Obesity is a health problem in western countries in part from an increase in the mass and number of white fat cells. Because white fat cells are post-mitotic, meaning that they cannot divide, scientists have hypothesized that a population of fat precursor cells must exist in the fat depot in order to produce new fat cells. But identifying these fat precursor cells has been difficult.

Scientists at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Rockefeller University have discovered an important fat precursor cell that may in time explain how changes in the numbers of fat cells might increase and lead to obesity. The finding, published in Cell, could also have implications for understanding how fat cells affect conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

ARLINGTON, Virginia and HOUSTON, October 4 /PRNewswire/ --

The Methanol Institute and its member companies have once again joined with Jim Jordan & Associates (JJ&A) to host the premier global methanol conference. The 2008 Methanol Forum will be held on Tuesday, November 4th and Wednesday November 5th at the Shangri-La Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This year's theme is "Dubai 2008: Global Methanol & Fuels Review."

Reading is good for the brain but researchers at Duke Children's Hospital say a good book can also help kids lose weight. It just has to be the right kind of book.

The Duke researchers asked obese females aged 9 to 13 who were already in a comprehensive weight loss program to read an age-appropriate novel called Lake Rescue (Beacon Street Press) - a book carefully crafted with the help of pediatric experts to include specific healthy lifestyle and weight management guidance, as well as positive messages and strong role models.

AMSTERDAM, October 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (Euronext: AMT), a leader in the field of human gene therapy, announced today that it intends to incorporate additional data into the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for Glybera(R) for Lipoprotein Lipase Deficiency (LPLD), a seriously debilitating and potentially lethal disease.

LONDON, October 3 /PRNewswire/ --

- AvantGard Wins Recognition for Liquidity, Risk and Treasury Management

SunGard's AvantGard (http://www.sungard.com), which provides cash management solutions for treasury, payments and receivables to corporations and financial institutions, has been recognized with seven different industry awards in the past six months. These awards include: Best Technology Provider from Treasury Management International (www.treasury-management.com) for the three categories of Cash and Working Capital Management Solutions, Risk Management and Best ASP Solution; and three awards -- Best Accounts Receivable Solution, Best Treasury Workstation and Best Treasury Management Software -- from Global Finance magazine (www.gfmag.com).

RICHMOND, Virginia, October 3 /PRNewswire/ --

Filtrona plc ("Filtrona") today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the business and assets of St. Charles, Michigan based Lendell Manufacturing, Inc. ("Lendell") for US$35 million, subject to a number of conditions being met. Completion of the transaction is anticipated during October.

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MIAMI, October 3 /PRNewswire/ --

- Professor Charles Fine from MIT's Sloan School of Management Will Help Brightstar Continue to Revolutionize Supply Chain for the Wireless Industry

Brightstar Corp., a global leader in customized distribution and integrated supply chain solutions for the wireless industry, today announced the appointment of Professor Charles Fine of MIT to its board of directors.

PORTO SALVO, Portugal, October 3 /PRNewswire/ --

- Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer support Magellan Initiative to help meet education and technology goals of governments and citizens.

The government of Portugal and Microsoft Corp. today signed an agreement to help accelerate technology adoption in education with the international launch of the Microsoft Magellan Learning Suite. In support of the Portuguese government's "e-Escolinhas" program, Microsoft has developed a comprehensive suite of software, training, content, services and support for the Magellan, an affordable portable computer for primary and junior high school students made in Portugal.

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LONDON, October 3 /PRNewswire/ -- FIS Software Ltd., a leading global provider of package-based software solutions for life and pensions companies, is delighted to announce the successful implementation of ALIS, its class leading policy administration system at Rosgosstrakh in Russia. The implementation went into production in July 2008 and ALIS is now operating live in all 65 regional sales offices across Russia.

Background

CLEVELAND, Ohio, October 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Simbionix, the world's leading developer of medical simulation systems, advances procedural simulation from theoretical promise to operating room reality.

The PROcedure Rehearsal Studio(TM), Simbionix' latest innovative medical simulation system, is the world's first medical simulator that enables clinicians to create practice scenarios based on their patient's unique pathology and anatomy.

Dr. Karl Illig, Chief of Vascular Surgery at Strong Medical Center in Rochester, NY, explains why physicians are eager to start using the new simulator: "PROcedure Studio helps us identify pitfalls and problems and solve them on the machine. If we're going to make a mistake, let's make it on the simulators first."