meibidanra

( CNN) - - You' re in a room with 10 other people who seem to agree on something, but you hold the opposite view.

Do you say something? Or do you just go along with the others? Decades of research show people tend to go along with the majority view, even if that view is objectively incorrect. Now, scientists are supporting those theories with brain images.

A new study in the journal Neuron shows when people hold an opinion differing from others in a group, their brains produce an error signal. A zone of the brain popularly called the & quot; oops area& quot; becomes extra active, while the & quot; reward area& quot; slows down, making us think we are too different. & quot; We show that a deviation from the group opinion is regarded by the brain as a punishment, & quot; said Vasily Klucharev, postdoctoral fellow at the F. Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands and lead author of the study. Participants, all female, had to rate 222 faces based on physical beauty on a scale from 1 to 8.

Afterwards, researchers told each participant either that the average score was higher or that it was lower than her rating.

Some participants were told the average rating was equal to her rating.

The researchers then chatted with the participant before suddenly asking the participant to do the rating again. Most subjects changed their opinion toward the average. The two leading theories of conformity are that people look to the group because they' re unsure of what to do, and that people go along with the norm because they are afraid of being different, said Dr. Gregory Berns, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Berns' research, which he describes in the book & quot; Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently, & quot; found that brain mechanisms associated with fear and anxiety do play a part in situations where a person feels his or her opinion goes against the grain.

Participants looked at projections of three- dimensional objects, and had to identify which shapes were similar. As with the new study in Neuron, participants tended to shift their opinion to the majority view, although in this case the problems had objectively correct answers. The effect was also more potent in this experiment because actors were in the room to simulate a group with a shared opinion, he said. But brain images revealed participants were not lying just to fit in. Changes in the activation of the visual part of the brain suggest the group opinion actually changed participants' perceptions of what they saw.

One reason behind conformity is that, in terms of human evolution, going against the group is not beneficial to survival, Berns said. There is a tremendous survival advantage to being in a community, he said. & quot; Our brains are exquisitely tuned to what other people think about us, aligning our judgments to fit in with the group, & quot; Berns said. The most famous experiments in the field were conducted by Solomon Asch in the 1950s.

He found that many people gave incorrect answers about matching lines printed on cards, echoing the incorrect answers of the actors in the room. But unlike Berns' finding that fear and anxiety relate to this effect, Asch saw the results of conformity studies as reflections of people' s reliance on one another for knowledge of the world, experts say. The darker side of conformity relates to Stanley Milgram' s experiments of the 1960s and 1970s, in which most people obeyed orders to deliver electric shocks to an innocent person in the next room. As in these studies, subjects caved into social pressure, presumably going against their own previous moral convictions. The research calls into question decision- making bodies that operate by consensus, Berns said.

For example, in the U. S. legal system, many cases are decided by the unanimous judgment of the members of a jury. & quot; You can' t separate those judgments from the fact that you have 12 people who have to come to a unanimous decision, and have to conform their opinion to each other, so of course it will distort how they view evidence, & quot; he said. & quot; Any type of group decision- making process that does not require unanimous decisions is likely to make a better one, & quot; Berns said. & quot; That applies to committees in particular. & quot; What does it take to break the conformity effect?

Asch talked about the power of the & quot; minority of one. & quot; When a unanimous group pressures the individual, that group is weakened as soon as one person breaks off. & quot; Anyone inclined to draw too pessimistic conclusions from this report would do well to remind himself that the capacities for independence are not to be underestimated, & quot; Asch wrote in a 1955 & quot; Scientific American& quot; article describing his research. & quot; He may also draw some consolation from a further observation: Those who participated in this challenging experiment agreed nearly without exception that independence was preferable to conformity. & quot;

( CNN) - - Some people check their appearance in any mirror, window or computer screen they can find, but not out of vanity. It' s because they hate the way they look so much. An obsession with one or more bodily features, normally in the face, indicates a condition called body dysmorphic disorder. This mental illness, which leads some patients to seek multiple plastic surgeries, is not uncommon; 1 to 2 percent of the population is thought to have it.

But most people who have the disorder don' t get a diagnosis; they just think they are ugly, said Dr. Jamie Feusner psychiatrist at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Some celebrities have BDD, but few have been public about it, Feusner said. He and colleagues have treated celebrities at UCLA, but cannot disclose which ones. & quot; Everyone else would consider them attractive - - they don' t consider themselves attractive, & quot; he said. It turns out that people with this condition have abnormal brain function when it comes to looking at pictures of their own faces, according to a new study led by Feusner and published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. When viewing themselves in photographs, patients with BDD underutilize parts of the brain used in seeing the face' s overall shape and size, he said. & quot; If you just see the pieces of your face, and not seeing how they fit into the whole, then it' s going to look distorted, & quot; he said. & quot; That' s how we interpret the findings. & quot; Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to look at the brains of participants as they viewed photographs of their own faces and familiar faces.

Subjects viewed pictures that were high spatial resolution ( showing details such as skin blemishes) , and low spatial resolution ( showing the general shape of the face) , and unaltered.

The findings showed that when the BDD patients viewed normal and low- resolution photos of themselves, they had abnormal brain activity in visual processing systems. Also, the part of the brain that helps guide behavior and maintain emotional flexibility, the frontostriatal systems, had unusual activation patterns. & quot; What we think may be happening is that they may be seeing details, perhaps even seeing details normally, but that they' re not able to contextualize it, & quot; he said.

Although the sample size is small - - 17 patients with BDD and 16 healthy people participated - - for a functional imaging study a 32- person subject group is reasonable, experts say.

The study is & quot; groundbreaking& quot; in its demonstration that patients with BDD are too focused on the details aren' t able to see the whole picture when they see themselves, said Sabine Wilhelm, director of the BDD Clinic and Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, who was not involved in the study.

This can be observed anecdotally in treatment, but this study confirms it at the level of brain processing, she said. Feusner' s previous research found that when BDD patients viewed the faces of other people - - not their own faces - - the brain' s left hemisphere, associated with categorization and details, was more more active. Healthy individuals used the right hemisphere, the part of brain that processes more holistically.

It is too early to directly apply the findings to treatment, but one possibility is that patients with BDD could be retrained to see their own faces, he said. Treatments available today for BDD include medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, also used for depression and anxiety disorders, and cognitive behavioral therapy, Wilhelm said. She also sees implications for treatment in the study' s findings. & quot; What we need to do in cognitive behavioral therapy treatment development is to really enhance efforts at teaching patients how to see the big picture, & quot; she said. Many people with BDD will try to have what they perceive as flaws - - pimples, scars, birthmarks, or other features - - surgically or dermatologically removed.

But plastic surgery almost never fixes their unhappiness about their appearance: 81 percent are dissatisfied with results of cosmetic treatments, Wilhelm said. & quot; The problem is really on the inside, it' s not what they really look like, & quot; Wilhelm said. Besides seeking surgeries, other symptoms include frequent camouflage with makeup, compulsive picking of skin, and asking for reassurance from others, she said. People with BDD may also check their reflection to the point of endangering themselves while driving while looking at themselves in the rearview mirror, she said. The likelihood of attempting suicide or being hospitalized is high among BDD patients.

Not enough research has been done on the subject to determine whether BDD is the results of genes, environment, or some combination thereof. It is unclear which of these pathways led to the brain abnormalities found in the study, Feusner said. Some brain patterns seen in BDD are also associated with obsessive compulsive disorder, although BDD is probably not a form of it, Feusner said. People with OCD tend to recognize that their fears and behaviors are excessive, whereas BDD patients are more delusional and are convinced that the ugliness they perceive in themselves in real. BDD is also different than eating disorders because it is purely about an imagined appearance and not eating habits, Wilhelm said.

But Feusner does suspect a connection between BDD and anorexia, and his next project is a brain imaging study comparing patients with the two conditions.

If you are interested in participating in this study, .

( CNN) - - Naomi Zikmund- Fisher says her son' s life was saved by her maternal instincts - - and her son' s flat ears. One Friday night in May, Zikmund- Fisher looked across the dinner table at 3- year- old Jesse and noticed that his right ear, which usually lies close to his head, was sticking out.

She went over to check it out and found a big red lump behind the ear.

She e- mailed her pediatrician, who said that it was probably just a mosquito bite and that as long as Jesse otherwise felt fine, not to worry about it. Jesse did otherwise feel fine, but something set off Zikmund- Fisher' s & quot; mommy meter. & quot; So the next day, even though nothing had changed, she called the pediatrician' s office and spoke to the nurse. & quot; She told me, ' If you' re worried about it, take him to urgent care, ' & quot; Zikmund- Fisher remembered. Her husband took Jesse to the emergency room, and doctors determined that he had a classic case of : an infection of the mastoid bone, just behind the ear. If not treated with antibiotics, mastoiditis can be deadly. Now Zikmund- Fisher tells other parents to trust their instincts and act, even when a pediatrician tells them not to worry. & quot; It just didn' t seem right to me, & quot; she said. & quot; It just seemed like, if this was a mosquito bite, it would have gone away, and this wasn' t going away. & quot; Dr.

Assaad Sayah, chief of emergency medicine for the Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts, agrees that parents should use their instincts when deciding whether their child needs quick medical attention. & quot; ' When in doubt, bring them in' should be your first line of defense, & quot; he said. & quot; If they don' t look right to you, call your pediatrician, or take them to the emergency department, and if they look very sick, call 911. & quot; Although relying on instinct is a good guideline, there are also some cut- and- dry situations when a parent really should to take a child to the ER. Here are five examples.

Neck stiffness or rash with fever According to the , these symptoms could constitute an emergency because they might mean meningitis. Fever in a newborn Any child 3 months old or younger who has a temperature over 100. 4 F needs to be seen by a doctor, says Dr. Jennifer Shu, spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics. The fever can be a sign of infection or meningitis.

Head injury with loss of consciousness, confusion, headache or vomiting This is another red flag that your child needs emergency attention, according to the . Burns A burn should receive emergency care if it' s larger than your child' s palm, if it' s deep or discolored, or if it was caused by a chemical, says Dr.

David Beiser, who works in the emergency room at the University of Chicago Comer Children' s Hospital. Burns on the hands, genitals and face are of particular concern, he says. Severe abdominal pain Although many stomach aches are minor, others merit urgent attention. There are several signs to look for, including a swollen abdomen that' s tender to the touch or blood in the stool, according to guidelines from Parenting. com and Dartmouth Medical School.

Severe pain in the lower right side of the abdomen could be a sign of appendicitis.

After two shots of antibiotics, Jesse Zikmund- Fisher was back to his usual happy and active 3- year- old self. Even though it' s been nearly a year since Jesse' s visit to the ER, the lessons his mother learned are still fresh. & quot; If you are not satisfied with the answer you get, you need to push for the right answer, & quot; she said. CNN' s Jennifer Pifer Bixler and Sabriya Rice contributed to this report.

- - Wearing a body- hugging dress and heels to our interview at an Irish pub in her adopted hometown of Los Angeles, Christina Hendricks is seriously channeling Joan Holloway, the take- no- prisoners office manager she plays on & quot; Mad Men. & quot; But as soon as she sits down and starts talking, the 35- year- old Tennessee- born actress transforms into the kind of fun- loving girlfriend you always have a ball with.

Over a late- afternoon cup of chili, Christina - - who recently wed actor Geoffrey Arend - - talks about making workouts fun and the importance of keeping a & quot; no regrets& quot; attitude. Q: You' ve lived all over the country - - Tennessee, Idaho, Virginia, Georgia, New York. Which of these places sticks with you most today?

A: Idaho.

I really do love being outdoors - - I mean, you' d never think it in my high heels and pencil skirt! [ Laughs. ] But I really do miss the smell of hay and farms, and I like milking a cow. I' m quite good at it! Q: Really? What' s your strategy?

A: There' s a trick! If you lean your head against the udder, it produces more milk, ' cause [ your head] is like a calf. [ Laughs. ] Q: Joan on & quot; Mad Men& quot; is sexy and tough. Are you like that in real life? A: When I first started to play her, I would think, & quot; Oh my God, I would never want to hang out with this person. She would crush me like a bug! & quot; And then, I started to love her.

I think Joan and I have a & quot; no excuses& quot; kind of mentality - - I' m going to stand by my decisions, no regrets, no apologies. But she is far more confident than I am. She' s far more confident than most women are in the world! [ Laughs. ] Q: Many women have said they consider your body one they admire or want the most.

What do you think of all that body love? A: Really? They don' t say Jessica Alba? ' Cause that' s what I say! [ Laughs. ] It' s such a compliment, because of all those times I had agents who were like, & quot; You have to lose some weight, & quot; and all of a sudden, people are celebrating it. It' s like: & quot; Oh, thank you! Thank you for letting me be me. & quot; Q: When I Googled your name, the third most popular search that came up was & quot; Christina Hendricks' s cup size. & quot; How does it feel to know that people are actually discussing that ?

A: It' s weird, but it doesn' t surprise me. I made the grave mistake after one awards show of reading comments online about what I wore, and I was like, [ gasps] & quot; Oh my God, people are so mean! & quot; I still remember all those negative comments, despite all the wonderful positivity. That' s why we' re all in therapy! [ We remember] the 10 bad things that happen to us instead of the 100 nice ones.

Q: What is your best advice for reaching total body confidence? Do you have it?

A: I guess my mom raised me right. She was very celebratory of her body. I never heard her once say, & quot; I feel fat. & quot; Back when I was modeling, the first time I went to Italy I was having cappuccinos every day, and I gained 15 pounds. And I felt gorgeous! I would take my clothes off in front of the mirror and be like, & quot; Oh, I look like a woman. & quot; And I felt beautiful, and I never tried to lose it, ' cause I loved it. [ Laughs. ] Q: You gained it from living a good life.

A: It' s like Jamie Oliver' s Food Revolution - - real, good foods.

It' s OK if I have avocado and olive oil and all these delicious things, you know? I don' t feel guilty about that. Q: Is there any healthy rule you believe in breaking? A: I break every healthy rule! [ Laughs. ] Q: Says the girl sitting in an Irish pub at 4 p. m. . . . A: With a glass of Pinot Grigio.

I was a dancer until I was 19. I never had to worry about working out or what I ate.

So I' ve really had to train myself to get down to the gym. But what surprised me was that my husband said [ the other day] , & quot; I' m going down to work out, & quot; and I was like, & quot; Oh, I wish I was going. & quot; And I was like, & quot; Ooh! I can' t believe I just said that! & quot; I' d had a busy week working 16- hour days, and I didn' t get to work out, and I missed it.

My friends will read this and be like, & quot; No you didn' t. & quot; [ Laughs. ] But it' s true! Q: Do you have any health regrets? A: My parents didn' t exercise, so it was not something I saw was good for you or fun.

I wish I had grown up knowing to do that. And my mother - - she' ll admit it - - hated vegetables, so when we had them, they were always canned or cooked within an inch of their lives.

Q: So what' s your gym routine?

A: I get kind of bored on the treadmill, but I do it. And I do a little bit of weight training. I' m really into the BOSU ball. You have to balance on it, and I do weights and squats on it.

I' m pretty good at it, I feel sort of like a Karate Kid. Q: Any tricks for making workouts fun? A: I read magazines, and I' ll try [ the exercises] .

It' s something different, and, often, you don' t need equipment. If I get any private time in my trailer, all of a sudden I' m doing sit- ups and push- ups. Q: & quot; Mad Men& quot; is all about having vices.

Do you have any? A: I like salty, creamy foods.

I could sit down with a bag of chips and French onion dip and go to town! That would be on my last- supper list. But I discovered that dry French onion soup mix in nonfat yogurt tastes just as good.

It really does! Q: Any other healthy snacking secrets? A: My husband and I started doing a Soup of the Week. We just make a big pot once a week that' s healthy and in the fridge, so if we feel snacky, there' s something really delicious in there. I' ve got lentil in the fridge right now.

Q: What is your favorite relaxation ritual ? A: I knit.

I find that very soothing. I actually learned from Laurie Metcalf, you know that actress? She' s very crafty. Q: Your skin looks so healthy.

What' s your secret? A: I moisturize all the time. I really like 3LAB and Kiehl' s Midnight Recovery Concentrate.

Also, I' ll be cooking and so dry from washing my hands, I' ll just take olive oil and be like, & quot; Ahh! & quot; [ gestures bathing her arms and face in olive oil] . On & quot; Mad Men, & quot; we use so much powder - - it was such a matte look in the ' 60s. And no one wore lip gloss either. Sometimes, they' ll powder your lips - - whoo! It' s brutal.

So in between shots I' m like [ in scratchy voice] & quot; Can I just get some Chap. Stick please? & quot; Q: You' re a newlywed. How has your relationship with your husband changed since getting married?

A: I feel even more nurturing toward him. Now I' m like, & quot; Oh, you' re my baby! I gotta take care of you. You' ve gotta be safe and healthy, and I' ve got to be sure that you' ll be there until the end, because I really love you! & quot; And when something starts to aggravate either of us, it' s like, Wait a minute, this is not a person who does bad things intentionally. Q: When and where do you feel the happiest?

A: I' m happiest with my husband and my best friend. Just hanging out at home or at my best friend' s house. It' s about having a kindred spirit. It reminds you that in all this chaos when everything can be so nuts and you never know what' s genuine and what' s not, that you know for sure this is. Copyright

( CNN) - - Lion, the latest version of Apple' s operating software for its Mac computers, was released to the public on Wednesday. It' s an update that continues to blur the line between software on mobile devices and desktop computers.

Marking the eighth major release of new software for Apple computers, Mac OS X Lion offers 250 new features, according to the company.

With multi- touch gesturing, full- screen app display and access to the Mac App Store built directly into the software, the system was clearly designed to make working on a Mac more similar to working on an i. Pad. & quot; Lion is the best version of OS X yet, and we' re thrilled that users around the world can download it starting today, & quot; said Philip Schiller, Apple' s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, . & quot; Lion makes upgrading a Mac easier than ever before; just launch the Mac App Store, buy Lion with your i. Tunes account, and the download and install process will begin automatically. & quot; Walt Mossberg of All Things Digital calling it a & quot; giant step in the merger of the personal computer and post- PC devices like tablets and smartphones. & quot; The new system, however, does not run i. Phone or i.

Pad apps ( at least, not yet) and it does run Adobe Flash - - something Steve Jobs and company have summarily banished from their mobile devices. Its touch features use a touchpad, making them similar, but not exactly the same, as what i. Phone and i.

Pad users may be used to on their touchscreens. Mossberg said he likes the system, but warned that new users may suffer during their transition. & quot; Switching to Lion will require a major adjustment even for veteran Mac users, though it will be easier for those who use i. Phones or i.

Pads, & quot; he wrote. & quot; Lion will significantly increase the learning curve for Windows users switching to the Mac. & quot; that & quot; some of Lion' s i.

OS- like features scale up very well, while others behave very poorly in a desktop environment. & quot; He found the software' s i.

Pad- like scrolling feature distracting and dizzying ( he eventually disabled it) but said he enjoyed the system' s app- opening and praised new sharing and auto- save functions. Mac OS X Lion is available as a $ 29. 99 upgrade for people with the latest version of the Snow Leopard operating system.

It will be available at Apple Stores in August for $ 69.

99. Lion is the latest in a long line of cat- named operating systems rolled out by Apple for its computers.

Past versions have included Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, Tiger, Leopard and Snow Leopard. Whether the king of the jungle marks the last version of feline- named software remains to be seen - - but

( CNN) - - A commercial tour bus crash Sunday afternoon left two people dead and at least eight injured in upstate New York, authorities tell CNN. Two fatalities have been confirmed, according to New York State Police Troop E spokesman Mark O' Donnell, and many people have been taken to local hospitals with various injuries. Video shot by CNN- affiliate WHAM showed a blocked highway packed with rescue teams, racing to get victims to ambulances and emergency vehicles. Meanwhile, the wreckage of the white tour bus could be seen through the trees on the road' s shoulder.

Crews were trying to pull the vehicle from the thick nest of vegetation where it had come to rest. Initial reports indicated that a flat tire caused the driver to lose control, O' Donnell said, but added that an accident reconstruction team is on the scene to investigate the cause of the accident.

It happened around 4: 15 p. m. on the northbound side of Interstate 90, near the town of Cohocton in Steuben County, Injured passengers were taken to several area hospitals, said Walter Feely with the volunteer fire department in Cohocton. Noyes Memorial Hospital in Dansville, New York, had received at least eight patients from the crash by Sunday night, said Kelly Sylvester of the hospital' s administration unit.

The tour bus was heading to Niagara Falls. It is owned by Bedore Tours of North Tonawanda, near Buffalo. The company' s website says it has been providing tours to Niagara Falls since 1950. CNN' s Stephanie Gallman and Miguel Susana contributed to this report.

Editor' s note : There is fabulous fashion beyond New York, Milan and Paris. In this series, CNN showcases trends in threads around the globe. Blogger Jaclyn Welch of shares the Dallas style scoop. ( CNN) - - Everything may be bigger in Texas, but it' s not all cowboy boots and big hair in Dallas. fashion blogger Jaclyn Welch won' t be stopping to snap a photo of stereotypical style any time soon. & quot; Your big hair? Not getting on here! & quot; Welch said, laughing. & quot; It' s the football season look: cowboy boots, jean shorts. But the great thing about Dallas, since we have the stereotype in place already, is that you can get away with wearing cowboy boots. & quot; Instead, the downtown Dallas scene is all about dressing to the nines in designer duds.

Welch uses her blog to celebrate the flashy and classy women who treat the sidewalks as their stage. Even in the extreme summer swelter, Dallasites won' t be caught without their heels and decadent ensembles. & quot; It' s like a Southern preppy twist, depending on the neighborhood, & quot; Welch said. & quot; Everyone is wearing some sort of a classic piece. It' s a Neiman Marcus/ J. Crew mix. & quot; Below, Welch explains the Dallas look. CNN : What' s the style vibe in Dallas?

Welch : People' s perception of Dallas is really funny when they' ve never been here. And when they come here, I guess they don' t expect women to shop - - like we' re all walking around in cowboy boots. was started here, so that' s the vibe. The women here love to dress up.

It' s very classy, mixed with flashy - - a timeless look with a statement piece, like your shoes or a bag.

Women here really appreciate that one designer piece.

A lot of people in Dallas aren' t from the area, so it' s a lot of bringing things in and mixing with what we already have. CNN : In addition to Neiman Marcus, what other stores are popular for Dallasites? Welch : brings in a lot of designers that you can' t find anywhere. Our vintage stores are really good: , , .

We are a one- stop shopping type of people - - so is where most Dallasites shop ( they have everything, including our very first H& amp; M, opening in August) . CNN : The temperatures are spiking in Dallas. How has that affected the street style?

Welch : The funny thing is, it' s 104 degrees and women still put in the effort to look good. To me, it' s kind of a celebration of style in this weather. The vibe is always going to be the same, and it' s a polished look. Here' s the thing about Dallas: Everyone is getting in their cars and walking into air- conditioned buildings, so it' s really hard to do a street style blog here.

It' s not like Chicago or New York, with tons of people passing you by. You have to wait around and see what you find. CNN : How do you approach people to take their picture? Welch : In Texas, we like to talk a lot, so everyone I stop has a story about what they' re wearing. Every piece is like a drawn- out conversation.

A lot of street style blogs are just about the photography.

For me, it' s the entire experience - - having that moment with someone and paying them a compliment, which is maybe a Southern way of doing things. Dallas women, because they dress up, want to be seen. When you walk up to them, and they got dressed for a reason today, they want somebody to say, & quot; you look good. & quot; Imagine going your whole day and you' re like, & quot; I look so fabulous and not one person has told me I look good. & quot; Then, imagine the day when somebody wants to take your picture. I think of it as & quot; this is your moment, make it yours. & quot; That' s how it is in Texas. CNN : What made you want to begin street style blogging?

Welch : It was always about the person, celebrating women who take the time to dress up and look good.

I approach the people that I want to ask, & quot; where did you get that? & quot; It' s me communicating with them, asking what they do, where they' re from and then talking about the style in itself.

I like the stories behind everything. It' s my favorite part, like a treasure hunt. There are a lot of people that I think look great and I don' t take their picture.

So it' s not always about that, but an attitude you get from them. It' s walking down the street and whatever makes me go & quot; whoa. & quot; First, it' s & quot; what are you wearing? & quot; and then, & quot; who are you, what' s the rest of the story? & quot;

( ) - - While there certainly have been positive indicators for employment in 2011 - - says employers plan to hire 13. 5 percent more new college graduates in 2011 than in 2010, and the predicts that in 2011, the unemployment rate may drop below 9 percent for the first time since April of 2009 - - the job market will continue to be competitive this year.

But pursuing certain occupations will surely provide job seekers with a more fortunate and fruitful return than others. If you' re looking for a new job this year, consider honing your skills and applying to a job in one of these 10 occupations, all of which are expected to experience growth this year, and pay more than the national average salary of $ 43, 460. Accountant Not only is accounting projected to experience large growth through 2018, but accounting is consistently among the bachelor' s degree most desired by employers, and is the No. 1 bachelor' s degree employers will be looking for in 2011, according to NACE. Salary: $ 59, 229* 2.

Web developer As the world becomes more dependent on technology, we also become more dependent on those who create it. According to , at the end of 2010, the number of advertised vacancies for computer and mathematical science professionals were at their highest since April 2008. Salary: $ 87, 553 3.

Occupational therapist Occupational therapists help patients regain mental and physical function lost to such causes as arthritis, stroke, cancer or dementia, and will become more in demand as baby boomers age and create a larger elderly population. Salary: $ 69, 428 4. Sales manager Since good salespeople directly contribute to a company' s bottom line, they will be a crucial part of the corporate rebuilding process in the next year. The key role salespeople have in keeping business booming also makes the job more stable in uncertain times.

Salary: $ 111, 472 5. Computer software engineer According to the BLS, employment for computer software engineers is expected to grow 32 percent between 2008 and 2018.

Salary: $ 96, 712 6. Truck driver In 2008, truck drivers held more than 3. 2 million jobs, making the profession one of the largest in the country. The demand for goods and the need to ship them is not slowing down, either. Nearly 292, 000 jobs will be created by 2018, according to the BLS.

Salary: $ 45, 095 7. Registered nurse As the overall population grows, so will our need for nurses that can provide quality care.

Additionally, large numbers of nurses are expected to retire in the coming decade, leaving plenty of room for those entering the profession. Salary: $ 72, 271 8. Dental hygienist The profession is considered one of the fastest growing by the BLS. It' s expected to grow by nearly 63, 000 jobs through 2018, a 36 percent increase over 2008. Salary: $ 75, 164 9.

Financial adviser The recession has wreaked havoc on personal finances. From those who lost equity in their homes or investment properties, to others who wiped out savings accounts or tapped into retirement funds, Americans will be looking to get their finances back on track this year. As baby boomers begin to retire, the need for financial advisers will only increase. Salary: $ 76, 688 10. Physical therapist assistant According to the BLS, physical therapist assistants held nearly twice as many jobs in 2008 than physical therapists, and the profession is supposed to grow much faster than average through 2018.

Because training is relatively minimal ( only an associate' s degree is usually required) and pay is good, it' s a great option for those looking for a career change.

Salary: $ 48, 250 * All salary information provided by . & copy 2010. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority.

( CNN Student News) - - Direct students to their textbooks and online resources to learn about what causes earthquakes and the scale used to measure an earthquake' s magnitude.

Then, organize students into small groups and assign each group one year between 1999 and 2008. Refer groups to print and online resources to learn more about the most significant earthquakes that took place in their assigned years. On a large map of the world, have students mark ( with small circle stickers or markers) the locations of these earthquakes. Based on their observations, have students make hypotheses about why earthquakes occur where they do. Next, review with students the theories of and .

Then, refer students to the Smithsonian Institution Web site to access a map that illustrates the boundaries of the Earth' s tectonic plates. Have students re- examine their map in the context of what they learned about the theories of plate tectonics and continental drift. Ask: Are there any patterns in the locations of the most significant earthquakes between 1999 and 2008? Does the information that you gathered support or refute your earlier hypotheses about why earthquakes occur where they do? Based on students' research, have them discuss the possibility of predicting earthquakes.

Inform students that, according to the U. Geological Survey, & quot; although a great deal is known about where earthquakes are likely to occur, there is currently no reliable way to predict the days or months when an event will occur in any specific location. & quot; Ask students to consider the following questions: What might be the value of the ability to predict an earthquake?

Do you think that the theory of plate tectonics might be able to help predict where earthquakes are going to occur? What information do you think that scientists would need to predict earthquakes?

Aside from making predictions, what are some other things that experts can do to help prepare people in the most earthquake- prone communities?

How do you think that you would prepare for an earthquake if the area in which you live is prone to this type of natural disaster? Correlated Standards Understands the concept of plate tectonics ( e. g. , the outward transfer of the Earth' s internal heat and the action of gravitational forces on regions of different density drive convection circulation in the mantle; these convection currents propel the Earth' s crustal plates, which move very slowly, pressing against one another in some places and pulling apart in other places) Knows effects of the movement of crustal plates ( e. g. , earthquakes occur along the boundaries between colliding plates; sea floor spreading occurs where plates are moving apart; mountain building occurs where plates are moving together; volcanic eruptions release pressure created by molten rock beneath the Earth' s surface) Mc.

REL: Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K- 12 Education ( Copyright 2000 Mc. REL) is published online by Mid- continent Research for Education and Learning ( Mc. REL) ( ) , 2550 S. Parker Road, Suite 500, Aurora, CO 80014 Content Standard D : Earth and Space Science As a result of their activities in grades 9- 12, all students should develop an understanding of The National Science Education Standards ( ) are published by the National Academies Press ( ) . Keywords earthquake, epicenter, aftershocks, faults, theory, plate tectonics, continental drift, seismology

WASHINGTON ( CNN) - - Consumers should be skeptical of health and weight- loss claims of the increasingly popular Brazilian fruit, acai, and the free trial offers that ask for their credit card information, a nonprofit health group said Monday. The Center for Science in the Public Interest said companies offering free trials of diet pills made with the acai berries have bilked thousands of consumers using fake celebrity endorsements and blogs to lure customers. Consumers are asked to provide a credit card to pay shipping and handling charges, but begin almost immediately receiving $ 80 to $ 90 monthly charges. Thousands of consumers have had trouble stopping those charges once they canceled the free trial offer.

Acai ( pronounced a- sigh- EE) comes in a number of forms including juice, pulp, powder and capsule. The berry has been touted as an antioxidant, anti- inflammatory and an antibacterial. The fruit is said to contain Omega- 3 and Omega- 6 fatty acids, which are essential to human health.

Claims of weight loss are unfounded, said the . & quot; There' s no evidence whatsoever to suggest that acai pills will help shed pounds, flatten tummies, cleanse colon, enhance sexual desire, or perform any of the other commonly advertised functions, & quot; according to the organization' s press release. Acai' s popularity has surged on bogus marketing claims, said Jonny Bowden, a certified nutrition specialist and author of several health books. & quot; Virtually every berry - - blueberry, strawberry, goji, acai - - are anti- inflammatory and high in antioxidants, & quot; Bowden said. & quot; This particular one is exotic.

It' s found in Brazil. It' s been marketed to have more of a magic ingredient.

It' s been over- hyped and marketed to death.

There are claims to curing cancer, curing baldness that is all over the place. & quot; Like most berries, acai has good nutritional qualities, but & quot; there is not a drop of research& quot; that supports marketing claims that it prevents weight gain and facial wrinkles, Bowden said. Acai juices sell for as much as $ 40 per bottle. & quot; The expensive acai berry is triumph of marketing over science, that' s the bottom line, & quot; Bowden said. & quot; It' s not useless, but it' s not anything that people are claiming it is. & quot; Companies including FWM Laboratories of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Hollywood, Florida, Advanced Wellness Research of Miami Beach, Florida, and other acai companies are accused of using fake diet blogs to steer consumers to sites plugging the free trials. After a doctor listed acai as a on the Oprah Winfrey show last year, and a guest on Rachael Ray' s cooking show mentioned the fruit, ads popped up directing consumers to sites selling acai weight loss products as if endorsed by the celebrities. Winfrey and Ray have publicly disassociated themselves from those sites. Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is investigating numerous complaints and said a lawsuit against FWM Laboratories is very likely.

According to the Better Business Bureau, FWM Laboratories received an F rating, the BBB' s worst. Other acai companies with the BBB' ' s F rating include Advanced Wellness Research, Acai. Burn, FX Supplements and SFL Nutrition. & quot; There are no magical berries from the Brazilian rain forest that cure obesity, only painfully real credit card charges and empty weight loss promises, & quot; Blumenthal said. & quot; Aggressive acai berry pitches on the Internet entice countless consumers into free trials promising weight loss, energy and detoxification. These claims are based on folklore, traditional remedies and outright fabrications unproved by real scientific evidence. & quot; Keri Gans, dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, recommends that customers turn to fruits and vegetables at their local produce markets. & quot; If you' re going on the Internet to find them and paying shipping fees, you should go to a market and buy local vegetables and fruits, & quot; she said. & quot; It' d be a lot less expensive. & quot; Acai berries could be part of a well- balanced of different fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Gans said consumers should be skeptical whenever any one food seems too good to be true and should not rely on one & quot; miracle food& quot; to boost health. & quot; If [ people] hope to find answers in one food for longevity, I would say they' re mistaken, & quot; she said.

All About & bull; & bull;