Monthly Archives: June 2012

Meat-like vegetarian fare: Replicating the nutrition, texture and taste of meat and eggs

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ScienceDaily (June 29, 2012) Food scientists are working to replicate the nutrition, as well as the texture, taste and functionalities of meat and eggs, by utilizing plant-based products and in-vitro technologies, according to a presentation at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 2012 Annual Meeting & Food Expo in Las Vegas.

The "emerging, next-generation plant-based meat (alternatives) promise to deliver the sensory experience of conventional animal proteins for specific culinary applications," said Nicholas J. Genovese, PhD, visiting scholar and consultant at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In addition, scientists are growing in-vitro meat cells and muscle that may someday replace chicken, beef and pork.

The average American eats 864 pounds of meat each year, according to visualeconomics.com, a consumption level that cannot be sustained economically or environmentally, said Genovese.

Globally, more than 60 billion animals are killed for consumption each year, and hens lay approximately 79 billion eggs. The production of animal-based food requires the growing use of a finite amount of land suitable for agriculture, contributes to deforestation and 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, and may alter the number and variety of species in an ecosystem, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

"The use of animals as a protein delivery mechanism is not sustainable," said Ethan Brown, founder and CEO of Savage River Farms, Inc., which recently introduced a chicken substitute made from plant products.

"Through the careful replication of texture, taste, and 'mouthfeel,' food science is advancing the degree to which chicken, beef, and other meats no longer require an animal origin but can instead be entirely plant-based," said Brown.

Joshua Tetrick, founder and CEO of Hampton Creek Foods, also is using plants to replicate the nutrition and other characteristics of eggs -- for baking and more -- through the company's Beyond Eggs product.

Tetrick said the demand for eggs continues to rise globally, while feed and regulatory costs soar.

The in-vitro process of growing artificial meat involves collecting animal cells through a biopsy (or using embryonic stem cells), isolating the cells, and then utilizing a growth serum to grow the cells into real muscle fiber, said Merko Betti, PhD, associate professor in the department of agricultural, food and nutritional science at the University of Alberta in Alberta, Canada.

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Integrative Nutrition Holds First International Conference

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New York, NY (PRWEB) June 30, 2012

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), the worlds largest nutrition school, held its first international conference earlier this month in London, England. The inaugural IINternational Conference brought together students and graduates from 24 countries on June 9-10 for the opportunity to collaborate with other health professionals and wellness experts and to sharpen essential entrepreneurial skills.

Our first major conference held outside the USA was truly inspiring, says Integrative Nutrition founder Joshua Rosenthal. It was possible thanks to the hard work and initiative of two of our outstanding students, Luisa Kerdel Blatnik and Amanda Cook, who coordinated the event. When students come to me with a plan to organize their peers and elevate the entire community, I can only respond with gratitude and enthusiasm. Thats really what Integrative Nutrition is all about, and I look forward to seeing other students follow in their footsteps.

Integrative Nutritions flagship course, the IIN Health Coach Training Program, teaches students essential nutrition education, health coaching, and business skills and fosters the confidence thats necessary for graduates to launch thriving, entrepreneurial careers. The courses innovative online learning platform reaches students all over the globe, and in 2012 the Integrative Nutrition community has grown to over 25,000 students and graduates in more than 96 countries.

The success of this grassroots conference reflects that same spirit of ambition, achievement, and global awareness. Luisa and I organized this conference because the students in our European study groups wanted a chance to connect in person, Cook said. Kerdel Blatnik added, This took place only three months after we first pitched the idea to Joshua by the elevator at the Mega Conference in Long Beach, California it really gives new meaning to the term elevator speech!

Keynote speakers and best-selling authors Gabrielle Bernstein (Add More ~ing To Your Life, Spirit Junkie) and Simon Brown (Modern Day Macrobiotics, The Feng Shui Bible) both gave inspiring talks that reinforced Integrative Nutritions holistic approach to health, wellness, and success. Bernstein shared that the key to developing a successful business is playing to your own personal strengths and doing what feels effortless, natural, and fun. Wellness expert Brown echoed the sentiment and emphasized that an optimistic approach to life has a direct impact on ones health.

Im so excited to be able to connect with our ever-growing global community, says Rosenthal. The speakers were stellar, we learned inspiring new concepts, and we had a lot of fun, too. The success of this conference only reinforces my commitment to further support and expand our international presence.

About The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) Founded by Joshua Rosenthal, MScEd, in 1992, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition has grown from a small classroom of passionate individuals to a global community of over 25,000 students and graduates in 96 countries worldwide. Its flagship course, the IIN Health Coach Training Program, teaches students to become successful Health Coaches who can effect positive, long-lasting change. The schools unique curriculum teaches a wide variety of skills in health coaching, nutrition education, business management, and healthy lifestyle choices. Visit http://www.integrativenutrition.com for more information.

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Integrative Nutrition Holds First International Conference

DNA tests reveal Scots pensioner's roots go back to origins of man

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Jun 30 2012 By Janice Burns

ian kinnaird Image 2

A SCOTS pensioner has been told he is a direct descendant of Eve, the first woman on Earth.

Ian Kinnaird, 72, who took a DNA test to trace his ancestors, was gobsmacked when researchers phoned to tell him he could have descended directly from the Garden of Eden.

They told him he was the grandson of Eve, or grandfather of everyone in Britain.

The results showed Ian has a genetic marker, L1B1, that can be traced all the way to an ancient African lineage.

It has never before been found in Western Europe.

Widower Ian, of Halkirk, Caithness, has mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is passed through the female side, is 30,000 years old and only two genetic mutations removed from the first black Eve.

The retired lecturer said: Ive led an unremarkable life until now. This is a real gobsmacker.

I seem to carry a gene from West Africa that arrived through the slave trade.

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DNA tests reveal Scots pensioner's roots go back to origins of man

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DNA test planned for Lake Ontario to determine souce of bacteria

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LOCKPORT - DNA testing to confirm the source of bacteria that occasionally closes beaches on Lake Ontario may occur soon, the Niagara County Board of Health learned this week.

The report of the plans came as Krull Park Beach in Olcott was closed to swimming for the first time this year.

The beach was closed on Tuesday and reopened Friday, the county Health Department said.

An investigation last year, after Krull was closed eight times because of high E. coli bacteria readings in water samples, tentatively concluded that seagull droppings washing off the heavily coated piers near the beach might be to blame.

However, Town of Newfane Supervisor Timothy R. Horanburg insisted last summer that sewage discharged from the City of Lockport wastewater treatment plant into Eighteen Mile Creek was the likely cause.

However, testing at 14 locations between the plant and the lake, which showed E. coli levels dropping rapidly the farther one got from Lockport on the creek's 13-mile run to the lake, cast doubt on that theory.

DNA testing likely would settle the issue, and Environmental Health Director James J. Devald told the Board of Health on Thursday that he hopes it can occur soon.

An extra, larger water sample would have to be taken and tested quickly for DNA when there is a high E. coli score in the regular sample, Devald explained.

"We have to time that sampling with a high bacteria count," he said.

There have been high bacteria counts east of Olcott, too. Devald said Camp Kenan's beach in Somerset had an elevated bacteria count Tuesday and would have been closed, but it hasn't opened for the season yet.

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DNA test planned for Lake Ontario to determine souce of bacteria

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New gene mutations that lead to enlarged brain size, cancer, autism, epilepsy identified

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ScienceDaily (June 29, 2012) A research team led by Seattle Children's Research Institute has discovered new gene mutations associated with markedly enlarged brain size, or megalencephaly. Mutations in three genes, AKT3, PIK3R2 and PIK3CA, were also found to be associated with a constellation of disorders including cancer, hydrocephalus, epilepsy, autism, vascular anomalies and skin growth disorders.

The study was published online June 24 in Nature Genetics.

The discovery offers several important lessons and hope for the future in medicine. First, the research team discovered additional proof that the genetic make-up of a person is not completely determined at the moment of conception. Researchers previously recognized that genetic changes may occur after conception, but this was believed to be quite rare. Second, discovery of the genetic causes of these human diseases, including developmental disorders, may also lead directly to new possibilities for treatment.

AKT3, PIK3R2 and PIK3CA are present in all humans, but mutations in the genes are what lead to conditions including megalencephaly, cancer and other disorders. PIK3CA is a known cancer-related gene, and appears able to make cancer more aggressive. Scientists at Boston Children's Hospital recently published similar findings related to PIK3CA and a rare condition known as CLOVES syndrome in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Physician researcher James Olson, MD, PhD, a pediatric cancer expert at Seattle Children's and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center who was not affiliated with the study, acknowledged the two decades-worth of work that led to the findings. "This study represents ideal integration of clinical medicine and cutting-edge genomics," he said. "I hope and believe that the research will establish a foundation for successfully using drugs that were originally developed to treat cancer in a way that helps normalize intellectual and physical development of affected children. The team 'knocked it out of the park' by deep sequencing exceptionally rare familial cases and unrelated cases to identify the culprit pathway." The genes -- AKT3, PIK3R2 and PIK3CA -- all encode core components of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (P13K)/AKT pathway, the "culprit pathway" referenced by Olson.

The research provides a first, critical step in solving the mystery behind chronic childhood conditions and diseases. At the bedside, children with these conditions could see new treatments in the next decade. "This is a huge finding that provides not only new insight for certain brain malformations, but also, and more importantly, provides clues for what to look for in less severe cases and in conditions that affect many children," said William Dobyns, MD, a geneticist at Seattle Children's Research Institute. "Kids with cancer, for example, do not have a brain malformation, but they may have subtle growth features that haven't yet been identified. Physicians and researchers can now take an additional look at these genes in the search for underlying causes and answers."

Researchers at Seattle Children's Research Institute will now delve more deeply into the findings, with an aim to uncover even more about the potential medical implications for children. "Based on what we've found, we believe that we can eventually reduce the burden of and need for surgery for kids with hydrocephalus and change the way we treat other conditions, including cancer, autism and epilepsy," said Jean-Baptiste Rivire, PhD, at Seattle Children's Research Institute. "This research truly helps advance the concept of personalized medicine."

Drs. Dobyns, Rivire and team made this discovery through exome sequencing, a strategy used to selectively sequence the coding regions of the genome as an inexpensive but effective alternative to whole genome sequencing. An exome is the most functionally relevant part of a genome, and is most likely to contribute to the phenotype, or observed traits and characteristics, of an organism.

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Registration Opens for Pathology Visions 2012

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DPA
Registration is now open for the Digital Pathology Association’s (DPA) annual conference, Pathology Visions. The DPA, a non-profit organization that promotes education and awareness of digital pathology applications, will be hosting Pathology Visions at the Baltimore Hilton in Baltimore, Maryland October 28-31, 2012.

From now until September 1, 2012, attendees who register for Pathology Visions will receive the Early Bird Registration Rate, which is equivalent to $100 off an all-inclusive registration. DPA Members also receive a $200 discount on registration.

The Pathology Visions Conference gives attendees the opportunity to learn about real-world, practical applications in the ever-evolving field of digital pathology through a variety of workshops, educational sessions, abstract presentations and much more. Someone who knows the value and benefit of Pathology Visions firsthand is the Keynote Presenter for Pathology Visions 2012, Dr. John Tomaszewski.

“Pathology Visions is about mapping out the future of digital pathology imaging. As such, this meeting is an ideal platform for discussing and refining the details of the inevitable transition to computational analytics in digital pathology,” Dr. Tomaszewski stated. His keynote presentation will focus on “Data Fusion and 21st Century Diagnostics” centering on his award winning research in the field of genitourinary pathology.

The DPA incorporates the latest findings in digital pathology into Pathology Visions is through the oral and poster abstract submissions. These abstract submissions provide individuals the opportunity to share their research either through a presentation or poster. The DPA is no longer accepting oral abstract submissions, but the deadline for the poster presentation abstract submissions is August 31, 2012.

For more information on registration fees, the keynote speaker, or abstract submissions, please visit our website.

About the Digital Pathology Association 
The Digital Pathology Association, located in Indianapolis, IN, was founded in 2009. Its mission is to facilitate education and awareness of digital pathology applications in healthcare and life sciences. Members will be encouraged to share best practices and promote the use of technology among colleagues in order to demonstrate efficiencies, awareness, and its ultimate benefits to patient care. To learn more about the DPA and Pathology Visions:http://digitalpathologyassociation.org/pathology-visions-2012.

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Former Auburn coach getting stem cell treatments for Lou Gehrig’s disease

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MOBILE, Alabama -- The Baldwin County doctor that treated former Alabama football players with adult stem cells also has treated at least two people diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease.

One of the ALS patients, former NFL football player and college coach Frank Orgel, recently underwent a new stem cell reprogramming technique performed by Dr. Jason R. Williams at Precision StemCell in Gulf Shores.

Before the injections, Orgels health had declined. He could not move his left arm or leg. He couldnt walk or stand on his own, he said.

Within a few days of having the stem cell treatment, Orgels constant muscle twitching diminished, said Bob Hubbard, director of stem cell therapy at the practice. Within weeks, he was able to walk in a pool of water and stand unassisted.

I think its helped me, said Orgel, who was a defensive coordinator at Auburn under former head coach Pat Dye. Im walking in the pool and I used to drag my feet. Now my left leg is picking up.

ALS is a progressive neuro-degenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to death, according to the ALS Association.

Stem cells, sometimes called the bodys master cells, are precursor cells that develop into blood, bones and organs, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates their use. Their promise in medicine, according to many scientists and doctors, is that the cells have the potential to help and regenerate other cells.

While Williams treatments are considered investigational, he has said, they meet FDA guidelines because the stem cells are collected from a patients fat tissue and administered back to that patient during the same procedure.

Orgel, 74, said Williams told him it would take between eight months to a year for his nerves to regrow. He is traveling to Gulf Shores from his home in Albany, Ga., this weekend for another stem cell treatment, Orgel said: I need to get to where I can walk.

In recent years, Orgel has gone to Mexico at least three times for different types of treatments, not sanctioned in the U.S. At least once, he said, he had placenta cells injected into his body. That didnt work, Orgel said. I didnt feel any better.

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Former Auburn coach getting stem cell treatments for Lou Gehrig's disease

Cold-case unit: DNA solves 1991 homicide

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DNA evidence has solved a cold case a 1991 homicide in which a woman was stabbed to death in front of her teenage daughter at her store in American Canyon, according to the Napa County Sheriffs Office.

The suspect, Michael Lantz, a convicted bank robber from American Canyon and Vallejo, will not be brought to trial. He died in 1994 in federal prison in Missouri, investigators said Thursday.

Lantz was identified by DNA found on the handle of the knife used to kill Kin Po Ko, Sheriffs Capt. Leroy Anderson said.

Ko, 38, was at Sams Market on March 23, 1991 with her 14-year-old daughter when two men came into her store at the corner of Poco Way and Broadway/Highway 29. A man approached the counter and brandished a knife while he removed cash from the register, Anderson said.

But Ko tried to retrieve the cash and began to struggle with the man who stabbed her once in the back, police said. Ko, whose store had been robbed before, fired a gun, but only hit a door, Anderson said.

She tried to pursue her attacker, but gave up before collapsing inside the doorway, Anderson said. Kos daughter called 911.

Sheriffs investigators said the suspect and another man fled the scene and disappeared. Ko died at the hospital later that day from the knife injury.

Lantz was identified after the serial number on the knife led detectives to a relative of the suspect. Although Lantz was considered the primary suspect, he could not be found for a year after the killing, greatly hampering the investigation, Anderson said. The second man, possibly a lookout, was never identified.

The Napa County district attorneys office felt there was not enough evidence to prosecute Lantz, explained Todd Shulman, a Napa Police Department detective and a member of Napa Countys cold case unit.

Evidence from the scene included the knife, cigarette butts left outside the store, now Broadway Market, and a beer can, Shulman said. Luckily, Lantz DNA had been uploaded to a nationwide DNA bank after he was sent to prison for bank robbery, he said.

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DNA analysis on juveniles accused of crime not allowed, Arizona court says

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Analyzing the DNA samples of youngsters who have not been found guilty of any crime is an unconstitutional warrantless search, the Arizona Supreme Court has ruled.

In a unanimous decision Wednesday, the justices said the state is free to force juveniles accused of certain serious offenses to provide a DNA sample. Justice Andrew Hurwitz, writing for the court, said that is little difference than fingerprints or mug shots.

But Hurwitz said that legal parallel ceases to exist once the state submits that sample for processing by the Department of Public Safety crime laboratory. He said that processing results in the state obtaining uniquely identifying information about individual genetics.

What it also means, Hurwitz said, is that DNA profile is placed into both state and national databases so police agencies can use it to see if a youngster is linked to any unsolved crimes. The justices said that, absent a juvenile actually being adjudicated delinquent, there is no reason for the government to have that information.

Having a DNA profile before adjudication may conceivably speed such investigations, he wrote.

But one accused of a crime, although having diminished expectations of privacy in some respects, does not forfeit Fourth Amendment protections with respect to other offenses not charged absent either probable cause or reasonable suspicion, Hurwitz continued. An arrest for vehicular homicide, for example, cannot alone justify a warrantless search of an arrestees financial records to see if he is also an embezzler.

Wednesdays ruling could have broader implications.

Christina Phillis, director of Maricopa Countys Office of Public Advocate, noted that other Arizona laws require similar testing of DNA samples taken from adults at the time of arrest. To date, though, Phillis said no adult who has not yet been convicted has mounted a similar challenge to this one.

This case -- and the logic behind it espoused by Hurwitz -- could provide the framework for the court to consider the issue.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, whose office had defended the DNA testing, said in a prepared statement he was pleased the court will allow samples to still be taken. But he disagreed with the conclusion that actually processing the sample amounted to any sort of invasion of privacy.

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DNA analysis on juveniles accused of crime not allowed, Arizona court says

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Renowned neuroscientist joins MIND Institute

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SACRAMENTO Jacqueline N. Crawley, one of the world's foremost researchers in behavioral neuroscience and a leading investigator using mouse models to develop novel, targeted treatments for individuals with autism spectrum disorder, joins the faculty of the UC Davis School of Medicine and UC Davis MIND Institute in July as the Robert E. Chason Chair in Translational Research.

Crawley comes to UC Davis from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Intramural Research Program, where she led a large behavioral neuroscience laboratory. She is the recipient of numerous national and international awards and honors, including the Distinguished Investigator Award of the International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society; the Special Achievement Award of the National Institute of Mental Health; the National Institute of Mental Health Director's Award; and the Marjorie A. Myers Lifetime Achievement Award of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society.

Cawley said that she chose to join the faculty at UC Davis because of the opportunity to work with outstanding MIND Institute researchers.

"The MIND Institute is internationally famous for its groundbreaking clinical research into early diagnosis and behavioral interventions for very young children with autism, basic science research into the biological causes of autism, and clinical trials of novel therapeutics for autism and fragile X syndrome," Crawley said. "I look forward to many productive collaborations between with clinical experts at the MIND Institute. Opportunities at the MIND Institute to observe the specific and diverse features of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders will enhance our development of the most analogous mouse behavioral assays. In addition, I anticipate synergistic interactions with MIND Institute investigators pursuing clinical trials with pharmacological interventions."

Crawley currently is engaged in translational research that uses mice genetically engineered to have mutations associated with autism spectrum disorder. Her laboratory at the NIMH developed mouse behavioral assays that mirror the diagnostic symptoms of autism in humans. These behavioral measures are employed to test investigational medications for reversal of social abnormalities, communication deficits, repetitive behaviors and motor stereotypies in the mouse models that are relevant to the core features of autism.

Breakthrough research by Crawley and her colleagues published recently in the journal Science Translational Medicine found that an investigational compound reversed behaviors in two mouse models with behavioral traits that resemble two of the three core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. The drug successfully increased social interactions and decreased repetitive behaviors in the mouse models.

The work was a landmark achievement because, despite a validated increase in the prevalence of autism in the United States, now estimated at one in 88 children born today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are no medications specifically developed to treat the condition. Symptoms frequently associated with autism are treated with a variety of medications designed for other neurodevelopmental or psychiatric diseases. For example, a study published earlier this year by the NIMH found that more than half of all school-aged children with autism in the U.S. used at least one psychotropic medication, such as antipsychotics to reduce aggression, stimulants to reduce hyperactive behavior, or mood-stabilizing medications for anxiety and depression.

The study by Crawley and her colleagues suggested that a single compound could effectively target multiple diagnostic symptoms in human subjects with autism.

"Dr. Crawley is one of the leading neuroscientists studying autism, and we are incredibly proud that she has chosen to join the faculty of the UC Davis MIND Institute," said Leonard Abbeduto, director of the MIND Institute. "She has created behavioral assays for documenting social impairment in mouse models of human disorders that are being used in laboratories around the world."

"Her research provides the critical link between researchers working to discover the causes of autism and those working to develop biomedical treatments," Abbeduto continued. "We fully expect that Dr. Crawley will help to accelerate the pace of translating the findings of MIND Institute scientists into efficacious treatments for the core symptoms of autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders."

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Renowned neuroscientist joins MIND Institute

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes: Anatomy of a Split

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April 2005: Cruise and Holmes begin dating and make their first public appearance as a couple in Rome.

May 2005: Cruise enthusiastically declares his love for Holmes by famously jumping on a couch on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

October 2005: Cruise and Holmes happily announce they are expecting their first child together.

April 2006: The couple welcomes a daughter. They name her Suri.

October 2006: Cruise and Holmes give the world its first glimpse of Suri by proudly posing with her on the cover of Vanity Fair.

Nov. 18, 2006: Cruise and Holmes tie the knot in a lavish ceremony at the 15th-century Odescalchi Castle in Italy. Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith and 7-month-old Suri are among those in attendance.

November 2007: Cruise cheers on Holmes as she runs in the New York City marathon.

January 2009: Holmes accompanies Cruise to the London premiere of Valkyrie.

February 2009: Cruise and Holmes enjoy a family vacation to Disney World.

June 2011: Cruise, Holmes and Suri celebrate Father's Day on a yacht in Miami.

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Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes: Anatomy of a Split

Furious World Tour – Furious Pete in Kiev, Ukraine – Abenteuer Leben – Video

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28-06-2012 12:11 Click 'Like' if you enjoyed this episode and share it! Thanks! Please Subscribe to weekly videos - New Furious Pete shirts!! - More World Tour Episodes - Furious Pete Shirt CLEARANCE - My place for all my Fitness and Supplement Needs - Check out everything Furious Pete - Follow Me Facebook - Twitter - Google+ Check out my other Channels: Vlogs - Supplement Reviews - The Furious Dog - Furious Eats - Furious GamePlay - Thanks for subscribing! For Bookings - info [@]

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Travel with Travelscope eMagazine

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June 28, 2012 -

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRAVELSCOPE

Travelscope crew enjoys Tokyos cherry blossoms.

The Travelscope Magazine is a quarterly perspective on travel, food and entertainment. Every issue includes links to information and great bargains. Want to take the news with you on your next trip? Just download a complete copy of the award-winning Travelscope publication for free!

While we were shooting the second show of Season 7 in Tokyo, we took the blossoming of the cherry trees just before we departed as a good omen for the future.

Check out the latest eMagazine (travelscope.net/magazine) for travel news and tips, ideas, insights and inspirations on where you should head for your next adventure.

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Travel with Travelscope eMagazine

Research and Markets: Delta Airlines Inc in Travel and Tourism (World): Its Fuel Cost Management Programme Has …

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/zlj5vm/delta_airlines_inc) has announced the addition of the "Delta Airlines Inc in Travel and Tourism (World)" company profile to their offering.

Delta Airlines has started to reap the benefits of the Northwest acquisition, and is now the second largest air transportation group in North America. The company is well positioned domestically; and strong in Europe and the Asia Pacific with weaknesses still lingering in Latin America. Its fuel cost management programme has rendered positive results in Q1 2012, and ancillary revenue diversification is well on track to help strengthen the airline's leading position.

Euromonitor International's Delta Airlines Inc in Travel and Tourism (World) Company Profile offers detailed strategic analysis of the company's business, examining its performance in the Travel and Tourism market. The report examines company shares by region, financial performance, its marketing strategies, challenges from the competition and future prospects. Use it to understand opportunities and threats facing the business and the factors driving success.

Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.

Why buy this report?

- Get a detailed picture of the Travel and Tourism market;

- Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;

- Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands;

- Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.

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Research and Markets: Delta Airlines Inc in Travel and Tourism (World): Its Fuel Cost Management Programme Has ...

UK & World News: Further travel chaos after floods

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Jun 29 2012

Floods have wrecked road and rail travel again, with major train routes closed and some highways shut to traffic.

The two main London to Scotland train companies - East Coast and Virgin West Coast - had services disrupted, with East Coast unable to run any trains between Newcastle upon Tyne and Edinburgh.

The storms, which led to the death of teacher Mike Ellis in Shropshire, also resulted in a spate of road closures, particularly in Worcestershire, Cheshire and Cumbria.

While transport continued to be disrupted there was better news from forecasters who predicted that the worst of the storms were over, at the end of a month likely to be one of the wettest Junes on record.

Due to flooding and a landslip near Berwick, there were no trains running between Newcastle and Berwick, with the line not expected to open until Saturday morning.

The Berwick problems meant there were no East Coast services to and from Glasgow Central or Inverness.

ScotRail services in the West Highlands were being badly delayed by a 24-wagon freight train derailment between Tulloch and Corrour, and a landslip occurred between Ardlui and Arrochar. There were delays of up to 90 minutes, with service alterations and bus replacements in some areas.

Passengers have spoken of enduring a 15-hour London to Scotland rail journey due to flooding and landslips.

In a separate incident on Thursday, passengers on a 5.20pm Birmingham to Glasgow Virgin Trains service did not arrive in Glasgow until 4am on Friday after an engine fire forced an evacuation.

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UK & World News: Further travel chaos after floods

Researcher hunts for sickle cell anemia cure with gene targeting, stem cells

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Halfway around the world in India, Sivaprakash Ramalingam had heard of Johns Hopkins researchers using a promising new technique for gene therapy that he hoped to integrate with stem cells to cure diseases.

After getting a doctorate in biochemistry in his native country, he came to Baltimore four years ago to study under the technique's pioneer, Srinivasan Chandrasegaran, at Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ramalingam's research has led him down the path of seeking a cure for sickle cell anemia, a painful, life-shortening blood disorder that afflicts many in his home region in southern India. In the United States, the disease affects 70,000-100,000 people, mostly African-Americans, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

"I couldn't have done this type of research in India," said Ramalingam. "I wanted to use this technique with stem cells to treat disease."

Ramalingam's research was given a lift last month by the state. He was one of 17 researchers who was funded by the Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission, a state entity that has doled out roughly $10 million to $12 million a year in taxpayer funds since its founding in 2006.

The program helps keep Maryland competitive in stem cell research when other states have instituted similar ones to lure scientists and biotechnology companies. More than 100 researchers applied for funding from the program, many from Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland.

"There's definitely a great demand for the awards," said Dan Gincel, the commission's director. "We're trying to figure out how to fund so many researchers."

Gincel said Ramalingam's work is interesting because his approach could have applications beyond sickle cell anemia. It could be used to treat other diseases and, for instance, modify plants and crops to make them resistant to pests.

Ramalingam received a $110,000 award two years ago from the commission to help fund his post-doctoral fellowship; the commission invested more money in his work this year because he was continuing to progress with it, Gincel said.

"The approach can be translated to many other diseases, which is what we want to see with stem cells," said Gincel.

Ramalingam is applying a relatively new technique called zinc finger nuclease, or ZFN, to try to cure sickle cell anemia. With ZFN, Ramalingam is able to target and replace specific, problem-causing sequences of the human genome with healthier genetic material.

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Researcher hunts for sickle cell anemia cure with gene targeting, stem cells

Medistem Receives Notice of Patent Allowance Covering Fat Stem Cell Therapy of Autoimmune Diseases

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SAN DIEGO CA--(Marketwire -06/29/12)- Medistem Inc. (MEDS) announced today notice of allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a patent covering the use of fat stem cells, and cells associated with fat stem cells for treatment of diseases related to a dysfunctional immune system. Such diseases include multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The allowed patent, entitled "Stem Cell Mediated Treg Activation/Expansion for Therapeutic Immune Modulation" has the earliest priority date of December 2006.

"We have previously published that giving multiple sclerosis patients cells extracted from their own fat tissue, which contains stem cells, appears to confer clinical benefit in a pilot study," said Thomas Ichim, CEO of Medistem. "The current patent that has been allowed, in the broadest interpretation of the claims, gives us exclusive rights to the use of specific types of fat stem cell therapy for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis."

Subsequent to the filing of the patent application, Medistem together with collaborators at the Lawson Health Sciences Research Institute, Canada, reported data that fat tissue contains high numbers of T regulatory cells, a type of immune cell that is capable of controlling autoimmunity.

This finding was independently confirmed by Dr. Diane Mathis' laboratory at Harvard University, who published a paper in the prestigious journal, Nature Medicine, in which detailed experimental evidence was provided supporting the initial finding that adipose tissue contains high numbers of T regulatory cells. A video describing the paper can be accessed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEJfGu29Rg8.

The current patent discloses the use of T regulatory cells from fat, combinations with stem cells, and use of fat-derived mononuclear cells. Given that there are currently several groups utilizing this technology in the USA in treating patients, Medistem believes revenue can be generated through enforcement of patent rights.

"Our corporate philosophy has been to remain highly focused on our ongoing clinical stage programs using Medistem's universal donor stem cell, the Endometrial Regenerative Cell (ERC), in the treatment of critical limb ischemia and congestive heart failure," said Dr. Vladimir Bogin, Chairman and President of Medistem. "However, due to the ease of implementation of our fat stem cell technology, combined with the major burden that autoimmune diseases have on our health care system, we are highly incentivized to explore partnering, co-development and licensing opportunities."

Autoimmune conditions occur as a result of the body's immune system "turning on itself" and attacking its own organs or cells. Current treatments for autoimmune conditions are based on "globally" suppressing the immune system by administration of immunosuppressive drugs. This is associated with an increased predisposition to infections and significant side effects. The utilization of stem cells and T regulatory cells offers the potential to selectively suppress pathological immunity while preserving the ability of the body to fight bacteria and viruses. According to the NIH there are approximately 23 million victims of autoimmune conditions.

Links to Documents:

Link to peer-reviewed publication: http://www.translational-medicine.com/content/pdf/1479-5876-7-29.pdf

Link: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/medistem-files-patent-application-on-therapeutic-cell-population-found-in-fat-tissue-frankfurt-s2u-812298.htm

Link:

Medistem Receives Notice of Patent Allowance Covering Fat Stem Cell Therapy of Autoimmune Diseases