Study: Impartial experts aren’t so impartial

Contributors

Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists are ethically bound to be impartial, to look only at the evidence before them, when performing evaluations or providing expert opinions for the court. But new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and Sam Houston State University suggests that the paycheck some courtroom experts receive influences their evaluations.

Study: Protein structure discovery could lead to better treatments for HIV, early aging

Contributors

Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have determined the molecular structure of a protein whose mutations have been linked to several early aging diseases, and side effects for common HIV and AIDS medications. This breakthrough could eventually help researchers develop new treatments for these early aging diseases and redesign AIDS medications to avoid side effects such as diabetes.

Earth Talk: The sequester’s impact on the environment

Roddy Scheer

The sequester that went into effect March 1 is a budget measure that cuts federal spending across the board to the tune of $85 billion, meaning every federal agency is affected and must reduce discretionary spending. Indeed, the cuts are already having a negative impact on everything from air quality monitoring to extreme weather response capability to staffing at national parks.

Virginia set to become first state to pass statewide limitation on drone use

Chris Graham

Gov. Bob McDonnell last night proposed limited amendments to legislation that called for a two-year moratorium on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, by law enforcement and regulatory agencies in the Commonwealth thereby assuring that Virginia will become the first state in the nation to enact a statewide restriction on the use of drones.

Exploring Virginia’s botanical history through the centuries

Contributors

The story of Virginia’s Floras, both past and present, will be told in the Shenandoah Valley on Thursday, at 2 and 7 p.m. at Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) in Weyers Cave. Exploring Virginia’s Botanical History through Three Centuries, featuring Dick Cheatham as John Clayton and Donna Ware as herself, will be the topic of the 75-minute program. The word “flora” is the technical term used by botanists to describe a guide to plants living in a particular area. Thus a Virginia Flora is a guidebook to all the documented plants with sustainable wild populations in the commonwealth.