Monthly Archives: May 2012

Global Markets for Media, Sera and Reagents in Biotechnology — Focus on the U.S.

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NEW YORK, May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Global Markets for Media, Sera and Reagents in Biotechnology -- Focus on the U.S.

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0870805/Global-Markets-for-Media-Sera-and-Reagents-in-Biotechnology----Focus-on-the-US.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=In_Vitro_Diagnostic

INTRODUCTION

STUDY OBJECTIVES

BCC's goal in conducting this study is to provide an overview of the current and future characteristics of the global market for media, sera and the reagents used in biotechnology. The key objective is to present a comprehensive analysis of the current market and its future direction in the media, sera and biotechnology reagents markets as an important tool for the cell culture industry.

This report explores present and future strategies within the media and sera market, including reagents used in biotechnology. The improvisation of the market, the setbacks and the needs of the market are discussed in this report. The types of cell cultures and the products from cell culture technology are also presented in this report. The advantages and disadvantages for the use of various types of media are also covered in this report.

A detailed analysis of the cell culture industry structure has been conducted. This includes the biotechnology reagents, media and the sera used. Revenues are broken down by global region. Sales figures are estimated for the five-year period from 2011 through 2016.

Applications for the cell culture industrymedia, sera and reagents used in biotechnologyare also discussed in the report, with an emphasis on the usage in the research, production and contract segments. The report also covers significant patents in each segment.

REASONS FOR DOING THIS STUDY

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Global Markets for Media, Sera and Reagents in Biotechnology -- Focus on the U.S.

American Oriental Bioengineering Inc. Announces Suspension of Trading in its Common Stock and the Initiation of …

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NEWARK, N. J., May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- American Oriental Bioengineering, Inc. (AOBI) (the "Company"), today announced that it received written notification on May 25, 2012, from the NYSE Regulation, Inc. staff, on behalf of the New York Stock Exchange LLC ("NYSE"), that the staff had determined to immediately suspend trading in the common stock of the Company and file a delisting application with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") pursuant to Section 804.00 of the Listed Company Manual. The staff stated in its notice that it had determined that the Company no longer meets the standard for continued listing on the NYSE and that it is necessary and appropriate for the protection of investors to immediately suspend trading in its common stock and initiate delisting proceedings.Trading in the Company's common stock on the NYSE had been halted since March 16, 2012.

As a result of the above actions, on Tuesday, May 29, 2012, the Company's common stock commenced quotation on the OTC Markets under the ticker symbol "AOBI."

About American Oriental Bioengineering, Inc.

American Oriental Bioengineering, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving health through the development, manufacture and commercialization of a broad range of prescription and over the counter products.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements made in this press release are forward-looking and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements.The economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors identified in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward looking statements in this press release.The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact:

Kewa Luo 646-367-1765

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On early Earth, iron may have performed magnesium's RNA folding job

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Public release date: 31-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Abby Robinson abby@innovate.gatech.edu 404-385-3364 Georgia Institute of Technology Research News

On the periodic table of the elements, iron and magnesium are far apart. But new evidence suggests that 3 billion years ago, iron did the chemical work now done by magnesium in helping RNA fold and function properly.

There is considerable evidence that the evolution of life passed through an early stage when RNA played a more central role before DNA and coded proteins appeared. During that time, more than 3 billion years ago, the environment lacked oxygen but had an abundance of soluble iron.

In a new study, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology used experiments and numerical calculations to show that iron, in the absence of oxygen, can substitute for magnesium in RNA binding, folding and catalysis. The researchers found that RNA's shape and folding structure remained the same and its functional activity increased when magnesium was replaced by iron in an oxygen-free environment.

"The primary motivation of this work was to understand RNA in plausible early earth conditions and we found that iron could support an array of RNA structures and catalytic functions more diverse than RNA with magnesium," said Loren Williams, a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech.

The results of the study were published online on May 31, 2012 in the journal PLoS ONE. The study was supported by the NASA Astrobiology Institute.

In addition to Williams, Georgia Tech School of Biology postdoctoral fellow Shreyas Athavale, research scientist Anton Petrov, and professors Roger Wartell and Stephen Harvey, and Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry postdoctoral fellow Chiaolong Hsiao and professor Nicholas Hud also contributed to this work.

Free oxygen gas was almost nonexistent more than 3 billion years ago in the early earth's atmosphere. When oxygen began entering the environment as a product of photosynthesis, it turned the earth's iron to rust, forming massive banded iron formations that are still mined today. The free oxygen produced by advanced organisms caused iron to be toxic, even though it was -- and still is -- a requirement for life.

This environmental transition triggered by the introduction of free oxygen into the atmosphere would have caused a slow, but dramatic, shift in biology that required transformations in biochemical mechanisms and metabolic pathways. The current study provides evidence that this transition may have caused a shift from iron to magnesium for RNA binding, folding and catalysis processes.

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'Grey's Anatomy' exec: 'There could be more plane crash deaths'

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Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes has said that more characters could perish in the aftermath of last season's plane crash.

Lexie, played by Chyler Leigh, died of her injuries in the season eight finale earlier this month, which closed with Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), Derek (Patrick Dempsey), Cristina (Sandra Oh), Mark (Eric Dane) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) still stranded in the wilderness.

ABC / Richard Cartwright

Asked about the fate of the stranded Grey's characters, Rhimes told TV Guide: "Just because you saw people alive at the end of the finale doesn't mean they're going to be alive when the season starts up."

Rhimes previously confessed on Twitter that the finale, which also featured the departure of Teddy (Kim Raver) from Seattle Grace, had been "incredibly hard to write".

"I did not enjoy it," she claimed. "It made me sick and it made me sad.

"[Lexie's death] was a decision that Chyler and I came to together. We had a lot of thoughtful discussion about it and ultimately we both decided this was the right time for her character's journey to end."

Grey's Anatomy cast member Jesse Williams also acknowledged that it "was kind of depressing" to say goodbye to Leigh and Raver.

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'Grey's Anatomy' exec: 'There could be more plane crash deaths'

ECCC Summer class schedule announced

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East Central Community College in Decatur will offer two, four-week summer terms as well as a 10-week summer evening schedule, announced David Case, dean of admissions, records and research. Courses include:

SUMMER SESSION I The first four-week, four-day (Monday Thursday) term on the Decatur campus begins Monday, June 4 and ends Thursday, June 28.

Course offerings include General Biology I and Lab, General Biology II and Lab, Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Lab, Human Anatomy and Physiology II and Lab, Computer Concepts, Computer Applications I, Beginning English, English Composition I, English Composition II, American (U.S.) History I, American History II, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, Spanish I, Spanish II, Music Appreciation, Physical Science Survey II and Lab, Intermediate Reading and Public Speaking I. The deadline to register for the first four-week term is Tuesday, June 5.

SUMMER SESSION II The second four-week, four-day (Monday Thursday) term on the Decatur campus begins Monday, July 9 and ends Thursday, August 2.

Classes scheduled include General Biology I and Lab, General Biology II and Lab, Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Lab, Human Anatomy and Physiology II and Lab, Keyboarding, Computer Concepts, Intermediate English, English Composition I, English Composition II, Football Theory, Baseball Theory, Coaching Major Sports I, American (U.S.) History I, American History II, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, Guitar for Music Education Major I, Music Appreciation and Intermediate Reading.

The deadline to register for the second four-week term is Tuesday, July 10.

SUMMER SCHEDULE Evening classes are offered throughout the Colleges five-county district and begin Tuesday, May 29 and conclude Monday, August 6 at all locations. The last day to register is Monday, June 4.

LOUISVILLE CAREER ADVANCEMENT CENTER Evening classes offered at the Louisville Career Advancement Center include Computer Concepts and Trigonometry.

WINSTON/LOUISVILLE Evening classes offered at the Winston/Louisville Career-Technical Complex include Human Growth and Development, English Composition I, Personal and Community Health, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra and Public Speaking I.

DECATUR Classes included in the campus evening schedule are Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Lab, Word Processing Applications, Computer Applications I, Guiding Social and Emotional Behavior, Atypical Child Development, Social Studies/Math/Science for Young Children, Administration of Preschool Program, Principles of Macroeconomics, English Composition I, English Composition II, American Literature I, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra and Public Speaking I.

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ECCC Summer class schedule announced

This Week in Pathology

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Researchers led by Helenice Gobbi from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil report in Pathology that ALDH1 is frequently expressed in triple-negative breast cancer, and that its expression is linked to better outcome. The researchers examined the expression in ALDH1 as well as EZH2 both of which are cancer stem cell-related markers in 140 cases of triple negative breast cancer, and correlated it to clinicopathological features and disease outcome. "Our results showed that tumour cell expression of ALDH1 did not correlate with nodal status, outcome, or expression of basal markers," the researchers write. "Nonetheless, stromal expression of ALDH1 was significantly associated with better overall survival in our triple negative cohort."

Also in Pathology, the University of Western Australia's Benhur Amanuel and his colleagues examine the prevalence of BRAF p.Val600Glu and p.Val600Lys mutations in metastatic melanoma patients from an area with a high incidence of the disease. They performed dideoxy sequencing and fluorescent single-strand conformation analysis and found that the overall incidence of BRAF mutation in their cohort was similar to other studies, but that the frequency of p.Val600Lys mutations was higher. "The broad range of reported frequencies of BRAF p.Val600Glu and p.Val600Lys mutations and the observation that patients with the p.Val600Lys mutation were significantly older than those with p.Val600Glu mutation is intriguing," the researchers add. "These genetic aberrations may be linked to different tumour phenotypes, including possible association of the primary tumours with distinct precursor lesions."

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Schiff Nutrition International, Inc. to Present at the Jefferies 2012 Global Healthcare Conference

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SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Schiff Nutrition International, Inc., (WNI), is scheduled to present at the Jefferies 2012 Global Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, June 6th at 3:30 p.m. ET in New York City. Presenting from management will be Tarang Amin, chief executive officer and president; and Joseph Baty, chief financial officer and executive vice president.

A live webcast will be available at the following link and available for a period of 90 days. http://www.schiffnutrition.com/press_webcasts.asp

About Schiff Nutrition

Schiff Nutrition International, Inc. is a leading nutritional supplement company offering vitamins, nutritional supplements and nutrition bars in the United States and abroad. Schiffs portfolio of well-known brands includes Move Free, MegaRed, Airborne, Tiger's Milk, Sustenex, Digestive Advantage and Schiff Vitamins. Focused on quality for 75 years, Schiffs headquarters and award-winning manufacturing and distribution facility are based in Salt Lake City, Utah. To learn more about Schiff, please visit the web site http://www.schiffnutrition.com.

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Schiff Nutrition International, Inc. to Present at the Jefferies 2012 Global Healthcare Conference

F3™ Nutrition Announces Sponsorship Of New World Record Holder Of 2012 CrossFit Games Central East Regionals Dan …

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Deerfield Beach, Fla., May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Mark Post, President, F3 Nutrition, LLC today proudly announced the sponsorship signing of the "2012 CrossFit Games Central East Regionals" new world record holder Dan Bailey. A world-renowned CrossFit athlete, on day one Bailey completed the "Diane" exercise, a 225-pound dead-lift and handstand pushup rotation in 1:35, shattering the previous record by nearly 20 seconds. On day two Bailey completed 4 rounds of One Arm 100lb Dumbbell Snatches in 3:22, breaking the previous record of 3:40. That record though was beaten only weeks later by Neal Maddox at the time of 3:18. Dan had a tremendous Regional weekend finishing 2nd overall in the Men's competition.

"We are very proud to have Dan Bailey as one of our elite athletes on Team F3 Nutrition," said Mark Post, President of F3 Nutrition. "As a new world record holder from the 'CrossFit Games Central East Regionals' in just his second year of competition, Dan exemplifies everything that F3 stands for in its Fit, Form and Function formulations. Dan's level of commitment and his success in so many aspects of fitness make him the ideal athlete to represent the F3 Nutrition brand."

Bailey said, "I'm excited to be sponsored by F3 Nutrition for the performance and health benefits their products have to offer, as well as the commitment of their management team to providing the best nutritional supplements on the market."

CrossFit, which has been defined as "The Sport of Fitness," puts its athletes through a wide variety of athletic challenges that may include Olympic lifts, gymnastics movements, running, powerlifting, rowing, rope climbs, swimming, kettle bell swings, obstacle courses, and much more. Only the most well rounded athletes succeed as CrossFit Games competitors.

Dan is currently a Graduate Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at Tennessee Tech University. He competed in Track & Field and Cross Country at Ohio University. In addition to competing in CrossFit, he also is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys skiing, backpacking and white water rafting. He is highly selective about the foods he eats and as a result, he chooses to follow the Paleo Diet for 80 percent of his meal choices.

Post said, "The goal in launching F3 Nutrition is to offer premium performance products for every facet of training and competition. CrossFit is among the fastest growing sports in the world and I'm looking forward to continue working with Dan's nutritional supplement program as he trains for The CrossFit Games July 13-15. We are supporting him 100% as he strives to win the title as "The Fittest Man in The World."

"I am looking for F3 Nutritional products to supplement my healthy diet in order to allow my body to perform at the highest possible level," Bailey said. "I choose to work with F3 Nutrition because of the proven scientific research done with each product, and also because they taste wonderfully," said Bailey."

For more information on F3 Nutrition, email info@f3nutrition.com. Please visit us online at http://www.F3Nutrition.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/f3nutrition or twitter @f3nutrition.

For more information on Dan Bailey, please follow him on Twitter @Dan_Bailey9.

About CrossFit, Inc. CrossFit, Inc. is a fitness company founded by Greg Glassman in 2000. The sport of CrossFit is exploding, and as of 2012, there were approximately 3,400 CrossFit-affiliated gyms worldwide. The 2012 season kicked off with the Open, with nearly 70,000 competitors participating online and at CrossFit affiliated gyms worldwide. The top athletes and teams from the Open will move onto the 17 worldwide Regionals. The best athletes and teams at Regionals will compete at the finals of the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games, where a male and female champion are named and awarded $250,000 each.

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F3™ Nutrition Announces Sponsorship Of New World Record Holder Of 2012 CrossFit Games Central East Regionals Dan ...

New chief of medicine for PRHC

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Select a Publication: N E W S P A P E R S ---------------------------------------------- ---Alberta--- Airdrie - Airdrie Echo Banff - Banff Crag and Canyon Beaumont - Beaumont News Calgary - The Calgary Sun Camrose - Camrose Canadian Canmore - Canmore Leader Central Alberta - County Market Cochrane - Cochrane Times Cold Lake - Cold Lake Sun Crowsnest Pass - Crowsnest Pass Promoter Devon - Dispatch News Drayton - Drayton Valley Western Review Edmonton - Edmonton Examiner Edmonton - The Edmonton Sun Edson - Edson Leader Fairview - Fairview Post Fort McMurray - Fort McMurray Today Fort Saskatchewan - Fort Saskatchewan Record Grande Prairie - Daily Herald Tribune Hanna - Hanna Herald High River - High River Times Hinton - Hinton Parklander Lacombe - Lacombe Globe Leduc - Leduc Representative Lloydminster - Meridian Booster Mayerthorpe - Mayerthorpe Freelancer Nanton - Nanton News Peace Country - Peace Country Sun Peace River - Peace River Record Gazette Pincher Creek - Pincher Creek Echo Sherwood Park - Sherwood Park News Spruce Grove - Spruce Grove Examiner Stony Plain - Stony Plain Reporter Strathmore - Strathmore Standard Vermilion - Vermilion Standard Vulcan - Vulcan Advocate Wetaskiwin - Wetaskiwin Times Whitecourt - Whitecourt Star ---Manitoba--- Altona - Alton Red River Valley Echo Beausejour - Beausejour Review Carman - Carman Valley Leader Gimli - Interlake Spectator Lac Du Bonnet - Lac Du Bonnet Leader Morden - Morden Times Portage la Prairie - Portage Daily Graphic Selkirk - Selkirk Journal Stonewall - Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times Winkler - Winkler Times Winnipeg - The Winnipeg Sun ---Ontario--- Amherstburg - Amherstburg Echo Bancroft - Bancroft this Week Barrie - Barrie Examiner Barry's Bay - Barry's Bay this Week Belleville - Intelligencer Bradford - Bradford Times Brantford - Expositor Brockville - The Recorder & Times Chatham - Chatham Daily News Chatham - Chatham This Week Chatham - Today's Farmer Clinton - Clinton News-Record Cobourg - Northumberland Today Cochrane - Cochrane Times Post Collingwood - Enterprise Bulletin Cornwall - Standard Freeholder Delhi - Delhi News-Record Dresden - Leader Spirit Dunnville - Dunnville Chronicle Elliot Lake - Standard Espanola - Mid-North Monitor Fort Erie - Times Gananoque - Gananoque Reporter Goderich - Goderich Signal-Star Grand Bend - Lakeshore Advance Haliburton - Haliburton Echo Hanover - The Post Ingersoll - Ingersoll Times Innisfil - Innisfil Examiner Kapuskasing - Kapuskasing Northern Times Kenora - Kenora Daily Miner and News Kenora - Lake of the Woods Enterprise Kincardine - Kincardine News Kingston - Frontenac This Week Kingston - Kingston This Week Kingston - Kingston Whig Standard Kirkland Lake - Northern News Leamington - Leamington Post Lindsay - The Lindsay Post London - The London Free Press London - The Londoner Lucknow - Lucknow Sentinel Midland - Free Press Minden - Minden Times Mitchell - Mitchell Advocate Napanee - Napanee Guide Niagara-on-the-Lake - Niagara Advance Niagara Falls - Review Niagara Falls - Niagara Shopping News Niagara Falls - W. Niagara Community Newspapers North Bay - North Bay Nugget Northumberland - Northumberland Today Norwich - Norwich Gazette Orillia - Packet and Times Ottawa - The Ottawa Sun Owen Sound - Sun Times Oxford - Oxford Review Paris - Paris Star Online Pelham - Pelham News Pembroke - Daily Observer Peterborough - Peterborough Examiner Petrolia - Petrolia Topic Picton - County Weekly News Port Colborne - Inport News Port Hope - Northumberland Today Port Elgin - Shoreline Beacon Sarnia - Observer Sarnia - Sarnia This Week Sault Ste Marie - Sault Star Sault Ste Marie - Sault This Week Seaforth - Seaforth Huron Expositor Simcoe - Simcoe Reformer St. Catharines - St. Catharines Shopping News St. Catharines - Standard St. Thomas - St. Thomas Times-Journal Stirling - Community Press Stratford - The Beacon Herald Strathroy - Strathroy Age Dispatch Sudbury - Sudbury Star Thorold - Thorold News Tillsonburg - Tillsonburg News Timmins - Daily Press Timmins - Timmins Times Toronto - The Toronto Sun Trenton - Trentonian Wallaceburg - Wallaceburg Courier Press Welland - Tribune Welland - Welland News West Lorne - The Chronicle Wiarton - Wiarton Echo Woodstock - Sentinel Review ---Saskatchewan--- Meadow Lake - Meadow Lake Progress Melfort - Melfort Journal Nipawin - Nipawin Journal MAGAZINES & SPECIALTY PUBLICATIONS --------- Biz Magazine Business London Cottage Home and Property Showcase Food and Wine Show Hamilton Halton Weddings Hamilton Magazine InterVin International Wine Awards Kingston Life London Citylife Muskoka Magazine Muskoka Trails Niagara Food and Wine Expo Niagara Magazine Ontario Farmer Ontario Golf Sault Good Life Simcoe Life The Home Show Vines Magazine What's Up Muskoka

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New chief of medicine for PRHC

Boston Scientific Increases Longevity Projections for Its U.S. Defibrillators

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NATICK, Mass., May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved revised product labeling for the Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) INCEPTA, ENERGEN, PUNCTUA, COGNIS and TELIGEN implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds), to reflect increased longevity projections for these devices. The longevity projections are based on data submitted to the FDA and vary for each device dependent on the model type and settings.

Projected device longevity exceeds 10 years for some models of Boston Scientific ICDs, and approaches eight years for its CRT-D devices, and nearly double that of comparable competitive device models (1,2,3). The company backs these devices with warranties of up to 10 years* in the U.S. and many other international markets. Depending on the model, the device warranties are also up to twice as long as other currently-marketed comparable devices.

"We're pleased with the new labeling for our U.S. defibrillator products which provides doctors and patients with additional assurance about the longevity and reliability of these devices," said Kenneth Stein, M.D., chief medical officer of Boston Scientific's Cardiac Rhythm Management Group. "Boston Scientific ICDs and CRT-Ds benefit from our proprietary advanced battery technology. The new battery was first introduced in the COGNIS and TELIGEN devices in 2008 and has now been incorporated into our newest devices with up to a 10-year warranty."

"The Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial (SCD-HeFT) long-term follow-up study results, which were recently presented at the Heart Rhythm Society annual meeting in Boston, demonstrates that ICD therapy continues to benefit patients for a median follow-up of 11 years. Particularly in New York Heart Association Class II patients, it appears that an ICD may prolong a patient's life for at least a decade by rescuing the patient from sudden cardiac death," said Jeanne Poole, M.D., director, Arrhythmia Service and Electrophysiology Laboratory at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. "By helping to mitigate the frequency of replacing an ICD or CRT-D device, this technology provides us with the potential to reduce the complications associated with replacement procedures and to reduce healthcare costs. Not only does the patient benefit from fewer surgeries, but the financial benefit can be significant."

*INCEPTA & ENERGEN VR ICD: 10 years; INCEPTA & ENERGEN DR ICD: 8 years; PUNCTUA & TELIGEN ICD: 7 years; INCEPTA & ENERGEN CRT-D: 6 years; and PUNCTUA & COGNIS CRT-D: 5 years.

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. For more information, please visit: http://www.bostonscientific.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "anticipate," "expect," "project," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "intend" and similar words. These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and estimates using information available to us at the time and are not intended to be guarantees of future events or performance. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding, regulatory approvals, clinical trials, clinical outcomes, financial savings associated with the use of our products, product performance and competitive offerings. If our underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect, or if certain risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. These factors, in some cases, have affected and in the future (together with other factors) could affect our ability to implement our business strategy and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements expressed in this press release. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements.

Factors that may cause such differences include, among other things: future economic, competitive, reimbursement and regulatory conditions; new product introductions; demographic trends; intellectual property; litigation; financial market conditions; and future business decisions made by us and our competitors. All of these factors are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of them are beyond our control. For a further list and description of these and other important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations, see Part I, Item 1A Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we may update in Part II, Item 1A Risk Factors in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q we have filed or will file hereafter. We disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document.

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UCLA Longevity Center To Honor Sidney Poitier, Jane & Terry Semel, Dr. Peter Whybrow, Shlomo Rechnitz & Steve Rechnitz …

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LOS ANGELES, May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The UCLA Longevity Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing and extending productive and healthy lives through research and education, honors Sidney Poitier, Jane and Terry Semel, Peter Whybrow, MD, Shlomo Rechnitz and Steve Rechnitz at the 2012 ICON Awards gala, June 6 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Quincy Jones presents; author and former "first daughter" Patti Davis is guest speaker.Natalie Cole performs and Lisa Ann Walter hosts.

The ICON Award for Artistic Excellence will be presented to Sidney Poitier. In 1963, Poitier became the first black person to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field. Most recently, President Barack Obama awarded Poitier the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States of America's highest civilian honor.

Jane and Terry Semel receive the ICON Award for Visionary Leadership in Science and Medicine. Chairman and CEO of Windsor Media, Semel previously served as Chairman and CEO of Yahoo! Inc. and Chairman and Co-CEO of Warner Bros. Jane Bovingdon Semel is the founder of ijane inc., the nonprofit production company that produced the Face The Issue PSA campaign. The Semels endowed the Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior at UCLA, one of the largest and most distinguished institutes engaged in the study of the brain.

The ICON Award for Visionary Leadership in Science and Medicine will also be presented to Dr. Peter Whybrow, Director of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.

Shlomo Rechnitz and Steve Rechnitz receive the ICON Award for Visionary Leadership in Business and Philanthropy. In 2004, Shlomo Rechnitz founded Brius Healthcare Company. He is the co-founder and CEO of Twin Med, LLC.

In 1998, Steve Rechnitz formed Twin Med with his twin brother, Shlomo. They have utilized their success in the healthcare field to give back to the field of medicine and have contributed millions of dollars to cancer research.

The UCLA Longevity Center, directed by aging and memory expert Dr. Gary Small, is an essential component of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and represents the best of UCLA. Through cutting-edge research and innovative programs, the Center's endeavors are improving lives every day.

http://www.longevity.ucla.edu

The ICON gala is produced by Scott Mauro Entertainment.

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Rewriting DNA to understand what it says

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Public release date: 31-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Yivsam Azgad news@weizmann.ac.il 972-893-43856 Weizmann Institute of Science

Our ability to "read" DNA has made tremendous progress in the past few decades, but the ability to understand and alter the genetic code, that is, to "rewrite" the DNA-encoded instructions, has lagged behind. A new Weizmann Institute study advances our understanding of the genetic code: It proposes a way of effectively introducing numerous carefully planned DNA segments into genomes of living cells and of testing the effects of these changes. The study is being reported in the June issues of Nature Biotechnology and Nature Genetics.

Until now, changing the DNA sequence has been a slow and labor-intensive process. It took several weeks to alter just one DNA region at a time; testing the effects of each of these changes took even longer. In the new study, Weizmann Institute scientists have developed a technology that makes it possible to simultaneously introduce tens of thousands of DNA regions into tens of thousands of living cells each region in a separate cell in a planned and systematic manner, and to measure the results of each such change with great precision and within a single experiment.

"This fast method will significantly advance our ability to understand the 'language' of DNA," says research team leader Prof. Eran Segal, of the Weizmann Institute's Computer Science and Applied Mathematics and Molecular Cell Biology Departments. "Reading out a person's entire genome is already a manageable task, but what exactly is written in that genome? After all, a genome looks like a lengthy string of letters whose meaning is for the most part obscure. Just deciphering the DNA letters is like trying to understand a foreign language by listening to it being spoken. Our method will help us identify DNA 'words' and understand their meaning."

Understanding what's written in the DNA might help us interpret, among other things, how genotypic differences among people generate observable differences among them, from the way we look to the way our cells function. Thus, for example, it might be possible to clarify which genetic differences are responsible for the development of various diseases in certain individuals. The Weizmann Institute technology can also lead to improved genetic therapies based on introducing new genes or improved regulatory sequences into cells in order to repair genetic defects.

In the present study, the scientists investigated a vital aspect of the DNA language: How the control of gene expression is encoded in the DNA that is, the instructions determining the level of activity of each gene in the genetic code. Since gene activity levels have crucial effects on cell function, this question, considered one of the central in molecular biology, has been studied for decades. The new technology has enabled the scientists to isolate and test the effects of various parameters on gene activity levels: For example, how a gene's activity level is affected by the gene's distance from its regulatory sequence. The researchers have managed to elucidate how various parameters define the regulatory "language" and to demonstrate how deliberate changes in the genetic sequence affect these parameters in a way that alters the level of a gene's activity in a predictable manner.

The new method consists of four steps that combine existing technologies in an innovative manner. The steps are: creation of 50,000 different genetic sequences on DNA chips; massive insertion of these sequences into cells at the same time; sorting the cells with the help of a sorting machine that senses the expression levels of a "reporter" gene; and high-throughput parallel DNA sequencing.

Taking part in the study were Weizmann Institute's graduate students Eilon Sharon, Tali Raveh-Sadka and Michal Levo, research assistant Dr. Yael Kalma and research associate Dr. Adina Weinberger, as well as Dr. Zohar Yakhini from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and Agilent Laboratories, Santa Clara, California.

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Rewriting DNA to understand what it says

Posted in DNA

DNA Dynamics Announces Release Of THE NAKED GUN: I.C.U.P.® For iOS® Devices — In Glorious 2-D

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LEAMINGTON SPA, United Kingdom, May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --DNA Dynamics, Inc. (OTC Pink: DNAD), a global developer and publisher of mobile videogames is delighted to announced that, through its wholly-owned subsidiary DNA Interactive Ltd, and in collaboration with Appbackr, Inc. and Bad Neighbors, Inc., THE NAKED GUN: I.C.U.P. is at long last now available for download on iOS devices.

Named as one of the most anticipated mobile games of 2012 by Pocket Gamer, THE NAKED GUN: I.C.U.P. was designed by DNA and Bad Neighbors as an uproarious adventure game that introduces a fresh twist to the venerable Paramount Pictures film franchise. Spoofing modern crime dramas and popular video gaming culture, THE NAKED GUN: I.C.U.P. features classic 2-D adventure gaming updated for today's modern audiences. Gameplay features include finger-numbing mini-games, collectible objects, upgradeable environments, completely arbitrary unlockable outfits and surprise cameos by some of the gaming world's most notoriously obnoxious characters.

Bob LoCash, the original film series writer/producer who penned the game's all-new storyline, stated, "Bringing this new chapter to life with the amazing and talented crew at DNA (I was held hostage for three days with a sack over my head until I agreed to the preceding statement) was a total pleasure. This game is something special - a funny and engaging piece of entertainment that will hopefully win the hearts of Naked Gun fans, gaming fans, and comedy fans alike. If not, there's always dinner theatre."

Channelling the hard-nosed, but dumb-witted characters brought to life in the film series, THE NAKED GUN: I.C.U.P tasks mobile gamers to follow Lt. Frank Drebin's son, Frank Drebin, Jr. along with his brand-new crime-fighting team to dispense justice on evil-doers which, let's face it, should be easier than finding morbidly obese people at a Renaissance Fair!

THE NAKED GUN: I.C.U.P. is available for $4.99 or about the same price as a gallon of milk for your needy family - from the App Store for iPad and iPhone.

About Bad Neighbors, Inc.Bad Neighbors Inc. is a multimedia company dedicated to returning the lost arts of narrative and twisted humor into video games, feature films, and television. THE NAKED GUN: I.C.U.P. is their first title. Other projects in development include the feature-film comedies THE NOBODY and STUDS, currently in pre-production with Stove Village Pictures.

About Appbackr Inc.Appbackr Inc. is a privately funded startup based in Palo Alto, CA. The first wholesale marketplace for apps, appbackr's approach revolutionizes the mobile industry by solving common funding and distribution problems. Appbackr enables app developers to raise cash without giving up equity in the company or product. Winner of the PayPal X Developer Challenge and SVASE/Cambridge West Ventures Seed Fund Award, the Company was also selected as an AlwaysOn Global 250 Company.

About DNA Interactive LtdEstablished in 2010, DNA Interactive, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DNA Dynamics, is a publisher of games and apps for mobile and tablet devices including iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets. At the present time, DNA Interactive's IP portfolio is comprised of proprietary game titles which include Quest of Legends, Jigsawium, Legacy: Mystery Mansion, Chess Crusade and Sudokium. Its licensed titles include The Naked Gunand Warheads: Medieval Tales. For more information, please visit http://www.dna-interactive.com.

About DNA Dynamics, Inc.Headquartered in Leamington Spa in the United Kingdom, DNA Dynamics is a worldwide developer and publisher of graphically rich, highly experiential interactive entertainment currently delivered on iOS, Android, Nintendo DS and Sony PSP platforms. Through its operating subsidiaries, DNA Studios and DNA Interactive, the Company has created, acquired or licensed a portfolio of highly recognizable or emerging brands that broadly appeal to its consumer demographics, ranging from children to adults and casual gamers to serious enthusiasts. For more information, please go to http://www.dnadynamics.net. You can also follow the Company on Facebook and Twitter.

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DNA Dynamics Announces Release Of THE NAKED GUN: I.C.U.P.® For iOS® Devices -- In Glorious 2-D

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Illumina Introduces Nextera® XT DNA Sample Preparation Kits

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SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Illumina (ILMN) today introduced the Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation Kit, the easiest way for researchers to prepare and sequence small genomes, PCR amplicons, and plasmids. When paired with Illuminas MiSeq system, Nextera XT provides the fastest time to result of any next-generation sequencing technology currently available, enabling researchers to go from genomic DNA to analyzed data in less than 8 hours.

Nextera is the industrys fastest sequencing sample preparation technology, with a simple assay that fragments DNA and inserts sequencing adapters and barcodes, all in a single tube. Nextera XT builds on this foundation with its cost-effective and improved workflow. The kits innovative sample normalization procedure eliminates the need for library quantitation prior to sample pooling and sequencing.

Whether you are sequencing bacterial or viral genomes, plasmids, or PCR amplicons, the Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation kit delivers the fastest time to answer, said Christian Henry, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Illuminas Genomic Solutions Business. Researchers will easily and cost-effectively be able to prepare a large number of amplicons by simultaneously pooling and preparing them with Nextera XT. Up to 96 samples can then be combined and rapidly sequenced to enable flexible and scalable study design.

Additionally, Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation Kits offer unique benefits to researchers including:

Nextera XT made transitioning our targeted HIV amplicon sequencing experiments to the MiSeq system extremely easy, said Dr. Jacques Corbeil from the Infectious Disease Research Center in Quebec and Canada Research Chair in Medical Genomics. The output of the MiSeq system helps us screen many more samples rapidly, and its high-quality data enables us to detect low-frequency HIV variants.

Illuminas Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation Kits are now shipping. For more information, visit http://www.illumina.com/xt.

About Illumina

Illumina (www.illumina.com) is a leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of life science tools and integrated systems for the analysis of genetic variation and function. We provide innovative sequencing and array-based solutions for genotyping, copy number variation analysis, methylation studies, gene expression profiling, and low-multiplex analysis of DNA, RNA, and protein. We also provide tools and services that are fueling advances in consumer genomics and diagnostics. Our technology and products accelerate genetic analysis research and its application, paving the way for molecular medicine and ultimately transforming healthcare.

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Sunshine vitamin may offer protection from winter viruses, suggest researchers

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Supplementation with vitamin D could help to protect against viral infections during the winter, according to new research.

The study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology reports that intake of vitamin D supplements during autumn and winter months could help to protect against viral infections, especially in older people.

Led by Dr Victor Manuel Martinez-Taboada from the Unversidad de Cantabria, Spain, the research team explained that levels of vitamin D otherwise known as the sunshine vitamin decrease during autumn and winter when days are shorter and sunlight is relatively weak. They suggest this could explain why people are more prone to viral infection during these times, arguing that supplementation, especially in older populations, could strengthen people's innate immunity against viral infections.

"There are numerous studies showing the benefits of maintaining adequate Vitamin D levels. As more and more research into Vitamin D is conducted, we are learning that it is extremely important for human health, said Martinez-Taboada.

"Our study is no different, and vitamin D supplements should be considered one of many tools that might help when conventional therapies are not enough," he added.

Commenting on the research, Dr John Wherry, deputy editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology noted:"There have been numerous studies showing several environmental factors during winter months may allow viruses to spread easier ... This study shows that sunlight, or more precisely the lack of vitamin D, could have a role in the seasonally higher rates of infection.

Wherry added that further and more extensive studies must be conducted before any association can conclusively be shown. However he conceded that because vitamin D supplements are inexpensive and generally safe: this is a really exciting discovery."

Sunshine vitamin

Vitamin D refers to two biologically inactive precursors - D3, also known as cholecalciferol, and D2, also known as ergocalciferol. Both D3 and D2 precursors are transformed in the liver and kidneys into 25- hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), the non-active 'storage' form, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D).

While our bodies do manufacture vitamin D on exposure to sunshine, the levels in some northern countries are so weak during the winter months that our body makes no vitamin D at all, meaning that dietary supplements and fortified foods are seen by many as the best way to boost intakes of vitamin D.

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Sunshine vitamin may offer protection from winter viruses, suggest researchers

Silicon Biosystems Opens San Diego Laboratory to Support Expansion in US Market

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SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Silicon Biosystems, Inc., a provider of specialized molecular and cellular biology technology, has opened laboratory facilities in San Diego on the La Jolla Torrey Pines mesa, amidst San Diegos pharmaceutical and nonprofit biology research centers.

Having laboratory and office space in San Diego, one of the top global biotechnology hubs, gives us the ability to showcase the unique benefits of our DEPArray system and offer specialized services to our customers in the U.S., said Bob Proulx, president and general manager of Silicon Biosystems U.S. operations. Being on the ground in the U.S. supports our marketing and sales strategy and will allow us to better serve our rapidly expanding pharmaceutical and clinical research customer base.

The combined offices and laboratories will serve as a demonstration and training facility for Silicon Biosystems customers and will allow the company to leverage the unique capabilities of the DEPArray system in the recovery of single pure cells by offering rare cell sample processing as a fee-for-service. Clients interested in collecting specific cell populations, such as CTCs, for clinical studies or biomarker discovery will be able to send samples to Silicon Biosystems lab and get single pure cells or cellular content returned for downstream analyses, such as sequencing or expression profiling.

The new facility is located at 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121.

About Silicon Biosystems

Silicon Biosystems, S.p.A., based in Bologna, Italy is a medical device manufacturer leading the field in the detection and recovery of single cells for cancer research and prenatal testing. The company manufactures and sells the DEPArray platform, which is a lab-on-a-chip technology to isolate and manipulate cells in suspension with a microelectronic array. The approach, patented by Silicon Biosystems, offers the unique ability to control individual cells and micro-particles inside a disposable cartridge. The DEPArray platform makes it possible to find, sort, select and separate individual cells for further analysis or culturing. For more information on Silicon Biosystems visit http://www.siliconbiosystems.com.

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Silicon Biosystems Opens San Diego Laboratory to Support Expansion in US Market

CUC biology students explore the Amazon

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Select a Publication: N E W S P A P E R S ---------------------------------------------- ---Alberta--- Airdrie - Airdrie Echo Banff - Banff Crag and Canyon Beaumont - Beaumont News Calgary - The Calgary Sun Camrose - Camrose Canadian Canmore - Canmore Leader Central Alberta - County Market Cochrane - Cochrane Times Cold Lake - Cold Lake Sun Crowsnest Pass - Crowsnest Pass Promoter Devon - Dispatch News Drayton - Drayton Valley Western Review Edmonton - Edmonton Examiner Edmonton - The Edmonton Sun Edson - Edson Leader Fairview - Fairview Post Fort McMurray - Fort McMurray Today Fort Saskatchewan - Fort Saskatchewan Record Grande Prairie - Daily Herald Tribune Hanna - Hanna Herald High River - High River Times Hinton - Hinton Parklander Lacombe - Lacombe Globe Leduc - Leduc Representative Lloydminster - Meridian Booster Mayerthorpe - Mayerthorpe Freelancer Nanton - Nanton News Peace Country - Peace Country Sun Peace River - Peace River Record Gazette Pincher Creek - Pincher Creek Echo Sherwood Park - Sherwood Park News Spruce Grove - Spruce Grove Examiner Stony Plain - Stony Plain Reporter Strathmore - Strathmore Standard Vermilion - Vermilion Standard Vulcan - Vulcan Advocate Wetaskiwin - Wetaskiwin Times Whitecourt - Whitecourt Star ---Manitoba--- Altona - Alton Red River Valley Echo Beausejour - Beausejour Review Carman - Carman Valley Leader Gimli - Interlake Spectator Lac Du Bonnet - Lac Du Bonnet Leader Morden - Morden Times Portage la Prairie - Portage Daily Graphic Selkirk - Selkirk Journal Stonewall - Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times Winkler - Winkler Times Winnipeg - The Winnipeg Sun ---Ontario--- Amherstburg - Amherstburg Echo Bancroft - Bancroft this Week Barrie - Barrie Examiner Barry's Bay - Barry's Bay this Week Belleville - Intelligencer Bradford - Bradford Times Brantford - Expositor Brockville - The Recorder & Times Chatham - Chatham Daily News Chatham - Chatham This Week Chatham - Today's Farmer Clinton - Clinton News-Record Cobourg - Northumberland Today Cochrane - Cochrane Times Post Collingwood - Enterprise Bulletin Cornwall - Standard Freeholder Delhi - Delhi News-Record Dresden - Leader Spirit Dunnville - Dunnville Chronicle Elliot Lake - Standard Espanola - Mid-North Monitor Fort Erie - Times Gananoque - Gananoque Reporter Goderich - Goderich Signal-Star Grand Bend - Lakeshore Advance Haliburton - Haliburton Echo Hanover - The Post Ingersoll - Ingersoll Times Innisfil - Innisfil Examiner Kapuskasing - Kapuskasing Northern Times Kenora - Kenora Daily Miner and News Kenora - Lake of the Woods Enterprise Kincardine - Kincardine News Kingston - Frontenac This Week Kingston - Kingston This Week Kingston - Kingston Whig Standard Kirkland Lake - Northern News Leamington - Leamington Post Lindsay - The Lindsay Post London - The London Free Press London - The Londoner Lucknow - Lucknow Sentinel Midland - Free Press Minden - Minden Times Mitchell - Mitchell Advocate Napanee - Napanee Guide Niagara-on-the-Lake - Niagara Advance Niagara Falls - Review Niagara Falls - Niagara Shopping News Niagara Falls - W. Niagara Community Newspapers North Bay - North Bay Nugget Northumberland - Northumberland Today Norwich - Norwich Gazette Orillia - Packet and Times Ottawa - The Ottawa Sun Owen Sound - Sun Times Oxford - Oxford Review Paris - Paris Star Online Pelham - Pelham News Pembroke - Daily Observer Peterborough - Peterborough Examiner Petrolia - Petrolia Topic Picton - County Weekly News Port Colborne - Inport News Port Hope - Northumberland Today Port Elgin - Shoreline Beacon Sarnia - Observer Sarnia - Sarnia This Week Sault Ste Marie - Sault Star Sault Ste Marie - Sault This Week Seaforth - Seaforth Huron Expositor Simcoe - Simcoe Reformer St. Catharines - St. Catharines Shopping News St. Catharines - Standard St. Thomas - St. Thomas Times-Journal Stirling - Community Press Stratford - The Beacon Herald Strathroy - Strathroy Age Dispatch Sudbury - Sudbury Star Thorold - Thorold News Tillsonburg - Tillsonburg News Timmins - Daily Press Timmins - Timmins Times Toronto - The Toronto Sun Trenton - Trentonian Wallaceburg - Wallaceburg Courier Press Welland - Tribune Welland - Welland News West Lorne - The Chronicle Wiarton - Wiarton Echo Woodstock - Sentinel Review ---Saskatchewan--- Meadow Lake - Meadow Lake Progress Melfort - Melfort Journal Nipawin - Nipawin Journal MAGAZINES & SPECIALTY PUBLICATIONS --------- Biz Magazine Business London Cottage Home and Property Showcase Food and Wine Show Hamilton Halton Weddings Hamilton Magazine InterVin International Wine Awards Kingston Life London Citylife Muskoka Magazine Muskoka Trails Niagara Food and Wine Expo Niagara Magazine Ontario Farmer Ontario Golf Sault Good Life Simcoe Life The Home Show Vines Magazine What's Up Muskoka

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CUC biology students explore the Amazon

Scientists identify possible drug target for acute pancreatitis

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Public release date: 31-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Cody Mooneyhan cmooneyhan@faseb.org 301-634-7104 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

Bethesda, MDScientists from the Universities of Illinois and California have found that the inflammatory protein interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a pivotal role in the duration of acute pancreatitis in animal models with this condition. Their report, in the June 2012 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, describes experiments in lean and obese mice that identify the presence of high IL-6 as one of the reasons why the disease is more devastating in obese people.

"The study helps to understand why acute pancreatitis is more prolonged in obese subjects," said Giamila Fantuzzi, Ph.D., the senior researcher of this work, from the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "Our data indicate that IL-6 participates in prolonging inflammation in obese mice with acute pancreatitis, but also show that this inflammatory mediator is not the most important factor in determining the severity of the acute response."

To make this discovery, researchers used lean and obese mice that do and do not produce IL-6. They induced acute pancreatitis in all mice and studied them at different times of the disease. Both groups of the lean mice developed mild disease and then promptly recovered. Both sets of obese mice developed more severe disease at its onset. For the obese mice that did not produce IL-6, the course of the disease was much shorter than in the obese mice that did produce IL-6. It is also important to note that obesity leads to elevated levels of IL-6 and other inflammatory proteins.

"There is an increasing awareness that obesity and inflammation are connected," said John Wherry, Ph.D., Deputy Editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. "Not only does this new report demonstrate an important set of interactions between obesity, pancreatitis, and inflammation, but it also identifies the inflammatory pathway, IL-6, which could represent an important new therapeutic target in these settings."

###

The Journal of Leukocyte Biology publishes peer-reviewed manuscripts on original investigations focusing on the cellular and molecular biology of leukocytes and on the origins, the developmental biology, biochemistry and functions of granulocytes, lymphocytes, mononuclear phagocytes and other cells involved in host defense and inflammation. The Journal of Leukocyte Biology is published by the Society for Leukocyte Biology.

Details: Maria Pini, Davina H. Rhodes, Karla J. Castellanos, Andrew R. Hall, Robert J. Cabay, Rohini Chennuri, Eileen F. Grady, and Giamila Fantuzzi. Role of IL-6 in the resolution of pancreatitis in obese mice. J. Leukoc Biol. June 2012 91:957-966; doi:10.1189/jlb.1211627 ; http://www.jleukbio.org/content/91/6/957.abstract

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On early Earth, iron may have performed magnesium’s RNA folding job

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Public release date: 31-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Abby Robinson abby@innovate.gatech.edu 404-385-3364 Georgia Institute of Technology Research News

On the periodic table of the elements, iron and magnesium are far apart. But new evidence suggests that 3 billion years ago, iron did the chemical work now done by magnesium in helping RNA fold and function properly.

There is considerable evidence that the evolution of life passed through an early stage when RNA played a more central role before DNA and coded proteins appeared. During that time, more than 3 billion years ago, the environment lacked oxygen but had an abundance of soluble iron.

In a new study, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology used experiments and numerical calculations to show that iron, in the absence of oxygen, can substitute for magnesium in RNA binding, folding and catalysis. The researchers found that RNA's shape and folding structure remained the same and its functional activity increased when magnesium was replaced by iron in an oxygen-free environment.

"The primary motivation of this work was to understand RNA in plausible early earth conditions and we found that iron could support an array of RNA structures and catalytic functions more diverse than RNA with magnesium," said Loren Williams, a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech.

The results of the study were published online on May 31, 2012 in the journal PLoS ONE. The study was supported by the NASA Astrobiology Institute.

In addition to Williams, Georgia Tech School of Biology postdoctoral fellow Shreyas Athavale, research scientist Anton Petrov, and professors Roger Wartell and Stephen Harvey, and Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry postdoctoral fellow Chiaolong Hsiao and professor Nicholas Hud also contributed to this work.

Free oxygen gas was almost nonexistent more than 3 billion years ago in the early earth's atmosphere. When oxygen began entering the environment as a product of photosynthesis, it turned the earth's iron to rust, forming massive banded iron formations that are still mined today. The free oxygen produced by advanced organisms caused iron to be toxic, even though it was -- and still is -- a requirement for life.

This environmental transition triggered by the introduction of free oxygen into the atmosphere would have caused a slow, but dramatic, shift in biology that required transformations in biochemical mechanisms and metabolic pathways. The current study provides evidence that this transition may have caused a shift from iron to magnesium for RNA binding, folding and catalysis processes.

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On early Earth, iron may have performed magnesium's RNA folding job

Anatomy of a Parade

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esther rabinowitz

Zionist Bikers: Youth groups and day schools dominate the annual Israel parade in New York. But theres room for bikers, too.

New York Citys Celebrate Israel Parade is one of a kind. An annual Zionist promenade up Manhattans Fifth Avenue, the 47-year-old festival is a Jewish take on the classic New York City ethnic parade. Theres nothing else quite like it in the country. In fact, its probably the biggest annual celebration of Israel in the world, outside of the Jewish state itself.

But what is the parade, besides countless Israeli flags, glad-handing politicians and oceans of day school kids? The Forward has crunched the numbers. A picture emerges of an event that is largely Modern Orthodox, heavily suburban and mostly made up of groups of young people.

This years parade, organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, is scheduled for June 3. The day begins with a Celebrate Israel Run through Central Park at 8 a.m. The parade kicks off at 11 a.m. on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street, and will air on local television station WWOR channel 9.

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Anatomy of a Parade