Monthly Archives: June 2012

PRACTICAL NUTRITION: Watch your drinks, as well as your food

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Did you hear about the woman in New Zealand who died from drinking too many sodas? Turns out she drank more than 2 gallons of Coca-Cola and smoked at least 30 cigarettes daily. She also ate very little food.

Any extreme habits or addictions can be dangerous, so soda only played a part in her death. However, sodas aren't completely innocent.

According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, 16 percent of our total calories come from added sugars. Of that amount, 46 percent come from sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks and sugar-sweetened juice drinks.

Many people are totally unaware of the number of calories they drink. Often people come to me for weight-loss counseling, and they drink 800 to 1,000 soda calories daily. They won't lose weight until they cut back or cut out those calories and make better food choices.

Some people switch to diet sodas, which does cut calories. However, both regular and diet sodas can contain caffeine, which is problematic for some individuals. Also the phosphorus in all sodas increases calcium loss, which raises osteoporosis risk, if consumed in large amounts.

Others add water to soda or juice to save calories. Adding water increases the volume and dilutes the beverage, but those calories don't magically disappear.

Often people trade sodas for juice. They exchange the caffeine, phosphorus and calories in soda for the vitamins, minerals and calories of juice. Twelve ounces of Fanta Orange soda has 160 calories; 12 ounces of orange juice has 165.

Gatorade and other electrolyte replacement drinks don't seem so sweet, but 12 ounces provide 75 calories. Energy drinks are higher in calories for 12 ounces: Amp, 165, and Red Bull, 160.

Milk is a good source of vitamin D, calcium and protein. To protect your bones, aim for 8 ounces, three times daily. That amount of skim milk provides 258 calories. But 16-ounce portions three times daily would double it to 516 calories. So watch portions of even healthy beverages.

The Institute of Medicine states that the average healthy adult male needs 13 cups of fluid daily, just more than 3 quarts. Women need 9 cups or about 1 quarts. While we get some fluid from our food, water is a simple and natural way to help meet that need.

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PRACTICAL NUTRITION: Watch your drinks, as well as your food

Nutrition, finances win with healthful school snacks, report says

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The federal government is slated to come up with rules governing the food sold at school thats not part of the regular meals.

Those foods are often called competitive foods, because whats sold in the student store or in vending machines or other spots at schools often competes with the meal programs.

Ensuring that schools sell nutritious foods is critical to improving childrens diets, a report issued Tuesday says. This is one of the goals of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.

That law, passed in 2010, directs the federal government to update standards for all foods sold at school by bringing them into alignment with dietary guidelines.

An assessment of what those new rules might do for kids health and the schools bottom line was released Tuesday by two projects from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The projects argue for standards that require competitive foods and beverages to be healthy. Many districts have implemented standards already: In Los Angeles, for example, no soda can be sold and there are fat, salt and sugar standards for snack foods sold at schools.

The federal standards to come from the Department of Agriculture would be the minimum required, and some districts already have high standards, says Jessica Donze Black, director of one of the projects, the Kids Safe & Healthful Foods Project.

Theres frequent complaining that kids wont eat healthful food at school, but Black says thats not so. Given the choice between carrots and chips, they might choose the chips, but if the choice is carrots or celery, kids will eat.

If they have fewer unhealthy options, they are far more likely to choose heathier school lunch options, she said in a telephone interview Monday.

She also says that school districts can help get kids interested in healthful food with taste tests, free samples and other marketing tricks.

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Nutrition, finances win with healthful school snacks, report says

Caraviello: Kenseth's impact goes beyond wins, longevity

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This one is going to take some getting used to.

Matt Kenseth's first start at NASCAR's highest level was in 1998 at Dover, where he drove a No. 98 car in relief of Bill Elliott, whose father had passed away. The sixth-place effort turned in by the Wisconsin native that Sunday ranked as the best debut by a Cup newcomer since Rusty Wallace had finished second in Atlanta 18 years earlier. In every event that Kenseth has run since in what is now Sprint Cup, all 451 of them entering Saturday night's race at Kentucky Speedway, he has been behind the wheel of the No. 17.

It's as much a part of him as his steady driving style or his dry sense of humor, and it's going to be very odd seeing him drive anything else -- although that will be the case next season, given the news Tuesday that the 2003 champion and two-time Daytona 500 winner will part ways with Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the year. Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., as much a star in the making as Kenseth was in that first race at Dover all those years ago, will step into the No. 17 next season, and his predecessor will move on to a new organization that's yet to be determined.

This isn't a total shock. For some time now, Roush Fenway has had too many good drivers and not enough cars and sponsors, and the team needed to do something to ensure that Stenhouse would stay in the fold. Kenseth is in a contract year, and even for him, he's been exceedingly tight-lipped when asked about his status. His sponsorship situation was patchwork at best, forcing Roush Fenway to occasionally fund the car on its own. There are other drivers out there in the final years of their contracts, and cars with sponsorship that would be available should teams decide to take action. Kenseth, who would be an upgrade almost anywhere he goes, wrote on Twitter that he has nothing yet to announce for 2013. But it's difficult to believe a driver as smart as he is would make such a move without a plan.

Regardless, it's going to be very strange to see Kenseth paired with another car number, given how much personal investment he's poured into the No. 17. No, he hasn't been synonymous with any certain sponsor, and he hasn't worn the same color firesuit for his entire stint with owner Jack Roush. But other than Mark Martin, who put Roush's team on the map and gave it year-in, year-out credibility, there's been no more important driver to the organization. It was Kenseth who brought Roush his first premier-series championship after years of painfully close calls, and six years later he delivered the team's first victory in the Daytona 500.

"It's the end of an incredible run between Jack and Matt, one that has spanned 15 years, which in his day and age of professional sports is much longer than you'd expect," said Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. "So we're proud of everything that's been accomplished there."

But it all goes much deeper than the time span. Even after Kenseth leaves, his fingerprints will be all over his former organization. Robbie Reiser, the Roush Fenway general manager often credited with helping to build the team into the three-headed monster it is now, came up with Kenseth on the Wisconsin late-model circuit and broke through first as the driver's car owner, and later as a championship-winning crew chief. And then there's Kenseth himself, who often has been given the latitude to mold the No. 17 team as he sees fit, making crew chief changes and maintaining a degree of supervision over that program that not all elite drivers have.

Yes, it's going to be an odd transition, and not just because of the car number -- although if you remember a press release touting a new associate sponsor for this season, one that allegedly entailed a new numeral on the side of Kenseth's vehicle, it did not sit well with the masses. Yes, Tony Stewart left the No. 20. Yes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. walked away from the No. 8. But neither of those drivers were in those cars for as long as Kenseth has been in the No. 17. Stewart may have won a pair of championships in his former ride, but until he became an owner, he couldn't match Kenseth's de facto management role. Earnhardt had the level of personal investment at Dale Earnhardt Inc. but couldn't match his friend's results on the race track.

Kenseth did it all. He didn't just drive the No. 17; when times were tough, he bled over it. Roush might have owned the vehicle, but no one held more of a sense of ownership in it than Kenseth. When he faced struggles like those that followed his back-to-back wins at Daytona and Fontana to open the 2009 season, he seemed to take them personally. When it came time to shuffle personnel to try and get things back on track, Kenseth played an active role in shaping the direction of the program. Some crew chief moves -- and there were a few of them back then, until Jimmy Fennig arrived from the research and development department to straighten everything out -- were solely the driver's call.

Surely, Kenseth will bring that same level of involvement to whatever organization becomes his next home. His sudden availability only will tighten the microscope around drivers like Joey Logano and AJ Allmendinger, who are in contract years at Joe Gibbs Racing and Penske Racing, respectively. This isn't Kurt Busch, burning bridges when no others are available. This is a championship-caliber driver with a good reputation and a strong work ethic who would fit in well at a number of places and will absolutely land on his feet.

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Caraviello: Kenseth's impact goes beyond wins, longevity

Thermal Gradient Announces Manufacture of Next Generation DNA Testing Device

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ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Thermal Gradient, Inc., a developer of disposable ultra-fast DNA testing devices, announced today that it has initiated the manufacture of its next generation device. Robert Juncosa, the company's Chief Technology Officer stated, "Our previous generation device was a huge success. It performs PCR, the critical step in almost all DNA tests, in less than eight minutes. This new device is capable of "real-time" PCR, a process used to determine the amount of initial DNA being tested. This is very important when testing for infectious diseases like HIV."

Because of design improvements over the previous generation, the new device will is expected to perform better but will cost less to manufacture.

"Our recent breakthroughs and this new device position us as the premier technology for both point of care and high throughput clinical laboratory testing," says CEO Joel Grover. "Because of our speed, low cost, and fundamental design, the hardware module required to perform a quantitative DNA test is small. This makes it easily scalable to achieve high throughput systems in a modest instrument footprint."

The company will begin testing the new devices in the third quarter. Dr. Grover added, "When our internal testing is complete, we will then make cartridges and demonstration platforms available to diagnostic systems developers for their evaluation and assay optimization."

About Thermal GradientThermal Gradient develops devices and systems based on its patented technology that enables nucleic acid testing to be performed in minutes instead of an hour or more. Systems based on this technology can be developed for clinics and remote settings as well as for main-line diagnostic platforms for the clinical laboratory. For more information, please visit: http://www.thermalgradient.com

Contact:Joel Grover, Ph.D Chief Executive Officer Thermal Gradient, Inc. 585-248-9598 info@thermalgradient.com

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Thermal Gradient Announces Manufacture of Next Generation DNA Testing Device

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Research and Markets: DNA Sequencing and PCR Markets

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5f3wk7/dna_sequencing_and) has announced the addition of the "DNA Sequencing and PCR Markets" report to their offering.

DNA sequencing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are two major technology platforms of value in life science research, drug discovery and clinical diagnostics. The markets for sequencing are extremely competitive, driven by rapid technological advancements and aggressive price wars. Next-generation sequencing presents an exciting area of growth for life science tool vendors, including those providing sequencers, ancillary instrumentation, reagents and software.

This TriMark Publications report provides an in-depth analysis of key technology and market trends in the high-throughput sequencing space while analyzing the main drivers of growth in markets for PCR products and applications. The study provides a thorough overview of DNA sequencing and PCR, including applications, opportunities, technological trends, and market share and dynamics with a particular focus on the U.S., Japan, European, and Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) markets.

This report also analyzes almost all of the companies known to be marketing, manufacturing or developing DNA sequencing and PCR products in the U.S. and worldwide. Each company is discussed in extensive depth with a section on its history, product line, business and marketing analysis, and a subjective commentary of the company's market position. Detailed tables and charts with sales forecasts and market data are also included.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Overview

2. Introduction to DNA Sequencing and PCR Technology

3. DNA Sequencing Technologies and Market Analysis

4. PCR and DNA Amplification Technologies and Markets

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Research and Markets: DNA Sequencing and PCR Markets

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Merrimack Pharmaceuticals to Present at the 2012 American Association for Cancer Research Chemical Systems Biology …

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Two Abstracts Selected for Oral Presentation

Three Posters to be Presented, Each on Different Examples of Applying the Network Biology Approach to Therapeutic Development

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (MACK), a biopharmaceutical company with a pipeline of eight oncology therapeutics and multiple diagnostics, announced today that two oral presentations and three posters on its Network Biology approach to therapeutic development will be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Special Conference "Chemical Systems Biology: Assembling and Interrogating Computational Models of the Cancer Cell by Chemical Perturbations" being held June 27 -- 30, 2012, at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston, Mass.

About Merrimack

Merrimack is a biopharmaceutical company discovering, developing and preparing to commercialize innovative medicines paired with companion diagnostics for the treatment of serious diseases, with an initial focus on cancer. Merrimack applies Network Biology, its proprietary systems biology-based approach to biomedical research, throughout the research and development process. Merrimack currently has five targeted therapeutic oncology candidates in clinical development.

Forward-looking statements

Any statements in this press release about Merrimack's future expectations, plans and prospects constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. Merrimack anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. However, while Merrimack may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Merrimack specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.

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Merrimack Pharmaceuticals to Present at the 2012 American Association for Cancer Research Chemical Systems Biology ...

Loch Ness Monster real in biology textbook

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An undated photo of a shadowy shape that some people say is the Loch Ness monster. (AP)

This would be funny if it werent so, well, not funny.

A biology textbook used by a Christian school in Louisiana that will be accepting students with publicly funded vouchers in the fall says that the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland is real. And it isnt just any monster but a dinosaur an effort to debunk evolution and bolster creationist theory.

The story, reported in the Scotsman newspaper in Scotland, says that Eternity Christian Academy in Westlake is one of the many Christian schools in the United States that uses these books published by Accelerated Christian Education.

The Biology 1099 edition includes a passage about the Loch Ness Monster that says, in part, according to the newspaper:

Are dinosaurs alive today? Scientists are becoming more convinced of their existence. Have you heard of the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland? Nessie for short has been recorded on sonar from a small submarine, described by eyewitnesses, and photographed by others. Nessie appears to be a plesiosaur.

Marie Carrier, principal of Eternity Christian Academy, was quoted by the New York Daily News as saying that she would like to accept 135 voucher students for next year to join the 38 children already attending the school in grades 1 through 8.

The reason all of this matters now to the public is that Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal recently signed a law that sets up the largest voucher program of any state in the country. Some 125 private and religious schools from across the state are qualified to participate in the Louisiana Believes program, which gives families public money to pay school tuition for their children.

It is interesting to note that one of the schools originally on the list, the Islamic School of Greater New Orleans, withdrew its application for voucher students after an outcry about its participation by some lawmakers.

It seems that fundamentalist Christian schools are acceptable to receive public money, but Islamic schools are not. Republican state Rep. Kenneth Harvard was quoted by the Associated Press that he would not support public funding for Islamic teaching.

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Loch Ness Monster real in biology textbook

Grant brings student researchers to Western

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This summer, from June 18 through Aug. 24, Western will host 10 students from across the country to participate in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program.

Spiegel, who is involved in REU, said this program benefits Westerns community by making the department and university more visible to other institutions and expanding Western's already vibrant research culture. Students need to be exceptional academically, show interest in research in their personal statements and we look for students who wouldnt have this opportunity otherwise, he said.

The main purpose of the REU program is to give students the opportunity to experience authentic research not found anywhere else, according to Westerns chemistry department's website.

Many students involved in the REU are from community colleges and small liberal arts universities, which may not have the funding or facilities to provide this kind of experience, Spiegel said.

REU programs at other institutions around the country work in a broad range of scientific fields, but at Western the focus is on chemistry, according to the chemistry department's website. During the 10-week program, Western provides students with a $4,500 stipend, a $1,000 allowance for meals and a reimbursement on travel expenses.

Nathan Drake, a Western student and biochemistry major, is head of support for the REU program.

Students are able to ask him questions they dont feel as comfortable asking their assigned faculty members, such as the best place to get coffee, supplies for living situations and can utilize him as a tour guide to make the transition easier, Drake said.

Charlie Snyder, an REU participant from Skidmore College in New York, is working with John Gilbertson to find a metal complex that can turn carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, she said. Snyder said she thinks this the extensive lab experience will build her skills and improve her resume.

Visiting students work either with existing groups or individually, and always with a faculty member as a mentor. The research focuses on the field of synthetic chemistry, biochemistry and materials chemistry, Spiegel said. Being humbled by undergraduates' enthusiasm and raw intelligence are Spiegels favorite parts about working with the students, he said.

Washington benefits from this program because qualified students are better prepared for a high-tech, competitive workforce after graduation. Many program alumni get jobs in the Seattle area, Spiegel said.

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Exercise is key in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease

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Public release date: 27-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Angela Hopp ahopp@asbmb.org 240-283-6614 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

In a recent Journal of Biological Chemistry "Paper of the Week," research led by Ayae Kinoshita at the Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan reveals the benefits of exercise in combating Alzheimer's disease.

The most common cause of dementia, Alzheimer's disease results in the loss of cognitive faculty. In the majority of cases, Alzheimer's disease occurs after age 65, and factors such as diet and exercise appear to play a role in its development, with high-fat diets as a risk factor.

Kinoshita's research compared the effects of 1) diet control, 2) voluntary exercise and 3) diet control plus exercise in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model. The results showed that exercise was more beneficial than diet control in reducing -amyloid formation (a defining characteristic of Alzheimer's disease) and restoring memory loss induced by a high-fat diet in these mice. Moreover, Kinoshita's team found that the effect of diet control plus exercise was not significantly different than exercise alone. They attribute the positive effects of exercise to increased degradation of -amyloid deposits in the brain.

"Based on the results in this research," Kinoshita suggests, "exercise should be given priority to prevent Alzheimer's disease."

From the article: "Exercise is more effective than diet control in preventing high fat diet-induced -amyloid deposition and memory deficit in amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice" by Masato Maesako, Kengo Uemura, Masakazu Kubota, Akira Kuzuya, Kazuki Sasaki, Naoko Hayashida, Megumi Asada-Utsugi, Kiwamu Watanabe, Maiko Uemura, Takeshi Kihara, Ryosuke Takahashi, Shun Shimohama and Ayae Kinoshita

Read the Paper in Press version here: http://www.jbc.org/content/early/2012/05/14/jbc.M111.315358.abstract.

Corresponding author: Ayae Kinoshita, School of Human Health Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine in Kyoto, Japan; email: akinoshita@hs.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp

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Exercise is key in the fight against Alzheimer's disease

Would you date a man who wears makeup? Emma Stone says…

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The actress weighs in on the booming men's makeup market with TODAY's Professionals, revealing whether she'd date a dude who wears tinted moisturizer.

Makeup for men is one of the hottest trends in the beauty industry. By 2016, the male cosmetics industry for tinted moisturizers, anti-aging creams, concealers, powders will be worth $3.2 billion. But cosmetics for men arent a welcome addition to everyones medicine cabinet.

I dont need much help, proclaimed TODAY's Professionals panelist Donny Deutsch on Tuesday.

Its a turn off for me, responded NBCs chief medical editor Nancy Snyderman.

But "Spiderman" actress Emma Stone was a little more accepting of the trend:

A resounding yes, 100 percent, she told Matt Lauer. You have to wear tinted moisturizer on camera. Weekend wear? I dont know, Ill think about it.

What do you think? Would you date a man who wears cosmetics?

Would you date a guy who uses cosmetics?

More: Beauty products for men? Just dont call it makeup 6 ways Emma Stone lays on the charm Emma Stone eyes fall-back career if acting doesn't pan out

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Would you date a man who wears makeup? Emma Stone says...

Anatomy of a scorecard: Pacquiao vs. Bradley

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Express-News boxing writer John Whisler breaks down the three scorecards from the Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley fight on June 9. Bradley won in a controversial split-decision. Bradley won 115-113 on two scorecards, while losing by the same margin on the third:

- Most rounds in boxing are scored 10-9, meaning the fighter winning a round receives a 10 from judges while the loser of the round gets a 9. In rounds with a knockdown, a point is deducted every time a fighter is knocked down. Note that all rounds in Pacquiao-Bradley were 10-9, as there were no knockdowns in the fight.

- According to CompuBox statistics, Pacquiao landed more punches than Bradley in every round but one, the 9th (26-25). Note that all three judges awarded that round to Bradley, even though Pacquiao was busier and landed more power shots (22-21). One round, the 10th, was even in punches landed with 14 apiece.

- The scoring in Round 5 was highly questionable. Note that C.J. Ross and Duane Ford both scored it for Bradley even though Pacquiao outlanded Bradley 22-8 in the round, including 18-4 in power punches. Pacquiao landed a clean left in the final 35 seconds and Bradley had to hold on.

- The fact that all three judges scored Round 7 for Bradley seems unfathomable. According to CompuBox, Pacquiao outlanded Bradley 27-11 in the round, 22-9 in power punches. Pacquiao clearly won an exchange at the end of the second minute and drilled Bradley clean on the chin repeatedly in the final 30 seconds.

- In Round 8, Ross and Ford favored Bradley, despite CompuBox statistics showing Pacquiao landed more punches, 15-9, including 12-7 in power shots. What were Ross and Ford watching? One plausible explanation although flawed could be activity. Bradley was busier in the round, throwing 70 punches to Pacquiao's 59. But a round should be scored on punches landed, not punches thrown.

- In Round 12, all three judges scored it for Bradley, even though Pacquiao landed 20 punches in the round to 15 for Bradley. Is this plausible? Yes. CompuBox statistics show Pacquiao landed just one more power shot (11-10) than Bradley. But Pacquiao appeared to land the more significant punches, including a right hook flush on the jaw of Bradley in mid-round and a straight left with 10 seconds left, which seemed enough to carry the round.

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Anatomy of a scorecard: Pacquiao vs. Bradley

Healthscope to commercially launch Circadian's Cancers of Unknown Primary Diagnostic Test

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MELBOURNE, Australia, June 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Circadian Technologies Limited (ASX: CIR, OTCQX: CKDXY) announces that it has been advised by its development partner, Healthscope Advanced Pathology, that it will commercially launch Circadian's novel technology for aid in the diagnosis of "Cancers of Unknown Primary" (CUP), on Monday July 16 2012 in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia under the brand CUPGUIDE.

The diagnostic test method has been developed in collaboration between Circadian, Healthscope, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, a leading specialty cancer centre, and scientists at NICTA, Australia's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Research Centre of Excellence.

A publication in March 2012 from Healthscope reported that the CUP test was able to detect actual primary source of tumour type with 93% accuracy within the first three predictions and had 98.5% specificity across 15 different tumour types.

Healthscope, through its subsidiary Clinical Laboratories Pty Ltd, has rights to develop, clinically validate and market the test throughout Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore. Circadian retains rights to market the test in the remainder of the world. Healthscope has paid Circadian an upfront fee, and will pay a royalty on sales of the test. Circadian, through its wholly owned subsidiary Cancer Therapeutics Limited, owns exclusive worldwide rights to the test through a licensing arrangement with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and NICTA.

The CUP diagnostic methodology identifies a patient's tumour type by comparing its pattern of gene expression to a database of known tumours. It is hoped that by correctly identifying a patient's tumour type, clinicians can choose the most effective treatment strategy for the cancer. CUP is generally less well known and publicised than other cancer types. However, it is actually more common than leukaemia and is the fifth most common cause of death due to cancer in Australia. In 2007, Cancer Council Australia estimated the incidence of CUP to be around 2900 case per annum; American Cancer Society estimated USA incidence at around 32,000 per annum and Cancer Research UK estimated UK incidence at 14,000 per annum.

Robert Klupacs, Circadian Managing Director and CEO stated, "We are absolutely delighted that after all of the efforts of the collaborative partners that CUPGUIDE will now be available to oncologists and pathologists. We are extremely hopeful that CUPGUIDE will have a major impact in significantly improving the clinical diagnosis of CUP."

Dr Keith Byron, Scientific Director of Healthscope's Advanced Pathology Division said, "Healthscope is proud and excited that after the extensive development program we have undertaken with our partners that we will now be able to provide this ground breaking diagnostic technology on a commercial basis. The test is an important addition to our existing business of providing diagnostic tools for doctors throughout our 43 hospitals and the health care industry in general."

Prof David Bowtell, Head of the Cancer Genomics Program at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and a co-inventor of the diagnostic methodology added, "The approach was initially developed in our lab several years ago but the assay needed to be made more generally available. Circadian and Healthscope have been critical to taking the work forward and it is very gratifying that this product of our translational research efforts will be made available to clinicians throughout the region. The concept of personalising treatments for patients based on highly specialised diagnostics is now very well accepted in oncology and has been shown to have significant patient benefit. We believe that the assay will lead to earlier diagnosis, improved treatment outcomes and enhanced quality of life for patients."

Dr Adam Kowalczyk, Leader of Diagnostic Genomics Team in NICTA's Victorian Research Laboratory, and a co-inventor of the diagnostic methodology added, "It is very satisfying that formal techniques for signal detection and pattern recognition can be utilised in practical medical applications. This diagnostic test heralds imminent arrival of many new developments bringing promises of personalised medicine and genomics, in particular, to everyday usage that benefits patients."

Company enquiries

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Research and Markets: Netherlands Neurology Devices Market Outlook to 2018 – Interventional Neurology, Neurological …

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bz7thk/netherlands_neurol) has announced the addition of GlobalData's new report "Netherlands Neurology Devices Market Outlook to 2018 - Interventional Neurology, Neurological Diagnostic Equipment, Neurostimulation Devices and Others" to their offering.

GlobalData's new report, Netherlands Neurology Devices Market Outlook to 2018 - Interventional Neurology, Neurological Diagnostic Equipment, Neurostimulation Devices and Others provides key market data on the Netherlands Neurology Devices market. The report provides value (USD million), volume (units) and average price (USD) data for each segment and sub-segment within six market categories - CSF Management, Interventional Neurology, Neurological Diagnostic Equipment, Neurostimulation Devices, Neurosurgical Products and Radiosurgery. The report also provides company shares and distribution shares data for each of the aforementioned market categories. The report is supplemented with global corporate-level profiles of the key market participants with information on company financials and pipeline products, wherever available.

Scope:

- Market size and company share data for Neurology Devices market categories - CSF Management, Interventional Neurology, Neurological Diagnostic Equipment, Neurostimulation Devices, Neurosurgical Products and Radiosurgery.

- Annualized market revenues (USD million), volume (units) and average price (USD) data for each of the segments and sub-segments within six market categories. Data from 2004 to 2011, forecast forward for 7 years to 2018.

- 2011 company shares and distribution shares data for each of the six market categories.

- Global corporate-level profiles of key companies operating within the Netherlands Neurology Devices market.

Reasons to Buy:

- Develop business strategies by identifying the key market categories and segments poised for strong growth.

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UMass Medical School researchers discover a new role for RNAi

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Public release date: 26-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Fessenden james.fessenden@umassmed.edu 508-856-2000 University of Massachusetts Medical School

WORCESTER, MA Organisms employ a fascinating array of strategies to identify and restrain invasive pieces of foreign DNA, such as those introduced by viruses. For example, many viruses produce double-stranded (ds)RNA during their life cycle and the RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism is thought to recognize this structural feature to initiate a silencing response.

Now, UMass Medical School researchers have identified a mechanism related to RNAi that scans for intruders not by recognizing dsRNA or some other aberrant feature of the foreign sequence, but rather by comparing the foreign sequences to a memory of previously expressed native RNA. Once identified, an "epigenetic memory" of the foreign DNA fragments is created and can be passed on from one generation to the next, permanently silencing the gene.

A remarkable feature of this RNAi-related phenomenon (referred to as RNA-induced epigenetic silencing, or RNAe), is that the animal carries a memory of previous gene expression. This memory of active genes serves as an "anti-silencing" signal, which protects native genes from RNAe and under some circumstances appears to adopt foreign genes as self. These findings, described in three studies (including a study by Eric Miska and colleagues of the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge and Wellcome Trust, UK) published online yesterday and to appear in the July 6 issue of Cell, provide new insights into how identical organisms can have the same DNA sequence but opposite patterns of gene expression and thus dramatically different phenotypes.

"If a worm modulates gene expression by carrying a memory of the genes it expressed in previous generations, perhaps other organisms (including humans) can as well. If so, mechanisms of this type could have an important impact on evolution," said Craig C. Mello, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine and distinguished professor of molecular medicine and cell biology. "The RNAe mechanism could accelerate evolutionary change by increasing heritable phenotypic variation (without the need for DNA mutations). There is growing evidence that many organisms can track and respond epigenetically to gene expression patterns. Our findings provide insight into a whole new level of sophistication in the recognition and memory of gene expression programs."

Dr. Mello and colleagues knew that when a foreign piece of DNA encoding the green fluorescent protein, or GFP, was inserted into the small roundworm C. elegans, some of the worms would silence the newly introduced DNA while others would express the GFP gene. They then explored a role for RNAi in the decision to silence or express GFP. RNAi is a process whereby cells modulate the activity of their genes. In RNAi-related phenomena, Argonaute proteins interact with and use small RNAs as little genetic guides to recognize target nucleic acids through base-pairing interactions.

Based on their findings, Mello and colleagues posit a model comprised of three separate Argonaute systems that work together to scan, identify and silence foreign DNA, while protecting the expression of normal genes. In this system, an Argonaute called PRG-1 (Piwi) bound to piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) is responsible for scanning molecules of RNA as they leave the nucleus of the cell and determining if they are indigenous to the organism or foreign. If PRG-1 and its piRNA cofactors identify a foreign sequence, it initiates (or activates) the second Argonaute system, known as WAGO, which turns the genetic material off so it can't be expressed.

Once the DNA is identified as foreign and silenced, an epigenetic memory is created that silences the foreign gene from one generation to the next. While the inheritance of this memory requires further exploration, the authors showed that successive generations of C. elegans are unable to express the foreign DNA even if the corresponding piRNA is absent.

"It appears that piRNAs are responsible for the initial scanning and identification of foreign nucleic acids," said Darryl Conte Jr., PhD, research assistant professor of molecular medicine and one of the co-authors on the Cell papers. "Because the foreign DNA in successive generations is being silenced, even in worms that don't have the piRNA, the information necessary for silencing is being passed on epigenetically and independently of the initial scanning done by the piRNA complex in the previous generations."

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UMass Medical School researchers discover a new role for RNAi

Maria Rodale: Four Essentials of a Healthy Cleanse

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by guest blogger Isaac Eliaz, MD, MS, LAc, integrative medicine pioneer, researcher, clinical practitioner, author, and lecturer

Spring and summer bring us wonderful warm weather, offering an ideal opportunity to engage in a gentle seasonal cleanse. Since many people are unfamiliar with this health-promoting process, I thought that now would be a good time to introduce the practice of gentle detoxification/cleansing and its numerous benefits. Warmer weather usually prompts us to eat lighter, healthier, more hydrating foods, which is perfect since nourishing foods of this nature are at the foundation of a successful cleanse program.

Why should you do a cleanse? The main purpose is to clear the body of toxins, contaminants, and heavy metals that can accumulate in joints, organs, tissues, cells, and in the bloodstream. These health-robbing pollutants can come from a number of sources, including pesticides, environmental contaminants, everyday household products, overprocessed foods and packaging agents, alcohol, OTC and prescription drugs, and more. By giving your body a break from its toxic burden and deeply nourishing yourself with the right foods, supplements, and exercise, you can reach a new level of health and vitality. A gentle cleanse can also help improve mental clarity and emotional stability; balance blood sugar, reducing cravings and crashes; and increase strength, flexibility and stamina, and more.

The Signs of Toxin Overload. Toxin overload in the body can potentially express itself through a dizzying array of symptoms. The most common are chronic digestive complaints, joint problems, skin conditions, persistent allergies, frequent colds or flu, head and body aches, lethargy, weight gain, irritability, and mental fog. (If you experience any of these symptoms on a regular basis, however, it's important to see your doctor to rule out other possible conditions.)

The Health Benefits of Gentle Detoxification. Normally, our detoxification organs and systems--liver, kidneys, digestive, lymphatic, lungs, and skin--would successfully eliminate most contaminants. In today's world however, many of us can benefit significantly and noticeably from a gentle cleanse. The health effects are numerous and can often be experienced in just a matter of days, particularly the greater energy and vitality that can result. Other important benefits include improved digestion and immunity, reduced inflammation, stabilized blood sugar, increased circulation, healthier weight, balanced hormones, clearer skin, and improved well-being on all levels. Long-term exposure to toxins has been linked to numerous types of cancer, diabetes, and other chronic, life-threatening conditions.

How to Get Started. How long your cleanse program lasts is up to you: It can be three days, three weeks, or three months, depending on your lifestyle, health goals, and so forth. Any detox program can easily be tailored to suit your individual needs, but regardless of how long or what type of program you do, there are a several key components, listed below, which are essential to a successful cleanse. They serve as the basic foundation for a cleanse program, and they can also be combined with other therapies to enhance your experience.

The Four Essentials of a Healthy Cleanse

1. A cleansing and hydrating detox diet. A cleansing diet is at the heart of any detoxification program. The goal is to focus on organic, nutrient-dense, and minimally processed foods. Here are the basics:

2. Include herbal, botanical, and nutritional supplements. These powerful natural remedies can help remove toxins and heavy metals, support the organs of elimination, help reduce inflammation, improve circulation, enhance digestion, and promote stronger immunity. Here are my recommendations, in two phases:

4. Practice mindfulness. You can maximize the benefits of a cleanse by taking extra time to meditate and reflect, practice yoga, spend time in nature, and rest. Healthy stress management is an important and uplifting way to support your well-being on every level. In fact, mind-body practices such as mindfulness meditation can encourage a much deeper process of detoxification. Mindfulness meditation helps us begin to acknowledge and release excess mental, emotional, and physical "baggage" that may be obstructing our path to optimal wellness. The role of the mind-body connection in detoxification is an important topic that deserves its own article, but it's definitely worth mentioning when discussing how to optimize your cleanse.

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Maria Rodale: Four Essentials of a Healthy Cleanse

Uggie from ‘The Artist’ makes his mark

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Uggie has made his bid for Hollywood immortality.

The canine star of the Oscar-winning film The Artist became the first dog to put its paw prints in cement outside the famous Graumans Chinese Theatre.

The rambunctious Jack Russell terrier was celebrated at a treat-laden ceremony outside the landmark as Councilman Tom LaBonge declared it Uggie Day in Los Angeles.

The main message that Uggie would like to send to everybody out there is to please adopt, Uggies trainer, Omar Van Muller, told the crowd. Hes adopted. He made it. If you guys can adopt a dog, even if they dont make it on the big screen, theyll be big stars at your house.

The event also marked Uggies retirement from show business. Van Muller said Uggie, whose other film credits include Mr. Fix It and Water for Elephants, would no longer star in films but would appear at charity events and other functions.

Uggie, who arrived at Graumans Chinese Theatre in a fire truck, was bestowed with a golden bow-tie collar and given a cake in the shape of a fire hydrant after performing tricks for photographers and tourists lining a red carpet.

While Uggie is the first canine to be showcased at Graumans courtyard, three dogs Lassie, Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart have stars on the nearby Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The Associated Press

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Uggie from ‘The Artist’ makes his mark

EU wants UN rights probe in Belarus

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(GENEVA) - The European Union will lead calls for the appointment of a UN human rights investigator to Belarus in the wake of a report condemning serious violations there.

The UN Human Rights Council will discuss on Wednesday a report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) which says the situation there has "significantly deteriorated" since the 2010 presidential election when a crackdown on protesters and opposition saw hundreds detained.

The EU, supported by the United States, will on Thursday lodge a resolution requesting the assignment of a special rapporteur.

The council's 47 members are then expected to vote on the issue at the end of its current sitting, on either July 5 or 6.

The UN rights body previously appointed a special rapporteur in 2004 but the mandate was discontinued in 2007 at the request of the government.

In June last year the council adopted a resolution condemning rights violations before and after the presidential election.

US ambassador to the council Eileen Donahoe said there was a need to step up action against the government of Alexander Lukashenko amid its continued lack of cooperation with the OHCHR and "the further degradation" of the rights situation.

"The United States believes the next step should be the creation of a Special Rapporteur to continue to investigate and put a spotlight on the situation in Belarus," the ambassador told reporters in Geneva last week.

In its latest report covering December 2010 to March this year, the OHCHR highlighted allegations of the torture of detainees and pressure on defence lawyers.

"Since the election, the human rights situation has further deteriorated, particularly the rights to freedoms of association, assembly and expression, and the right to a fair trial," it said.

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EU wants UN rights probe in Belarus

BPA exposure in pregnant mice changes gene expression of female offspring

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Public release date: 26-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Aaron Lohr alohr@endo-society.org 240-482-1380 The Endocrine Society

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A, or BPA, a chemical found in many common plastic household items, can cause numerous genes in the uterus to respond differently to estrogen in adulthood, according to a study using a mouse model. The results will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

The study, led by Hugh Taylor, MD, professor and chief of the reproductive endocrinology section at Yale University School of Medicine, observed "major and permanent changes in gene expression" in female mice exposed to BPA as a fetus. Taylor said these differences were apparent only after estrogen exposure, either naturally at puberty or with estrogen treatment.

"Hyperresponsiveness to estrogens is a potential mechanism to explain the increased incidence of estrogen-related disorders seen after exposure to endocrine disrupters like BPA," Taylor said.

BPA has estrogen-like properties and has been linked to breast cancer and many female reproductive disorders that are sensitive to estrogen. These problems include uterine fibroids (benign tumors), endometriosis and endometrial hyperplasia, an abnormal thickening of the lining of the uterus that can lead to uterine cancer.

Taylor and his co-workers gave pregnant mice either BPA or an inactive substance for about two weeks beginning on the ninth day of pregnancy. After the mice gave birth, the scientists removed and tested the uterus of half of the female offspring before sexual maturation, looking for changes in gene expression. The other half of the female offspring had removal of their ovaries at 6 weeks of age, followed by treatment with estradiol, an estrogen. They then underwent uterine removal and testing after puberty at 8 weeks of age.

Before sexual maturation, gene expression was "remarkably similar" among control micethose that were not exposed to BPA in the womband the mice that were prenatally exposed to BPA, Taylor said. Of 45,000 genes screened, only 18 showed twofold or greater changes in expression, the authors reported.

After estrogen exposure at puberty, the gene expression profile had changed greatly in BPA-exposed offspring, with 365 genes showing altered expression, according to the study abstract. Of these genes, 208 also showed aberrations in the usual pattern of DNA methylation, a biochemical process that regulates gene expression. At least 14 of the 208 genes have known estrogen response elements, areas that indicate that they are directly regulated by estrogen through its receptor.

Among the BPA-exposed mice, another 316 genes showed altered response to estradiol at puberty. This included several genes that have not previously demonstrated an exaggerated response to estradiol treatment or genes that have not been known to be regulated by estrogen, Taylor said.

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BPA exposure in pregnant mice changes gene expression of female offspring

New mouse model helps explain gene discovery in congenital heart disease

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Public release date: 26-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mary Ellen Peacock maryellen.peacock@nationwidechildrens.org 614-355-0495 Nationwide Children's Hospital

Scientists now have clues to how a gene mutation discovered in families affected with congenital heart disease leads to underdevelopment of the walls that separate the heart into four chambers. A Nationwide Children's Hospital study appearing in PLoS Genetics suggests that abnormal development of heart cells during embryogenesis may be to blame.

When babies are born with a hole in their heart (either between the upper or lower chambers), they have a septal defect, the most common form of congenital heart disease. Although it's not clear what causes all septal defects, genetic studies primarily utilizing large families have led to the discovery of several causative genes.

Vidu Garg, MD, the study's lead author, previously reported that a single nucleotide change in the GATA4 gene in humans causes atrial and ventricular septal defects along with pulmonary valve stenosis. In mice, the GATA4 gene has been shown to be necessary for normal heart development and its deletion leads to abnormal heart development.

"While GATA4 has been shown to be important for several critical processes during early heart formation, the mechanism for the heart malformations found in humans with the mutation we previously reported is not well understood," said Dr. Garg, a pediatric cardiologist in The Heart Center and principal investigator in the Center for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

To better characterize the mutation, Dr. Garg and colleagues generated a mouse model harboring the same human disease-causing mutation. They saw heart abnormalities in the mice that were consistent with those seen in humans with GATA4 mutations. Upon further examination, they found that the mutant protein leads to functional deficits in the ability for heart cells to increase in number during embryonic development.

"Our findings suggest that cardiomyocyte proliferation deficits could be a mechanism for the septal defects seen in this mouse model and may contribute to septal defects in humans with mutations in GATA4," said Dr. Garg, also a faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "This mouse model will be valuable in studying how septation and heart valve defects arise and serve as a useful tool to study the impact of environmental factors on GATA4 functions during heart development."

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New mouse model helps explain gene discovery in congenital heart disease

Allegro Diagnostics Appoints Clinical and Scientific Advisory Board Comprised of Experts in Pulmonology, Lung Cancer …

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MAYNARD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Allegro Diagnostics today announced the formation of its Clinical and Scientific Advisory Board. Allegro has developed a molecular testing platform that utilizes gene expression of normal epithelial cells in the respiratory tract to detect early signs of lung cancer.

Our advisory board is comprised of some of the most respected and prolific clinicians, researchers and pioneers in the fields of pulmonary medicine, lung cancer and cancer diagnostics, said Michael D. Webb, President and Chief Executive Officer of Allegro Diagnostics. These individuals will play a central role in advising Allegro on its research and development efforts, as well as on the product development strategy for the BronchoGen genomic test, which is approaching commercialization.

The members of the advisory board are:

About the Allegro Platform

Allegro Diagnostics molecular testing platform utilizes gene expression of normal epithelial cells in the respiratory tract to detect early signs of lung cancer. The field of injury principle on which the platform is based refers to the common molecular response that occurs throughout the respiratory tract in current and former smokers with lung cancer. These changes can be detected in a gene expression signature from non-malignant airway cells and indicate the presence of malignancy remotely in the lung. Allegro has applied this platform to generate multiple product candidates.

About Allegro Diagnostics

Allegro Diagnostics is a molecular diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative genomic tests for the diagnosis, staging and informed treatment of lung cancer and other lung diseases. Allegro has developed a molecular testing platform that utilizes a genomic biomarker to detect early signs of lung cancer in current and former smokers. The companys lead product is the BronchoGen genomic test for use in combination with standard bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of lung cancer. http://www.allegrodx.com

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Allegro Diagnostics Appoints Clinical and Scientific Advisory Board Comprised of Experts in Pulmonology, Lung Cancer ...