A&E orders 'Bates Motel' series

Actress Janet Leigh shown in May 2002, has died after a long illness at the age of 77. Leigh attained screen immortality as a murder victim in Alfred Hitchcock's film "Psycho". (UPI Photo/Ezio Petersen)

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NEW YORK, July 2 (UPI) -- A&E Network says it has ordered a series called "Bates Motel," based on the 1960 Hollywood film classic "Psycho."

Bob DeBitetto, president and general manager of A&E Network and BIO Channel, and the network's executive vice president of programming, David McKillop, announced Monday it had ordered the 10-episode first season of "Bates Motel" from Universal Television.

Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin are serving as executive producers. Preproduction and casting are to begin immediately.

"We are proud to be partnering with Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin on their thrilling reinvention of one of the most compelling characters in cinematic history," DeBitetto and McKillop said in a statement. "It's a provocative project from two of the best storytellers in the business and we're looking forward to getting started."

Cuse was a producer of the TV series "Lost" and "Nash Bridges." Ehrin's producing credits include the TV series "Parenthood" and "Friday Night Lights."

"Bates Motel" is inspired by Robert Bloch's 1959 novel and Alfred Hitchcock's genre-defining film, "Psycho," starring Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin and Janet Leigh.

The TV show is described as "a contemporary exploration of the formative years of Norman Bates' relationship with his mother, Norma, and the world they inhabit," a synopsis said.

It is to premiere on the network in 2013.

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A&E orders 'Bates Motel' series

Equine Reproduction Laboratory construction to begin at Colorado State University

FORT COLLINS - Construction has begun on a 12,200-square-foot Equine Reproduction Laboratory at Colorado State University less than a year after fire destroyed the original main laboratory building.

For 30 years, researchers at the Equine Reproduction Laboratory have developed reproductive techniques benefiting horses and preserving bloodlines. Multiple techniques used today in human and animal reproduction assistance were pioneered at the laboratory, including semen freezing and cooling, embryo transfer and other advanced reproductive procedures.

Despite the fire, client services, teaching and research activities have continued in other buildings on the grounds. More than 500 client horses are examined annually at the ERL.

Construction is expected to be completed by March 2013 in time for the main part of the breeding season.

Insurance proceeds will cover some construction costs, but fundraising for the project is ongoing. For naming opportunities and more information about donating to rebuilding efforts, go to http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/ns/_news/csu-equine-laboratory-support/index.aspx.

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Equine Reproduction Laboratory construction to begin at Colorado State University

Breaking the skin barrier: Drugs topically deliver gene therapy via commercial moisturizers for skin disease treatment

ScienceDaily (July 2, 2012) Getting under your skin takes on a brave new meaning thanks to Northwestern University research that could transform gene regulation.

A team led by a physician-scientist and a chemist -- from the fields of dermatology and nanotechnology -- is the first to demonstrate the use of commercial moisturizers to deliver gene regulation technology that has great potential for life-saving therapies for skin cancers.

The topical delivery of gene regulation technology to cells deep in the skin is extremely difficult because of the formidable defenses skin provides for the body. The Northwestern approach takes advantage of drugs consisting of novel spherical arrangements of nucleic acids. These structures, each about 1,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, have the unique ability to recruit and bind to natural proteins that allow them to traverse the skin and enter cells.

Applied directly to the skin, the drug penetrates all of the skins layers and can selectively target disease-causing genes while sparing normal genes. Once in cells, the drug simply flips the switch of the troublesome genes to off.

A detailed study of a method that could dramatically redefine the field of gene regulation will be published online during the week of July 2 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Early targets of the novel treatment are melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma (two of the most common types of skin cancer), the common inflammatory skin disorder psoriasis, diabetic wound healing and a rare genetic skin disorder that has no effective treatment (epidermolytic ichthyosis). Other targets could even include wrinkles that come with aging skin.

The technology developed by my collaborator Chad Mirkin and his lab is incredibly exciting because it can break through the skin barrier, said co-senior author Amy S. Paller, M.D., the Walter J. Hamlin Professor, chair of dermatology and professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She also is director of Northwesterns Skin Disease Research Center.

This allows us to treat a skin problem precisely where it is manifesting -- on the skin, she said. We can target our therapy to the drivers of disease, at a level so minute that it can distinguish mutant genes from normal genes. Risks are minimized, and side effects have not been seen to date in our human skin and mouse models.

A co-senior author of the paper, Mirkin is the George B. Rathmann Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and professor of medicine, chemical and biological engineering, biomedical engineering and materials science and engineering. He also is the director of Northwesterns International Institute for Nanotechnology.

Mirkin first developed the nanostructure platform used in this study in 1996 at Northwestern, and the FDA-cleared technology now is the basis of powerful commercialized medical diagnostic tools. This, however, is the first realization that the nanostructures naturally enter skin and that they can deliver a large payload of therapeutics.

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Breaking the skin barrier: Drugs topically deliver gene therapy via commercial moisturizers for skin disease treatment

Gene healing in a lotion? Researchers are close

By Brian Alexander

Most people who buy cosmetic lotions and potions know that while the people working behind the department store makeup counters may wear white lab coats, the stuff they sell is more about packaging than science.

But a Northwestern University team is bucking that image, reporting today that theyve created a way to regulate genes affecting the skin -- merely by applying moisturizer.

Not only could their technology pave the way for cosmetics that actually work, but it also might also prove to be a valuable weapon in fighting melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, or diseases like psoriasis, and wounds like the intractable sores that often plague diabetics.

This is a blockbuster in the ways we will treat diseases of the skin, saidChad Mirkin, director of the International Institute for Nanotechnology and the George B. Rathmann Professor of Chemistry at Northwestern said. Were talking about ailments, scarring, wound healing, ways of regulating them or retarding them.

In a research paper published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Mirkin and his colleagues describe not a drug, exactly, but a way of delivering small sections of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA are nucleic acids) called short interfering RNA, or siRNA, to cells. The cells take up the siRNA, which then alters the way a gene inside each cell can be read by the protein-making system.

The team used gold particles with a diameter of 13 nanometers. (One nanometer is 1-billionth of a meter. A typical strand of human hair is roughly 60,000 nanometers wide.) They coated the particles with siRNA to create what they call spherical nucleic acid nanoparticleconjugates, or SNAs. Millions of SNAs were then added to a commercially available petroleum-based skin moisturizer and the mixture was applied to mice and to lab-grown human skin.

In their key experiment in mice, they used their new system to tamp down the activity of a gene called epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, thats involved in the growth of melanoma. As its name implies, EGFR receives messages from the epidermal growth factor protein. So toning down EGFR will interrupt the message; growth will be reduced or stop.

After mice were treated with the mixture three times per week for three weeks, the expression of the EGFR gene was reduced by 65 percent.

'Impressive' resultsSteve Dowdy, professor of cellular and molecular medicine at the University of California San Diego, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator specializing in RNA inhibition and ways to deliver siRNAs, called that result impressive.

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Gene healing in a lotion? Researchers are close

Multi-cell, multi-chemistry battery gas gauge supports wide range lithium battery chemistries

New Products

July 02, 2012 // Paul Buckley

Texas Instruments Incorporated has introduced the first in a family of multi-chemistry, multi-cell battery management gas gauge circuits with TI's proprietary Impedance Track capacity measurement technology.

The bq34z100 power management chip claims to be the first gas gauge in the industry to support a wide range of lithium-ion and lithium iron phosphate chemistries in 2- to 16-cell battery packs, extending battery run-time in applications like medical instruments, power tools, e-bikes and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). TI also plans to introduce new gauges this year to support lead acid, nickel cadmium and nickel metal hydride chemistries.

Today's multi-cell lithium battery designs in portable industrial and medical equipment need a more accurate way to measure remaining battery capacity. The bq34z100 battery gauge leverages Impedance Track technology, which uses charge voltage measurements, battery characteristics and properties to determine a battery's state-of-health and maintain up to a 94-percent accurate capacity measurement for the entire life of the battery. The circuit also works independently of series-cell configuration, and can reduce power consumption through an external voltage translation circuit.

Availability and Pricing

The bq34z100 multi-chemistry fuel gauge for lithium-based batteries is available now in a 14-pin, 5-mm x 6-mm TSSOP package, priced at $2.10 in quantities of 1,000. TI's new bq34z110 battery gauge for lead acid batteries is planned for release in the third quarter. A new gauge for NiCd and NiMH is planned for announcement later in 2012.

More information about the bq34z100 multi-chemistry fuel gauge for lithium-based batteries at http://www.ti.com/bq34z100-pr

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Multi-cell, multi-chemistry battery gas gauge supports wide range lithium battery chemistries

BIO Applauds DoD’s Announced Advanced Drop-In Biofuel Production Project

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today applauded the Department of Defenses announced public-private partnership opportunity to support an integrated domestic advanced drop-in biofuel biorefinery. The funding opportunity is designed to share the cost of establishing one or more first-of-a-kind biorefineries and feedstock supply chains to provide the U.S. military with already certified blends of biofuels.

Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIOs Industrial & Environmental Section, stated, The domestic advanced biofuel industry can play a huge part in promoting energy security, which is critical for military readiness and national security. Ensuring the reliability and affordability of fuel supplies through diversification to advanced drop-in alternative fuels is essential to sustain the U.S. militarys readiness, since oil price volatility has already negatively impacted military readiness. This year alone, the $30 increase in oil prices resulted in more than $3 billion in additional, unplanned costs to DoD. We have to realize we cant fly planes with solar power or sail ships with batteries; advanced biofuels are critical for both civilian and military aviation and maritime uses.

Private companies have made substantial investments and rapid progress in researching and developing advanced biofuels. Building new advanced biofuel biorefineries requires large capital investments at a time when capital formation has been hampered by the recent economic downturn. Public-private partnerships such as that announced today can help attract the additional private investment needed to complete the job. The Defense Department has used these partnerships many times in the past to ensure that we maintain a domestic capacity to produce materials that are vital to national security.

Ensuring that fuel markets are open to new technologies by maintaining the Renewable Fuel Standard is also a fundamental necessity for the biofuels industry to attract investment and complete the job. Federal leadership and policy stability are necessary to achieving energy security.

About BIO

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the worlds largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIO produces BIOtech NOW, an online portal and monthly newsletter chronicling innovations transforming our world. Subscribe to BIOtech NOW.

Upcoming BIO Events

BIO India International Conference September 12 13, 2012 Mumbai, India

Livestock Biotech Summit September 19 21, 2012 Kansas City, MO

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BIO Applauds DoD’s Announced Advanced Drop-In Biofuel Production Project

MU Researcher Receives NIH MERIT Award

COLUMBIA The bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) has a rudimentary molecular "memory" that allows it to swim toward the richest sources of food. MU biochemistry professor Gerald Hazelbauer's discoveries about bacteria could shed light on human and animal sensory, memory and response systems.

"When I began my work as a researcher in the late 1960s, studying bacterial behavior was a curiosity and its significance unclear," Hazelbauer said. "Now, decades later, the research done by my group and others has grown into a body of knowledge about the fundamental processes used by all living things to recognize, remember and respond to changes in their environments."

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) recently recognized and rewarded Hazelbauer's scientific contributions by granting him a "Method to Extend Research in Time" (MERIT) Award. The award, which is worth at least $5.5 million over 10 years, will allow him to continue his research without re-applying for funding. Hazelbauer joins only 11 other MU researchers who have received the MERIT award, including his wife, Linda Randall, who is also a biochemistry professor.

MERIT awards are intended to foster creativity and allow researchers to take more time to develop new techniques.

The awards are given only to scientists who have proven themselves by succeeding in at least 10 years of previous NIGMS-funded research and who seem likely to continue making valuable contributions to their field.

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MU Researcher Receives NIH MERIT Award

4 Surfing: Facing Adversity – Episode 6 – Video

01-07-2012 18:41 In this episode of 4 Surfing Jay "Bottle" Thompson is on the bubble to remain on the World Tour, as the mid year cut is just a few heats away. We leave J-Bay and journey over to Santa Barbara where we catch up with Connor Coffin at his home before he drives down to Huntington Beach, CA for the famous US OPEN of surfing. It's off to Holland to hang out with Marlon as he encounters a few problems of his own with his new company. Jordy is surfing lights out at J-Bay, creating an exciting semi-final at the Billabong Pro. Grab your board and stay tuned every SUNDAY! Subscribe to Red Bull: Subscribe to Show: Follow the Crew on Twitter: Jordy Smith: Conner Coffin: Jay "Bottle" Thompson: Marlon Lipke:

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4 Surfing: Facing Adversity - Episode 6 - Video

Travel Channel and Gaiam Release Mysteries at the Museum Season 2 on DVD

NEW YORK, July 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Gaiam, Inc., a leading producer of lifestyle media, announced the release of Mysteries at the Museum Season 2 on DVD under its exclusive home video license agreement with Travel Channel.

Ride alongside host Don Wildman as he explores America's wondrous museums, uncovering some of history's most enduring mysteries and reexamining the treasures that have been left behind. Going beyond the institutions' everyday exhibits, Season 2 investigates corners and backrooms filled with stories and secrets yet to be revealed. From a monstrous preserved head that may prove the existence of a legendary sea beast, to a robot that may have saved thousands of human lives in the worst nuclear disaster in American history, Wildman reveals some of the iconic artifacts that have helped us uncover who we are and what we've become.

This two-disc DVD set has a run time of 430 minutes and a suggested retail price of $19.98 Street date: July 3rd, 2012

Mysteries at the Museum Season 2 will be available in stores and online wherever DVDs are sold.

TRAVEL CHANNEL (http://www.travelchannel.com) is a multiplatform travel lifestyle brand with the core mission of providing inspiring and compelling programming that takes viewers beyond their everyday destinations, making the unfamiliar familiar, whether it's around the world or around the block. A dual feed network that is also available in HD, Travel Channel is the world's leading travel media brand, and is available in over 94 million U.S. cable homes. Owned and operated by Scripps Networks Interactive (SNI), Travel Channel has offices in Chevy Chase, MD, and New York, NY. Scripps Networks Interactive (SNI) also owns and operates HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country.

About GAIAM Gaiam, Inc. (GAIA) is a leading producer and marketer of lifestyle media and fitness accessories. With a wide distribution network that consists of 62,000 retail doors, 14,400 store within stores, 5,600 media category management locations, a digital distribution platform and more than 10 million direct customers, Gaiam is dedicated to providing solutions for healthy and eco-conscious living. The company dominates the health and wellness category and releases non-theatrical programming focused on family entertainment and conscious media. In addition, Gaiam has an exclusive licensing agreement with Discovery Communications and other licensing partners. For more information about Gaiam, please visit http://www.gaiam.com or call 1.800.869.3603.

Contact: Leslie Norden lnorden@kruppnyc.com 212.886.6708

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Travel Channel and Gaiam Release Mysteries at the Museum Season 2 on DVD

Friendly Planet Travel Gives Travelers the Chance to Win a Trip to India on its Taj Mahal Express Tour

JENKINTOWN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Friendly Planet Travel, a leading tour operator of exotic destinations worldwide, offers the ultimate Facebook sweepstakes for travel enthusiasts. Friendly Planet Travels "Win the World" Facebook Sweepstakes gives travelers the opportunity to win an exotic getaway for two just by becoming a fan of its Facebook page. Today, Friendly Planet Travel is pleased to announce the last of its six giveawaysa free, nine-day Taj Mahal Express tour, which takes travelers to Indias Golden Triangle.

The Taj Mahal Express tour takes one lucky winner and a guest to explore Indias fascinating and exotic towns, including Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. The tour is feature-rich, with roundtrip, non-stop airfare from New York on Air India, including fuel surcharges as well as airline taxes and fees; superior first-class and deluxe hotels; daily buffet breakfasts; an authentic Indian farewell dinner in Delhi; expert guides throughout; transfers; and much more.

Our fans only have one more opportunity to win a trip of a lifetime in our Win the World Sweepstakes, says Peggy Goldman, President of Friendly Planet Travel. India is a wonderfully exotic destination that is a must-see for any travel enthusiast. I suggest taking advantage of the extra entries received by sharing the sweepstakes with Facebook friends. For each friend that is referred and enters, you will receive another entry for yourself, increasing your chances of winning. There is no limit to the number of extra entries you can earn by referring your friends.

The randomly selected winner of Friendly Planets last giveaway, the seven-day Taste of Ireland tour, valued at more than $4,400 is Laurie Forrest from Michigan. Forrest and a guest will enjoy a tour of the Emerald Isle to visit Irelands most famous destinations including Dublin, Kerry, the Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, Kilkenny Castle, and Limerick.

For more information about Friendly Planet Travel, please visit the companys website at http://www.FriendlyPlanet.com; the blog at blog.FriendlyPlanet.com; or contact Jackie Zima at 610-228-2138 (office), 215-534-2973 (mobile), or write to Jackie@GregoryFCA.com. To enter to win and for continual updates about the giveaways, check out Friendly Planet Travels Facebook page.

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Friendly Planet Travel Gives Travelers the Chance to Win a Trip to India on its Taj Mahal Express Tour

Dream Marriage Partners With Global Travel For Romance Tours

LAS VEGAS, Nev., July 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via PRWEB - Dream World Partners announced its partnership with Global Travel Inc. to offer the Dream-Marriage online dating network the experience of a lifetime, a romance tour of Ukraine.

In addition to providing its clients with an inroad to mingle with single Ukrainian and Russian women online, Dream-Marriage has added offline interaction to its bevy of amenities. This being the first run in the partnership between Dream-Marriage and Global Travel Inc., space has been limited to 20 slots. There is a screening process applicants must submit to for consideration.

The Dream-Marriage Tour package consists of:

The first inaugural Dream-Marriage Tour kicks off August 10th and concludes August 18th, 2012.

Dream-Marriage is the World Wide Web's premier marriage agency specializing in bringing together Western men with beautiful Russian and Ukrainian women in search of true romance and everlasting love. We furnish our clients with a safe and secure environment where they can mingle with singles and, ultimately, spark that crazy little thing called love. For further information, contact Malcolm Davies at (310) 651-3024 and visit http://www.dream-marriage.com

This article was originally distributed on PRWeb. For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/7/prweb9654765.htm

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Dream Marriage Partners With Global Travel For Romance Tours

Travel Channel and Gaiam Release Off Limits Season 1 on DVD

NEW YORK, July 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Gaiam, Inc., a leading producer of lifestyle media, announced the release of Off Limits Season 1 on DVD under its exclusive home video license agreement with Travel Channel.

In the premiere season of Off Limits, explorer Don Wildman delves into the most forbidden, hidden and unseen spaces across America, revealing a fascinating view of our man-made world. Get an inside look at how Hawaiian engineers tunneled through a dormant volcano to construct a state-of-the art highway tunnel system, access a secret missile silo that could have started World War III and discover a former Nazi military compound kept secret in the hills of Los Angeles.

A hands-on adventurer, Wildman risks his well-being dodging authorities while kayaking the Los Angeles river, joining the crews that operate our nation's naval cruisers and even scaling mountains and monuments in search of our country's and society's untold stories all of which are off limits to the rest of us.

This three-disc DVD set has a run time of 516 minutes and a suggested retail price of $24.98 Street date: July 10th, 2012

Off Limits Season 1 will be available in stores and online wherever DVDs are sold.

TRAVEL CHANNEL (http://www.travelchannel.com) is a multiplatform travel lifestyle brand with the core mission of providing inspiring and compelling programming that takes viewers beyond their everyday destinations, making the unfamiliar familiar, whether it's around the world or around the block. A dual feed network that is also available in HD, Travel Channel is the world's leading travel media brand, and is available in over 94 million U.S. cable homes. Owned and operated by Scripps Networks Interactive (SNI), Travel Channel has offices in Chevy Chase, MD, and New York, NY. Scripps Networks Interactive (SNI) also owns and operates HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country.

About GAIAM Gaiam, Inc. (GAIA) is a leading producer and marketer of lifestyle media and fitness accessories. With a wide distribution network that consists of 62,000 retail doors, 14,400 store within stores, 5,600 media category management locations, a digital distribution platform and more than 10 million direct customers, Gaiam is dedicated to providing solutions for healthy and eco-conscious living. The company dominates the health and wellness category and releases non-theatrical programming focused on family entertainment and conscious media. In addition, Gaiam has an exclusive licensing agreement with Discovery Communications and other licensing partners. For more information about Gaiam, please visit http://www.gaiam.com or call 1.800.869.3603.

Contact: Leslie Norden lnorden@kruppnyc.com 212.886.6708

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Travel Channel and Gaiam Release Off Limits Season 1 on DVD

House of Travel’s New Take on How Kiwis See the World

- MEDIA RELEASE -

House of Travels New Take on How Kiwis See the World

2 July 2012 House of Travel is looking through a different lens at How Kiwis See the World. Reinvigorating its mantra, the New Zealand owned and operated travel chain is joining forces with Qantas, Canon and media partner TVNZ Breakfast to capture the best photos of New Zealanders holidaying around the world.

The competition entails applicants submitting up to five of their favourite holiday photos either instore, or via a Facebook App. The photos will then be shortlisted to twenty finalists across four photo categories, which can then be voted on by the general public. The four photo categories include Best Friends or Family Photo, Best Intrepid Photo, Best Scenic Photo, and Best Use of Colour in a Photo. A grand prize winner will also be selected by an appointed judging panel.

The promotional partners have assisted in contributing generous travel and photography prizes for the category winners. There is $30 000 in Qantas airfares as well as five Canon Cameras to be won across the five prize categories. Photo entries will be accepted between the Monday 2nd July and Wednesday 11th July.

New Zealanders are phenomenal travellers and have a unique take on how they want to view the world, says John Moffatt, House of Travel Sales and Marketing Director. In a financial landscape where we are still seeing flat retail sales for 2012, we have seen considerable growth in the international travel category. Kiwis who have put off holidaying through the last three years of the global financial crisis, have decided that international travel has never been better value. House of Travel is committed to helping Kiwis see the world, and sharing the experiences and memories that these opportunities create.

Applicants can enter the competition by visiting http://www.facebook.com/houseoftravelnz or taking their photos into a local House of Travel Store.

ENDS

About House of Travel

House of Travel is a favourite among New Zealanders, looking to plan and book holidays. Established in 1987, the House of Travel Group now spans the length of breadth of New Zealand with over 60 retail outlets, and has an expanding network of travel consultants across Australia.

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House of Travel’s New Take on How Kiwis See the World

Picture This: Gogobot Launches Striking Redesign That Transforms Friends' Travels Into Your Own Interactive Travel …

SAN FRANCISCO, July 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Gogobot (http://www.gogobot.com), the world's leading source of trusted travel advice, today launches a redesign of its award-winning service that gives users a magazine-style experience to inspire them with travel suggestions from friends and like-minded people, and enable even easier trip planning.

Since the January 2011 launch of Gogobot's popular, photo-driven passport feature, the company has pioneered visual browsing. The new features, which showcase striking pictures and original content from Gogobot members rather than anonymous sources, bring travel advice to life in the most engaging way. Users can browse through a visual stream of photos, postcards and reviews from their friends' travels, as well as editorially featured content from around the world, in the same way they might flip through the pages of a travel magazine. What sets it apart from a typical travel glossy is that 1) When users see something that piques their interest, with a click they can add that place to their wishlist or their Gogobot passport 2) If they want to learn more, they can click through to view more photos and read reviews from other travelers, as well as find practical details such as the history, hours of operation, phone numbers, maps 3) And they can research and book nearby hotels and restaurants making it a discovery tool that lets anyone go from dreaming about a summer excursion to actually planning and booking the trip.

"Gogobot is becoming an interactive travel magazine curated by your friends and travelers like you, with information on everything from restaurants to hotels to attractions," said Gogobot CEO and co-founder Travis Katz. "Gogobot is unique in its ability to not only inspire you with beautiful and highly relevant travel advice, but allow you to take the ideas you have and use them to plan a perfect trip. Other services present a lot of pretty photos, but they lack helpful details and planning features, and all too quickly the inspiration is replaced by the perspiration of trying to arrange a trip."

Gogobot, which recently surpassed the 1 million registered user milestone, is the fastest growing social travel service, with a new member joining every 15 seconds. Overall member growth has exploded 65x year-on-year and users have shared more than 8 million places on the service to date. With Gogobot, every user has a unique, personalized experience because the service automatically sorts photos and reviews of hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on their popularity in each member's personal network, rather than on information provided by anonymous strangers.

Katz was inspired to launch the service to solve the problems he encountered when planning trips and holidays. Instead of relying on guidebooks, the web, or queries to friends or colleagues about places that they could recommend, Gogobot members get trusted advice from friends and their wider social circle via Facebook and Twitter. Gogobot uses social tools to provide every user with a unique, personalized experience. Katz's Gogobot travel passport can be seen at http://www.gogobot.com/user/travis-katz

Named one of TIME magazine's 50 Best Websites of 2011, Gogobot is the first social travel service that leverages social media to help protect users from review fraud. 92 percent of Gogobot users connect to the service using their real identities via Facebook. As they browse reviews, Gogobot allows them to easily see their shared connections to anyone on the service, ensuring that users are confident they are reading a real review from a real person. By allowing users to tap their universe of friends and associates on Facebook, Foursquare and Twitter for personal advice and reviews, Gogobot has built a reliable, easy, fun and now even more visually striking way to plan a trip, share memories and photos with friends, or dream about the next travel adventure.

Gogobot for iPhone and iPod Touch is available for free from the App Store at: http://itunes.apple.com/app/gogobot/id459590827. For more information, go to http://www.gogobot.com.

About Gogobot Gogobot is the world's most popular source of trusted travel advice from people like you. Launched in November 2010 and named one of TIME magazine's 50 Best Websites of 2011, Gogobot was the first travel company to refocus online travel planning on friends, not strangers. By allowing people to tap into their personal networks on Facebook, Foursquare and Twitter for personal advice and reviews, Gogobot has helped millions of people create, share and enjoy extraordinary travel experiences. As a result, Gogobot works with global partners - including Expedia, Hotels.com, Kayak and Priceline - that enable users to book their travel directly from the site. Gogobot is available on the web, iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Whether you are seeking advice on the best hotels in Las Vegas, tips for visiting Walt Disney World or reviews of things to do in New York City, Gogobot offers advice you can trust from people like you.

Gogobot has raised $19 million, more funding than all other companies in the sector combined, from leading venture investors, including Battery Ventures, Redpoint Ventures and Innovation Endeavors. Gogobot is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, with an office in London.

Contact for U.S. Mark de la Vina Consort Partners Email: gogobot@consortpartners.com Phone: +1 415-282-4795

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Picture This: Gogobot Launches Striking Redesign That Transforms Friends' Travels Into Your Own Interactive Travel ...

Boost Software Launches Computer Cleaning Software PC HealthBoost™ Backed by Microsoft Partners and Tucows 5 Cows Rating

PC HealthBoost™ is a cutting-edge registry cleaner software that will clean computer errors and boost PC speed, performance and stability, all in under 2 minutes. PC HealthBoost™ has already received numerous backings, including the highly coveted Microsoft Partner and Tucows 5 Cows Rating.Boston, MA (PRWEB) July 02, 2012 PC HealthBoost™ is a part of the Boost Software Suite of security products ...

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Boost Software Launches Computer Cleaning Software PC HealthBoost™ Backed by Microsoft Partners and Tucows 5 Cows Rating

Five Mintz Levin Members Named San Diego Super Lawyers

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Mitch Danzig, Jeffry A. Davis, John Giust, Jeremy D. Glaser and Eddie Wang Rodriguez of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. have been selected as San Diego Super Lawyers for 2012. The annual list identifies lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only five percent of area lawyers were named 2012 San Diego Super Lawyers.

Mitch Danzig is a Member of the firms Employment, Labor and Benefits, Litigation, Israel Business and Intellectual Property Sections. Mr. Danzig has extensive experience in employment law, intellectual property litigation and complex commercial litigation. His work focuses on litigation in the areas of trade secrets, employee mobility, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, contracts, defamation, wage and hour, and unfair competition. Mr. Danzig has represented employers before numerous state and federal agencies including the Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the California Labor Commissioner, and the Department of Justice.Mr. Danzig has been named a San Diego Super Lawyer in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011. In 2010, he was selected by the Corporate Counsel Edition of Super Lawyers as one of the Top Attorneys in California for Corporate IP Litigation and was named one of the Top 60 Labor and Employment Lawyers in California by the Daily Journal. Mr. Danzig received his B.A., cum laude, from Hunter College and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Arizona College of Law.

Jeff Davis is a Member of the firms Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Commercial Law Section. His practice is focused on all aspects of bankruptcy (including debtors, creditors, and committees), out of court workouts, insolvency, receiverships, and debtor/creditor rights. He is also a commercial law litigator in areas such as contract and business disputes. Mr. Davis has represented clients in multiple industries including real estate, health care, telecommunications, software, agriculture, consumer products and food services. Mr. Davis has been included in Best Lawyers in America every year since 1995, and annually in the San Diego Super Lawyers list since 2007. He received his B.A. from the State University of New York and his J.D. from Boston University School of Law.

John Giust is a Member of the firms Intellectual Property Section. His practice focuses on patent litigation in the Federal Courts and at the U.S. International Trade Commission. He has litigated cases involving storage area networks, audio compression, image processing, printing technologies, semiconductor technology, wireless communications, and PC technology. Mr. Giust has substantial courtroom experience and, as an electrical engineer, he is particularly skilled at presenting complex concepts to juries and judges as well as deposing and cross-examining expert witnesses on matters relating to critical technology. He has been named a San Diego Super Lawyer since 2009. Mr. Giust received his B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of New Hampshire, his J.D., summa cum laude, from American University and his LL.M. in Patent and Intellectual Property Law, summa cum laude, from George Washington University.

Jeremy D. Glaser is a Member of the firms Corporate & Securities Section and Co-chair of the Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice Group. His practice focuses on serving emerging growth companies and the companies that fund them. He has substantial experience in venture capital financings, securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, SEC compliance, licensing arrangements, and other general corporate matters. He has represented venture capital firms, hedge funds, and their portfolio companies in venture capital and PIPE financings as well as both issuers and underwriters in a wide variety of securities transactions, including IPOs, secondary offerings, and private placements. Mr. Glaser represents companies in a broad variety of industries, including Internet, software, wireless, semiconductors, computer hardware, medical devices, biotechnology, health care services, clean technology, and the investment management industry. He was selected as aTop Attorney by the San Diego Daily Transcript from 2008-2010 and has been named a San Diego Super Lawyer in 2010 and 2011. He received his A.B., summa cum laude, from Duke University and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School.

Eddie Wang Rodriguez is the Managing Member of the firms San Diego office and Member of the Corporate & Securities Section. His practice focuses on a wide range of corporate and securities matters, including corporate formation, mergers and acquisitions, venture financing, technology licensing, and general business counseling. He has extensive experience with counseling public and private companies in the life science, telecommunications, software, hardware, e-commerce and information technology industries in a broad range of transactional matters. Mr. Rodriguez has represented clients in more than 200 mergers and acquisition transactions and numerous securities offerings. He has also represented investors and private companies in private equity financings. Mr. Rodriguez has been named a San Diego Super Lawyer annually since 2007, included in Lawdragons Lawdragon 500 New Stars, New Worlds and 500 Leading Dealmakers in America, and the San Diego Daily Transcripts Top Attorneys in 2008 and its Transcript Ten and Top Influential People in San Diego in 2006. He received his B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles and his J.D. from Stanford Law School. He was the editor-in-chief of the Stanford Journal of International Law and the articles editor of the Stanford Law and Policy Review.

For more information about Mintz Levin, please visit http://www.mintz.com

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Five Mintz Levin Members Named San Diego Super Lawyers

Researchers Block Pathway to Cancer Cell Replication

NOTCH1 Signaling Promotes T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Initiating Cell Regeneration

Newswise Research suggests that patients with leukemia sometimes relapse because standard chemotherapy fails to kill the self-renewing leukemia initiating cells, often referred to as cancer stem cells. In such cancers, the cells lie dormant for a time, only to later begin cloning, resulting in a return and metastasis of the disease.

One such type of cancer is called pediatric T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or T-ALL, often found in children, who have few treatment options beyond chemotherapy.

A team of researchers led by Catriona H. M. Jamieson, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Director of Stem Cell Research at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center studied these cells in mouse models that had been transplanted with human leukemia cells. They discovered that the leukemia initiating cells which clone, or replicate, themselves most robustly activate the NOTCH1 pathway, usually in the context of a mutation.

Earlier studies showed that as many as half of patients with T-ALL have mutations in the NOTCH1 pathway an evolutionarily conserved developmental pathway used during differentiation of many cell and tissue types. The new study shows that when NOTCH1 activation was inhibited in animal models using a monoclonal antibody, the leukemia initiating cells did not survive. In addition, the antibody treatment significantly reduced a subset of these cancer stem cells (identified by the presence of specific markers, CD2 and CD7, on the cell surface.)

We were able to substantially reduce the potential of these cancer stem cells to self-renew, said Jamieson. So were not just getting rid of cancerous cells: were getting to the root of their resistance to treatment leukemic stem cells that lie dormant.

The study results suggest that such therapy would also be effective in other types of cancer stem cells, such as those that cause breast cancer, that also rely on NOTCH1 for self-renewal.

Therapies based on monoclonal antibodies that inhibit NOTCH 1 are much more selective than using gamma-secretase inhibitors, which also block other essential cellular functions in addition to the NOTCH1 signaling pathway, said contributor A. Thomas Look, MD of Dana-Farber/Children Hospital Cancer Center in Boston. We are excited about the promise of NOTCH1-specific antibodies to counter resistance to therapy in T-ALL and possibly additional types of cancer.

In investigating the role of NOTCH1 activation in cancer cell cloning, the researchers showed that leukemia initiating cells possess enhanced survival and self-renewal potential in specific blood-cell, or hematopoietic, niches: the microenvironment of the body in which the cells live and self-renew.

The scientists studied the molecular characterization of CD34+ cells a protein that shows expression in early hematopoietic cells and that facilitates cell migration from a dozen T-ALL patient samples.

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Researchers Block Pathway to Cancer Cell Replication

Generating dopamine via cell therapy for Parkinson's disease

Public release date: 2-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sarah Jackson press_releases@the-jci.org Journal of Clinical Investigation

In Parkinson's disease, the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the midbrain causes well-characterized motor symptoms. Though embryonic stem cells could potentially be used to replace dopaminergic (DA) neurons in Parkinson's disease patients, such cell therapy options must still overcome technical obstacles before the approach is ready for the clinic. Embryonic stem cell-based transplantation regimens carry a risk of introducing inappropriate cells or even cancer-prone cells. To develop cell purification strategies to minimize these risks, Dr. Lorenza Studer and colleagues at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York developed three different mouse lines to fluorescently label dopaminergic neurons at early, mid, and late stages of differentiation. Their data suggest that mouse embryonic stem cells induced to the mid stage of neuronal differentiation are best suited for transplantation to replace dopaminergic neurons. Further, their work identified new genes associated with each stage of neuronal differentiation. Their results in the mouse model system help define the differentiation stage and specific attributes of embryonic stem cell-derived, dopamine-generating cells that hold promise for cell therapy applications.

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TITLE:

Identification of embryonic stem cellderived midbrain dopaminergic neurons for engraftment

AUTHOR CONTACT:

Lorenz Studer

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

Phone: 212.639.6126; E-mail: studerl@mskcc.org

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Generating dopamine via cell therapy for Parkinson's disease

Stem-cell research leaders to meet in NUIG

The Irish Times - Monday, July 2, 2012

LORNA SIGGINS

WORLD leaders in stem-cell technology are due to exchange knowledge of potential treatments at a conference opening in NUI Galway today.

Researchers from NUIG, University College Cork and NUI Maynooth will participate in the event, which has been billed as the first major conference on stem-cell therapy in Ireland.

Prof Anthony Hollander of the University of Bristol, England who was one of a team which successful created and then transplanted the first tissue-engineered trachea or windpipe is among a number of international speakers presenting findings.

The gathering will focus on the realities of stem-cell treatment, Prof Frank Barry, director of NUIGs National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science has said.

The therapy is complex and controversial, and sometimes exaggerated claims are made, he said.

The researchers are specialists in Mesenchymal, or adult, stem cells, and will be concentrating on what is likely in the future, he added.

The list of conditions which could be treated successfully by stem cells is small, but growing, Prof Barry said.

Leukaemia and other diseases of the blood appear to respond best.

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Stem-cell research leaders to meet in NUIG