The South Beaches Senior League team picked up its second win in pool play at the World Series in Bangor, Maine.
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Monthly Archives: August 2012
Astro Olympiad gold for city boy
Mumbai, Aug. 16 -- Alankar Kotwal has always had stars in his eyes. Now, has a gold medal in his hands. Kotwal, 18, an astronomy enthusiast and a first year student at the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay was part of the astronomy Olympiad team that returned from International Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics in Brazil on Wednesday with five medals. Kotwal won gold, in addition to ...
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Stargazing with astronomy experts
Astronomy experts Jay Lawson and Adam Kremers will set up high-powered telescopes to view the moons of Jupiter, the Milky Way galaxy and other objects in the night sky from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday at Washoe Lake State Park.
Continued here:
Aerospace group takes both sides in governor’s race
The Aerospace Futures Alliance made its first-ever political endorsement last month by the shores of Lake Union, basing its stand on education reform proposals by Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna.
McKenna was given a podium, although sitting in front of it was David Goldstein (aka Goldy) of The Stranger, the McKenna campaigns least-welcome reporter.
The industry group has, apparently, decided to spread its bets rather than doubling down. It has decided to endorse both McKenna and Democrat Jay Inslee, according to a report by Jim Brunner in The Seattle Times.
The official explanation has something to do with board members believing that Inslee was not available for an interview, and that he was finally able to sit down with them.
The unofficial word, noted by Brunner, is that powerful Democrats did not like the one-track endorsement. When Boeing won the U.S. Defense Dept. refueling tanker contract a generator of 11,000 jobs Inslee raised hands in triumph with Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, D-Wash.
McKenna was asked by Jerry Cornfield of the Herald in Everett if the dual support carries less luster than the one-candidate endorsement.
Yes, he replied.
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XCOR Aerospace landing in Florida
XCOR Aerospace will build rocket engines and potentially a suborbital spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center in a move that brings Brevard County 152 space industry jobs and a prominent place in the burgeoning space tourism industry.
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ST Aerospace posts higher profit but lower revenue for 2Q
MOBILE, Alabama -- Despite a challenging economic environment, Singapore Technologies Aerospace on Tuesday reported a 3 percent earnings increase in its second quarter.
The aircraft maintenance company in Mobile said earnings before interest and tax were 65.2 million Singapore dollars ($52.2 million), up 3 percent from 63 million in 2011.
Also on Tuesday, Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd., the parent company of Mobile's ST Aerospace and Pascagoula's VT Halter Marine, reported a 9.7 percent rise in second quarter profit.
The defense contractor reported a net profit of 143.1 million Singapore dollars ($114.9 million) compared with 130.5 million Singapore dollars a year earlier. The company said its gains were due to higher contributions from its electronics, marine and land systems business.
Revenue for ST Aerospace for the quarter fell 2 percent to 494 million Singapore dollars from 504 million in the same quarter last year, while revenue for ST Engineering rose 5.8 percent to 1.57 billion Singapore dollars ($1.25 billion).
For the first half of the year, ST Engineering had a net profit of 277.5 million Singapore dollars ($222 million), a 14.8 percent increase compared to the same period in 2011.
The company also said barring unforeseen circumstances, it expects to have higher revenue and profit before tax this year compared with 2011.
ST Aerospace Mobile employs about 1,500 at Brookley Aeroplex, where it maintains and overhauls large airplanes. VT Halter Marine, which employs 1,800 at shipyards in Pascagoula, Moss Point and Escatawpa, is an arm of ST Engineering's marine branch, ST Marine.
Earlier this month, Vision Technologies Aerospace Inc., the aerospace arm of ST Engineering, halted its $49.7 million acquisition of Pemco's Tampa aerospace maintenance facility after some closing conditions could not be fulfilled by the seller before the closing deadline.
ST Engineering announced in June that VT Aerospace made a bid for the maintenance facility and Pemco's Boeing 737 freighter conversion Supplemental Type Certificates at a bankruptcy auction.
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Bleak Economic Outlook for U.S. Aviation Affecting Global Aerospace Industry if Congress Proceeds with Rampant …
FARMINGTON, Conn., Aug. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- The US and European countries are the dominant markets in the aerospace industry, and act as catalyst for overall growth. In fact, the US represents the biggest aerospace market in the world, followed by France, UK, Germany and Canada. In a recent report released by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), nationwide sequestration set to be triggered in less than 5 months could result in astronomical budget cuts to the US Federal Aviation Administration operations roughly amounting to annual losses of $80 billion from the national GDP. Moreover, the automatic spending cuts are estimated to drop passenger enplanements by more than 50% and reduce transported air freight by one billion pounds. The report Global Industry Aerospace Industry Outlook to 2015, now available from Global Information Inc., finds that upward trends of air traffic is paramount to maintaining strong growth in the this industry.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120815/CG58119)
Theoretically, reducing air activity through sequestration could reduce total tons of emissions, which achieves a major aim of the Next Generation Air Traffic Control System (NextGen) to be implemented in 2025 if budget cuts are carried through. If Congress does decide to proceed with sequestration, players in the US aerospace industry may need to turn to private equity firms for financing. "Analysis of Private Equity and Venture Capital Investment Trends in the North American Aerospace and Defense Industry," now available from Global Information Inc., covers key opportunities in aerospace and defense that financial and strategic investors are likely to capitalize on.
Global Aerospace Industry Outlook 2015
The US represents the biggest aerospace market in the world, followed by France, UK, Germany and Canada. In the near future, developing nations, like China, India, Mexico, and Brazil are expected to emerge as potential marketplaces for aerospace products.
The study finds that growing air traffic and increasing merger & acquisition activities are adding growth to this strong industry. The report provides an extensive research and objective analysis of the global aerospace market, and its various segments, including civil and military aerospace. In addition, the report entails a detailed analysis of the industry in terms of developed and emerging markets. The research contains information on key players such as Business Description and Recent Developments which will help clients assess opportunities existing in the global aerospace market, and formulate appropriate strategies.
An Executive Summary of this analysis, full table of contents, and a free sample of the full report are available at http://www.giiresearch.com/report/rnc243952-global-aerospace-industry-outlook.html
Analysis of Private Equity and Venture Capital Investment Trends in the North American Aerospace and Defense Industry
Illiquid investments and long gestation periods among other financing challenges for Aerospace and Defense industry
This research service covers the private equity and venture capital investment trends in the Aerospace & Defense (A&D) industry. The objective of the study is to provide both financial and strategic investors information pertaining to investment opportunities. The output of the study will help in addressing the following points:
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DNA evidence clears Louisville man of murder charges
by Gene Kang
WHAS11.com
Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:37 PM
Updated today at 6:41 PM
LOUISVILLE, Ky (WHAS11) -- A Louisville man who faced the death penalty is free tonight. Thats after prosecutors dropped a murder charge against him. It was DNA evidence that ultimately cleared him but not before he spent several years behind bars.
The Hall of Justice is where Carlos Lagantta claimed his freedom in more ways than one. He was waiting for trial for five years three for the current case and two for an unrelated charge. But Lagantta says he never grew bitter after being wrongfully accused of murder.
Overall, Carlos Lagantta served three years in prison for a murder he did not commit. He felt an overwhelming sense of freedom as a court of law declared that he's innocent.
WHAS 11 News: "What are you doing here at the Hall of Justice today?" "I'm turning in my HIP equipment and being a free man. Once I turn this in I'm all the way free," said Lagantta.
"Not only did he put this behind him but he was facing the death penalty," said Ryan Vantrease, Laganttas lawyer.
"It is the Commonwealth's decision to dismiss without prejudice," said prosecution in Judge Audra Eckerles court in Jefferson County.
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DNA evidence clears Louisville man of murder charges
PLoS ONE launches Synthetic Biology Collection
Public release date: 15-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Yael Franco yfranco@plos.org 415-568-3169 Public Library of Science
PLoS ONE announces the launch of the Synthetic Biology Collection. The new Collection contains an unprecedented number of articles illustrating the many facets of this dynamically evolving research area.
The field of synthetic biology interconnects many engineering and scientific disciplines including biology, chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, and computer science. PLoS ONE has published more than 50 articles covering all aspects of synthetic biology. The journal aims to help increase the visibility of this growing transdisciplinary field by assembling the articles into a Collection.
"When working at its best, science should be an active conversation that keeps refining ideas," said Damian Pattinson, PLoS ONE's Executive Editor, "We believe that PLoS ONE provides the ideal venue to achieve this and we hope that the Collection will inspire further progress in synthetic biology."
PLoS ONE's innovative editorial policy has made it possible for synthetic biologists to publish research that may not be the proper fit for a classical journal.
"The collection includes several articles from engineers and computer scientists who traditionally publish their work in conference proceedings rather than the journals available to life-scientists," said Dr. Jean Peccoud, an Associate Professor at Virginia Bioinformatics Institute. "PLoS ONE's breadth of subject matter made it possible to publish an unprecedented body of articles that reflects the multifaceted nature of synthetic biology."
A key feature of PLoS ONE is the inclusion of article-level metrics (ALMs) that are published alongside each paper and can be used to assess the impact of the research.
"Two articles now included in the Collection, were published in 2006, and to date have been cited 70 and 84 times, respectively," said Dr. Mark Isalan, Group Leader at the Centre for Genomic Regulation. "Metrics such as social bookmarking or number of views lead us to believe that articles published more recently will also have a lasting impact on the field."
The Collection highlights selected synthetic biology articles published in PLoS ONE since 2006. It will be updated regularly with appropriate new papers, as a growing resource. "Ultimately, we hope that having a dedicated repository in PLoS ONE will further increase the journal's attractiveness to researchers publishing synthetic biology," said Pattinson.
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PLoS ONE launches Synthetic Biology Collection
Redskins’ Alexander shrinks to play linebacker
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Lorenzo Alexander has quite a collection of white bottles, labeled with words straight from a biochemistry class. Beta Alanine Supreme. Carnitine Synergy. Uber C. Some 19 containers, big and small, in his Washington Redskins locker.
''I have a lot of supplements,'' he said.
The consummate self-made NFL player, Alexander has always been conscious about his diet. Like many players, he also gets advice on the right mix of tablets to maximize his endurance and energy output. Or, as he puts it, ''to help balance your body out.''
This year, it's been more of a challenge to find that balance. Alexander, who once was a 300-pound lineman, arrived at training camp weighing 245, having dropped some 30 pounds from this time last season so that he can hold his own in his new role as the team's primary backup at inside linebacker.
''Being 265,'' he said, ''is not ideal for covering tight ends and fast wide receivers down the middle of the field.''
No one would expect anything different from the player who arrived as a practice squad nobody in 2006 and soon became an indispensable utility man, working his way up to his current role as a team captain who now gets annual support from his teammates as an ought-to-be Pro Bowl player.
''I'd say he's one of, if not the biggest influence I've had since I've been here,'' said linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, a first-round draft pick last year. ''He seems to me what really embodies a professional. Not just a professional athlete, but a professional human being. He shows you what hard work can do.''
Alexander was a novelty his rookie season, a three-way player who saw game action on the offensive line, defensive line and special teams. He made his name with hard work, smarts and big special teams hits.
In 2010, the Redskins (No. 25 in the AP Pro32) moved him to outside linebacker. Last year, he started learning the inside linebacker position. This year, it's his main focus on the only experienced alternative to starters London Fletcher and Perry Riley in the 3-4 scheme.
Alexander's weight loss has been noticeable during training camp. He broke up a pass over the middle to Santana Moss during Wednesday's practice, the type of play he couldn't have made when he was a lot heavier.
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Redskins' Alexander shrinks to play linebacker
Resistance to dementia may run in the family
Public release date: 15-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Rachel Seroka rseroka@aan.com 612-807-6968 American Academy of Neurology
MINNEAPOLIS People who are free of dementia and have high levels of a protein that indicates the presence of inflammation have relatives who are more likely to avoid the disease as well, according to a new study published in the August 15, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
"In very elderly people with good cognition, higher levels of C-reactive protein, which is related to inflammation, are associated with better memory," said study author Jeremy M. Silverman, PhD, with Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. "Our results found that the higher the level of this protein in the study participant, the lower the risk for dementia in their parents and siblings."
For the study, researchers identified 277 male veterans age 75 and older and free of dementia symptoms. They were given a test that measured levels of the protein. Next, the group was interviewed about 1,329 parents and siblings and whether they had dementia. A total of 40 relatives from 37 families had dementia. A secondary, independent group of 51 men age 85 and older with no dementia symptoms were given an interview about 202 relatives for dementia. Nine of the relatives had dementia.
Study investigators found that participants who had higher amounts of the protein were more than 30 percent less likely to have relatives with dementia. Similar results were found in the secondary group. Since the protein levels were not associated with years of education, marital status, occupation and physical activity, these factors could not account for the lower risks seen.
"This protein is related to worse cognition in younger elderly people. Thus, for very old people who remain cognitively healthy, those with a high protein level may be more resistant to dementia," said Silverman. "Our study shows that this protection may be passed on to immediate relatives."
###
The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Berkman Charitable Trust and the Alzheimer's Association.
To learn more about dementia, visit http://www.aan.com/patients.
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Resistance to dementia may run in the family
How Nanotechnology Is Changing How You Eat And Taste
Israels Shemen Industries introduced a product it calls Canola Active Oil, which it claims can reduce the bodys cholesterol intake by upwards of 14%. How does it do this? Using a technology it calls nano-sized self-assembled liquid structures (NSSL), which help to keep cholesterol from jumping from the digestive tract to the bloodstream. NSSLs, or nanodrops, as the company calls them, are added to the oil to create a water-soluble bubble of sorts that allows the healthier phytosterols that are abundant in plants and their oils to outcompete cholesterols to move into the bloodstream, thereby fighting against the causes of heart disease.
SlimShake-Chocolate, once marketed by Texas-based RBC Life Sciences (the product seems to have been discontinued since its nowhere to be found on the manufacturers site), featured an innovation called called Nanoclusters. These clusters were tiny structures that are 100,000th the size of a grain of sand. The company coated them with cocoa to form CocoaClusters, which, because of their greater surface area relative to their mass, delivered more chocolate taste, eliminating the need for excess sugar that makes these drinks bad for you.
The gloriously named Shenzhen Become Industry & Trade Co. Ltd., has developed a technique called ball-milling, which it uses to pulverize plants into particles that are fewer than 100 nanometers in diameter. The NanoTea made from this process allows for the release of 10 times as much selenium, a naturally occurring element that has antioxidative effects in the body.
A technology developed at the U.K.s University of Nottingham is another example of a nanofood exploiting the surface-area-to-mass ratio of a nanoparticle to deliver more flavor with less product. In the case of SODA-LO, the product is salt. By creating smaller salt crystals, SODA-LO, according to a press release from the company, enables added salt levels to be reduced by up to 30% in foods such as bread, pizza bases, pastry, savory pie fillings, cheese, and baked snacks.
First developed in the mid-1990s, FANTESK is a simple technology: Its essentially an oil trapped in a starch. That encapsulated oil, however, is distributed evenly in the starch giving it a uniform taste and allowing for the creation of many low fat items containing FANTESK, from soft-serve to cheddar cheese. Recently, scientists at the Agricultural Research Services National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois, have put a FANTESK mixture of cooking oil with no trans-fats and wheat flour into cake mixes and frostings. The result: Delicious buttercream with only half the fat.
Food isnt just the end product where these nano-developments end up. In some cases, food itself enables the technology. In 2005, two Dutch researchers revealed a method for creating a nanotube out of a protein found in milk called alpha-lactalbumin. The proteins ability to be coaxed into forming such a structure means it could well serve as a vehicle for encapsulated molecules, such as for example vitamins and enzymes, the researchers wrote in Trends in Food Science and Technology, which would allow scientists to easily fortify your breakfast cereal with more essential nutrients.
Scientists at Norwichs Institute of Food Research in the U.K. are working on a method for developing low-fat food that tastes good. They are specifically targeting emulsions, such as mayonnaise (which are simply oil suspended in proteins). Low-fat mayo is made by taking out half the yummy fat and replacing it with water. The researchers are hoping that by creating nano-droplets of water, they can suspend them in the oil, so an eater is greeted with that signature mayo taste with the water hidden within, instead of the current version, which tastes like watery mayo.
Writing in the journal Appetite, a group of researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich discussed the risks associated with applying nanotechnology to the food industry. Among the topics mentioned in the report were so-called individually modifiable foods, which would employ various encapsulated ingredients so that heating an item in a microwave in a certain way could alter properties like its color or taste. Sure enough, there have been reports, such as this possibly tounge-in-cheek one in The Guardians Observer magazine, about programmable wine where one day a prospective buyer could decide at the absolute last minute (relatively speaking) whether he or she preferred white or red. Well believe this one when we see it.
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How Nanotechnology Is Changing How You Eat And Taste
Harvard pledges changes at primate research center
BOSTONHarvard Medical School says it plans to follow the recommendations of an independent panel of scientists and veterinarians that reviewed the university's troubled primate research facility in Southborough.
The two-page executive summary of the report, released to The Boston Globe ( http://b.globe.com/NBhlZe) by Deborah Kochevar, dean of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and chairwoman of the committee, calls for establishing a new veterinarian position and appointing a biosafety officer.
The committee did not investigate the specific lapses in animal care and procedures that resulted in death and harm to monkeys.
Many of the recommended changes involve adding layers of oversight and direct reporting to Harvard.
Medical School Dean Dr. Jeffrey Flier said in a statement that the school has started "a timely implementation" of the recommendations.
Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/globe
Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Harvard pledges changes at primate research center
A nonantibiotic approach for treating urinary tract infections
Public release date: 15-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Michael Bernstein m_bernstein@acs.org 202-872-6042 American Chemical Society
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2012 The latest episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS') award-winning Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions podcast series describes a potential new approach for treating urinary tract infections (UTIs) which affect millions of people annually without traditional antibiotics. Because it involves non-antibiotic compounds, the approach would not contribute to the growing problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or "superbugs."
Based on a report by Beat Ernst, Ph.D., and colleagues in ACS' Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, the new podcast is available without charge at iTunes and from http://www.acs.org/globalchallenges.
In the podcast, Ernst explains that antibiotics are the mainstay treatment for UTIs. Bacteria, however, are developing resistance to common antibiotics, with the emergence of superbugs that shrug off some of the most powerful new antibiotics.
Thus, the scientists decided to try a new approach developing substances that target bacteria virulence factors, inhibiting them from sticking to the inside of the urinary bladder. Hence, microbes are not able to launch an infection. In addition, this new class of antimicrobials is expected to have a reduced potential for the emergence of resistant microbes.
The scientists describe the development of anti-adhesion molecules that specifically interfere with the attachment of bacteria to human bladder cells. The most potent of the substances prevented a UTI from developing in mice (stand-ins for humans in this kind of experiment) for more than eight hours. In the in vivo treatment study, a very low dose reduced the amount of bacteria in the bladder of the animals by almost 10,000 times, which is comparable to the standard antibiotic treatment with ciprofloxacin.
###
Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions is a series of podcasts describing some of the 21st century's most daunting problems, and how cutting-edge research in chemistry matters in the quest for solutions. Global Challenges is the centerpiece in an alliance on sustainability between ACS and the Royal Society of Chemistry. Global Challenges is a sweeping panorama of global challenges that includes dilemmas such as providing a hungry and thirsty world with ample supplies of safe food and clean water, developing alternatives to petroleum to fuel society, preserving the environment and ensuring a sustainable future for our children and improving human health.
For more entertaining, informative science videos and podcasts from the ACS Office of Public Affairs, view Prized Science, Spellbound, Science Elements and Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions.
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A nonantibiotic approach for treating urinary tract infections
Redskins' Alexander shrinks to play linebacker
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Lorenzo Alexander has quite a collection of white bottles, labeled with words straight from a biochemistry class. Beta Alanine Supreme. Carnitine Synergy. Uber C. Some 19 containers, big and small, in his Washington Redskins locker.
''I have a lot of supplements,'' he said.
The consummate self-made NFL player, Alexander has always been conscious about his diet. Like many players, he also gets advice on the right mix of tablets to maximize his endurance and energy output. Or, as he puts it, ''to help balance your body out.''
This year, it's been more of a challenge to find that balance. Alexander, who once was a 300-pound lineman, arrived at training camp weighing 245, having dropped some 30 pounds from this time last season so that he can hold his own in his new role as the team's primary backup at inside linebacker.
''Being 265,'' he said, ''is not ideal for covering tight ends and fast wide receivers down the middle of the field.''
No one would expect anything different from the player who arrived as a practice squad nobody in 2006 and soon became an indispensable utility man, working his way up to his current role as a team captain who now gets annual support from his teammates as an ought-to-be Pro Bowl player.
''I'd say he's one of, if not the biggest influence I've had since I've been here,'' said linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, a first-round draft pick last year. ''He seems to me what really embodies a professional. Not just a professional athlete, but a professional human being. He shows you what hard work can do.''
Alexander was a novelty his rookie season, a three-way player who saw game action on the offensive line, defensive line and special teams. He made his name with hard work, smarts and big special teams hits.
In 2010, the Redskins (No. 25 in the AP Pro32) moved him to outside linebacker. Last year, he started learning the inside linebacker position. This year, it's his main focus on the only experienced alternative to starters London Fletcher and Perry Riley in the 3-4 scheme.
Alexander's weight loss has been noticeable during training camp. He broke up a pass over the middle to Santana Moss during Wednesday's practice, the type of play he couldn't have made when he was a lot heavier.
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Redskins' Alexander shrinks to play linebacker
Grey's Anatomy(TM) Professional Wear by Barco Signature Series Brings Professional Polish
GARDENA, CA--(Marketwire -08/15/12)- Barco Uniforms, an acclaimed leader in the uniform industry, unveiled its striking new Grey's Anatomy Professional Wear by Barco Signature Series. The collection, with new fabric, colors and designs, builds on the company's most popular styles, adding a professional, "heathered" look and arcLux with stretch, which clothes professionals in luxurious comfort that stretches and flatters every shape and fit.
"Barco Uniforms shares the passion and commitment medical professionals bring to their work every day, and we understand that while their uniforms must be practical, professionals desire comfortable, flattering, professional styles," said David Murphy, Senior Vice President, of Sales and Marketing at Barco Uniforms. "Our new Grey's Anatomy Professional Wear by Barco Signature Series is designed to deliver the ease and performance expected from Barco Uniforms in fashion-forward, sophisticated styles."
The new collection is created from soft, touchable fabrics that stretch to move with the body to deliver professional polish, whether meeting with colleagues, patients or families, handling crises or providing everyday care. Four exciting new colors -- Electric Heather, Punch Heather, Purple Rain Heather and Hot Tamale Heather -- complement Barco's popular Bahama Heather, Black Heather, Cabernet Heather, and Indigo Heather fabulous prints to create the perfect palette for expanding or designing an entirely new wardrobe. Advanced moisture wicking ensures all-day ease, even through the longest and most demanding shifts.
Grey's Anatomy Professional Wear by Barco Signature Series is available now at leading medical uniform retailers. To locate a retail outlet, visit http://medical.barcouniforms.com/medical/locator.asp.
About Barco UniformsBarco Uniforms, a recognized leader in the uniform industry, fuses innovative fabric technology and fashion-forward design to create uniforms that inspire individuals and enhance the work environment. From its versatile, widely appealing Medical Collections and distinctive Spa Collection, to its corporate Identity solutions, Barco Uniforms is committed to making professional attire that people love to wear. For more information, visit http://www.barcouniforms.com/.
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Grey's Anatomy(TM) Professional Wear by Barco Signature Series Brings Professional Polish
CSHL-led team introduces new method to closely model diseases caused by splicing defects
Public release date: 14-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Peter Tarr tarr@cshl.edu 516-367-8455 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Cold Spring Harbor, NY A team led by scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has developed a new way of making animal models for a broad class of human genetic diseases those with pathology caused by errors in the splicing of RNA messages copied from genes. To date, about 6,000 such RNA "editing" errors have been found in various human illnesses, ranging from neurodegenerative disorders to cancer.
The new modeling approach can provide unique insights into how certain diseases progress and is likely to boost efforts to develop novel treatments. It was tested successfully by the CSHL team, led by Professor Adrian Krainer, Ph.D., in collaboration with scientists from Isis Pharmaceuticals, in mouse analogs of human spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a motor-neuron disease that is the leading genetic cause of childhood mortality. The results are detailed in a study published today in Genes & Development.
The modeling method is called TSUNAMI (shorthand for targeting-splicing using negative ASOs to model illness). The study demonstrates it can be used in illnesses with pathology associated with the missplicing of pre-mRNAs unedited RNA molecules that bear the messages encoded in genes which provide instructions for cells to manufacture specific proteins.
Correcting splicing errors in SMA
A cellular machine called the spliceosome routinely snips non-essential bits called "introns" out of every pre-mRNA molecule that carries a copy of a gene's instructions. All that should remain after the spliceosome has done its work is a string of spliced-together "exons," the protein-encoding portions of the message. These edited mRNA messages are subsequently read by ribosomes, the cellular factories where proteins are synthesized.
In SMA and some other human illnesses, pathology can be traced to errors in the pre-mRNA editing process. In SMA, it is caused either by a severe mutation in a gene called SMN1 ("survival of motor neuron-1") or by that gene's complete absence in an affected individual's genetic material. The SMN protein normally encoded by the gene is essential for motor neuron development. Humans have a second, similar gene called SMN2, but it is a poor backup. Because of an error in the splicing of its pre-mRNA, the SMN2 gene, when expressed, typically produces only a fraction of the SMN protein needed by motor neurons. This is critical in the first stages of life when the body and muscles are still developing.
While the level of the "backup" gene's protein output varies in individuals with spinal muscular atrophy, resulting in pathology of varying intensity, Krainer -- a leading expert on splicing -- and his collaborators have succeeded in recent years in devising a method of getting SMN2 to produce therapeutic amounts of protein, enough to reverse pathology in both mild and severe mouse analogs of the disorder.
To achieve this they synthesized tiny snippets of RNA called ASOs (antisense oligonucleotides) and injected them into the cerebrospinal fluid of mice carrying a human SMN2 transgene (i.e., a gene not native to mice). This enabled them to get the therapeutic ASOs through the so-called blood-brain barrier, to reach cells throughout the central nervous system. ASOs are configured to attach at highly specific spots in pre-mRNAs, where, by design, they can inhibit activators or repressors of the splicing process. Krainer's team synthesized an ASO that corrected the SMN2 splicing error and gave rise to therapeutic amounts of SMN protein. Importantly, the ASO was shown to be stable in the body as well as persistent, the effects of a single injection lasting at least half a year in mice.
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CSHL-led team introduces new method to closely model diseases caused by splicing defects
Research and Markets: Sports Nutrition in Hong Kong, China
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dd4skv/sports_nutrition_i) has announced the addition of the "Sports Nutrition in Hong Kong, China" report to their offering.
In Hong Kong sports nutrition products were mostly used by serious athletes in 2011, which is a niche market. Typical consumers were not aware of these products, nor was there a demand for them.
The Sports Nutrition in Hong Kong, China report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data 2007-2011, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. Forecasts to 2016 illustrate how the market is set to change.
Product coverage: Non-Protein Products, Protein Products.
Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.
Why Buy This Report?
- Get a detailed picture of the Sports Nutrition market;
- Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;
- Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands;
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Research and Markets: Sports Nutrition in Hong Kong, China
DNA evidence 'gobsmacked' accused
15 August 2012 Last updated at 09:38 ET
The man accused of murdering a Perthshire pensioner was "gobsmacked" to learn a partial profile of his DNA was found on her wrist, a court heard.
The jury was read parts of William Kean's police interviews which took place in March, the month after 80-year-old Jenny Methven was found dead.
Mr Kean, 46, denies killing Mrs Methven at her Forteviot home on 20 February.
He has lodged a special defence blaming the victim's son David Methven, or others connected to him.
The High Court in Glasgow heard Mr Kean told police during the interview that he did not assault Mrs Methven.
Det Sgt Brian Smith had told the accused he was offering him a chance to explain what had happened.
Mr Kean denied murdering Mrs Methven but replied "no comment" when asked if he had been in her house and then refused to explain that answer.
He also told officers that if he knew who was involved in her murder, he would tell them.
Mr Kean had said to officers: "I wish I did. I wish someone would come forward and admit it. It's a sad time for everybody."
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DNA evidence 'gobsmacked' accused
Scientists identify previously unknown Whimbrel migration pathway over open Atlantic Ocean
Fletcher Smith with Akpik on breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic.
(Phys.org) -- Scientists at the College of William & Mary/Virginia Commonwealth University Center for Conservation Biology (CCB) at the VCU Rice Center have tracked three whimbrels off the east coast of Canada to the northern shore of South America via a previously unknown migration pathway over the open Atlantic Ocean. The route passed through the center of the vast Atlantic at one point passing 1,000 miles closer to Africa than to North America and within 700 miles of the Cape Verde Islands. The bird with the longest flight flew nonstop for 145 hours (six days), covering a distance of 7,000 kilometers (4,355 miles).
The three birds, named Mackenzie, Taglu and Akpik, were originally marked by the CCB and Canadian Wildlife Service staff on the breeding grounds along the Mackenzie River Delta in far northwestern Canada (Mackenzie was fitted with a transmitter recovered from Machi, a bird that was shot on Guadeloupe in September of 2011).
Map of migration route for three whimbrels that were marked on a breeding ground in western Canada. Incredible flight over the open Atlantic Ocean was previously undocumented.
The three birds are part of a larger project that has included 20 additional birds that have been tracked to better understand migratory pathways and locations that are critical for this declining species. The study has tracked whimbrels for more than 185,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) since 2008. The broader tracking project is a collaborative effort between the Center for Conservation Biology, the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.
Provided by Virginia Commonwealth University
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Scientists identify previously unknown Whimbrel migration pathway over open Atlantic Ocean