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Complete Nutrition Names Sheldon Harris Chief Executive Officer

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OMAHA, Neb., Aug. 14, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sheldon Harris, the former president of the ice cream franchise Cold Stone Creamery, has been named Complete Nutrition's CEO, effective immediately. Former CEO Cory Wiedel, who founded the company in 2005, will serve as Chairman of the newly created board of directors.

Harris has been involved with Complete Nutrition for the past six months, leading the development team as a consultant. In this role, he strategically outlined a road map for growth as Complete Nutrition continues to increase its national footprint, with plans to add 150 new stores in the next three years. In the past few years, the company has gone from a 15-store regional chain to a 160-unit national brand.

"Sheldon is an exceptional leader who brings impressive experience in franchising and working with high-growth companies to Complete Nutrition," said Wiedel. "After growing at an unprecedented rate for the past three years, our priority has been to assemble a top-notch executive team. Naming Sheldon as CEO of Complete Nutrition fulfills this objective."

Earlier in his career, Harris served as president of Cold Stone Creamery from 1996-2006. The franchise catapulted from a handful of stores to more than 1,400 international and domestic locations during his tenure. Harris' crowning moment at Cold Stone Creamery came in 2006 when the franchise was named No. 11 in Entrepreneur magazine's list of fastest-growing franchises.

"I'm thrilled to join the Complete Nutrition team," said Harris. "As a health and fitness enthusiast, it's an honor to be in a position where I can help people make dramatic, positive life changes through our consultative approach and superior products."

Other notable milestones in Harris' career include overseeing operations in Alaska for wholesale giant Costco where he was responsible for managing 350 employees and $160 million in sales. In 2006, Harris launched Trust Funding, a consumer-lending company, which to date has helped more than 3,000 people who have faced hardships reach financial solvency.

Complete Nutrition offers more than 200 exclusive general health, sports nutrition and weight-loss supplements. Employing certified personal trainers, former strength coaches and others experienced in health and fitness, Complete Nutrition differentiates itself from competitors through its consultative approach to nutritional supplements.

About Complete Nutrition

Complete Nutrition is a network of high quality nutritional supplement retail stores whose mission is to create a safe and effective weight management, sports nutrition, and healthy aging program to help customers look better, feel better, and perform better. Since 2005, Complete Nutrition has been helping people achieve their health and wellness goals by offering exclusive supplements at affordable prices. Staff members are athletes, certified personal trainers, nutritionists, and other people with experience in the health and fitness supplement retail industry. CEO Cory Wiedel and President Ryan Zink were named finalists of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2012 Central Midwest award. Complete Nutrition recently earned the following top honors from Entrepreneur Magazine in 2012: Franchise 500 award recipient, No. 2 Top New Franchise, No. 36 Fastest-Growing Franchise. Additionally, Complete Nutrition was named to the 2011 Allbusiness.com AllStar Franchises Top 300 list. For more information about Complete Nutrition, call 866-366-5766 or visit http://www.CompleteNutrition.com.

The Complete Nutrition logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=12982

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Complete Nutrition Names Sheldon Harris Chief Executive Officer

DNA doesn’t help inmate prove his innocence

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DALLAS -

A Dallas man accused of a rape decades ago has been cleared by DNA twice. But so far he has yet to be exonerated.

Family members have been protesting outside the Lew Sterrett Justice Center on behalf of Ocie Moore.

"He has served 21 years of a 99-year sentence, almost died twice for a crime he did not commit. Now they want to send an innocent man back to prison for a crime he did not commit," said Audra Woods, Moore's sister.

In 1990 Moore and another man were convicted of rape. Since then he has maintained his innocence, even requesting to be DNA tested.

"I passed a DNA test in June. She come back and said they want to do another test. They tested again in April. I passed that one also," Moore said.

Moore's DNA did indeed exclude him. But in this case the allegations involved two men who raped the woman and only one DNA profile could be identified as belonging to the man convicted with Moore.

Prosecutor Russell Wilson said DNA alone does not open the door to freedom. Context matters as much as the content.

"We consider all the information that we can gather -- the scientific test, the testimony at the trial, the witness statements that we're able to gather, his own statements," he said.

Dallas County leads the nation in exonerations. Thirty wrongly-convicted men have been set free, almost all cleared by DNA. But the district attorney's office believes this is one conviction from the early 90s that's right.

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DNA doesn’t help inmate prove his innocence

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Applied DNA Sciences Reports Fiscal Third Quarter 2012 Results

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STONY BROOK, NY--(Marketwire -08/14/12)- Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (APDN), (Twitter: @APDN), a provider of DNA-based anti-counterfeiting technology and product authentication solutions, announced its financial results for the third fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2012, generating revenues of $528,574. This represents the company's highest recorded quarterly revenues, and is the third sequential quarter to set this record.

Third Quarter Highlights:

"The Company continues to improve quarter over quarter, beginning FY '12 with an exciting first quarter and improving on that performance with each quarter to date," said Dr. James A. Hayward, President and CEO of Applied DNA Sciences. "The continued expansion of our customer base and product offerings have sustained that momentum and contributed to the steady increase in our revenues. The first nine months of fiscal 2012 have been very productive for the Company, so much so that, as we recently announced, we have hired an additional 9 employees and expanded our physical footprint by over 50% in the past twelve months."

Dr. Hayward commented further, "We are pleased with the ongoing success of our partnerships, expanding the breadth and depth of our product offerings with such customers as Martin Guitar (see http://www.adnas.com/newsroom/press_releases). Our relationships continue to flourish and grow as we add new partners and customers. We continue to grow our revenues while managing our expenses closely."

Revenues in the quarter ending June 30, 2012 totaled $528,574 compared to $229,710 for the third quarter ending June 30, 2011, an increase of 130%. The increase in revenues was substantially generated from sales of our SigNature DNA and BioMaterial GenoTyping, our principal anti-counterfeiting and product authentication solutions.

An aggregate of 59% of our revenues was earned from two customers for the current quarter, while one customer accounted for 46% of the Company's total revenues for the nine months ending June 30, 2012.

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased from $1,580,788 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 to $1,752,501 for the three months ended June 30, 2012. The increase of $171,713, represents an 11% increase over the same quarter in the prior fiscal year and is primarily attributable to the cost of stock-based compensation incurred in the current period compared to the same period last year

Net loss dropped $725,350 or 34% for the quarter as compared to the quarter ending June 30, 2011. Loss in the three months ended June 30, 2012 decreased to $1,429,645 from a net loss of $2,154,995 for the three months ended June 30, 2011.

The Company incurred research and development expenses of $99,958 and $47,988 for the three-month periods ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $274,528 and $161,645 for the nine month periods ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The increase is attributable to additional research and development activity needed to support current operations.

Total operating expenses increased to $1,955,797 for the three months ended June 30, 2012 from $1,720,668 for the three months ended June 30, 2011, an increase of $235,129 quarter over quarter, or 14%.

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Applied DNA Sciences Reports Fiscal Third Quarter 2012 Results

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Open Journal System web site for Gravitational and Space Biology is Active

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Dear Colleagues:

The Open Journal System web site for Gravitational and Space Biology is active, and we continue to encourage manuscript submissions of all kinds. The instructions to authors can be found on the website, and in the front-matter of the September 2011 issue.

Manuscripts can be submitted any time through the website, http://GravitationalAndSpaceBiology.org, and will be published in the order of their completion through the peer review and author revision process. Manuscripts for the Fall 2012 issue are in various stages of the submission and review, However, depending on the time it takes to navigate the peer review system, manuscripts submitted as late as August 31st can still make it into the Fall issue. So please do not hesitate if you have a paper of interest you would like to submit!

Submission is open to all (members and non-members alike), and we are actively encouraging papers in the fields of gravitational and space biology, astrobiology, analog environment research, advanced life support (ALS), as well as biophysics, radiation biology, engineering, and hardware development relevant to these arenas. The categories of papers include Short Communication, Methods, Research, and Review. In addition, we are also opening a new category: Hypothesis. Guidelines for each category can be found in the Instructions to Authors, and you may feel free to contact any of the members of the Editorial team for guidance at any time.

The value of the journal to ASGSR, and to the scientific community, depends heavily on the quality and number of articles submitted. We look forward to receiving many high-quality papers that strongly reflect the exciting research of our members. We are the face of ASGSR.

As always, do not hesitate to e-mail with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

Best regards, Anna-Lisa Paul alp - at - ufl.edu

Editor, Gravitational and Space Biology

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.

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Open Journal System web site for Gravitational and Space Biology is Active

NIH backs Rice University study of delay in gene transcription networks

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Public release date: 14-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: David Ruth david@rice.edu 713-348-6327 Rice University

A Rice University researcher and his colleagues have received a National Institutes of Health grant to see how delays in gene transcription life's most basic messaging system affect cellular processes.

Matthew Bennett, an assistant professor of biochemistry and cell biology, will receive more than a million dollars over five years to gather and combine data from computer simulations and live cells. The goal is to create techniques to generate and analyze models of gene networks that incorporate delay as part of their process.

"Delay in transcriptional signaling is an unavoidable consequence of the way biochemistry works," said Bennett, a theoretical physicist by training who turned to synthetic biology as a postdoctoral researcher before joining Rice in 2009. "Once a gene is activated, often as a response to a molecule being introduced into the cell, it takes time for the results to come to fruition. Eventually the DNA must be transcribed into RNA, and the RNA must be translated into protein. Then, sometimes, the protein has to be modified or has to fold."

Bennett and his team want to know precisely what happens and why in that cascade of events, which can take minutes. "We want to be able to create accurate mathematical models of gene networks in order to predict how they function and how they fail, so we can design new synthetic networks and know what they're going to do before we build them," he said.

Synthetic biology has become an increasingly hot topic as researchers create biological systems not found in nature. (A leader in the field, J. Craig Venter, will speak at Rice on Oct. 10 as part of the university's Centennial Celebration.)

Bennett sees the process as similar to sophisticated electronic design, in which the genetic equivalent of logic gates can be used to program circuit-like behavior in living things. The resulting genomes can be used in cells for information processing, materials fabrication, chemical sensing, the production of energy and even food.

"We've learned that delays can have a significant impact on the function of genetic networks, and the discoveries have changed our fundamental understanding of how genes talk to one another," Bennett said. "There are many processes in cells that require specific timing in order to operate: Stress responses, circadian oscillations, cellular growth and division. We've found the dynamics of these networks are important to their function, and delay can have a profound effect. Understanding that delay and being able to model is critical for accurate computational simulations."

While simple models are able to help build simple cellular "circuits," Bennett felt a more sophisticated model will expand the possibilities for synthetic biology and lower the cost of engineering new synthetic microbes.

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NIH backs Rice University study of delay in gene transcription networks

AIDP announces it has been granted U.S. patents for Magtein™

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CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., Aug. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AIDP, Inc., the distributors of Magtein magnesium L-threonate, expected to be the next breakthrough ingredient for cognitive health, has been awarded two patents for magnesium compositions and uses for cognitive function (Patent 8,178,118) and neurological disorders (Patent 8,142,803).

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120814/SF56977LOGO)

The patents, titled "Magnesium compositions and uses thereof for cognitive function" (Patent 8,178,118) and "Magnesium compositions and uses thereof for neurological disorders" (Patent 8,142,803) are among the four U.S. patents awarded from seven ongoing patent applications, including international rights. These patents protect Magtein's unique magnesium compositions and its use for any magnesium L-threonate-containing food, nutritional supplements and drugs for enhancing cognitive function or ameliorating the effects of a neurological disorder. The use of these products is applicable for improving the health of people suffering from loss of cognitive function, loss of memory, Alzheimer's disease, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, migraine, anxiety disorder, and mood disorder, as some representative of cognitive and neurological disorders.

"We truly believe that Magtein is a game changing ingredient that will benefit millions of busy and stressed consumers by helping to improve their quality of life," says Edward Lee Ph.D., AIDP president.

"AIDP, as the exclusive provider of all Magtein magnesium L-threonate, is uniquely positioned to serve the functional food and beverage marketplace to support the cognitive health category," added Dr. Lee.

Discovered byGuosong Liu, M.D., Ph.D., and a group of scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, studies on Magtein have been published in prestigious journals of neuroscience Neuron (January 2010) and The Journal of Neuroscience (October 2011). With cognitive diseases the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. and growing at an alarming rate, Magtein, which has self-affirmed GRAS status, is the only form of magnesium proven to significantly increase brain magnesium levels. Furthermore, animal research showed Magtein improved short-term and long-term memory as well as spatial recognition.

Dr. Liu is the president and founder of the Center for Learning and Memory, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China and Adjunct Full Professor of the Center for Learning and Memory, University of Texas Austin. Dr. Liu is an investigator at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and is a former professor at the department of brain and cognitive science and the department of biology at MIT.

For over 15 years, AIDP, Inc. based in City of Industry, CA, has been a leader in functional ingredients for a wide-range of applications from vitamins, minerals and amino acids, to specialty and proprietary products. Pioneering breakthroughs for the research and development of proprietary ingredients for bone, joint and cognitive health under the anti-aging platform, the AIDP mission is to achieve ultimate customer satisfaction through creative product innovation and superior service.

For more information about Magtein magnesium L-threonate studies, call Kathy Lund, AIDP vice president of business development and marketing, at 303.734.0860 or visit http://www.AIDP.com.

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AIDP announces it has been granted U.S. patents for Magtein™

The new face-lifting acupuncture treatment that claims to take five years off (but could you handle the needles?)

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By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 16:27 EST, 14 August 2012 | UPDATED: 16:27 EST, 14 August 2012

A non-surgical alternative to Botox and cosmetic surgery is fast becoming the new trend for anti-aging procedures.

AcuFacial, a process that involves strategically placing tiny needles on the body and face, has doctors claiming patients can come away looking five to ten years younger.

Shellie Goldstein, a New York acupuncturist, told Good Morning America: 'We are taking your face to the gym, were exercising it. We have muscles in our body, we have muscles in our face, there is no other procedure that actually exercises the muscles and improves circulation in your skin.'

AcuFacial: A non-surgical alternative to botox and cosmetic surgery fast becoming the new trend for anti-aging

Despite the procedure's lack of scientific backing, people are still choosing the process, which costs $150-$200 per session, with results being seen after ten sessions.

While the results of cosmetic surgery can be unnatural, AcuFacial claims to give men and women a similar outcome without having to pull the skin or put anything underneath.

'We're working with your energy. The energy of your body, to lift it up, to work with the muscles of your face, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, improve muscle tone and give it a beautiful overall glow and complexion,' Ms Goldstein said.

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The new face-lifting acupuncture treatment that claims to take five years off (but could you handle the needles?)

Proteonomix Receives FDA Permission to Initiate Company-Sponsored Phase 1 Clinical Trial with UMK-121 in Patients with …

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MOUNTAINSIDE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Proteonomix, Inc. (OTC/BB: PROT), a biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics based upon the use of human cells and their derivatives, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted permission to the Company to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial with its mobilization technology UMK-121. The Proteonomix-sponsored trial will evaluate UMK-121 in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD).

Permission by the FDA marks an important milestone in our plans to initiate a Company-sponsored clinical trial with UMK-121, following years of research and investment to advance development of this drug candidate, said Proteonomix Chief Technology Officer Steven Byle. We hope and anticipate that this trial will demonstrate the potential of UMK-121 to mobilize stem cells in order to improve liver function in patients with ESLD. We consider ourselves fortunate to be involved with a development-stage therapy that could improve the life expectancy for this class of terminally ill patients awaiting liver transplants.

Proteonomix CEO Michael Cohen added, This is a significant step for our Company as this is the first FDA IND to be held by Proteonomix and demonstrates the ability of the Company to move basic research projects into clinical trials.

UMK-121 is a patent-pending combination of two FDA-approved drugs designed to mobilize mesenchymal stem cells from the bone marrow to the peripheral circulation. The combination drug is designed to reduce inflammation and increase angiogenesis to restore liver function. UMK-121 was developed by Proteonomix Chief Scientific Officer Ian McNiece and President and CEO Michael Cohen, and subsequently licensed to Proteonomix through its wholly owned subsidiary Thor Biopharma, Inc.

About Proteonomix, Inc.

Proteonomix is a biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics based upon the use of human cells and their derivatives. The Proteonomix family of companies includes Proteoderm, StromaCel, PRTMI and THOR Biopharma. Proteoderm is a wholly owned subsidiary that has developed an anti-aging line of skin care products. StromaCel develops therapeutic modalities for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and plans to file an IND application for treatment of patients who have suffered post-myocardial infarction. Proteonomix Regenerative Translational Medicine Institute, Inc. (PRTMI) intends to focus on the translation of promising research in stem cell biology and cellular therapy to clinical applications of regenerative medicine. Additional information is available at http://www.proteonomix.com and http://www.proteoderm.com.

Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking statements" (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Proteonomix, Inc. cautions that statements made in this press release constitute forward-looking statements and makes no guarantee of future performance. Actual results or developments may differ materially from projections. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the time statements are made.

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Proteonomix Receives FDA Permission to Initiate Company-Sponsored Phase 1 Clinical Trial with UMK-121 in Patients with ...

Tone It Up!™ Announces New 50-Serving Size Of Perfect Fit Protein

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HERMOSA BEACH, Calif., Aug.13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Tone It Up, a lifestyle community focused on fitness and nutrition, founded by certified nutritionists and personal trainers Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn, announced that their 100% natural, Perfect Fit Protein is now available in a 50-serving bag. Already a favorite with Tone It Up's devoted fans in the single-serving size, the new resealable bag is the perfect solution for cooking with Perfect Fit Protein at home as a replacement for flour in pancakes, muffins, cookies and more in addition to mixing it into classic smoothies or just plain water.

Perfect Fit Protein provides a complete amino acid profile and is free of dairy, lactose, fat, gluten, soy, corn, sugar and allergens, in addition to being raw, kosher and vegan. A natural way to curb one's appetite, Perfect Fit Protein is high in antioxidants and readily bioavailable, includes 15 grams of protein per serving and helps burn fat, shape a lean physique and aid in muscle recovery. Perfect Fit Protein is crafted from only five ingredients, all of which are organic: sprouted whole grain brown rice protein, vanilla flavor, guar gum, stevia and sea salt.

"As nutritionists, we realized that there was truly an unmet need for a protein powder that was appropriate for anyone, regardless of their dietary restrictions," said Katrina Hodgson, co-founder of Tone It Up. "We spent several years developing and refining Perfect Fit into one of the few certified organic protein powders currently available. The fact that members of our community are using it so creatively in their recipes shows that Perfect Fit Protein is both a tasty and cost-effective way to eat healthy."

Available exclusively online at http://www.perfectfitprotein.com, the individual packets of Perfect Fit Protein are already immensely popular among the members of the Tone It Up community. As members increasingly incorporated Perfect Fit Protein into their diets, shared it with friends and family, and used it in creative and fun recipes, the always-communicative Tone It Up members requested a bigger container and Karena and Katrina answered the call.

"Members of our community tell us that they're bringing Perfect Fit Protein to coffee and juice bars and having it mixed into their favorite drinks," said Karena Dawn, co-founder of Tone It Up. "Perfect Fit has become more than just a supplement for our members, it's part of their lifestyle now."

For more information about Tone It Up, please contact Melissa Skabich at 973-850-7310 or mskabich@jcprinc.com.

About Tone It UpTone It Up is a multi-platform lifestyle company focused on fitness, nutrition and community founded bycertified personal trainers and nutrition coaches Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn. Tone It Up's mission is to empower as many women as possible around the world to live a healthy, happy lifestyle, while also making fitness fun. The duo has been dubbed 'The New Faces of Fitness' by Jane Fondaand the 'Power Duo' byMarie Claire. They've been profiled on the pages ofSELF Magazine, Vogue, In Style, and featured onExtra, Oprah, and Ellen for their fitness DVDs and YouTube videos. Tone It Up offers an online nutrition plan, workout DVDs, an organic protein powder, and hundreds of free workouts, as well as free fitness and nutrition tips available online. For more information, visit http://www.toneitup.com.

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Tone It Up!™ Announces New 50-Serving Size Of Perfect Fit Protein

States With Tough School-Nutrition Laws Show Slimmer Kids

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Lawrence LeBlond for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

The war on childhood obesity has just received a big helping hand. New federal nutrition standards are going into effect this year at schools all across the country curbing sales of junk foods and sugary drinks in an effort to help keep Americas children slim and trim.

The new regulations require all schools to meet strict standards in order to get federal meal reimbursements. Many schools are overhauling their lunch menu programs in accordance with the new standards, but some have already made significant improvements over the past few years.

In adding support to the federal standards, a recent national study looked at how regulation of foods and beverages sold outside federal meal programs at schools may have helped curb childhood obesity.

The study found that fifth graders in states with strong competitive food laws gained less weight than did kids in states with no such legislation.

Study author Daniel R. Taber, of the University of Illinois at Chicago, said there is strong evidence that such laws can have a positive impact. But we need to recognize that it is not going to influence all students.

Childhood obesity has ballooned over the past 20-30 years, with more than a third of US children now either overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The US Department of Agricultures Healthy and Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 is one of a number of programs geared toward curbing obesity by providing healthier school foods. Another recent study has shown that only half as many students as in 2006 can still buy sugary sodas in school.

However, noted Taber, there has been little evidence showing that such programs actually work.

So, in the new study, published in the journal Pediatrics, Taber and colleagues tapped into an earlier study following 6,300 students in 40 states from 2003 to 2006, focusing on fifth-to-eighth graders. Researchers compared childrens body mass index (BMI) with competitive food laws in each state.

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States With Tough School-Nutrition Laws Show Slimmer Kids

Price, taste and brand overrule nutrition labelling

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Price, taste and brand overrule nutrition labelling when it comes to what makes consumers buy one food and drink product over another, according to fresh research from the European Food Information Council (EUFIC).

The organisation reviewed the scientific evidence published between 2007 and March 2012 on the influence of nutrition labelling on the way people shop for food and drink. EUFIC researchers probed the public online databases Pubmed and Social Sciences Research Network for scientific publications related to nutrition labelling and obesity.

They conclude that shoppers know enough to be able to use the different labelling schemes available to identify low calorie options, but lack the motivation to take action based on that. Price, taste and brand take far more precedence in influencing shoppers purchasing decisions, says EUFIC.

Time pressure

The organisation adds: Shopping under time pressure, a common phenomenon nowadays, seemed to further compromise the impact nutrition labels could possibly have.

It suggested that refocusing consumers minds on health using health claims and logos might be one way to encourage them to take more account of nutrition labelling.

Another core finding from EUFICs investigation is that to date no scientific data exists from Europe to indicate the impact of nutrition labelling on body weight. However, modelling studies do exist confirming that choosing diets with a more healthy profile will result in better public health and lower healthcare costs.

Studies into the potential impact of nutrition labelling on obesity need to include body weight measurements if they want to establish causal relationships, says EUFIC.

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Price, taste and brand overrule nutrition labelling

Scientists discover new type of virus responsible for a devastating disease in snakes

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Public release date: 14-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa jsliwa@asmusa.org 202-942-9297 American Society for Microbiology

A mysterious condition called Inclusion Body Disease (IBD) strikes captive boa constrictors and pythons, causing bizarre behavioral changes and eventually death. Scientists investigating an outbreak of IBD among snakes at the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco report they may well have found a virus that is responsible for this common but deadly disease, a discovery that could eventually lead to prevention and treatment options. The study appears in the August 14 issue of mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology. The authors report that the virus represents a whole new class of arenaviruses scientists have never seen before.

Among captive boas, IBD is the most commonly diagnosed disease that is thought to be caused by a virus. Snakes that have contracted IBD may initially regurgitate food, but they eventually show dramatic neurological problems, says Michael Buchmeier, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of California, Irvine. Neurological signs include "stargazing," in which the snake stares upwards for long periods of time.

"Some of the symptoms are pretty bizarre - this stargazing behavior, looking like they're drunk, they tie themselves in a knot and they can't get out of it," says Buchmeier. The condition, which is named for the inclusions, or pockets of foreign material, found inside the cells of affected animals, is ultimately fatal. IBD is devastating for large aquariums, as it can infect a large number of snakes before it is identified and quarantine measures can be put in place. Since there is currently no treatment for the disease, infected snakes must be euthanized to prevent them from infecting other animals.

When the disease recently struck a number of boas and pythons at the Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences, the aquarium requested help from scientists at the University of California San Francisco who specialize in discovering novel viruses.

The researchers extracted DNA from tissue samples taken from boas and pythons diagnosed with IBD, and used rapid, high-throughput techniques to learn the sequence of those strands of DNA. In amongst all the snake DNA sequences there were sequences of DNA that clearly belonged to viruses - viruses that are members of the arenavirus family. The authors were later able to grow and isolate one of those viruses using snake tissues cultured in the laboratory.

While it is an important development from a practical standpoint, since identifying the causative agent for a disease is the first step in developing treatments, vaccines, diagnostics, and prevention policies it is also an incredible discovery for virology: the virus belongs to a group of viruses no one knew existed.

"This is one of the most exciting things that has happened to us in virology in a very long time. The fact that we have apparently identified a whole new lineage of arenaviruses that may predate the New and Old world is very exciting," says Buchmeier.

According to Buchmeier, this new isolate doesn't fall neatly into either of the two known categories of arenaviruses, Old World arenaviruses and New World arenaviruses. The fact that the virus was found in snakes adds another surprise twist, since up until now arenaviruses had only ever been found in mammals.

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Scientists discover new type of virus responsible for a devastating disease in snakes

Study Published in Journal of Clinical Microbiology Reports the Sensitivity and Specificity of Great Basin Corporation …

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SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

A study published in the August issue of Journal of Clinical Microbiology showed that Great Basin Corporations toxigenic Clostridium difficile (C. diff) molecular diagnostic test has a 97 percent sensitivity and 100 percent specificity rate compared with a competing FDA-approved polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. In May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted 510(k) clearance for Great Basins C. diff assay.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of infection for C. diff remains at historically high levels and the severity of the disease in the U.S. has risen alarmingly, resulting in an estimated $1 billion annually in additional heath care costs. Because of the growing challenges of the disease, C. diff is one of the infections targeted in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections, which is a federal initiative to reduce preventable infections in hospitals.

The need for early and accurate diagnosis of C. diff has never been more critical in both assuring a positive outcome for the infected patient and in preventing the spread of C. diff to other at-risk patients, said Rob Jenison, Great Basin CTO and study co-author. Results of this study were similar to our recently completed clinical trial, demonstrating the sensitivity and specificity of Great Basins assay. By addressing the growing need for accurate and quick testing, we provide a significant advantage to hospitals in reducing the rate and recurrence of this life-threatening infection.

In addition to FDA clearance, the assay has received CE-IVD product marking, allowing the test to be marketed in both the U.S. and the EU.

Since we began marketing our C. diff assay in May, the reception from clinicians has been enthusiastic, thanks to our unique ability to offer accurate results coupled with a simplified workflow and competitive pricing, said Ryan Ashton, president and CEO, Great Basin Corporation. We are encouraged by the data regarding the sensitivity and specificity of our breakthrough approach, and are eager to expand our menu of sample-to-result assays for other troubling infectious diseases such as staph, fungal infections, and tuberculosis.

Great Basins technology entails an integrated disposable cartridge containing all necessary reagents and an inexpensive bench-top analyzer that executes the assay, interprets the results and provides electronic output to the clinician. The platform has several key advantages over other molecular solutions:

The lead author of the study is Brian Hicke, director of research for Great Basin. In addition to Hicke and Jenison, co-authors from Great Basin include Chris Pasko, Benjamin Groves, Maylene Corpuz, Georges Frech, Denton Munns, Wendy Smith, Ashley Warcup, Wes Lindsey, Charles Owen, and Larry Rea. Additional co-authors are Edward Ager of the Clinical Microbiology-Immunology Laboratories at the University of North Carolina; Gerald Denys of Indiana University Hospital; and Nathan A. Ledeboer of the Medical College of Wisconsins Department of Pathology.

About Great Basin Corporation

Great Basin Corporation is a privately held molecular diagnostics company that commercializes breakthrough chip-based technologies. The company is dedicated to the development of simple, yet powerful, sample-to-result technology and products that provide fast, multiple-pathogen diagnoses of infectious diseases. By providing more diagnostic data per sample, healthcare providers are able to treat patients with the right medication sooner, improving outcomes and reducing costs. The companys vision is to make molecular diagnostic testing so simple and cost-effective that every patient will be tested for every serious infection, reducing misdiagnoses and significantly limiting the spread of infectious disease. More information can be found on the companys website at http://www.gbscience.com.

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Study Published in Journal of Clinical Microbiology Reports the Sensitivity and Specificity of Great Basin Corporation ...

Due to Demand, The Center for Productive Longevity Has Lowered the Age Requirements for the Later-Life Story Contest

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BOULDER, CO--(Marketwire -08/13/12)- The Center for Productive Longevity (CPL) has decided to expand the Later-Life Story Contest to include entries from people 50 and older, down from the 55+ age requirement, due to substantial interest expressed by people in that younger age bracket. While CPL generally focuses on people 55 and older, many people are also starting businesses and living inspirational lives within the prime years of 50-55. Over the course of the contest, CPL has received feedback asking for the age qualifications to be lowered and so CPL decided to honor that request.

A panel of three influential, highly regarded judges will select one winner in each of the following two categories: (1) Entrepreneurship Success Stories and (2) Inspirational Life Stories. The winners will each receive $1,000 and a specially designed trophy. From the entries, CPL will select a variety of entrepreneur success stories to post on its website, along with the stories of the two winners.

The essential purpose of this contest is to demonstrate that older people in America can continue to lead successful and inspirational lives. With 30 years added to longevity in the 20th century, people will be doing so into their 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond.

The deadline to enter the contest is coming up quickly, August 31, 2012. CPL will announce the two winners on October 1, 2012.

To submit a story, visit http://www.ctrpl.org/laterlifestorycontest and complete a submission form. Entrants must be 50 and older and be willing to have their story posted on the CPL website for viewing and for possible publication. Stories may also be sent to James Hooks at jhooks@ctrpl.org.

For more information on CPL and the Later-Life Story Contest for older entrepreneurs, visit http://www.ctrpl.org or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CTRPL.

About the Center for Productive LongevityThe mission of CPL is to stimulate the substantially increased engagement of people 55 and older in productive activities, paid and volunteer, where they are qualified and ready to continue adding value. Visit ctrpl.org for more information. Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CTRPL.

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Due to Demand, The Center for Productive Longevity Has Lowered the Age Requirements for the Later-Life Story Contest

DNA test leads to charges in Hopedale break-in

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Authorities have charged a Concord man in connection with a 2-year-old liquor store break-in after they said they used his blood to tie him to the crime.

Investigators pulled a blood sample from the scene of the 2010 break-in and sent it to a state police crime lab for DNA testing, according to a report filed in Milford District Court by Hopedale Police Sgt. Steve Mahan. Mahan said the DNA profile matched 48-year-old Edward Joness.

In April, police formally charged Jones, of 965 Elm St., with nighttime breaking and entering for a felony, larceny under $250, destruction of property under $250, and larceny from a building.

Currently being held on unrelated charges at the Massachusetts Correctional Institute in Concord, he was scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Milford District Court, but was not transferred from the prison. Judge Robert Calagione rescheduled the arraignment for Oct. 12.

On June 23, 2010, Mahan responded at 10:55 p.m. to Grape Expectations, 156 Hartford Ave., and found all of the glass in the front of the store shattered. He said $200 and five lottery tickets had been stolen, and a 15-inch metal crowbar was left by the register.

The investigation initially stalled because the stores video camera had stopped recording for a week, Mahan said, apparently due to a power outage. And police were not able to lift any fingerprints from the store.

The blood - discovered, Mahan said, on three paper grocery bags behind the counter - proved to be the only physical evidence police extracted from the scene.

Later, however, the case got its first suspect when Mahan received information from the Medway Police Department regarding Jones. Sgt. William Kingsbury told Mahan that Jones had been linked to several liquor store break-ins in the area and that the thefts all followed a similar pattern.

"Sgt. Kingsbury advised me that Mr. Jones would break a window and steal from the register," Mahan said.

State Police ran the blood sample Mahan took from the store through the Combined DNA Index System on April 11, and Hopedale police, armed with the matching DNA profile, charged Jones.

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DNA test leads to charges in Hopedale break-in

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DNA tests for $17 in pilot projects

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SHEEP producers now have the opportunity to DNA test their breeding stock for parentage and poll status in Merinos for just $17, as part of a new research program being run by the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation (Sheep CRC).

The Sheep CRC is calling for registrations from sheep breeders for the 2012 Genomics Pilot Project, with applications open from this Wednesday, August 15.

The Project offers three DNA testing programs: a SNP test for parentage at $17/test; a SNP test for Merino poll for $17/test; and the 50k SNP test for prediction of genomic breeding values for sires at a cost of $50/test. Merinos tested for parentage, or with the 50k SNP, will receive the poll test results at no additional cost.

The 2012 Pilot Project will deliver valuable commercial information to breeders, while at the same time providing research answers to questions such as: what is the gene frequency of horn genes in the Merino sheep population; and how to sample and use the tests most effectively in breeding programs.

The ability to DNA test for parentage in any breed, Merino poll and a range of other genetically inherited traits, will provide ram breeders with greater certainty when selecting breeding stock, Sheep CRC chief executive officer James Rowe said.

Sheep breeders will be able to use DNA testing in young rams to identify a wide range of traits and achieve faster gains and better balance in ram selection and breeding programs.

Prof. Rowe said the prices set for the tests would be attractive to producers, and were in line with similar programs in other livestock breeding programs.

The cost of genotyping is continuing to fall and we are confident that in 2013 the genomic tests will be available to the industry on a commercial basis at prices that will deliver a good return on investment, he said.

The CRC has decided to provide the 50k genotyping test at $50 because we are confident that this is close to the commercial price for testing in 2013 and beyond.

The beef and dairy industries already have 7-10k SNP tests available around this price and a similar product will be available for the Australian sheep industry by 2013.

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DNA tests for $17 in pilot projects

Posted in DNA

DNA matches convicted murderer to 1992 Central West End rape

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ST. LOUIS DNA has linked a convicted murderer to a 1992 rape in the Central West End, according to charges filed Monday.

Authorities say Derrick Cobb, 54, of Bowling Green, struck a woman in the head with a beer bottle then raped herat the 4700 block of McPherson Avenue on April 19, 1992.

The crime went unsolved until a recent DNA match identified Cobb as the culprit. He has been charged in St. Louis Circuit Court with a count each of rape and sodomy.

Cobb is 17 years into a 30-year prison sentence forsecond-degree murder in the killing of a Jennings deliveryman and father of twoin September 1992.

James Crimi, 31, was returning tohis home in the 7000 block of Garesche Avenue from visiting a relative when Cobb, who was homeless at the time, fatally struck him in the side of the head then stole his car.Cobb sold the parts to buy crack cocaine, then attempted to rob three students on the St. Louis University campus about an hour later, authorities said at the time.

A campussecurity officer identified Crimi's car as the one involved in the attempted robbery. Detectives then linked Cobb to the murder.

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DNA matches convicted murderer to 1992 Central West End rape

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Open Solutions DNA Wins Three Core Banking Awards from Aite Group

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GLASTONBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Open Solutions Inc., the leading provider of collaborative enterprise technology to community-based financial institutions worldwide, announced today that its revolutionary DNA core processing platform has won the Technology, User Experience, and Alliance Core Banking Awards from Aite Group, a leading independent research and advisory firm focused on the financial services space. DNA won the most awards of any core platform mentioned in the report - including systems from Fiserv, FIS, Jack Henry and Harland demonstrating how DNA is a dramatically different core banking platform.

Aite Groups July 2012 report, The Leading US Core Vendors: Fueling Financial Institution Initiatives, analyzes the state of the U.S. core vendor market and compares the leading platforms of 21 vendors targeting U.S. banks and credit unions. The comprehensive 63 page report describes DNA as a real-time, relationship-based (rather than transaction-based) solution and one of the most modern core solutions offered by a U.S. vendor.

Aite Group identifies several reasons why DNA won its coveted Technology Award, starting with DNAs single code line, which allows the platform to serve any institution type, regardless of geographic location a fact Aite Group identifies as a key differentiator that enables a more focused core development strategy. The report continues to note that another strength of the DNA solution is its usability. And finally, Aite Group states: The DNAappstore was the first of its kind for a core vendor, and, in time, has the potential to create a paradigm shift for the financial services industry.

DNAs User Experience Award is the result of multiple interviews Aite Group conducted with DNA customers, who, according to Aite Group, tend to be extremely customer-focused and strive to offer unique capabilities different from the bank down the street. The report also observes how "existing customers seem very satisfied with Open Solutions service and product offerings.

Finally, Aite Group recognized DNA with its Alliance Award based on the platforms open architecture, which makes it easy for virtually any financial services vendor to integrate their solutions with DNA. As a result, Open Solutions boasts a long list of what Aite Group identifies as best-of-breed partners, including Yodlee for PFM, mFoundry for mobile, and Vantiv for ATM/EFT.

In total, the three awards validate why Aite Group thinks Open Solutions is better positioned today than in the past to offer greater flexibility for innovation and to grow its market share.

Commenting on the report, Open Solutions chairman and CEO, Louis Hernandez Jr., stated: Aite Groups independent evaluation of DNA highlights what we at Open Solutions have known all along DNA is radically different. The platforms award winning technology, world class user experience and revolutionary open architecture offer community banks and credit unions around the world a way to overcome the limitations of legacy technology that have left them ill-equipped to compete.

Aite Group

Aite Group is a leading independent research and advisory firm focused on business, technology and regulatory issues and their impact on the financial services industry. It was founded by leading industry experts in Banking and Securities & Investments. Aite Group brings together a team of business strategy, technology and regulatory experts to deliver comprehensive, timely, and actionable advice to financial institutions and technology vendors. It seeks to become a true partner, advisor, and catalyst by exchanging ideas and challenging basic assumptions to ensure that our clients always stay one step ahead of the competition. Learn more at http://www.AiteGroup.com.

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Open Solutions DNA Wins Three Core Banking Awards from Aite Group

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Protective bacteria in the infant gut have resourceful way of helping babies break down breast milk

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Public release date: 13-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Angela Hopp ahopp@asbmb.org 240-283-6614 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

A research team at the University of California, Davis, has found that important and resourceful bacteria in the baby microbiome can ferret out nourishment from a previously unknown source, possibly helping at-risk infants break down components of breast milk.

Breast milk is amazingly intricate, providing all of the nutrients necessary to sustain and strengthen infants in the first months of life. Moreover, this natural source of nutrition provides protection from infections, allergies and many other illnesses.

Breast milk also promotes the growth of protective bacteria in an infant's intestine. Because breast milk contains glycans (complex sugars) that infants cannot breakdown, it promotes the growth a specific type of bacteria, called bifidobacteria, that can process these glycans. While it is known that bifidobacteria avail themselves of the free glycans in breast milk, it was not known whether these bacteria could also obtain glycans that were linked to proteins. Such proteins are called glycoproteins, and they are abundant in breast milk.

The research team led by David A. Mills at the UC-Davis investigated the ability of bifidobacteria to remove glycans from milk glycoproteins. Their work was recently published in the journal Molecular & Cellular Proteomics.

Mills' group found that specific strains of bifidobacteria possessed enzymes capable of removing glycan groups from glycoproteins, enabling them to use these glycans as an additional food source. Surprisingly, one of the enzymes, EndoBI-1, was able to remove any type of N-linked glycan (glycans attached to proteins by the amino acid asparagine). This is unique among enzymes of this type and may provide a growth advantage for bifidobacteria in the infant intestine because the glycoproteins in breast milk have complex glycans attached.

Mills explains that the ability of EndBI-1 to remove a variety of complex N-linked glycans combined with its unusual heat stability make "this potentially a very useful tool in both food processing and proteomics/pharmaceutical research."

The team's work suggests that bifidobacteria do not primarily feed on the glycans from milk glycoproteins. However, the study did show that under the proper conditions bidfidobacteria can grow when protein-linked glycans are the only energy source.

"One obvious goal of this research is to find ways to translate the benefits provided by milk and bifidobacteria to at risk populations such as premature infants, malnourished children, among many others," Mills says.

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Protective bacteria in the infant gut have resourceful way of helping babies break down breast milk

Caltech Chemist Wins ASBMB Young Investigator Award

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The American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) named Caltech chemistry professor Shu-ou Shan a recipient of the 2013 Young Investigator Award. The award will be presented at the ASBMB annual meeting in Boston next April.

Shan was recognized for her research that addresses how "a novel class of nucleotide hydrolases drives the efficient and accurate delivery of newly synthesized proteins to their correct destinations."

"This award would not have been possible without the support from my subgroup and division and all the wonderful Caltech students and postdocs who work so hard," says Shan.

"We are extremely happy that ASBMB has selected Shu-ou Shan for the Young Investigators Award," said Jacqueline Barton, Arthur and Marian Hanisch Memorial Professor, professor of chemistry, and chair of the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Caltech. "It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of Shan and her team here at Caltech."

Shan's research interfaces between chemistry and biology to understand fundamental cellular processes at the level of chemical and physical principles. More information about Shan's research group at Caltech can be found at http://shangroup.caltech.edu.

The ASBMB Young Investigator Award recognizes outstanding research contributions to biochemistry and molecular biology. The recipient must have no more than 15 years postdoctoral experience. Nominations for these awards are made by ASBMB members, but nominees need not be members. The award consists of a plaque, $5,000, transportation, and expenses to present a lecture at the 2013 ASBMB annual meeting.

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Caltech Chemist Wins ASBMB Young Investigator Award