Monthly Archives: March 2012

BRG1 mutations confer resistance to hormones in lung cancer

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Public release date: 15-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Arantxa Mena comunicacio@idibell.cat IDIBELL-Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute

Retinoic acid (vitamin A) and steroids are hormones found in our body that protect against oxidative stress, reduce inflammation and are involved in cellular differentiation processes. One of the characteristics of tumours is that their cells have lost the ability to differentiate; therefore these hormones have useful properties to prevent cancer. Currently, retinoic acid and steroids are being used to treat some types of leukaemia.

A study led by the research group on Genes and Cancer of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) has shown that the loss of BRG1 gene implies a lack of response of cells to these hormones, and therefore the tumour may continue growing. Study results have been published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.

BRG1 gene

The IDIBELL research group on Genes and Cancer led by Montse Sanchez-Cespedes discovered some years ago that the BRG1 gene, a tumour suppressor, is inactivated in non-small cell lung cancer by genetic mutations. "The BRG1 protein is part of a chromatin remodelling complex that regulates the expression of several genes", explains the researcher, "and it is related to the differentiation of lung cells, allowing cells response to certain hormones and environment vitamins like vitamin A or steroids."

When BRG1 is mutated and therefore inactive, tumour cells do not respond to the presence of these hormones and they continue growing and spreading. For this reason, these types of tumours are refractory to the treatment with these substances.

Clinic Application

"At the moment", says Montse Sanchez-Cespedes, "we are not able to restore the functionality of a tumour suppressor gene as BRG1 in patients. Therefore, we are still far from a therapeutic application but this discovery enables us to understand better the biology of tumours. What we will try to do in the immediate future is to look for agents that specifically destroy the cells with mutated BRG1, following the strategy of lethal synthetics".

In any case, this finding it can be useful in advancing personalized medicine, because "it explains why lung cancer patients are resistant to these treatments and may serve to rule out therapies with lipid-derived hormones in patients with BRG1 mutations, not just in lung cancer but also in breast and prostate, among others."

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BRG1 mutations confer resistance to hormones in lung cancer

Discovering the End of the World

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The work and life of F. Sherwood Rowland, a chemist at the University of California, Irvine who died this weekend, should provide ample inspiration for those now grappling with the debate over climate change.

Rowland is best known for figuring out, along with his then post-doc Mario Molina, in the early 1970s how chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs), industrial chemicals widely used in, among things, air conditioners and aerosol sprays, were destroying the protective atmospheric ozone layer. (Rowland, Molina and Paul Crutzen of the Max Planck Institute, shared the 1995 Nobel prize in chemistry for the work.) Rowland also did pioneering work in other areas involving the monitoring and chemistry of trace gases, including research on the rise of methane in the atmosphere. But perhaps his greatest achievement was his demonstration that seemingly simple chemical reactions could play out over a massive scale and have planet-wide effects.

As I wrote in a 2007 Review on the 20thanniversary of the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty that effectively phased out the use of CFCs, Rowland helped to change our fundamental understanding of atmospheric chemistry:

Until the early 1970s, it could be said that, like politics, all chemistry was local. That changed in dramatic fashion with a series of discoveries concerning the global effects of a family of chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs

The researchers found that the CFCs wafted up through the lower atmosphere intact, too stable to react with the swirling brew of chemicals around them. But once they reached the mid-stratosphere, above most of the protective layer of ozone, the intense solar radiation broke the CFC molecules apart, releasing chlorine. Two simple reactions gave Rowland and Molina concern: Cl + O3= ClO + O2, and ClO + O = Cl + O2. That is, chlorine (Cl) reacted with ozone (O3), generating chlorine monoxide (ClO), which in turn reacted with an oxygen atom to release another chlorine; the net result was that the chlorine was destroying ozone without depleting itself. "When we found the chain reactions" occurring in the ozone layer, remembered Rowland this fall, the fate of CFCs "suddenly went from a scientific curiosity to an environmental worry."

Rowland loved to tell a story about his discovery. When his wife asked him how his work was going, he answered, well, it is going very wellexcept it looks like it might be the end of the world. It is a funny story, but it is also one that gets at a profound insight: increasing our understanding of chemistry is a great achievement, but we better be prepared to abide by what the science tells us.

It took more than a decade for Rowland to convince the worldand most notably the chemical industrythat his insight into the chemistry was correct. Though the United States banned the use of CFCS in spray-can applications in 1978, the chemicals remained a mainstay of refrigeration until the finding of an ozone hole above the Antarctic prompted the passage of the Montreal Protocol.

Controlling emissions of greenhouse gases and understanding the complexities of climate change will, no doubt, be more complex and expensive that it was to address the impact of CFCs on the ozone layer. But Rowlands tireless faith in advocating for policies based on the science needs to be remembered. For years he was aggressively challenged, particularly by those in the chemical industry. The idea that inert chemicals released by a spray can, could, somehow, have global effects on the atmosphere was ridiculed. Then, finally faced with the overwhelming evidence of the damage that CFCs were doing, the chemical companies found new chemicals to replace CFCs and began racing to build production capacity of the alternatives. Almost overnight, it seemed, the industry began embracing the lucrative business opportunities possible in replacing chlorofluorocarbons. As is almost inevitably the case, the science had won out.

I recall in the late 1980s hoping to interview Rowland at an American Chemical Society meeting.By then, he was already one of the world best known chemists. But for hours, as I waited impatiently, he sat in the front row of the dingy conference room, listening to endless presentations by young researchers on their latest findings. His interest never seemed to wane, despite the seemingly endless talks and slides showing the latest results of ongoing experiments. His message was clear to everyone in the room; understanding the minute details of chemistry matters.

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Lakers gamble chemistry in Derek Fisher trade

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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant joined the Los Angeles Lakers together in 1996. They've been in the same backcourt for most of the ensuing 16 seasons, winning five NBA titles during their intertwined careers.

Fisher's departure Thursday for Houston and Ramon Sessions' arrival from Cleveland made the Lakers younger and faster at point guard, their weakest position.

The Lakers don't yet know if the trades made the NBA's sixth-best team any better - and they still don't know whether the moves made Bryant angry.

General manager Mitch Kupchak said he didn't speak to Bryant before or after trading Fisher to the Rockets, and Bryant canceled a scheduled interview on the Lakers' flagship radio station when news of Fisher's departure broke. Kupchak also didn't speak directly to Fisher, intimating the 37-year-old NBA players' union leader took the news hard.

''It's hard to put into words what he's meant to this organization, on the court and off the court,'' Kupchak said Thursday at the Lakers' training complex. ''It's one of the hardest parts of the job that a general manager has, separating the emotions of a relationship you've had. ... We think Ramon will make an immediate impact. Despite Derek's presence, we felt that we needed more speed and more quickness in the backcourt.''

But the Lakers lost more than an aging point guard whose skills and athleticism have eroded considerably in the past few years. Fisher and Bryant were the Lakers' unquestioned locker room leaders, with Fisher's cerebral calm contrasting nicely with the fiery intensity of the NBA's leading scorer.

Kupchak and Lakers executive Jim Buss slept on the trades before making them Thursday. Kupchak felt the Lakers couldn't justify keeping three point guards - Sessions, Steve Blake and Fisher - on the roster making significant salaries, so Fisher had to go after starting their first 43 games this season.

''I'm concerned, yeah,'' Kupchak said. ''As each day goes on, it will get easier and easier, but you can't underestimate Derek's contribution from a chemistry standpoint. You can't say this team is going to wake up tomorrow and play as if he was never here.''

Kupchak is breaking up part of a team that isn't exactly broken, notwithstanding a few awful performances on the road. The Pacific Division-leading Lakers (27-16) have gone 7-2 in a brutal 15-day stretch since the All-Star break, and they've won 18 of their last 19 home games since Christmas heading into Friday's visit from Minnesota.

Kupchak acknowledges concern about dismantling part of the roster that reached three straight NBA finals from 2008-10, winning two titles, yet he is determined to make the Lakers younger. He also didn't hesitate to upend the Lakers' chemistry earlier this year when he shipped angry forward Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks after a trade to land Chris Paul was blocked by the NBA.

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Lakers gamble chemistry in Derek Fisher trade

BIO’s 9th Annual World Congress Shows Strength of Industrial Biotech and Biofuels in Southeast United States

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WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Biofuel and renewable chemical company executives along with consumer product companies seeking partnerships in the renewable sector will be featured at BIOs 9th annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, in Orlando, Fla., April 29 - May 2 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. Online registration for the conference is now open.

Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIOs Industrial & Environmental Section, said, We are excited to bring this conference to Orlando to highlight the industry's growth, particularly in the Southeast region. Industrial and environmental biotechnology is revitalizing manufacturing and creating new opportunities for agriculture, generating jobs, making greener products and cleaner processes, all aimed at building a biobased economy.

BIOs World Congress will host the following sessions with companies representing the Southeast:

Toward a Billion Tons: Biomass & Purpose Grown Energy Crops Monday, April 30, 2:30pm 4:00pm

Fuels and Chemicals from Residues and MSW Tuesday, May 1, 8:30am 10:00am

Whats Driving Demand for Biotech Products: A Customers Perspective? Wednesday, May 2, 12:00pm 2:15pm

The worlds largest industrial biotechnology conference for business leaders, investors, academics and policymakers in biofuels, biobased products, renewable chemicals, synthetic biology, food ingredients and biomass comes to Orlando, Fla., April 29 - May 2 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. Please visit http://www.bio.org/worldcongress/ for additional information, or email worldcongress@bio.org.

Online pre-registration for reporters and editors is now open. All breakout and plenary sessions at the BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing are open to attendance by members of the media. Complimentary media registration is available to editors and reporters with valid press credentials working full time for print, broadcast or web publications.

About BIO

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BIO’s 9th Annual World Congress Shows Strength of Industrial Biotech and Biofuels in Southeast United States

Grey's Anatomy Recap: "One Step Too Far"

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The doctors of Seattle Grace have the most dysfunctional relationships.

Case in point, in this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy we learned that Owen did, in fact, cheat, Derek and Meredith truly can't work together and Catherine Avery is as seductive as a cougar, except she goes after older men like the Chief. Here are the five most dysfunctional relationships from Thursday's episode: (We'd normally call this top moments, but Owen cheating on Cristina could never be labeled that.)

1. Cristina and Owen: Cristina freaks out when hubby Owen doesn't come home one night, calling the hospital to see if he's there, then eventually heading down there herself. When she does finally find him, she uses the old excuse that she brought him coffee except she doesn't actually have any on her. She spends the rest of the hour snipping at Emily (Summer Glau), which culminates in her telling the nurse not to sleep with her husband. Guess what? Owen didn't sleep with Emily, but he did cheat on Cristina, which he admits in the closing moments of the episode.

2. Alex and Morgan: It's Jane Doe 2.0. Alex and Morgan are spending far too much time together, with the heart patient/intern/new mom slowly but surely turning into Rebecca (Elizabeth Reaser). Meredith even worries Morgan will fall for him, go crazy and then pee on Mer's couch.

3. Meredith and Derek: As if they didn't learn this lesson when Meredith tampered with the clinical trial, Derek enlists Meredith to work on his service again. However, when he leaves the OR during surgery, Meredith suggests to Lexie that they remove the patient's tumor, which renders her unable to form words once she wakes up from the anesthesia. Good job, Grey sisters!

4. Catherine Avery and the Chief: She knows the Chief is married, yet she still shamelessly flirts with him, and he joins in on the fun and even says yes to her invitation to a fancy function. Feeling guilty, he decides not to join her so he can spend time with Adele.

5. Jackson and Catherine's spy: So self involved, Jackson doesn't even realize that the visiting Dr. Hotness, as Mark calls her, is actually Catherine's spy to dig up dirt on her son. They actually do begin to hit it off and eventually hook up, but let's be real: he's just using her. He totally still loves Lexie, right?

What did you think of this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy? Hit the comments with your thoughts.

The doctors of Seattle Grace have the most dysfunctional relationships.

Case in point, in this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy we learned that Owen did, in fact, cheat, Derek and Meredith truly can't work together and Catherine Avery is as seductive as a cougar, except she goes after older men like the Chief. Here are the five most dysfunctional relationships from Thursday's episode: (We'd normally call this top moments, but... read more

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Grey's Anatomy Recap: "One Step Too Far"

Canadian researchers receive grant to test stem-cell therapy for septic shock

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OTTAWA A team of Canadian researchers has been awarded $442,000 to test the world's first experimental stem-cell therapy aimed at patients who suffer from septic shock, a runaway infection of the bloodstream that's notoriously difficult to treat.

The federal grant will allow researchers from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute to use mesenchymal stem cells, found in the bone marrow of healthy adults, to treat as many as 15 patients with septic shock.

The deadly infection occurs when toxic bacteria spreads rapidly throughout the body and over-activates the immune system, leading to multiple organ failure and death in up to 40 per cent of cases.

One in five patients admitted to intensive-care units suffers from septic shock, making it the most common illness among a hospital's sickest of the sick.

Existing treatments focus on early diagnosis and intervention before organs start to fail. Patients with septic shock require aggressive resuscitation measures, large doses of intravenous antibiotics and, often, ventilators to help them breathe.

Yet because the infection can creep up on patients rapidly and cause unpredictable complications, death from septic shock remains relatively common.

The experimental therapy aims to use donor stem cells, grown and purified at the Ottawa laboratory, to dial down the body's hyperactive immune response and reduce the cascade of inflammation that leads to organ failure.

Early results from animal studies even raise the possibility that mesenchymal cells could eliminate the bacteria that causes septic shock, although the impact on humans is not yet known.

"It's a unique feature of the stem cells," said Dr. Lauralyn McIntyre, the intensive-care physician who is leading the trial. "Certainly no other therapy in the past, other than antibiotics, has impacted the bacterial load in the system."

As with other stem cells, mesenchymal cells can turn into a variety of more specialized cells and tissues that help repair and regenerate damaged organs. And because mesenchymal cells are derived from adults, they sidestep the ethical issues arising from the destruction of human embryos needed to make embryonic stem cells.

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Canadian researchers receive grant to test stem-cell therapy for septic shock

Schumi launches women’s scholarship

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Diversity ... Michael Schumacher wants to see more women racing in Formula 1. Source: Rob Griffith / AP

Michael Schumacher has helped launch a CAMS-funded Women of Australian Motorsport scholarship aimed at improving the odds for women competing in racing during a luncheon in Melbourne.

And the former Formula 1 champion says women have no physical barriers to competing at the top level.

"There is no reason why women should not be competitive in any of those fields that we have available in motor sport because physical limits - even in F1 - they're not so high that women couldn't do it," Schumacher said.

"I mean if you look at the athletics I'm pretty sure there are a few women who are fitter than I am.

"The main issue, why we don't see so many, is in the early days when you start to prepare to become a racing driver, it's a very small percentage of women doing it.

"That's why in the end, developing to the final stage, there is a left over chance of very little and I think this is the principal issue."

The recipient of the scholarship will be selected by a committee consisting of Steven Richards, and Women of Australian Motor Sport committee members Leanne Tander and Sue Evans.

Tander is the wife of V8 Supercars driver Garth Tander and a successful racer in her own right. She is also Australia's delegate to the FIA's Women and Motor Sport Commission.

Catch all the Formula 1 action with out weekend-long LIVE BLOG of the Australian Grand Prix.

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Schumi launches women's scholarship

Update on our Contest! [Life Lines]

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Thanks to all those who have been sending their ideas about why they like comparative physiology. Two non-science students sent me a list this week with the reasons they think comparative physiology is interesting. Do they deserve a Dolittle t-shirt? At least for "originality"?

Let me know what you think. Will post the update next week.

To try your chance at a FREE "What's new in comparative physiology" t-shirt just in time for Experimental Biology 2012, send Dr. Dolittle your reasons for enjoying comparative physiology. Be sure to also tell Dr. Dolittle what you are most looking forward to at the meeting. A new winner will be chosen every week prior to EB! If you are caught wearing Dr. Dolittle promotional items (official or homemade) at the meeting, you just may win a $10 Starbucks gift card! Just remember, the item MUST say either: "Dr. Dolittle", "Life Lines", or "comparative physiology".

To enter, send your reasons to Dr. Dolittle at drdlttl01@gmail.com

Good luck everyone! I look forward to hearing your ideas about why you like comparative physiology.

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Update on our Contest! [Life Lines]

It's a Family Affair: BeSmartBeWell.com Recognizes National Nutrition Month With Tips to Help Families Eat Healthier

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CHICAGO, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With about one out of every three children in this country obese or overweight, it's more important than ever to focus on healthy choices and changes that families can make together. Throughout March, which is National Nutrition Month, BeSmartBeWell.com shares stories of real families like Cindy and her children, who got healthier by cutting out junk food and exercising more.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please visit: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/childhoodobesity/50831/

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120315/MM69985LOGO)

"We lost over 200 pounds together as a family," says Cindy in a video on Be Smart. Be Well. "After going back through and looking at pictures of where we were to where we've come, it's just absolutely amazing!"

Making changes for the betterParents don't have to do it all on their own. There are many resources available, including MyPlate by the USDA. In 2011, the USDA shed the traditional food pyramid for the new MyPlate, which illustrates the proper mix of fruit, vegetables, dairy, grains and protein you should eat to maintain a healthy diet. For example, it shows that a meal plate should be at least half filled with fruits and vegetables. Parents can use MyPlate to teach their kids what to put on their plate to make a healthy meal.

At BeSmartBeWell.com, Cindy demonstrates how she uses MyPlate in her own kitchen for her family's meals. "The only thing that goes on the table with us is vegetables. If they've had their portion of meat, bread or potato and they're still hungry, I say, 'there's still a whole bowl of vegetables there, eat them up,'" she says.

Cindy's son, Austin, says the changes the family made were big ones, but not difficult. Once his mom explained the dangerous path their diets had put them on, Austin made it his goal to eat right and get healthy. As he shed pounds, he also gained energy and confidence

"I want to live to be like 100 and do a ton of things. I want to travel to Paris! I want to go to Italy!" he says in a video on the site.

What can I do about it?BeSmartBeWell.com/Childhood-Obesity provides practical information to help families adopt healthy eating and exercise habits. Produced by the country's largest customer-owned health insurer, in collaboration with medical experts and national health organizations, BeSmartBeWell.com features:

At the site, visitors can also register for the monthly Spotlight Newsletter and News Alerts for in-depth articles and breaking news on nutrition, childhood obesity and other important health topics.

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It's a Family Affair: BeSmartBeWell.com Recognizes National Nutrition Month With Tips to Help Families Eat Healthier

Local dietician celebrates nutrition month

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Gallery: Addressing four common nutrition myths

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Myth: You have to drink eight cups of water per day

You hear it so often that eight cups of water a day is necessary for everything from weight control to cleansing the body that it seems it must be truth, but the reality is there is no good evidence to support this claim. In fact, this age-old myth is believed to have originally stemmed from a 1970s textbook that made the statement that the human body needs a bit more than two litres (8 cups) of fluid per day from all sources, including coffee, tea, milk, juice, pop and, yes, even alcohol. While we have sadly learned since then that alcohol is not good for hydration, we do know that virtually all fluids do hydrate us, including caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee, so long as you are habituated to them. When it comes to weight, remember some drinks, such as pop and juice, contain quite a few calories, so sticking to water is usually best. Some individuals, including athletes, those at risk for kidney stones, and pregnant and breastfeeding women, might require extra fluids, but for everyone else, it's all about finding the right amount of fluids for you.

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Gallery: Addressing four common nutrition myths

Mead Johnson Nutrition and SanCor Complete Joint Venture

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina & GLENVIEW, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Kasper Jakobsen, Mead Johnson Nutritions Chief Operating Officer (NYSE: MJN - News) and Oscar Carreras, Chairman of Board of Administration for SanCor Cooperativas Unidas Ltda. of Argentina, met today in Buenos Aires to officially establish a joint venture that will expand the availability of high-quality pediatric nutrition products across the Southern Cone of South America.

The venture unites a global leader in infant formula and pediatric nutrition with the leading dairy producer in Argentina for the benefit of infants and children across the region.

The new joint venture will develop, produce and market innovative pediatric nutritional products under the SanCor Beb brand, which holds the leading position in the Argentine market. The business and the brand will benefit from the potent combination of the two companies expertise. Mead Johnson will provide clinical research, proprietary formulas and product innovation excellence, while SanCor will contribute its deep local market knowledge and high-quality manufacturing capabilities.

Everybody wins with this transaction. Mead Johnson strengthens its presence and growth potential in South America, while SanCor is able to better leverage its outstanding manufacturing base and continue exploration of business opportunities in other promising categories, stated Oscar Carreras. More importantly, parents win with greater access to best-in-class products they can feed their children with confidence.

Mead Johnson will invest 850 million Argentine pesos (approximately US$196 million*) for an 80 percent ownership interest in the joint venture. In 2011, SanCors turnover in the infant formula and childrens growing-up milk categories totaled nearly 300 million pesos (approximately US$69 million*).

We appreciate SanCors leadership. SanCors manufacturing expertise is recognized globally and they have established Beb as the number one brand in Argentina, commented Kasper Jakobsen. We are excited about the potential for this venture to accelerate our growth in these key markets and to benefit local babies and children.

The joint venture will continue to produce its products at existing SanCor facilities in Argentina.

Beginning with first quarter 2012 reporting, Mead Johnson will consolidate the joint venture into its overall financial statements. The transaction is not expected to have any material impact on the companys 2012 earnings, as additional investment in the business, along with interest expense for the deal, will offset any first-year contribution from the venture.

* at current exchange rates

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Mead Johnson Nutrition and SanCor Complete Joint Venture

Palestinians ask Israeli court to halt DNA tests

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The Palestinian Authority has asked Israel's highest court to halt the taking of DNA samples from Palestinian prisoners against their will, a PA minister said on Thursday.

"We petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court yesterday against the humiliating treatment of our prisoners," prisoner affairs minister Issa Qaraqaa told a news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

He said that at Shita prison in northern Israel, which holds mainly Palestinian security prisoners, inmates were forcibly restrained while samples of hair were taken and their mouths swabbed.

"These actions are illegal and contrary to all international standards, including medical ethics, and violate the privacy of prisoners," he said. "We have asked the World Health Organisation to issue a statement condemning these actions."

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said a campaign was underway to collect samples from all convicted prisoners in Israeli jails, both Jews and Arabs, regardless of the nature of their offences.

"In order to expand the database of DNA and forensics at the Israeli national police headquarters, at the moment we're in the process of taking DNA from prisoners, people who have already been convicted of crimes and who are serving time in jail," he told AFP.

"It's a new policy which is being implemented throughout the year 2012. It's beginning to be implemented now," he said. "It applies to all people who have been convicted."

"The process is taking place among all the different prisoners no matter what they've been convicted for."

He said that among those from whom a sample would be taken was Israel's former president Moshe Katsav, serving a seven-year prison sentence for rape, who has refused to give a sample voluntarily.

Local media said that in such cases, a court order could be sought to force compliance.

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Palestinians ask Israeli court to halt DNA tests

Posted in DNA

DNA database: Authorities hope it will discourage crimes

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Now that something as simple as shoplifting can get your DNA put in a statewide database forever, local authorities hope this will discourage people from committing crimes in the first place.

State legislators early Thursday morning passed a bill that doubles the state's DNA databank to now include genetic information from anyone convicted of any felonies and nearly any penal law misdemeanors. Previously, DNA was collected only from 48 percent of offenders convicted of penal law crimes.

One reason this expanded database will be a key tool for police is the reality that people who commit crimes in the past tend to commit more crimes in the future, officials said.

By broadening the number of crimes that can result in a person's DNA being put on file, that increases the odds of finding a match if that person leaves behind the slightest genetic evidence while committing another crime, especially burglaries and sex crimes.

We've already solved a lot of cases this way, and this absolutely opens the range of people who will be in the database, Utica police Chief Mark Williams said. So, it's more likely we'll be able to solve crimes more quickly.

This DNA databank also might help investigators quickly determine whether they have the right or wrong suspect, lessening the odds of a wrongful conviction. But authorities also hope this will make criminals think twice about breaking the law again.

Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara said, There's part of me that hopes this will make our communities safer because it will have a deterrent effect on people committing crimes by making them say, 'Hey, they have my DNA on file, and if I leave any DNA behind now they're going to be able to find out who I am.'

This legislation also will give defendants more access to DNA testing before trial to demonstrate their innocence, or give them limited access to certain evidence after trial based on credible allegations.

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DNA database: Authorities hope it will discourage crimes

Posted in DNA

N.Y. Passes DNA Requirement For Convicted Criminals

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Enlarge Mike Groll/AP

A forensic scientist processes DNA samples at the New York State Police lab in Albany.

A forensic scientist processes DNA samples at the New York State Police lab in Albany.

Early on Thursday, lawmakers in New York approved a bill that will make the state the first to require DNA samples from almost all convicted criminals and make its DNA database one of the largest in the nation.

Most states, including New York, already collect DNA samples from felons, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. What's remarkable about the New York bill is that it would expand the state's database to include DNA from people convicted of almost any crime, even misdemeanors as minor as jumping over a subway turnstile.

Donna Lieberman, director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, is concerned the strain of all that additional DNA will overwhelm the state crime labs that handle it.

"Instead of helping us solve crimes, this may result in the conviction of innocent New Yorkers," she says. "What we've seen in other jurisdictions is that when you engage in the massive expansion of the database like that, there are shortcuts that are taken and there's negligence, there's fraud, there's contamination. And it's really an enormous hurdle for defendants."

The bill's authors did exempt minor marijuana convictions from the DNA reporting requirement. But its backers, including Richard Aborn at the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, say there's a good argument for including even the most minor offenses in the database.

"We know from lots of studies and lots of data now that violent criminals very often begin their careers as nonviolent criminals," Aborn says. "And the earlier you can get a nonviolent criminal's DNA in the data bank, the higher your chances are of apprehending the right person."

That may be why the bill has enjoyed the support of district attorneys all across the state. Aborn says the bill's authors did a good job of making sure that defense lawyers will have access to the database, too. And he points out that DNA can be used to prove innocence, as well as guilt.

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N.Y. Passes DNA Requirement For Convicted Criminals

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This is Carolina Biology

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Yes thats right, the famous segment often shown in the Dean Dome has taken on a new form the biology department has created its own version of the I am a Tar Heel video.

Kelly Hogan, a senior lecturer in the biology department, is the mastermind behind the video. She said she got the idea one day when she saw the original video in the Dean Dome with her husband, Brian Hogan, who is also a member of the faculty at UNC.

Its a powerful video, and the students especially love it. We envisioned a silly scenario of students going wild if professors were on the big screen at the game, Kelly Hogan said.

Kelly Hogans purpose with the video was to provide a sense of community, and show the students that the professors can have a bit of fun.

She intends to show the video at the departmental graduation ceremony in May.

She said that while the students might not go crazy when they see their professors on the board, it will give the students a little something to remember.

With the NCAA Tournament going on, students tend to pull a few sick days to watch basketball, but professors are just as excited about March Madness as we are.

Gregory Copenhaver, an associate professor in the biology department, said that the department has so much school spirit that they have to mop it off the floors.

Im pretty sure that our devotion to college basketball is so passionate that if we tried we would be eligible for tax-free status as a religion, Copenhaver said.

Jean Desaix, another senior lecturer in the biology department, reiterated the same sentiment.

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Ex-head of behavioral science at MeritCare in Fargo gets 120 days for window peeping

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CLOQUET, Minn. The former head of behavioral health at Fargos MeritCare was sentenced to 120 days in jail on Wednesday after he was caught peeping here at the window of the juvenile daughter of his neighbor last summer.

Richard Allen Paul, 57, of Cloquet, had pleaded guilty in December to a felony interference with privacy charge and was sentenced Wednesday in Carlton County District Court in front of his victims, other neighbors and his own family. The charge is a felony because the person whose privacy was violated was a minor.

Paul, who was director of behavior services for Essentia Health System in Duluth before he was arrested and held a similar position at the predecessor to Sanford Health in Fargo from 1999 to 2002, apologized in the courtroom.

Not a day goes by that I dont regret my actions, Paul said. Not a day goes by that I dont pray for (the vicitms family) that God gives them relief from the pain I gave to them.

B.J. Berg discovered Paul outside Bergs home at 11:30 p.m. on June 14, 2011, wearing a black ski mask, tan shirt and jeans while peering into a bedroom window. When Berg confronted him, Paul said something about trying to find his dogs.

Berg told him, Not at my daughters window, youre not, and told him to get off his property.

Berg followed Paul to his home and called the police, who searched Pauls home and found night vision goggles, a ski mask, clothing and a loaded handgun. Paul admitted to police he had a firearm on his hip while outside Bergs home.

In his statement in court, Berg talked about the close-knit nature of their rural Cloquet neighborhood 20 miles west of Duluth and how Paul built trust with his neighbors and their children over 12 years.

This whole ordeal has been a sad lesson for our kids and family to learn that you may not be able to trust the people you have grown to respect, and that your home may not be the safe haven you thought it was, Berg told the court, adding that his children havent ventured down the road on their bikes to visit friends since then. Some of their childhood innocence has been lost and their perception of safety in our home has been diminished.

Paul sat with his head down during most of Bergs statement.

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Ex-head of behavioral science at MeritCare in Fargo gets 120 days for window peeping

Anatomy Of A Dunk Clip: Gerald Green

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Photo by Crossett Library Bennington College on Flickr

I cant stop watching this Gerald Green dunk from five days ago in a game against the Houston Rockets:

Theres simply no question that its a great dunk, just as impressive as Blake Griffins shoryukenof Kendrick Perkins, but different. In fact, these two dunks expose the dual nature of the dunk itself: on one hand, it can be a tremendously physical, assaultive act and on the other hand it can be fluid and quasi-balletic. In much the way that some running backs crush linemen to get yardage while others juke and spin their way up the field, so some dunkers smash and others soar.

But what keeps me coming back to this particular dunk again and again is not precisely the dunk itself, but rather the totality of the clip. The above clip illustrates why a great in-game dunk clip is the gift that keeps on giving. Let me take you back, as I often seem to do, to Greek tragedy. A huge part of the way the plays of Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus work is through the tension between the audiences understanding of the play and the characters inability to understand the play from within it. For example, we as the audience know that Oedipus has killed his father and married his mother but he does not, and so our enjoyment of the play comes from Oedipus understanding gradually reaching the same level as our own.

In the flow of the game, Greens dunk is barely comprehensible. It happens so fast that were left only with the understanding that something kind of incredible just happened. As we watch the replay, or watch the clip again and again on YouTube, we can now see it and know whats going to happen and so we get to enjoy the blossoming understanding of those who are just reacting to the moment. As you watch it again, take a look at the setup as the break evolves with MarShon Brooks leading it:

This is a pretty typical two-on-one fast break. Brooks sees Green coming up the other side of the floor and makes the smart play by throwing it up for him. At this point, were already expecting a dunktheres a clear path to the basket and Green is a terrific leaperbut most of the time this results in a straightforward two-handed dunk or, more likely, a basic one-handed jam.

But instead, Green jumps higher than really seems possible and delivers the windmill, turning this picayune fast break into something incredible. Take a moment to appreciate these two stills, which are separated by only a frame:

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Anatomy Of A Dunk Clip: Gerald Green

Grey's Anatomy Recap: "One Step Too Far"

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The doctors of Seattle Grace have the most dysfunctional relationships.

Case in point, in this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy we learned that Owen did, in fact, cheat, Derek and Meredith truly can't work together and Catherine Avery is as seductive as a cougar, except she goes after older men like the Chief. Here are the five most dysfunctional relationships from Thursday's episode: (We'd normally call this top moments, but Owen cheating on Cristina could never be labeled that.)

1. Cristina and Owen: Cristina freaks out when hubby Owen doesn't come home one night, calling the hospital to see if he's there, then eventually heading down there herself. When she does finally find him, she uses the old excuse that she brought him coffee except she doesn't actually have any on her. She spends the rest of the hour snipping at Emily (Summer Glau), which culminates in her telling the nurse not to sleep with her husband. Guess what? Owen didn't sleep with Emily, but he did cheat on Cristina, which he admits in the closing moments of the episode.

2. Alex and Morgan: It's Jane Doe 2.0. Alex and Morgan are spending far too much time together, with the heart patient/intern/new mom slowly but surely turning into Rebecca (Elizabeth Reaser). Meredith even worries Morgan will fall for him, go crazy and then pee on Mer's couch.

3. Meredith and Derek: As if they didn't learn this lesson when Meredith tampered with the clinical trial, Derek enlists Meredith to work on his service again. However, when he leaves the OR during surgery, Meredith suggests to Lexie that they remove the patient's tumor, which renders her unable to form words once she wakes up from the anesthesia. Good job, Grey sisters!

4. Catherine Avery and the Chief: She knows the Chief is married, yet she still shamelessly flirts with him, and he joins in on the fun and even says yes to her invitation to a fancy function. Feeling guilty, he decides not to join her so he can spend time with Adele.

5. Jackson and Catherine's spy: So self involved, Jackson doesn't even realize that the visiting Dr. Hotness, as Mark calls her, is actually Catherine's spy to dig up dirt on her son. They actually do begin to hit it off and eventually hook up, but let's be real: he's just using her. He totally still loves Lexie, right?

What did you think of this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy? Hit the comments with your thoughts.

The doctors of Seattle Grace have the most dysfunctional relationships.

Case in point, in this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy we learned that Owen did, in fact, cheat, Derek and Meredith truly can't work together and Catherine Avery is as seductive as a cougar, except she goes after older men like the Chief. Here are the five most dysfunctional relationships from Thursday's episode: (We'd normally call this top moments, but... read more

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Grey's Anatomy Recap: "One Step Too Far"

Pharmacogenomics – Video

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13-03-2012 12:01 Pentucket Medical cardiologists Sunny Biliazarian and Sunny Srivastava discuss the influence of our genetics impacts the our response to different medications. To speak with a Pentucket Medical cardiologist, please call: Haverhill, MA: (978) 521-3288 RiverWalk in Lawrence, MA: (978) 557-8900 Newburyport, MA: (978) 499-7400

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