Monthly Archives: June 2012

Commonwealth Medical college taken off probation

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Jason FArmer / Times-Shamrock The Commonwealth Medical College and the University of Scranton are extending an agreement to talk affiliation until May 18.

The Commonwealth Medical College moved a step closer to full accreditation on Thursday when it announced the national medical school accrediting body has lifted the college's probationary status and granted it provisional accreditation.

The advance comes a year after the Liaison Committee for Medical Education placed the school on probation largely because of concerns about its financial stability.

With the new status - a rung higher than the school's preliminary accreditation before the probation period - the accrediting body also determined that the college has the resources to expand its class size from 65 to 100 medical degree students beginning in 2013.

"This is an external statement by an accrediting body that this school is solid," Lois Margaret Nora, M.D., the college's interim president and dean, said. "For anyone who has any questions about permanence, this is just a major statement."

The LCME's deliberations are private, Dr. Nora said, but the committee performed a comprehensive review of databases, student surveys and the college's self-study and spent three days on site evaluating the school.

The committee has asked for a status report in February on two areas that require continued monitoring: the college's permanent leadership and its long-term financial stability. But Dr. Nora noted that it did not ask for follow-up reports on the strength of the teaching and student programs at the core of the school's mission.

"This is a very solid school from the perspective of its core business: growing physicians and other health professionals," she said.

Dr. Nora, who will be replaced by Robert Wright, M.D., as interim president and dean when she leaves the college at the end of June, said the school has largely addressed the leadership question by permanently filling several key chairman and dean positions that were previously vacant or temporary.

The college has identified "excellent" candidates in its national search for a permanent CEO and dean and will hold a second round of interviews before the end of the month, Dr. Wright said.

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Six New UM Stem Cell Lines Now Publicly Available

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ANN ARBOR Six new human embryonic stem cell lines derived at the University of Michigan have just been placed on the National Institutes of Healths registry, making the cells available for federally funded research.

UM now has a total of eight cell lines on the registry, including five that carry genetic mutations for serious diseases such as the severe bleeding disorder hemophilia B, the fatal brain disorder Huntingtons disease and the heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which causes sudden death in athletes and others.

Researchers at UM and around the country can now begin using the stem cell lines to study the origins of these diseases and potential treatments. Two of the cell lines are believed to be the first in the world bearing that particular disease gene.

The three UM stem cell lines now in the registry that do not carry disease genes are also useful for general studies and as comparisons for stem cells with disease genes. In all, there are 163 stem cell lines in the federal registry, most of them without major disease genes.

Each of the lines was derived from a cluster of about 30 cells removed from a donated five-day-old embryo roughly the size of the period at the end of this sentence. The embryos carrying disease genes were created for reproductive purposes, tested and found to be affected with a genetic disorder, deemed not suitable for implantation and would have otherwise been discarded if not donated by the couples who donated them.

Some came from couples having fertility treatment at UMs Center for Reproductive Medicine, others from as far away as Portland, Ore. Some were never frozen, which may mean that the stem cells will have unique characteristics and utilities.

The full list of UM-derived stem cell lines accepted to the NIH registry includes:

UM9-1PGD Hemophilia B

UM17-1PGD Huntingtons disease

UM38-2PGD- HypertrophicCardiomyopathy (MYBPC3)

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Six New UM Stem Cell Lines Now Publicly Available

Six new stem cell lines now publicly available

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ScienceDaily (June 14, 2012) Six new human embryonic stem cell lines derived at the University of Michigan have just been placed on the U.S. National Institutes of Health's registry, making the cells available for federally-funded research.

U-M now has a total of eight cell lines on the registry, including five that carry genetic mutations for serious diseases such as the severe bleeding disorder hemophilia B, the fatal brain disorder Huntington's disease and the heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which causes sudden death in athletes and others.

Researchers at U-M and around the country can now begin using the stem cell lines to study the origins of these diseases and potential treatments. Two of the cell lines are believed to be the first in the world bearing that particular disease gene.

The three U-M stem cell lines now in the registry that do not carry disease genes are also useful for general studies and as comparisons for stem cells with disease genes. In all, there are 163 stem cell lines in the federal registry, most of them without major disease genes.

Each of the lines was derived from a cluster of about 30 cells removed from a donated five-day-old embryo roughly the size of the period at the end of this sentence. The embryos carrying disease genes were created for reproductive purposes, tested and found to be affected with a genetic disorder, deemed not suitable for implantation and would have otherwise been discarded if not donated by the couples who donated them.

Some came from couples having fertility treatment at U-M's Center for Reproductive Medicine, others from as far away as Portland, OR. Some were never frozen, which may mean that the stem cells will have unique characteristics and utilities.

The full list of U-M-derived stem cell lines accepted to the NIH registry includes:

"Our last three years of work have really begun to pay off, paving the way for scientists worldwide to make novel discoveries that will benefit human health in the near future," says Gary Smith, Ph.D., who derived the lines and also is co-director of the U-M Consortium for Stem Cell Therapies, part of the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute.

"Each cell line accepted to the registry demonstrates our attention to details of proper oversight, consenting, and following of NIH guidelines," says Sue O'Shea, Ph.D., professor of Cell and Developmental Biology at the U-M Medical School, and co-director of the Consortium for Stem Cell Therapies.

U-M is one of only three academic institutions to have disease-specific stem cell lines listed in the national registry, says Smith, who is a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Michigan Medical School. The first line, a genetically normal one, was accepted to the registry in February.

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Six new stem cell lines now publicly available

Plant's Chemistry Gets Mice To Spit Seeds

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60-Second Science | More Science

Rodents feeding on sweet mignonette love the fruit, but dislike the spicy seeds. So they spit them out, thereby dispersing them--to the plant's benefit. Karen Hopkin reports.

June 14, 2012

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Plants that use animals to disperse their seeds can find themselves in a pickle. They need to make fruit tasty enough to entice the local fauna. But they also need to make sure that their animal assistants dont digest the very seeds theyre meant to spread.

In Israels Negev Desert, a plant called sweet mignonette came up with a distasteful strategy. Critters called spiny mice feed on mignonette. They love the fruit. But they hate the seeds. And so they spit them out all over the place. Just as the plant planned. Thats according to a study in the journal Current Biology. [Michal Samuni-Blank et al, Intraspecific Directed Deterrence by the Mustard Oil Bomb in a Desert Plant]

Sweet mignonette produces little black berries that house about 20 seeds apiece. Inside those seeds is an enzyme. When a berry-chomping mouse crushes a seed, the enzyme is freed up to produce compounds that taste like hot mustard. Hence, ptooey, better leaving through chemistry.

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Plant's Chemistry Gets Mice To Spit Seeds

Click Chemistry Reagents Now Available from Alfa Aesar

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Ward Hill, MA - Alfa Aesar, a Johnson Matthey Company, is pleased to announce the addition of a variety of compounds for use in click chemistry reactions to its expanding range of bio products.

Click chemistry is a newer approach to synthesis that makes use of simple, rapid and reliable reactions. It has several benefits over other synthesis approaches such as being orthogonal to conventional methods and occurring under relatively mild conditions. These reactions also proceed with high, almost quantitative, yields. These benefits have made click chemistry reactions a popular method of introducing labels and other tags to biomolecules. The most popular click chemistry reaction is the Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of alkynes to azides, which is generally carried out with catalysis by copper (I), or by introduction of an azide to a strain-promoted cyclooctyne.

Alfa Aesar's click chemistry product range offers bifunctional linkers, fluorescent tags and chemical modifications that can be used with the azide-alkyne click chemistry technique.

To request a product flyer on these products or for a free copy of the full Bio product catalog, contact Alfa Aesar at 1-800-343-0660 or email info@alfa.com.

About Alfa Aesar Alfa Aesar, a Johnson Matthey Company, is a leading international manufacturer and supplier of research chemicals, metals and materials. With over 36,000 products listed in its catalogs, Alfa Aesar is the single source for customers' needs for chemicals and materials in sizes for research and scale up. The Alfa Aesar catalog carries materials for biological research, organic compounds, high purity inorganics, pure elements, alloys, precious metal catalysts, AA/ICP standards and more. Alfa Aesar has sales offices and distribution facilities throughout North America, Europe and Asia and a distributor network covering the globe.

Contact: Mara Nieuwsma Alfa Aesar, A Johnson Matthey Company Tel. 1-978-521-6414 Fax 1-978-521-6350 Email mara.nieuwsma@alfa.com http://www.alfa.com

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Click Chemistry Reagents Now Available from Alfa Aesar

10 foods that can make you look YOUNGER

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No anti-aging cream, lotion or medicine can have your skin looking as young as when you consume foods that keep it healthy.

When you have the money, a scalpel and a knife can reverse your natural aging process and have you looking younger, but then it's rather plastic. You can get that genuine radiance from deep within -- a little restructuring of your diet will let the glow stay forever. So here's the list of top 10 foods which will trap your youth for the long term!

1. Nuts

Rich in Vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids, nuts are a rich source of nutrients vital to your skin. They protect it by forming a fluid, rich membrane in the skin that is moist and flexible. Hence, wrinkles are kept away at bay and the radiance is blemish-free. The fluidity keeps the skin supple and prevents premature aging.

Your pick: Walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazelnuts, chia seeds and flaxseed

LifeMojo is one of the most trusted sources of information about good health and wellness. To those who want to manage their health themselves, LifeMojo provides necessary information, tips, tracking tools and support to help them stay informed and motivated.

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10 foods that can make you look YOUNGER

Osiris Receives Second Approval for Stem Cell Drug

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Posted June 14, 2012

COLUMBIA, Md. --Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.(NASDAQ: OSIR) has received consent from New Zealand to market its first-in-class stem cell therapy Prochymal (remestemcel-L), for the treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) in children. New Zealand joins Canada, which last month became the world's first internationally recognized regulatory authority to grant approval to a stem cell drug. Prochymal is also the first therapy approved for GvHD - a devastating complication of bone marrow transplantation that kills up to 80 percent of children affected, many within just weeks of diagnosis.

"With each of our approvals it becomes clearer that the time for life-saving stem cell therapies in the practice of medicine has arrived, and we are humbled to have a leading role," saidC. Randal Mills, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Osiris. "I would like to thank the professionals at Medsafe for their thoughtful and expeditious review of this complex application. I would also like to thank the team at Osiris that continues to do an outstanding job of making Prochymal available to children around the world suffering from the devastating effects of GvHD."

Osiris submitted a New Medicine Application to Medsafe (New Zealand's medical regulatory agency) in May of 2011, and was granted Priority Review in June of 2011. Priority review provides expedited review for new drugs which offer a significant clinical advantage over current treatment options. Prochymal was granted provisional consent under Section 23 of the Medicines Act 1981.

"The incidence of GvHD is likely to rise as the demographic profile of our transplant population evolves," saidHans Klingemann,M.D., Ph.D., a Professor of Medicine and the Director of the Bone Marrow & Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Program at Tufts University School of Medicine. "Effective strategies to manage the often lethal consequences of GvHD reduce the overall risk to transplantation and provide the transplant physician with better options when approaching their most difficult cases."

Clinical trials have shown that Prochymal is able to induce an objective, clinically meaningful response in 61-64 percent of children with GvHD that is otherwise refractory to treatment. Furthermore, treatment response with Prochymal resulted in a statistically significant improvement in survival.

"As a mother who watched my son Christian suffer and die from the horrifying effects of GvHD, while waiting for the regulatory approvals necessary to allow him access to Prochymal, words cannot express how happy I am that significant progress is finally being made," saidSandy Barker,President and Co-founder of the Gold Rush Cure Foundation. "We are proud to stand side-by-side with Osiris in this historic battle for our children around the world. Our motto is 'not one more child, not one more family' and when it comes to GvHD mortality, zero is the only acceptable number."

Prochymal is now approved in Canada and New Zealand, and is currently available in seven other countries including the United States under an Expanded Access Program (EAP). It is expected that Prochymal will be commercially available in New Zealand later this year.

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. is a stem cell company, having developed the world's first approved stem cell drug, Prochymal. The company is focused on developing and marketing products to treat medical conditions in inflammatory, cardiovascular, orthopedic and wound healing markets. Osiris has developed an extensive intellectual property portfolio to protect the company's technology, including 48 U.S. and 144 foreign issued patents.

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Osiris Receives Second Approval for Stem Cell Drug

Mead Johnson to Present at the 9th Annual Deutsche Bank Global Consumer Conference

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GLENVIEW, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (MJN) announced today that it will present at the 9th Annual Deutsche Bank Global Consumer Conference in Paris, France, on June 19, 2012. The presentation by Stephen W. Golsby, president and CEO, and Kathy A. MacDonald, vice president, Investor Relations, will begin at 11:15 a.m. CEST and will be available by webcast.

The webcast will be broadcast over the Internet at meadjohnson.com. To listen to the webcast, visit the website at least 15 minutes before the webcast and click on the Investors tab. A webcast link will appear on Latest News and also Events and Presentations. A replay of the webcast will be available one hour after the presentation through midnight CDT Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at meadjohnson.com.

About Mead Johnson

Mead Johnson, a global leader in pediatric nutrition, develops, manufactures, markets and distributes more than 70 products in over 50 countries worldwide. The company's mission is to nourish the worlds children for the best start in life. The Mead Johnson name has been associated with science-based pediatric nutrition products for over 100 years. The company's "Enfa" family of brands, including Enfamil infant formula, is the world's leading brand franchise in pediatric nutrition. For more information, go to http://www.meadjohnson.com.

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Mead Johnson to Present at the 9th Annual Deutsche Bank Global Consumer Conference

Crowdfunding Nutrition: Using Kickstarter to Make Kids Healthier

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Can the popular startup make a dent in nutrition education? One school finds it more difficult than expected.

Kristy McCarron/Kickstarter

Childhood nutrition and anti-obesity campaigns are a hot topic these days. Gardens and cooking classes are in demand in schools around the country.

But how much would you, personally, be willing to shell out of pocket to help our nation's kids eat healthier? In a time of tight purse strings, several schools are asking that question with the help of the popular crowd-funding site, Kickstarter.

"My name is Kristy McCarron, and this is where I spend my day off," a young woman's voice tells us in the intro video of one Kickstarter campaign. She's referring to a classroom at Walker Jones elementary school in Washington, D.C., where she teaches kids about food -- where it comes from, why it's good for them, and how to cook it, too.

McCarron is now trying to raise $25,000 to help build a "food lab" kitchen at the school, which she would run as a full-time teacher.

While many of us may think of Kickstarter as a place where tech-savvy 20-somethings raise money to make the newest iPhone accessory, McCarron says it was a perfect fit for her school, too.

"I kind of just took a big leap of faith and quit my job and started this fundraising pitch," she says, confessing that she hadn't even heard of Kickstarter until a friend turned her onto it for this project.

McCarron has spent the past 8 months volunteering as a part-time nutrition instructor at Walker Jones, which is a historically African American, title-one high poverty school where 100 percent of the students receive free breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She worked nights as a chef at Nora, a well-known, upscale organic restaurant in downtown D.C.

A lot of excitement has surrounded her classes, from kids and parents alike, she says, though she had to get creative with the classes for lack of equipment.

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Crowdfunding Nutrition: Using Kickstarter to Make Kids Healthier

DNA focus for Dechaine trial

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1:00 AM

By Ann S. Kim akim@mainetoday.com Staff Writer

PORTLAND -- Expert witnesses who testified Thursday in Dennis Dechaine's hearing on a new trial offered contrasting views on whether the DNA evidence at issue is a result of contamination.

Three DNA experts, with doctorates in genetics and extensive backgrounds in forensic science, testified about the partial DNA profile that is at the center of the multi-day hearing. Dechaine's lawyer, Steve Peterson, is trying to convince a judge that the jurors would not have convicted Dechaine of the 1988 murder and kidnapping of 12-year-old Sarah Cherry had they known about the DNA from an unknown male on the girl's left thumbnail.

Two witnesses for the state testified that the autopsy conditions described to them posed a high risk for DNA contamination. At the time, DNA technology was new and lacked the kinds of safeguards that are used today.

In 1988, the State Medical Examiner's Office did autopsies in the morgue of the Kennebec Valley Medical Center in Augusta. Earlier testimony indicated that instruments were kept in a metal tool box with towel-lined drawers. Instruments were sometimes rinsed and sometimes simply put back into the drawers. The towels got soiled with blood over time and were changed after several months.

"That scenario that you described would really be a textbook recipe for the potential for contamination for many, many steps along the way," Frederick Bieber said after the conditions were recounted by Deputy Attorney General William Stokes.

Bieber, who holds positions at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, said he has been at autopsies done under similar conditions, and dozens of people would handle instruments.

It probably wasn't until the early 1990s that precautions to prevent DNA cross-contamination became widespread in autopsy rooms, he said. Before then, it was common for autopsies to be done with bare hands. The first precautions were not related to DNA, but to guard against the transmission of infections like HIV or to protect cells that would be cultured.

Carll Ladd, supervisor of the DNA section of Connecticut's forensic lab, agreed that the conditions at the time of Sarah Cherry's autopsy would have been "ideal" for contamination.

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DNA focus for Dechaine trial

Posted in DNA

DNA contamination focus of testimonyat Dechaine hearing

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1:00 AM

BY ANN S. KIM

PORTLAND -- Expert witnesses who testified Thursday in Dennis Dechaine's hearing on a new trial offered contrasting views on whether the DNA evidence at issue is a result of contamination.

Three DNA experts, with doctorates in genetics and extensive backgrounds in forensic science, testified about the partial DNA profile that is at the center of the multi-day hearing. Dechaine's lawyer, Steve Peterson, is trying to convince a judge that the jurors would not have convicted Dechaine of the 1988 murder and kidnapping of 12-year-old Sarah Cherry had they known about the DNA from an unknown male on the girl's left thumbnail.

Two witnesses for the state testified that the autopsy conditions described to them posed a high risk for DNA contamination. At the time, DNA technology was new and lacked the kinds of safeguards that are used today.

In 1988, the State Medical Examiner's Office did autopsies in the morgue of the Kennebec Valley Medical Center in Augusta. Earlier testimony indicated that instruments were kept in a metal tool box with towel-lined drawers. Instruments were sometimes rinsed and sometimes simply put back into the drawers. The towels got soiled with blood over time and were changed after several months.

"That scenario that you described would really be a textbook recipe for the potential for contamination for many, many steps along the way," Frederick Bieber said after the conditions were recounted by Deputy Attorney General William Stokes.

Bieber, who holds positions at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, said he has been at autopsies done under similar conditions, and dozens of people would handle instruments.

It probably wasn't until the early 1990s that precautions to prevent DNA cross-contamination became widespread in autopsy rooms, he said. Before then, it was common for autopsies to be done with bare hands. The first precautions were not related to DNA, but to guard against the transmission of infections like HIV or to protect cells that would be cultured.

Carll Ladd, supervisor of the DNA section of Connecticut's forensic lab, agreed that the conditions at the time of Sarah Cherry's autopsy would have been "ideal" for contamination.

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DNA contamination focus of testimonyat Dechaine hearing

Posted in DNA

DNA test boosts Beaman's innocence claim

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BLOOMINGTON New DNA test results shake up the list of possible suspects in the 1993 murder of Jennifer Lockmiller and strengthen Alan Beamans claim of innocence.

Recently tested evidence contained no DNA from Beaman, who spent more than a dozen years in prison before a court ordered him released, or from three other men considered suspects in the death of the Decatur woman. It did, however, contain DNA from two unknown males.

Documents submitted Thursday to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board by Beamans lawyers contained the results of tests a Missouri lab did on a vaginal swab taken from Lockmiller.

Beaman, now 39, was released in 2008, following the reversal of his murder conviction by the Illinois Supreme Court in an opinion that called the evidence in his 1995 jury trial tenuous.

McLean County prosecutors opted to dismiss the murder charges against Beaman but have maintained that authorities consider Lockmillers death an open case. Beaman and Lockmiller had a rocky dating relationship that ended shortly before she was found strangled and stabbed in her Normal apartment.

Assistant States Attorney Pablo Eves said Thursday that his office has received the results, which are being reviewed.

The significance of the new evidence cannot be overstated, said Beaman lawyers Karen Daniel and Jeff Urdangen in their supplemental report to the clemency board considering recommending a pardon to Gov. Pat Quinn.

Crime scene evidence indicating that Lockmiller had been sexually assaulted combined with the DNA report very strongly suggests that at least one, if not both, of the contributors of the semen raped and killed her, said the lawyers.

The DNA report also demonstrates that the prosecutions theory of the case at Alan Beamans trial was utterly false, said the lawyers with the Center on Wrongful Convictions in Chicago.

The recent round of DNA testing was completed as part of a certificate of innocence petition filed by Beaman in 2009. The McLean County States Attorneys Office has opposed the certificate, which, if granted, would qualify Beaman to receive $170,000 from the state as compensation for the 13 years he served of a 50-year sentence.

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Special Alan Turing issue Fundamenta Informaticae published

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Public release date: 14-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: A. Engelen a.engelen@iospress.nl 31-206-883-355 IOS Press

The journal Fundamenta Informaticae honours Alan Turing with a Special Issue: Watching the Daisies Grow: from Biology to Biomathematics and Bioinformatics.

In 1951 Alan Turing wrote a paper entitled The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis in which he developed the reactiondiffusion theory, which became one of the basic models of theoretical biology and is also considered a foundation of chaos theory.

The story started much earlier, in spring 1923, as documented by his mother in a caricature called Hockey or Watching the Daisies Grow. Crucial motif in the drawing is that, while most players are engaged by the game, Turing is investigating a flower emerging just off the field.

In his Outline of the Development of a Daisy, Turing writes: "At a certain point in the development of the daisy the anatomical changes begin. From this point, as has been mentioned, it becomes hopelessly impracticable to follow the process mathematically."

Guest-editors Anna Gambin and Anna Marciniak-Czochra: "In this special issue, we present a selection of papers commemorating Alan Turing and arguing that he should be also considered the co-founder of biomathematics and bioinformatics. His late works were inspired by curiosity about the role of mathematics in natural phenomena. Turing's ideas on diffusion-driven instability leading to a formation of stable spatial structures provided mathematical explanations of symmetry break and de novo pattern formation during development, and the shapes of animal coat markings. They also led to the prediction of oscillating chemical reactions, the behavior which were first observed only about 10 years after Turing's death. In this volume, various applications of mathematical theories inspired by Turing's work to natural phenomena are considered."

###

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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Special Alan Turing issue Fundamenta Informaticae published

Most expensive travel insurance providers revealed

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A comparison of travel insurance providers has revealed dramatic differences. Picture: Supplied Source: The Advertiser

AUSTRALIAN travellers are paying up to four times too much for their travel insurance by buying it through airlines and travel agents instead of shopping around, new research shows.

Independent financial comparison site Mozo.com.au went mystery price shopping for three different holidays: a family trip to the US, a couple visiting Europe, and a backpacker heading to Thailand and Europe.

Quotes from Qantas, Virgin Australia, Flight Centre, Jetset Travel and Harvey World Travel were stacked up against other travel insurance providers.

Director Kirsty Lamont said the price differences were staggering.

"Quotes for travel insurance for a family of four travelling to the US for 15 days ranged from a whopping $756 from Qantas to $177 from travel insurance specialist Fast Cover," she said.

"One of the reasons is the huge commission airlines can earn - Qantas gets up to 53 per cent commission on the travel insurance policies it sells, according to the fine print on its own website."

Travel insurance for a 21-year-old backpacker travelling to Thailand and Europe for 2 months was $495 with Jetset Travel and $246 with DU Insure.

The research also found travellers who pick up insurance as an afterthought may not be getting sufficient coverage.

"Insurers have different definitions, different exclusions and different levels of cover, so it's vital to compare options to find a policy that offers the best price as well as the best fit with your needs," Ms Lamont said.

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Most expensive travel insurance providers revealed

Major international hotel companies launch standardised approach to carbon measurement

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The International Tourism Partnership (ITP) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in collaboration with 23 leading global hospitality companies, are today launching a methodology to calculate and communicate the carbon footprint of hotel stays and meetings in a consistent and transparent way. ...

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Major international hotel companies launch standardised approach to carbon measurement

Supermicro(R) Launches FatTwin(TM) Architecture

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Innovative New 4U FatTwin SuperServers Offer High-Density Compute and Storage with Energy Saving Designs for PUE Optimized, Free-Air Cooling Data Centers

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Super Micro Computer, Inc. (SMCI), a global leader in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology and green computing, launches the FatTwin(TM), a high-capacity powerful new server platform based on Supermicro's highly successful Twin Architecture. This landmark product offers a new, flexible, high-density computing solution for Data Center, Cloud Computing, Enterprise IT, Big Data and HPC applications delivering the highest performance with the most energy efficient technologies and cooling designs available on the market.

(PHOTO: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120614/AQ24697-INFO)

"Energy consumption is one of the greatest challenges facing Data Centers as computing demands increase exponentially around the world," said Charles Liang, President and CEO of Supermicro. "Supermicro is addressing this growing challenge by developing new generation server technologies such as FatTwin which maximizes performance with support of up to 135W processors while eliminating costly air-conditioning and cooling methods. The innovation of FatTwin is in its high-density, airflow optimized design that integrates up to eight dual-processor nodes in a standard 4U rackmount server and operates at temperatures up to 47 degrees C. Our FatTwin platform will set new industry standards for performance and efficiency while offering lowered TCO and an accelerated return on investment."

Supermicro's patented Twin architecture revolutionizes server computing by integrating independent systems side-by-side in a single chassis, multiplying compute density while reducing solution costs through shared resources such as the chassis, fans, power supplies, cabling and rack mount hardware. This innovative architecture incorporates airflow optimized designs, air-shrouds and streamlined cabling which reduces fan speeds and power consumption resulting in improved power utilization and overall energy efficiency. The 4U FatTwin is the latest addition to the evolving Twin architecture line and is available in 8/4/2 DP node configurations with high-capacity storage (8 hot-swap 3.5" HDDs per 1U or 6 hot-swap 2.5" HDDs per 1/2U). FatTwin achieves the highest performance-per-watt/per-dollar with Supermicro's X9 DP (dual-processor) serverboards and redundant Platinum Level high-efficiency (95%+) digital switching power supplies. With free-air cooling designs and an extreme operational temperature range (0 degrees C - 47 degrees C) that does not require air conditioning, the FatTwin helps Data Centers achieve the best power usage effectiveness (PUE < 1.1).

FatTwin is available in 8 DP node (SYS-F617R2-R/F Series) and 4 DP node (SYS-F627R2/R3/G3-F/R Series) SKUs with versatile configurations featuring:

-- Dual Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5-2600 series support

-- Up to 512GB ECC Reg. DDR3-1600MHz SDRAM in 16 DIMM sockets

-- 2x SATA3 (6Gbps) and 4x SATA2 (3Gps) ports supporting RAID 0, 1, 5,10

-- 8x SAS 2.0 (6Gbs) (LSI 2208) RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60; (LSI 2308) RAID 0, 1, 10

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Supermicro(R) Launches FatTwin(TM) Architecture

Acer: Aspire S5, super-thin Ultrabook, coming to U.S. in late June

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Acer has announced the Aspire S5, an Ultrabook just 0.59 inches thin that will arrive in the U.S. in late June. (Acer)

June 14, 2012, 8:57 a.m.

Acer has announced a new laptop that will be the thinnest Ultrabook available on the market, the Aspire S5.

The computer is 0.59 inches at its thickest point, and 0.44 inches at its thinnest, and weighs less than three pounds. It comes with an Ivy Bridge Intel Core i7 processor and has a 256GB solid state drive.

Despite its thin build, the S5 includes a flip panel that opens to reveal Thunderbolt and HDMI ports as well as a pair of USB 3.0 ports. The computer has a battery life of 6.5 hours and a 13.3-inch display with a 1366-by-768 pixel resolution.

Acer will begin selling the computer online and through retailers in the U.S. the last week of June for $1,399.99

Along with the S5, Acer announced it has refreshed its Aspire S3 Ultrabook as well.

The S3 has been retrofitted to include the Ivy Bridge processor and also will have 256 GB of storage. Acer also has given this computer a new color scheme.

The new Aspire S3 will be available immediately and start at $648.

Acer also said anyone who buys one of its Ultrabook computers, which currently run Windows 7, from now to the end of January will be eligible to upgrade to Windows 8 for $14.99.

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Acer: Aspire S5, super-thin Ultrabook, coming to U.S. in late June

Supermicro® Launches FatTwinâ„¢ Architecture

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- Innovative New 4U FatTwin SuperServers Offer High-Density Compute and Storage with Energy Saving Designs for PUE Optimized, Free-Air Cooling Data Centers

SAN JOSE, California, June 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Super Micro Computer, Inc., a global leader in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology and green computing, launches the FatTwin, a high-capacity powerful new server platform based on Supermicros highly successful Twin Architecture. This landmark product offers a new, flexible, high-density computing solution for Data Center, Cloud Computing, Enterprise IT, Big Data and HPC applications delivering the highest performance with the most energy efficient technologies and cooling designs available on the market.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120614/AQ24697-INFO [http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120614/AQ24697-INFO])

"Energy consumption is one of the greatest challenges facing Data Centers as computing demands increase exponentially around the world, " said Charles Liang, President and CEO of Supermicro. "Supermicro is addressing this growing challenge by developing new generation server technologies such as FatTwin which maximizes performance with support of up to 135W processors while eliminating costly air-conditioning and cooling methods. The innovation of FatTwin is in its high-density, airflow optimized design that integrates up to eight dual-processor nodes in a standard 4U rackmount server and operates at temperatures up to 47 degrees C. Our FatTwin platform will set new industry standards for performance and efficiency while offering lowered TCO and an accelerated return on investment."

Supermicros patented Twin architecture revolutionizes server computing by integrating independent systems side-by-side in a single chassis, multiplying compute density while reducing solution costs through shared resources such as the chassis, fans, power supplies, cabling and rack mount hardware. This innovative architecture incorporates airflow optimized designs, air-shrouds and streamlined cabling which reduces fan speeds and power consumption resulting in improved power utilization and overall energy efficiency. The 4U FatTwin is the latest addition to the evolving Twin architecture line and is available in 8/4/2 DP node configurations with high-capacity storage (8 hot-swap 3.5" HDDs per 1U or 6 hot-swap 2.5" HDDs per 1/2U). FatTwin achieves the highest performance-per-watt/per-dollar with Supermicros X9 DP (dual-processor) serverboards and redundant Platinum Level high-efficiency (95%+) digital switching power supplies. With free-air cooling designs and an extreme operational temperature range (0 degrees C - 47 degrees C) that does not require air conditioning, the FatTwin helps Data Centers achieve the best power usage effectiveness (PUE < 1.1).

FatTwin is available in 8 DP node (SYS-F617R2-R/F Series) and 4 DP node (SYS-F627R2/R3/G3-F/R Series) SKUs with versatile configurations featuring:

Additional 4U FatTwin configurations are scheduled for release in early Q3 2012 including a 2 node solution featuring massive storage and GPU capacity and a model with 4x full-width 1U nodes that feature increased airflow and high-density compute and storage capacity.

FatTwin delivers maximum performance, efficiency and versatility for scientific, research, engineering, and enterprise organizations requiring high-performance, scalable computing and storage solutions for mission-critical applications. The platform is optimized for process intensive database driven applications including Big Data and Hadoop analytics, gas and oil exploration, computational finance, search engines, design and modeling, simulation and many other applications.

For complete information on Supermicros new high performance, high-efficiency FatTwin architecture, visit http://www.supermicro.com/FatTwin [http://www.supermicro.com/FatTwin]. For more information on Supermicros comprehensive line of server, storage and complete integrated SuperRack solutions visit http://www.supermicro.com [http://www.supermicro.com/].

About Super Micro Computer, Inc.

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Supermicro® Launches FatTwinâ„¢ Architecture

Computer Workstation utilizes NVIDIA® Maximus(TM) technology.

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SAN JOSE, Calif., -- Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ: SMCI), a global leader in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology and green computing, now offers NVIDIA Maximus(TM) technology in its latest high-end, enterprise-class X9 SuperWorkstation (7047GR-TRF), allowing users to simultaneously design, render and simulate on the same workstation, avoiding traditional, time-consuming and costly processing downtime. Supermicro's NVIDIA Maximus certified solution integrates an NVIDIA Quadro series graphics processing unit (GPU) dedicated for design and visualization tasks with four NVIDIA Tesla C2075 co-processors dedicated to handling compute-intensive tasks like simulation--an industry-first configuration of NVIDIA Maximus technology. This powerful GPU duo delivers scientists, engineers and designers the specialized compute capacity to interact with 3D models in CAD/CAM applications, while simultaneously rendering or outputting complex CAE simulations. This ability to multitask with both compute and graphics-heavy applications together, in real time, on a single workstation dramatically accelerates productivity and allows more opportunities for creative exploration.

"Supermicro's NVIDIA Maximus certified 7047GR-TRF SuperWorkstation opens the door to personal supercomputing for scientific, engineering and entertainment fields, and closes the gap between design and realization," said Wally Liaw, Vice President of Sales, International at Supermicro. "Our solution allows users to free themselves from compute limitations and to challenge their creativity with an unprecedented four Tesla GPUs plus one Quadro GPU in a 4U Tower, more than any other system in this class on the market. With this incredible performance at the desktop, designers can spend more time interacting with complex models and sophisticated simulations and less time waiting, allowing them to deliver results faster to market."

"Supermicro's professional-level SuperWorkstations harness the power of NVIDIA Maximus technology to sharply improve productivity," said Jeff Brown, general manager of the Professional Solutions Group at NVIDIA. "Supermicro is outstanding at integrating NVIDIA GPU technology into their workstations, and the 7047GR-TRF marks only the start of their efforts to incorporate NVIDIA Maximus's power and flexibility."

What sets the 7047GR-TRF apart as an outstanding enterprise-class system and earns it the SuperWorkstation brand is its multitude of high-value features. Fully configured with 4 double-width NVIDIA Tesla GPUs and a Quadro graphics card, the 7047GR-TRF still has single PCI-E 3.0 x8 and PCI-E 2.0 x4 (in x8) slots available for additional high-bandwidth network and high-performance storage expansions. The 7047GR-TRF is built on Supermicro's high-end X9DRG-QF serverboard supporting dual Intel Xeon E5-2600 family processors for ultimate CPU performance. PCI-E 3.0 support offers future-proof expansion and a cost-effective upgrade path to next generation NVIDIA GPUs. For memory intensive applications, this solution accommodates up to 512GB of DDR3 1600MHz Reg. ECC memory in 16x DIMM sockets and massive internal storage capacity that supports up to 8x hot-swap 3.5" HDDs utilizing onboard 2x SATA3 and 8x SATA2 ports. Supporting this advanced technology and maintaining mission-critical uptime are redundant 1620W power supplies with the industry's highest efficiency Platinum Level (94%+) rating, along with multi-zone thermal controlled fans for optimal cooling and additional energy efficiency.

Supermicro's GPU SuperWorkstations and SuperServers are defining the future of supercomputing for intersecting fields of science, engineering and digital content creation. The 7047GR-TRF is the first of a line of SuperWorkstations to support NVIDIA Maximus technology. For a complete look at Supermicro's total line of high performance, high-efficiency server and storage solutions, visit http://www.supermicro.com or go to http://www.supermicro.com/Maximus to select a Supermicro NVIDIA Maximus powered supercomputer.

About Super Micro Computer, Inc.

Supermicro (NASDAQ: SMCI), the leading innovator in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology is a premier provider of advanced server Building Block Solutions for Data Center, Cloud Computing, Enterprise IT, HPC and Embedded Systems worldwide. Supermicro is committed to protecting the environment through its "We Keep IT Green" initiative and provides customers with the most energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly solutions available on the market.

Supermicro, SuperServer, Building Block Solutions and We Keep IT Green are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Super Micro Computer, Inc.

All other brands, names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: David Okada of Super Micro Computer, Inc., davido@supermicro.com

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Computer Workstation utilizes NVIDIA® Maximus(TM) technology.