single stars from pairs of stars that wander too close.


Updated Guidelines for Rheumatoid Arthritis More Aggressive
A trend toward more aggressive treatment in patients just starting to develop rheumatoid arthritis is among the most important changes in treatment guidelines for the disease, according to updated American College of Rheumatology guidelines published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.


Mayo Clinic Study Finds Dramatic Rise in Skin Cancer in Young Adults
Even as the rates of some cancers are falling, Mayo Clinic is seeing an alarming trend: the dramatic rise of skin cancer, especially among people under 40. According to a study by Mayo Clinic researchers published in the April issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, the incidence of melanoma has escalated, and young women are the hardest hit.


PTSD Genes Uncovered by UCLA Study
UCLA scientists have linked two genes to a higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. The study suggests that PTSD susceptibility is inherited and could explain why some persons succumb to the disorder while others who suffered the same ordeal do not.


Trials Show Promise of Human Virus to Treat Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Cancers shrank for about one third of the patients who could be evaluated, and disease stabilised for a further third. For one patient, all signs of their cancer disappeared.


PI3K/mTOR Pathway Proteins Tied to Poor Prognosis in Breast Cancer
Four proteins involved in translation, the final step of general protein production, are associated with poor prognosis in hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer when they are dysregulated, researchers reported at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012.


Two Targeted Therapies Act Against Ewing's Sarcoma Tumors
A pair of targeted therapies shrank tumors in some patients with treatment-resistant Ewing's sarcoma or desmoplastic small-round-cell tumors, according to research led by investigators from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012.


Oxygen in Tumours Predicts Prostate Cancer Recurrence
Low oxygen levels in tumors can be used to predict cancer recurrence in men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer even before they receive radiation therapy.


Images Capture Split Personality of Dense Suspensions
Stir lots of small particles into water, and the resulting thick mixture appears highly viscous. When this dense suspension slips through a nozzle and forms a droplet, however, its behavior momentarily reveals a decidedly non-viscous side.


U.Va. Expert Available to Comment on College Students' Health Issues
Dr. James Turner, executive director of U.Va. Student Health and past president of the American College Health Association, is available for interviews on college students' health issues, from the flu to vaccines to depression.


Organics Probably Formed Easily in Early Solar System
Complex organic compounds, including many important to life on Earth, were readily produced under conditions that likely prevailed in the primordial solar system. Scientists came to this conclusion after linking computer simulations to laboratory experiments.


Weill Cornell Medical College Establishes Center for Healthcare Informatics and Policy
Weill Cornell Medical College announced today the establishment of the Center for Healthcare Informatics and Policy (CHiP) to improve health and healthcare through informatics and technology. To commemorate the official opening, New York State Commissioner of Health Dr. Nirav R. Shah gave the keynote address.


"Sugar on a Stick" Helps Kids Learn How to Learn
Many children are exposed to technology at an early age, but few are taught how to harness the power of technology to drive their own learning and their future. A team of North Dakota State University students works with elementary school students, using a free, open-source software platform called Sugar, which contains software applications that allow kids to explore math, language arts, science, social science and computer programming.


Unnecessary Induction Increases Risk of Complications
Inducing labor in pregnant women when it's not medically necessary is more likely to result in complications at birth, according to a University of Adelaide study.


The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Highlights Prevention, Treatment and Research During National Cancer Control Month
April marks National Cancer Control Month, which focuses on the importance of prevention, treatment and research in the fight against cancer. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is making experts available to discuss varied topics relating to these areas, including a vaccine strategy for pancreatic cancer, which aims to harness the body's own immune system through direct tumor injection; a comprehensive overview of genetic testing and counseling; the benefits of early detection through cancer screening; and how to make nutritional lifestyle changes aimed at cancer prevention.


Spring, Heat Mean Start of Ozone Warnings
Ozone, the prevalent gas found in air pollution, and mostly experienced from March to October, can trigger severe violent breathing attacks in many people, particularly children and seniors, says a lung expert from Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston.


Liposuction and Tummy Tuck Improve Quality of Life, Reports Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery(r)
Patients undergoing cosmetic liposuction and/or abdominoplasty ("tummy tuck") procedures report significant improvements in self-esteem and quality of life, according to a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery(r), the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).


Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction Complication Rate Higher with Radiation Therapy, Reports Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery(r)
Breast cancer patients whose treatment includes radiation therapy are at higher risk of complications after implant-based breast reconstruction, reports a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery(r), the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).


A Capsule for Removing Radioactive Contamination From Milk, Fruit Juices, Other Beverages
Amid concerns about possible terrorist attacks with nuclear materials, and fresh memories of environmental contamination from the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, scientists today at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) described development of a capsule that can be dropped into water, milk, fruit juices and other foods to remove more than a dozen radioactive substances.


Testosterone Low, but Responsive to Competition, in Amazonian Tribe
Though Tsimane men have a third less baseline testosterone compared with U.S. men, Tsimane show the same increase in testosterone following a soccer game, suggesting that competition-linked bursts of testosterone are a fundamental aspect of human biology.


Reducing Breath Size and Pressure From ICU Ventilator Increases Long-Term Survival in People with Acute Lung Injury
Carefully adjusting mechanical ventilator settings in the intensive care unit to pump smaller breaths into very sick lungs can reduce the chances of dying by as much as 8 percent, according to a study by critical care experts at Johns Hopkins. Study participants were evaluated for two years after their acute lung injury.


Transparent, Flexible "3-D" Memory Chips May Be the Next Big Thing in Small Memory Devices
New memory chips that are transparent, flexible enough to be folded like a sheet of paper, shrug off 1,000-degree Fahrenheit temperatures -- twice as hot as the max in a kitchen oven -- and survive other hostile conditions could usher in the development of next-generation flash-competitive memory for tomorrow's keychain drives, cell phones and computers, a scientist reported today at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.


Researchers Create Molecular Braille to Identify DNA Molecules
Researchers at UCLA and New York University have developed a method to detect sequence differences in individual DNA molecules by taking nanoscopic pictures of the molecules themselves.


Rutgers Teams With IBM on Supercomputer Center
Rutgers has launched a high-performance computing center focused on the application of "big data" analytics in life sciences, finance, and other industries aimed at improving the economic competitiveness of NJ's public and private research organizations. It will use equipment and software provided by IBM, powered by a Blue Gene(r)/P supercomputer.


New App Available in the Fight Against Colon Cancer
The College of American Pathologists partners with CollabRx to provide decision support tools to patients.


Solution Used by Paramedics Does Not Reduce Rate of Development of Heart Attack
Patients experiencing symptoms such as chest pain who received from paramedics a certain intravenous solution had no reduction in the rate of progression to heart attack and no improvement in 30-day survival.


Fan-Gang Zeng, PhD, Named to Lead Editorial Board of The Hearing Journal
The editors and publisher of The Hearing Journal, the leading publication in the hearing industry, are pleased to announce that Fan-Gang Zeng, PhD, has been named to the position of Editorial Board Chairman. The Hearing Journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.


Communicating Hate: Understanding Bullying
Members of the National Communication Association who have studied all forms of bullying, teasing, and harassment are available to provide insight on the following: the correlation between teasing and self-esteem; the effect of teasing on how students view school; the difference between teasing and bullying; how new technologies are being used to bully and harass children and teens; how families can talk about bullying; coping tips for students.


High-Fat, Low-Carb Diets Not for Obese People at Risk of Heart Attack
Low-carb, high-fat diets led to more damaging, more deadly heart attacks and impaired recovery of heart function in study.


Popcorn: The Snack with Even Higher Antioxidants Levels Than Fruits and Vegetables
Popcorn's reputation as a snack food that's actually good for health popped up a few notches today as scientists reported that it contains more of the healthful antioxidant substances called "polyphenols" than fruits and vegetables. They spoke at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society, being held here this week.


Materials Inspired by Mother Nature: A 1-Pound Boat That Could Float 1,000 Pounds
Combining the secrets that enable water striders to walk on water and give wood its lightness and strength yielded an amazing material so buoyant that, in everyday terms, a boat made from 1 pound of it could carry five kitchen refrigerators, about 1,000 pounds. One of the lightest solid substances in the world, it was among the topics of a symposium here today at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.


A Double Ring Ceremony Prepares Telomerase RNA to Wed Its Protein Partner
Few molecules are more interesting than DNA--except of course RNA. After two decades of research, that "other macromolecule" is no longer considered a mere messenger between glamorous DNA and protein-synthesizing machines. We now know that RNA has been leading a secret life, regulating gene expression and partnering with proteins to form catalytic ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes.


Scientists Identify Novel Pathway for T-Cell Activation in Leprosy
UCLA scientists have pinpointed a new mechanism that potently activates T-cells to fight leprosy. Specifically, the team studied how immune cells located at the site of infection, called dendritic cells, become more specialized to fight leprosy. Dendritic cells deliver key information about an invading pathogen that helps activate the T-cells in launching a more effective attack. The finding may have applications in combating other infectious diseases and cancer.


Complicating Tears during Coronary Angioplasty: Where are they Most Prevalent and how do They Affect Patient Outcomes?
Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital discovered that blockages in the right coronary artery and those in bending areas of the coronary artery are the most common places for coronary dissection, a tear in the artery that can occur during balloon angioplasty of the coronary arteries.


Study Examines Treatment of Heart Failure with Bone Marrow Cells
Use of a patient's bone marrow cells for treating chronic ischemic heart failure did not result in improvement on most measures of heart function, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being published early online to coincide with its presentation at the American College of Cardiology's annual scientific sessions.


American Chemical Society Presidential Sessions Focus on Outreach, Chemistry Innovations
More than a dozen symposia and other events at the American Chemical Society (ACS) 243rd National Meeting & Exposition are being sponsored or recommended by noted science communicator and ACS President Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, Ph.D. They range from a science outreach event for children at PETCO Park to news from an emerging field of chemistry that promises to produce medicines inside patients' bodies, as well as a symposium on communicating science to the public.


Supreme Court's Health-Care Decision to Shape Presidential Campaign, Says Health Economist
The Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will have a major impact on the presidential campaign, says Timothy D. McBride, PhD, health economist and associate dean for public health at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. "The health reform legislation was the signature piece of social legislation passed by President (Barack) Obama's administration in his first term," he says. How the court's decision will influence the election could be quite complex, says McBride.


Paul H. Crandall, 89, UCLA Physician Pioneered Surgery to Treat Epilepsy
Dr. Paul H. Crandall, who co-founded the UCLA Department of Neurosurgery and pioneered surgical approaches still used today to treat stubborn epileptic seizures, died March 15 from complications related to pneumonia at UCLA Medical Center-Santa Monica. He was 89.


Johns Hopkins Bioethicist: "Individual Mandate" Is Constitutional
Johns Hopkins bioethicist and legal expert Leslie Meltzer Henry is co-author of an op-ed published in the Baltimore Sun on March 23, 2012, outlining the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate, to be argued before the Supreme Court beginning on Monday, March 26. Henry will deliver a seminar on the issue at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health on March 26 and has co-authored a paper covering the topic to be published in the Georgetown Law Journal in April 2012.


Beyond the Hospital Walls: Occuptional Therapy Students Hone Their Skills at a Variety of Agencies
Occupational therapy field placements are going beyond the traditional hospital or school setting to include special service programs, community care sites, and other unique aspects of care. Keuka College, in upstate New York, is making great strides in these non-traditional placements, creating wins for students and the communities and constituents they serve.


Researchers Link Stigma to Depression Among Lung Cancer Patients
Studying the role of social stigma in depression for lung cancer patients, researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., have found that depression can be heightened by a lung cancer patient's sense of social rejection, internalized shame and social isolation. These factors may contribute to depression at rates higher than experienced by patients with other kinds of cancer.


Boston University School of Management Advances to 18th in Undergraduate Bloomberg Businessweek Ranking
Boston University School of Management placed 18th overall in the Bloomberg Businessweek ranking of United States undergraduate programs, an improvement of 13 positions from last year and the 4th highest improvement of any school. This is the highest placement the School has ever received and represents the fourth consecutive year of improvement in the ranking.


Simulation Explains Why HIV Cure Is Elusive
New research from the University of Adelaide shows why the development of a cure and new treatments for HIV have been so difficult for scientists to crack.


Non-Narcotic Pain Medication is Safe and Effective After Sinus Surgery
Patients who have undergone sinus surgery can safely take an alternative pain medication that does not cause the side effects of narcotics such as fentanyl and Vicodin, a Loyola University Health System study has found.


Energy, Environment & Entrepreneurship Conference Hosted by Babson College March 30th
Babson's Energy and Environmental Club will hold its Energy & Environmental Conference: "Energy, Environment & Entrepreneurship: Challenging Assumptions, Changing Perceptions," Friday, March 30, 2012, 8am-6pm, to explore key issues and exciting prospects in energy, alternative transportation, sustainable development, and other critical topics in the energy and environmental industries.


New Way to Assess Communication of People with Severe Disabilities
A new measurement tool for researchers and clinicians to measure the status and response to intervention of people with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities who communicate with gestures, body movements and vocalizations.


Venice Hasn't Stopped Sinking After All
The water flowing through Venice's famous canals laps at buildings a little higher every year - and not only because of a rising sea level. Although previous studies had found that Venice has stabilized, new measurements indicate that the historic city continues to slowly sink, and even to tilt slightly to the east.


Sinai Hospital Employee Wins Social Work Heroes Award
Carine Chen-McLaughlin, coordinator of Case Management Operations at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, will receive an award from the University of Maryland School of Social Work.


Autism Experts at Drexel Available to Comment for Autism Awareness Month
Experts at Drexel University are available to comment about autism. Drexel recently established the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, the nation's first autism center focused on public health science. Topics include: environmental exposures and autism risk,, nursing for autism spectrum disorders, care across the lifespan, autism in college students, history of autism, risk communication and ethics.


A.J. Drexel Autism Institute Receives $1.5 Million from the Charles and Barbara Close Foundation
Drexel University has received a gift of $1.5 million from the Charles and Barbara Close Foundation to help establish the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute. The Institute is the nation's first autism center focused on public health science.


U.S. Scientist Helps Lead International Study of Ocean Value
Professor Robert Diaz of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science is a co-editor of "Valuing the Ocean" a major new study by an international team of scientists and economists that attempts to measure the ocean's monetary value and to tally the costs and savings associated with human decisions affecting ocean health.


Alzheimer's Disease Spreads Through Linked Nerve Cells, Brain Imaging Studies Suggest
Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia may spread within nerve networks in the brain by moving directly between connected neurons, instead of in other ways proposed by scientists, such as by propagating in all directions, according to researchers who report the finding in the March 22 edition of the journal Neuron.


Study Finds Potential Link Between Morphine-like Chemicals or Drugs and Breast Cancer
A new study in the April issue of Anesthesiology analyzed inherited (genetic) differences in how the body responds to its own morphine-like chemicals and pain-relieving opioid drugs, and whether they influence breast cancer survival.


Drosophila Meeting Poster Award Recipients Announced
The Genetics Society of America and the Drosophila community announce the nine poster presentation award recipients from the 53rd Annual Drosophila Research Conference held earlier this month in Chicago, IL. These recipients were selected from among 500 student and postdoc posters, which represented more than half of the nearly 1,000 poster presentations at the conference.


Scientist from Cancer Institute of N.J. and Princeton U. Recognized by AACR for Cancer Metastasis Research
A researcher from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Princeton University who is helping to advance the molecular understanding of cancer metastasis is being recognized for his work by cancer specialists from around the globe. Yibin Kang, PhD, will receive the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) being held in Chicago later this month.


Wolters Kluwer Health Releases First Medical Journal iPad(r) App in Pathology
Wolters Kluwer Health announced today the release of an iPad(r) app for the medical journal, Pathology. The app provides health care professionals with full mobile accessibility to the latest research into all aspects of pathology. Pathology is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW), part of Wolters Kluwer Health on behalf of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA).


Gulf, Balkan Wars Add New Dimensions to War Trauma; Book Sheds New Light on PTSD, and Its Often Devastating Aftermath
A new book by a University of New Hampshire researcher and Vietnam-era disabled veteran sheds new light on the long-term psychological trauma experienced by the coalition force in recent wars in the Gulf and Balkans that, when left untreated, can have deadly consequences.


Mayo Clinic Researchers Building Melanoma Vaccine to Combat Skin Cancer
Mayo Clinic researchers have trained mouse immune systems to eradicate skin cancer from within, using a genetic combination of human DNA from melanoma cells and a cousin of the rabies virus.


Anatomy of Success: Genetic Research Develops Tools for Studying Diseases, Improving Regenerative Treatment
Research from a Kansas State University professor may make it easier to recover after spinal cord injury or to study neurological disorders. The research can greatly improve animal and human health by developing technology to advance cellular therapy and regenerative medicine.


American Academy of Dermatology Executive Director Announces Retirement
Ronald A. Henrichs, CAE, today announced his retirement as the Executive Director and CEO of the American Academy of Dermatology and American Academy of Dermatology Association (Academy), effective June 5, 2012.


Styling Practices Can Lead to Serious Hair and Scalp Diseases for African Americans
Styling practices can lead to serious hair and scalp diseases for some African Americans, says Henry Ford Hospital dermatologist Diane Jackson-Richards, M.D. "Hair is an extremely important aspect of an African-American woman's appearance," says Dr. Jackson-Richards, director of Henry Ford's Multicultural Dermatology Clinic. "Yet, many women who have a hair or scalp disease do not feel their physician takes them seriously. Physicians should become more familiar with the culturally accepted treatments for these diseases."


Common Virus Can Lead to Life-Threatening Conditions in Children
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus that infects the lungs and breathing passage ways. Though it may only produce minor cold symptoms in adults, it can lead to serious illness in young children and those with compromised immune systems.


Closing Hole in the Heart No Better Than Drugs in Preventing Strokes
Loyola University Medical Center is one of the major enrollers in a landmark clinical trial that found that plugging a hole in the heart works no better than drugs in preventing strokes. The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.


Food Stamps and Farmers' Markets
Penn Nursing research finds that point-of-sale system encourages food stamp customers to buy more at farmers' markets.


Ultracold Experiments Heat Up Quantum Research
University of Chicago physicists have experimentally demonstrated for the first time that atoms chilled to temperatures near absolute zero may behave like seemingly unrelated natural systems of vastly different scales, offering potential insights into links between the atomic realm and deep questions of cosmology.


Fundamental Steps Needed Now in Global Redesign of Earth System Governance
Some 32 social scientists and researchers from around the world, including a Senior Sustainability Scholar at Arizona State University, have concluded that fundamental reforms of global environmental governance are needed to avoid dangerous changes in the Earth system. The scientists argued in the March 16 edition of the journal Science that the time is now for a "constitutional moment" in world politics.


Meeting Greater Number of Recommended Cardiovascular Health Factors Linked with Lower Risk of Death
In a study that included a nationally representative sample of nearly 45,000 adults, participants who met more of seven recommended cardiovascular health behaviors or factors (such as not smoking, having normal cholesterol levels, eating a healthy diet), had a lower risk of death compared to participants who met fewer factors, although only a low percentage of adults met all seven factors, according to a study appearing in JAMA.


UC Berkeley's Energy Institute at Haas presents the 17th Annual POWER Conference on Energy Research and Policy
This year's POWER conference, sponsored by Energy Institute at Haas at the University of California, Berkeley, brings together outstanding scholars and energy practitioners to exchange ideas and research results on topics related to electricity markets and regulation.


Montefiore Medical Center Physicians Selected as 'Top Doctors' in New York Metro Area
More Than 250 Montefiore Doctors, Across Various Specialties, Selected for Outstanding Service


Researcher on Verge of Breakthrough in Drug Creation Process
A Florida State University researcher is developing technologies to miniaturize the first phase of a process used by pharmaceutical companies to discover new drugs. A breakthrough could ultimately lead to personalized and therefore more effective medical treatments, as well as major health care savings.


Computer Simulations Help Explain Why HIV Cure Remains Elusive
Research done by Australian scientist Jack da Silva, PhD, and published in the March issue of the journal GENETICS, suggests that even in early infection, when the virus population is low and has reduced genetic variation, HIV rapidly evolves to evade immune defenses and treatment.


Inspirational Scientist Dyson to Deliver Annual BEYOND Lecture
Freeman Dyson, who has been variously described as a Renaissance scientist, a heretic and a storyteller, will deliver the annual signature lecture presented by Arizona State University's BEYOND Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science on March 29.


On Match Day Loyola Medical Students Learn What's in Store for the Future
Match Day is the most anticipated day of the year for graduating students at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine as they learn where they will do their residencies and take their next step in their medical careers.


Experts Confer on "Rules of the Road" for Outer Space Activities
A panel of experts took part in a Secure World Foundation-sponsored discussion on the International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities. A draft Code was published by the European Union (EU) in 2008, with a revised draft released in September 2010.


New U of S Research Chairs Explore Resistant Bacteria, MS, and Better Solar Cells
Six U of S researchers will receive $6.6 million as Canada Research Chairs to develop solar cells, identify causes of multiple sclerosis, and help seniors live healthier lives. Three use the Canadian Light Source synchrotron to develop advanced electronic materials, medical imaging techniques, and new ways to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria.


Biologists Find Potential Drug That Speeds Cellular Recycling
A University of Michigan cell biologist and his colleagues have identified a potential drug that speeds up trash removal from the cell's recycling center, the lysosome.


South Sudan Takes Major Step to Protect its Wildlife
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) joined officials from the Republic of South Sudan and U.S. Government on March 8th to inaugurate Boma National Park Headquarters in Jonglei State in South Sudan, home to some of the world's most spectacular wildlife migrations and vast intact ecosystems.


Blocking a Biological Bully
New research presented at naturopathic oncology conference shows Modified Citrus Pectin counteracts Galectin-3.


Survey Reveals Physician Shortage Challenges Medical Groups and Increases Demand for Advanced Practitioners
As the era of accountable care evolves and the medical home model becomes more prevalent in organizations, the delivery of successful patient outcomes is expected to be increasingly dependent on the performance of an effective patient care team. Forming and maintaining care teams - especially in primary care - will be among the industry's most significant challenges, according to the American Medical Group Association's (AMGA) and Cejka Search 2011 Physician Retention Survey, which for the first time includes staffing and turnover benchmarks for both advanced practitioners and physician staffing.


Santorini: The Ground is Moving Again in Paradise
The Santorini caldera, which sits underneath a famous tourist destination, is awake again and rapidly deforming at levels never seen before.


Cornell Invites Hoops Fans to Migrate to a Whole New March Madness
Starting today, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology will feature a single elimination "Tweet 16" March Migration Madness tournament on its Facebook page, with the top eight finishers from last year being challenged by four wild card entries and four "Facebook Favorites" chosen by birders around the world.


Mild Winter Could Make 2012 a Dark, Flavorful Year for Maple Syrup
Brian Chabot, professor of ecology at Cornell University, was the lead author of the section of the 2011 NYSERDA ClimAID report dealing with the future of the maple sugar industry. Here he comments on how the unusually mild winter could affect regional production.


Correcting Human Mitochondrial Mutations
Researchers at the UCLA stem cell center and the departments of chemistry and biochemistry and pathology and laboratory medicine have identified, for the first time, a generic way to correct mutations in human mitochondrial DNA by targeting corrective RNAs, a finding with implications for treating a host of mitochondrial diseases.


Healthcare: The Doomsday Vote for Democrats
Despite the numerous votes that passed through the House of Representatives during the 111th United States Congress, health care reform may have single-handedly given Democrats a crippling blow, costing them majority control, according to a new study.


Extensive Taste Loss in Mammals
Scientists from the Monell Center report frequent loss of sweet taste in mammalian species that are exclusive meat eaters. Further, two sea-dwelling mammals that swallow their food whole have extensive taste loss. The findings demonstrate that feeding preferences of mammalian species are significantly shaped by their taste receptor biology.


Arthritis Drugs Hold Promise for Multiple Sclerosis
Research suggests that a class of drugs for rheumatoid arthritis seeking approval this year could be effective against other autoimmune diseases.


Jeffrey A. Lieberman, MD, Elected President-Elect of the American Psychiatric Association
Jeffrey Lieberman, MD, Psychiatrist-in-Chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons has been elected by the membership of the American Psychiatric Association to be the next president-elect. His term as president-elect and then president will begin May 2012 and extend through April 2014.


New Study Finds Usual Care Enough to Promote the Well Adjustment to Early Breast Cancer
University of Maryland School of Nursing professor leads study showing that physical, emotional, and social adjustment occurs over time with or without additional interventions for women with early stage breast cancer, as the body and spirit have a natural capacity to heal.


NSBRI Soliciting Postdoctoral Fellowship Applications
The National Space Biomedical Research Institute's (NSBRI) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is soliciting applications. The submission deadline is June 8.


Researchers Identify Promising New Drug Target for Kidney Disease
Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have identified a regulator protein that plays a crucial role in kidney fibrosis, a condition that leads to kidney failure. Finding this regulator provides a new therapeutic target for the millions of Americans affected by kidney failure.


World Breakthrough on Salt-Tolerant Wheat
A team of Australian scientists involving the University of Adelaide has bred salt tolerance into a variety of durum wheat that shows improved grain yield by 25% on salty soils.


A New Approach to Treating Type I Diabetes? Columbia Scientists Transform Gut Cells into Insulin Factories
A study by Columbia researchers suggests that cells in the patient's intestine could be coaxed into making insulin, circumventing the need for a stem cell transplant. Until now, stem cell transplants have been seen by many researchers as the ideal way to replace cells lost in type I diabetes and to free patients from insulin injections. The research--conducted in mice--was published 11 March 2012 in the journal Nature Genetics.


Osteoarthritis Summit Delineates Shortcomings of Research and Path Forward For Leading Cause of Disability in U.S.
A recent summit that brought together international multidisciplinary experts has provided a foundation for addressing what is the leading cause of disability in the United States: osteoarthritis.


Artistic Depictions of Cleft Lip and Palate Display Attitudes of Past Cultures
Art can tell us much about cultures past and present, including how a society views and values those who are outside its perception of "normal." Reviewing works of art depicting people with cleft lip and palate tells us not only about the past, but also about the impact of art and media on our view of those in the present.


Successful Dental Implants for Patients Taking Biphosphonates for Osteoporosis
Reducing a patient's treatment time and simplifying the treatment can increase patient acceptance and reduce the risk of complications. For dental implants, this means moving away from the traditional two-stage surgical approach toward a one-stage procedure. The success of this concept when combined with another complication--that of patients receiving drug therapy for osteoporosis--was studied to determine the best method of treatment in this situation.


The Institute of Food Technologists Features Video Shopping Tips for Produce
In celebration of National Agriculture Day on March 8, 2012, the Institute of Food Technologists is featuring two informational videos on IFT Food Facts to help consumers shop smarter whether it's in the grocery store produce aisle or the local farmer's market. National Agriculture Day is a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture. Producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless others across the United States join together on this day to recognize the contributions of agriculture.


Summer Institute Offers Research Training for Older Adult Care
Hopkins Nursing will host a summer research institute aimed at addressing the needs of older Americans.


"Get Your Plate in Shape to Manage Your Weight"
The International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation is encouraging consumers to "Get Your Plate in Shape to Manage Your Weight" during National Nutrition Month,(r) and to use their resources (foodinsight.org), along with those of USDA's MyPlate, as a guide to healthful eating and achieving a healthful lifestyle.


Rare Medical Phenomenon Of Systemic Tumor Disappearance Following Local Radiation Treatment Reported In A Patient With Metastatic Melanoma
A rarely seen phenomenon in cancer patients -- in which focused radiation to the site of one tumor is associated with the disappearance of metastatic tumors all over the body -- has been reported in a patient with melanoma treated with the immunotherapeutic agent ipilimumab (Yervoy(tm)). Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center shared their findings in a unique single-patient study, which could help shed light on the immune system's role in fighting cancer.


New Treatment Shows Promise for Kids with Life-Threatening Bone Disorder
Doctors at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, working with Shriners Hospital for Children and other institutions, have identified a promising new treatment for a rare and sometimes life-threatening bone disorder that can affect infants and young children. Known as hypophosphatasia, the condition upsets bone metabolism, blocking important minerals such as calcium from depositing in the skeleton.


Public Reports on Diabetes Care Helped Drive Clinic Improvements in Wisconsin
In one of the first studies of the impact of publicly reporting quality measures on outpatient care, a research team has found that clinics made improvements in diabetes care when they began publicly reporting how they were treating patients with the chronic disease. University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers say their study of Wisconsin clinics showed that the clinics responded well to the challenge of public reporting.


Teaching Fat Cells to Burn Calories
In the war against obesity, one's own fat cells may seem an unlikely ally, but new research from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) suggests ordinary fat cells can be reengineered to burn calories.


Surgery Recommended as Early Intervention for Some with Epilepsy
Clinical trial results are so striking that neurologists should advocate for early surgical evaluation of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), according to physicians at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California.


War Veterans with Mental Health Diagnoses More Likely to Receive Prescription Opioids for Pain
Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans with mental health diagnoses, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder, are more likely to receive prescription opioid medications for pain-related conditions, have higher-risk opioid use patterns and increased adverse clinical outcomes associated with opioid use than veterans with no mental health diagnoses, according to a study in the March 7 issue of JAMA.


Surgery Soon After Failure of Drug Treatment for Epilepsy May Lower Risk of Seizures
Patients with epilepsy who underwent brain surgery soon after failing to respond to drug treatment, but who also continued to receive drug therapy, had a lower risk of seizures during the 2nd year of follow-up compared to patients who received drug treatment alone, according to a study in the March 7 issue of JAMA.


Study Examines the Relative Roles of Testosterone and Its Metabolite, Dihydrotestosterone in Men
Men receiving testosterone supplementation who also received a drug (dutasteride) commonly used to treat an enlarged prostate gland and which blocks the conversion of testosterone to its potent metabolite DHT did not experience a significant difference in changes in certain outcomes such as muscle mass, muscle strength, or sexual function compared to men who did not receive dutasteride, according to a study in the March 7 issue of JAMA.


Decompression Surgery Performed Less than 24 Hours After Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Leads to Improved Outcomes for Patients
Researchers at the Rothman Institute at Jefferson have shown that patients who receive surgery less than 24 hours after a traumatic cervical spine injury suffer less neural tissue destruction and improved clinical outcomes. The results of their study, the Surgical Timing in Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (STASCIS) are available in PLoS One.


15-Year-Study: When it Comes to Creating Wetlands, Mother Nature is in Charge
Fifteen years of studying two experimental wetlands has convinced Bill Mitsch that turning the reins over to Mother Nature makes the most sense when it comes to this area of ecological restoration.


Political Scientists Available for Super Tuesday Races, Results and Reactions
Two University at Buffalo political science professors are available as expert sources for analysis of Super Tuesday Republican presidential primaries and the candidates still in the race


NJ Breast Oncologist Named one of 30 'Outstanding Women' in Advancing Women's Health
The chief medical officer at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey has been named as one of this year's 30 'Outstanding Women' by the National Council for Research on Women. Deborah L. Toppmeyer, MD, a medical oncologist at CINJ who heads a very active breast cancer clinic and conducts clinical research, was selected for her commitment to issues critical to advancing women and women's health.


Merck's Investigational Allergy Immunotherapy Tablet (AIT) Significantly Reduced the Combination of Ragweed Allergy Symptoms and Medication Use in Phase III Trial
Merck announces data presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting in Orlando.


JRRD Releases Volume 49, Issue 1 with New Value-Added Content in the Table of Contents Page, as Well as Color-Coded Content Pages!
This issue comprises two single-topic sections. The first includes six articles on wheelchair engineering. The second discusses findings from the outcomes measures in rehabilitation state-of-the-art (SOTA) conference.


Babson College Investments & Finance Groups To Host 5th Annual Investments Conference March 9th
The Stephen D. Cutler Center for Investments and Finance and the Babson Investment Management Association (BIMA) will hold their fifth annual conference - "Global Market Outlook - Investing in an Uncertain Environment" - on Friday, March 9th, 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., at Babson College.


DNA to Be Sequenced for Patients with Rare Diseases
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are reaching out to patient advocacy groups and offering to decode the DNA of 99 patients with rare diseases to help find the genetic alterations responsible for their illnesses.


Video Publication Goes Viral
A scientific method paper and video by Loyola researchers has gone viral. The video, which demonstrates a laboratory technique used to study Alzheimer's disease and many other disorders, has been accessed by more than 14,000 scientists worldwide.


Anthropologists' Work Prompts Republic of Congo to Enlarge National Park
Research by WUSTL anthropologist Crickette Sanz, PhD, and colleague David Morgan, PhD, has spurred the Republic of Congo to enlarge its Nouabale-Ndoki National Park boundaries to include the Goualougo Triangle. The Goualougo Triangle is a remote, pristine forest that is home to at least 14 communities of "naive" chimpanzees with little exposure to humans.


Heart-Powered Pacemaker Could One Day Eliminate Battery-Replacement Surgery
A new power scheme for cardiac pacemakers turns to an unlikely source: vibrations from heartbeats themselves.


GW Celebrates the First Step in the Process of Building a New Home for the GW School of Public Health and Health Services
The George Washington University hosted a celebration March 2, 2012, marking the first step in the construction of the new School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) Building. The event was a held at the site of the Warwick Memorial Building located at 2300 K Street, NW, which will be de-constructed to make room for the new, state-of-the-art School building. The demolition will begin in this month, with construction of the new facility scheduled for completion by the spring 2014.


Open Your Eyes and Smell the Roses
A new study reveals for the first time that activating the brain's visual cortex with a small amount of electrical stimulation actually improves our sense of smell.


Most Innovative New Product In Continence Care Named in Latest Product Services Directory
The National Association For Continence (NAFC) announced the Most Innovative New Product award in the 2011-2012 issue of DISCOVERIES(r), a directory of the newest products and services for people living in the US with bladder and bowel control problems.


Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Virgin Oceanic is aiming its experimental, cutting-edge sub straight to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.


UNC Wilmington Repositions Entrepreneurship Center to Increase Support of Southeastern North Carolina Economic Initiatives
The University of North Carolina Wilmington announced plans to reorganize its Entrepreneurship Center as a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) under the auspices of the UNCW Research Foundation at a press conference today, Tuesday, Feb. 28. The change is designed to ensure the center's continued growth and to provide it with greater flexibility to support entrepreneurship and innovation in Southeastern North Carolina.


How to Control a Prosthesis with Your Mind
New brain-machine interfaces that exploit the plasticity of the brain may allow people to control prosthetic devices in a natural way.


Spanish-Language Media Help Shape Public Policy
Spanish-language media in the U.S. play a critical role in shaping perceptions of public opinion among Latino voters and public officials of every ethnicity across the country. They also play a far greater advocacy role for the communities they serve than do their English-language counterparts, says a UC Riverside researcher.


Celiac Disease is Linked to Osteoporosis
People with celiac disease are at risk for osteoporosis, according to physicians at Loyola University Health System (LUHS). A 2009 New England Journal of Medicine study supports this correlation. Researchers believe that people with celiac disease may develop osteoporosis because their body poorly absorbs calcium and vitamin D, which are necessary for bone health.


Newly Approved Drug for Metastatic Melanoma Nearly Doubles Median Survival
Researchers from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, together with scientists from 12 other sites in the United States and Australia, report for the first time that a newly approved drug for patients with metastatic melanoma nearly doubles median survival times, a finding that will change the way this deadly form of skin cancer is treated.


New Melanoma Drug Nearly Doubles Survival in Majority of Patients
Investigators from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) and 12 other centers in the United States and Australia have found that a new drug for patients with metastatic melanoma nearly doubled median overall survival.


Memo to Pediatricians: Screen All Kids for Vitamin D Deficiency, Test Those at High Risk
As study after study shows the fundamental role vitamin D plays in disease and health, vitamin D deficiency -- which often develops insidiously in childhood -- should be on every parent's and pediatrician's radar, say physicians from the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.


Babies' Colic Linked to Mothers' Migraines
A study of mothers and their young babies by neurologists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has shown that mothers who suffer migraine headaches are more than twice as likely to have babies with colic than mothers without a history of migraines.


International Experts Will Examine Water-Related Issues at USC Center on Public Diplomacy Conference
On Monday, February 27, 2012, international experts in water-related issues will join the USC Center on Public Diplomacy for a critical examination of how to reach publics around the world through water diplomacy, which aims to improve foreign relations by helping water-stressed areas.


Study Posits a Theory of Moral Behavior
Why do some people behave morally while others do not? Sociologists at the University of California, Riverside and California State University, Northridge have developed a theory of the moral self that may help explain the ethical lapses in the banking, investment, and mortgage-lending industries that nearly ruined the U.S. economy.


NARSAD Grantees Discover that a History of Child Abuse and Maternal Separation Are Risk Factors for Mental Illness
Two recipients of NARSAD Grants from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation have provided new insights into the link between childhood stress and the development of mental illness.


Hospital for Special Surgery Forms Educational Partnership with International Healthcare Leader
With the world focused on Brazil meeting the challenges of the international sports community for the 2016 Summer Olympics, a leading Brazilian managed healthcare provider is looking to orthopedic powerhouse Hospital for Special Surgery as a partner.


Robotic Dinosaurs On the Way for Next-Gen Paleontology at Drexel [Infographic]
Researchers at Drexel University are bringing the latest technological advancements in 3-D printing to the study of ancient life. Using scale models of real fossils, for the first time, they will be able to test hypotheses about how dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals moved and lived in their environments.


In Like Lin: Why All the Fuss?
"Linsanity"--it's business, not basketball, says Stephen Mosher, Ithaca College professor of sport management and media.


Anna Maria College Launches School of Business: Former Eastern Bank Executive to Serve as Dean
Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA has launched a new School of Business that will be directed by 30-year banking veteran, Lloyd L. Hamm, the former Chief Administrative Officer for Eastern Bank. Mr. Hamm will use his business experience and prowess to infuse AMC's business school with new programs, world-renown faculty, and internship and career opportunities for students. Dean Hamm will assist the College in placing the School of Business in the international arena.


Passion Pitfall: Research Finds That Rekindling a Romance Often Extinguishes a Couple's Happiness
A study on couples who broke up and then got back together revealed that the couple had a lower level of happiness and self-esteem; were less satisfied with their partner and the relationship; had worse communication; and were more uncertain about their future together.


High Doses of Load Slows Bone Loss in Spinal Cord Injury
A new clinical trial conducted by University of Iowa researchers shows that delivering high doses of "load," or stress, to bone by activating the skeletal muscle with programmed electrical stimulation significantly slows the loss of bone density in patients with spinal cord injury.


Cellrox Licenses Mobile Technology from Columbia University to Secure Personal and Business Personas on a Single Mobile Device
Cellrox Ltd. announced today the signing of a worldwide exclusive agreement with Columbia University to license certain mobile technology developed at Columbia that will enables corporate IT departments to securely accommodate the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend.


Soil Bacteria, Pathogens Share Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Disease-causing bacteria's efforts to resist antibiotics may get help from their distant bacterial relatives that live in the soil, new research at Washington University School of Medicine suggests.


Tongue Drive System Goes Inside the Mouth to Improve Performance and User Comfort
The Tongue Drive System is getting less conspicuous and more capable. The newest system prototype allows people with high-level spinal cord injuries to wear an inconspicuous dental retainer embedded with sensors to operate a computer and electric wheelchair simply by moving their tongues.


Bird Stewards Increase the Effectiveness of Protected Beaches
Bird stewards - individuals who police protected beaches and educate the public about the birds who inhabit it - greatly increase the effectiveness of protected beaches, an Eckerd College survey finds.


Find Out Your Risk for Heart Attack or Stroke
If you could find out if you had an increased risk of heart attack or stroke, wouldn't you want to know? Even if you are fit and healthy, coronary artery disease (CAD) or peripheral artery disease (PAD) are conditions with little to no symptoms and can put you at an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.


New Studies Show Which Anti-HIV Drug Combinations Work Better Than Others and Why and How They Do It
Using a mathematical formula that carefully measures the degree to which HIV infection of immune system cells is stalled by antiretroviral therapy, AIDS experts at Johns Hopkins have calculated precisely how well dozens of such anti-HIV drugs work, alone or in any of 857 likely combinations, in suppressing the virus. Results of the team's latest research reveal how some combinations work better than others at impeding viral replication, and keeping the disease in check.


A Surprising Molecular Switch Lipids Help Control the Development of Cell Polarity.
In a standard biology textbook, cells tend to look more or less the same from all sides. But in real life cells have fronts and backs, tops and bottoms, and they orient many of their structures according to this polarity explaining, for example, why yeast cells bud at one end and not the other.


Reformulated Imatinib Eliminates Morphine Tolerance in Lab Studies
MD Anderson research shows promise for patients suffering from chronic pain.


New Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury Shows Promise in Animals
A new drug is showing promise in shielding against the harmful effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats, according to a study that was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012.


Does History Repeat? Using the Past to Improve Ecological Forecasting
To better predict the future, Jack Williams is looking to the past. "Environmental change is altering the composition and function of ecological communities," says the Bryson Professor of Climate, People, and the Environment in the University of Wisconsin-Madison geography department. Williams also directs the Center for Climatic Research in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.


African-Americans More Likely to Develop Hypertension But Less Likely to Take Life-Saving Medication
Racial disparities in hypertension control account for nearly 8,000 preventable deaths annually among African-Americans, making increased blood pressure control among African-Americans a "compelling goal," reported Lisa M. Lewis, PhD, RN, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.


Is Clot-Busting Drug Safe for Kids with Strokes?
New research looks at whether clot-busting drugs can safely be given to children who have strokes. The research was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012.


UCLA Discovery that Migrating Cells "Turn Right' has Implications for Engineering Tissues, Organs
What if we could engineer a liver or kidney from a patient's own stem cells? How about helping regenerate tissue damaged by diseases such as osteoporosis and arthritis? A new UCLA study bring scientists a little closer to these possibilities by providing a better understanding how tissue is formed and organized in the body.


FSMB Announces Opioid Prescribing Initiatives
Multi-level advocacy effort aimed at addressing issue of opioid abuse.


Let's Go! Exploring Engineering Day Arrives Feb. 18 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
In celebration of National Engineers Week, the School of Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will host its annual Exploring Engineering Day event on Saturday, Feb. 18. Racing robots, clever computing, radical radiation, material mysteries, logistical LEGOs, smart lighting, slime time, and fantastic water filters are just a few of the engineering activities more than 450 elementary school students and 600 parents will explore as part of the program.


New Mouse Reference Library Should Speed Gene Discoveries
Genetic information provided by a large group of specially-designed mice could pave the way to faster human health discoveries and transform the ways people battle and prevent disease.


Epilepsy Community Has Major Concern Over Release of Anticonvulsant Drug Comparison Report
Leading representatives of the American Epilepsy Society, American Academy of Neurology, and the Epilepsy Foundation today reported they have grave concerns about the implications and potential misuse of the anticonvulsant (AED) drug comparisons study recently released by the U.S. Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ). The study's intent is to provide an evidence-based analysis of the Effectiveness and Safety of Antiepileptic Medications in Patients With Epilepsy. But the AHRQ report has little clinical value according to the specialists in neurology and epilepsy and could negatively impact patient care.


Puzzle Play Helps Boost Learning Math-Related Skills
Children who play with puzzles between ages 2 and 4 later develop better spatial skills, a study by University of Chicago researchers has found. Puzzle play was found to be a significant predictor of cognition after controlling for differences in parents' income, education and the overall amount of parent language input.


Butler University to Debut Its Next Live Bulldog Mascot
Blue II, Butler University's live mascot, is in the process of training a puppy protege. Blue III, or "Trip," as he will be called is making his Butler debut Feb. 18 at the men's basketball ESPN BracketBuster game against Indiana State University at 2 p.m. in Hinkle Fieldhouse. Trip was born on Dec. 23, 2011 and weighed 13.5 oz. He comes from Frank and Jeane King of Kong King Kennel, the same breeders that gave Butler, Blue II, almost eight years ago.


FAU Professor A "Science Hero" for Saving One Million Lives
What do Edward Jenner (No. 5), who developed the smallpox vaccine, Jonas Salk (No. 83), who developed the polio vaccine and Henry Heimlich (No. 103), who invented the Heimlich maneuver have in common with FAU's Dr. Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., DrPH? They are all scientists recognized by Science Heroes.com for their discoveries that led directly to saving large numbers of human lives.


Scientists deploy lasers, GPS technology to improve snow measurements
Scientists are working to solve a critical wintertime weather mystery: how to accurately measure the amount of snow on the ground.


Lovelorn Liars Leave Linguistic Leads
Online daters intent on fudging their personal information have a big advantage: most people are terrible at identifying a liar. But new research is turning the tables on deceivers using their own words.


Neuron Memory Key to Taming Chronic Pain
A team of researchers led by McGill neuroscientist Terence Coderre, who is also affiliated with the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, has found the key to understanding how memories of pain are stored in the brain. More importantly, the researchers are also able to suggest how these memories can be erased, making it possible to ease chronic pain.


Study: Mexican-American youth add pounds as they lose native eating habits
University of South Carolina have found that Mexican-American youth gain pounds as they move away from the dietary habits of their native country, a move that is putting them at risk for serious health problems.


Explosive Evolution Need Not Follow Mass Extinctions
Fossil record of graptoloids challenges the theory that immediately after a mass extinction, species develop new physical traits at a rapid pace.


New Study by Biologist Finds Dramatic Improvements and Persistent Challenges for Women in Science
The underrepresentation of women in science has received significant attention. However, there have been few studies in which longitudinal data were used to assess changes over time. In a paper recently published in the journal BioScience, Richard B. Primack, professor of biology at Boston University; Krista L. McGuire, assistant professor of biological sciences at Barnard College, Columbia University; and Elizabeth C. Losos, adjunct professor at Duke University and president and CEO of the Organization for Tropical Studies, find that women in the field of ecological studies have experienced dramatic improvements, but persistent challenges remain.


New Global Report Reveals That the Spirit of Childhood Is at Risk
Kids and parents alike need more time to "be kids."


Complex Wiring of the Nervous System May Rely on a Just a Handful of Genes and Proteins
Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered a startling feature of early brain development that helps to explain how complex neuron wiring patterns are programmed using just a handful of critical genes. The findings, published February 3 in Cell, may help scientists develop new therapies for neurological disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and provide insight into certain cancers.


2012 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize Awarded to Books That Explore Lincoln's Relationship with Border States, Jag Joseph Holt
The 2012 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize has been announced, and the $50,000 prize will go to co-winners William C. Harris of North Carolina State University, for "Lincoln and the Border States: Preserving the Union," (Kansas) and Elizabeth D. Leonard of Colby College, for "Lincoln's Forgotten Ally: Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt of Kentucky" (UNC Press).


Loyola University Chicago to Honor Nursing Alumni
The Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing will honor two alumni at the Fourth Annual Alumni Awards Brunch this Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Lake Shore campus. There will be a Mass at 10:30 a.m. in the Madonna della Strada Chapel at 6453 N. Kenmore Ave., followed by the brunch and award presentation from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the Mundelein Center Auditorium at 1020 W. Sheridan Road.


David Eisele Named Director of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital
David W. Eisele, M.D., has been appointed the new director of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Andelot Professor of Laryngology and Otology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He will begin his tenure on March 1, 2012.


Got Leftovers? Tips for Safely Savoring Foods a Second Time Around
Whether you cook all your food for the week on Sunday or have extra food left at the end of a meal--for many families, leftovers are key to solving the problem of "what's for dinner." Meals like pastas, soups, chili, and other home-cooked meals can easily be reheated for lunch at the office the next day or packed in a heat-insulated thermos for kids' lunches.


Babson Professor Greene Receives USASBE Entrepreneurial Advocacy Award
Babson Entrepreneurship Professor Patricia G. Greene has received the John E. Hughes Award for Entrepreneurial Advocacy from the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE).


Hovering Not Hard if You're Top-Heavy
Top-heavy structures are more likely to maintain their balance while hovering in the air than are those that bear a lower center of gravity, researchers at NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Department of Physics have found. Their findings are counter to common perceptions that flight stability can be achieved only through a relatively even distribution of weight--and may offer new design principles for hovering aircraft.


Seven Sweet Facts about How Chocolate is Made
Most people are unaware of how chocolate gets from trees to your table find out with these seven fun facts!


A Major New Knowledge Hub Launched for the Orthopaedic Community
The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery, publishers of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (British Volume) announce the launch of Bone & Joint: www.boneandjoint.org.uk


Nova Southeastern University to Welcome Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus as Next Distinguished Speaker
Just how reliable is the human memory? That's a question noted psychologist Elizabeth Loftus, Ph.D., has studied for the past 30 years. On Thursday, Feb. 9, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) will welcome Loftus as part of its Distinguished Speakers Series.


Obstacles No Barrier to Higher Speeds for Worms
Obstacles in an organism's path can help it to move faster, not slower, researchers from New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences have found through a series of experiments and computer simulations. Their findings have implications for a better understanding of basic locomotion strategies found in biology, and the survival and propagation of the parasite that causes malaria.


OSA Names Tufts Biomedical Engineer Fiorenzo Omenetto as Fellow
Omenetto's laboratory has pioneered the use of silk as a material platform for photonics, optoelectronics and high-technology applications and is actively investigating novel applications that rely on this new technology platform.


The Boston Foundation Honors the Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership at Boston University School of Management
The Boston Foundation selected BU's Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership for a $100,000 'Out of the Blue' grant in recognition of its work training present and future nonprofit leaders.


Scared of a Younger Rival? Not For Some Male Songbirds
When mature male white-crowned sparrows duel to win a mate or a nesting territory, a young bird just doesn't get much respect.


Press Conference Announcing New Kavli Institute at the University of Tokyo
The University of Tokyo will webcast from Japan a press conference announcing the establishment of an endowment for the Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (IPMU) by The Kavli Foundation - the first time a National University in Japan hosts a named research institute with endowment donated from a foreign foundation. It will also announce the Institute's establishment as the first Kavli Institute in Japan.


New Kavli Institute Announced At The University Of Tokyo
The Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, University of Tokyo, receives a major endowment from The Kavli Foundation, joining the family of Kavli Institutes.


Archive of Failed Joint Replacements Provides Tips to Building a Better Hip Replacement
A study by Hospital for Special Surgery researchers has provided the first comprehensive look at just how metal-on-metal total hip replacements are failing in patients around the country.


New Procedure Bests Standard of Care for Fixing Damaged Cartilage
A new study has demonstrated that a procedure wherein healthy cartilage is transplanted to fix an area of damaged cartilage is superior to the standard of care for repairing cartilage defects.


Teaching Kids to Mind Their Peas and Carrots
How to Be a Winner for Dinner, a children's book that teaches young children about healthy eating habits, is the most recent project of a multitalented nursing student. Gina Colaizzo, a pediatric nurse practitioner student at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHUSON), is that author.


Administration of Meningococcal Vaccine with Other Routine Infant Vaccines Appears Effective
Administration of routine infant immunizations with a vaccine for serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis, a bacterium that is a cause of serious disease such as sepsis and meningitis, was effective against meningococcal strains and produced minimal interference with the response to the routine vaccinations, according to a study in the February 8 issue of JAMA.


Salk Scientists Use an Old Theory to Discover New Targets in the Fight Against Breast Cancer
Reviving a theory first proposed in the late 1800s that the development of organs in the normal embryo and the development of cancers are related, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have studied organ development in mice to unravel how breast cancers, and perhaps other cancers, develop in people. Their findings provide new ways to predict and personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.


Masked Heart Problems in Men Could Lead to Sudden Death
Being proactive about heart health can help men lower their risk and avoid a heart event.


Drug Recalls: What Consumers Need to Know
With the new year came many drug recalls. In the first six weeks of 2012, there were at least 13 drug-related recalls. Some were due to bacterial contamination. Eight distinct bacterial contaminants were identified in one over-the-counter product.


Chemists Develop More Efficient Protein Labeling
NC State researchers have created specially engineered mammalian cells to provide a new "chemical handle" which will enable them to label proteins of interest more efficiently.


Researchers Weigh Methods to More Accurately Measure Genome Sequencing
Researchers at New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences evaluate some current methods to sequence individual genomes--a study that serves as a "stress test" of the efficacy of these practices.


From Opening Thunder to Closing Whimper
Predicting bomb shockwaves, building vulnerability, and evacuation priority.


Early Study Suggests Nanodiamonds Safe for Implants
As the number of knee and hip joint replacements grows, nanodiamond coatings could answer problems related to metal surfaces.


Built to Withstand Almost Anything
By helping buildings withstand unusually severe hazards, the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate aims to keep critical infrastructure open for business


Combined Approach to Global Health Can Save Lives at Lower Cost
A new analysis published this week in the open-access journal PLoS ONE (Feb. 3, 2012) focused on a combined public health campaign in Western Province, Kenya led by the Swiss-based company Vestergaard Frandsen, the Kenyan Ministry of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The analysis looked at the cost effectiveness of simultaneously confronting the problems of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and diarrhea caused by waterborne pathogens.


Cancer Researcher Offer New Hope for Brain Tumor
In the United States, each year, approximately 10,000 patients are affected by recurrent glioblastoma multiforme . Now, a novel investigational device - available only at clinical trial sites - is offering new hope to these patients.


New Media Rewriting the Ad Playbook for Super Bowl XLVI
The hype and buzz surrounding Super Bowl commercials are big business for companies and have become a major attraction for viewers. Taking advantage of the growing trend, this year's ads are using a variety of tools that go far beyond the traditional TV commercial, said Abhi Biswas, a UT Dallas marketing professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management.


Discovery of Extremely Long-Lived Proteins May Provide Insight Into Cell Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases
One of the big mysteries in biology is why cells age. Now scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies report that they have discovered a weakness in a component of brain cells that may explain how the aging process occurs in the brain.


A Lonely Heart Can Make You Sick
Newly divorced middle aged women are more vulnerable to contract HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, according to Christopher Coleman, PhD, MPH, RN, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, because they tend to let their guard down with new sexual partners and avoid using protection since they are unafraid of getting pregnant.


"Clear!" A Shock to the Heart Won't Hurt
On most television shows and movies when a patient flat lines and the nurse or doctor grabs an automated external defibrillator (AED) the next words might be "clear!" But this portrayal of AED use is a misconception that needs to be overcome.


Hubble Zooms in on a Magnified Galaxy
A team of astronomers aimed Hubble at one of the most striking examples of gravitational lensing, a nearly 90-degree arc of light in the galaxy cluster RCS2 032727-132623. Hubble's view of the distant background galaxy, which lies nearly 10 billion light-years away, is significantly more detailed than could ever be achieved without the help of the gravitational lens.


A Zap of Cold Plasma Reduces Harmful Bacteria on Raw Chicken
A new study by food safety researchers at Drexel University demonstrates that plasma can be an effective method for killing pathogens on uncooked poultry. The proof-of-concept study was published in the January issue of the Journal of Food Protection.


Sutter Health Salutes Physicians Named as Top Doctors in Marin and San Francisco
Almost 250 physicians at California Pacific Medical Center, Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation, and Novato Community Hospital - all part of the Sutter Health network - have been named on the prestigious list of [415] Top Doctors 2012 by Marin Magazine.


ORNL, Partners Earn FLC Honor for Cookstove Technology
Envirofit International, the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Colorado State University have won a Federal Laboratory Consortium award for excellence in technology transfer for a clean-burning cookstove designed for the developing world.


UT MD Anderson Article Offers One Roadmap for Defining Value in Health Care, Earns National Award from Leading Journal
A team from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is receiving a national award for a research article tackling a question vital to the future of health care with reform regulations looming, competition growing and costs rising.


Doctors Aim to Dispel Myths about Vaccines
Two Saint Louis University pediatricians are leading a Missouri State Medical Association statewide effort to change the way doctors respond to parents' fears of vaccines, and to raise awareness about the importance of getting children vaccinated.


Heart Failure Linked to Thinner Bones and Fractures
Heart failure is associated with a 30 percent increase in major fractures and also identifies a high-risk population that may benefit from increased screening and treatment for osteoporosis, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).


AIP's Physics News Highlights: February 2, 2012
Physics News Highlights of the American Institute of Physics (AIP) contains summaries of interesting research from the AIP journals, notices of upcoming meetings, and other information from the AIP Member Societies. Copies of papers are available to journalists upon request.


Biosolar Breakthrough Promises Cheap, Easy Green Electricity
Barry D. Bruce, professor of biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is turning the term "power plant" on its head. The biochemist and a team of researchers have developed a system that taps into photosynthetic processes to produce efficient and inexpensive energy.


Rearranging the Cell's Skeleton
Cell biologists at Johns Hopkins have identified key steps in how certain molecules alter a cell's skeletal shape and drive the cell's movement.


Preview Ads Dominate Water Cooler Discussion Days Before Big Game
A handful of Super Bowl commercials have already been released online, with more to come in the next few days. This is all part of a growing trend by advertisers to pre-release commercials to build social media buzz and drive consumers to channels devoted to the product. "It's like opening your Christmas presents on Christmas Eve," says David Allan, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia.


Marker for Alzheimer's Disease May Affect Mental Function Even in Healthy Adults
High levels of the protein beta-amyloid in the brain that is associated with Alzheimer's disease may affect brain performance even in healthy adults, according to a study published in the February 1, 2012, online issue of Neurology(r), the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.


Wildlife Conservation Society Study Finds Southern Indian Ocean Humpbacks Singing Different Tunes
A recently published study by the Wildlife Conservation Society and others reveals that humpback whales on both sides of the southern Indian Ocean are singing different tunes, unusual since humpbacks in the same ocean basin usually all sing very similar songs.


Study Shows Alzheimer's Disease May Spread by 'Jumping' from One Brain Region to Another
Findings open new opportunities for studying Alzheimer's and testing potential therapies.


BU Astrophysicist Leads Team That Discovers "Sloshing" Gas in Galaxy Cluster
Boston University astrophysicist Elizabeth Blanton led a team of researchers in the discovery of vast clouds of hot gas "sloshing" in Abell 2052, a galaxy cluster located about 480 million light years from Earth. The scientists are studying the hot (30 million degree) gas using X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The team's findings were first published in the August 20, 2011 issue of The Astrophysical Journal.


Diabetes Rates Vary Widely in Developing Countries
Rates of diabetes vary widely across developing countries worldwide, according to a new analysis led by Dr. Longjian Liu of Drexel University's School of Public Health. Worldwide, four in five people with diabetes now live in developing countries. Liu's study found that access to healthcare support for diabetes varied widely in developing countries, and that one in 10 diagnosed cases remain untreated.


Take This to Heart: The No. 1 Killer of Women Is Preventable
Heart disease kills more women, young and old, than cancer. Yet for most, it's avoidable with a healthier lifestyle.


First-of-Its-Kind Head Patch Monitors Brain Blood Flow and Oxygen
Researchers say the device might offer a reliable way to monitor hospitalized patients for recurrent strokes in real time.


Examining Moneyball's Impact on Business and Sports
Villanova University School of Law (VSL) convenes an all-star roster of leading experts from sports and television for its 2012 Villanova Sports and Entertainment Law Journal Symposium, "Moneyball's Impact on Business and Sports," Friday, February 10. Jeffrey S. Moorad VSL '81, vice chairman and CEO of the San Diego Padres, headlines the panel alongside Billy Beane, vice president and general manager of the Oakland A's; Omar Minaya, senior vice president of baseball operations for the Padres; and Phil Griffin, president of MSNBC. Former Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell VSL '68, a guest sports commentator for Comcast SportsNet and the Philadelphia Daily News, serves as moderator. A question-and-answer session follows the panel discussion.


Vigorous Exercise Linked to Gene Activity in Prostate
Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have identified nearly 200 genes in the healthy prostate tissue of men with low-grade prostate cancer that may help explain how physical activity improves survival from the disease.


Arthritis and Cholesterol Drugs Well Tolerated in Prostate Cancer Treatment
Research from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey on the FDA-approved drugs Celebrex(r) and Lipitor(r) -- used respectively for arthritis pain and lowering cholesterol -- shows that these drugs are well tolerated in the treatment of recurrent prostate cancer. Preliminary results from an ongoing Phase II clinical trial will be presented this week during the 2012 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.


Breast Cancer Survivors Use At-Home Method to Prep Their Breasts for Reconstruction
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center is the first hospital in the New York metro area to offer breast cancer survivors an at-home method for tissue expansion in preparation for breast reconstruction surgery. Patients use a remote control to gradually create a space within their chest wall for a breast implant.


Many Children With Liver Transplants From Parents Can Safely Stop Using Anti-Rejection Drugs
Physicians at three transplant centers have found in a pilot study that a majority of children who receive liver tissue from a parent can eventually stop using immunosuppression (anti-rejection) medications safely. These drugs, which tamp down natural immune function, have been linked to a bevy of complications, including cancer, diabetes, hypertension and kidney failure.


Surgical Breast Biopsy Not Overused, Study Suggests
Contrary to earlier findings, surgical breast biopsies may not be as overused as previously thought, according to a study in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology. Surgical breast biopsies are more invasive than needle biopsies, requiring an incision and the use of general anesthesia.


MSK Ultrasound Volume Increase Higher Among Non-Radiologists
Between 2000 and 2009, the musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound volume increase among non-radiologists was much higher than that among radiologists, according to a study in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology. Ultrasound images of the MSK system provide pictures of muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and soft tissue throughout the body.


Four-Week Vaccination Regimen Knocks Out Early Breast Cancer Tumors
Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania report that a short course of vaccination with an anti-HER2 dendritic cell vaccine made partly from the patient's own cells triggers a complete tumor eradication in nearly 20 percent of women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), an early breast cancer.


Cancer Patients' Pain Can Be Helped By Psychosocial Interventions
Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center, who teamed with colleagues at five universities around the United States, analyzed past studies of cancer-related pain reduction and found that psychosocial interventions can have a beneficial effect on cancer patients' pain severity.


Running Robots
University of Delaware professor works to design faster robots, modeling their movement on animals.


Romance and Aging: Challenges and Insights
Amanda Barusch's research on what love and romance mean in seniors' lives sheds light on an area of growing interest as the population ages.


Sandia's Self-Guided Bullet Prototype Can Hit Target a Mile Away
Take two Sandia National Laboratories engineers who are hunters, get them talking about the sport and it shouldn't be surprising when the conversation leads to a patented design for a self-guided bullet that could help war fighters.


Early CF Detected by Bronchoalveolar Lavage and LCI
The lung clearance index (LCI) is a sensitive non-invasive marker of early lung disease in young children with cystic fibrosis (CF), according to a new study from Australian researchers.


Assessment of COPD Exacerbation Severity with the COPD Assessment Test (CAT)
Exacerbation severity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be reliably assessed with the COPD Assessment Test(tm) (CAT), according to a new study from the UK.


Bedwetting Can Be Due to Undiagnosed Constipation
Bedwetting isn't always due to problems with the bladder. Constipation is often the culprit; and if it isn't diagnosed, children and their parents must endure an unnecessarily long, costly and difficult quest to cure nighttime wetting.


IFT to Host Wellness 12 at the Intercontinental Chicago O'Hare, March 28-29
IFT will be hosting the fifth Wellness conference March, Wednesday, March 28th and 29th. The conference will offer attendees a unique blend of unbiased perspectives, news about emerging trends, and information on how organizations within the food industry are penetrating the health and wellness sector.


Brain Receptor in Eyes May Link Epilepsy, Cataracts and Antidepressants
Researchers have discovered that the most common receptor for the major neurotransmitter in the brain is also present in the eye, which may explain links between cataracts, epilepsy and use of a number of antiepileptic and antidepressant drugs.


Presidential Primaries: Media Tips From Indiana University Faculty Members
Indiana University faculty experts offer their thoughts on upcoming primary elections and caucuses, focusing especially on the contest for Republican presidential nomination.


Diagnostic Brain Tumor Test Could Revolutionize Care of Patients with Low-Grade Gliomas
Researchers have developed what they believe to be the first clinical application of a new imaging technique to diagnose brain tumors.


New Lung Cancer Test Predicts Survival
Clinical studies in U. S. And China show molecular test could more accurately guide treatment for people with lung cancer.


The Business Ethics Alliance Launches 2012 Programming with "Ethics of Hiring" Dialogue at Gallup
A conversation on the ethics of hiring with local business leaders.


Johns Hopkins Nursing Research News--January 2012
Hopkins Nursing researchers focus on stress, parenting programs, diabetes, and more in the latest issue of research news.


Regents Approve Phase II Rehabilitation of UC San Diego's University House
Will be renamed Geisel House to honor longtime university supporter and widow of author Theodor 'Dr. Seuss' Geisel.


Salk Professor Joanne Chory Awarded 2012 Genetics Society of America Medal
The Genetics Society of America (GSA) has honored Joanne Chory, Salk Institute professor and director of the Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory and Howard H. and Maryam R. Newman Chair in Plant Biology, as the recipient of the prestigious 2012 Genetics Society of America Medal.


New Study Examines Bankruptcy and Recovery Among Private Equity-Backed Firms
New study examines bankruptcy and recovery among private equity-backed firms.


New Drug Labels for Kidney Disease Patients - What Do They Mean?
Highlights * More than 20 million adults in the United States have chronic kidney disease. * Drugs that treat red blood cell deficiencies are critical for maintaining many chronic kidney disease patients' health. * Experts comment on newly released federal recommendations for these drugs.


Researchers Find Gene Critical to Sense of Smell in Fruit Fly
UW-Madison researchers have discovered that a gene called distal-less is critical to the fly's ability to receive, process and respond to smells.


Blood Protein Predicts Kidney Disease Risk in Diabetes Patients
Highlights * High levels of TNF receptors in the blood increased diabetes patients' risk of developing kidney problems by three- to five-fold a decade later. * Measuring blood levels of TNF receptors may help predict which patients' kidneys are in jeopardy, and targeting TNF receptors may help protect them. * Half a million people in the U.S. have kidney failure and require dialysis or a kidney transplant, and 44% of these cases are due to diabetes.


Gastrointestinal Bleeding: What Many Kidney Failure Patients Stomach
Highlights * Bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract occurs more than 10 times as often in kidney failure patients than in individuals in the general population. * Upper gastrointestinal bleeding causes serious health problems--and even early deaths--for many patients with kidney failure. * More than 600,000 patients in the United States have kidney failure.


Study Identifies Novel Markers as Key Indicators of Future Renal Failure in Diabetes
Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center have identified two novel markers that, when elevated in the blood stream, can predict accurately the risk of renal (kidney) failure in patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The findings have immediate diagnostic implications and can be used for the development of new therapies to prevent or postpone the progression of renal disease in diabetes.


Stony Brook University Announces Collaboration with Sanofi on Pioneering Tuberculosis Drug
The Institute of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery (ICB&DD) at Stony Brook University announced a multi-year research collaboration with Sanofi, a multinational pharmaceutical company, on a potential treatment for Tuberculosis (TB) and other bacterial infections.


With Tumor Samples, High-Tech Tools and Practice Sutures, 'Brainworks' Brings Scientific Discovery Into Students' Reach
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's annual Brainworks program introduces young people to the excitement and benefits of careers in science and medicine. This year's event, occurring on Feb. 13 during Black History Month, will entertain and educate students from predominantly minority communities who attend Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Middle School, James A. Forshay Learning Center, Lighthouse Church School, Greater New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church and an independent after-school program.


Save the Date: American Physical Society 2012 March Meeting, February 27-March 2 in Boston
The American Physical Society's 2012 March meeting will focus on some of the most dynamic and cutting-edge research areas in physics. The topics on tap include high temperature superconductivity, biophysics, and advanced materials, as well as talks and sessions dedicated to social issues, medical technology, energy, and national security. The meeting takes place February 27-March 2 at the Boston Convention Center in Boston, Mass.


National Report Finds One-in-Five Americans Experienced Mental Illness in the Past Year
A new national report reveals that 45.9 million American adults aged 18 or older, or 20 percent of this age group, experienced mental illness in the past year. The rate of mental illness was more than twice as high among those aged 18 to 25 (29.9 percent) than among those aged 50 and older (14.3 percent). Adult women were also more likely than men to have experienced mental illness in the past year (23 percent versus 16.8 percent).


Protests of South Korean Railway Project Fueled by Internet Comments
High levels of Internet connectivity in South Korea underlie amplified public attention to ecological risks of a major new high-speed railway tunnel project forcing it onto the national agenda.


Markerless Motion Capture Offers A New Angle on Tennis Injuries
A new approach to motion capture technology is offering fresh insights into tennis injuries - and orthopedic injuries in general.


Polar Growth at the Bacterial Scale Reveals Potential New Targets for Antibiotic Therapy
An international team of microbiologists led by Indiana University researchers has identified a new bacterial growth process -- one that occurs at a single end or pole of the cell instead of uniform, dispersed growth along the long axis of the cell -- that could have implications in the development of new antibacterial strategies.


Some Breast Cancer Spread May Be Triggered By Targetable Protein
Cancers rarely are deadly unless they evolve the ability to grow beyond the tissues in which they first arise. Normally, cells -- even early-stage tumor cells -- are tethered to scaffolding that helps to restrain any destructive tendencies. But scientists from the University of Helsinki, Finland, and from UCSF have identified a cleaver-wielding protein that frees some tumor cells, allowing them to further misbehave.


SOPA, PROTECT IP Will Stifle Creativity and Diminish Free Speech, Says WUSTL Experts
Wikipedia and other sites plan to go dark to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act under consideration in Congress. Three law professors from Washington University in St. Louis, Kevin Collins, Gregory Magarian and Neil Richards, signed a letter to Congress in opposition to the PROTECT IP Act. Read Magarian and Richards' current comments on SOPA and PROTECT IP.


AIP's Physics News Highlights: January 17, 2012
A baby crystal is born; An easier way to remove gallstones; Flaky graphene makes reliable chemical sensors; Upcoming Conferences of Interest and Science Communication Awards


Patriot National Announces Major Gift to Nova Southeastern University
The Patriot Health Initiative will enable NSU to provide up to $450,000 to support Dental Programming Targeting Underserved Populations in Greater Fort Lauderdale.


Scientists Present Prostate Cancer Breakthrough at International Oncology Conference
New animal study confirms the dramatic effects of a natural formula against aggressive prostate cancer tumors.


Broken Arm? Brain Shifts Quickly When Using a Sling or Cast
Using a sling or cast after injuring an arm may cause your brain to shift quickly to adjust, according to a study published in the January 17, 2012, print issue of Neurology(r), the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study found increases in the size of brain areas that were compensating for the injured side, and decreases in areas that were not being used due to the cast or sling.


Traditional Physical Autopsies - Not High-Tech "Virtopsies" - Still the Gold Standard for Determining Cause of Death, Experts Claim
TV crime shows like Bones and CSI are quick to explain each death by showing highly detailed scans and video images of victims' insides. Traditional autopsies, if shown at all, are at best in supporting roles to the high-tech equipment, and usually gloss over the sometimes physically grueling tasks of sawing through skin and bone.


Headphones Linked to Pedestrian Deaths, Injuries
Serious injuries to pedestrians listening to headphones have more than tripled in six years, according to new research from the University of Maryland. In many cases, the cars or trains are sounding horns that the pedestrians cannot hear, leading to fatalities in nearly three-quarters of cases.


Women's Health Alert: Fighting Heart Disease in Your 40s
The risk for heart-related death is increasing in young adults ages 35 to 54, and the numbers are even more alarming for younger women. It is the number-one cause of death for both men and women in the United States, yet every year since 1984 more women have died of cardiovascular health problems than men, according to the American Heart Association.


English Lit Influenced Prize-Winning Paleontologist
It wasn't a boyhood fascination with prehistoric life that influenced Kevin Boyce's interest in paleontology. It was instead the medieval literary world of Chaucer that he discovered in college.


Study Shows Obese Nurses More Stressed, Less Active
Job stress and shift work have a lot more to do with obesity among nurses than previously thought, according to a study by the University of Maryland School of Nursing.


Stony Brook's WTC Health Program Expands to Winthrop-University Hospital
The Stony Brook University World Trade Center Health Program is expanding its clinical Center of Excellence to Winthrop-University Hospital which enables care and treatment for thousands more who were exposed to toxic chemicals and who continue to suffer from upper and lower respiratory ailments, mental health symptoms, and other conditions related to the environment at Ground Zero.


AAMC Medical Schools Pledge to Improve Health of America's Veterans and Families
First Lady Michelle Obama announced an unprecedented commitment made by more than 100 of the AAMC's member medical schools to improve the health and wellness of military service members and their families as part of the Joining Forces initiative.


Sandia, UK Partners Publish Groundbreaking Work on Criegee Intermediates in Science Magazine
In a breakthrough paper published in this week's issue of Science magazine, researchers from Sandia's Combustion Research Facility, the University of Manchester and Bristol University report direct measurements of reactions of a gas-phase Criegee intermediate using photoionization mass spectrometry.


32 Million Americans Have Autoantibodies That Target Their Own Tissues
More than 32 million people in the United States have autoantibodies, which are proteins made by the immune system that target the body's tissues and define a condition known as autoimmunity, a study shows. The first nationally representative sample looking at the prevalence of the most common type of autoantibody, known as antinuclear antibodies (ANA), found that the frequency of ANA is highest among women, older individuals, and African-Americans. The study was conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health. Researchers in Gainesville at the University of Florida also participated.


January 2012 IFT Media Update
The following news briefs are from the Institute of Food Technologists(r) (IFT), a nonprofit scientific society with members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. This media update includes information on the following: January issue of Food Technology Magazine--Convenience Stores To Focus on Food in 2012; January issue of Journal of Food Science--No Link Found Between Sweetness Intensity and Overall Caloric Intake, Blueberry and Blackberry Wines Found to have Potential Health Benefits; and Save-the-Date for Wellness 2012.


Seven Factors Reveal Why Women Don't Run for Office
New report from American University, "Men Rule: The Continued Under-Representation of Women in U.S. Politics," identifies why even with the emergence over the past ten years of high-profile women in politics, the gap between women and men's interest in running for office is the same today as it was a decade ago.


Dark Chocolate and Red Wine Are Heart-Healthy Foods Of Love
Loyola dietitian says resveratrol which lowers blood sugar is found in red wine and also dark chocolate, making them ideal for heart holidays like Valentine's Day and year round consumption for heart health.


Rush University Medical Center Successfully Moves Patients into New Hospital Building
After more than seven years of planning and three years of construction, Rush University Medical Center successfully moved approximately 200 patients into the Tower, Rush's new, 14-story, state-of-the-art hospital building, located at Ashland Avenue and the Eisenhower Expressway.


New Cores from Glacier in the Eastern European Alps May Yield New Climate Clues
Researchers are beginning their analysis of what are probably the first successful ice cores drilled to bedrock from a glacier in the eastern European Alps.


Nanoparticles Hold Promise as Vehicle for Drug Delivery
In the images of fruit flies, clusters of neurons are all lit up, forming a brightly glowing network of highways within the brain. It's exactly what University at Buffalo researcher Shermali Gunawardena was hoping to see.


Researchers Identify that Environmental Exposure to Organochlorines May Impact Male Reproduction
Melissa Perry, Sc.D., M.H.S., professor and chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the GW School of Public Health and Health Services and adjunct associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, led an observational study indicating that environmental exposure to organochlorine chemicals, including Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p'-DDE (the main metabolite of the insecticide DDT) can affect male reproduction. The research was published online on Dec. 21, 2011 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.


New Technology Will Help Detect Breast Cancer Earlier
The University of North Dakota and Neomatrix LLC have signed an agreement to develop technology for the early detection of breast cancer using UND technology based on cancer indicators and the company's HALO device.


George Washington Researchers Find that a Smoking Cessation Benefit Can Save Money for Medicaid
New research by the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services indicates that including comprehensive tobacco cessation benefits in Medicaid insurance coverage can result in substantial savings for Medicaid programs. The study, titled "The Return on Investment of a Medicaid Tobacco Cessation Program in Massachusetts," published by the open access journal PLoS ONE, found that every dollar spent in program costs resulted in an average program savings of $3.12, which represents a $2.12 return on investment. The research shows that investing in smoking cessation programs can result in lower levels of smoking, which in turn lead to reductions in hospital admissions for heart related problems and significant savings for Medicaid. The financial support for the research came from Partnership for Prevention.


Mass Prostate Cancer Screening Doesn't Reduce Deaths
There's new evidence that annual prostate cancer screening does not reduce deaths from the disease, even among men in their 50s and 60s and those with underlying health conditions, according to new research led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.


Johns Hopkins Finalists to Compete for Top Award in Creative Thinking Competition to Cure Metastatic Cancer
Five Johns Hopkins students have been selected as finalists in a competition to find new ways to cure metastatic cancer. The five, whose ideas were chosen from among 44 presentations, will compete on January 13, 2012, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., for the top prize of $20,000 and a chance to pursue their research proposals.


Soldiers to Learn Sustainability Techniques at Arizona State
A new graduate-level online certificate program at Arizona State University introduces soldiers and civilians in the United States Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve to major principles in sustainability science.


Proposed NY Legislation Supports Self-Employment for People with Disabilities; Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University Recognized in the Bills
The Burton Blatt Institute is recognized in the bills language as a leader in creating partnerships and developing programs, such as Start-Up NY, that expand entrepreneurship opportunities for people with diverse disabilities.


Smoking Cessation Benefit Can Save Money for Medicaid
New research by the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services indicates that including comprehensive tobacco cessation benefits in Medicaid insurance coverage can result in substantial savings for Medicaid programs. The study, titled "The Return on Investment of a Medicaid Tobacco Cessation Program in Massachusetts," published by the open access journal PLoS ONE, found that every dollar spent in program costs resulted in an average program savings of $3.12, which represents a $2.12 return on investment. The research shows that investing in smoking cessation programs can result in lower levels of smoking, which in turn lead to reductions in hospital admissions for heart related problems and significant savings for Medicaid. The financial support for the research came from Partnership for Prevention.


AANEM Releases Performance in Practice Module
The American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) recently released a new Performance in Practice (PIP) Module on Electrodiagnostic (EDX) Report Writing.


Geisinger No Longer to Hire Job Applicants Who Use Tobacco Products
Starting Feb. 1, 2012, Geisinger will no longer hire job applicants who use tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, and chewing or smokeless tobacco.


Giant Weed Creates Threat to Our Nation's Ecosystems--and Border Security
Weed control has become a matter of national security. Along U.S. southern coastal rivers, most particularly Texas' Rio Grande, an invasive species of plant known as giant reed is encroaching on the water, overrunning international border access roads, and creating a dense cover for illegal activities. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has called for a plan to control this weed.


Conservationists Releases Rare Photo of Snow Leopard and Cub
Photographing snow leopards with remote cameras in Afghanistan is hard enough, but snapping a picture of a mother and cub is nearly impossible.


Roswell Park Researcher Aims to Develop Screening Test for Lung Cancer
RPCI surgeon receives $100,000 CHEST Foundation grant to develop diagnostic blood test for detection of lung cancer.


$9.5 Million Federal Grant to Support "Asthma Genome" Project with African-Americans
A Johns Hopkins-led team of experts in genetics, immunology, epidemiology and allergic disease has embarked on a four-year effort to map the genetic code, or whole genome, of 1,000 people of African descent, including men and women from Baltimore.


What Are They Really Like?
Little things can be revealing in an interview and a skilled interviewer can look beneath the surface to discover the real candidate.


Don't Slip Up This Winter: Prepare Now
Loyola physiologist gives clever tips to prepare for winter and offers exercises for improving balance


Pioneer in Anesthesiology Dr. Joseph F. Artusio Jr. Dead at Age 94
Dr. Joseph F. Artusio Jr., the founding chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology and anesthesiologist-in-chief at what is today known as Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, died on Dec. 21 at the age of 94.


Impact of Integrative Medicine Explored at Loyola Conference
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine to host Integrative Medicine Conference.


Dental Health Experts at Nationwide Children's Hospital Remind Parents About Scheduling Toddlers for Dental Visits
While infants under 12 months old may only have a few teeth, experts say they should been seen by a dentist within the first year of life. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's revised guidelines on infant oral health recommend infants 6 to 12 months old should to be seen by a dentist. More than 40 percent of children have tooth decay by the time they reach kindergarten. In order to help prevent tooth decay, dental experts at Nationwide Children's Hospital are reminding parents to schedule dental appointments for their toddlers.


New Clues as to Why Some Older People May Be Losing Their Memory
New research links 'silent strokes,' or small spots of dead brain cells, found in about one out of four older adults to memory loss in the elderly. The study is published in the January 3, 2012, print issue of Neurology(r), the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.


Vanderbilt Emergency Department Urges Responsible Alcohol Consumption while Ringing in the New Year
With the countdown to 2012 just around the corner, Vanderbilt's Emergency Department is bracing for what is likely to be one of the busiest weekends of the year. Alcohol-related injuries and deaths typically spike on New Year's Eve, causing physicians and staff to prepare for an influx of patients requiring help after overconsumption.


Diet Patterns May Keep Brain from Shrinking
People with diets high in several vitamins or in omega 3 fatty acids are less likely to have the brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer's disease than people whose diets are not high in those nutrients, according to a new study published in the December 28, 2011, online issue of Neurology(r), the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.


Ovarian Cancer Study Proves Drug Delays Disease Progression, May Improve Survival
Treating ovarian cancer with the drug bevacizumab ("Avastin") delays the disease and may also improve survival, show the results of an international clinical trial co-led by Drs. Amit Oza of the Princess Margaret Cancer Program, University Health Network and Timothy Perren, St James's Institute of Oncology, Leeds, UK.


'Rare' Brain Disorder May Be More Common Than Thought
A global team of neuroscientists, led by researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida, have found the gene responsible for a brain disorder that may be much more common than once believed.


Sea Snails Help Scientists Explore a Possible Way to Enhance Memory
Efforts to help people with learning impairments are being aided by a species of sea snail known as Aplysia californica. The mollusk, which is used by researchers to study the brain, has much in common with other species including humans. Research involving the snail has contributed to the understanding of learning and memory. At The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), neuroscientists used this animal model to test an innovative learning strategy designed to help improve the brain's memory and the results were encouraging.


Memo to Pediatricians: Allergy Tests Are No Magic Bullets for Diagnosis
An advisory from two leading allergists, Robert Wood of the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and Scott Sicherer of Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, urges clinicians to use caution when ordering allergy tests and to avoid making a diagnosis based solely on test results.


Study Links Quality of Mother-Toddler Relationship to Teen Obesity
The quality of the emotional relationship between a mother and her young child could affect the potential for that child to be obese during adolescence, a new study suggests.


12 Ways to Get Fit with Your Kids in 2012
This year, make sure your New Year's fitness resolution includes your kids. Doing so could make working out and losing weight a lot more fun, according to fitness expert Michael Berry. Berry, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Wake Forest University, said fitness with the kids must include more than a predictable schedule.


New Robotic-Assisted Technology Transforms Treatment of Kidney Tumors
The Porter Robotics Institute (PRI) now offers the latest in advanced surgical robotics available to patients with kidney tumors, allowing surgeons the ability to remove just a portion of the kidney.


Curriculum Innovations Earn UIC College of Dentistry National Award
The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry was selected to receive the 2012 William J. Gies Award by the American Dental Education Association for its innovative clinical curriculum.


Early Dietary Experience Shapes Salt Preference of Infants and Preschoolers
Researchers from the Monell Center report that 6-month-old infants who have been introduced to starchy table foods, which often contain added salt, have a heightened preference for salty taste. They also were more likely to consume plain salt at preschool age. The findings highlight the potentially significant role of early dietary experience in shaping salty taste preferences of infants and young children.


ASTRO Hires New Quality Improvement Director
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has hired Nadine Eads as director of quality improvement. Eads will lead the newly formed Quality Improvement Department as ASTRO continues its efforts to promote quality improvement across the specialty.


New Year's Resolutions: Reality Check for Would-Be Runners
Practical goals and preparation are the keys to success, a Saint Louis University physical therapist says.


Stony Brook University Collaborative Experiment Named a Top 10 Breakthrough of 2011 by Physics World Magazine
Chang Kee Jung, a Professor of Physics at Stony Brook University along with an international team of physicists working on the Tokai-to-Kamioka (T2K) collaboration were recently named seventh in a list of the top 10 breakthroughs of 2011, according to Physics World magazine for their experiment that appears to have measured, for the first time, muon neutrinos changing into electron neutrinos.


Heart Attacks, Other Emergencies Spike During Holidays
During his 23-year career, Steven Polevoi, MD, the medical director of the UCSF Emergency Department, has done everything from treat traumatic injuries to deliver babies. While medical emergencies occur throughout the year, Polevoi sees the winter season and its related overindulgence as a pivotal time for preventing emergencies by listening to our bodies.


New Approach to Nursing Education Gives Students the Chance to 'Live Like a Nurse'
New approach to nursing education gives students the chance to 'live like a nurse.' The Pacesetters Program is a redesigning of the four-semester B.S.N. curriculum and gives students their in-classroom course work, plus an opportunity to work a full-time clinical rotation schedule over 16 weeks during their final semester of school.


Resolve to Age Well by Keeping Physically Fit
Wake Forest Baptist aging expert weighs in with advice.


Employer Resources for Incorporating People with Disabilities Into the Workplace
Developed by the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, the Employer Demand briefs and toolkit are designed to provide employers with resources on incorporating people with disabilities into the workplace and improving employment outcomes for all workers.


American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Supports Unrestricted Visitation in the Adult ICU
Describing family, friends and other supporters as "partners in care," a new AACN Practice Alert(tm) outlines administrative and practical considerations for nurses to implement less-restrictive access to the bedside within adult ICUs.


"It Is Too Soon to Celebrate the Death of Kim Jong Ll -- We Need to be Very Apprehensive and Cautious," Says Prof
Nova Southeastern University subject matter expert Dustin Berna, Ph.D., is available to speak with media regarding the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and the impact it will have globally.


Breast Cancers at Lower-Risk Detected with Widespread Use of Mammograms
As a woman ages, her chances of being diagnosed with a lower-risk breast tumor increase, according to a novel study led by UCSF which found that for women over 50, a substantial number of cancers detected by mammograms have good prognoses.


Researchers Slow Progression of Huntington's Disease in Mouse Models
Working with genetically engineered mice, Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that a gene (SIRT1) linked to slowing the aging process in cells also appears to dramatically delay the onset of Huntington's disease (HD) and slow the progression of the relentless neurodegenerative disorder.


Upper Atmosphere Facilitates Changes That Let Mercury Enter Food Chain
New research shows that the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere work to transform elemental mercury into oxidized mercury, which can easily be deposited into aquatic ecosystems and ultimately enter the food chain.


Why Young Couples Aren't Getting Married - They Fear the Ravages of Divorce
With the share of married adults at an all-time low in the United States, new research by demographers at Cornell University and the University of Central Oklahoma unveils clues why couples don't get married - they fear divorce.


Feelings of Depression and Binge Eating Go Hand in Hand in Teen Girls
Teenage girls who feel depressed are twice as likely to start binge eating as other girls are, according to a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health. The reverse is also true: Girls who engage in regular binge eating face double the normal risk of depressive symptoms.


Breast Cancer Patients More Satisfied When Specialists Share Care Management
Patients with breast cancer report greater satisfaction when their cancer doctor co-manages care with other specialists, finds a new study in Health Services Research.


Has the Time Come for Dementia Screening in Primary Care?
Having primary care doctors routinely screen patients for dementia at annual check up visits--just like they do for high blood pressure or cholesterol--could identify people in need of dementia care and reassure those who are healthy. That's what dementia experts argued at a meeting held last month, as reported on Alzforum (www.alzforum.org).


Addition of Mannitol Increases Effectiveness of Dental Nerve Block Anesthesia
Allowing a patient to be comfortable and pain-free during surgical and restorative dental procedures is an essential part of the process. The most commonly used local anesthetic injection for lower teeth is the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) block. However, failure rates ranging from 10 to 39 percent have been reported.


Peanut Allergies: Breakthrough Could Improve Diagnoses
Roughly three million Americans suffer from peanut allergies; yet current diagnostic methods don't detect every case. New findings by University of Virginia scientists, however, may allow for the development of more sensitive diagnostic tools and a better understanding of nut allergies.


Teens Choose Water When Calorie Count of Sugary Beverages is Easier to Understand
Providing teens with easily understandable caloric information, specifically in the form of a physical activity equivalent, may reduce the likelihood of sugar-sweetened beverage purchases by as much as half.


Young Adults Drop Exercise with Move to College Or University
Regular exercise tends to steeply decline among youth as they move to university or college, and does not appear to revert itself, but continues on a downward trajectory into adulthood.


Can Proteins in the Blood Predict an Early Death?
1) Certain measures of kidney health can also predict who is likely to die prematurely. 2) Blood levels of the proteins creatinine, beta trace protein, and cystatin C may portray aspects of health that go beyond the kidneys. 3) Future studies should investigate whether a panel of markers of kidney function would provide a better prediction of an individual's prognosis than any one marker alone.


Inhaled Dry Powder Mannitol Improves Lung Function in CF
Adding inhaled dry powder mannitol to standard therapy for cystic fibrosis produced sustained improvement in lung function for up to 52 weeks, according to a new study. Along with the treatment's efficacy and good safety profile, the convenience and ease of administration of mannitol treatment may improve adherence with therapy in these patients.


Glucocorticoids in Pregnancy and Offspring Pediatric Diseases
Inhaled glucocorticoids for the treatment of asthma during pregnancy are not associated with an increased risk of most diseases in offspring, but may be a risk factor for endocrine and metabolic disturbances, according to a new study.


RTOG Activates Study to Determine Best Treatment Strategies for Patients with Glioma Brain Tumors
The RTOG 0925 clinical trial seeks to determine if patients' neurocognitive changes caused by the tumor progression can help guide treatment decisions.


Do Clean Labels Really Equal Clean Foods?
Recent studies find shoppers are paying more attention to what they put in their bodies, therefore driving development and reformulation of products with cleaner labels. An article in the December 2011 issue of Food Technology magazine, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), written by Barbara Katz, IFT member and President of HealthFocus International and LuAnn Williams, IFT member and Head of Research at Innova Market Insights, says that people tend to perceive foods with simpler labels to be less processed. The article explores how industry is responding to consumer demand for clarity around food labels.


Less Blood Needed Post-Surgery
Patients need less blood after surgery than is widely thought. A new study comparing two plans for giving blood transfusions following surgery showed no ill effects from postponing transfusion until patients develop signs of anemia or their hemoglobin concentration falls below 8 g/dL.


Researchers Closer to Understanding the Evolution of Sound Production in Fish
An international team of researchers studying sound production in perch-like fishes has discovered a link between two unrelated lineages of fishes, taking researchers a step closer to understanding the evolution of one of the fastest muscles in vertebrates.


Holiday Reunion With Elderly May Include ER Visit
Loyola hospital says out of town travelers often discover elderly relatives in decline and seek help at the ER - tips on what to look for and what the ER will do.


Got Holiday Leftovers? Tips for Safely Savoring Foods a Second Time Around
When it comes to holiday leftovers, many of us secretly relish that slice of cold turkey or ham the next morning, and savor how reheating just enriches the flavor of those candied yams. Before you take that first bite, it's important to remember that proper care can help ensure the leftovers you love stay safe, edible and bacteria-free.


When Standard Treatment Fails: Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience to Start Unique Immunotherapy for Brain Tumor Patients
Physicians at the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience are tackling a particularly aggressive brain cancer that even surgery, chemotherapy and radiation often fail to treat with a promising new immunotherapy to attack a patient's tumor with their own cancer cells.


RTOG Initiates a Phase I Trial Testing the Therapy Ganitumab for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
Conducted by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), the results of the RTOG 1102 are expected to provide important dosing and safety information needed prior to advancing ganitumab evaluation to a phase II randomized trial.


Magnetic Stimulation of Brain May Help Some Stroke Patients Recover
Imagine waking up and being unable to see or recognize anything on the left side of your body. This condition, called hemispatial neglect, is common after a stroke that occurs on the right side of the brain. The current treatment of attention and concentration training using computer and pencil-and-paper tasks is inadequate.


UT MD Anderson Releases Annual Holiday Artwork Created By Young Cancer Patients
The holidays are here, and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Children's Art Project (CAP), offers a line of gifts based on artwork created by pediatric cancer patients. Sale proceeds from each item fund a variety of educational and recreational programs for patients and their families.


NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Surgeons Are First in NYC Area to Implant Total Artificial Heart
Surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center performed the first Total Artificial Heart implant in the New York City area to replace a patient's dying heart.


Rimmer to Lead Joint Health Promotion-Rehabilitation Science Research
UAB adds renowned rehabilitation scientist to head innovative Lakeshore Foundation/UAB Research Collaborative.


RBMA Becomes First Affiliate of ACR's Radiology Leadership Institute
The Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) is the first affiliate organization of the American College of Radiology's Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI). This is the latest step in the development of the RLI -- radiology's first professional development and leadership academy -- set to launch in July 2012.


New Method for Enhancing Thermal Conductivity Could Cool Computer Chips, Lasers and Other Devices
Vanderbilt engineers have discovered a surprising new way to increase a material's thermal conductivity that provides a new tool for managing thermal effects in computers, lasers and a number of other powered devices.


Stony Brook University Receives $150 Million Gift from Jim and Marilyn Simons and the Simons Foundation
Stony Brook University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D., announced today that the University has received a $150 million gift from Dr. James and Dr. Marilyn Simons, and from the Simons Foundation. It is the largest gift in the history of Stony Brook University or to any one of the 64 institutions in the SUNY system, as well as one of the largest to any institution of public higher education. Present for the historic announcement, in addition to the Simons, were New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher, and a number of elected representatives.


Mothers of Tiny Babies Suffer, Too
Babies born at very low birth weights struggle in their early years and a new study by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers suggests that their mothers do, too.


Researchers Discover How Cells Limit Inflammation In Lung Injury
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine have found in an animal model of acute lung injury a molecular mechanism that allows cells of the immune system to reduce tissue damage from inflammation.


A Novel Mechanism Regulating Stress is Identified
A new study from Tufts researchers reports that the action of neurosteroids on a specific type of receptor is responsible for the physiological response to stress. Further, stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors in mice can be prevented by blocking the synthesis of these neurosteroids.


American Academy of Neurology Launches New Medical Journal
The American Academy of Neurology today launched a new medical journal, called Neurology(r) Clinical Practice, to help doctors best treat the one in six people worldwide who have a neurologic disorder such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy or stroke.


UCSF to Receive Tobacco Papers, Funding to Improve Public Access to the Documents
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a proposed consent order today with a federal district court that finalizes requirements for three major tobacco companies to make internal documents public in accordance with an earlier ruling that the companies violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The documents will be archived in UCSF's Legacy Tobacco Documents Library (LTDL).


Nanoparticles Help Researcher Deliver Steroids to Retina
Research offers potential treatment for macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.


Cholesterol-Lowering Medication Accelerates Depletion of Plaque in Arteries
In a new study, NYU Langone Medical Center researchers have discovered how cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins promote the breakdown of plaque in the arteries.


Restorative Practices Found to Improve School Safety
Interviews and data from 40 schools suggest that restorative practices are an effective alternative to zero tolerance behavior policies in elementary, middle, and secondary schools.


Small Reactors Could Figure Into U.S. Energy Future
A newly released study from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) concludes that small modular reactors may hold the key to the future of U.S. nuclear power generation.


Researchers Find Potential Target For Treating Metastatic Cancer
Finding ways to counteract or disrupt the invasive nature of cancer cells, called "metastasis," has been a long-term goal of cancer researchers. Now, Moffitt Cancer Center researchers have identified an interactive pathway that regulates metastases in some cancers that may be vulnerable to chemical targeting in order to prevent cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth.


Dr. Don Hayes Appointed Medical Director of Lung and Heart-Lung Transplant Programs at Nationwide Children's Hospital
Don Hayes, MD, MS, MEd, recently joined Nationwide Children's Hospital as medical director of the Lung and Heart-Lung Transplant programs. He comes to Nationwide Children's from the University of Kentucky Medical Center where he served as the medical director of various programs including Advance Lung Disease and Lung and Heart-Lung Transplant programs as well as the Pediatric Sleep Disorders and Asthma programs.


Babson College, Olin College Of Engineering, & Rhode Island School of Design Host Undergraduate Product Design Final Presentations 2011
On Thursday, December 15th, 8:00 a.m.-noon, at Rhode Island School of Design, six interdisciplinary teams of undergraduate students from Babson, Olin, and RISD will present their new product concepts in six consecutive presentations.


Penn Nursing Autism Research Tops in TIME
TIME magazine has named Penn Nursing's pioneering research on autism and low birthweight one of the "Top 10 New Findings in Parenting" of 2011. In October, Penn Nursing Professor Jennifer Pinto-Martin, PhD, MPH, and colleagues reported in Pediatrics that premature infants are five times more likely to have autism than children born at normal weight.


Researchers Design Alzheimer's Antibodies
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new method to design antibodies aimed at combating disease. The surprisingly simple process was used to make antibodies that neutralize the harmful protein particles that lead to Alzheimer's disease.


Higher Education, Federal Government 'Intimately Connected'
The federal government's increasing involvement in higher education over the past 100 years has created an intimate relationship that was once virtually nonexistent.


Scientists Create First Realistic 3D Reconstruction of Brain Circuit
Researchers from the lab of Nobel laureate Bert Sakmann, MD, PhD at the Max Planck Florida Institute report that, using a conceptually new approach and state-of-the-art research tools, they have created the first realistic three-dimensional diagram of a thalamocortical column in the rodent brain. This is the first step toward creating a complete computer model of the brain.


US Tox21 to Begin Screening 10,000 Chemicals; NIH, EPA, and FDA Collaborate to Move Science Forward
A high-speed robotic screening system, aimed at protecting human health by improving how chemicals are tested in the United States, begins today to test 10,000 compounds for potential toxicity. The compounds cover a wide variety of classifications, and include consumer products, food additives, chemicals found in industrial processes, and human and veterinary drugs. A complete list of the compounds is publicly available at www.epa.gov/ncct/dsstox.


Use of Antenatal Corticosteroids for Very Preterm Births Associated With Reduced Risk of Infant Death, Neurodevelopmental Impairment
Using antenatal corticosteroid therapy for mothers of infants born at 23 to 25 weeks' gestation was associated with a lower rate of infant death or neurodevelopmental impairment at 18 to 22 months of age, according to a study in the December 7 issue of JAMA.


Ecstasy Drug Produces Lasting Toxicity In The Brain
Recreational use of Ecstasy - the illegal "rave" drug that produces feelings of euphoria and emotional warmth - is associated with chronic changes in the human brain, Vanderbilt University investigators have discovered. The findings, reported online Dec. 5 in the Archives of General Psychiatry, add to the growing evidence that Ecstasy produces long-lasting serotonin neurotoxicity in humans, said Ronald Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Psychiatry.


Obama's Theodore Roosevelt Speech Resonates Core American Values
Robert C. Hockett, professor of Law at Cornell University, discusses how the core message of Pres. Obama's "Theodore Roosevelt" speech has been a formula for success for past Democratic and Republican administrations.