The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies has just released a new monograph that presents an alternative view of the character of warfare in the 21st Century. This new model argues that future conflicts will blur the distinction between war and peace, combatants and non-combatants.

Rather than distinct modes of war, we will face “Hybrid Wars” that are a combination of traditional warfare mixed with terrorism and insurgency.

Conflict in the 21st Century: The Rise of Hybrid Wars, by Research Fellow Frank Hoffman, summarizes the background and analysis of the changing character of warfare in our time. Examining the debate over the past decade about the evolution of modern warfare in the post Cold-war world, several thinkers have claimed that we were in the midst of a “Revolution in Warfare.”

Heparan sulfate, a carbohydrate molecule that coats certain proteins on the cell surface, is critical for the proper proliferation and potency of embryonic stem cells, researchers report.

Stem cells’ tremendous therapeutic potential arises from their ability to continually self-renew and turn into any adult cell type. Researchers have long been trying to uncover the basis of these abilities, but while several proteins and growth factors are known to play a role both inside and outside the cell, the molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown.

Many of the stem-cell associated can attach to heparan sulfate molecules, so Shoko Nishihara and colleagues examined what would happen to mouse stem cells in cell culture if heparan sulfate production was reduced or blocked.

Rainfall data from a NASA satellite show that summertime storms in the southeastern United States shed more rainfall midweek than on weekends.

Why would that be? Thomas Bell, an atmospheric scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, says air pollution is the culprit because it also peaks mid-week.

The link between rainfall and the day of the week is evident in data from NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite, known as TRMM. Midweek storms tend to be stronger, drop more rain and span a larger area across the Southeast compared to calmer and drier weekends.

To find out if pollution from humans indeed could be responsible for the midweek boost in rainfall, the team analyzed particulate matter, the concentrations of airborne particles associated with pollution, across the U.S. from 1998 to 2005. The data, obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency, showed that pollution tended to peak midweek, mirroring the trend observed in the rainfall data.

Genetic mutations in the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) gene appear to have significant association with inflammatory injury to the placenta and developing baby according to researchers from the University of Pittsburgh’s department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences.

“This indicates a possible genetic predisposition to a kind of misfire in immune system response that could contribute to placental inflammation and spontaneous preterm birth,” said Hyagriv Simhan, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, who is presenting the work. “These injuries are important because they are more common in preterm babies and associated with major health consequences like cerebral palsy.”

TLR4 enables the body to recognize pathogens and activate the immune system. This gene is expressed most abundantly in the placenta and in white blood cells.

LONDON, February 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has this week refused an application for restoration to the Register from a former Hertfordshire veterinary surgeon who was struck off a year ago for being unfit to practise.

Miss Lesley Kay, of Cambridge Road, Sawbridgeworth, was removed from the Register in January 2007 following her multiple convictions for drink-driving offences, driving disqualification and four-month imprisonment.

The original hearing was held in December 2006, but adjourned until January 2007 to allow time for Miss Kay, who admitted suffering from alcoholism, to address her personal problems and to satisfy certain conditions that the Committee laid down.

Although food prices rose 4.8% last year, eating nutritiously is still well within reach of the American family, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics.

Analysis done by USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) indicates that families could, in fact, spend even less on food than what they currently spend and eat a healthier more nutritious diet.

USDA’s Low-Cost Food Plan shows what a family on a budget can spend on food and still achieve a nutritious diet that meets current Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For December 2007, USDA estimates the cost of the Low-Cost Food Plan for a family of four (a couple ages 20 to 50 with two children ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 11) to be $167.70 per week. This compares to the $189.00 per week that the average four person household spent on food last year.

The governments of the United States, Brazil and the European Union (EU) — the world’s major producers of biofuels — today released an analysis of current biofuel specifications to facilitate expanded trade of these renewable energy sources.

Biofuels—derived from biological materials such as plants, plant oils, animal fat and microbial byproducts, are gaining popularity worldwide as both energy producers and users seek ways to move away from dependence on fossil fuels.

One potential obstacle to achieving greater efficiency in the global biofuels market is confusion over differing, and sometimes conflicting, standards for characterizing the make-up and properties of biofuels.

When the Herschel Space Observatory launches on an Ariane-5 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana, in July 2008, astronomers will be able to examine some of the coldest objects in the universe.

Herschel will have the largest mirror of any space telescope — twice the size of the famous Hubble — that will detect the ‘glow’ of spacedust at around -250C, rather than the light from stars.

As well as being able to see star-forming regions very nearby in our own galaxy, it will be able to see galaxies forming when the universe was in its infancy, more than ten billion years ago.

It's the first space telescope to operate in the sub-millimetre part of the spectrum, between the far-infrared and microwaves.

BERLIN, February 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Berlin-based SOLON AG, one of Europe's biggest manufacturers of solar modules and photovoltaic systems, has strengthened its Group Management Board with effect from February 1, 2008 with the appointment of Anke Hunziger, 43, as CHRO. She joins the existing team of CEO Thomas Krupke, CTO Dr. Lars Podlowski and COO Dr. Gero Wiese. This makes SOLON AG the first TecDAX company to create a position at Management Board level for the Human Resources function, emphasizing the importance of HR management to modern companies.