Monthly Archives: October 2012

Shimco to Exhibit at the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2012

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The Company is a Featured Partner in the Canada Pavilion - October 9 through 14, 2012

MARKHAM, Ontario - Shimco announced today their participation in the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition (JA2012) taking place in Nagoya, Japan from October 9 through 14, 2012.

JA2012 is held in Nagoya, Japan, Asia's largest aerospace industrial manufacturing region, and brings together international and domestic companies to promote trade and further the development of aerospace-related industries. JA2012 is also presented to raise the general public's understanding of the improvements that aerospace engineering brings to daily life.

Shimco, a leader in manufacturing precision parts, laminated and edge-bond shims, tapers and spacers has served the aerospace, defense and space industries world-wide for over 25 years. Shimco is already a supplier to several Japanese aerospace companies and is excited to be featured in the Canada Pavilion as a key player in Ontario's vibrant aerospace industry.

"We are honoured to be invited to display in the Canada Pavilion as one of the companies selected to represent the province of Ontario at this international event," states Peter Voss, President of Shimco. "This is an exceptional opportunity for us to show how Canada is leading the way in the aerospace industry and for Shimco to promote its innovative products to the international market."

The Canada Pavilion features displays and companies from the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. JA2012, now in its 13th year, has over 500 exhibitors from 22 countries, and is expected to attract over 50,000 attendees during this five-day event.

Japan International Aerospace Exhibition October 9 - 14, 2012

About Shimco For over 25 years, Shimco has served the aerospace, defense, space, industrial and other sectors worldwide. Shimco is a leader in manufacturing precision parts, laminated and edge-bond shims, tapers and spacers in materials ranging from aluminum and titanium through to synthetics and composites.

Shimco offers a tradition of innovation, precision and execution, providing solutions that conform to exacting international and customer-specific standards. Shimco is an ISO9001:2008 & AS9100C registered company and their commitment to quality, on-time delivery, lean manufacturing and financial strength is unparalleled. Canadian Headquarters are located in Markham, Ontario.

Vist: http://www.shimco.com

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Gyroscopes and IMUs for Defense, Aerospace & Industrial

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NEW YORK, Oct. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

http://www.reportlinker.com/p01008831/Gyroscopes-and-IMUs-for-Defense-Aerospace--Industrial.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Machine_Tool_and_Equipment

Multiple technology changes are fueling booming market growth

Inertial Measurements Units (IMUs) is a large industry traditionally dominated by defense and aerospace applications. 2011 was a stable year for IMUs with a market size of $1.75B.

We expect more dynamic growth in this market near term because of two factors:

-In the defense and aerospace sectors: though the markets in the U.S. and Europe are best described as conservative and mature, many new programs are being launched in Asia, Brazil, and the Middle East.

-Many new applications are fueling the growth of the IMU market, benefiting from significant technology evolutions, such as the continuous improvement of MEMS IMUs.

The IMU market is very concentrated; only a few big companies are dominant. Honeywell, Northrop Grumman and Sagem are the clear leaders, but many newcomers are coming in to play, looking to enter the market with low-cost MEMS-based products and a different approach to how things are done.

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES ARE POSITIVELY IMPACTING THE GYROSCOPE MARKET

High-performance inertial sensors and systems is a dynamic market segment, as an ever-increasing number of platforms require stabilization, guidance or navigation functions. The 2011 market for high-performance gyroscopes was estimated at $1.29B, growing at a 4.3% annual rate, and is expected to reach $1.66B in 2017.

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Gyroscopes and IMUs for Defense, Aerospace & Industrial

UTC Aerospace Systems delivers 100th CACTCS pack shipset for Boeing 787 Dreamliner

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --UTC Aerospace Systems delivered its 100th Cabin Air Conditioning and Temperature Control System (CACTCS) pack shipset for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, marking a key milestone as a major systems supplier to the program. UTC Aerospace Systems is a unit of United Technologies Corp. (UTX).

"UTC Aerospace Systems is delighted to celebrate this next step in our commitment to the Dreamliner program," said Bob Leduc, president, 787 Programs, UTC Aerospace Systems. "We are supporting the current production rate and are well-positioned to support Boeing's systematic rate ramp-up."

UTC Aerospace Systems' CACTCS pack is part of the Environmental Control System (ECS), which provides cabin temperature management and control, fresh airflow, pressurization control, heating and cooling, galley chilling, and cargo and crew rest compartment temperature control.

"The ECS provides complete airplane thermal management, producing enough cooling to cool more than 25 typical New England homes," said Tom Pelland, vice president and general manager, Air Management Systems. "I am extremely proud of our team. Our people have worked tirelessly in making this milestone possible."

The ECS also includes liquid cooling for the Power Electronics Cooling System (PECS), pack bay overheat protection, wheel well fire protection and windshield washer/wipers. The first electrically driven air cycle air-conditioning packs offer twice the efficiency of previously delivered systems.

In addition to the ECS, UTC Aerospace Systems provides multiple critical systems for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, including: nitrogen generation; electrical power generating and starting; remote power distribution; primary power distribution; ram air turbine; electric motor pumps; fire detection and suppression; electro-mechanical brakes; thrust reversers; proximity sensing; cargo handling; exterior and flight deck lighting; fuel quantity indicators; and fuel management software.

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, Conn., is a diversified company that provides high-technology products and services to the aerospace and building industries.

http://www.utcaerospacesystems.com

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New Agent May Protect Against Brain Damage After Stroke

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Editor's Choice Main Category: Neurology / Neuroscience Article Date: 08 Oct 2012 - 0:00 PDT

Current ratings for: New Agent May Protect Against Brain Damage After Stroke

At the beginning of their randomized, double-blind trial, the experts had set out to determine whether NA-1 was safe. They then focused their attention on injections of NA-1, and how these injections affected the number and volume of brain legions in stroke patients after surgery.

During the study, the researchers administered 185 patients who had just undergone surgery with either an intravenous infusion of NA-1 or a saline control - 92 of them received the NA-1 drug, while 93 participants were given the placebo. Throughout the following three days, the team performed MRIs on the patients to examine the degree of stroke legions present. To determine the results, the participants were followed-up 30 days later.

They wrote that NA-1 is effective and harmless for humans to use, in spite of two unfavorable occurrences where some of the participants were found to have transient low blood pressure caused by the new medication.

The authors also discovered that NA-1 was capable of lowering brain tissue impairment in the study participants. The patients who received the medication were found to have considerably fewer lesions than those who had been given the saline control. However, lesion volume was similar in the two groups.

Professor Michael Hill, lead author of the study, explained:

Our research, which builds on existing animal studies, suggests that intravenous infusion of NA-1 reduces tissue damage in patients who suffer a small stroke after an operation to repair a brain aneurysm, and further research is now needed to investigate the efficacy of neuroprotection in larger clinical trials."

Kaste said:

However, such drugs should first be assessed in large, well designed and well executed randomised placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trials. Only after such trials will we know whether NA-1 - or one of the other drugs which have shown comparable effects - is the long-awaited holy grail for the treatment of patients with ischaemic stroke. The door is now reopening for new neuroprotection trials in stroke."

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New Agent May Protect Against Brain Damage After Stroke

Nano-revolution in drugs delivery

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Nano-medicine - using nano-sized particles to deliver drugs - has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of common maternal and fetal conditions, without side effects or risks to the mother or baby, according to a leading researcher.

Jeff Keelan, principal research fellow in the University of WA's School of Women's and Infants' Health, said nano-technology had the potential to create drugs that "boldly go where no drug has gone before".

"In conventional medicine you take a pill, aspirin say, and it gets dissolved in the stomach, enters the bloodstream and circulates around the body so all of the organs and tissues in your body get exposed to that drug," he said. "It is very non-selective."

Nano-medicine is a bit like adding a postcode to medications - it allows the drugs to be targeted to a specific destination in the body.

Nano-particles, which are the "envelopes" that contain the drugs, are usually made out of a biodegradable polymer and are about the size of a virus, ranging from one to 200 nanometres in diameter. A nanometre is one billionth of a metre.

The "envelope" or shell has a chemical structure that enables it to be targeted to a specific tissue. Once the envelope has reached and entered the target cell, it dissolves and the drug is released.

"Because it goes directly to the cell of interest, the dose you need to give of the drug is much, much smaller, maybe hundreds of times smaller," Professor Keelan said. The average dose of a drug is 10 to 1000mg whereas for nano-drugs the doses would typically be 0.1-10mg.

Professor Keelan is working on nano-particles for pregnancy with three different targets in mind - the mother, the placenta and the baby.

"Sometimes women in pregnancy have to take drugs that might be harmful to the baby," he said. These include drugs for epilepsy, cancer, hypertension and depression. So if you can figure out a way of designing a drug that does not cross the placenta, then you know that the drug is just going to act on the mother without affecting the baby," he said. "I call them 'fetal-friendly' drugs."

It might also be possible to devise therapies that targeted the fetus only; for example, if a test during pregnancy showed that the fetus had a genetic or metabolic defect, gene therapy could be delivered directly to the fetus using nano-delivery. Cystic fibrosis was an example of a genetic disorder that potentially could be treated with nano-medicine.

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Med students get a feel of human body on iPad

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By Poon Chian Hui The Straits Times Sunday, Oct 07, 2012

GIVEN the shrinking supply of cadavers here, the upcoming medical school at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) will provide 3-D models of the human body on iPads to allow students to learn about anatomy.

The plan is to set up a central database of 3-D models of real-life patients.

NTU's Institute for Media Innovation (IMI), which is teaming up with the medical school to produce software for the tablet, will be recruiting local patients for the project.

For a start, it will focus on reproducing 3-D models of the lower limbs, said IMI director Nadia Thalmann, who created a virtual heart model back in the 1980s that paved the way for simulation surgery today.

This will be done by getting 2-D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from the patients to provide details of muscles and other structures. The patients will then be scanned with motion-capture technology. All these will be put together to yield a virtual representation of the muscles, tendons, joints and cartilage.

"The internal anatomy is as different as people's faces," Prof Thalmann said. "With patient-specific data, medical students can learn how to treat cases differently, depending on the person's age, amount of fat and how his skeleton moves."

Set to open next year, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine will also use the iPad as an "essential teaching and learning tool", said its senior vice-dean Martyn Partridge, adding that the provision of the device is still being worked out by the school.

"Putting such technology onto an iPad enables the student to visualise, learn and revise wherever they are."

Applications for the first batch of 50 students will open at the end of the year.

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Med students get a feel of human body on iPad

Ruhland is MSU's new starting center, before heading off to medical school

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EAST LANSING -- Fifth grade is a time for pizza parties and whoopee cushions, but for fifth-grader Ethan Ruhland, it was a time to write a letter to himself and map out the rest of his life.

His mother, Gemma Ruhland, still has that letter and read it just last week. Some of the goals are different -- Ruhland had his sights on Harvard Medical School at the time -- but many are the same.

"He said he wanted to be a doctor so he can help people," said his mother, a nurse for a group of oral surgeons in Bingham Farms. "That hasn't changed. He's always been a kind-soul kid."

Football was a passion then and remains so for Ruhland, a Michigan State fifth-year senior center. Football would have won over medicine when Ruhland was an MSU freshman and thought he had to pick between the two.

Now medical school is just months away. But first, Ruhland will start the most important stretch of his football career Saturday at Indiana.

Years of balancing extreme demands has reached a culmination of sorts for the 6-foot-5, 290-pound Lake Orion High product. Before embarking in earnest on a career he first mentioned in second grade, Ruhland has a shot to experience some of what he envisioned for his playing career.

He is expected to start at center in place of Travis Jackson, who was lost for the season with a broken leg in last week's loss to Ohio State. As the season goes on, Ruhland will be in a three-man competition for two spots -- center and left guard -- with Jack Allen and Blake Treadwell.

"We're all kind of the big cheese coming out of high school," said Ruhland, who was ranked the No. 29 offensive guard in the nation for the class of 2008 by Rivals.com. "So you want to play. But I definitely, for the majority of my time here ... there's always frustrations, whether it's with yourself, the way you're playing.

"But it's all for the betterment of the team. Whatever I can do. And this is an opportunity. It comes at the expense of one of my best friends getting hurt, but I need to step up."

Ruhland has started one other game, last season against Minnesota with Jackson ailing. He has been in the playing rotation since he was a redshirt freshman in 2009 but has not had the kind of steady role that may now await him.

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In a first, Pakistani medical school will offer sex-ed

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan In the United States, health class has introduced generations of snickering sixth-graders to the fundamentals of sex.

But the terms sex and education are a mismatch in Pakistan: The subject simply is not taught in schools. Traditional cultural values have prevented any formal integration of the basics of the birds and the bees into the Islam-based education system.

Here, young people mainly learn about sex from whispered conversations with their schoolyard friends, or by experience. Many Pakistanis say their parents were loath to give them the facts about reproduction.

That leaves great room for misinformation, unsafe practices, uncontrolled family size, and abortion as a method of birth control, health advocates say.

The Koran strictly prohibits sex outside marriage. Many institutions here take that mandate so seriously that the very topic of sex has become taboo with teachers, and even family physicians shy away from broaching the subject with patients (including married ones).

The prohibition extends from primary schools to colleges. And, until now, no comprehensive sexuality courses have been taught in undergraduate medical colleges. Last month Dow University of Health Sciences, based in Karachi, announced that it will integrate reproductive health education into its curriculum beginning next academic year. The medical college said its future doctors will become prepared to treat patients for sexual and reproductive-related problems.

So when we talk of infections, we will talk of reproductive infections, said Sikander Sohani of the nonprofit organization Aahung, which collaborated with Dow University on developing the curriculum. When we talk of [medical] history-taking, we will talk about taking reproductive health history as well. So it is a holistic approach.

Aahung is an advocacy group focused on community programs promoting reproductive health and education in Pakistan. The Dow University sex-ed program will be taught to male and female students every semester. The group also developed a reproductive health guide for faculty and students that comports with the countrys cultural values.

Past attempts to teach sex-ed have met with fierce resistance from conservative religious leaders and parents wishing to protect their children from secular influences.

This was me when I was 10, one Pakistani said in an Internet forum conversation about sex-ed:

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In a first, Pakistani medical school will offer sex-ed

Chinese flock to see centenarians, help drive tourism

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Beijing, Oct 8 (IANS) More than 180,000 tourists have visited a remote mountainous county in China famous for having the most centenarians in the country. Officials hope to cash in on the phenomenon to drive up tourism and help reduce poverty in the area.

The people visited the Bama county in Hechi city of Guangxi Zhuang region to experience its "local longevity culture", Xinhua news agency reported.

Bama, predominately inhabited by the ethnic Yao group, is recognised by the International Natural Medicine Society as the "hometown of longevity".

The county now boasts 73 centenarians and 252 people over 90 years of age. The ratio of centenarians is 30.8 per 100,000, which exceeds the international standard of 25 per 100,000.

Li Meixiao, director of a tourism group, attributed the county's growing popularity to tourists' changing tastes.

Many people come "with a wish to see the centenarians in person, taste what these centenarians have every day and breath in the fresh air we have", he said.

Wang Jun, a 60-year-old tourist, said: "The germ-killing negative oxygen ions in the air here are much more than that in scenic spots where it is jam-packed with people. Staying here is much healthier."

With the influx of tourists, rural inns are providing a new source of income to the Bama people, who previously depended on farmland for food.

Official statistics showed that in 2011, the Pona village received 273,000 tourists and took an aggregate tourism revenue of 64.3 million yuan. According to the city's blueprint, by 2015, rural tourism will create 200,000 jobs, and more than five million tourists will visit annually.

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Well Being: Weil: Strive for contentment, not happiness

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Over the years, I have read the books and listened to the pronouncements of Andrew Weil, the natural-remedy guru and champion of integrative medicine with the broad grin, bushy beard, and bald pate. Much of what he preaches makes sense to me, and I admire the imaginative and open-minded way he has sought to blend the best practices of modern Western medical science with ancient folk medicine and Eastern philosophy.

One thing I didn't know about Weil is that he's a local boy. He grew up in a rowhouse in West Oak Lane, he told me on the phone, and attended Central High. He went on to Harvard College and Harvard Medical School. He now lives in Arizona, where he's a professor of public health and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona as well as director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.

Weil, who turned 70 in June, will be returning to Philadelphia for the first time in nearly five years as the featured speaker at Forever Young, an all-day health and wellness fair Oct. 21 at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown.

Sponsored by the Raymond and Miriam Klein JCC, Forever Young, an inaugural event, will offer a full day of expert speakers, interactive demonstrations, and classes in such popular exercise modes as Zumba, pole-dancing, Pilates, and yoga.

There will be more than 40 exhibit booths dedicated to health and wellness products and services, healthy food tastings, a bookshop, and many educational resources to help adults achieve health in all four dimensions: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual.

I asked Weil what he thought about appearing at an event called "Forever Young."

"I think that's the dominant attitude in our culture, to be forever young," he said. "One of my previous books, Healthy Aging, pointed out that being obsessed with stopping aging or reversing aging is folly. Everything ages. The first key to healthy aging is to accept the aging process and work to maintain health as you go through life."

What I was most interested in discussing with Weil, however, was his new book, Spontaneous Happiness. There are scads of books about how to achieve happiness, but what makes this one distinctive, once again, is Weil's integrative approach. He uses the word spontaneous to underscore the body's potential for self-healing. In this book particularly, which is aimed at helping people overcome depression and mood disorders, he is concerned about emotional and mental self-healing.

"By linking the words spontaneous and happiness," Weil writes, "I am asking you to question the prevalent habit of making positive emotions dependent on external agencies and to think of happiness as one of many moods available to us if we allow for healthy variability of our emotional life."

Weil believes we function best when we're able to exist at what he calls "emotional sea level," which he defines as "not happiness but rather contentment and the calm acceptance that is the goal of many kinds of spiritual practice. From this perspective, it is possible to accept life in its totality, both the good and the bad, and know that everything is all right, just as it should be, including you and your place in the world."

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Researchers build most complex synthetic biology circuit yet

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MIT biological engineers created new genetic circuits using genes found in Salmonella (seen here) and other bacteria. Credit: NIH

Using genes as interchangeable parts, synthetic biologists design cellular circuits that can perform new functions, such as sensing environmental conditions. However, the complexity that can be achieved in such circuits has been limited by a critical bottleneck: the difficulty in assembling genetic components that don't interfere with each other.

Unlike electronic circuits on a silicon chip, biological circuits inside a cell cannot be physically isolated from one another. "The cell is sort of a burrito. It has everything mixed together," says Christopher Voigt, an associate professor of biological engineering at MIT.

Because all the cellular machinery for reading genes and synthesizing proteins is jumbled together, researchers have to be careful that proteins that control one part of their synthetic circuit don't hinder other parts of the circuit.

Voigt and his students have now developed circuit components that don't interfere with one another, allowing them to produce the most complex synthetic circuit ever built. The circuit, described in the Oct. 7 issue of Nature, integrates four sensors for different molecules. Such circuits could be used in cells to precisely monitor their environments and respond appropriately.

"It's incredibly complex, stitching together all these pieces," says Voigt, who is co-director of the Synthetic Biology Center at MIT. Larger circuits would require computer programs that Voigt and his students are now developing, which should allow them to combine hundreds of circuits in new and useful ways.

Expanding the possibilities

Previously, Voigt has designed bacteria that can respond to light and capture photographic images, and others that can detect low oxygen levels and high cell densityboth conditions often found in tumors. However, no matter the end result, most of his projects, and those of other synthetic biologists, use a small handful of known genetic parts. "We were just repackaging the same circuits over and over again," Voigt says.

To expand the number of possible circuits, the researchers needed components that would not interfere with each other. They started out by studying the bacterium that causes salmonella, which has a cellular pathway that controls the injection of proteins into human cells. "It's a very tightly regulated circuit, which is what makes it a good synthetic circuit," Voigt says.

The pathway consists of three components: an activator, a promoter and a chaperone. A promoter is a region of DNA where proteins bind to initiate transcription of a gene. An activator is one such protein. Some activators also require a chaperone protein before they can bind to DNA to initiate transcription.

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Delphi Genetics Grants Merck License for the Use of the StabyExpress™ System

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BRUSSELS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Delphi Genetics SA (Delphi) has announced today a broad licensing agreement with a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, for the use of the StabyExpress technology, which allows high yield, cost effective protein expression without the use of antibiotics.

Under the agreement, Merck receives a non-exclusive license to use the StabyExpress technology for protein expression in research and product development. In exchange, Delphi is eligible to receive milestone payments associated with the development of Merck product candidates that utilize the StabyExpress technology, as well as royalties on sales of such products. The financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Cdric Szpirer PhD, Delphi Genetics Founder and CEO, explained: This is Delphi's first broad-based licensing agreement that covers potential use of the StabyExpress technology for protein based product in the areas of human and animal health.

Guy Hlin, CBO, added: This is the third licensing agreement that we have announced with a world leading healthcare company. The non-exclusive nature of this agreement enables us to consider similar collaborations with other strategic partners, including partners in other fields than biopharma production.

Delphi also has licensing agreements with Sanofi-Pasteur, announced in June 2009, and with GSK, announced in September 2010.

About StabyExpress

StabyExpress technology can be applied to any industrial protein production process that involves bacterial fermentation. Biopharmaceutical production represents a rapidly growing market and its share of the overall medication market today is estimated at 15%. Moreover, the technology is consistent with the recommendations of the FDA and the EMA with regard to the elimination of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in protein production processes for both human and veterinary uses. Currently, Antibiotic Resistance Genes are used as selection markers for the design of the majority of the genetic systems enabling protein production. The technology is also usable to produce DNA vaccines in order to avoid completely the use of antibiotics resistance genes from DNA cloning to DNA production.

About Delphi Genetics SA

Founded at the end of 2001, Delphi Genetics develops more effective products and technologies for genetic engineering and for protein expression in bacteria by using its unique expertise in the field of plasmid stabilisation systems. Delphi Genetics patented StabyExpress technology increases the recombinant protein production output without the use of antibiotics, which is the traditional approach. In January 2012, together with academic and Biotech key-players, Delphi Genetics announced its participation in a research project during the next 3 years for the development of DNA vaccines using the technology. Other research projects are under way to adapt the technology to mammalian cells and yeast.

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Trellis and OMT Announce Therapeutic Antibody Discovery Collaboration

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SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. & PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Trellis Bioscience LLC (Trellis) and Open Monoclonal Technology, Inc. (OMT) today announced a new collaboration where the companies will join forces to generate human antibodies against therapeutic targets identified by Trellis and its partners using OMTs OmniRat platform. Trellis will apply its CellSpot antibody screening technology to libraries of OmniRat-generated B cells to discover high affinity, ultra rare antibodies with precisely defined specificity. Trellis will advance and partner each program and share the deal economics with OMT depending on the stage of development.

Stote Ellsworth, Trellis CEO and President, said: Trellis CellSpot platform has shown in four consecutive programs the unique ability to mine rare, best-in-class therapeutic antibodies directly from human blood. In addition to our native human approach, the collaboration with OMT will leverage Trellis powerful multiplexed screening in the context of antibody libraries generated with the OmniRat platform. This will allow Trellis to expand into new therapeutic areas and expand its commercial opportunities, particularly in the field of cancer.

Dr. Roland Buelow, OMT CEO and Founder, continued: "We are pleased to collaborate with Trellis to capture the synergies of our complementary antibody discovery technologies. This collaboration further illustrates OMTs ability to partner with a range of companies to produce human therapeutic antibodies.

About Trellis Bioscience LLC

Trellis is a venture funded therapeutic antibody company formed around a breakthrough, high throughput discovery platform capable of isolating ultra-rare therapeutic-grade antibodies directly from the blood of humans and other mammals, and from other antibody library sources including hybridomas. Trellis CellSpot technology has generated a robust pipeline of early-stage programs targeting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), influenza, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Streptococcus A (GAS) and cancer.

Open Monoclonal Technology, Inc. naturally optimized human antibodies

Open Monoclonal Technology, Inc. (OMT) is a leader in genetic engineering of animals for development of human therapeutic antibodies. OMT has developed OmniRat, the first fully human monoclonal antibody platform using transgenic rats. OmniRat is based on an improved understanding of B cell development and a novel approach to inactivation of endogenous antibody expression. These transgenic animals make antibodies as efficiently as wild type animals. OmniRat is a new and proprietary technology with unrestricted development options for fully human monoclonal antibodies for all targets and indications worldwide.

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Climate chemistry and the tropics

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Oil palm plantation. Credit: Michael Thirnbeck

(Phys.org)New models are being developed to predict how changing land use in the tropics could affect future climate, air quality and crop production.

Ozone has a dual personality best described as "good up high, bad nearby": the atmospheric gas is both vital and potentially fatal for our health. High in the stratosphere, the gas filters sunlight and protects us from the damaging effects of ultraviolet light. At ground level, however, it causes respiratory problems and damages crops.

'Bad' ozone is formed by the reaction of sunlight on gases emitted from fossil fuel combustion, and its concentration is predicted to continue to rise unless global emissions can be reduced. But ozone levels are not only affected by emissions from cars, power stations and industrial processes; they are also affected by emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as isoprene, by plants.

"It's a complicated mechanism," explained Professor John Pyle from Cambridge's Department of Chemistry. "In pristine conditions, such as in the tropical rainforests, VOCs can reduce ozone levels. However, in the presence of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), which are pollutants produced during combustion of fossil fuels, VOCs can increase ozone levels."

In recent years, atmospheric chemists such as Pyle have been concerned that widespread changes in land-use in the tropics could have a dramatic impact on the formation of ozone, tipping the balance towards ozone production rather than destruction. Tropical rainforests currently account for over half of the world's forests and are biodiversity hotspots, but clearing for biofuels, crops and livestock is having a dramatic effect on their extent, with estimates suggesting that as much as 1.5 acres of rainforest are destroyed every second.

"Among the most widespread of tropical crops being planted in the cleared rainforests is the oil palm. In Malaysia, for instance, in just four decades the percentage of land covered by oil palm plantations has risen from 1% to 13% to meet an increasing demand for bioenergy and palm-oil-based consumer goods," added Pyle. "Is this change in land use resulting in unwelcome side-effects on ground-level ozone?"

Understanding this uncertainty has been a major focus of his team's research. By knitting together expertise in atmospheric chemistry with state-of-the-art climate models, the researchers aim to predict future concentrations of surface ozone with changing industrial emissions and land-use, from now until the end of this century.

"Our models rely on solving a set of differential equations that describe how reactants in the ozone pathway turn into products," explained researcher Dr Alex Archibald. "The complexity is potentially enormous. If we were to take into account all of the reactions of gases in the atmosphere, we would need to consider something like tens of millions of reactions. In reality, models can't cope with this level of complexity and so part of our work has been to determine the sensitivity of our models depending on the number of reactions we include."

PhD student Oliver Squire has been testing this sensitivity by comparing a range of commonly used chemistry mechanisms within the climate model. "The sign and magnitude of the ozone change due to a change in isoprene emissions in tropical regions show a strong dependence on the number of isoprene reactions included," he said. "This highlights the importance of correctly simplifying the full complexity of the atmosphere's chemistry".

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Climate chemistry and the tropics

Biotech Industry Applauds the Introduction of the High Technology Small Business Research Incentives Act

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NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Oct 8, 2012) - The Biotechnology Industry has seen increased investor interest in 2012 as it continues to impress with strong gains. The iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index ETF (IBB) has gained over 35 percent this year, more than double the S&P 500 Index's gain of 15 percent. New legislation, increased mergers & acquisition activity as a result of major patent expirations have all been contributing factors to industry's rapid rise in 2012. Five Star Equities examines the outlook for companies in the Biotech Industry and provides equity research on Exelixis, Inc. ( NASDAQ : EXEL ) and Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. ( NASDAQ : HALO ).

Access to the full company reports can be found at:

http://www.FiveStarEquities.com/EXEL

http://www.FiveStarEquities.com/HALO

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has recently praised the introduction of the High Technology Small Business Research Incentives Act. The new legislation would allow investors of joint venture R&D projects to utilize the losses and tax credits.

"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's President and CEO Jim Greenwood said in a statement.

Five Star Equities releases regular market updates on the Biotech Industry so investors can stay ahead of the crowd and make the best investment decisions to maximize their returns. Take a few minutes to register with us free at http://www.FiveStarEquities.com and get exclusive access to our numerous stock reports and industry newsletters.

Exelixis is a biotechnology company committed to developing small molecule therapies for the treatment of cancer. Exelixis is focusing its proprietary resources and development efforts exclusively on cabozantinib, its most advanced product candidate. The company recently reported positive data from a phase 2 randomized discontinuation trial.

With a diversified portfolio of enzymes that target the extracellular matrix, Halozyme Therapeutics's research focuses primarily on a family of human enzymes, known as hyaluronidases, which increase the absorption and dispersion of biologics, drugs and fluids. The company recently reported the FDA has provided guidance enabling ViroPharma to resume clinical studies of the subcutaneous administration of Cinryze in combination with rHuPH20.

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Biotech Industry Applauds the Introduction of the High Technology Small Business Research Incentives Act

Optimer Pharmaceuticals to Sell Remaining Ownership in Optimer Biotechnology, Inc. for U.S. $60 Million

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SAN DIEGO, Oct. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OPTR) today announced the sale of its stake in Optimer Biotechnology, Inc. (OBI) to current OBI shareholders. The sale is expected to result in gross proceeds to Optimer of U.S. $60 million and will be used to support the commercialization of DIFICID (fidaxomicin) tablets and for other corporate purposes. The transaction is expected to close in two phases, subject to customary closing conditions and the completion of administrative matters. The first closing is expected to take place in the fourth quarter of 2012 and the second closing is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2013.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090413/LA97352LOGO)

"The sale of our stake in OBI completes the transition of OBI from a wholly-owned subsidiary of Optimer to an independent organization. We intend to utilize the capital realized from this investment to advance the commercial efforts in support of our core business, includingour new initiatives designed to increase patient access to DIFICID," noted Pedro Lichtinger, President and CEO of Optimer.

Top-Line Third Quarter U.S. Sales

For the third quarter of 2012, Optimer's top-line U.S. gross DIFICID sales to wholesalers were $18.4 million, up from $18.0 million in the second quarter. Further, 6,436 DIFICID treatments were shipped from Optimer's wholesalers to hospitals, retail pharmacies and long-term care facilities in the third quarter, up from 6,131 in the second quarter, reflecting a 5% increase.

Third Quarter Financials Conference Call

Optimer will host a conference call on November 1 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time to review third quarter financial results and provide an update on the business. The conference call may be accessed by dialing (877) 280-7280 for domestic callers and +1 (678) 825-8232 for international callers. Please specify to the operator that you would like to join "Optimer's Financial Results Call." The conference call will be webcast live under the Investors section of Optimer's website atwww.optimerpharma.com, where it will be archived for 30 days following the call.

About Optimer

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative hospital specialty products that have a positive impact on society. Optimer developed DIFICID (fidaxomicin) tablets and is commercializing DIFICID in the US and Canada. Optimer also received marketing authorization for fidaxomicin tablets in the European Union where its partner, Astellas Pharma Europe, is commercializing fidaxomicin under the trade name DIFICLIR. The company is exploring marketing authorization in other parts of the world, including Asia. Additional information can be found at http://www.optimerpharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

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Optimer Pharmaceuticals to Sell Remaining Ownership in Optimer Biotechnology, Inc. for U.S. $60 Million

Prana Biotechnology: Revised Table in 2012 Annual Report

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA--(Marketwire - Oct 8, 2012) - Prana Biotechnology Limited ( NASDAQ : PRAN ) ( ASX : PBT ) today announced that it has identified the below correction to a table lodged in the Company's Annual Report on 28 September 2012.The table appears on page 45 on the notes to the financial statements in the annual report.The correction related to 2012 "Short-term employee benefits" and "Post-employment benefits." The revised table is attached.

Finalisation of printing of the annual report is now underway and Prana looks forward to the report being dispatched to all shareholders who have nominated to receive a hard copy of the report in the near future.The revised report will also be released on the ASX at that same time.

About Prana Biotechnology Limited Prana Biotechnology was established to commercialize research into age-related neurodegenerative disorders. The Company was incorporated in 1997 and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in March 2000 and listed on NASDAQ in September 2002.Researchers at prominent international institutions including The University of Melbourne, The Mental Health Research Institute (Melbourne) and Massachusetts General Hospital, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, contributed to the discovery of Prana's technology.

For further information please visit the Company's web site at http://www.pranabio.com.

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Prana Biotechnology: Revised Table in 2012 Annual Report

Omicron has Chemistry

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SOUTH BEND -- Anthony Serianni was a postdoctoral associate at Cornell University when he and his adviser, Robert Barker, started Omicron Biochemicals in 1982, the same year Serianni joined the faculty at the University of Notre Dame.

"We had developed some new chemistry that made the synthesis of certain kinds of sugar molecules easier to do," says Serianni, the president and CEO. "At that time, I had intentions of pursuing an academic career. I had already applied to Notre Dame.

"We are a carbohydrate lab, a sugar lab," adds Serianni, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. "There's an explosion in the interest in carbohydrates in biology, not just for dietary reasons."

Sugar molecules coat many cells in the human body and interact with other material such as bacteria, viruses and proteins, potentially offering targets for fighting disease, he explains.

"There are lots of molecules that attach themselves to the cell because of the sugars," he says. "Those interactions elicit a whole host of biological responses. Some people believe cancer can be treated by pharmacological intervention on saccharide."

Omicron is not a research laboratory but synthesizes material used in other laboratories.

"We provide the tools, that is, the molecules, that are needed for studies of that type," Serianni says. "When we build these molecules in that lab, we label them. The nuclei of the atoms that compose these molecules are tinkered with slightly," a process called isotopic labeling. "That type of labeling is really valuable."

In some cases, quantities ordered have increased dramatically since the beginning.

"Years ago, a large-scale synthesis of these products might have been 1 to 5 grams," he says, adding that some orders are for thousands of grams. "On the other hand, many of these products are custom-made. They're difficult syntheses. Having a gram or two of material, you're doing pretty well. It varies by the product.

"The need for these kinds of molecules is pretty broad. Lots of different kinds of laboratories doing chemical and biological research might need them."

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Omicron has Chemistry

California initiative to test appetite for ‘genetically engineered’ food

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The Associated Press Published Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012 10:03AM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- Calories. Nutrients. Serving size. How about "produced with genetic engineering?"

California voters will soon decide whether to require certain raw and processed foods to carry such a label.

In a closely watched test of consumers' appetite for genetically modified foods, the special label is being pushed by organic farmers and advocates who are concerned about what people eat even though the federal government and many scientists contend such foods are safe.

More than just food packaging is at stake. The outcome could reverberate through American agriculture, which has long tinkered with the genes of plants to reduce disease, ward off insects and boost the food supply.

International food and chemical conglomerates, including Monsanto Co. and DuPont Co., have contributed about $35 million to defeat Proposition 37 on the November ballot. It also would ban labeling or advertising genetically altered food as "natural." Its supporters have raised just about one-tenth of that amount.

If voters approve the initiative, California would become the first state to require disclosure of a broad range of foods containing genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Food makers would have to add a label or reformulate their products to avoid it. Supermarkets would be charged with making sure their shelves are stocked with correctly labeled items.

Genetically altered plants grown from seeds engineered in the laboratory have been a mainstay for more than a decade. Much of the corn, soybean, sugar beets and cotton cultivated in the United States today have been tweaked to resist pesticides or insects. Most of the biotech crops are used for animal feed or as ingredients in processed foods including cookies, cereal, potato chips and salad dressing.

Proponents say explicit labeling gives consumers information about how a product is made and allows them to decide whether to choose foods with genetically modified ingredients.

"They're fed up. They want to know what's in their food," said Stacy Malkan, spokeswoman for the California Right to Know campaign.

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California initiative to test appetite for 'genetically engineered' food

Grand Velas Spas in Riviera Maya and Riviera Nayarit Named One of World’s Best Spas by Travel + Leisure and “30 Hot …

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"Beyond All Inclusive Beyond All Compare" Grand Velas Resorts in Riviera Maya and Riviera Nayarit Win Prestigious Spa Industry Accolades in 2012

Riviera Maya, Mexico (PRWEB) October 07, 2012

The $15 million architecturally striking spa at Grand Velas Riviera Maya is the regions largest spa sanctuary. Inspired by the jungle and natural water pools of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexican architects Elias and Elias preserved the stone, plants and streams specific to the Riviera Maya landscape and incorporated them into its curved, organic design. The two-level, 89,000+ square foot spa also has a 40,000 square-foot Water Lounge. Specializing in signature treatments inspired by ancient cultures from around the world, the spa was named Best Spa" in the world by Virtuoso and earned a SpaFinder Readers Choice Award.

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, a member of Leading Spas of the World is home to a 16,500 square feet spa sanctuary, featuring 20 treatment rooms, over 60 spa treatments, gym and exercise room, spa boutique and beauty salon. A place where health and well-being brings visitors to a sense of equilibrium, the spa offers luxurious European treatments and soothing Oriental therapies that invigorate the body and restore the spirit. Enjoy the special hydrotherapy area, spa reservation center, spa concierge and personalized service at the breathtaking oceanfront resort.

About Grand Velas Riviera Maya:

Featured in Forbes roundup of the 10 Coolest All-Inclusive Resorts, the AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Maya, an all-suites and spa resort located five minutes from Playa del Carmen, is the latest and most sophisticated iteration of the ultra-luxury, all-inclusive resort experience. This Leading Hotels of the World designated resort is the preeminent one of its class boasting 491 suites, each more than 1,000 square-feet, in three separate ambiances-- premium ocean-front Grand Class Suites wit h terrace plunge pools for families with children 12 and up, family-friendly ocean-view Ambassador Suites and Zen Grand Suites embraced by the flora and fauna of the Yucatan Peninsulas jungle. The resort presents a gastronomic tour of the Yucatan, Europe and Asia offering seven restaurants with world-class chefs from France, Spain and Mexico; dedicated butler service for each guest, and the regions largest spa sanctuary at over 89,000 square-feet specializing in signature treatments inspired by ancient cultures from around the world. The spa was named Best Spa" in the world by Virtuoso and also earned a SpaFinder Readers Choice Award. The resort was designed by lauded Mexican architecture firm Elias and Elias and features the sleek and modish interiors that fuse the serenity of the Caribbean with the vibrancy of Yucatan cultures. Making its debut on Travel + Leisures Worlds Best Survey in 2012, Grand Velas Riviera Maya was ranked both 2nd amongst the Top 25 Best Hotels in Mexico and 38th amongst the Top 100 Best Hotels Overall.

About Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit:

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, an all-suites and spa resort located just 15 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta on Banderas Bay, is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World and a recipient of the AAA Five-Diamond Award. The resort features 267 spacious ocean-view suites. The crown jewel of the resort and a member of Leading Spas of the World, the Spa at Grand Velas features 20 treatment rooms, over 60 spa treatments, gym and exercise room, spa boutique and beauty salon. The family-friendly resort also offers tiered three-temperature infinity pools, tennis court, 25,321 total sq feet of meeting space and a Kids Club. Nearby are championship golf courses, numerous options for soft adventure, and the charming town of Puerto Vallarta with its many shops, art galleries and nightlife. Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit has received numerous accolades within the industry, including one of Forbes 10 Coolest All-Inclusive Resorts.

Megan Sterritt KWE Partners (305)476-5424 Email Information

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Grand Velas Spas in Riviera Maya and Riviera Nayarit Named One of World’s Best Spas by Travel + Leisure and “30 Hot ...