In an PLoS ONE article, Joan B. Company and colleagues at the Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC) in Spain describe a mechanism of interaction across ecosystems showing how a climate-driven phenomenon originated in shelf environments controls the biological processes of a deep-sea living resource.

The progressive depletion of world fisheries is one of the key socio-economical issues of the forthcoming century. However, amid this worrying scenario, Company’s study demonstrates how a climate-induced phenomenon occurring at a decadal time-scale, such as the formation of dense shelf waters and its subsequent downslope cascading can repeatedly reverse the general trend of overexploitation of a deep-sea living resource.

It's possible to generate energy by growing plant material and burning it. If managed well, most of the carbon released by burning the material will be captured by the growing plants, and so have a low impact on overall levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

A better solution is using the growing plants to help solve other environmental problems.

One set of systems currently running in Sweden grows willow trees and irrigates them with sewage effluent. This helps purify the sewage outflow at the same time as providing fuel.

NEW YORK, January 15 /PRNewswire/ --

- Carbon Credit Trading Comes of Age in the United States With Increased Fuel Standard

Belzberg Technologies Inc. (TSX:BLZ).

Answering the Nation's call for dramatic increases in renewable fuel use over the next 10 years, Renewable Trading Services, LLC announced today the development of an Internet based exchange platform for the purpose of trading RIN credits in the United States. The RINMARK(TM) exchange addresses each of the trading requirements established in EPA's final rule for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), first implemented on September 1, 2007 and since expanded with the passage of the 2007 Energy Bill.

A fundamental difference in the way males and females respond to chronic liver disease at the genetic level helps explain why men are more prone to liver cancer, according to MIT researchers.

“This is the first genome-wide study that helps explain why there is such a gender effect in a cancer of a nonreproductive organ, where you wouldn't expect to see one,” said Arlin Rogers, an MIT experimental pathologist and lead author of a paper that appeared last month in the journal Cancer Research.

Men develop liver cancer at twice the rate of women in the United States. In other countries, especially in Asia, the rate for men can be eight or 10 times that for women.

HOUSTON, January 15 /PRNewswire/ --

IDM Group, designers and manufacturers of world-class drilling systems for the international energy industry, today announces that it has named Byron Dunn as Chief Executive Officer of the company. Mr. Dunn brings to the company broad and unique experience in the global energy sector, most recently at Harvest Natural Resources and National Oilwell, and he will use that experience to further expand IDM's global operations. IDM Group provides complete land rig packages and rig equipment to the oil and gas industry from its primary facilities in Houston and Stryi, Ukraine. Mr. Dunn will initially be based in Houston.

MAASTRICHT, Netherlands, January 15 /PRNewswire/ --

- Program aims to create awareness, cultivate expertise in growing AML field.

In response to an urgent need for anti-money laundering training in Europe, accelerated by the recent implementation of the 3rd EU Money Laundering Directive, the Universiteit Maastricht Business School will offer an 8-day Masterclass for compliance officers, auditors, and other AML professionals. Presented in conjunction with the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS), the first session of the Masterclass is scheduled for January 25 and will cover money laundering in the insurance industry.

Members of the National Science Board today delivered to the President and the Congress Science and Engineering Indicators 2008 (SEI'08), the Board's biennial report on the state of science and engineering research and education in the United States. Called the "gold standard," it is the most comprehensive source of information on research and development conducted by universities, industry, the federal government and the international science and engineering enterprise.

The highlights; we spend a lot overall but not enough on basic research, the public supports science and spending, and researchers are perhaps a little too reliant on federal funding.

In addition to SEI'08, the Board, concerned that the data revealed disturbing trends with serious policy implications, published a companion piece, Research and Development: Essential Foundation for U.S. Competitiveness in a Global Economy. In this policy statement and in presentations in the U.S. House of Representatives, National Science Board Chairman Steven Beering, Subcommittee Chairman on SEI'08 Louis Lanzerotti and SEI'08 Subcommittee Member Arthur Reilly stressed the need for increased government and industry sharing of funding for basic research.

"These indicators come at an important time," said Chairman Beering. "The confluence of a range of indicators raises key questions about future U.S. high-technology industry's competitiveness in international markets and implications for highly skilled jobs at home."

The Board made three major recommendations:

LONDON, January 15 /PRNewswire/ --

The members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) produced an average 32.03 million barrels per day (b/d) of crude oil in December, according to a Platts survey of OPEC and oil industry officials January 14. This is up from November's rate of 31.65 million b/d.

Production from OPEC's ten members bound by crude output agreements averaged 27.43 million b/d in December, the survey showed. This is 460,000 b/d more than in November and 177,000 b/d higher than the group's 27.253 million b/d target which came into effect at the beginning of November.

NEW YORK, January 15 /PRNewswire/ --

Up to 40% of domestic pet dogs in Europe could be overweight or clinically obese, according to veterinarians; some US vets say the figures are very much higher.

(See video from Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) at: http://media.medialink.com/WebNR.aspx?story=34324)

It is a hidden problem for many owners -- they simply do not realise that their dog is heavier than it should be. UK practitioner Andy Green from the Pennard Veterinary Practice in Kent says: "They are not aware of gradual weight gain until they bring their dogs in for check-ups and see over time how much their dog has gained weight."

BUFFALO GROVE, Illinois, January 15 /PRNewswire/ --

Eagle Test Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: EGLT) will release its first quarter fiscal year end 2008 earnings results on Tuesday, January 29, 2008, following the close of the financial markets. The company will hold a conference call on the same day at 5:00 p.m. Central time/6:00 p.m. Eastern time.

In addition to quarterly results, the conference call may include comments on developments during the quarter. Len Foxman, Chief Executive Officer and President, and Steve Hawrysz, Chief Financial Officer, will host the session.