Author Archives: ev1

Chris Neaves, biochemistry student

Posted on by

Chris Neaves, a student and musician, died of undetermined causes July 21 at his Columbia home. He was 21.

Born David Christopher Neaves in Lewisville, Texas, he moved to Howard County in 2006 after spending three years in Windsor, England, with his family, where he attended the TASIS American School and played rugby. He was a 2010 graduate of Chapelgate Christian Academy in Marriottsville. He spent a year at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C.

At his death, he was a biochemistry student at Howard Community College and worked as a lot attendant at Antwerpen Toyota in Clarksville.

Family members said he enjoyed snow skiing and fly fishing at Copper Mountain, Colo. A guitarist he owned numerous instruments and vocalist, he once performed at the Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Active in a church youth group, he made three trips to Guatemala, where he worked with schoolchildren. He was fluent in Spanish.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Chapelgate Presbyterian Church, 2600 Marriottsville Road in Marriottsville.

Survivors include his parents, David Neaves, chief financial officer for Onemain Financial, and Lori Holman Neaves, a homemaker; a sister, Katie Neaves, all of Ellicott City; his maternal grandparents, Jack and Elizabeth Holman; and his paternal grandmother, Linda Neaves, all of Little Rock, Ark.

jacques.kelly@baltsun.com

Go here to read the rest:
Chris Neaves, biochemistry student

A mix of traditional, holistic medical care for patients

Posted on by

Dr. Susan Ashley, a family physician practicing in Liberty Lake, is also board certified in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine and offers a mix of traditional and holistic medical care to patients of all ages. Her practice at Family Medicine Liberty Lake is a solo practice and also employs an ARNP, Heidi Kallestad. Together, they specialize in the following:

Bio-Identical hormone replacement therapy for both men and women. BHRT can reduce the risk of heart disease, dementia, osteoporosis and slow down the aging process. Unlike synthetic hormones, such as premarin, there is no increase in breast cancer risk. Balancing your hormones not only gives you more energy and vitality, but will make weight loss easier and increase lean muscle mass. These hormones include estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, adrenals, thyroid, growth hormone, insulin and melatonin.

Fatigue and fibromyalgia. So many patients are plagued with unrelenting fatigue, often with a mixture of fibromyalgia and muscle pain, with no discernable cause or treatment. Many go from doctor to doctor in an attempt to alleviate some of their symptoms. Dr. Ashley's program for chronic fatigue has a high success rate and addresses the many causes and contributing factors involved. This involves not only balancing the hormones and aggresively treating adrenal fatigue, but making sure nutrition is balanced and proper supplementation is given. Sleep must be restored, and latent infections which can cause ongoing symptoms must be treated.

The newest tool in her fight against these chronic disorders involves measurement of the electro-magnetic energy fields of the body, and correction when mis-alignments occur. Called "Energy Medicine," this is well known in Europe and Asia, and is just now being introduced in our country. Correction of the human body electro-magnetic field will greatly increase the success rate for patients, and indeed, some will simply not improve until this issue is addressed.

Bio-Medical Treatment approach for Autism and ADHD. Autism is treatable! Both autism and ADHD have a common root cause, and can be successfully treated and, in some cases, cured. Dr. Ashley follows the treatment protocol of Dr. Kenneth Bock, and treats the underlying biochemical, metabolic and neurologic defects with positive results in every case. Drugs are rarely used and, indeed, simply cover up the symptoms rather than get to the root cause of the disease.

Anti-Aging Medicine - or, as some are starting to call it, "Advanced Medicine." There are so many exciting advances in the field of anti-aging medicine. If a patient is truly motivated, there are many things one can do to not only increase longevity, but improve the quality of life, such that an active, vital and energetic life can be expected into the 80s, 90s, and even past 100! If one looks at our DNA, we should be living to 125 years, so why is it cut short? Diet and lifestyle play a big factor, and environmental toxins. Newer advances, such as TA-65, a telomerase activator that lengthens our telomeres, and stem cell therapies are now available. Proper supplementation with the correct vitamin and mineral combination is so important, and the difference between common food grade supplements, and medical and pharmaceutical grade supplements are taught to every patient.

Alzheimers and other dementias. Much can be done to slow down or reverse the devastation caused by dementias, including high doses of omega-3's, increasing cholesterol to 225 range, high dose anti-oxidants such as astaxanthin, and a combination of coconut oil and MCT (medium chain triglyceride) oil. Patients are referred to the book "Alzheimers, what if there is a Cure" by Dr. Mary Newport to follow her protocol.

Food sensitivities and allergies - gluten sensitivity is dramatically increasing and, if ignored, can have devastating long-term consequences. Food sensitivities can be treated and, in many cases, completely reversed.

Obesity and weight loss - our biggest challenge in our society! Dr. Ashley also owns Healthy Living Liberty Lake, a weight loss and wellness clinic, which is certified by the American Academy of Bariatric Physicians. Obesity is a complex disease and treatment involving many treatment modalities, including the proper diet, increasing the fat-burning enzymes, detoxification of environmental toxins that can impede weight loss, balancing the hormones, and education on whole foods, glycemic index and basic nutrition. Prescription strength hcg is available for increased fat burning and preservation of muscle during weight loss, and appetite suppressants are used short-term if needed. Every patient is individualized, and even genetic testing can be done to pinpoint what kind of diet, based on genetics, would best suit the patient.

IV Nutritional therapy is used for many different reasons, including as part of the treatment for chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, increased energy and vitality, to quickly rid a cold or flu, or as adjunctive therapy for those undergoing cancer treatments.

The rest is here:
A mix of traditional, holistic medical care for patients

Schiff Nutrition Announces Timing of Fiscal 2012 Fourth Quarter and Year-end Results

Posted on by

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Schiff Nutrition International, Inc., (SHF), announced it intends to discuss its fiscal 2012 fourth quarter and year-end results on Tuesday, July 31, 2012. The company will host a conference call at 11:00 a.m. ET, featuring remarks by Tarang Amin, chief executive officer and president, and Joseph Baty, chief financial officer and executive vice president, followed by a question and answer session.

The call will be webcast at http://www.schiffnutrition.com/press_conference_calls.asp. The webcast replay will be available for 90 days. If you do not have Internet access, the dial-in number will be 800-265-0241 for domestic callers and 617-847-8704 for international callers. The participant access code is 36087437. A replay of the call will be available by dialing 888-286-8010 for domestic callers and 617-801-6888 for international callers, and entering access code 27609818. The telephone replay will be available through August 7, 2012.

About Schiff Nutrition

Schiff Nutrition International, Inc. is a leading nutritional supplement company offering vitamins, nutritional supplements and nutrition bars in the United States and abroad. Schiffs portfolio of well-known brands includes MegaRed, Move Free, Airborne, Tiger's Milk, Sustenex, Digestive Advantage and Schiff Vitamins. Focused on quality for 75 years, Schiffs headquarters and award-winning manufacturing and distribution facility are based in Salt Lake City, Utah. To learn more about Schiff, please visit the web site http://www.schiffnutrition.com.

Originally posted here:
Schiff Nutrition Announces Timing of Fiscal 2012 Fourth Quarter and Year-end Results

Complete Nutrition Launches Endurance-Enhancing Product to Help Athletes Reach Goals

Posted on by

OMAHA, Neb., July 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Complete Nutrition, the nation's fastest-growing nutritional supplement retailer, has introduced 3Plenish, its first-ever supplement formulated specifically for endurance athletes. Designed to be taken throughout a workout, the product hydrates athletes more effectively than sports drinks or water and provides essential nutrients demanded for peak performance and recovery.

Research indicates endurance athletes require fuel and hydration to perform at their highest levels during prolonged workouts, and nutrients afterward to fully recover. 3Plenish, developed by a team of scientists and nutritionists, satisfies both the intra- and post-workout needs of these athletes through the exclusive Triple-Core Endurance Blend. This non-stimulant formula packs in each serving the optimal levels of electrolytes for hydration through muscle volumization and high-energy carbohydrates to amplify muscles for sustained strength and longevity. The included essential amino acids help muscles recover during and immediately after workouts.

"When formulating 3Plenish we examined the hydration and nutrient needs of runners, cyclists, CrossFit enthusiasts and triathletes," said Dr. Nicholas Rupcich, Chief Formulator of Product Development for Complete Nutrition. "The clinically effective dose of electrolytes, carbs and amino acids makes 3Plenish a go-to drink mix for all athletes who want to push their athletic limits."

Each package of 3Plenish contains 25 servings of instant-mix powder, available in Lemon Lime and Fruit Punch flavors. To use, individuals mix one scoop of powder with 20 oz. of water and consume throughout the duration of their workouts. 3Plenish is free of stimulants, gluten, aspartame, allergens and other restricted ingredients.

Additional benefits of 3Plenish include a reduction in training-induced cortisol to help preserve muscle and an increase in Type I and Type II muscle fiber size for enhanced power and speed. 3Plenish has also been proven to enable athletes to increase resistance exercise by 100 percent for more strength, tone, mass and endurance.

3Plenish is available at all Complete Nutrition retails stores. Along with the new endurance category of products, Complete Nutrition offers more than 200 exclusive general health, weight-loss and sports nutrition 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. For more information about Complete Nutrition, call 866-366-5766 or visit http://www.CompleteNutrition.com

Continued here:
Complete Nutrition Launches Endurance-Enhancing Product to Help Athletes Reach Goals

In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) – Emerging Countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) Opportunity Assessment, Competitive …

Posted on by

NEW YORK, July 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) - Emerging Countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) Opportunity Assessment, Competitive Landscape and Market Forecasts to 2018http://www.reportlinker.com/p0862093/In-Vitro-Diagnostics-IVD---Emerging-Countries-Brazil-Russia-India-China-Opportunity-Assessment-Competitive-Landscape-and-Market-Forecasts-to-2018.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=In_Vitro_Diagnostic

In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) - Emerging Countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) Opportunity Assessment, Competitive Landscape and Market Forecasts to 2018

Summary

GlobalData's new report, "In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) - Emerging Countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) Opportunity Assessment, Competitive Landscape and Market Forecasts to 2018" provides key data, information and analysis on the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) market in emerging countries. The report provides market landscape, competitive landscape and market trends information on the IVD market in emerging countries. The report provides comprehensive information on the key trends affecting the market, and key analytical content on the market dynamics. The report also reviews the competitive landscape and technology offerings.

This report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house analysis by GlobalData's team of industry experts.

Scope

-Key geographies covered include the China, India, Brazil and Russia. - Key segments covered include Immuno Chemistry, Infectious Immunology, Clinical Chemistry, Haematology, Histology and Cytology, Genetic Testing and Microbiology Culture. - Annualized market revenues data from 2004 to 2011, forecast forward for seven years to 2018. Company shares data for 2011. - Qualitative analysis of key market trends, market drivers, and restraints within IVD market in emerging countries. - The report also covers information on the leading market players and the competitive landscape. - Key players covered include Siemens Healthcare, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Abbott Laboratories, Sysmex Corporation, Transasia Bio-Medicals Ltd. and Beckman Coulter.

Reasons to buy

- Develop business strategies by understanding the trends and developments that are driving the IVD market in emerging countries. - Design and develop your product development, marketing and sales strategies. - Develop market-entry and market expansion strategies. - Identify key players best positioned to take advantage of the emerging market opportunities. - Exploit in-licensing and out-licensing opportunities by identifying products that are most likely to ensure a robust return. - What's the next big thing in the IVD market in emerging countries? Identify, understand and capitalize. - Make more informed business decisions from the insightful and in-depth analysis of the IVD market in emerging countries and the factors shaping it.

See the original post:
In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) - Emerging Countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) Opportunity Assessment, Competitive ...

Time Is Ticking to Submit an Entry for the Center for Productive Longevity's Later Life Story Contest

Posted on by

BOULDER, CO--(Marketwire -07/24/12)- The Center for Productive Longevity's (CPL) Later-Life Story Contest is now at its mid-way point, with less than seven weeks left to submit a story. This national competition, which was launched June 1, 2012, highlights entrepreneur success stories and inspirational life stories from people 55 and older. The deadline to enter the contest is August 31, 2012, and CPL will announce the two winners on October 1, 2012. Boulder-based CPL serves as the bridge between people 55 and older and opportunities that enable them to continue in productive activities.

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 and publish the stories of the two winners. Here are some tips on what to include in your contest submission:

For the Entrepreneurship Success Stories Category, some optional areas to include:

Entrepreneurship Success Story submissions will be judged on how well they:

A few things to consider when submitting for the Inspirational Life Stories Category:

Inspirational Life Story submissions will be judged on how well they:

To submit a story, visit http://www.ctrpl.org/laterlifestorycontest and complete a submission form. Entrants must be 55 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, 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.

Originally posted here:
Time Is Ticking to Submit an Entry for the Center for Productive Longevity's Later Life Story Contest

Debunking The Myth That Chinese Can’t Innovate

Posted on by

In my last post,Doing the Undoable, I discussed the rapid development of genetics, particularly genetic engineering. Having the video presentation of Juan Enriquez available helped get the point across. Today, Im going to look at a related area that also raises the possibility of sudden and unexpected change in the not-so-distant future (anytime from tomorrow on).

Once again, Im assisted by the work of another commentator who, like Mr. Enriquez, provides a good overview of other changes that are already underway, but whose impact has yet to be felt by most of us, at least knowingly.

I am referring to an article in Foreign Policy magazine by Dr. Vivek Wadhwa, director of research at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization at Duke University and fellow at the Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University.

Published on July 17th of this year, it is titled, The Future of Manufacturing Is in America, Not China. Thats a nice provocative title. I will provide a link to the full article (its not that long and free of most technical jargon), but first Ill use his words to briefly summarize four important areas where advances have led him to choose that title.

It all sounds very exciting, full of potential for good things. Dr. Wadhwas summarizes his argument reflected in his articles title when he says, All of these advances play well into Americas ability to innovate, demolish old industries, and continually reinvent itself. The Chinese are still busy copying technologies we built over the past few decades. They havent cracked the nut on how to innovate yet.

Yes, it sounds great, but hold on a minute. Like all things human, the potentially good comes coupled with the potentially bad. I have two very basic concerns.

The first is true of so much that I read these days, including a lot that is written on what the Eurozone has to do to deal with its problems. Oddly enough, those varied European solutions have something in common with the idea that Foxconn plans to install one million robots within three years to do the work that its workers in China presently do. It has found even low-cost Chinese labor to be too expensive and demanding. Too many commentators on the Eurozone today forget that all the zones nations are functioning democracies.

China obviously is not, but even casually following Chinas internal political and economic trends provides plenty of evidence that non-democratic states also have to consider the feelings and fears of their citizens. We are continuously told that the Chinese Communist Party fears uprisings among the people. There is more than one way to vote and get your voice heard.

So Foxconn will replace Chinese workers with robots. Great. That ought to make folks happy in China. But hold on, theres good news. We can do the same in the US! Wonderful, now we have a means of massively increasing US unemployment too! Pardon the sarcasm. Im sure Dr. Wadhwa is well aware that robots will replace human workers who may not be able to find replacement jobs easily or at all. His relatively short article is focused on the good news, so he doesnt try to address problems that might result.

But one sentence stands out as unacceptable to me.The Chinese are still busy copying technologies we built over the past few decades.They havent cracked the nut on how to innovate yet.

See the rest here:
Debunking The Myth That Chinese Can't Innovate

DNA Links Former Garland Resident To 1980 Murder

Posted on by

Former Garland resident Steven Alan Thomas has been arrested for the murder of a 73-year-old Texas woman in 1980. (credit: Williamson Co. Sheriffs Office)

GEORGETOWN (CBSDFW.COM/AP) Investigators say DNA evidence in a 1980 Central Texas killing led them to a former Garland resident.

The Williamson County Sheriffs Office on Tuesday announced the arrest of 53-year-old Steven Alan Thomas on a capital murder charge.

The case involves the November 1980 beating, sexual assault and strangling of 73-year-old Mildred McKinney. She was discovered dead in her southwest Williamson County home.

In the 1980s, well known serial killer Henry Lee Lucas confessed to killing McKinney, but DNA evidence later proved he was not the killer.

Thomas was arrested Monday in Austin, where he had been living. Investigators say Thomas has denied knowing the victim or assaulting her.

Sgt. John Foster says DNA from Thomas was obtained at a previous time. Foster declined to provide further details.

The investigation into the murder of Mildred McKinney is ongoing. Anyone with information about the case or Steven Thomas is asked to contact the Williamson County Sheriffs Office at (512) 943-1300.

Bond has been set at $1.5 million for Thomas. Williamson County jail records Tuesday did not list an attorney for him. ( Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The rest is here:
DNA Links Former Garland Resident To 1980 Murder

Posted in DNA

DNA Shows Polar Bears Are Ancient, Related To Brown Bears

Posted on by

July 24, 2012

Michael Harper for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

New research suggests polar bears and brown bears come from the same DNA as ancient bears. In an international study, led by Penn State University and the University at Buffalo, researchers have found that polar bear populations changed with climatic events over the past million years, with fewer polar bears roaming the Earth in times of warmer weather.

This new research also suggests the relationship between brown bears and polar bears is tied to climate change, noting that the two species interbred with one another until recently. This interbreeding between the two species may have also been tied to changes in the Earths climate when a glacial disappearance brought the two bears closer together.

Maybe were seeing a hint that in really warm times, polar bears changed their life-style and came into contact, and indeed interbred, with brown bears, said co-lead author Stephan Schuster, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Penn State.

The teams findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

This new study goes beyond what other studies have documented, taking DNA samples from existing polar bears, black bears and brown bears and comparing the results to DNA from an ancient polar bear skull. The team performed a deep genome analysis to compare the DNA between the species and found that the split between the brown and the polar bears occurred anywhere from 4 to 5 million years ago; around the same time ice began to cover the Arctic Sea. This evidence also shows that polar bears could have roamed the earth as early as 5 million years ago.

Schuster explained the survey in a statement, saying: We generated a first-rate set of data, including deep sequence coverage for the entire genomes of a polar bear, three brown bears, and a black bear, plus lower coverage of 23 additional polar bears, including a 120 thousand year old individual; very few vertebrate species have such comprehensive genomic resources available.

We showed, based on a consideration of the entire DNA sequence, that earlier inferences were entirely misleading, said another co-author, Webb Miller, a Penn State professor of biology and computer science.

This means polar bears definitely persisted through warming periods during Earths history, said Charlotte Lindqvist, the studys senior author.

Read the original post:
DNA Shows Polar Bears Are Ancient, Related To Brown Bears

Posted in DNA

DNA race to unlock ageing secrets

Posted on by

24 July 2012 Last updated at 02:28 ET By Helen Briggs BBC News

A race to unlock genetic clues behind living to 100 is set to begin next year, after a US team announced it will compete for the $10m Genomics X Prize.

Genetic entrepreneur Dr Jonathan Rothberg is entering the challenge to identify genes linked to a long, healthy life.

His team - and any other contenders - will be given 30 days to work out the full DNA code of 100 centenarians at a cost of no more than $1,000 per genome.

The race will start in September 2013.

Under the rules of the Archon Genomics X Prize, teams have until next May to register for the competition.

Dr Rothberg's team from Life Technologies Corporation in California is the first to formally enter the race.

Being able to sequence the full human genome at a cost of $1,000 or less is regarded as a milestone in science.

It is seen as the threshold at which DNA sequencing technology becomes cheap enough to be used widely in medicine, helping in diagnosis and in matching drugs to a patient's genetic make-up.

If they can do a human genome in two hours with one little machine, it's just stunning. We have come a long way.

Read more from the original source:
DNA race to unlock ageing secrets

Posted in DNA

Online DNA mapping helps siblings find each other

Posted on by

(CBS News) It's now easier than ever to map your DNA through online services. The goal is usually to discover more about your body through science, but the technology sometimes yields unexpected results, as Neil Schwartzman discovered.

Schwartzman was just 10 days old when he was given up for adoption in 1960. He looked for his biological mother his entire life. He grew up in Montreal, with loving adoptive parents, but had questions about who he was.

Schwartzman describes the feeling as akin to "having a picture puzzle and two pieces missing."

But then he turned to technology. "I opted to do what some people might find a little strange: I spit in a test tube and sent it off to California."

Schwartzman sent that test tube to the Silicon Valley Company, 23andMe, named after the 23 pairs of chromosomes in human DNA. In this region built on information technology, the information gathered by 23andme is the most personal of all: genetic code.

23andMe co-founder Anne Wojcicki said, "23andMe just really strongly believes this is something that you should get, it's your information."

Wojcicki is married to Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google. Her goal is to make genetic information as accessible as Google has made so much other information. On the 23andMe website users can learn how their own genetic makeup may play a role in more than 200 diseases and physical traits.

"We started the company really with the idea that we wanted to do something revolutionary, where consumers could come, learn tons of information about themselves and really start to revolutionize health care," Wojcicki said.

That's a mission that grew more urgent for Wojcicki when 23andMe's testing revealed that her husband carries the genetic variant for Parkinson's disease. "Suddenly it became very personal," Wojcicki said. "That my husband is at-risk, and potentially some of my children are at risk. We've got to do something."

But DNA isn't just about health. Online users of 23andMe can sometimes unlock long-hidden family secrets or find long-lost relatives.

Read the original post:
Online DNA mapping helps siblings find each other

Posted in DNA

Under the right conditions, peptide blocks HIV infection at multiple points along the way

Posted on by

Public release date: 24-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Angela Hopp 240-283-6614 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Human defensins, aptly named antimicrobial peptides, are made in immune system cells and epithelial cells (such as skin cells and cells that line the gut). One of these peptides, human neutrophil peptide 1, under certain circumstances hinders HIV infection, but exactly how it works remains unclear.

HIV entry into mature T-helper cells (cells essential to the immune system) proceeds by attachment of the virus to specific targets on T-helper cells, uptake of the virus, fusion of its envelope with the cell membranes, and release of the virus into the cells. In a forthcoming Journal of Biological Chemistry Paper of the Week, Gregory Melikyan at Emory University and colleagues investigated the ability of human neutrophil peptide 1 to impede each step of this process.

Using model cell lines, Melikyan's group showed that human neutrophil peptide 1 effectively prevented HIV entry into cells in multiple ways. First, human neutrophil peptide 1 reduced the number of specific targets on the cells available for HIV attachment. Second, this defensin also bound to specific targets on both the HIV envelope and the cells, preventing early and late stages of HIV-cell fusion. Finally, human neutrophil peptide 1 prevented HIV uptake into the cells without compromising the general ability of the cells to engulf other molecules.

While human neutrophil peptide 1 hinders HIV entry into cells under these lab conditions, it does not do so as effectively in the presence of serum -- meaning that it may not be as successful at blocking HIV in our bodies. But Melikyan's team showed that human neutrophil peptide 1 remained attached to its specific targets in the presence of serum, despite its reduced efficacy. Their work suggests that the structure of human neutrophil peptide 1 is important for its anti-HIV activity, and they propose that serum may interfere with the ability of this defensin to form complexes, reducing its ability to block HIV.

"Our work provides new insights into the ability of defensins to recognize and neutralize diverse pathogens, including HIV," Melikyan says. This research reveals that human neutrophil peptide 1 can bind various viral and cellular targets and that a previously unappreciated feature is essential for its anti-HIV activity, possibly its propensity to form large complexes, Melikyan explains.

The team's findings suggest a new avenue of research for combatting HIV and viruses that infiltrate cells in a similar manner.

###

From the article: "Multifaceted mechanisms of HIV-1 entry inhibition by human alpha-defensin" by Lusine H. Demirkhanyan, Mariana Marin, Sergi Padilla-Parra, Changyou Zhan, Kosuke Miyauchi, Maikha Jean-Baptiste, Gennadiy Novitskiy, Wuyuan Lu, and Gregory B. Melikyan (to be published in the Aug. 17 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry and currently online as a Paper in Press at http://www.jbc.org/content/early/2012/06/25/jbc.M112.375949.full.pdf)

See the article here:
Under the right conditions, peptide blocks HIV infection at multiple points along the way

Research and Markets: Biomedical Hydrogels: Biochemistry, Manufacture and Medical Applications

Posted on by

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/m5pjfs/biomedical_hydroge) has announced the addition of Woodhead Publishing Ltd's new book "Biomedical Hydrogels: Biochemistry, Manufacture and Medical Applications" to their offering.

Hydrogels are very important for biomedical applications because they can be chemically manipulated to alter and control the hydrogel's interaction with cells and tissues. Their flexibility and high water content is similar to that of natural tissue, making them extremely suitable for biomaterials applications. "Biomedical hydrogels" explores the diverse range and use of hydrogels, focusing on processing methods and novel applications in the field of implants and prostheses.

Part one of this book concentrates on the processing of hydrogels, covering hydrogel swelling behaviour, superabsorbent cellulose-based hydrogels and regulation of novel hydrogel products, as well as chapters focusing on the structure and properties of hydrogels and different fabrication technologies. Part two covers existing and novel applications of hydrogels, including chapters on spinal disc and cartilage replacement implants, hydrogels for ophthalmic prostheses and hydrogels for wound healing applications. The role of hydrogels in imaging implants in situ is also discussed.

With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, "Biomedical hydrogels" is an excellent reference for biomedical research scientists and engineers in industry and academia, as well as others involved in research in this area, such as research clinicians.

Key features:

- examines the diverse range and use of hydrogels, focusing on processing methods and novel applications

- comprehensive book explores the structure and properties of hydrogels and different fabrication technologies

- covers important areas such as processing of hydrogels, covering hydrogel swelling behaviour, superabsorbent cellulose-based hydrogels and regulation of novel hydrogel products

Key Topics Covered:

Go here to read the rest:
Research and Markets: Biomedical Hydrogels: Biochemistry, Manufacture and Medical Applications

Scientists create artificial jellyfish from rat heart cells (+video)

Posted on by

Using rat heart muscle cells and a thin silicone film, researchers have constructed a swimming jellyfish like creature that can be used to study everything from marine biology to cardiac physiology.

Using rat heart cells and silicone polymer, researchers have bioengineered a "jellyfish" that knows how to swim.

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition

The odd jellyfish mimic, dubbed a "Medusoid" by its creators, is more than a curiosity. It's a natural biological pump, just like the human heart. That makes it a good model to use to study cardiac physiology, said study researcher Kevin Kit Parker, a bioengineer at Harvard University.

"The idea is to look at a muscular pump other than the heart or othermuscular organ and see if there are some fundamental similarities, ordesign principles, that are conserved across them," Parker told LiveScience. "This study revealedthat there are." [10 Amazing Facts About Your Heart]

Jellyfish propel themselves with a pumping action, as anyone who has ever watched them float around an aquarium tank can attest. Parker was looking for a way to tackle questions about the heart that aren't well understood when he saw some jellyfish in a display in 2007.

"I thought, 'I can build this,'" he said.

The ingredients were rat heart muscle cells and a thin silicone film. ("The world needs less rats and more jellyfish, so I thought it would be cool to do a one-for-one swap," Parker joked.) Along with researchers from the California Institute of Technology, he and his team engineered the cells and silicone in a pattern that mimicked the structure of a real jellyfish. They then stuck the creature in a tank full of electrically conducting fluid and zapped it with current.

The result was a swimming, pulsating creature that acts not unlike a real jellyfish (without the eating and reproducing, of course).

The rest is here:
Scientists create artificial jellyfish from rat heart cells (+video)

Cojuangco: Filipinos need proper nutrition to excel

Posted on by

MANILA, Philippines - Not until the Filipino athletes are given the proper nutrition, one that suits the needs for their respective sports, will they be able to compete to their full potential.

"I still maintain that our athletes could have been better prepared," said Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco who is bound for the London Olympics.

The POC chief will join the 11 Filipino athletes in London on Thursday together with POC chairman Monico Puentevella and secretary-general Steve Hontiveros.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia will join the group of Filipino officials travelling to London for the Games scheduled from July 27 to Aug. 12.

Cojuangco is not giving up on the Filipino athletes in London, saying hes hoping for the best, and that he wouldnt be surprised if they manage to bring home a medal.

But he said with proper strength and conditioning, and proper nutrition, Filipino athletes will only be more prepared for international competitions.

Carlos Sumulong, a Filipino physical fitness expert now based in the United States, was in the country recently and together with his wife conducted a seminar for Filipino athletes, coaches and trainers.

They stressed the importance of nutrition and conditioning, and finding the best fighting weight for those competing in subjective and combat sports like boxing, taekwondo or judo.

"Athletes are often confused between strength and conditioning, and bodybuilding," said Sumulong.

For the ordinary athlete, building muscles mean building on strength, but the Filipino expert said its not always true, saying with added muscles, an athlete sometimes gives up a lot in strength and agility.

Read more:
Cojuangco: Filipinos need proper nutrition to excel

In Duke Biology Lab, NCCU Student Get A Chance to Set Goals

Posted on by

Story and Photos by Gabriel Aikens, NCCU Summer intern

The bubbling of reactions and the sight of stern-looking, goggle-wearing scientists with lab coats on the verge of discovering the next big cure is what goes on in Dukes biology labs, right? No, not at all.

Besides seeing lab coats and a variety of beakers, one might be surprised to also find people in hoodies or khaki shorts and sneakers listening to their favorite songs and joking with each other.

Morgan Morrison has been working with the plant Arabidopsis thaliana in the lab of Xinnian Dong in Duke Biology.

Dont be fooled by the relaxed environment however. These graduate and undergraduate students are hard at work, including intern Morgan Morrison, a North Carolina Central University senior from Charlotte interning at Dukes Institute of Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP) Summer Fellowship Program. Morrison and her colleagues spend their days transferring samples into geno-grinders (machines that grind plant tissue), carefully extracting chemicals with pipettes, and handling subzero nitrogen which sizzles and hisses loudly as samples are lowered into it..

Morrison was accepted into other summer internships but chose Dukes because of her interest in genomics and her attraction to the university.

This internship is offered to a select few students from around the nation to take on various projects. Morrison is undergoing two projects, observing plant-microbe interactions and cloning plants to study their transcription of genes.

Im observing the microbes (microscopic organisms) to find useful plant-derived compounds for combatting infections, says Morrison. Im cloning plants to see how resistant they are to a given disease.

Morrison is doing molecular cloning, which is different from making genetically identical copies like cloning in the movies. Molecular cloning is the engineering of transgenic plants, which are plants containing genes transferred from another species. The plant she works with is Arabidopsis, a small flowering plant thats a member of the mustard family.

To perform molecular cloning, she first identifies a protein of interest (POI) that might confer resistance to the Arabidopsis and then through a series of steps inserts the DNA coding sequence of that POI into the DNA of Arabidopsis. Then she conducts experiments test whether the new protein conferred resistance.

Continue reading here:
In Duke Biology Lab, NCCU Student Get A Chance to Set Goals

Jacobs moves Ooh La La Spa to Glen Carbon

Posted on by

Practice outgrows Maryville location

Sometimes your lifes path takes you in an unexpected direction.

Such is the case for Dr. Kristen Jacobs, owner of Ooh La La Spa, Anti-Aging and Wellness.

Jacobs completed her residency at Southern Illinois University-Springfield and had been serving the Mount Vernon community as a family practice physician when she decided she wanted to try Botox.

She became educated in administering it and soon she was offering several other anti-aging procedures.

Fascinated with aesthetic medicine, Jacobs opened Ooh La La Spa, Anti-Aging and Wellness, a practice dedicated to patient health and cosmetic medicine, in Maryville.

Within four years her business had outgrown its Maryville location and Jacobs found a new home for Ooh La La at 110 Cottonwood Road in Glen Carbon.

Jacobs explained that the business just snowballed."

It started with Botox and then we did fillers and laser. Then we added chemical peels and facials, and its kind of grown from there which is awesome, she said.

All that growth prompted the recent move to Glen Carbon. Thankfully our business is building like crazy and we just needed the space, Jacobs said. Plus I live in Glen Carbon so I wanted to support the Glen Carbon community.

Go here to see the original:
Jacobs moves Ooh La La Spa to Glen Carbon

Scientists create artificial jellyfish from rat’s heart cells (+video)

Posted on by

Using rat heart muscle cells and a thin silicone film, researchers have constructed a swimming jellyfish like creature that can be used to study everything from marine biology to cardiac physiology.

Using rat heart cells and silicone polymer, researchers have bioengineered a "jellyfish" that knows how to swim.

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition

The odd jellyfish mimic, dubbed a "Medusoid" by its creators, is more than a curiosity. It's a natural biological pump, just like the human heart. That makes it a good model to use to study cardiac physiology, said study researcher Kevin Kit Parker, a bioengineer at Harvard University.

"The idea is to look at a muscular pump other than the heart or othermuscular organ and see if there are some fundamental similarities, ordesign principles, that are conserved across them," Parker told LiveScience. "This study revealedthat there are." [10 Amazing Facts About Your Heart]

Jellyfish propel themselves with a pumping action, as anyone who has ever watched them float around an aquarium tank can attest. Parker was looking for a way to tackle questions about the heart that aren't well understood when he saw some jellyfish in a display in 2007.

"I thought, 'I can build this,'" he said.

The ingredients were rat heart muscle cells and a thin silicone film. ("The world needs less rats and more jellyfish, so I thought it would be cool to do a one-for-one swap," Parker joked.) Along with researchers from the California Institute of Technology, he and his team engineered the cells and silicone in a pattern that mimicked the structure of a real jellyfish. They then stuck the creature in a tank full of electrically conducting fluid and zapped it with current.

The result was a swimming, pulsating creature that acts not unlike a real jellyfish (without the eating and reproducing, of course).

View original post here:
Scientists create artificial jellyfish from rat's heart cells (+video)

Scientists create artificial jellyfish from rat’s heart cells

Posted on by

Using rat heart muscle cells and a thin silicone film, researchers have constructed a swimming jellyfish like creature that can be used to study everything from marine biology to cardiac physiology.

Using rat heart cells and silicone polymer, researchers have bioengineered a "jellyfish" that knows how to swim.

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition

The odd jellyfish mimic, dubbed a "Medusoid" by its creators, is more than a curiosity. It's a natural biological pump, just like the human heart. That makes it a good model to use to study cardiac physiology, said study researcher Kevin Kit Parker, a bioengineer at Harvard University.

"The idea is to look at a muscular pump other than the heart or othermuscular organ and see if there are some fundamental similarities, ordesign principles, that are conserved across them," Parker told LiveScience. "This study revealedthat there are." [10 Amazing Facts About Your Heart]

Jellyfish propel themselves with a pumping action, as anyone who has ever watched them float around an aquarium tank can attest. Parker was looking for a way to tackle questions about the heart that aren't well understood when he saw some jellyfish in a display in 2007.

"I thought, 'I can build this,'" he said.

The ingredients were rat heart muscle cells and a thin silicone film. ("The world needs less rats and more jellyfish, so I thought it would be cool to do a one-for-one swap," Parker joked.) Along with researchers from the California Institute of Technology, he and his team engineered the cells and silicone in a pattern that mimicked the structure of a real jellyfish. They then stuck the creature in a tank full of electrically conducting fluid and zapped it with current.

The result was a swimming, pulsating creature that acts not unlike a real jellyfish (without the eating and reproducing, of course).

Original post:
Scientists create artificial jellyfish from rat's heart cells

Illinois pathology group chooses McKesson to re-engineer revenue management services

Posted on by

ATLANTA July 19, 2012 Peoria Tazewell Pathology Group (PTPG), a 13-physician pathology practice based in Peoria, Illinois, will re-engineer its revenue cycle with assistance from McKesson Revenue Management Solutions (RMS). By partnering with an industry leader in medical billing and practice management services, PTPG expects to increase collections, strengthen financial reporting and improve ICD-10 and other regulatory compliance issues. McKesson will provide the group with a full complement of services, including coding, A/R management, denial management, financial reporting, claims support and the markets most advanced regulatory compliance capabilities.

McKesson brings a powerful array of skills and capabilities to the table, said Ronald Champagne, M.D., president of PTPG. Were confident that their expertise in coding and billing for pathology coupled with their understanding of the Illinois payer market and national pathology reimbursement trends will help us optimize collections in todays difficult healthcare market.

Champagne said McKesson will also provide strategic support designed to help the group identify growth opportunities, and will assist the practice in preparing for the impending ICD-10 coding transition. The agreement with PTPG increases McKessons already-significant footprint of pathology clients in Illinois.

Many pathology groups face significant challenges today, due primarily to declining reimbursements and aggressive competition from national laboratories , said Pat Leonard, senior vice president and general manager, RMS. McKesson believes that better business health and better patient health go hand in hand. With this in mind, we have developed a comprehensive approach to help groups stabilize their existing cash flow and strategically assess growth opportunities. We are well-positioned to help organizations like Peoria Tazewell improve the financial health of their business in the present healthcare environment.

McKesson RMS has a team of more than 4,000 experienced revenue cycle professionals. The teams services are uniquely designed to help practices improve efficiency and grow revenues while staying current with the latest regulatory requirements. McKesson RMS supports McKessons Better Health 2020 strategy. Better Health 2020 is McKessons commitment to support the success of its customers, including helping physicians to improve their financial performance and clinical quality.

The rest is here:
Illinois pathology group chooses McKesson to re-engineer revenue management services