Monthly Archives: July 2012

Prospective Comparison of Oncotype DX and Central Pathology Assessment Shows HER2 Discordance

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Douglas Kell has been reappointed as chief executive and deputy chair of the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts said this week.

Kell has held the top post at BBSRC since 2008, and before that he was director of the Manchester Centre for Integrative Systems Biology. He also has served as director of research at the Institute of Biological Sciences at the University of Aberystwyth, and he was a founding director of Aber Instruments. His research has included a range of topics including systems biology, analytical chemistry, and biochemical and data modeling.

The Institute for Systems Biology has appointed Robert Lipshutz to be chief business officer and senior VP for strategic partnerships. Lipshutz spent nearly two decades at Affymetrix in various roles focusing on business development, licensing, diagnostics, and emerging markets, and most recently as senior VP for corporate development.

Verinata Health CEO Caren Mason has resigned but will continue to provide the company with consultative services. Mason joined Verinata in November 2010. She was previously the president and CEO of Quidel, president and CEO of MiraMedica, CEO of eMed Technologies, and general manager of GE Healthcare. The firm plans to recruit a new CEO.

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Prospective Comparison of Oncotype DX and Central Pathology Assessment Shows HER2 Discordance

The Unappreciated Awesomeness at Schiff Nutrition International

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It takes money to make money. Most investors know that, but with business media so focused on the "how much," very few investors bother to ask, "How fast?"

When judging a company's prospects, how quickly it turns cash outflows into cash inflows can be just as important as how much profit it's booking in the accounting fantasy world we call "earnings." This is one of the first metrics I check when I'm hunting for the market's best stocks. Today, we'll see how it applies to Schiff Nutrition International (NYSE: SHF) .

Let's break this downIn this series, we measure how swiftly a company turns cash into goods or services and back into cash. We'll use a quick, relatively foolproof tool known as the cash conversion cycle, or CCC for short.

Why does the CCC matter? The less time it takes a firm to convert outgoing cash into incoming cash, the more powerful and flexible its profit engine is. The less money tied up in inventory and accounts receivable, the more available to grow the company, pay investors, or both.

To calculate the cash conversion cycle, add days inventory outstanding to days sales outstanding, then subtract days payable outstanding. Like golf, the lower your score here, the better. The CCC figure for Schiff Nutrition International for the trailing 12 months is 91.4.

For younger, fast-growth companies, the CCC can give you valuable insight into the sustainability of that growth. A company that's taking longer to make cash may need to tap financing to keep its momentum. For older, mature companies, the CCC can tell you how well the company is managed. Firms that begin to lose control of the CCC may be losing their clout with their suppliers (who might be demanding stricter payment terms) and customers (who might be demanding more generous terms). This can sometimes be an important signal of future distress -- one most investors are likely to miss.

In this series, I'm most interested in comparing a company's CCC to its prior performance. Here's where I believe all investors need to become trend-watchers. Sure, there may be legitimate reasons for an increase in the CCC, but all things being equal, I want to see this number stay steady or move downward over time.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Dollar amounts in millions. FY = fiscal year. TTM = trailing 12 months.

Because of the seasonality in some businesses, the CCC for the TTM period may not be strictly comparable to the fiscal-year periods shown in the chart. Even the steadiest-looking businesses on an annual basis will experience some quarterly fluctuations in the CCC. To get an understanding of the usual ebb and flow at Schiff Nutrition International, consult the quarterly-period chart below.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Dollar amounts in millions. FQ = fiscal quarter.

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The Unappreciated Awesomeness at Schiff Nutrition International

Nutrition and Culinary Duo Team Up with Avocados from Mexico to Share their Kitchen Expertise

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FALLSTON, Md., July 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA) teamed up with Cheryl Forberg, RD, nutritionist for NBC's Biggest Loser Seasons 1-12, and chef Suvir Saran, contestant on Bravo's Top Chef MastersSeason 3and author to develop nutrition and culinary tips as part of the "Pantry Pointers and Prep With Cheryl and Suvir" Sweepstakes.

Avocado fans were able to enter the sweepstakes February 17th through May 7th at http://www.facebook.com/theamazingavocado or register at any of the 12 "Taste the WOW!" Mobile Tour stops around the country. Laurie Lichtenstein of Benbrook, Texas won a private nutrition consultation, cooking lesson, and food shopping instruction in her own home with Cheryl and Suvir. By utilizing the USDA's web tools that support the MyPlate initiative like SuperTracker, Cheryl helped Laurie set a path to healthier eating by incorporating whole grains, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and lean proteins in a delicious and simple way. As a MyPlate Partner, MHAIA helps communicate key messages of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, such as encouraging half of our plates to be fruits and vegetables.

And while Laurie was chosen as the winner, everyone can benefit from learning from Cheryl and Suvir how avocados can fit into a healthy and flavorful lifestyle.

Play Kitchen Favorites "In addition to a knife, two of my go-to tools in the kitchen are an immersion blender, and a food processor," said Suvir. "You can make soups in a cinch or use the processor to make prep work a breeze. I organize my countertop around my most commonly used tools to help stay neat and save time."

Don't Go it Alone Many supermarkets now carry pre-prepped ingredients, like chopped garlic or julienned vegetables. "Take advantage of someone else doing the busy work," explained Cheryl. "Some time-consuming tasks, like mincing onion, can discourage people from making healthy decisions. So if you're short on time, using the pre-prepped ingredients is a great option!"

Swap Smart "One of the things I love most about cooking is that it allows me to be creative," shared Cheryl. "Start with something you make well and make small changes to slightly alter the texture, color, or main ingredient. For example, instead of pasta with a cream sauce, mix in a very ripe avocado and then season with salt, pepper and a dash of Parmesan cheese. You'll still have the familiar creaminess from the avocado, and you'll also have added nearly 20 vitamins and nutrients and the 'good' fats."

Slice, Twist, Pop "Avocados aren't as tricky to work with as they may appear," said Suvir. "Simply remember "Slice, Twist, Pop" and you're in! Slice the avocado lengthwise, using the pit to pivot your knife around. Twist the avocado halves in opposite directions to pull them apart. Pop the pit out using the tip of a knife. You can also slice an avocado in the skin (just don't go through the skin) to avoid mashing it with your knife while slicing. Finally, to store an unused avocado half, take the side with the pit and place plastic wrap directly onto the skin, wrap completely, and store in the refrigerator."

All in the Family "Get everyone in the family involved in the cooking process," advised Suvir. "Young children can help rinse vegetables, tweens can stir sauces, and older children can chop ingredients. Not only will your family appreciate the meal more, but you'll instill important lessons about healthy eating habits at a young age."

During her 12 seasons as the nutritionist for the Biggest Loser, Cheryl helped transform the lives of more than 250 contestants and reached thousands more online. Cheryl is not only a registered dietitian, but also a James Beard award winning chef, and is passionate about cooking with both nutrition and flavor in mind. She is the author of several books, including her newest cookbook, Flavor First. Cheryl can be found on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CherylForbergRD and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cherylforbergrd.

Suvir Saran is a peerless chef, teacher and public speaker. His restaurant, Devi, in New York was the first Indian restaurant in North America to earn a Michelin star. As chairman of the World Cuisines Council, Asian Studies Center for the Culinary Institute of America, Saran furthers his goal to bring mindful living and eating to those craving change or contemplating it. He wowed judges with his skill and integrity while on Bravo's Top Chef Masters Season 3 and is the author of three cookbooks. Suvir can be found on Twitter: https://twitter.com/suvirsaran and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/suvirsaran.

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Nutrition and Culinary Duo Team Up with Avocados from Mexico to Share their Kitchen Expertise

Food Bars in the US: Cereal/Granola Bar and Energy/Nutrition Bar Trends

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NEW YORK, July 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0833399/Food-Bars-in-the-US-Cereal/Granola-Bar-and-Energy/Nutrition-Bar-Trends.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Snack_and_Sweet

This Packaged Facts report examines the $5.7 billion U.S. retail market for food bars, classified into two categories: cereal/granola bars and energy/nutrition bars.

Food bars have been making noise in the marketplace recently, posting double-digit growth rates for successful product types. Reasons for this surge include a wave of new product launches, increased sophistication in marketing bars to different consumer sets, and continued innovation in delivery formats. Eating trends such as the blurring of meals and snacks and increasingly informal, spur-of-the-moment, and customized eating all favor the food bar market.This report is based on information gathered from primary, secondary, and syndicated sources. Primary research involved consultation with industry sources and a Packaged Facts online consumer survey conducted in February-March 2012. Secondary research involved the evaluation and comparison of data and information found in financial, trade, and government sources, as well as company media. Analysis also draws on mass-market sales-tracking data from SymphonyIRI and national consumer survey data from Experian Simmons.

Chapter 1: Executive Summary

Scope and Methodology

Food Bar Market Overview

Cereal Bars

Granola Bars

Energy/Nutrition Bars

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Food Bars in the US: Cereal/Granola Bar and Energy/Nutrition Bar Trends

Could The Naked Mole Rat Hold The Secret Of Longevity?

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July 3, 2012

redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports Your Universe Online

The naked mole rat is well-known for its longer lifespan, living on average for 30 years. The East African native, when compared to humans, shows little sign of decline due to aging, maintaining high activity, bone health, reproductive capacity, and cognitive ability throughout its lifetime. Now a collaborative of researchers in Israel and the United States is working to uncover the secret to the small mammals long and very busy lifespan.

Dr. Dorothee Huchon of Tel Aviv Universitys Department of Zoology, Prof. Rochelle Buffenstein of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, and Dr. Yael Edrey of the City College of New York are working together to determine whether the naked mole rats unusually high levels of NRG-1, a neuroprotecting protein, is behind the rodents three-decade life span. Because rodents have an 85 percent genetic similarity to humans, it may hold the key to a longer and healthier life for humans as well.

Genetic analysis comparing the mole rat with several other rodent species revealed that high levels NRG-1 in adults were linked to a longer life span. Of all the species the researchers studied, the naked mole rat had the most plentiful and enduring supply of the protein, maintaining a consistent level throughout its lifetime. It is concentrated in the part of the brain important to motor control.

Dr. Huchon, an evolutionary biologist, joined the project to lend her expertise on rodent genetics. She studied seven species of rodents, including guinea pigs, mice, and mole rats, to determine the genetic relationships between them. Her analysis revealed that the correlation between life span and NRG-1 levels was independent of evolutionary lineage meaning that it was unique to the naked mole rat, not a common trait of these rodent species.

Prof. Buffenstein and Edrey monitored NRG-1 levels in a population of naked mole rats ranging in age from one day to 26 years. They found that throughout their lives, levels of NRG-1, essential for normal brain functioning, were sustained. The protein is a neuroprotector, safeguarding the integrity of neurons, which may explain why naked mole rats are able to live so healthy and well for such a long of time.

This discovery is an important first step towards understanding how aging and the NRG-1 protein in particular functions in these interesting animals, says Dr. Huchon. Future research could reveal how NRG-1 helps to maintain neuron integrity and lead to discoveries about human aging as well.

The naked mole rat, a burrowing rodent that lives in colonies much like those of ants, has already proven to be an excellent tool for aging and biomedical research because it is resistant to cancer and maintains protein integrity in the brain despite being exposed to oxidative damage, Dr. Huchon says.

This research has been published in the journal Aging Cell.

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Could The Naked Mole Rat Hold The Secret Of Longevity?

Genetic 911: Study examines how cells exploit gene sequences to cope with toxic stress

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Toxic chemicals wreak havoc on cells, damaging DNA and other critical molecules. A new study from researchers at MIT and the University at Albany reveals how a molecular emergency-response system shifts the cell into damage-control mode and helps it survive such attacks by rapidly producing proteins that counteract the harm.

Peter Dedon, a professor of biological engineering at MIT, and colleagues had previously shown that cells treated with poisons such as arsenic alter their chemical modification of molecules known as transfer RNA (tRNA), which deliver protein building blocks within a cell. In their new paper, appearing in the July 3 issue of Nature Communications, the research team delved into how these modifications help cells survive.

The researchers found that toxic stresses reprogram the tRNA modifications to turn on a system that diverts the cell's protein-building machinery away from its routine activities to emergency action. "In the end, a stepwise mechanism leads to selective expression of proteins that you need to survive," says Dedon, senior author of the Nature Communications paper.

The findings offer insight into not only cells' response to toxins, but also their reactions to all kinds of stimuli, such as nutrients or hormones, Dedon says. "We're proposing that any time there's a stimulus, you're going to have a reprogramming [of tRNA] that causes selective translation of proteins you need for the next step in whatever you're going to do," he says.

Lead author of the paper is recent MIT PhD recipient Clement Chan. Other MIT authors are postdocs Yan Ling Joy Pang and Wenjun Deng and research scientist Ramesh Indrakanti. Authors from the University at Albany are Thomas Begley, an associate professor of nanobioscience, and research scientist Madhu Dyavaiah.

A new role for RNA

Transfer RNA is made of 70 to 90 ribonucleotide building blocks. After synthesis, the ribonucleotides usually undergo dozens of chemical modifications that alter their structure and function. The primary job of tRNA is to bring amino acids to the ribosomes, which string them together to make proteins.

In a 2010 paper, Dedon and colleagues exposed yeast cells to different toxic chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide, bleach and arsenic. In each case, the cells responded by uniquely reprogramming the location and amount of each tRNA modification. If the cells lost the ability to reprogram the modifications, they were much less likely to survive the toxic attack.

In the new study, the researchers focused on a particular tRNA modification, known as m5C, which occurs when cells encounter hydrogen peroxide, a chemical produced by white blood cells.

They first discovered that this modification occurs predominantly in one of the tRNAs that carry the amino acid leucine. Every amino acid is encoded by three-letter sequences in the genome called codons. Each tRNA corresponds to one amino acid, but most amino acids can be coded by several tRNA sequences. For example, leucine can be coded by six different genome sequences: TTA, TTG, CTT, CTC, CTA and CTG.

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Genetic 911: Study examines how cells exploit gene sequences to cope with toxic stress

Genetic 911: Cells’ emergency systems revealed

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ScienceDaily (July 3, 2012) oxic chemicals wreak havoc on cells, damaging DNA and other critical molecules. A new study from researchers at MIT and the University at Albany reveals how a molecular emergency-response system shifts the cell into damage-control mode and helps it survive such attacks by rapidly producing proteins that counteract the harm.

Peter Dedon, a professor of biological engineering at MIT, and colleagues had previously shown that cells treated with poisons such as arsenic alter their chemical modification of molecules known as transfer RNA (tRNA), which deliver protein building blocks within a cell. In their new paper, appearing in the July 3 issue of Nature Communications, the research team delved into how these modifications help cells survive.

The researchers found that toxic stresses reprogram the tRNA modifications to turn on a system that diverts the cell's protein-building machinery away from its routine activities to emergency action. "In the end, a stepwise mechanism leads to selective expression of proteins that you need to survive," says Dedon, senior author of the Nature Communications paper.

The findings offer insight into not only cells' response to toxins, but also their reactions to all kinds of stimuli, such as nutrients or hormones, Dedon says. "We're proposing that any time there's a stimulus, you're going to have a reprogramming [of tRNA] that causes selective translation of proteins you need for the next step in whatever you're going to do," he says.

Lead author of the paper is recent MIT PhD recipient Clement Chan. Other MIT authors are postdocs Yan Ling Joy Pang and Wenjun Deng and research scientist Ramesh Indrakanti. Authors from the University at Albany are Thomas Begley, an associate professor of nanobioscience, and research scientist Madhu Dyavaiah.

A new role for RNA

Transfer RNA is made of 70 to 90 ribonucleotide building blocks. After synthesis, the ribonucleotides usually undergo dozens of chemical modifications that alter their structure and function. The primary job of tRNA is to bring amino acids to the ribosomes, which string them together to make proteins.

In a 2010 paper, Dedon and colleagues exposed yeast cells to different toxic chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide, bleach and arsenic. In each case, the cells responded by uniquely reprogramming the location and amount of each tRNA modification. If the cells lost the ability to reprogram the modifications, they were much less likely to survive the toxic attack.

In the new study, the researchers focused on a particular tRNA modification, known as m5C, which occurs when cells encounter hydrogen peroxide, a chemical produced by white blood cells.

They first discovered that this modification occurs predominantly in one of the tRNAs that carry the amino acid leucine. Every amino acid is encoded by three-letter sequences in the genome called codons. Each tRNA corresponds to one amino acid, but most amino acids can be coded by several tRNA sequences. For example, leucine can be coded by six different genome sequences: TTA, TTG, CTT, CTC, CTA and CTG.

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Genetic 911: Cells' emergency systems revealed

AWI not OK with DNA

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THE cost of DNA testing appears to be behind Australian Wool Innovation cutting off funds to its nucleus flock.

In a letter to its levypayers AWI said cost would deter DNA testing by stud breeders.

"The cost of genotyping is currently in the order of $130 and would have to drop to about $20 before a significant uptake is expected, " AWI chief executive Stuart McCullough and chairman Wal Merriman said in the letter.

Late last year AWI was asked to contribute $4.8 million to a nine-year program costing almost $13 million and involving a 6000-head flock joined over five years and four subsequent years of measurements.

At the time the Sheep Co-operative Research Centre paid $150 for a test that provided a parentage, detection of single gene traits such as pollness and predictions for a range of traits for wool and carcass quality, fertility and parasite resistance.

But Victorian Department of Primary Industries geneticist Dr Ben Hay said DNA costings were falling sharply worldwide.

Dr Hay said the cost of reading DNA had dropped by more than $100 in the past five years.

"And we can expect even greater reductions in the next couple of years," Dr Hay said.

Although AWI quoted a $130 test cost in its letter of last week, Sheep CRC chief executive Dr James Rowe said it had contracted a price of $110 for this year's pilot program and stud breeders would pay a subsidised rate of $50.

"We reckon it will be down to $50 next year," he said.

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AWI not OK with DNA

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Korle Bu DNA Centre to help unravel crimes

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Health News of Tuesday, 3 July 2012

Source: Daily Graphic

The DNA Centre at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital says it has the facilities to assist the law enforcement agencies in the detection of crime.

It said its machines could determine the identity of criminals by extracting DNA from saliva, hair, blood, semen or any other bodily fluid left at a crime scene or on the victims by the perpetrators.

The Director of the centre, Dr Bartholomew Dzudzor, told graphic.com.gh that unfortunately, however, officials at the centre had not been trained in the collection of forensic samples from crime scenes, adding that the centre would be willing to partner the police if the police could perform that task.

He explained that during the commission of violent crimes, such as murder, kidnapping, rape, robbery, among other things, minute traces of blood and other bodily fluids, as well as hair, were left at the crime scene.

He said what was needed was well-trained forensic experts to carefully collect those samples, adding that extreme caution was essential to ensure that the samples were not contaminated.

According to him, DNA extracted from the samples would then be compared to the DNA of suspects and if they matched, the suspects could then be charged with the crime.

DNA may point at an individual and yet he or she may not be the perpetrator of the crime only if he or she was a homozygous (identical) twin, he said, adding that homozygous twins were formed from the same egg and, therefore, had similar DNA.

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Korle Bu DNA Centre to help unravel crimes

Posted in DNA

Global DNA Probes-Based Diagnostics Industry

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NEW YORK, July 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Global DNA Probes-Based Diagnostics Industry

http://www.reportlinker.com/p098404/Global-DNA-Probes-Based-Diagnostics-Industry.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Diagnosti

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for DNA Probes-based Diagnostics in US$ Million by the following Application Areas: Infectious Diseases, Cancer Testing, Genetic Predisposition, Identity/Forensics, Molecular HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) Typing, and Others. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2009 through 2017. Also, a six-year historic analysis is provided for these markets. The report profiles 63 companies including many key and niche players such as Abbott Laboratories, Affymetrix, Inc., Becton, Dickinson & Company, Beckman Coulter, Inc., bioMerieux, Celera Group, Gen-Probe Incorporated, Genzyme Corporation, Luminex Molecular Diagnostics, QIAGEN, Roche Diagnostics, and Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Inc. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are primarily based upon search engine sources in the public domain.

I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & PRODUCT DEFINITIONSStudy Reliability and Reporting Limitations I-1Disclaimers I-2Data Interpretation & Reporting Level I-3Quantitative Techniques & Analytics I-3Product Definitions and Scope of Study I-3Infectious Diseases I-4Cancer I-4Genetic Predisposition I-4Identity/Forensics I-4Molecular HLA Testing I-4Other Diagnostic Applications I-4II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. MARKET DYNAMICS II-1

Industry Overview II-1

DNA Probes: Robust Growth Ahead II-1

Decoding the Genetic Puzzle II-1

Advantages of DNA-Probe Tests II-2

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Global DNA Probes-Based Diagnostics Industry

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Cloudera Chief Scientist Jeff Hammerbacher Teams With Mount Sinai School of Medicine to Solve Medical Challenges Using …

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PALO ALTO, CA--(Marketwire -07/03/12)- Cloudera, the category leader that is setting the standard for Apache Hadoop in the enterprise, today announced that Cloudera Cofounder and Chief Scientist Jeff Hammerbacher will be leading a revolutionary project with Mount Sinai School of Medicine to apply the power of Cloudera's Big Data platform to critical problems in predicting and understanding the process and treatment of disease.

"We are at the cutting edge of disease prevention and treatment, and the work that we will do together will reshape the landscape of our field," said Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, The Mount Sinai Medical Center. "Mount Sinai is thrilled to join minds with Cloudera."

As a founder of Cloudera, Hammerbacher fully appreciates the technology's potential for solving previously intractable or even un-askable questions in medicine. In concert with Mount Sinai's clinical and academic community, he will help to develop solutions designed to enable performance scalable data analysis and multi-scale measurements in areas such as genotype, gene expression and organ health for medical research and discovery. The new software will also provide real-time feedback and guidance for treatment to improve patient outcomes.

"We can improve healthcare delivery and treatment through new technology and acquired knowledge," said Eric Schadt, PhD, director of the Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology at Mount Sinai. "I am delighted that Jeff will be collaborating with the Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology and look forward to working together to dramatically change how we think about medical analysis and reporting."

Hammerbacher is enthusiastic about the implications of Big Data in medicine and, with support of Cloudera's Data Science team, will be dedicating a portion of his time to this collaboration. Areas of research include analysis of human and bacterial genomes, study of the metabolic pathways of normal and disease states in the organism, structure and function of molecules used in treatment of disease, and more.

"I'm excited to work closely with one of the world's best research and teaching hospitals, as we expand what it means to be in the Data Science field," Hammerbacher said. "The value of Hadoop lies not in the technology itself, but in the real world problems it can solve."

Solving practical problems is core to Cloudera's focus; recent examples include using Hadoop to gain new insights for the FDA on adverse drug reactions across up to four drug combinations, and helping Opower customers to be more energy efficient as a result of visibility and connections drawn from disparate data.

About The Mount Sinai Medical CenterThe Mount Sinai Medical Center encompasses both The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Established in 1968, Mount Sinai School of Medicine is one of the leading medical schools in the United States. The Medical School is noted for innovation in education, biomedical research, clinical care delivery, and local and global community service. Consistently ranked in the top 20 hospitals in the United States, Mount Sinai is one of 12 integrated academic medical centers whose medical school ranks among the top 20 in NIH funding and US News and World Report and whose hospital is on the US News and World Report Honor Roll. Nearly 60,000 people were treated at Mount Sinai as inpatients last year, and approximately 560,000 outpatient visits took place. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/

About ClouderaCloudera, the leader in Apache Hadoop-based software, services and training, enables data driven enterprises to easily derive business value from all their structured and unstructured data. Cloudera's Distribution Including Apache Hadoop (CDH), available to download for free at http://www.cloudera.com/downloads, is the most comprehensive, tested, stable and widely deployed distribution of Hadoop in commercial and non-commercial environments. For the fastest path to reliably using this completely open source technology in production for Big Data analytics and answering previously un-addressable big questions, organizations can subscribe to Cloudera Enterprise, comprised of Cloudera Support and a portfolio of software including Cloudera Manager. Cloudera also offers consulting services, training and certification on Apache technologies. As the top contributor to the Apache open source community and with tens of thousands of nodes under management across customers in financial services, government, telecommunications, media, web, advertising, retail, energy, bioinformatics, pharma/healthcare, university research, oil and gas and gaming, Cloudera's depth of experience and commitment to sharing expertise are unrivaled. http://www.cloudera.com

Connect with ClouderaRead the blog: http://www.cloudera.com/blog/ Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/cloudera Visit on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cloudera

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Cloudera Chief Scientist Jeff Hammerbacher Teams With Mount Sinai School of Medicine to Solve Medical Challenges Using ...

Coffee Skin Cancer: Caffeine Consumption Linked With Lower Risk Of Basal Cell Carcinoma

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In addition to this finding, this finding, this finding and this finding -- all of which came out in the past month or so -- a new coffee study is showing us yet another health benefit of being a regular brew-drinker.

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School have found that there seems to be a relationship between increased coffee intake (meaning the more, the better) and decreased risk of basal cell carcinoma -- the most common skin cancer.

But researchers cautioned that if you aren't an avid coffee drinker already, this study shouldn't convince you to try to increase your coffee intake for the sake of protecting against skin cancer.

"However, our results add basal cell carcinoma to a list of conditions for which risk is decreased with increasing coffee consumption," study researcher Jiali Han, Ph.D., an associate professor at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston and Harvard School of Public Health, said in a statement. "This list includes conditions with serious negative health consequences such as Type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's disease."

This year in the United States, there are expected to be more than 2,000,000 new cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The Cancer Research study included analysis of 112,897 people who were in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Over a 20-year period, 22,786 people developed basal cell carcinoma.

Researchers not only found a link between increased coffee consumption and decreased skin cancer risk -- for example, women who drank three or more cups of coffee a day had a lower risk of skin cancer than people who drank less than a cup of coffee a month -- but also a link between overall increased caffeine consumption (like from coffee, soda, chocolate and tea) and decreased skin cancer risk. Meanwhile, there was no link between decaffeinated coffee consumption and risk of the skin cancer.

In addition, there was no link was identified between increased coffee or caffeine consumption and squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma, which are two other kinds of skin cancer.

"These results really suggest that it is the caffeine in coffee that is responsible for the decreased risk of basal cell carcinoma associated with increasing coffee consumption," Han said in the statement. "This would be consistent with published mouse data, which indicate caffeine can block skin tumor formation. However, more studies in different population cohorts and additional mechanistic studies will be needed before we can say this definitively."

However, there is such a thing as too much caffeine. The Mayo Clinic says that consuming heavy amounts of caffeine each day (500 to 600 milligrams a day, or more) can lead to muscle tremors, insomnia, irritability, restlessness and even upset stomach. But the Mayo Clinic did note that getting about 200 to 300 milligrams of caffeine per day -- that which is in about four cups of coffee -- for adults is not a detriment to health.

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Coffee Skin Cancer: Caffeine Consumption Linked With Lower Risk Of Basal Cell Carcinoma

Legendary driver may call it a career at infamous race

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Success on a racetrack can result in immortality. Even the casual sports fan can recite the names of Foyt, Andretti, Unser, Mears, Franchitti, and Owens.

Yes, all have been driven or in this case have driven in their chase for glory. The former at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, while the latter at a dirt course set up around a ball diamond at Plank Hill Park in a pit stop along Indiana 16 called Twelve Mile.

The 50th edition of the Twelve Mile 500 Lawnmower Race, which makes it the oldest of its kind anywhere in the nation, will kick off the first of three races at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Dean Owens wasnt born into the sport of racing; he just stumbled upon it when a neighbor told the 13-year-old about a group of guys that gathered each Fourth of July in a park nearby to race lawnmowers. The year was 1969 and they had been doing it for six years prior. The moment that Owens laid eyes on the competition he knew that he wanted to immerse himself in the sweat, oil, dirt and yes, fear of speeding through trees in a cluster of mayhem.

I got pretty excited about it, Owens recalled.

The excitement spread throughout the mechanically-inclined Owens family and eventually Deans two brothers, his father, his son, and even his sister tested their skill and guile.

It was quite a family affair, Owens said.

Owens will be competing in his 38th race on Wednesday, which is a new track record of the sorts.

I consider myself very competitive, Owens said. But I have a ball doing it.

The race is broken into three categories: Briggs and Super Stock (both of which are four-cylinder races) and a two-cylinder Modified race in which Owens said anything goes.

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Legendary driver may call it a career at infamous race

Why smoking is 'BAD' for the Fallopian tube — and increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy

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Public release date: 3-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Christine Bauquis christine@eshre.eu 32-499-258-046 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Istanbul, 3 July 2012: Cigarette smoke reduces the production of a Fallopian tube gene known as "BAD", which helps explain the link between smoking and ectopic pregnancy. The finding, from scientists led by Drs Andrew Horne and Colin Duncan at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Reproductive Health in Edinburgh, UK, was described today at the annual meting of ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology) in Istanbul.

Ectopic pregnancy - when the embryo implants outside the uterus and in the Fallopian tube - occurs in up to 2% of all pregnancies and is the most common cause of maternal death in early pregnancy. There is currently no way to prevent an ectopic pregnancy, and the condition must be treated by abdominal surgery or, when the ectopic is small and stable, by injection of a drug called methotrexate.

In presenting background information to the study, Dr Horne explained that ectopic pregnancy is the result of a combination of factors affecting the transport of the developing embryo from the Fallopian tube to the uterus and changes in the tubal environment which allow early implantation to occur. Smoking is known to be a major risk factor, but how smoking changes the environment of the Fallopian tube for an ectopic pregnancy to occur has so far remained largely unknown.

For the purpose of this study, Dr Horne's group first exposed cells from the Fallopian tube to a breakdown product of nicotine called cotinine. They then showed that cotinine had a negative effect on genes known to be associated with cell death (or apoptosis), and in particular with a gene called BAD. In a further study the researchers showed that BAD expression was reduced in the Fallopian tube of women who were smokers.

Dr Horne explained that changes in the production of BAD and related genes are seen in the uterus as it prepares for normal implantation of the embryo and early pregnancy. A reduction in the expression of BAD is normally seen in the cells of the uterus just before the embryo implants.

The results of this study, said Dr Horne, suggest that the reduced production of the BAD gene in the Fallopian tube leads to an environment like that of the uterus, which encourages and allows ectopic pregnancy to occur. "So our research," he added, "may in future help scientists find ways to prevent ectopic pregnancy, diagnosis it better, and treat it earlier."

He went on: "The research is exciting because it provides new scientific evidence to help understand why women who smoke are more likely to have ectopic pregnancies. It appears that smoking reduces the production of genes such as BAD which are involved in the control of cell death and promote an environment in the Fallopian tube which is attractive to the developing embryo.

"The information gained from this study can also be applied to other conditions caused by smoking, and could help us prevent or treat them better in the long term."

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Why smoking is 'BAD' for the Fallopian tube -- and increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy

5 Million IVF And ICSI Babies Worldwide

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July 3, 2012

redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports Your Universe Online

According to research presented this week at the 28th annual meeting of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) meeting, the number of babies born as a result of assisted reproduction technologies (ART) has reached an estimated 5 million since the worlds first, Louise Brown, was born in July 1978.

The calculations are based on the number of IVF and ICSI treatment cycles recorded worldwide up to 2008 and estimates added for the next three years. The collective total of births was put at 4.6 million in 2011, and in 2012 has now reached an estimated 5 million.

Dr David Adamson, from Fertility Physicians of Northern California, USA, and Chairman of International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ICMART), commented: It means that this technology has been highly successful in treating infertile patients. Millions of families with children have been created, thereby reducing the burden of infertility.

The technology has improved greatly over the years to increase pregnancy rates. The babies are as healthy as those from other infertile patients who conceive spontaneously. The technology is available globally in many different cultures. The major barriers to access are economic, and societal in some situations. With these accomplishments as a technology, and with recognition of Professor Robert Edwards as a Nobel Laureate, IVF is firmly established now in the mainstream of medicine.

Other ICMART information shows that around 1.5 million ART cycles are now performed worldwide each year, producing approximately 350,000 babies. The two most active countries of the world are the USA and Japan, but the most active region by far is Europe.

European data to be presented at the ESHRE congress are from 2009 and show that demand for treatment continues to grow, from 532,260 in 2008 to 537,287 in 2009.

The average availability of ART in Europe is close to 1000 cycles/million inhabitants, but this figure varies greatly between countries and is largely dependent on local state funding policies. For example, availability in Europe is greater than in the USA but less than in Australia.

Dr Anna Pia Ferraretti, chairman of ESHREs IVF Monitoring Consortium, said that the global need for ART is estimated to be at least 1500 cycles/million population per year, a figure only seen in Denmark (2726 cycles/million), Belgium (2562 cycles), Czech Republic (1851 cycles), Slovenia (1840 cycles), Sweden (1800 cycles), Finland (1701 cycles) and Norway (1780 cycles). Countries with much lower availability included Austria (747 cycles/million), Germany (830 cycles), Italy (863 cycles) and UK (879 cycles).

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5 Million IVF And ICSI Babies Worldwide

A high intake of certain dietary fats associated with lower live birth rates in IVF

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Public release date: 3-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Christine Bauquis christine@eshre.eu 32-499-258-046 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Istanbul, 3 July 2012: Women with a higher intake of dietary saturated fats have fewer mature oocytes available for collection in IVF, according to results of a study from the Harvard School of Public Health funded by the US National Institutes of Health. The study investigated the effect of dietary fat (classified as total, saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, omega 6, omega 3 and trans) on a range of preclinical and clinical outcomes in women having IVF. Results showed that the intake of saturated fat was inversely related to the number of mature oocytes retrieved, while polyunsaturated fat consumption was inversely associated with early embryo quality.(1)

Dietary fat intake has been previously studied for its effect on reproductive health; for example, a high intake of trans-fats has been associated with ovulatory infertility (as in polycystic ovary syndrome) and miscarriage, while saturated fats have been related to lower sperm concentrations. But so far little has been known about the effect of dietary fat intake on the outcome of fertility treatment.

The results of this study were presented today at the annual meeting of ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology) by Dr Jorge Chavarro, Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health, USA.

The study took place among 147 women having IVF at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center. Preclinical assessments included oocyte development, fertilisation, embryo quality and cleavage rate, while clinical outcomes (pregnancy, live birth) were recorded in all women who had embryo transfer. The women were also categorised into tertiles of fat intake, with outcomes compared in relation to the lowest tertile. Results were controlled for other sources of energy, infertility diagnosis, ovarian stimulation protocol, body mass index (BMI) and smoking status.

Following statistical analysis it was found that women with higher intakes of total fat had fewer metaphase II (MII) oocytes retrieved than women in the lowest tertile. This association was driven by intake of saturated fat, said Professor Chavarro. Women in the highest tertile of saturated fat intake had on average 9.3 MII oocytes, while those with the lowest intake had 11.6 MII oocytes.

"Only MII oocytes can be used for IVF," he explained. "Thus, having fewer mature oocytes can mean fewer embryos to choose from for fresh transfer or future transfer following cryopreservation, particularly among women who respond poorly to ovarian stimulation."

Polyunsaturated fat consumption was found inversely related to embryo quality. Women in the highest tertile of polyunsaturated fat intake had a higher proportion of poor quality embryos and more slowly cleaving embryos than had women in the lowest tertile of intake.

Fat consumption was also associated with clinical outcomes. Higher intakes of monounsaturated fat were related to higher odds of live birth. The odds of a live birth after embryo transfer in women with the highest intake of monounsaturated fat were 3.45 times higher than those of women with the lowest intake.

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A high intake of certain dietary fats associated with lower live birth rates in IVF

Global DNA Probes-Based Diagnostics Industry

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NEW YORK, July 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Global DNA Probes-Based Diagnostics Industry

http://www.reportlinker.com/p098404/Global-DNA-Probes-Based-Diagnostics-Industry.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Diagnosti

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for DNA Probes-based Diagnostics in US$ Million by the following Application Areas: Infectious Diseases, Cancer Testing, Genetic Predisposition, Identity/Forensics, Molecular HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) Typing, and Others. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2009 through 2017. Also, a six-year historic analysis is provided for these markets. The report profiles 63 companies including many key and niche players such as Abbott Laboratories, Affymetrix, Inc., Becton, Dickinson & Company, Beckman Coulter, Inc., bioMerieux, Celera Group, Gen-Probe Incorporated, Genzyme Corporation, Luminex Molecular Diagnostics, QIAGEN, Roche Diagnostics, and Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Inc. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are primarily based upon search engine sources in the public domain.

I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & PRODUCT DEFINITIONSStudy Reliability and Reporting Limitations I-1Disclaimers I-2Data Interpretation & Reporting Level I-3Quantitative Techniques & Analytics I-3Product Definitions and Scope of Study I-3Infectious Diseases I-4Cancer I-4Genetic Predisposition I-4Identity/Forensics I-4Molecular HLA Testing I-4Other Diagnostic Applications I-4II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. MARKET DYNAMICS II-1

Industry Overview II-1

DNA Probes: Robust Growth Ahead II-1

Decoding the Genetic Puzzle II-1

Advantages of DNA-Probe Tests II-2

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Global DNA Probes-Based Diagnostics Industry

The Chemistry of Fireworks

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My family loves going to watch fireworks on the Fourth of July. Who doesnt? And our friends at ByteSize Science have a new video explaining how all those different colors are produced. (Did you know they put in extra stuff to make the boom?) The video features a demonstration by fireworks expert John A. Conkling, of Washington College in Maryland, who literally wrote the book on The Chemistry of Pyrotechnics. ByteSize Science is produced by the American Chemical Society.

Make a fireworks pinecone with chemistry. Image: Anne Helmenstine

If youre brave, you can get the same colorful effects in your own backyard campfire by adding common household chemicals like boric acid or Epsom salts to dried pinecones or rolled newspaper logs. Check out Anne Helmenstines directions and video at the About.com Chemistry blog.

Or if you prefer an explosion thats quieter (and colder), be sure to pick up some Fireworks Ice Cream for your holiday picnic. Which reminds me I better make sure we have some for our post-show treat!

Note: A version of this post was originally published on GeekDad in July 2010.

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The Chemistry of Fireworks

Research and Markets: Organic Chemistry As a Second Language: Second Semester Topics, 3rd Edition Shows the Patterns …

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/tzf55n/organic_chemistry) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Organic Chemistry As a Second Language: Second Semester Topics, 3rd Edition" to their offering.

Readers continue to turn to Klein because it enables them to better understand fundamental principles, solve problems, and focus on what they need to know to succeed. The third edition explores the major principles in the field and explains why they are relevant. It is written in a way that clearly shows the patterns in organic chemistry so that readers can gain a deeper conceptual understanding of the material. Topics are presented clearly in an accessible writing style along with numerous of hands-on problem solving exercises.

Key Topics Covered:

CHAPTER 1 IR SPECTROSCOPY

CHAPTER 2 NMR SPECTROSCOPY

CHAPTER 3 ELECTROPHILIC AROMATIC SUBSTITUTION

CHAPTER 4 NUCLEOPHILIC AROMATIC SUBSTITUTION

CHAPTER 5 KETONES AND ALDEHYDES

CHAPTER 6 CARBOXYLIC ACID DERIVATIVES

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Research and Markets: Organic Chemistry As a Second Language: Second Semester Topics, 3rd Edition Shows the Patterns ...

Step closer to understanding childhood degenerative brain disease

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Researchers at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) are a step closer to understanding and combating the degenerative brain disease ataxia-telangiectasia.

As part of a collaborative project, Associate Professor Ernst Wolvetang's AIBN research group has reprogrammed, for the first time, skin cells from people with the disease so they can study the effectiveness of potential treatments.

The collaborators are from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) and The University of Queensland's Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR) led by Professor Martin Lavin.

The reprogramming involves taking skin cells, generating pluripotent stem cells and turning them into brain cells for study in the lab.

People with ataxia-telangiectasia develop cancer and brain degeneration because a gene that recognises and repairs DNA damage is defective.

Associate Professor Wolvetang said the ability to reprogram skin cells from children with ataxia-telangiectasia provided a renewable resource to study the neurodegeneration and find medicines to combat it.

The next step is to correct the genetic mutations in the induced pluripotent stem cellsfrom these patients and then turn these corrected stem cells into brain and blood cells and demonstrate these can replace the defective cells that cause the problems in this disease, Associate Professor Wolvetang said.

Delivery of such corrected cells, which is still some years away, or novel drugs discovered using the cells generated in this study may help in treating this disease.

The researchers could start screening medicines in one to two years, but testing in animals would have to be completed before they could be used in humans.

Professor Lavin said the research had benefited from combining his QIMR and UQCCR research group's expertise with that of Associate Professor Wolvetang's AIBN group.

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Step closer to understanding childhood degenerative brain disease