CAN YOU BE KILLED BY HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES FALLING INTO YOUR BATH?

Finding: CONFIRMEDExplanation: Just like mattresses, hair dryers come with a stern warning: Drop one in a bathtub, and it could electrocute someone who's taking a soak. The electricity flowing through the cord could jump to the tub's metal drain, sending electricity through a person's highly conductive body. For that reason, hair dryers today are also manufactured with ground fault interrupters that immediately shut down the appliances if they end up waterlogged.

But MythBusters Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage realized that there are loads of electrical devices sitting around bathrooms nowadays, so they tossed a radio, television and, of course, a couple of hair dryers into a bathtub to see whether the situation would have lethally shocking results.

For safety's sake, Jamie and Adam molded a ballistics gel bath dummy to be the guinea pig and rigged it up to an amperage meter to measure the amount of current running through it. At 6 milliamps of jolts, the dummy would be pronounced dead.

The radio, television and hair dryer without a ground fault interrupter all electrocuted the drenched dummy, confirming the household appliance myth.

But thankfully, the modern hair dryer with the safety device also worked like a charm, shutting off before sending any lethal shock waves through the bathtub water.

As seen in "MythBusters: Killer Quicksand"

CAN YOU MAKE A BUMPY RIDE SMOOTHER BY DRIVING FASTER

Finding: CONFIRMEDExplanation: Certain parched, unpaved roads in Australia are known as washboards because of their bumpy surfaces. In the 1960s, nuclear physicist Keith Mather determined that the uneven Outback terrain develops through a combination of wheels displacing loose sand and grit and the weight of the tires indenting the roadway with rivets.Anecdotal evidence has suggested that driving faster over the washboard thoroughfares makes for a smooth ride, because swifter wheels should glide across the washboard peaks instead of dipping into troughs. Speed-loving MythBusters Kari Bryon, Tory Belleci and Grant Imahara took to the road to test this hypothesis.The trio constructed a washboard surface to drive across and set up high-speed cameras to monitor the tire motion. Grant cranked up a 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and cruised across the corrugated surface at 5 miles per hour, then at 70 miles per hour. The high-speed camera footage revealed that the faster-moving wheels literally move across bumps in the road, and Grant concurred that the speedier test run felt much smoother.The MythBusters did warn that if a driver encounters a major bump — say, a pothole — along a normal paved road, slowing down for the sudden bounce is a wise idea for the vehicle's suspension. But if you find yourself cruising on a washboard road in the Australian Outback, put the pedal to the metal and enjoy the ride.

As seen in "MythBusters: Shattering Subwoofer."

Neurologisthttp://science.education.nih.gov/lifeworks.nsf/alphabetical+list/Physician,+Neurologist?OpenDocument&ShowTab=All&

Job DescriptionAccording to the AAN, a neurologist treats the following neurological disorders: Stroke, Pain, Headache, Epilepsy, Tremor, Sleep disorders, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Multiple sclerosis, Brain and spinal cord injuries, Brain tumors, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Neurologists are principal care providers or consultants to other doctors. When a person has a neurological disorder that requires frequent care, a neurologist is often the principal care provider. People with disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, seizure disorders or multiple sclerosis may use a neurologist as their principal care doctor. In a consulting role, a neurologist will diagnose and treat a neurological disorder and then advise the primary care doctor managing the person's overall health. For example, a neurologist may act in a consulting role for conditions such as stroke, concussion, or headache.

Neurologists can recommend surgical treatment, but they do not perform surgery. When treatment includes surgery, neurologists may monitor the patients and supervise their continuing treatment. Neurosurgeons are medical doctors who specialize in performing surgical treatments of the brain or nervous system.

An accurate diagnosis is the first step toward effective treatment. Diagnosis involves getting a detailed health history of the patient, and neurological tests for vision, strength, coordination, reflexes, and sensation. Sometimes, further tests are needed to reach a diagnosis. Some common neurological tests are:Computerized tomography or computer-assisted tomography (CT or CAT scan): This test uses x-rays and computers to create multi-dimensional images of selected body parts. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): An MRI is an advanced way of taking pictures of the inner brain. Transcranial Doppler (TCD): This test uses sound waves to measure blood flow in the vessels of the brain. Neurosonography: This test uses ultra high frequency sound wave to analyze blood flow and blockage in the blood vessels in or leading to the brain. Electroencephalogram (EEG): The EEG records the brain's continuous electrical activity through electrodes attached to the scalp. Electromyogram (EMG): An EMG measures and records electrical activity in the muscles and nerves.

Evoked Potentials: This test records the brain's electrical response to visual, auditory, and sensory stimulation. Sleep Studies: These tests are used to diagnose specific causes of sleep problems. Cerebral Spinal Fluid Analysis (Spinal Tap or Lumbar Puncture):This test is used to check for bleeding, hemorrhage, infection, or other disorder of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

Working ConditionsAccording to the Occupation Outlook Handbook 2010-11 Edition, "Increasingly, physicians are practicing in groups or health care organizations that provide backup coverage and allow for more time off. These physicians often work as part of a team coordinating care for a population of patients; they are less independent than solo practitioners of the past.

Over one-third of full-time physicians and surgeons worked 60 hours or more a week in 2008. Only 8 percent of all physicians and surgeons worked part-time, compared with 16 percent for all occupations. Physicians and surgeons must travel frequently between office and hospital to care for their patients. Those who are on call deal with many patients’ concerns over the phone and may make emergency visits to hospitals or nursing homes. "

Salary RangeAccording to the American Academy of Neurology and the Medical Group Management Association’s 2006 Physician Compensation and Production Survey, in 2005 the median annual earnings of neurologists were $216,199. Those in the 25th percentile earned $182,287 and those in the 75th percentile earned $288,962 .

EducationAccording to the AAN , "A neurologist's training includes an undergraduate degree, four years of medical school, a one-year internship, and three years of specialized training. Many neurologists also have additional training in one area of neurology such as stroke, epilepsy, or movement disorders. This is called a subspecialty. " Recommended high school classes include Computers and Electronics, Biology, Mathematics, English, Chemistry, and Physics. Postsecondary instructional programs include English Language, Psychology, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computers and Electronics, Medicine and Dentistry. According to the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, patients can be assured that an ABPN board-certified neurologist or child neurologist has specialized skills and knowledge to diagnose and treat specific problems and to provide medical management for a range of problems, including emergencies and long-term care of chronic neurological disorders.

Core Competencies for Neurology include1. Basic neuroscience that is critical to the practice of neurology 2. Pathophysiology and treatment of major psychiatric and neurological disorders and

familiarity with the scientific basis of neurology3. Treatment for neurologic disorders and diseases across the lifespan.

Job OutlookAccording to the Occupation Outlook Handbook 2010-11 Edition, "Employment of physicians and surgeons is projected to grow faster than average for all occupations through the year 2018 due to continued expansion of health care industries. The growing and aging population will drive overall growth in the demand for physician services, as consumers continue to demand high levels of care using the latest technologies, diagnostic tests, and therapies. In addition to employment growth, job openings will result from the need to replace physicians and surgeons who retire over the 2008-18 period.

Demand for physicians’ services is highly sensitive to changes in consumer preferences, health care reimbursement policies, and legislation. Demand for physician services may also be tempered by patients relying more on other health care providers for some health care services. In addition, new technologies will increase physician productivity. Telemedicine will allow physicians to treat patients or consult with other providers remotely. Increasing use of electronic medical records, test and prescription orders, billing, and scheduling will also improve physician productivity.

Opportunities for individuals interested in becoming physicians and surgeons are expected to be very good. Reports of shortages in some specialties or geographic areas should attract new entrants, encouraging schools to expand programs and hospitals to expand available residency slots. However, because physician training is so lengthy, employment change happens gradually. In the short term, to meet increased demand, experienced physicians may work longer hours, delay retirement, or take measures to increase productivity, such as using more support staff to provide services. Opportunities should be particularly good in rural and low-income areas, because some physicians find these areas unattractive due to less control over work hours, isolation from medical colleagues, or other reasons.

Unlike their predecessors, newly trained physicians face radically different choices of where and how to practice. New physicians are much less likely to enter solo practice and more likely to take salaried jobs in group medical practices, clinics, and health networks.

References O*Net Online @ http://online.onetcenter.org/link/details/29-1063.00\ American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology online at

http://www.abpn.com/downloads/core_comp_outlines/core_psych_neuro_v4.1.pdf The Brain Matters Website @ http://www.thebrainmatters.org/index.cfm?key=1.2.1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11

Edition, Physicians and Surgeons, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos074.htm The salary range found under the Job Description tab was approved by the American Academy of

Neurology and taken from the 2006 Physician Compensation and Production Survey with permission from the Medical Group Management Association, 104 Inverness Terrace East, Englewood, Colorado 80012;. www.mgma.com. Copyright 2006.

Fact Check: Yes, Pregnancy Can KillBy: Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer

19 October 2012 - A Republican congressman's claim that advances in science and technology mean pregnancy no longer threatens a woman's life and health doesn't stand up to scientific scrutiny.

In fact, conditions ranging from ectopic pregnancy, in which an embryo implants outside the uterus, to preeclampsia, which causes skyrocketing blood pressure and can lead to strokes and seizures, can and do threaten the lives of pregnant women. Preeclampsia and gestational high blood pressure occur in about 6 percent to 8 percent of U.S. pregnancies, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

While those conditions are common, many individual cases have complications as well, said Alison Cahill, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "As a high-risk obstetrician, I see many women, in addition to those things, who have pre-existing conditions, so other illness or medical problems that then make their pregnancy high-risk," Cahill told LiveScience. 

Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) told reporters Thursday night that he is anti-abortion without exception for rape, incest, or life or health of the mother, Radio 720 WGN in Chicago reported. He defended his stance on the life-and-health exceptions by saying, "This is an issue that opponents of [pro-] life throw out there to make us look unreasonable. There is no such exception as life of the mother and as far as health of the mother, same thing, with advances in science and technology, health of the mother has become a tool for abortions for any time under any reason."

Statistics tell a different story. In fact, though pregnancy-related deaths fell dramatically in the 20th century, they have been on the rise since 1987, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were 7.2 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987. By 2003, that number had risen to 14.5 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Better recordkeeping may account for some of the rise, according to the CDC, but an increase in chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity may also explain the increased risk of complications.

And despite Walsh's comments, pregnancy complications can't always be solved by modern technology. Ectopic pregnancy, for example, affects 19.7 out of every 1,000 North American pregnancies, according to a paper published in February 2000 in the journal American Family Physician. In these cases, embryos almost always implant in the

fallopian tubes, the connection between the ovaries and the uterus. The fallopian tubes aren't capable of supporting a pregnancy; a growing embryo will rupture them, which can cause uncontrollable bleeding. There is no technology available to save these pregnancies.

Some ectopic pregnancies miscarry on their own, but most require a surgical or medical abortion to prevent those life-threatening ruptures.

Preeclampsia is another pregnancy condition that stumps modern medicine. The condition usually develops after 20 weeks of gestation for reasons not fully understood. The only treatment is delivery. 

Embolism (when a clot blocks a blood vessel), hemorrhage and the exacerbation of pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or heart disease are the top causes of pregnancy-related death, according to a 2003 paper published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. That study also found that pregnancy complications are not equal-opportunity killers. Black women were nearly four times as likely as white women to die because of pregnancy. Teens and women in their late 30s or older were also at higher risk of pregnancy-related deaths.

Pregnancy can also turn chronic conditions into life-threatening ones. Cardiovascular disorders such as pulmonary hypertension and vessel abnormalities can be worsened by pregnancy, Cahill said. Pre-existing liver and kidney diseases can also threaten expectant mothers' lives.

"I wish that modern science and modern medicine cured all of those things, but unfrotuatnely that's just simply not true," Cahill said. 

Walsh joins several other politicians this election cycle in glossing over scientific fact in pursuit of an ideological point. In August, Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) claimed that the female body "has ways to try to shut that whole thing down" in regards to pregnancy from rape. (Akin walked back his comments after a public outcry.) And earlier this month, Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.), a member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, said that he believes the Earth is 9,000 years old, calling evolution, the Big Bang Theory and embryology "lies straight from the pit of hell."

http://www.livescience.com/24127-fact-check-walsh-pregnancy-can-kill.html

Electrons' Elusive Hideouts Imaged for First TimeBy: Clara Moskowitz, LiveScience Senior Writer

02 October 2012 - For the first time, scientists have peered down to the level of a single electron and observed quantum states that had only been theorized before.

Researchers imaged the magnetic orbits of electrons called Landau levels, which were predicted in 1930 by Nobel Prize winner Lev Landau. These orbits represent the curved paths electrons travel when exposed to very strong magnetic fields.

Previously, scientists had confirmed the levels exist by measuring the changes in electric current that result when electrons switch from one Landau level to another. However, no one has been able to see these levels until now.

"We are the first to have actually done what's called scanning tunneling microscopy and really look at individual states," said physicist Rudolf Roemer of England's University of Warwick. Roemer was a member of the research team, led by Koichi Hashimoto of Japan's Tohoku University, that reported the achievement in a paper published in the Sept. 14 issue of the journal Physical Review Letters.

Tinier circlesWhen charged particles, such as electrons, are put inside a magnetic field, they travel along curved paths, ultimately making a circle. As the magnetic field gets stronger and stronger, these circles get smaller and smaller. The smallest possible circles for the electrons to travel in are the Landau levels.

To image these levels, the physicists looked at electrons on the surface of a semiconductor material. Then they used scanning tunneling spectroscopy to look for the possible locations of electrons.

This technique images a sample by allowing electrons to try to pass into it at different locations. If the location contains a feasible state for an electron, the particle will be able to jump into that state through a process called tunneling, confirming that it exists; if the location does not hold a potential electron state, there's nowhere for the electron to tunnel into. In the resulting image, light areas represent the locations of possible states, while black spots show the lack of electron states.

The pictures produced by Hashimoto and his team look remarkably like theoretical simulations predicted they would.

"I was very much hoping it would come out like that, and of course we were surprised the agreement was so good," Roemer told LiveScience. "The agreement is even quantitatively so good."

Such images were never possible to make before because scanning tunneling spectroscopy has never been so advanced. Each pixel in the team's pictures represents more than a half-hour of data taking, Roemer said.

"You really have to have a very good experimental setup, and you have to have lots of time," he said.

Redefining the kilogramAnd Landau levels aren't just an esoteric curio. They could be put into practical use to help redefine the kilogram, the fundamental unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI). While most SI units are defined by relations between fundamental constants that can be reproduced anywhere to derive the correct value, the kilogram is currently defined by a golf ball-size lump of metal kept in a vault in France.

Scientists want to change that by defining the kilogram in terms of the weight it would take to counterbalance an electromagnetic force produced by a magnetic coil. The strength of this force is partly dependent on the von Klitzing constant, which is itself linked to Landau levels.

"Imaging Landau levels doesn't help set up the balance, but it strengthens the understanding of the underlying theory we have, that the von Klitzing constant is a universal constant, and it tells us it's really true," Roemer said. "We can look at these states and really find them there."

http://www.livescience.com/23639-electron-quantum-landau-levels-imaged.html

This experimentally imaged photo is the first to show Landau Level 1, a circular orbit for electrons inside a strong magnetic field.CREDIT: University of Warwick

Connection Between Hawaii's Dueling Volcanoes ExplainedScienceDaily (Oct. 23, 2012) — A new Rice University-led study finds that a deep connection about 50 miles underground can explain the enigmatic behavior of two of Earth's most notable volcanoes, Hawaii's Mauna Loa and Kilauea. The study, the first to model paired volcano interactions, explains how a link in Earth's upper mantle could account for Kilauea and Mauna Loa's competition for the same deep magma supply and their simultaneous "inflation," or bulging upward, during the past decade.

The study appears in the November issue of Nature Geoscience.The research offers the first plausible model that can explain both the opposing long-term eruptive patterns at Mauna Loa and Kilauea -- when one is active the other is quiet -- as well as the episode in 2003-2007 when GPS records showed that each bulged notably due to the pressure of rising magma. The study was conducted by scientists at Rice University, the University of Hawaii, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Carnegie Institution of Washington.

"We know both volcanoes are fed by the same hot spot, and over the past decade we've observed simultaneous inflation, which we interpret to be the consequence of increased pressure of the magma source that feeds them," said lead author Helge Gonnermann, assistant professor of Earth science at Rice University. "We also know there are subtle chemical differences in the lava that each erupts, which means each has its own plumbing that draws magma from different locations of this deep source.

"In the GPS records, we first see inflation at Kilauea and then about a half a year later at Mauna Loa," he said. "Our hypothesis is that the pressure is transmitted slowly through a partially molten and thereby porous region of the asthenosphere, which would account for the simultaneous inflation and the lag time in inflation. Because changes in pore pressure are transmitted between both volcanoes at a faster rate than the rate of magma flow within the porous region, this can also explain how both volcanoes are dynamically coupled, while being supplied by different parts of the same source region."Gonnermann said the transmission of pressure through the permeable rock in the asthenosphere is akin to the processes that cause water and oil to flow through permeable layers of rock in shallower regions of Earth's crust.

"When we fitted the deformation, which tells us how much a volcano inflates and deflates, and the lava eruption rate at Kilauea, we found that our model could

simultaneously match the deformation signal recorded over on Mauna Loa," said James Foster, co-author and assistant researcher at the University of Hawaii School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. "The model also required an increase in the magma supply rate to the deep system that matched very nicely with our interpretations and the increased magma supply suggested by the jump in CO2 emissions that occurred in late 2003."

Mauna Loa and Kilauea, Earth's largest and most active volcanoes, respectively, are located about 22 miles apart in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawaii. They are among the planet's most-studied and best-instrumented volcanoes and have been actively monitored by scientists at USGS's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) since 1912. Kilauea has erupted 48 times on HVO's watch, with a nearly continuous flank eruption since 1983. Mauna Loa has erupted 12 times in the same period, most recently in 1984.

"To continue this research, we submitted a proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF) earlier this summer to extend our study back in time to cover the last 50 years," Foster said. "We plan to refine the model to include further details of the magma transport within each volcano and also explore how some known prehistoric events and some hypothetical events at one volcano might impact the other. This work should help improve our understanding of volcanic activity of each volcano."

Gonnermann said there has been disagreement among Earth scientists about the potential links between adjacent volcanoes, and he is hopeful the new model could be useful in studying other volcanoes like those in Iceland or the Galapagos Islands.

"At this point it is unclear whether Hawaii is unique or whether similar volcano coupling may exist at other locations," Gonnermann said. "Given time and ongoing advances in volcano monitoring, we can test if similar coupling between adjacent volcanoes exists elsewhere."

Study co-authors include Michael Poland and Asta Miklius, both of HVO; Benjamin Brooks of the University of Hawaii; and Cecily Wolfe of the University of Hawaii and the Carnegie Institution of Washington.The research was supported by the USGS and the NSF. The Kilauea and Mauna Loa GPS networks are supported by grants from the USGS, NSF and NASA and operated in collaboration by the USGS, Stanford University and the Pacific GPS Facility at the University of Hawaii.

Story Source:The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Rice University. The original article was written by Jade Boyd.Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:Helge M. Gonnermann, James H. Foster, Michael Poland, Cecily J. Wolfe, Benjamin A. Brooks, Asta Miklius. Coupling at Mauna Loa and Kīlauea by stress transfer in an asthenospheric melt layer. Nature Geoscience, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/ngeo1612

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121023134810.htm

Lava flows from Pu'u 'O'o Crater on Kilauea. (Credit: USGS)

A unique change in the outer covering of the virus found in two HIV infected South African women enabled them to make potent antibodies which are able to kill up to 88 percent of HIV types from around the world. (Credit: © Jezper / Fotolia)

Unique Feature of HIV Helps Create Antibodies, Researchers DiscoverScienceDaily (Oct. 22, 2012) — A new AIDS study, published Oct. 22 in the journal, Nature Medicine, describes how a unique change in the outer covering of the virus found in two HIV infected South African women enabled them to make potent antibodies which are able to kill up to 88% of HIV types from around the world. The ground-breaking discovery suggests an important new approach that could be useful in making an AIDS vaccine.

The study, performed by members of the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) consortium, involves scientists from Wits University, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in Johannesburg, the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of Cape Town, who has been studying, over the last five years, how certain HIV-infected people develop very powerful antibody responses.These antibodies are referred to as broadly neutralising antibodies because they kill a wide range of HIV types from different parts of the world. This CAPRISA team initially discovered that two KwaZulu-Natal women, one of whom participated in the CAPRISA 004 tenofovir gel study, could make these rare antibodies.

Through long-term follow-up laboratory studies on these two women, the team led by Wits researchers and Centre for HIV and STI at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service based scientists Dr Penny Moore and Professor Lynn Morris, discovered that a sugar (known as a glycan) on the surface protein coat of the virus at a specific position (referred to as position 332) forms a site of vulnerability in the virus and enables the body to mount a broadly neutralizing antibody response.

"Understanding this elaborate game of 'cat and mouse' between HIV and the immune response of the infected person has provided valuable insights into how broadly neutralizing antibodies arise," says Moore.

Morris, Head of AIDS Research at the NICD explained: "We were surprised to find that the virus that caused infection in many cases did not have this antibody target on its outer covering. But over time, the virus was pressured by body's immune reaction to cover itself with the sugar that formed a point of vulnerability, and so allowed the development of antibodies that hit that weak spot."

"Broadly neutralising antibodies are considered to be the key to making an AIDS vaccine. This discovery provides new clues on how vaccines could be designed to elicit broadly neutralising antibodies. The world needs an effective AIDS vaccine to overcome the global scourge of AIDS," said Professor Salim Abdool Karim, Director of CAPRISA and President of the Medical Research Council, in his comments on the significance of the finding.

While their existence has been known for a while, highly potent forms of broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV were only identified about 3 years ago. Until now, it was not known how the human body is able to make broadly neutralizing antibodies.This study discovered one mechanism by which these antibodies may be made. To make this discovery, the research team studied the target of some of these antibodies, a sugar that coats the surface protein of HIV, forming a site of vulnerability. By tracing back the evolution of the virus that elicited these antibodies, this team showed that this particular weak point was absent from the virus that first infected these women.

However, under constant pressure from other less powerful antibodies that develop in all infected people, their HIV was forced to expose this vulnerability over time. This allowed the broadly neutralizing antibodies to develop.

Analysis of a large number of other viruses from throughout the world, performed in collaboration with scientists from the University of North Carolina and Harvard University, suggest that the vulnerability at position 332 may be present at the time of infection in about two thirds of subtype C viruses (the subtype most common in Africa). Hence, if a vaccine is developed to target this glycan only, it may not be able to uniformly neutralize all subtype C viruses; as a result AIDS vaccines may need to attack multiple targets on the virus.

Story Source:The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of the Witwatersrand.Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:Penny L Moore, Elin S Gray, C Kurt Wibmer, Jinal N Bhiman, Molati Nonyane, Daniel J Sheward, Tandile Hermanus, Shringkhala Bajimaya, Nancy L Tumba, Melissa-Rose Abrahams, Bronwen E Lambson, Nthabeleng Ranchobe, Lihua Ping, Nobubelo Ngandu, Quarraisha Abdool Karim, Salim S Abdool Karim, Ronald I Swanstrom, Michael S Seaman, Carolyn Williamson, Lynn Morris. Evolution of an HIV glycan–dependent broadly neutralizing antibody epitope through immune escape. Nature Medicine, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nm.2985

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121022081141.htm

Photo Gallery:Big Cats

http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/big-cat-pictures1.htm

Amur leopard

(Panthera pardus orientalis) are one of the rarest and most endangered big cats. There are less than 40 known Amur leopards left in the wild.

altrendo nature/Getty Images

Black panthers are actually black-coated (melanistic) leopards and not a distinct species. Leopards are the most widespread members of the cat family.

Tim Flach/Getty Images

Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) sleeps in rock crevices and caves during the day and hunts at night. Its main source of food is the snowshoe hare, but

it also eats rodents and birds.

Matthias Breiter/Getty Images

Margays

are found in forested areas from northern Mexico to northern Argentina and Uruguay. The margay grows to be 40 inches (102 centimeters) long, which includes a 16-inch (41-centimeter) tail.

JH Pete Carmichael/Getty Images

Bobcats are found in forested, swampy, or semiarid regions of North America, from southern Canada to central Mexico. The bobcat is named for its short, "bobbed" tail and is related to the lynx.

Peter Lilja/Getty Images

Caracal is a golden cat that lives in dry regions, from Africa to India. When a caracal is ready to attack, it turns its ears toward its back, but doesn't completely flatten them (as seen in the picture).

Tom Brakefield/Getty Images

Snow leopard lives above the timberline in the high mountains of central Asia. It feeds on wild sheep, musk deer, rabbits, birds and more.

James Martin/Getty Images

Cougar is known by many names, including mountain lion, puma, painter, panther and catamount. They are good leapers and tree climbers.

Panoramic Images/Getty Images

Jaguarondi (Felis yagouaroundi tolteca) is a wildcat native to Arizona and Mexico.

Konrad Wothe/Getty Images

Ocelots can be found from southern Arizona and Texas to northern Argentina. The short fur of the ocelot is buff or gray colored and is spotted with black dots and oblong patches of dark brown and black. These small cats are endangered due to the destruction of their habitat and the hunting for its fur.

Pete Oxford/Getty Images

http://www.sjfert.com/index.php/patient_resources/ectopic_pregnancy/

http://theconcussionblog.com/what-is-a-concussion/