Monthly Archives: September 2012

Beaches: Here Are LA County's 3 Grossest Beaches For Water Quality

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Heal the Bay's End of Summer Beach Report Card is out for 2012 and the good news: LA's beaches are mostly un-gross! The bad news: a few are still kind of gross (Catalina, we're side-eyeing you). According to a release, this was "one of the cleanest summers for beach water quality ever recorded in the state." The org gave A or B grades to 96 percent of California beaches, 4 percent more than last year (they rated 446 beaches "based on bacterial pollution data collected by 20 local health agencies and dischargers from Humboldt through San Diego counties"). In Los Angeles County, water quality was up 2 percent--77 sites earned As or Bs. But they're not all good; here are the three grossest:

-- Avalon. The Catalina beach "has experienced chronically polluted water for more than two decades," but recently upgraded its corroded sewer infrastructure and is working on further water quality improvements. Meanwhile, its five testing points earned three Fs, a D, and an A+ (between the storm drain and the Pier, if you want to go for it).

-- Malibu Pier. This is Malibu Pier's third straight year of grossness--it earned an F for 2012. And it's not even clear why: "Despite numerous site visits by Heal the Bay staff, a pollution source has yet to be identified."

-- Cabrillo Beach. The San Pedro beach also earned an F grade "despite extensive water quality improvement projects throughout the past few years including: replacement of beach sand in the intertidal zone, removal of the rock jetty, installation of water circulation pumps, and installation of bird exclusion devices." The city's agreed to do even more, with new bird exclusion measures scheduled to be in place by the end of the year.

If you're curious about a particular beach, Heal the Bay has a handy map report card. SUMMER BEACH WATER QUALITY ON RISE STATEWIDE [Heal the Bay]

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Beaches: Here Are LA County's 3 Grossest Beaches For Water Quality

Local beaches earn high grades in report card

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AREAWIDE Santa Monica Bay beaches this year earned high marks for water quality - with 94 percent scoring As and Bs - on an end-of-summer beach report card released Tuesday.

But not all beaches in the South Bay and Harbor Area were without problems, according to the report issued by the environmental group Heal the Bay.

The organization doles out A-to-F letter grade to 446 beaches along the state coastline, based on bacterial pollution data. The higher the grade a site receives, the lower the risk of illness to swimmers and beach users.

The report lists various local monitoring sites where water samples taken from April 1 to Sept. 3 contained bacteria counts that exceeded state health standards.

They include inner Cabrillo Beach at the restrooms, with 99 exceedances; the south side of the Redondo Beach pier, 43; inner Cabrillo Beach at the boat launch, 33; Dockweiler State Beach at the mouth of Ballona Creek, 21; Marina del Rey's "Mother's Beach" near the playground area, 13; Redondo Beach at the Topaz Street jetty, 9; and more.

For the full summer report.

- Kristin S. Agostoni

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Local beaches earn high grades in report card

SD, state beaches fare well during summer tests

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Water quality at San Diego County beaches was excellent again over the summer and contributed to one of the cleanest peak-use seasons on record along the states coastline, according to a report card issued Tuesday by Heal the Bay.

A major sewage spill in Tijuana caused closures along Imperial Beach shortly before Labor Day, but otherwise the Santa Monica-based environmental group praised the countys beaches with a slate of A grades.

Heal the Bay based its assessment on bacterial pollution data collected by agencies along Californias coast. The summer of 2012 marked the sixth consecutive year of excellent water quality statewide from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Ninety-six percent of all spots tested received A or B grades a slight improvement from last year.

Heal the Bay did find that a relatively small number of locations statewide posed health risks; 20 sites received fair-to-poor water quality grades over the summer. Chronic problem spots such as Malibu Pier and the Avalon were among those tagged with failing grades.

The Southern California Coastal Water Research Project is trying to shed more light on the interaction between stormwater and bacteria in San Diegos Mission Bay. Water quality at the popular destination has improved markedly during dry weather, according to Heal the Bay, but researchers want to look at it more closely because of periodic pollution problems.

Several possible sources of bacteria pollution have been essentially eliminated, according to the environmental research agency. Previous source tracking studies indicated that birds were substantial contributors and pollution from human sources was insignificant, said a summary by the research group.

The bacteria-tracking project is expected to include daily water tests at several spots in Mission Bay, and it should conclude in October.

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SD, state beaches fare well during summer tests

Astronomy professor talks about poetry, stars in Edwards

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Some people try to capture the beauty and majesty of the starry sky with a camera or on canvas. Others try to capture it with words.

In an evening called The Poets and the Stars, Colorado Mountain College astronomy Professor Jimmy Westlake will present verses about the stars written by some of the world's most beloved poets, mixed with some of his own original poems and rhymes, and illustrated by many of his original astrophotographs. This unique program will leave audience members with a renewed sense of wonder and awe about our amazing universe.

For 14 years Westlake has taught astronomy and physics at Colorado Mountain College's campus in Steamboat Springs. His award-winning astrophotographs have appeared in textbooks, newspapers and websites all over the planet including numerous times as Picture of the Day on NASA's popular Astronomy Picture of the Day website. His image of Halley's Comet has won several awards, including The Weather Channel's Halley's Comet Photo Contest in 1986. See Westlake's astrophotography at http://www.jwestlake.com.

Wednesday's event begins at 5:30 p.m. with a wine reception, followed by Westlake's talk at 6:15 p.m. Admission is $10, and free for members of Women in Philanthropy. Colorado Mountain College's campus in Edwards is at 150 Miller Ranch Road. For more information, call 970-569-2900.

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Astronomy professor talks about poetry, stars in Edwards

Best Astronomy Pictures of 2012

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Photograph courtesy Martin Pugh, APOY/Royal Observatory

This penetrating look at the Whirlpool Galaxy won Australia's Martin Pugh top prize in the 2012 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.

The contest, run by the U.K.'s Royal Observatory Greenwich, drew nearly 850 entries this year from around the world.

Here, a spiral arm of the Whirlpool Galaxy grazes the light of a smaller companion galaxy that's slowly being torn apart by its neighbor's gravity.

The galaxiessome 20 million light-years awayare too faint and distant for the human eye to register their hues. But this long photographic exposure allows us to appreciate their colorful nature, said Marek Kukula, the Royal Observatory's public astronomer and a contest judge. Young stars appear blue, he explained, and hydrogen gas in the spiral arms varies from pink to reddish.

Pugh's picture impressed judges with its depth, clarity, and color.

"It's not just the detail in the spiral arms that's remarkable," said judge Will Gater. "Look closely and you'll see many, very distant galaxies in the background too."

The winning pictures in the competition's four categories are on view at the Royal Observatory through February 2013.

(Also see "Pictures: Best Amateur Astronomy Images Announced [2011].")

Luna Shyr

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Best Astronomy Pictures of 2012

Where is the Aerospace Industry Headed?

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By Lee Samaha - September 25, 2012 | Tickers: AIR, BEAV, HEI, SPR, BA | 0 Comments

Lee is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinions of our bloggers and are not formally edited.

Sometimes you have to wonder how much more short term the market can be? AAR Corp (NYSE: AIR) had already pre-announced results at the start of the month but when they formally released them the stock was met with a 6% decline and then a 3% rise the next day; this is after raising guidance as well. The results were actually fairly strong, but there was a lot in the details that revealed the underlying trends in the aerospace industry.

Private Sector Good, Public Sector Bad

No, not a eulogy to free market enterprise but a statement of what is currently trending in aerospace. Cuts in public spending and military hardware are reducing end demand on one side. Fortunately commercial aerospace is flying high at the moment and companies with heavier exposure to this side of the industry are benefiting accordingly.

A quick look at Boeings (NYSE: BA) order book reveals that it is filled for years to come. Even more interesting is where the orders are coming from. Here are the airlines that have made more than 20 orders in 2012 from Boeing.

Aside from the large order from United, all of these orders are being driven by budget airlines and emerging markets. In addition, a large part of the leasing company's orders are for operations in the Far East, and arguably Virgin Australia is an Asian carrier. Essentially the marginal growth in passenger miles flown is being driven by emerging markets. Indeed, the fact that commercial aerospace is actually an emerging market play has been one of the best kept investing secrets of recent years.

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Where is the Aerospace Industry Headed?

ATAG: Canadian Government Urged to Boost Aerospace Research

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TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Canadian Government was urged to boost investment in green aerospace research and development today by Paul Steele, Executive Director of the Geneva-based Air Transport Action Group, a global association representing the commercial aviation industry on sustainability issues.

Speaking at the second annual meeting of the Canadian Green Aviation Research and Development Network (GARDN), Mr Steele said, The Canadian aerospace industry is one of the strongest in the world. Aerospace manufacturers and their supply chain provide 81,000 skilled jobs directly and support over 110,000 jobs and C$13.1 billion in total. A vital component of the future growth of this sector and its ability to help support the Canadian economy is the supply of well-trained engineering graduates and innovative aerospace research.

When the whole air transport system is included (airports, airlines, air traffic control and tourism supported by air travel), the aviation industry supports over 450,000 Canadian jobs and C$42.4 billion (or 2.8%) of gross domestic product.

In March this year, global leaders of the aviation industry signed a declaration on the future of sustainable aviation (http://www.aviationbenefitsbeyondborders.org). The first request to governments in the declaration was to continue to support collaborative research into new green aviation technologies and operations. The GARDN project is Canadas contribution to this effort and the projects it is undertaking such as the environmentally-focused regional jet will play a valuable role in helping to reduce aviations environmental footprint.

Worldwide, aviation currently accounts for around two percent of global man-made carbon dioxide emissions. The global aviation industry has agreed a set of ambitious targets to reduce its CO2 output. It will cap its net CO2 from 2020 and halve them by 2050, based on 2005 levels.

To achieve these targets, we need all parts of the industry working on fuel saving measures. Collaboration is key. Projects like GARDN, which bring together government, research institutions and industry to jointly develop new environmentally-targeted technologies are vital to this global effort. Governments around the world are undertaking such collaborative research to support their aviation industries. Its a wise investment in the future strength of Canadian aerospace and the benefits this brings to the wider national economy.

In April, the GARDN network assisted with the first Canadian flight on sustainable aviation biofuels, with partners Porter Airlines and Bombardier. Since then, Air Canada has undertaken the first North American international prefect flight incorporating biofuels and other emissions-saving methods on a flight which reduced the CO2 emitted by 40% compared to a normal flight.

ends

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ATAG: Canadian Government Urged to Boost Aerospace Research

Dr. Jon Hallberg: New class of medical students underway

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by Dr. Jon Hallberg, Minnesota Public Radio, Tom Crann, Minnesota Public Radio

September 25, 2012

Audio player code:

ST. PAUL, Minn. Another year of medical school at the University of Minnesota is underway, and physician and instructor Jon Hallberg says these new students have some advantages over his generation of aspiring doctors.

Hallberg, who teaches "Essentials of Clinical Medicine" at the University of Minnesota Medical School, spoke with MPR's Tom Crann this week. Hallberg is a physician in family medicine at the University of Minnesota and medical director of the Mill City Clinic.

Tom Crann: First, you're back for a month. How's it going?

Dr. Jon Hallberg: I love it. I forgot how much I really love teaching.

Crann: These are first-year students right now that you're teaching. What are they learning right now?

Hallberg: Well, they have their basic science courses. One of the big ones they have is gross anatomy, so they're actually in the anatomy lab dissecting cadavers with teams, but my part, the clinical medicine part, is learning how to talk to patients, learning how to examine them.

Crann: Essentials of Clinical Medicine what are you doing in that class with these students?

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Dr. Jon Hallberg: New class of medical students underway

Virginia Bio Announces New Executive Leadership

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RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Virginia Biotechnology Association (Virginia Bio), the premier statewide non-profit trade association for life science industries, has named its interim executive director to the full-time position of chief executive officer.

With an extensive background in the law and non-profit sectors as well as the life sciences, Jeffrey Gallagher brings leadership and policy expertise to his newly defined role, where he will be responsible for developing and executing the associations strategic plans, prioritizing the organizations areas of advocacy and serving as a voice for the organization and its over 200 member companies.

Virginia Bio is thrilled to have someone with Jeffs breadth of experience, leadership skills and deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the life sciences industry, said Michael Grisham, chairman of the board at Virginia Bio. He will serve as an articulate and respected champion for our diverse member companies, particularly at a time when the life sciences throughout Virginia are emerging as an increasingly important growth sector.

Virginia Bio is on the vanguard of the rich life sciences industry throughout the Commonwealth. Not only does itserve its members andmaintain the pulse of this important business sector, but it helps to educate and provide context to many forward-looking issues related to Virginias future growth,innovationand competitiveness, says Gallagher. Ive admired this organization for many years and am now proud and pleased to serve as its new CEO. I look forward to servingour member companies,collaborating with others around the state,and working with policymakersat every levelto create jobs to Virginia and faster cures and better treatments to our citizens.

Gallagher was most recently with Lyotropic Therapeutics, Inc., based in Ashland, Va., where he served as Vice President & General Counsel. He helped establish and grow the small pharmaceutical company and was responsible for all legal matters, including regulatory compliance, personnel and intellectual property. Gallagher also has been involved with numerous non-profit organizations in various leadership roles.

One of the first priorities for Jeff as CEO is to lead the Virginia delegation at the Mid-Atlantic Bio Conference cohosted by Virginia Bio each year. Mid-Atlantic Bio, taking place this week in Bethesda, MD, brings together a critical mass of key industry stakeholders in a forum designed to improve the business climate and foster innovation. This years theme, New Alliances, New Opportunities reflects the addition of The North Carolina Biotechnology Center as a strategic partner, along with two special sessions, Best Practices for Working with the FDA and SBIR/STTR: Strategies, Program Changes and Opportunities. To view the complete program, please visit the conference website, http://www.midatlanticbio.org

About Virginia Bio

Virginia Bio is the premier statewide non-profit trade association for life science industries in Virginia. Celebrating its 20th year, Virginia Bio is an advocate for the biopharmaceutical and device industries among federal, state and local policy-makers. Virginia Bio is the official state affiliate of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). To learn more, visit http://www.vabio.org.

About Mid-Atlantic Bio

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Virginia Bio Announces New Executive Leadership

BIO Praises Introduction of the High Technology Small Business Research Incentives Act

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WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) applauds Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Reps. Jim Gerlach (R-PA) and Richard Neal (D-MA) for introducing the High Technology Small Business Research Incentives Act (H.R. 6559/S.3595).

Biotech companies are working every day to solve the greatest challenges facing our society whether its finding a cure for cancer, protecting against bio-terror threats, or creating renewable energy and renewable chemicals.

Biotech R&D is a particularly high-risk undertaking because of the substantial start-up costs, lengthy experimentation period, and possibility that the technology will not prove viable. The legislation would make it more attractive to invest in biotech and other high tech industries.

Under the proposal, biotech companies would be able to enter into joint ventures with investors, who could then utilize the losses and tax credits of an R&D project. The bill would apply to entities that devote a significant percentage of their expenses to R&D, have fewer than 250 employees, and have less than $150 million in gross assets. It is important to note that this legislation does not create any new tax incentives.

BIOs President and CEO Jim Greenwood made the following statement:

Biotechnology is a leading force for innovation in America - and innovation is key for our economic health and prosperity. Today, our small companies face significant hurdles to raise early stage capital. Every step we take to increase investment could provide important capital for groundbreaking biotech R&D projects.

Through the tax code, Congress historically has provided opportunities that encourage private investment in pre-revenue, R&D-intensive companies. The early growth of the biotech industry in the 1980s was due in part to the ability of investors to support projects aimed at finding new cures and treatments through similar joint ventures. This legislation will help spur greater private investment in biotech and other R&D intensive industries.

BIO applauds the sponsors of this bill and pledges to work with the Congress to ensure this legislation is passed.

About BIO

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BIO Praises Introduction of the High Technology Small Business Research Incentives Act

Farm Raised Salmon Need to Beef Up

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/wildlife/article/45002

When it comes to farm raised fish, it doesn't pay to let them be lazy. Fish like wild salmon, tuna and eel are built for the vigorous swimming required during migration.

These fish are "uniquely adapted to a physiology of high levels of exercise performance," says Tony Farrell, who studies fish physiology in the University of British Columbia Zoology department. "Therefore when we put them in constrained environments and remove predators, the consequences are they become a little more like couch potatoes."

When these fish are raised on farms in captivity, they are prone to a variety of health problems everything from heart disease to viral infections kind of like human couch potatoes. And, just like with humans, getting more active seems to make a big difference in their health.

There's at least 50 years of research on the physiological benefits of exercise to fish, demonstrating that when fish are good swimmers, they have better cardiovascular fitness, a stronger immune system and are less prone to disease and physical deformities than their sedentary brethren. Yet very few fish farms use exercise as a way to improve the quantity and quality of their product. New research and a new book, Swimming Physiology of Fish: Towards Using Exercise to Farm a Fit Fish in Sustainable Aquaculture, are trying to persuade the commercial fish farmer to give it a try.

Farmed fish currently make up nearly half of all fish consumed, and the industry is growing rapidly. While it produces a fairly cheap source of protein, disease, waste and a decreasing supply of traditional fish feed remain problems yet to be fully solved.

Increasing survival rates even just a few percent by exercising fish not only creates a healthier environment for them, but it may translate into billions of dollars for fish farms.

Fish exercise may aid the fish farming industry financially, Farrell says, but there's another lesson as well. "Exercise, in a world that is sedentary, is beneficialeven in fish."

So what does that mean to what you get on your dinner plate? Some experts suggest that bigger, stronger, and healthier fish may also produce changes in color, texture or overall appearance that make a more attractive meal to the consumer. But there's no evidence yet that the nutritional content is affected.

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Farm Raised Salmon Need to Beef Up

Malawi: Nation Shifts Focus to Nutrition and New Crops to Tackle Food Crisis

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Malawi: Nation Shifts Focus to Nutrition and New Crops to Tackle Food Crisis

Malawi: Focus Shifts to Nutrition, New Crops to Tackle Food Crisis

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Photo: Kristy Siegfried/IRIN

File photo of refugees at Dzaleka camp in Malawi waiting in line to collect their monthly food rations which were cut by half in March 2012 due to a funding shortfall

Lilongwe A nutrition act and new crops are at the centre of the Malawi government's latest attempts to overcome the effects of annual food shortages that affect more than 10% of the population.

From October, President Joyce Banda's government says it will give away 60,000 goats to needy families on condition that they pass on the goats' kids to designated neighbours. The landlocked south-east African country is also drafting a nutrition act that will ban the sale of non-fortified basic foodstuffs.

Senior civil servants claim the moves mark a departure from farming policies that simply aimed to fill people up with staple maize in lean times. Food shortages affect 1.6 million people every year, and an estimated 47% of children have stunted growth because of undernutrition, making them more vulnerable to illness and learning difficulties.

Mary Shawa, the principal secretary for gender, said the nutrition act will send a signal that Banda, in power since April, considers food security a high priority. "Childhood stunting has a direct impact on the economy. It is clear that nutrition needs to be tackled across several sectors, including agriculture, education, local government and academia, and that is what we are doing," she said.

Jeffrey Luhanga, principal secretary for agriculture and food security, said stabilising food supply was his priority. Subsidies will increasingly focus on encouraging farmers to grow protein-rich crops and crops that can be exported or processed in the country, he said. "In maize, you have starch but you also need lots of protein." Malawi, whose economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, has become something of a laboratory for food policy since 2004, when former president Bingu wa Mutharika defied resistance from donors and introduced a generous seed and fertiliser subsidy programme. After years of relying on food aid, in 2005 Malawi produced a grain surplus of more than 500,000 tonnes. The country repeated the feat in 2007 and increased its surplus in 2008.

At the UN general assembly in 2008, Mutharika proclaimed that his "green revolution" was a recipe for "Africa to feed the world". To prove his point, he sent 150 tonnes of rice to Haiti after the earthquake there in January 2010.

But Mutharika died halfway through a second term during which the country was almost bankrupted by nepotism, corruption and his highly personalised "green revolution". He was replaced by his deputy, Banda.

"The subsidy programme was producing too much maize," said Luhanga.

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Malawi: Focus Shifts to Nutrition, New Crops to Tackle Food Crisis

Research and Markets: Analysis of the World Microbiology Testing Market Sales Forecasts by Country and Strategic …

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2ccv6j/analysis_of_the) has announced the addition of the "Analysis of the World Microbiology Testing Market Sales Forecasts by Country and Strategic Profiles of Leading Suppliers" report to their offering.

This report provides a worldwide overview of the microbiology testing market environment, structure, size and growth.

The report includes estimates of the number of laboratories performing microbiology tests, as well as test volume and sales forecasts by country.

The report also presents strategic profiles of leading market players and emerging suppliers with innovative technologies and products in terms of their sales, product portfolios, distribution tactics, technological know-how, new products in R&D, collaborative arrangements, and business strategies.

Contains 73 pages and 3 tables

Key Topics Covered:

1. Worldwide Business Environment

2. Worldwide Market Structure

3. Worldwide Market Size and Growth

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Research and Markets: Analysis of the World Microbiology Testing Market Sales Forecasts by Country and Strategic ...

Do eunuchs really live longer?

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A study tracking Korean eunuchs during the Chosun Dynasty shows they lived 14 to 19 years longer than their counterparts.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(TIME.com) -- Talk about a longevity strategy no man wants to pursue. A recent study published in the journal Current Biology finds that Korean eunuchs castrated men lived 14 to 19 years longer than other men, suggesting that male sex hormones play a role in life span.

In the study, the researchers used a genealogy record called the Yang-Se-Gye-Bo that tracked eunuchs who worked in the Korean imperial court during the Chosun Dynasty, which ruled from the 14th to early 20th centuries.

Researchers were able to identify 81 eunuchs, who were castrated as boys, and determined that they lived to an average age of 70, significantly longer than other men of similar social status. Even kings didn't typically make it to age 50.

Three of the 81 eunuchs lived to 100, a centenarian rate that's far higher than would be expected in modern society. The current incidence of centenarians is 1 per 3,500 people in Japan, and 1 per 4,400 people in the United States, for instance; thus, the incidence of centenarians among Korean eunuchs was at least 130 times higher than that of present-day developed countries, according to the paper.

TIME.com: Want to live longer? Don't try caloric restriction

"Our study supports the idea that male sex hormones decrease the lifespan of men," the authors write.

Based on earlier research, the authors argue that one explanation for this could be that male sex hormones may negatively influence the immune system and "predispose men to adverse cardiovascular attacks." They note further that the theory helps explain why females -- in many species -- live longer than males.

But while animal studies have suggested that castration (which removes the testes, the source of male hormones) results in longer lives, studies in humans have been spotty. In one study of castrati singers, there was no difference in lifespan between them and non-castrated singers; in another study of institutionalized, mentally ill men, however, those who were castrated lived some 14 years longer than those who weren't.

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Do eunuchs really live longer?

New DNA evidence uncovers burglary suspect

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ALBANY, GA -

DNA evidence leads to a suspect in a Dougherty County convenience store burglary nearly three years after the crime.

An Albany man, currently in prison for other crimes, is now charged with a 2009 break-in at a Fast Lane convenience store.

His DNA, put in a GBI computer database when he was incarcerated, matched DNA found at the store.

South Georgia law enforcement tells us the GBI crime lab is going through backlogged evidence of crimes looking again for DNA matches.

And investigators say they are finding more and more of them.

September 30, 2009, about 3 a.m. someone breaking into the then Express Lane convenience store and took a Money Gram Money Order machine. Crime scene photos show the blood left behind.

"The front glass window was broken and when the offender reached through the window to steal the money order machine, he was cut on the glass. We were able to recover some of the blood there at the scene," said Dougherty County Police Sergeant, Chad Kirkpatrick.

That blood was given to the GBI crime lab, but there was no match to identify the burglar. Until last week.

"We received information from the GBI that a new convicted offender who had just been sentenced to prison, that his DNA matched the DNA at our crime scene," said Kirkpatrick.

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New DNA evidence uncovers burglary suspect

Posted in DNA

Canadian police: DNA links now-dead U.S. prison inmate to 1974 murder of teen

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By Dominique Debucquoy-Dodley, CNN

updated 7:35 PM EDT, Tue September 25, 2012

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- DNA evidence links a now-dead American convict to the murder of a Canadian teenager who disappeared in 1974, authorities in British Columbia said Tuesday.

Bobby Jack Fowler, who died in an Oregon prison in 2006, is responsible for the murder of 16-year-old Colleen MacMillen, Inspector Gary Shinkaruk of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said at a news conference.

Authorities said while the case is closed on MacMillen's death, investigations continue into the abductions and killings of other women in the same region of Canada, and the search is still on for information in those cases.

"Today's announcement and public plea for assistance is a significant milestone in our commitment to solving a series of missing and murdered women investigations in British Columbia," said Deputy Commissioner Craig Callens, commanding officer of the RCMP in British Columbia

On August 9, 1974, MacMillen disappeared near Highway 97 in Lac La Hache, British Columbia, according to Shinkaruk. She was found dead 47 kilometers (about 29 miles) south of her last known location.

A DNA profile of an unknown male was established in 2007 from evidence in her case, but Canada's National Crime Scene Databank did not turn up a match, Shinkaruk said. A higher quality sample was submitted to INTERPOL in 2012, and the new sample was matched with Fowler.

The development brings a close to one of 18 open cases in British Columbia involving women who went missing, with some later found murdered, stretching back to 1969. The cases are being investigated by a task force named Project E-Pana.

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Canadian police: DNA links now-dead U.S. prison inmate to 1974 murder of teen

Posted in DNA

Research and Markets: DNA Microarray 2012: A Focus on Sales Growth

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/knkv97/dna_microarray) has announced the addition of the "DNA Microarray 2012: A Focus on Sales Growth" report to their offering.

From the early use of miniaturised microarrays for the analysis of gene expression in the mid 1990s, this technique has established markets that are expected to reach $3 billion by 2015. However markets are also changing as new applications are developed and new instruments and competitive technologies such as PCR, are launched. Today, more than ever, developers and vendors in the microarray field are targeting their resources in those areas that best support their own sales and growth strategies.

Purpose

This report, based on an analysis of prevailing and emerging market conditions in the DNA microarray field, has been produced to assist marketing and sales, and the identification of new opportunities. It is the outcome of an extensive global study involving more than 200 experienced DNA microarray users. It's findings provide a focus on sales growth to developers and vendors in the microarray field, and the changes that are driving these developments.

Analysis

As part of this report, market areas outlined below have been analysed to provide information relevant to marketing and sales, new market opportunities, qualified sales leads, customer needs and future plans, competitive position, new and emerging applications, growing and declining areas and threats.

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Study Participants

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Research and Markets: DNA Microarray 2012: A Focus on Sales Growth

Posted in DNA

Police: DNA solves teen's 1974 murder

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By Dominique Debucquoy-Dodley, CNN

updated 7:35 PM EDT, Tue September 25, 2012

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- DNA evidence links a now-dead American convict to the murder of a Canadian teenager who disappeared in 1974, authorities in British Columbia said Tuesday.

Bobby Jack Fowler, who died in an Oregon prison in 2006, is responsible for the murder of 16-year-old Colleen MacMillen, Inspector Gary Shinkaruk of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said at a news conference.

Authorities said while the case is closed on MacMillen's death, investigations continue into the abductions and killings of other women in the same region of Canada, and the search is still on for information in those cases.

"Today's announcement and public plea for assistance is a significant milestone in our commitment to solving a series of missing and murdered women investigations in British Columbia," said Deputy Commissioner Craig Callens, commanding officer of the RCMP in British Columbia

On August 9, 1974, MacMillen disappeared near Highway 97 in Lac La Hache, British Columbia, according to Shinkaruk. She was found dead 47 kilometers (about 29 miles) south of her last known location.

A DNA profile of an unknown male was established in 2007 from evidence in her case, but Canada's National Crime Scene Databank did not turn up a match, Shinkaruk said. A higher quality sample was submitted to INTERPOL in 2012, and the new sample was matched with Fowler.

The development brings a close to one of 18 open cases in British Columbia involving women who went missing, with some later found murdered, stretching back to 1969. The cases are being investigated by a task force named Project E-Pana.

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Police: DNA solves teen's 1974 murder

Posted in DNA

DNA Microarray 2012: A Focus on Sales Growth

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NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

DNA Microarray 2012: A Focus on Sales Growth

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0980749/DNA-Microarray-2012-A-Focus-on-Sales-Growth.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Genetically_Modified_Organism,_GMO

Background

From the early use of miniaturised microarrays for the analysis of gene expression in the mid 1990s, this technique has established markets that are expected to reach $3 billion by 2015. However markets are also changing as new applications are developed and new instruments and competitive technologies such as PCR, are launched. Today, more than ever, developers and vendors in the microarray field are targeting their resources in those areas that best support their own sales and growth strategies.

Purpose

This report, based on an analysis of prevailing and emerging market conditions in the DNA microarray field, has been produced to assist marketing and sales, and the identification of new opportunities. It is the outcome of an extensive global study involving more than 200 experienced DNA microarray users. It's findings provide a "focus on sales growth" to developers and vendors in the microarray field, and the changes that are driving these developments.

Analysis

As part of this report, market areas outlined below have been analysed to provide information relevant to marketing and sales, new market opportunities, qualified sales leads, customer needs and future plans, competitive position, new and emerging applications, growing and declining areas and threats.

Market Areas

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DNA Microarray 2012: A Focus on Sales Growth

Posted in DNA