Monthly Archives: April 2012

The Miz: Counting Down the Days Until He Is Probably Drafted to WWE SmackDown

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It was just one short year ago where the Miz appeared to be on the precipice of immortality. During his now-forgettable run as WWE champion, the only WWE superstar whose exposure to the outside media was comparable to that of Mike "The Miz" Mizanin was John Cena.

With his background/stigma as a reality TV star now well behind him, and in many ways assisting him on his relentless godwill tours for the WWE, the Miz was set to be cemented as a top superstar as he prepared to face John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania XXVII.

Unfortunately, Miz's career may have peaked with what should have been a career-making victory over the WWE's at-times infallible hero.

Maybe it was the Rock casting too large of a shadow. Maybe it was the WWE's quick-trigger booking as they once again abandoned a new champion in progress. Whatever it was, to say that the Miz has fallen precipitously from the ranks of a contender would be an understatement.

The WWE cemented Miz's unenviable status as world champion-turned mid carder by making a storyline out of his drastic fall from grace. There, Miz would cut promos that carried a sharp tone of frustration with possibly facing the biggest year-to-year dropoff in WrestleMania history.

Miz was able to sneak into the WrestleMania picture at the beginning of the month, even picking up a victory for Team Johnny over fellow flame-out Zack Ryder.

Little has been done with the Miz since scoring an otherwise encouraging pinfall. The former world champion will figure to be on the outside looking in for Extreme Rules, which should present an inflated pay-per-view bonus as Brock Lesnar is set to compete in the WWE for the first time since 2004.

To make matters worse, Miz currently finds himself on a RAW roster crowded with stars who need to get theirs before the WWE even thinks about letting Miz have his. Once upon a time, seeing Miz in a new, exorbitant suit was somewhat of a staple on RAW.

Now, Miz is only called upon for brief, filler matches that lead to nothing. Any talking on his part is done quickly before his matches. Such an unceremonious occasion hardly requires a shiny, Armani three-piece.

After going from must-see to hardly seen, Miz leads a generous crop of talent who need a change of scenery in order to revitalize their careers.

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The Miz: Counting Down the Days Until He Is Probably Drafted to WWE SmackDown

BioTime and Subsidiary LifeMap Sciences Announce Agreement to Acquire XenneX, Inc.

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ALAMEDA, Calif. & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BioTime, Inc. (NYSE Amex:BTX) and its wholly owned subsidiary LifeMap Sciences today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement to acquire XenneX, Inc. through a merger of XenneX into LifeMap Sciences. The acquisition is expected to close within thirty days.

XenneX holds the exclusive, worldwide licenses to market GeneCards and PanDaTox. GeneCards is a searchable, integrated, database of human genes that provides concise genomic, transcriptomic, genetic, proteomic, functional and disease related information, on all known and predicted human genes. GeneCards was developed by a world-leading bioinformatics team at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. PanDaTox is a recently developed, searchable, database that can be used to identify genes and intergenic regions that are unclonable in E. coli, to aid in the discovery of new antibiotics and biotechnologically beneficial functional genes, and to improve the efficiency of metabolic engineering.

Since 2003, XenneX has been generating revenue from customers worldwide including biotechnology, pharmaceutical and other life sciences companies, as well as organizations dealing with biotechnology intellectual property. GeneCards and PanDaTox are marketed by XenneX under a license from Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd, the Technology Transfer Company of the Weizmann Institute.

Through the merger, XenneX stockholders will receive approximately 1,362,589 shares of LifeMap common stock, which will represent approximately 13% of the LifeMap common stock outstanding upon the closing of the transaction. XenneX shareholders will also receive approximately 448,430 BioTime common shares as part of the transaction.

Separately, LifeMap Sciences announced that it anticipates acquiring a license from Yeda to market the new MalaCards database of human diseases. Like GeneCards and PanDaTox, MalaCards has been developed by the Weizmann Institute and is expected to be launched at the end of 2012.

Background

The field of biomedical research has expanded greatly in recent years due to the enormous growth of DNA sequencing technology, bioinformatics, and stem cell biology. The growth in research has produced a very decentralized body of information. The mission of BioTimes subsidiary LifeMap Sciences is to centralize access to this information through database technology that will make it much more feasible for researchers around the world to find and utilize information about tens of thousands of genes and thousands of cell types.

LifeMaps team of scientists is building an integrated map of the thousands of cell types in human development, beginning with the fertilized egg and ending in the developed human. Combined with genomics information, the database is expected to become a road atlas of human biology benefiting medicine and research. In addition, LifeMap is developing its own proprietary technology to effectively analyze data gathered from the databases for use in the development of cell-based therapies.

In addition to expanding LifeMaps database offerings through the acquisition of XenneX, BioTime plans to make LifeMap the principal marketing subsidiary for BioTime research products, including ACTCellerate human progenitor cell lines, GMP human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines, hES cell lines carrying inherited genetic diseases, and ESpan growth media for progenitor cell lines for non-therapeutic uses. LifeMap will utilize its databases as part of its online marketing strategy to reach life sciences researchers at biotech and pharmaceutical companies and at academic institutions and research hospitals worldwide.

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BioTime and Subsidiary LifeMap Sciences Announce Agreement to Acquire XenneX, Inc.

Gene Behind Psoriasis Identified, Researchers Say

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THURSDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists say they've identified the first gene directly linked to the most common form of psoriasis, known as plaque psoriasis.

"We have searched for almost two decades to find a single gene linked to plaque psoriasis," study senior author Anne Bowcock, professor of genetics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said in a university news release. "Individually, the rare mutations we have found likely confer a high risk for the disease, and we think they will be important in the search to find new, more effective treatments."

In conducting the study, researchers used cutting-edge DNA technology to uncover a rare mutation in the CARD14 gene in a large family of European descent with a high prevalence of plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. They also found the mutation among multiple members of an extended family from Taiwan who had the condition, which is characterized by dry, raised, red patches covered with silvery scales.

The genetic mutation was also identified in a 3-year-old girl with a severe and rare form of psoriasis, but in this case the condition was not inherited. She developed the condition after being treated for a staph infection.

"This is significant because it tells us that CARD14 alone plus an environmental trigger is enough to cause psoriasis," Bowcock explained. "You don't need anything else. This really highlights the importance of finding rare mutations for common diseases like psoriasis."

The findings suggest that immune cells are only a secondary cause of psoriasis. Skin defects, the researchers stated, are the main culprit behind the condition.

Noting that the family members studied who had psoriatic arthritis also had the CARD14 mutation, the study authors suggested the rare mutation may also be involved in at least one other form of psoriasis as well as a debilitating form of arthritis.

"Now, we have a much clearer picture of what is happening in psoriasis," Bowcock concluded. "And now with all kinds of new therapeutic targets that lie within the CARD14 pathway, the field is wide open."

The research was released online in advance of print publication in two separate papers in the May 4 issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.

About 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis, the study authors noted.

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Gene Behind Psoriasis Identified, Researchers Say

Chemistry Prof Questions Safety Of Dimock, Pa. Water, Challenges EPA

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Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency determined hydraulic fracturing didn't contaminate private water wells in Dimock, Pa., the water there is probably not safe to drink, said Ron Bishop, a professor of chemistry at State University of N.Y. at Oneonta.

In fact, Bishop said he isn't sure the EPA is doing a good job educating the area's residents about the potential hazards present in their water.

Dimock, Pa., has been at the front line in the national debate on natural gas drilling through hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The drilling technique calls for thousands, possibly millions of gallons of water to be pumped underground with toxic drilling chemicals and sand to fracture natural gas bearing rocks. The water that remains is a toxic sludge -- and a dozen households accuse local drillers of failing to properly clean their private wells after previously contaminating them.

Some area residents say their water looks like chocolate milk. Others have described the water as the color of milk and coffee.

The accusation has been the subject of several investigations by Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. (NYSE: COG), the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and most recently the EPA. So far, all findings suggest the water is potable.

Federal regulators in March found traces of arsenic, sodium, methane, chromium and bacteria in the water but those levels were "within safe ranges," the EPA reported.

But Bishop said the levels of heavy metals and salts may not be what is most threatening to human health. He said he is wary of the EPA's declarative conclusions when federal regulators have yet to release their entire data.

Bishop Concerned About Methane

"What we have so far is still preliminary," Bishop said, who added he is convinced the methane present in some of the town's wells came from deep underground -- the natural gas that Cabot Oil is trying to harvest. "Out all the things that give me the most concern, it's the methane."

Methane's solubility with water changes as water gets heated. When water is cold, methane is more soluble and often times fully dissolved, but as water is heated, methane starts breaking off from the water molecules it was attached to, Bishop said. The change in water temperature does not have to be great for methane gas to start leeching from running hot water in either sinks and showers.

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Chemistry Prof Questions Safety Of Dimock, Pa. Water, Challenges EPA

BIO Announces Governor Jon Huntsman as Keynote Speaker for the BIO Convention in China

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WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) is pleased to announce that Governor Jon Huntsman, former U.S. Ambassador to China and Governor of Utah, will provide a keynote address at the BIO Convention in China to be held October 24-25, 2012 in Shanghai. The event will bring together a global audience of biotechnology executives, pharmaceutical companies and investment firms to meet and explore business opportunities within Chinas emerging biotech sector.

Governor Huntsmans vast experience with international policy and business, specifically in China, will allow him to provide a unique perspective on best practices in business development between eastern and western companies, said Alan Eisenberg, executive vice president of Emerging Companies and Business Development at BIO.

From 2009 through April 2011, Governor Huntsman served as an Ambassador to China when he stepped down to run for the 2012 Republican nomination for President of the United States. Prior to serving as Ambassador to China, Huntsman was twice elected as Governor of Utah. During his tenure as Governor, Utah was named by the Pew Center as the Best Managed State in America.

Governor Huntsman began his public service career as a White House staff assistant to President Ronald Reagan and enjoyed such appointments as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Asia, U.S. Ambassador to Singapore and Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. As a U.S. Trade Ambassador, Governor Huntsman has successfully negotiated free trade and investment agreements for the United States with China, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia, India, Vietnam, West Africa, South Africa and other Sian and African nations.

He is a founding director of the Pacific Council on International Policy and has served on such boards as the Brookings Institute Asia Policy Board, the Center for Strategic and International Studies Pacific Forum, the Asia Society in New York and the National Bureau of Asian Research.

The BIO Convention in China will feature plenary sessions and workshops on health and regulatory issues, intellectual property, business development and vaccines, and global health. The conference also will feature company presentations, partnering meeting opportunities, and an Exhibition. The convention will include biopharmaceutical industry leaders from North America, Europe and Asia.

BIO brings to China more than 16 years of experience in organizing international conferences for the biotech industry, including the BIO International Convention, the worlds largest annual biotech conference. BIO is renowned for its successful business development, partnering and investor meetings in North America, Europe and Asia. Partnering at this conference will be powered by BIO One-on-One Partnering, an interactive environment to intelligently search, contact and schedule private meetings with potential partners and investors.

BIO China is organized by BIO and co-organized by Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park. For more information on BIO China, please visit here.

Upcoming BIO Events

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BIO Announces Governor Jon Huntsman as Keynote Speaker for the BIO Convention in China

Mergers and Acquisitions Continue to Grow in the Biotechnology Industry

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NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire -04/20/12)- Mergers and Acquisitions have been a hot topic in the Biotechnology Industry recently. According to a recent report by Dealogic, pharmaceutical deals totaled $18.5 billion globally this year, an increase of 5% from the same period last year. The Paragon Report examines investing opportunities in the Biotechnology Industry and provides equity research on Human Genome Sciences (NASDAQ: HGSI - News) and Complete Genomics, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNOM - News).

Access to full reports can be found at:

http://www.ParagonReport.com/HGSI http://www.ParagonReport.com/GNOM

As larger companies reduce spending on research and development they are looking at smaller biotech companies to diversify their product lines. M&A allows bigger companies to acquire products and technology that are already proven in the market place, avoiding the many risks associated with research and development.

On Thursday Biotechnology Company Human Genome Sciences rejected a $2.59 billion takeover bid from GlaxoSmithKline. The announcement comes just a day after Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche announced that it was abandoning its bid for U.S. biotech firm Illumina.

Paragon Report releases regular market updates on the Biotechnology Industry so investors can stay ahead of the crowd and make the best investment decisions to maximize their returns. Take a few minutes to register with us free at http://www.ParagonReport.com and get exclusive access to our numerous stock reports and industry newsletters.

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. recently announced that it will sponsor a conference call to discuss its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2012. These results are expected to be disclosed on Wednesday, April 25, 2012, before the capital markets open. The conference call will be hosted by senior management and will be held on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

Complete Genomics is the whole human genome sequencing company that has developed and commercialized an innovative DNA sequencing service. The Complete Genomics Analysis Platform (CGA Platform) combines Complete Genomics' proprietary human genome sequencing technology with advanced informatics and data management software.

Paragon Report provides Market Research focused on equities that offer growth opportunities, value, and strong potential return. We strive to provide the most up-to-date market activities. We constantly create research reports and newsletters for our members. The Paragon Report has not been compensated by any of the above-mentioned companies. We act as independent research portal and are aware that all investment entails inherent risks. Please view the full disclaimer at: http://www.ParagonReport.com/disclaimer

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Mergers and Acquisitions Continue to Grow in the Biotechnology Industry

IBN Discovers Human Neural Stem Cells with Tumor Targeting Ability – A Promising Discovery for Breast Cancer Therapy

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Despite decades of cancer research, cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 7.6 million deaths in 2008, and breast cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths each year . In Singapore, more than 1,400 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 300 die as a result of breast cancer each year . The high fatality rate of cancer is partially attributed to the invasive ability of malignant tumors to spread throughout the human body, and the ineffectiveness of conventional therapies to eradicate the cancer cells.

A team of researchers led by IBN Group Leader, Dr Shu Wang, has made a landmark discovery that neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells could be used to treat breast cancer. The effectiveness of using NSCs, which originate from the central nervous system, to treat brain tumors has been investigated in previous studies. This is the first study that demonstrates that iPS cell-derived NSCs could also target tumors outside the central nervous system, to treat both primary and secondary tumors.

To test the efficiency of NSCs in targeting and treating breast cancer, the researchers injected NSCs loaded with a suicide gene (herpes simplex virus thymidine) into mice bearing breast tumors. They did this using baculoviral vectors or gene carriers engineered from an insect virus (baculovirus), which does not replicate in human cells, making the carriers less harmful for clinical use. A prodrug (ganciclovir), which would activate the suicide gene to kill the cancerous cells upon contact, was subsequently injected into the mice. A dual-colored whole body imaging technology was then used to track the distribution and migration of the iPS-NSCs.

The imaging results revealed that the iPS-NSCs homed in on the breast tumors in the mice, and also accumulated in various organs infiltrated by the cancer cells such as the lung, stomach and bone. The survival of the tumor-bearing mice was prolonged from 34 days to 39 days. This data supports and explains how engineered iPS-NSCs are able to effectively seek out and inhibit tumor growth and proliferation.

Dr Shu Wang shared, "We have demonstrated that tumor-targeting neural stem cells may be derived from human iPS cells, and that these cells may be used in combination with a therapeutic gene to cripple tumor growth. This is a significant finding for stem cell-based cancer therapy, and we will continue to improve and optimize our neural stem cell system by preventing any unwanted activation of the therapeutic gene in non-tumor regions and minimizing possible side effects."

"IBN's expertise in generating human stem cells from iPS cells and our novel use of insect virus carriers for gene delivery have paved the way for the development of innovative stem cell-based therapies. With their two-pronged attack on tumors using genetically engineered neural stem cells, our researchers have discovered a promising alternative to conventional cancer treatment," added Professor Jackie. Y. Ying, IBN Executive Director.

Compared to collecting and expanding primary cells from individual patients, IBN's approach of using iPS cells to derive NSCs is less laborious and suitable for large-scale manufacture of uniform batches of cellular products for repeated patient treatments. Importantly, this approach will help eliminate variability in the quality of the cellular products, thus facilitating reliable comparative analysis of clinical outcomes.

Additionally, these iPS cell-derived NSCs are derived from adult cells, which bypass the sensitive ethical issue surrounding the use of human embryos, and since iPS cells are developed from a patient's own cells, the likelihood of immune rejection would be reduced.

References: 1. J. Yang, D. H. Lam, S. S. Goh, E. X. L. Lee, Y. Zhao, F. Chang Tay, C. Chen, S. Du, G. Balasundaram, M. Shahbazi, C. K. Tham, W. H. Ng, H. C. Toh and S. Wang, "Tumor Tropism of Intravenously Injected Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Neural Stem Cells and their Gene Therapy Application in a Metastatic Breast Cancer Model," Stem Cells, (2012) DOI: 10.1002/stem.1051.

2. E. X. Lee, D. H. Lam, C. Wu, J. Yang, C. K. Tham and S. Wang, "Glioma Gene Therapy Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Stem Cells," Molecular Pharmaceutics, 8 (2011) 1515-1524.

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IBN Discovers Human Neural Stem Cells with Tumor Targeting Ability - A Promising Discovery for Breast Cancer Therapy

Bioengineering the bugs

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Probiotics are an enormous field and even bigger market but and as interesting as they are an, arguably, more interesting biotic is starting to gain traction as more innovative researchers explore its possibilities. This is the field of designer probiotics.

The central idea is this, certain pathogenic bacteria (and I am speaking exclusively within the gut) use host sugars to facilitate binding or toxin targeting and by doing so cause disease. However, if we expressed these host sugars on something else, a harmless strain of Escherichia coli for example, we would create more sites for the attachment of pathogens and their weapons. This dilutes the effect these pathogenic bacteria can have on our insides and either prevents disease or certainly reduces the severity of it and the harmless E. coli,ladenwith pathogen and toxin, passes out of the body before they can cause any problems.

Additionally, there is little chance that the pathogens will evolve around this therapeutic strategy as doing so would comprimise their capacity to recognise the target receptor that has been copied and expressed on our harmless E. coli strain and therefore would reduce their capacity to cause disease as part of their lifecycle.

Then of course there is money. Currently, host sugars have been developed synthetically to be used in isolation to attempt prevention of pathogen binding but are not optimally successful as these sugar structures must survive the stomache and early gut before reaching the distal gut where much disease occurs. Making these sugars alone is not cheap but you know what is cheap, bacteria and broth. Vats of drug can be grown in labs much faster than the sugars can be synthesised making it a much more cost effective approach. Of course then there is also the problem of hostmetabolismof the synthesised sugars. By the time the distal gut is reached the gastro-intestinal system has done what it does best and broken much of the sugar down into its component parts rendering it ineffective as a therapeutic. The probiotic approach secures the expression of the host sugars deep into the distal gut as long as the bacteria survive, which they have been shown to do. Once they get there they grow and divide increasing the amount of drug in the system for free.

I am aware of three such bioengineered bugs capable of doing this work, one for Shiga toxigenic E. coli (STEC) infections, one for enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) infections and one for cholera. Together these three species account for a large proportion of the 2 million deaths that occur each year due to enteric infections, not including the significant morbidity that occurs at the hands of these species.

STEC produces, as you would expect, a shiga toxin which is a very powerful toxin that causes breakdown of cell membranes leading to haemorrhagic colitis (bleeding gut) and the significantly worse haemolytic uraemic syndrome where the patient develops haemolytic anaemia (not enough blood cells because they keep popping), thrombocytopenia (not enough platelets so your blood cant clot) and renal failure (kidneys shut down). Importantly, in this case at least, the shiga toxin is made in the gut before binding to a host sugar called GB3 which facilitates absorption into the body where it does its damage. When GB3 was expressed on a harmless E. coli strain and fed twice daily to STEC infected mice it was found to be 100% effective in preventing disease as the toxin was being soaked up before reaching the gut wall. For the cautious out there the use of dead GB3 expressing E. coli was also tested and found to be just as effective if the dosage was increased to three times daily. Dead bacteria do not mutate and are not technically genetically modified organismsany moreso this approach has long term promise to treat STEC infection in the future.

ETEC is behind travellersdiarrhoea but should not be underestimated. This bacteria is endemic in developingcountriesand is the major killer of young children in these areas. It kills by messing around with the way your body controls water loss in the gut. The toxin made by ETEC binds to the host sugar GM1 and then is internalised by the cell. The target cells are those that line the gut surface and are responsible for absorbing nutrients, ions and water. Once inside the cell the toxin modifies a biochemical pathway to ensure a protein called adenyl cyclase is constantly stimulated which in turn causes aninterruptionto ion movement resulting in ions moving out of the cell into the gut but not back in again. A general rule in gut physiology is where the ions go water will follow and so water flows straight of the body into the gut causing watery diarrhoea. This diarrhoea facilitates the spread of the ETEC into water supplies and then into new hosts as they consume the contaminated water. The production of a harmless E. coli strain capable of binding the ETEC toxin was performed and the result was a bacterial strain that could bind 5% of its own weight in toxin! There is the suggestion that the administration of this strain prophylactically to travellers from developed coutries before travel to the developing world may eliminate a good proportion of disease cases and the ease in growing high quantities of drug would make treating the developing world significantly easier and cheaper providing some additional hope in these areas.

Finally, cholera. Vibrio cholera is endemic to Asia and causes epidemics all over the world. Usually as a result of eating undercooked fish the pathogen enters the system, colonises the small intestine and releaases its toxin which works in the same way as the ETEC toxin. If no treatment is made available, as is the case for many where cholera is endemic, the chance of death rockets up to 50%. Treatment here is tricky as antibiotics can actually make the disease worse as toxin leeches from the dying pathogens and overwhelms the patient so most are treated with fluid therapy, keep drinking salty water (made using sachets of important salts which can be added to sterilised water) until you get better, or not. A GM1 expressing E. coli was developed and shown to be very effective in preventing disease. Mice given V. cholera infections were treated with the harmless GM1 expressing strain 1 or 4 hours post infection and 12/12 survived compared to 1/12 for the post 1 hour treatment, 8/12 compared to 2/12 for the post 4 hour treatment. In this case it was found that the GM1 producing strain could remain stable when freeze dried and so could be made, stored, then added to the oral rehydration salts as part of the current therapeutic strategy which would keep costs significantly down.

This is but the start. Similar approaches could be applied to Clostridium difficile, Helicobacter pylori and Schistosoma mansonii infections as this novel approach is developed.

So thats it. The problem of antibiotic resistance is solved right? We just dont use antibiotics and instead use these cleverly designed genetically modified organisms that cant be evolved aroundwithoutthe pathogenreducingits ability to infect at all. We produceenormousquantities cheaply in vats where the drug grows itself on $10 worth ofingredientsand then treat the whole world.

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Bioengineering the bugs

Rowan University STEM Student Research Symposium featured budding engineers, chemists, biologists and more

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GLASSBORO Though Nikita Iltchenko is a biochemistry major, on Friday he showed off a computer science-based design a flying robot for Rowan Universitys 15th Annual STEM Student Research Symposium.

As part of an independent study program with three other students math major Eva Guido, biology major Nick Persicketti and computer science major Tara Crittenden Iltchenko worked with computer science professor Jennifer Kay to learn about programming robots. Though the group started off working with rover robots, when they attended a conference in North Carolina and saw a professors flying robot, the students knew they had to make their own.

After a couple of weeks, we had convinced the computer science department to generously buy us this robot, said Iltchenko, 21, of Harrison Township. And then we began trying to get it to follow tags. Now, were trying to get it to follow two tags at the same time. If it can center itself between the two tags, it could go through a hula hoop or a tunnel. This robot can also recognize blobs or any items of a certain color, so our ultimate goal is to get it to recognize objects in the environment and react to them.

Guido, 22, of Cape May Courthouse, said shes happy with the progress the group has made so far.

When we first got the robot, we had to figure it all out from the most basic commands, she said. Right now were focused on getting it through that hula hoop, and then well take it a step further. As a math major, this is rewarding because I actually get to see it work.

Persicketti, 19, of West Deptford Township, said the project with the flying robot will be ongoing.

Every time we finish one task, well find something better that we want it to do, he said.

Kay said she thinks the robot is a really cool application of computer science and was excited to work with students from different backgrounds.

Once you have the right tools and bring in motivated people, its impressive what they can do in a semester, she said. Its a great project for a computer scientist or any smart scientist.

Across the room, biology major Samantha Musumeci explained the reproductive capabilities of the pea aphid.

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Rowan University STEM Student Research Symposium featured budding engineers, chemists, biologists and more

COMMUNITY COMMENT: Castle biochemistry class says thanks for lab tour

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The Castle High School biochemistry class received a grant from the Alcoa Foundation for a water testing community service project. Students used testing kits to test different community water samples and visited the testing laboratory and treatment plant to see how the process works.

We learned on the East Wastewater Treatment Plant site visit that prior to the Clean Water Act, the primary treatment process of effluent water was generally disinfected and sent to the river by municipalities and industries. Now, the minimum treatment required before discharge is secondary. This has resulted in significant improvement in the quality of the water in the Ohio River. The improvement created by secondary treatment has been extremely beneficial, both to the environment and community of the Evansville area.

We were especially intrigued by the utilization of biological treatments to break down the waste into a useful form. The advancement of technology and biological understanding that has influenced this highly efficient method of water treatment is truly remarkable. During the tour of the treatment plant we learned of many of the crucial chemical processes involved in water treatment and waste management; we now have a much greater understanding and appreciation of things that too often are taken for granted.

We would like to thank the Alcoa Foundation (who awarded us the grant for the project) and the Evansville Utility for providing this opportunity for educational enrichment. The practical, hands on learning of the water testing kits (used in a lab activity prior to visits) in combination with the thorough tours of the laboratory and treatment plant were very beneficial and greatly appreciated.

This Community Comment was submitted by Chris Bauer, Sammie Dillman, Jacob Tilmon, Austin Vaughn, Sarah Wagmeister and Lauren Wahle.

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COMMUNITY COMMENT: Castle biochemistry class says thanks for lab tour

'Grey's Anatomy', 'Scandal' boost ABC to second place on Thursday

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Grey's Anatomy helped ABC ascend to second position in primetime last night, Nielsen overnight data reveals.

Season eight of the medical drama continued with 9.7m and a rating of 3.2 18-49 adults at 9pm, a rise of 10% week-on-week.

On a roll, political thriller Scandal climbed to 7.4m (2.1) in the 10pm hour. Only 8pm's Missing (7.1m/1.3) lost viewers for the Alphabet Network.

American Idol's 14.6m (3.9) was easily enough for Fox to win another Thursday night.

CBS finished third despite airing only one new show, with Rules of Engagement amusing 7.7m (2.2) at 8.30pm.

NBC had a poor night, as 8pm's Community (2.9m/1.3) and 10pm's Awake (2.7m/0.8) underperformed.

Meanwhile, 30 Rock was the exception to the rule on the Peacock Network, creeping up to 3.2m (1.5) at 8.30pm.

Swiftly returning for new episodes, The Vampire Diaries (2.2m/1.0) and The Secret Circle (1.1m/0.5) dipped over on The CW.

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'Grey's Anatomy', 'Scandal' boost ABC to second place on Thursday

Grey's Anatomy Redux: Which Doctors Are Getting Ready to Leave Seattle?

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WHAT WE LEARNED

Job Prospects: Cristina is back. She might be in the worst place ever with Owen after last week's sobfest, but her snark and supersharp one-liners have never been better. While all the top hospitals across the country beg and woo her, the other docs tread water waiting for offers. Jackson struggles to shed his family name and April is having a hard time with her grating enthusiastic personality. Alex is having a no luck getting any decent interviews outside of Toledo. Where is Toledo? But he realizes Arizona has been sabotaging his chances to leave. She's put a lot of work into him!

However, Meredith and Derek have evolved into such mature married couple and lovely parents. He's so supportive of anywhere she wants to go. Damn, that looks good on him. He's certainly earning his McDreamy title now. Maybe we are just attracted to loyal men?

Life Lost: Seattle Grace has had it's share of depressing medical cases, but tonight's was gutting. Switched at Birth star Vanessa Marano was phenomenal guest-starring as the kidnap victim. It was heartbreaking to hear her piece together her memories of abuse while in captivity. And if you weren't sad enough, we got to watch Dr. Webber's (James Pickens Jr.) own heart break into a billion pieces as his wife falls in love (and has sex with) another man. He had to make the awful decision to walk away from her, and we wanted to cry all over again.

Up in the Air:We liked all the airport scenes in tonight's episode. It was likeGrey'smeetsUp in the Air. But where is hotGeorge Clooneygetting sloshed at an airport bar when you need him?

ONE-LINERS

"You're an acquired taste. Like blue cheese. Some people love it and some think it's stinky." Arizona

"Personality? I'm asking for a job not a date to the prom!" April

"Meredith's not like you, her personality doesn't suck."Alex

"I hate musicals. I do like wine though." Cristina

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Grey's Anatomy Redux: Which Doctors Are Getting Ready to Leave Seattle?

Anatomy of a draft day trade

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For every blockbuster draft day trade like the 2011 deal between the Falcons and Browns that resulted in Atlantas acquisition of wide receiver Julio Jones in exchange for five draft picks, there are countless other transactions that fly below the radar.

Take for example the 2010 trade in which the Patriots sent the 44th and 190th selections to the Raiders for Oaklands pick at No. 42. This move drew very little interest because at its core, it really only involved a sixth-round pick in exchange for the right to move up two spots. Small potatoes, right?

If not for some quick thinking on the part of New England, Gronkowski could be a member of the Ravens right now.

Wrong.

That trade allowed the Patriots to leapfrog the Baltimore Ravenswho were sitting at No. 43 and in the market for a tight endand draft a guy from the University of Arizona named Rob Gronkowski.

With an allotment of only ten minutes to make their selections during the first round, seven minutes for the second round and five minutes for rounds three through seven, NFL front offices need to be overly prepared and ready to act fast. Thats because those with the ability to operate well under pressure can end up turning a relatively insignificant transaction into an investment that pays off big dividends.

To gain a better understanding of the draft day trade process, I spoke with NFL front office veteran Tim Ruskellwho has been involved in 25 NFL draftson Tuesday for a crash course in the art of the draft day trade. Ruskell spent five years as the general manager of the Seattle Seahawks (2005-2009) before serving as the director of player personnel for the Chicago Bears from 2010-2012.

THE DRAFT ROOM

Each team has its own specific game plan for how to approach the three-day draft, but for the most part, the key players seated at the head table who are involved in the decision making process remain the same.

In most instances its your general manager, head coach, salary cap guy and whoever is running your personnel department, said Ruskell. But its different on every team. Sometimes the owner is in the room if hes the one driving the train. But theres one decision maker on every team who is in charge of running the draft and making the final decision. That guy is going to have the final say. But he may want to hear what the others think and typically, he would.

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Anatomy of a draft day trade

Want to learn more about Parkinson's Disease?

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Readmore: Local, News, Parkinson's Disease, Want to Learn more about Parkinson's Disease?, Parkinsons Conference, Crown Reef Resort, Parkinson's Conference at Crown Reef Resort

Parkinson's Disease affects nearly one million people in the United States.

A man who has the disorder and his mother put on a conference at the Crown Reef Resort Thursday to teach people about the disease.

Parkinson's involves the malfunction or death of nerve cells in the brain that produce a chemical that sends messages to part of the brain that controls movement.

The cause of Parkinson's in unknown and there is no cure. But there are treatment options like medication and surgery to manage symptoms.

"There is a lot of hope out there. There's a lot of new medications coming through the pipeline that will be helpful. We also encourage people to live their lives to the fullest everyday," says Karlin Schroeder with the Parkinsons Disease Foundation.

Clickhereto read more about Parkinson's Disease.

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Want to learn more about Parkinson's Disease?

Want to learn more about Parkinson’s Disease?

Posted on by

Readmore: Local, News, Parkinson's Disease, Want to Learn more about Parkinson's Disease?, Parkinsons Conference, Crown Reef Resort, Parkinson's Conference at Crown Reef Resort

Parkinson's Disease affects nearly one million people in the United States.

A man who has the disorder and his mother put on a conference at the Crown Reef Resort Thursday to teach people about the disease.

Parkinson's involves the malfunction or death of nerve cells in the brain that produce a chemical that sends messages to part of the brain that controls movement.

The cause of Parkinson's in unknown and there is no cure. But there are treatment options like medication and surgery to manage symptoms.

"There is a lot of hope out there. There's a lot of new medications coming through the pipeline that will be helpful. We also encourage people to live their lives to the fullest everyday," says Karlin Schroeder with the Parkinsons Disease Foundation.

Clickhereto read more about Parkinson's Disease.

View original post here:
Want to learn more about Parkinson's Disease?

Sanofi and Michael J. Fox Foundation Collaborate on Potential New Treatment for Parkinson's Disease

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- Fox Foundation to sponsor a clinical trial to study Sanofi compound -

PARIS , France , April 19, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Sanofi (EURONEXT: BSAC - News) (NYSE: SNY - News) announced today that it has entered into a collaboration with the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to conduct a clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of AVE 8112, a Sanofi PDE4 inhibitor - phosphodiesterase type 4 inhibitor - in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

"AVE8112 has shown promising pro-cognitive activity in preclinical models that could be of interest to the under-addressed cognitive aspects of Parkinson's disease, an area of unmet need where a new treatment could make a tangible difference in patients' lives," said Todd Sherer , Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of MJFF. "Groundbreaking collaborations with like-minded partners such as Sanofi are a hallmark of the Fox Foundation's approach and help us speed scientific advances with potential to improve the treatment of Parkinson's for patients today and in the future."

Under the terms of the collaboration, MJFF will sponsor a phase I b clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of AVE8112 in patients with Parkinson's disease. All data and results generated by the clinical trial will be owned by MJFF and shared with Sanofi. Further development plans will be based upon the results of the study.

"The Michael J. Fox Foundation has been a driving force in discovering and developing improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's disease. Through this research collaboration, together we will be able to study Sanofi's pharmaceutical compound for a possible new treatment for PD patients around the world," said Dr. Elias Zerhouni , President, Global R&D, Sanofi. "We hope to continue to develop relationships with private foundations like the Michael J. Fox Foundation to pool our resources and maximize the potential of our drug portfolio to address unmet medical needs."

The clinical trial will be conducted at clinical sites in the United States in Baltimore , MD, and Los Angeles , CA. Patient enrollment in the study is expected to begin later this year.

***

About Parkinson's Disease Over one million people in the US and an estimated 5 million people globally suffer from Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the diminished production of dopamine, a key neurotransmitter, resulting in progressive impairment of motor function including tremors, rigidity and difficulty in moving. Another symptom of PD is cognitive dysfunction, such as difficulty planning, sequencing, initiating and sustaining behavior toward a goal. Estimates vary but some studies suggest a cognitive deficit may occur in up to 80% of people with Parkinson's. While there is a drug approved for the treatment of dementia in PD, there are currently no treatments available for patients who experience less severe cognitive impairments.

About Sanofi Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: BSAC - News) and in New York (NYSE: SNY - News).

About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research As the world's largest private funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more than $285 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. Now through December 31, 2012 , all new and increased giving to The Michael J. Fox Foundation, as well as gifts from donors who have not given since 2009 or earlier, will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis with the $50-million Brin Wojcicki Challenge, launched by Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki .

Read more:
Sanofi and Michael J. Fox Foundation Collaborate on Potential New Treatment for Parkinson's Disease

Sanofi and Michael J. Fox Foundation Collaborate on Potential New Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease

Posted on by

- Fox Foundation to sponsor a clinical trial to study Sanofi compound -

PARIS , France , April 19, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Sanofi (EURONEXT: BSAC - News) (NYSE: SNY - News) announced today that it has entered into a collaboration with the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to conduct a clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of AVE 8112, a Sanofi PDE4 inhibitor - phosphodiesterase type 4 inhibitor - in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

"AVE8112 has shown promising pro-cognitive activity in preclinical models that could be of interest to the under-addressed cognitive aspects of Parkinson's disease, an area of unmet need where a new treatment could make a tangible difference in patients' lives," said Todd Sherer , Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of MJFF. "Groundbreaking collaborations with like-minded partners such as Sanofi are a hallmark of the Fox Foundation's approach and help us speed scientific advances with potential to improve the treatment of Parkinson's for patients today and in the future."

Under the terms of the collaboration, MJFF will sponsor a phase I b clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of AVE8112 in patients with Parkinson's disease. All data and results generated by the clinical trial will be owned by MJFF and shared with Sanofi. Further development plans will be based upon the results of the study.

"The Michael J. Fox Foundation has been a driving force in discovering and developing improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's disease. Through this research collaboration, together we will be able to study Sanofi's pharmaceutical compound for a possible new treatment for PD patients around the world," said Dr. Elias Zerhouni , President, Global R&D, Sanofi. "We hope to continue to develop relationships with private foundations like the Michael J. Fox Foundation to pool our resources and maximize the potential of our drug portfolio to address unmet medical needs."

The clinical trial will be conducted at clinical sites in the United States in Baltimore , MD, and Los Angeles , CA. Patient enrollment in the study is expected to begin later this year.

***

About Parkinson's Disease Over one million people in the US and an estimated 5 million people globally suffer from Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the diminished production of dopamine, a key neurotransmitter, resulting in progressive impairment of motor function including tremors, rigidity and difficulty in moving. Another symptom of PD is cognitive dysfunction, such as difficulty planning, sequencing, initiating and sustaining behavior toward a goal. Estimates vary but some studies suggest a cognitive deficit may occur in up to 80% of people with Parkinson's. While there is a drug approved for the treatment of dementia in PD, there are currently no treatments available for patients who experience less severe cognitive impairments.

About Sanofi Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: BSAC - News) and in New York (NYSE: SNY - News).

About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research As the world's largest private funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more than $285 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. Now through December 31, 2012 , all new and increased giving to The Michael J. Fox Foundation, as well as gifts from donors who have not given since 2009 or earlier, will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis with the $50-million Brin Wojcicki Challenge, launched by Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki .

Read more:
Sanofi and Michael J. Fox Foundation Collaborate on Potential New Treatment for Parkinson's Disease

19th century therapy for Parkinson’s disease may help patients today

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Public release date: 19-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Deb Song deb_song@rush.edu 312-942-0588 Rush University Medical Center

(CHICAGO) In the 19th century, Jean-Martin Charcot, the celebrated neurologist, developed a "vibration chair," to relieve symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Charcot reported improvements in his patients, but he died shortly thereafter and a more complete evaluation of the therapy was never conducted. Now, a group of neurological researchers at Rush University Medical Center have replicated his work in a study to see if Charcot's observation holds true against modern scientific testing.

Results from the study indicate that while vibration therapy does significantly improve some symptoms of Parkinson's disease, the effect is due to placebo or other nonspecific factors, and not the vibration. The findings are published in the April issue of Journal of Parkinson's Disease.

"We attempted to mimic Charcot's protocol with modern equipment in order to confirm or refute an historical observation," explains lead investigator Christopher G. Goetz, MD, director of the Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders Center at Rush. "Both the treated group and the control group improved similarly, suggesting other factors had an effect on Parkinson's disease motor function."

Charcot's patients told him that during long carriage rides or train journeys, uncomfortable or painful symptoms of Parkinson's disease seemed to disappear, and the relief lasted quite some time after the journey. He developed a chair that mimicked the continuous jerking of a carriage or train.

Goetz and his colleagues randomly assigned 23 patients to either a vibrating chair or the same chair without vibration. During the treatment sessions, both groups of study participants listened to a relaxation CD of nature sounds. Study participants underwent daily treatment for a month.

The patients in the vibration treatment group showed significant improvement in motor function after daily 30-minute treatments for four weeks. Although not as high, motor function scores for the no vibration group also improved significantly. Both groups showed similar and significant improvement in depression, anxiety, fatigue, and nighttime sleep and both groups reported similar high satisfaction with their treatment.

"Our results confirm Charcot's observation of improvement in Parkinson's disease symptomology with chronic vibration treatment, but we did not find the effect specific to vibration," said Goetz. "Instead, our data suggest that auditory sensory stimulation with relaxation in a lounge chair or simply the participation in a research protocol has equivalent benefit as vibration on motor function."

"While we can agree that our results may not change scientific thinking on treatment mechanisms, our results will allow clinicians to guide patients to at least one apparatus that is safe and associated with objective changes in parkinsonian impairment scores," said Goetz. "Charcot's advice to colleagues resonates as one places vibration therapy in the context of potential options for patients. 'It is no small gain to be able to relieve the sufferers of paralysis agitans.'"

The rest is here:
19th century therapy for Parkinson's disease may help patients today

19th century therapy for Parkinson's disease may help patients today

Posted on by

Public release date: 19-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Deb Song deb_song@rush.edu 312-942-0588 Rush University Medical Center

(CHICAGO) In the 19th century, Jean-Martin Charcot, the celebrated neurologist, developed a "vibration chair," to relieve symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Charcot reported improvements in his patients, but he died shortly thereafter and a more complete evaluation of the therapy was never conducted. Now, a group of neurological researchers at Rush University Medical Center have replicated his work in a study to see if Charcot's observation holds true against modern scientific testing.

Results from the study indicate that while vibration therapy does significantly improve some symptoms of Parkinson's disease, the effect is due to placebo or other nonspecific factors, and not the vibration. The findings are published in the April issue of Journal of Parkinson's Disease.

"We attempted to mimic Charcot's protocol with modern equipment in order to confirm or refute an historical observation," explains lead investigator Christopher G. Goetz, MD, director of the Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders Center at Rush. "Both the treated group and the control group improved similarly, suggesting other factors had an effect on Parkinson's disease motor function."

Charcot's patients told him that during long carriage rides or train journeys, uncomfortable or painful symptoms of Parkinson's disease seemed to disappear, and the relief lasted quite some time after the journey. He developed a chair that mimicked the continuous jerking of a carriage or train.

Goetz and his colleagues randomly assigned 23 patients to either a vibrating chair or the same chair without vibration. During the treatment sessions, both groups of study participants listened to a relaxation CD of nature sounds. Study participants underwent daily treatment for a month.

The patients in the vibration treatment group showed significant improvement in motor function after daily 30-minute treatments for four weeks. Although not as high, motor function scores for the no vibration group also improved significantly. Both groups showed similar and significant improvement in depression, anxiety, fatigue, and nighttime sleep and both groups reported similar high satisfaction with their treatment.

"Our results confirm Charcot's observation of improvement in Parkinson's disease symptomology with chronic vibration treatment, but we did not find the effect specific to vibration," said Goetz. "Instead, our data suggest that auditory sensory stimulation with relaxation in a lounge chair or simply the participation in a research protocol has equivalent benefit as vibration on motor function."

"While we can agree that our results may not change scientific thinking on treatment mechanisms, our results will allow clinicians to guide patients to at least one apparatus that is safe and associated with objective changes in parkinsonian impairment scores," said Goetz. "Charcot's advice to colleagues resonates as one places vibration therapy in the context of potential options for patients. 'It is no small gain to be able to relieve the sufferers of paralysis agitans.'"

The rest is here:
19th century therapy for Parkinson's disease may help patients today

NI in Parkinson's research world first

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Published Friday, 20 April 2012

Researchers from around the world are coming together to study Parkinson's (Getty)

The announcement was made at a special event at Queen's University, as part of Parkinson's Awareness Week.

Parkinson's UK says the research study will boost the chances of finding a cure to stop the devastating symptoms, including tremors, mood changes, movement difficulties, loss of smell and speech problems.

The charity is looking to recruit up to 3,000 sufferers throughout the UK, who are at an early stage of the condition, for the study called 'Tracking Parkinson's'.

The aim of the 1.6m study is to identify elusive biomarkers and develop simple tests, like blood tests, to diagnose the disease.

We could identify some of the problems and, moving forward, we could actually treat Parkinson's rather than the symptoms, and that would be a cure.

Kieran Breen, Director of Research and Innovation at Parkinson's UK

As part of the study, the responses to treatments for tremors, movement problems, anxiety, memory lapses and digestion problems will be closely monitored for up to five years.

"Studies like 'Tracking Parkinson's' could make a huge difference and help us to ultimately find a cure," said Dr Kieran Breen.

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NI in Parkinson's research world first