Monthly Archives: August 2012

Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News unveils 'Biotech Boulevard'

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Public release date: 7-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: John Sterling jsterling@genengnews.com 914-740-2196 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, August 6, 2012Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (http://www.genengnews.com) (GEN) has launched a unique microsite called Biotech Boulevard (http://www.genengnews.com/biotechblvr). Biotech Boulevard features entrepreneurial biotechnology firms that are already making their mark on the global bioindustry. Many of these promising young companies are engaged in the discovery of novel therapeutics; others are developing new tools and technologies to support biotech activities ranging from early-stage R&D to biomanufacturing.

Each Biotech Boulevard listing includes a company name, website, logo, and short description of the company's field of focus. "Biotech Boulevard allows our website visitors to discover, invest, and collaborate," said John Sterling, Editor-in-Chief, GEN. "Company listings will be updated regularly."

"Biotech Boulevard is another GEN innovation that enables business growth in biotech," added Mary Ann Liebert, GEN publisher and president and CEO of Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. "And we are the best at that."

If you would like your company to be considered for possible inclusion in Biotech Boulevard, please email your company name and website to jsterling@genengnews.com

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Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (http://www.genengnews.com), which is published 21 times a year by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (http://www.liebertpub.com), is the most widely read biotechnology news magazine worldwide. It includes articles on Drug Discovery, Bioprocessing, OMICS, Biobusiness, and Translational Medicine.

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

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Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News unveils 'Biotech Boulevard'

FEATURE-Testers fear reality of genetically modified Olympians

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* Animal experiments show gene therapy can boost performance

* Gene doping likely to be dangerous and risky in humans

* Tests can't detect it, so status of gene doping unclear

LONDON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - There have been "marathon mice",

"Schwarzenegger mice" and dogs whose wasted muscles were

repaired with injected substances that switch off key genes. It

may not be long before we get the first genetically modified

athlete.

Some fear the use of gene therapy to improve athleticism is

already a reality. But since sports authorities' drug testing

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FEATURE-Testers fear reality of genetically modified Olympians

Viet Nam: Halt crackdown on freedom of expression

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Viet Nams government must halt its ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, Amnesty International said today after mass arrests during a peaceful protest in the capital Ha Noi.

On 5 August, authorities in the capital arrested and detained around 30 people who were peacefully protesting against Chinas territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea, known in Viet Nam as the East Sea.

Anti-corruption activist Le Hien Duc, 81, was among those rounded up, along with students and bloggers. They were held at local police stations and a so-called rehabilitation centre. All of those detained have now been released.

This is the latest blow to freedom of expression in Viet Nam, with the authorities using short term arrests as a way of intimidating those who seek to protest peacefully, said Rupert Abbott, Amnesty Internationals Researcher on Viet Nam.

The ongoing crackdown has put bloggers, writers, lawyers, labour activists, members of religious groups, farmers, business people and democracy activists behind bars, he said.

Detention of prominent bloggers

The mass arrests in Ha Noi followed news that there has been a further postponement in the trial of three well-known bloggers accused of anti-state propaganda.

The three bloggers are Nguyen Van Hai, known as Dieu Cay (the peasants pipe); former policewoman Ta Phong Tan, whose blog is called Justice and Truth; and Phan Thanh Hai, known as AnhBaSG. They are all founding members of the Free Vietnamese Journalists Club and used their blogs to promote human rights.

They are accused of conducting anti-state propaganda under Article 88 of Viet Nams Criminal Code, and face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

The three bloggers are prisoners of conscience, detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression through their online writings, said Abbott.

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Viet Nam: Halt crackdown on freedom of expression

Freedom of Information Foundation to Hold Annual FOI Conference In Austin

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The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas will hold its 2012 Bernard and Audre Rapoport State Conference on Friday, August 10 at the Hyatt Regency Austin Hotel. This year's theme is Keep it Open: Fighting Threats to Public Access.

Award winning investigative reporter Terri Langford of the Houston Chronicle will be the conference's Luncheon Keynote Speaker.

The highlight of Fridays program will be the John Henry Faulk Awards Luncheon and the presentation of the James Madison Award to The Dallas Morning News, with special recognition for the contributions of reporters Brooks Egerton, Miles Moffeit, Reese Dunklin and Sue Goetinck Ambrose, as well as editors Maud Beelman and George Rodrigue.

The James Madison award is given annually by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas to honor those who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and service in upholding the principles of the First Amendment.

Results of The Dallas Morning News investigation into patient safety at Parkland Memorial Hospital and related issues at its teaching facility, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, epitomize the very purpose of the James Madison Award, said Keith Elkins, Executive Director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. This was certainly no easy task. Efforts by the newspaper to obtain records were repeatedly blocked by the taxpayer-supported institutions, even after the Attorney General ruled that many of the records were public. But The News refused to back down.

The News has filed three lawsuits against UT Southwestern for the release of records related to possible patient harm and potential Medicare-Medicaid fraud. The newspaper has also intervened in two lawsuits brought by Parkland against the Texas Attorney General in an attempt to block the release of records.

The News multi-year investigation of Parkland revealed systemic breakdowns in patient care. The federal government, in response to the newspapers reporting, ultimately put the Dallas County hospital under a rare form of oversight and installed independent safety monitors to overhaul operations throughout Parkland. The News examination of presidential spending at UT Southwestern prompted a state investigation, new audit procedures and staff resignations or removals. The papers reporting on these topics can be found online at http://www.dallasnews.com/investigations.

This years annual program will also feature the presentation of the State Bar of Texass 2012 Texas Gavel Awards, honoring journalistic excellence that helps foster public understanding of the legal system, as well as:

Session I: The Perils of Public vs. Private The continuing use of digital communication by government officials and employees sparks heated debate over private accounts and public servers. The law is clear, but the issue keeps returning to the courts. Get a refresher on the law and an update on the latest litigation. Panelists include Joe Larsen, Special Counsel, Sedgwick L.L.P, Houston and George Hyde, Partner/Shareholder, Denton, Navarro, Rocha and Bernal, Austin. Mr. Hyde represents Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson in a lawsuit challenging the Texas Attorney Generals ruling requiring he release emails related to the transaction of official business on his private email account.

Session II: Top 10 Things You Need to Know The Office of the Attorney General has powerful tools to help Texans gain access to public records and meetings, but state rules and regulations can get complex. Learn how to work effectively with the OAG from those who know best. Panelists: Hadassah Schloss, Cost Rules Administrator, OAG; Karen Hattaway, Deputy Chief, Open Records Division, OAG; and, Tim M. Kelly, Editor, The Beaumont Enterprise.

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Freedom of Information Foundation to Hold Annual FOI Conference In Austin

Ocean City shuts down swimming access at three beaches

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Ocean City reopens swimming access at three beaches

Last updated 8/7/12 01:25 pm

According to Ocean City director of community services Jim Mallon, the 8th, 9th and 10th street beaches were reopened at 1 p.m. Tuesday after the Cape May County Health Department tested the water for bacteria and deemed the three beaches safe to swim.

The Department of Health ordered the closure of the 8th and 9th street beaches on Monday after water tests found unsafe levels of bacteria. The beaches were expected to reopen Tuesday morning, but officials restricted water access and also closed off access to the 10th Street beach as well.

More information is expected to be released. Check back for updates.

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Ocean City shuts down swimming access at three beaches

UTC Aerospace Systems Receives Autopilots and Payload Contract for AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems' Aerosonde® SUAS

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- UTC Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (UTX) has received a contract from AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems to supply Cloud Cap Technology autopilots, stabilized camera payloads, ground station software components and flight management software from its business in Hood River, Ore. These will be utilized for AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems' expeditionary Aerosonde Small Unmanned Aircraft System fleet, which has been selected to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for the U.S. Navy and Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

John Trezza, Vice President of UTC Aerospace Systems ISR Systems business said, "With the announcement of these awards, UTC Aerospace Systems looks forward to continuing our long standing working relationship with AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems and delivering high performing systems as part of their team."

UTC Aerospace Systems' Cloud Cap Technology Piccolo autopilot is the industry standard in open architecture autopilots, providing feature rich capabilities with superior performance and reliability. Moreover, Cloud Cap Technology TASE gimbals offer the highest performance in the lowest SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) in the industry.

For its Aerosonde SUAS, AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems will be using the Piccolo II autopilot and the newly announced TASE400 stabilized camera system which includes daylight and cooled continuous zoom MWIR (mid-wave infrared) nighttime imagers. At only 7.5lbs, including full GPS, INS and image stabilization as well as scene steering, path track and object tracking, the TASE400 will provide unparalleled imagery and capability for the delivered systems.

UTC Aerospace Systems designs, manufactures and services integrated systems and components for the aerospace and defense industries. UTC Aerospace Systems supports a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and customer service facilities.

United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Connecticut, is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the building and aerospace industries.

http://www.utcaerospacesystems.com

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UTC Aerospace Systems Receives Autopilots and Payload Contract for AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems' Aerosonde® SUAS

UTC Aerospace Systems Launches High-Resolution Snapshot SWIR Camera

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --UTC Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (UTX), will introduce its next generation Sensors Unlimited shortwave infrared (SWIR) digital video camera at AUVSI Unmanned Systems North America Exhibition, Aug. 6 to 9, in Las Vegas, Nev.

This high-resolution, indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) mil-rugged digital video camera features 30Hz full-frame rate and adds snapshot mode capability to the Sensors Unlimited high-definition SWIR product range. The camera, model GA1280JS, will be showcased at the UTC Aerospace Systems booth 2654 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

The camera is lightweight (less than 120 grams or 4 ounces without lens) and compact (less than 4.5 cubic inches or 74 cubic centimeters), allowing for easy integration into aerial, mobile and hand-held imaging systems. Ideally suited to low-light imaging and covert surveillance requirements, the SWIR camera is able to capture images through smoke, fog and haze, which makes the camera suitable for integration into a variety of surveillance and reconnaissance systems.

Cooling is not required with the JS-series InGaAs SWIR camera. In addition, it features on-board, automatic gain control and real-time non-uniformity corrections that improve urban night imaging, such as capturing a dark scene that contains bright light sources.

The Sensors Unlimited model GA1280JS has been tested to MIL-STD-810G for functional shock, vibration, thermal shock, storage temperature, altitude, humidity and acceleration.

UTC Aerospace Systems designs, manufactures and services integrated systems and components for the aerospace and defense industries. UTC Aerospace Systems supports a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and customer service facilities.

United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Connecticut, is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the building and aerospace industries.

http://www.utcaerospacesystems.com

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UTC Aerospace Systems Launches High-Resolution Snapshot SWIR Camera

Monogram Aerospace Fasteners Receives Certificate Of Recognition From The Sanitation Districts Of Los Angeles County

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LOS ANGELES, Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Monogram Aerospace Fasteners, a TriMas company, has been awarded a Certificate of Recognition for Compliance Year 2011 from The Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County. With more than 120 years of experience, Monogram delivers innovative, high quality aerospace fasteners and products to its customers and has established itself as a recognized leader in blind bolt technology to the aerospace industry.

Monogram is being recognized for full compliance with the wastewater discharge and permit requirements set forth by The Sanitation Districts during 2011. To be recognized by The Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, Monogram received no Notices of Violation in 2011, was not found to have contributed to equipment failure, and had appropriate industrial wastewater discharge permits for the facility.

"We are pleased that our efforts have been recognized by the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County," commented David Adler, president of Monogram Aerospace Fasteners. "I am proud of the Monogram team's dedication and focus to improvements in safety, sanitation and environmental responsibility."

About Monogram Aerospace FastenersWith more than 120 years of service to the fastener industry, Monogram Aerospace Fasteners has established itself as the recognized leader in blind bolt technology to the aerospace industry. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Monogram serves the world's markets through a network of dedicated sales professionals and authorized distributors. Monogram's pioneering spirit in aerospace engineering has brought to market a diverse collection of blind boltsVisu-Lok, Composi-Lok, Radial-Lok and the OSIBolt.

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Monogram Aerospace Fasteners Receives Certificate Of Recognition From The Sanitation Districts Of Los Angeles County

Fainting linked to genetic factors: study

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Washington, Aug. 7:

Its all in the family? According to new research, fainting has a strong genetic predisposition.

Researchers from the American Academy of Neurology found that fainting has a strong genetic component and it could be inherited but not usually by a single gene.

Fainting, also called vasovagal syncope, is a brief loss of consciousness when your body reacts to certain triggers, such as emotional distress or the sight of blood.

The question of whether fainting is caused by genetic factors, environmental factors or a mixture of both has been the subject of debate, said study author Samuel F. Berkovic from the University of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.

Our results suggest that while fainting appears to have a strong genetic component, there may be multiple genes and multiple environmental factors that influence the phenomenon, Berkovic said in a statement.

For the study, 51 sets of twins of the same gender between the ages of nine and 69 were given a telephone questionnaire.

At least one of the twins had a history of fainting.

Researchers also gathered information about any family history of fainting. Of the 51 sets of twins, 57 per cent reported having typical fainting triggers.

The research found that among twins where one fainted, those who were identical (from the same fertilised egg) were nearly twice as likely to both faint compared to fraternal twins (those from two different fertilised eggs).

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Fainting linked to genetic factors: study

Proskauer Broadens Biotech Patent Litigation Capabilities with New Partner in New York

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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Proskauer has expanded its biotechnology patent litigation capabilities with the addition of Mary S. Consalvi as a Partner in the firms Patent Law Group. Based in New York, Ms. Consalvi is the former president and general counsel of NetBio Systems, Inc., a leading provider of rapid DNA analysis solutions located in Waltham, MA.

We are very fortunate to have a lawyer of Marys caliber joining our team, said Brendan ORourke and Robert Cleary, Proskauer Partners and co-Chairs of the firms Litigation Department. Not only is she a top-notch litigator, but she also has a keen understanding of patent and other business issues facing biotech companies based on her strong corporate and industry background.

Ms. Consalvi brings more than 20 years of experience to Proskauer. Prior to her tenure at NetBio, Ms. Consalvi served as Vice President and Chief Intellectual Property Counsel at biotechnology company Transkaryotic Therapies. Before that she was a partner in private practice at Howrey Simon Arnold & White and Lyon & Lyon.

"Having known Mary since we were partners together at Lyon & Lyon, I can't think of anyone better suited to help grow and expandourbiotech capabilities," said James Shalek, Proskauer Partner and co-head of its Patent Law Group. "Her extensive experience with NetBio shows she can build a business, as was also the case at Lyon & Lyon, where as that firm's first female partner, she was instrumental in the development and expansion of its San Diego biotechnology practice."

In addition to her experience at NetBio, where she was responsible for all aspects of the companys financing, business development and corporate and legal affairs, Ms. Consalvi is a leading intellectual property litigator, focusing on patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret law. She has counseled clients on freedom to operate analyses, opinion work and issues of patent validity, infringement and new-product introductions and represented companies with government grants and contracts. She is also experienced in matters related to partnerships/technology transfers between businesses and research institutions, including the drafting and negotiating of agreements covering such transfers.

Marys patent experience is very complementary to our current portfolio of work, and we see significant opportunities to broaden our biotech offering to clients, said Steven Bauer, Proskauer Partner and co-head of its Patent Law Group. She is a proven litigator who can provide strategic patent prosecution and associated licensing and transactional work for start-up and emerging biotech companies, as well as for later stage companies needing to build a patent portfolio.

About Proskauer

Founded in 1875, Proskauer is a global law firm widely recognized for its leadership in a variety of legal services provided to clients worldwide from offices in Beijing, Boca Raton, Boston, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Paris, So Paulo and Washington, DC. Additional information about the firm, which has extensive experience in all areas of practice important to businesses, not-for-profit institutions and individuals, can be found at http://www.proskauer.com.

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Richard Gutierrez To Shoulder Annabelle Rama’s Stem Cell Therapy Expenses

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MANILA, Philippines - Talent manager Annabelle Rama will fly to Germany in September to undergo therapy - stem cell therapy, that is. This has been a promise made by her son Richard Gutierrez who's footing the bill. "Early this year pa lang ay napagplanuhan na 'yung pagpapa-stem cell ng nanay ko at prinomise ko sa kanya na pag-iipunan ko, prinomise ko sa kanya na ako ang magti-treat sa kanya ...

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Richard Gutierrez To Shoulder Annabelle Rama’s Stem Cell Therapy Expenses

NASA picks companies to build space taxis

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WASHINGTON - NASA picked three aerospace companies Friday to build small rocketships to take astronauts to the International Space Station.

This is the third phase of NASA's efforts to get private space companies to take over the job of the now-retired space shuttle. The companies will share more than $1.1 billion. Two of the ships are capsules like in the Apollo era and the third is closer in design to the space shuttle.

Once the spaceships are built, NASA plans to hire the private companies to taxi astronauts into space within five years. Until they are ready, NASA is paying Russia about $63 million per astronaut to do the job.

In a statement, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said the move "will help keep us on track to tend the outsourcing of human spaceflight."

NASA hopes that by having private firms ferry astronauts into low Earth orbit, it can focus on larger long-term goals, like sending crews to a nearby asteroid and eventually Mars. The private companies can also make money in tourism and other non-NASA business.

The three companies are the Boeing Co. of Houston, Space Exploration Technologies, called SpaceX, of Hawthorne and Sierra Nevada Corp. of Louisville, Colo.

They are quite different companies. Boeing is one of the oldest and largest space companies with a long history of building and launching rockets and working for NASA, going back to the Mercury days. One of its partners in the effort is Canoga

"We're confident our proven propulsion technology and engineering skills will help maintain U.S. leadership in space," Terry Lorier, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's Commercial Crew program manager, said in a statement.

SpaceX is a relatively new company started by Elon Musk, who helped create PayPal and runs the electric car company Tesla Motors. Sierra Nevada has been in the space business for 25 years but mostly on a much smaller scale than Boeing.

NASA's commercial crew development program started with seven companies. The other companies that were not chosen can still build private rocketships and NASA still has the option to hire them to ferry astronauts at a later date, NASA spokesman Trent Perrotto said.

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NASA contract goes to firm with Poway office

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A space flight development company with facilities in Poway has been awarded a $215.5 million NASA contract to continue development of private sector version of the space shuttle.

The Dream Chaser undergoing testing in May. Sierra Nevada Corp. photo

The Colorado-based Sierra Nevada Corp. was one of three companies receiving additional funding under NASAs Commercial Crew Integrated Capability Program. NASA last week awarded $1.1 billion in program contracts, including $460 million to Boeing and $440 million to SpaceX.

Sierra Nevada acquired Poway-based SpaceDev in 2008. SpaceDev was founded in 2004 and was best known for developing the hybrid rockets that powered SpaceShipOne, the first successful private sub-orbital spacecraft, in 2004.

Sierra Nevadas Space Systems division is headed by Mark Sirangelo, the former chairman and CEO of SpaceDev.

Sierra Nevada is developing the 10-passenger Dream Chaser spacecraft to shuttle personnel to and from the International Space Station. An non-powered full-size mock up of the craft is the early testing stages. The company says it hopes to being shuttle flights as early as 2016.

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NASA'S Goddard Space Flight Center plays key role with Curiosity

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BALTIMORE -

Along with NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in California, the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland had a lot to celebrate Sunday.

Curiosity, a rover developed by NASA, landed on the planet Mars to begin a two-year mission.

The hope is that it will help scientists learn more about the geographic make-up of the "red planet."

Dr. Jennifer Stern, a geochemist at Goddard, answered questions about Curiosity during a visit to the Maryland Science Center's space-link exhibit Monday.

Still giddy about the successful landing, Stern said: "Just seeing that landing last night was incredible, knowing everything went as planned, everything worked, seeing those first images come in."

She also pointed out that the extremely difficult landing of the rover, which involved a sky crane and the world's largest supersonic parachute, could set the stage for humans to land on Mars.

Maryland Science Center staff were excited to have someone directly involved with Curiosity on hand. Stern said she will study rocks, minerals and the atmosphere to see if life could have ever existed on Mars.

"I help with the design and testing of the experiments that are on SAM or Sample Analysis of Mars, which is one of the instruments on the Curiosity Rover," Stern said.

"It's very special because it's a new era of exploration. This space craft is going to be able to do things we've never been able to do with any other spacecraft," said science center representative Jim O'Leary. "It's an opportunity to introduce kids to discovery, how these discoveries are made, the science behind it, get them excited about science, get them excited about education," he said.

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NASA'S Goddard Space Flight Center plays key role with Curiosity

NASA Lands Car-Size Rover Beside Martian Mountain – Video

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06-08-2012 01:46 NASA's most advanced Mars rover Curiosity has landed on the Red Planet. The one-ton rover, hanging by ropes from a rocket backpack, touched down onto Mars Sunday to end a 36-week flight and begin a two-year investigation. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft that carried Curiosity succeeded in every step of the most complex landing ever attempted on Mars, including the final severing of the bridle cords and flyaway maneuver of the rocket backpack.

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NASA Lands Car-Size Rover Beside Martian Mountain - Video

NASA releases video of Mars rover descent

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NASA's Curiosity rover has transmitted a low-resolution video showing the last 2 1/2 minutes of its white-knuckle dive through the Mars atmosphere, giving Earthlings a sneak peek of a spacecraft landing on another world.

As thumbnails of the video flashed on a big screen on Monday, scientists and engineers at the NASA Jet Propulsion let out "oohs" and "aahs".

The recording began with the protective heat shield falling away and ended with dust being kicked up as the rover was lowered by cables inside an ancient crater.

It was a sneak preview since it'll take some time before full-resolution frames are beamed back depending on other priorities.

The full video "will just be exquisite", said Michael Malin, the chief scientist of the instrument.

NASA celebrated the precision landing of a rover on Mars and marvelled over the mission's flurry of photographs - grainy, black-and-white images of Martian gravel, a mountain at sunset and, most exciting of all, the spacecraft's white-knuckle plunge through the red planet's atmosphere.

Curiosity, a roving laboratory the size of a compact car, landed right on target late on Sunday night after an eight-month, 566-million kilometre journey.

It parked its six wheels about 6 1/2 kilometres from its ultimate science destination - Mount Sharp rising from the floor of Gale Crater near the equator.

Extraordinary efforts were needed for the landing because the rover weighs one tonne, and the thin Martian atmosphere offers little friction to slow down a spacecraft.

Curiosity had to go from 20,920km/h to zero in seven minutes, unfurling a parachute, then firing rockets to brake. In a Hollywood-style finish, cables delicately lowered it to the ground at 3.2km/h.

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NASA releases video of Mars rover descent