Fresh help for firms struggling with nutrition profiling

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

Lrbeva Nutrition has launched an online nutritional profiling tool for the food industry that also highlights any nutrition claims that assessed products can make.

The company, which brings together a consulting firm and a development laboratory focused on nutrition and health, has developed NutrimetTIC to provide nutritional analysis with a few clicks of a mouse.

Its the first online application system dedicated to the nutritional qualities of foods, Celine Le Stunff, nutrition and regulatory affairs consultant at Lrbeva Nutrition, told FoodNavigator.

The main need is to get low-cost nutritional values over wide ranges of food products. This would be very expensive if companies had to analyze each recipe in a laboratory. EU Regulation 1169/2011 introduced mandatory nutrition labeling and all companies will have to know the nutritional values of their products. Many of them are starting from scratch!

Major names

The system is based on the Sain-Lim method of nutritional analysis, which is approved by the European Food Safety Authority. Lrbeva Nutrition claims major names in food manufacturing, retail and catering have adopted the tool.

Interested companies simply sign up to use it online and can access their own dedicated database where they can enter new information and get codes for different users. Alongside nutrient profiling and information on potential nutrition claims products can make, the service can also highlight preformatted nutritional labelling.

It can interest any company that has lots of recipes and wants to know their nutritional value, with the aim of nutrition labelling and/or improving their nutritional qualities, said Le Stunff. She said the service would also work as a great way for businesses to work collaboratively and share information.

Four criteria

The tool uses four criteria for consumption frequency: 1/daily; 2/frequent; 3/occasionally and 4/exceptionally. NutrimetTIC not only examines the criteria qualifying and disqualifying the product, but also suggests areas of work to place it in a better category. Lrbeva Nutrition said it could also provide support and guidance to interested parties on how to improve their nutritional profile.

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Fresh help for firms struggling with nutrition profiling

Copper surfaces could reduce hospital acquired infections

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

Research from the Medical University of South Carolina suggests that adding copper to hospital surfaces which are commonly touched by medical personnel and patients could help reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections. The findings appear in the July 2012 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

Hospital-acquired infections kill around 100,000 people annually in the United Statesequivalent to a wide-body jet crash every day of the year. About five percent of patients admitted to US hospitalsnearly 5,500 daily, or two million annuallyget sick from the hospital, adding $45 billion ($45,000,000,000) to the annual cost of healthcare.

In this study, the microbial burden on commonly touched surfaces in the medical intensive care units of three hospitals was determined, first to assess the risk from those surfaces, and second, to determine whether or not copper surfacing would lower that burden, and those risks. The study was divided into two phases, pre- and post-copper, and lasted for 43 months.

During the pre-copper phase, "We learned that the average microbial burden found on six commonly touched objects was 28 times higher than levels considered benign, and thus represented a risk to the patient," says Michael Schmidt, a researcher on the study. Installing copper surfaces, he says, resulted in an 83 percent reduction of that microbial burden, leading the team to conclude that copper surfaces on commonly touched objects could provide a substantially safer environment.

"Given that the average hospital acquired infection in the United States conservatively adds an additional 19 days of hospitalization and $43,000 in costs the use of antimicrobial copper surfaces warrants further study and optimization," says Schmidt, adding that this is the fourth leading cause of death, after cancer, heart disease, and strokes. He notes that "Copper has been used by humans for millennia, first as tools and then as a tool to fight the spread of infectious agents."

More information: M.G. Schmidt, H.H. Attaway, P.A. Sharpe, J. John, Jr., K.A. Sepkowitz, A. Morgan, S.E. Fairey, S. Singh, L.L. Steed, J.R. Cantey, K.D. Freeman, H.T. Michels, and C.D. Salgado, 2012. Sustained reduction of microbial burden on common hospital surfaces through induction of copper. J. Clin. Microbiol. 50:2217-2223.

Journal reference: Journal of Clinical Microbiology

Provided by American Society for Microbiology

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Copper surfaces could reduce hospital acquired infections

No DNA in new missing and unidentified persons database

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

Adam Miller, The Canadian Press Published Sunday, Jul. 22, 2012 6:27AM EDT Last Updated Monday, Jul. 23, 2012 7:18AM EDT

A national database to help identify missing persons and unidentified remains is more than a year away, but families and experts say that DNA is the missing piece of the puzzle that the initiative needs.

Judy Peterson has been a proponent of such a database since her daughter, Lindsey Jill Nicholls, went missing in 1993.

"I think the DNA databank is just the missing piece," she said from her home in Sidney, B.C. "I believe it will happen, I just can't understand why it's taking so long."

Peterson started a petition in 2003 called Lindsey's Law, calling for DNA from missing persons and unidentified remains to be added to the National DNA Data Bank, which was set up in 2000 to help police with their investigations.

Melanie Alix's son Dylan Koshman went missing in Edmonton in October, 2008 and she too has been petitioning the government for such an addition to the data bank.

"I'd give my life to find my son," she said from her home in Moose Jaw, Sask.

Alix and her husband gave DNA samples to police in Edmonton after her son's disappearance, but they were not accessible to law enforcement in other provinces because there is no national DNA database for missing persons and unidentified remains.

A new index called the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains would store descriptive information on these cases and allow for them to be compared nationally for the first time when it launches in late 2013, but it won't include DNA.

The federal government has been resistant to amending the National DNA Data Bank to include the thousands of missing persons and hundreds of unidentified bodies across the country. It cites privacy concerns and high costs.

ACGT, Inc. to Provide Overnight DNA Sequencing Services to Chicago-Based Researchers

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

WHEELING, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

ACGT, Inc., a Wheeling-based Contract Research Organization providing DNA sequencing and genomic analysis services, announces its new accelerated DNA sequencing turnaround time exclusively to Chicago area researchers. With its Rush services, DNA samples prepared and ready for pickup in the afternoon will be collected and processed that day, with sequencing data available the following morning. For Chicago-based researchers, the new service reduces their wait time by one day with the added convenience of a personal pickup, or DNA sample drop-off of at an on-campus drop box.

The new Rush service comes by way of ACGTs recent addition of a second shift in its laboratory after regular business hours. Chicago is a great place for academic and medical research, explains Heron Yu, Ph.D., the founder and President of ACGT, Inc., Its where I studied and worked as a researcher for over ten years. At ACGT, were proud of the work weve done for local universities, and were happy to offer them at no additional cost the same excellent service at a faster turnaround time.

About ACGT, Inc.

ACGT, Inc. was established in 1993 to provide the research community with high quality DNA sequencing services. As the demand for DNA sequencing and genomics analysis increased, ACGT, Inc. repeatedly expanded its services. It currently offers next generation DNA sequencing, gene expression analysis, cloning, library construction, mutagenesis, genotyping and genetic stability testing. ACGT, Inc. is CLIA registered and GLP-compliant. FDA submission support is available for most projects.

You can learn more about ACGT, Inc. and the services they provide at their website: http://www.acgtinc.com.

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ACGT, Inc. to Provide Overnight DNA Sequencing Services to Chicago-Based Researchers

BioPet Vet Lab Unveils IntegriMEAT™, a DNA Tracking Program for Livestock

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BioPet Vet Lab, a leading animal biotechnology company specializing in DNA applications, has launched IntegriMEAT, a DNA-source verified program aimed to produce an identification and tracking program for Americas livestock. Through a partnership with Southern Natural Foods, a premier meat processor based in Knoxville, BioPet Vet Labs pilot program will first track beef from farm to table providing consumer insight into food sources and product claims.

According to Jim Simpson, president of Southern Natural Foods, the program requires point of origin registration with BioPet by producers, as a DNA sample is taken from existing stock and new birth stock. Then, BioPet maintains a database of cattle at each registered farm and a quick response (QR) code, created at the time of rendering, is maintained through distribution by Southern Natural Foods. Final packaging includes the QR code on the label enabling consumers to easily trace their beef from its farm of origin.

Weve always looked at food safety and how DNA applies to food safety, said Simpson. What we recognized was the need for a program that would encourage more integrity in food production. The name IntegriMEAT symbolizes that integrity can be obtained in our nations food supply chain.

Officials with BioPet explain its partnership with Southern Natural Foods stemmed from the meat processors commitment to offering locally raised beef that exceeds the USDAs All-Natural requirements.

Presently, consumers do not have an absolute way of knowing the exact source and quality of their meat, said Tom Boyd, BioPet Founder and CEO. People like knowing where their meat comes from, the conditions in which it was raised, and BioPet and Southern Natural Foods are the first to put this information into the consumers hands.

According to Corona Research in Denver, 74 percent of people in the U.S. believe traceability in the meat market increases its quality while 91 percent would pay more for beef that can be source verified. DNA-source verified beef provides consumers with peace of mind at the point of sale and also facilitates a targeted, rapid response in time of food safety events. Unlike external forms of identification for livestock, DNS genotyping is an unalterable form of identification that can be tested throughout an animals life and post-slaughter.

Furthermore, Boyd explains that using smartphone technology, consumers have the ability to scan the bar code associated with their meat, either on a package at the grocery store, at a display at the butcher shop or on a restaurant menu and therefore track it from farm to fork.

With this farm to table mentality and tracking technology, meat producers build a relationship of trust and accountability with the consumer, said Boyd.

Boyd also explains that in addition to offering public DNA-source verified beef, BioPet also offers the producer valuable herd information. Farms registered in the program have harvest data readily available, allowing the farmer to make culling decisions based on genetic information, said Boyd. BioPet will soon increase the functionality of the online database to provide producers a secure, user-friendly system to manage their herds.

Gen9 Sponsors Contest to Recognize Innovation in Synthetic Biology

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Gen9, Inc., a pioneer in the development of scalable technologies for synthesizing and assembling DNA, today announced that it has underwritten the first annual G-Prize to celebrate and support innovation in synthetic biology. The inaugural G-Prize contest, conceived and exclusively sponsored by Gen9, was launched to foster creative and innovative approaches for using synthetic DNA constructs to advance industries including chemical and enzyme production, biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and even data storage.

Most biotechnologies have not yet been imagined, let alone made true, said Dr. Drew Endy of Stanford Bioengineering and a Gen9 co-founder. I am thrilled that Gen9 has decided to enable a diverse research community to dream bigger and make true their ideas via better access to critical bioengineering tools.

Gen9 has developed unique, next-generation technologies for synthesizing and assembling DNA constructs for use in commercializing DNA synthesis and fabrication platforms. Today, Gen9 is manufacturing and shipping double-stranded GeneBits DNA constructs, or gene fragments from 500 to 1,024 base pairs long, with a capacity to generate tens of thousands of synthetic gene fragments per year in just a few square feet of laboratory space.

Synthetic biology represents perhaps the greatest opportunity to modernize industry at Moores law scale since silicon, said Kevin Munnelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gen9. The market size for products that can be transformed using synthetic biology is estimated to be multi-billions. We look forward to hearing from the innovative community of researchers who have big ideas for constructively building on the many important industries ripe for modernization via synthetic biology.

The G-Prize contest is open to researchers working at academic or public-benefit organizations only. Entries will be judged by a panel of experts selected by Gen9. Any intellectual property rights specific to an entry will remain the sole property of the contestants or their institution. Four winners will be chosen in the following categories: 1st Place (500 GeneBits, up to 500kb); 2nd Place (300 GeneBits, up 300kb) and; two awards for 3rd Place (100 GeneBits, up to 100kb to two teams). Based on the current average market cost of DNA constructs, the total market value of these prizes exceeds $500,000.

Deadline for entries is September 30, 2012. For more information, please visit http://www.gen9bio.com/g-prize.

About Gen9

Gen9 is building on advances in synthetic biology to power a scalable fabrication capability that will significantly increase the worlds capacity to compile DNA content. The privately held companys next-generation DNA synthesis technology allows for the high-throughput, automated production of DNA constructs at lower cost and higher accuracy than previous methods on the market. Founded by world leaders in synthetic biology, Gen9 aims to ensure the constructive application of synthetic biology in industries ranging from enzyme and chemical production to pharmaceuticals and biofuels. Gen9 is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts and can be found online atwww.Gen9bio.com.

Gen9, GeneBits and BioFab are trademarks or registered trademarks of Gen9, Inc. All other brands may be trademarks of their respective holders.

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Gen9 Sponsors Contest to Recognize Innovation in Synthetic Biology

Greenhouse Nutrition Workshop Offered

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

BROOKINGS SDSU Extension will host an informative workshop for specialty crop producers on Nutrition for Greenhouse Crops, July 28, running from 8 a.m. to noon at the Sioux Falls Regional Extension Center.

High quality plants are critical to the profitability of greenhouse growers.

Producing a quality crop in the greenhouse is dependent on the overall nutrition of the plants, said Geoffrey Njue, SDSU Extension Specialty Crops Field Specialist.

During the workshop, Njue will discuss the importance of regular monitoring of the growing media pH and EC in the overall nutrition of your plants, and we will demonstrate how to test for pH and EC. He will also discuss how to identify and how to correct nutrient disorders.

For more information and to register for this event, contact Geoffrey Njue, Specialty Crops Field Specialist at 605-782-3290 or Geoffrey.njue@sdstate.edu.

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of yankton.net.

We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.

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Greenhouse Nutrition Workshop Offered

Basey, Samar recognized for nutrition effort

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

Monday, July 23, 2012

THE Philippine Association of Nutrition (PAN) awarded Basey, Samar for its outstanding implementation of Pabasa sa Nutrisyon.

The award was received by Basey Municipal Nutrition Action Officer Praxedes Estorninos during the 65th PAN Annual Convention early this month held in Makati City.

Get updates on President Benigno Aquino III's address to nation.

The award was presented by Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Dr. Florentino Solon, former executive director of the Nutrition Center of the Philippines (NCP).

Estorninos said that the Pabasa has now covered all 51 barangays with participants ranging from 30 to 200 mothers, more than the target of only 10 to 12 audience.

The initiative kicked off in Barangay Magallanes last 2010 and the last village to hold its culmination rites next week is Barangay Palaypay.

Our conduct of Pabasa has been successful with the support of the municipal mayor and all members of the Municipal Council. They were present in graduation ceremonies in different barangays, Estorninos said.

The local nutrition official said that the Pabasa has contributed to the reduction of prevalence of malnutrition in the area from 22.3 percent in 2010 to 13.4 percent in 2012. Through sessions, mothers were able to know on how to arrest malnutrition using locally available food.

The National Nutrition Council Regional Program coordinator Carina Santiago said the Pabasa sessions is a participative gathering of mothers informally discussing health and nutrition, and encouraging each other to apply good health and nutrition practices in their homes.

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Basey, Samar recognized for nutrition effort

Exclusion of DNA in missing persons database draws criticism

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

Judy Peterson has been a proponent of such a database since her daughter, Lindsey Jill Nicholls, went missing in 1993.

I think the DNA databank is just the missing piece, she said from her home in Sidney, B.C. I believe it will happen, I just cant understand why its taking so long.

Ms. Peterson started a petition in 2003 called Lindseys Law, calling for DNA from missing persons and unidentified remains to be added to the National DNA Data Bank, which was set up in 2000 to help police with their investigations.

Melanie Alixs son Dylan Koshman went missing in Edmonton in October, 2008 and she too has been petitioning the government for such an addition to the data bank.

Id give my life to find my son, she said from her home in Moose Jaw, Sask.

Ms. Alix and her husband gave DNA samples to police in Edmonton after her sons disappearance, but they were not accessible to law enforcement in other provinces because there is no national DNA database for missing persons and unidentified remains.

Ray Boughen, Conservative MP from Saskatchewan, said that costs could be lowered if DNA from these cases was voluntarily incorporated into the existing database for convicted offenders and crime scenes.

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Exclusion of DNA in missing persons database draws criticism

Chinese students touring Midwest make Q-C stop

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

At age 13, Ruiyang Xiao already knows that when it is time for college, he will study biology or a science-related field.

Soft-spoken but not shy, modest but highly intelligent, Xiao said he loves biology, animals and entomology.

Speaking through an interpreter Sunday, Xiao was one of 24 elite students from China visiting Black Hawk College as part of an 18-day tour of the Midwest for credit in a natural resources studies course.

The course is being offered through the Environment & Public Health Network for Chinese Students and Scholars. The organization is a network that connects students, scholars, business and government institutions in China, the United States and other countries to improve the environment and public health.

The idea is to begin a 10-year relationship between the people of the Mississippi and Yangtze river basins using culture, conservation and commerce as diplomatic tools that support a renewal of the Shanghai Communique in 2022.

Mary Shuda of the Quad-City Chinese Association helped to plan the Quad-City leg of the trip for the students, who range in age from 13 to 17.

The educational program is called Rivers as Bridges. Shuda said the students will learn scientific procedures in field research, wet labs and hands-on experiments in natural resources sciences with study about air, water, biology, soil, fisheries, wildlife and wetlands.

This was Xiaos first trip to the United States. Ive been to Canada, Turkey and Malaysia, he added.

Im from Beijing, and got to go to the Olympics, Xiao said. His favorite sports are badminton, table tennis and basketball.

Yiyang Yu, 13, also from Beijing, is in the second year of middle school.

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Chinese students touring Midwest make Q-C stop

SL wins Silver, Bronze and Merit at IBO 2012

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

Priyanka Kurugala

Four Sri Lankan students won Silver, Bonze and Merit awards at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) 2012 concluded last week in Singapore.

Pramith Ruwanpathirana of Royal College, Colombo won a Silver, Prasan Thurul Warnakula of Joseph Vas College, Wennappuwa won a Bronze and Janidu Gunarathna of Royal College, Colombo and Madhushani Rodrigo of Vishaka Vidyalaya, Colombo secured Merit awards, Sri Lankan Biology Olympiad Coordinator, Institute of Biology, Prof Hiran Amarasekera said.

Over 230 pre-university Biology students and 205 jury members from 59 countries participated in the competition, he said.

Silver medallist, Pramith Ruwanpathirana obtained the best results in the Bio Science stream in the 2011 GCE A/L examination. Bronze medallist, Prasan Thurul Warnakula has not yet completed the GCE (A/L) examination. Other students intend to follow Medical degree courses in Sri Lanka.

The IBO is an internationally conducted competition, where students worldwide compete for medals. The first International Olympiad was held in Eastern Europe in 1959 in Mathematics.

The remaining disciplines are as follows: Physics (1967), Chemistry (1968) and Informatics in (1989). Biology had its first Olympiad in 1990. Science Olympiads as compared with sports are held annually and intended for secondary school students.

The level of questions is above the standard for secondary school education in the world. Theoretical/practical question papers are 5 hours long, each demanding persistence, determination and discipline.

Gold medals are awarded not only to the top achiever, but to the top 10 percent of participants. The Olympiad offers an opportunity for international exchange.

Students were selected out of 2,300 participants in the Sri Lankan Biology Olympiad competition, conducted by the Institute of Biology, in collaboration with Sri Lankan universities and the Education Ministry, in September last year. Professors Hiran Amarasekera and H G Nandadasa from the Sri Jayewardenepura University and Prof M J S Wijeyaratne from the Kelaniya University participated as jury members.

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SL wins Silver, Bronze and Merit at IBO 2012

What’s up with that job?

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

What does a biological technician actually do all day?

Working in a biology-related business or research facility, biological technicians help biologists conduct tests and procedures that involve living organisms and organic substances. The work can vary greatly: A biological technician might help a biologist in a university conducting genetic research or work for a pharmaceutical company developing a new medicine.

What kind of cash are we talking about here?

The national median wage for biological technicians is $39,480, or $18.76 per hour; in New York, pay is slightly higher. Entry-level wages are usually far lower; those with four-year degrees and seniority will earn more than $50,000 yearly.

What do you have to do to get this job?

A two-year associate degree or a four-year bachelors degree is required. You should have a solid background in chemistry, biology and math, and be very detail-oriented. Most biological technician jobs require proficiency with computers and other technological know-how. Completing an Internship while in school will increase the chances of employment after graduation.

Okay, tell me the bad part.

Some of the duties for entry-level biological technician jobs are rote and not terribly exciting. Biological technicians often work with toxic materials, chemicals, infectious organisms and even radioactive materials, all of which carry risks.

Whats the upside?

Biological technicians may be involved with projects on the cutting edge of biological discovery and scientific advancement. Most technicians work more independently after a few years on the job, and can advance to supervisory positions.

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What’s up with that job?

Zetasizer µV Used In Measuring Protein Structural Transition

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

National Autonomous University of Mexico uses dynamic light scattering for allosteric transition characterization

Using the Zetasizer V dynamic light scattering (DLS) system from Malvern Instruments, Professor Mario L. Calcagno and his team at the Biochemistry Department of the Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico (UNAM, the National Autonomous University of Mexico) have been able to distinguish allosteric transition [structural rearrangements] in a single E. coli protein. Characterizing protein allostery is challenging because of its sensitivity to experimental conditions, however, a quantitative description of allosteric transition is important in understanding and controlling metabolic and other biochemical processes.

We use the Zetasizer V to characterize the size of proteins and how they interact to produce multimeric forms or even supramolecular arrangements of the protein such as viral capsids [shells], said Dr Ismael Bustos-Jaimes, from Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Protein Engineering at UNAM commented The Zetasizer V allows us to work with sizes in the range of 1 nm to 500 nm and follow each assembly and stability parameter, such as pH, temperature and ionic strength, guiding us to the optimal production conditions for these virus-like particles.

The sensitivity of the Zetasizer V has additionally allowed my colleague, Prof Calcagno, to analyze allosteric transitions explained Dr Bustos-Jaimes. The size of the hexameric glucosamine-6-phosphate deaminase protein from E. coli changes its shape to a more compact form upon allosteric-activator binding, and this change can be measured.

The Zetasizer V software is user-friendly and in addition to measuring particle size it delivers information about the quality of sample preparation. This is very important when you work with molecules which are prone to uncontrolled aggregation, said Dr Bustos-Jaimes.

The UNAM team studies allosteric transitions and the assembly of virus-like particles (VLPs) for use in diagnostics and disease control. VLPs are biological nanoparticles that resemble natural viruses but contain no genetic material. As non-infective agents, they are suitable for use in the analysis of viral infection mechanisms, vaccine production, tissue-specific drug delivery and as biological nanomaterials.

The Zetasizer V is part of a range of Zetasizer dynamic light scattering systems from Malvern Instruments. For more information, visit http://www.malvern.com/zetasizer

About Malvern Instruments Malvern Instruments is a market leader in measuring performance controlling material properties. These include particle size, particle shape, zeta potential, molecular weight, size and conformation, rheological properties and chemical identification. Malvern delivers the systems, support and expertise that ensure the analytical integrity and productivity needed to drive research, development and manufacturing.

Malverns measurement solutions for scientists, technologists and engineers advance continually through customer collaboration. Complementary materials characterization systems deliver inter-related measurements that reflect the complexities of particulates and disperse systems, nanomaterials and macromolecules. Combining intelligently implemented technologies with in-depth industry applications knowledge and support, Malvern provides customers with the competitive advantage they demand.

Headquartered in Malvern, UK, Malvern Instruments has subsidiary organizations in all major European markets, North America, China, Japan and Korea, a joint venture in India, a global distributor network and applications laboratories around the world. For more information, visit http://www.malvern.com

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Zetasizer µV Used In Measuring Protein Structural Transition

DNA access may bring only disappointment

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

Kiwis who want instant access to the secrets of their DNA may be disappointed, researchers have warned - but the future for those with rare diseases is far brighter.

Otago University student and former Wanaka farmer Steve Anderson wants to become the first New Zealander to have his full genetic coding recorded and given to him.

Anderson said he had been told the analysis of more than three billion pieces of information could be presented on about 30 compact discs.

The 57-year-old said his request was inspired by an interest in the ageing process and made possible by the steadily decreasing cost of genetic coding.

"If you think back years ago, it took millions of dollars to study one genome, now, it's only thousands of dollars, and you can do so much more."

Anderson said the data he collected could be put to good use in the future as the field of genetic research developed.

"Imagine if you could pull up your DNA coding, look at a certain expression of genes and use them to make you healthier, or know about something you're going to get in the future."

Auckland University associate professors Cristin Print and Andrew Shelling, who both work in the field of genetic research, said other Kiwis had had their genomes sequenced, but the scale of Anderson's request was unique.

Ordinary people who wanted revelations from their DNA were likely to be disappointed, they said.

While the mapping could be "life-changing" for those with rare diseases or families with genetic problems, Shelling said most people were unlikely to benefit significantly from the information.

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DNA access may bring only disappointment

DNA not used in new database for missing persons and unidentified remains

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

Judy Peterson has been a proponent of such a database since her daughter, Lindsey Jill Nicholls, went missing in 1993.

I think the DNA databank is just the missing piece, she said from her home in Sidney, B.C. I believe it will happen, I just cant understand why its taking so long.

Peterson started a petition in 2003 called Lindseys Law, calling for DNA from missing persons and unidentified remains to be added to the National DNA Data Bank, which was set up in 2000 to help police with their investigations.

Melanie Alixs son Dylan Koshman went missing in Edmonton in October 2008 and she, too, has been petitioning the government for such an addition to the data bank.

Id give my life to find my son, she said from her home in Moose Jaw, Sask.

Alix and her husband gave DNA samples to police in Edmonton after her sons disappearance, but they were not accessible to law enforcement in other provinces because there is no national DNA database for missing persons and unidentified remains.

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DNA not used in new database for missing persons and unidentified remains

Researchers produce first complete computer model of an organism

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

ScienceDaily (July 21, 2012) In a breakthrough effort for computational biology, the world's first complete computer model of an organism has been completed, Stanford researchers reported last week in the journal Cell.

A team led by Markus Covert, assistant professor of bioengineering, used data from more than 900 scientific papers to account for every molecular interaction that takes place in the life cycle of Mycoplasma genitalium, the world's smallest free-living bacterium.

By encompassing the entirety of an organism in silico, the paper fulfills a longstanding goal for the field. Not only does the model allow researchers to address questions that aren't practical to examine otherwise, it represents a stepping-stone toward the use of computer-aided design in bioengineering and medicine.

"This achievement demonstrates a transforming approach to answering questions about fundamental biological processes," said James M. Anderson, director of the National Institutes of Health Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives. "Comprehensive computer models of entire cells have the potential to advance our understanding of cellular function and, ultimately, to inform new approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of disease."

The research was partially funded by an NIH Director's Pioneer Award from the National Institutes of Health Common Fund.

From information to understanding

Biology over the past two decades has been marked by the rise of high-throughput studies producing enormous troves of cellular information. A lack of experimental data is no longer the primary limiting factor for researchers. Instead, it's how to make sense of what they already know.

Most biological experiments, however, still take a reductionist approach to this vast array of data: knocking out a single gene and seeing what happens.

"Many of the issues we're interested in aren't single-gene problems," said Covert. "They're the complex result of hundreds or thousands of genes interacting."

This situation has resulted in a yawning gap between information and understanding that can only be addressed by "bringing all of that data into one place and seeing how it fits together," according to Stanford bioengineering graduate student and co-first author Jayodita Sanghvi.

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Researchers produce first complete computer model of an organism

Dr. Mao's Wellness Living: Cooling The Burning Fire Of Heartburn

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ev1

Courtesy Photo

Does the inside of your chest feel like Dantes inferno? This scorching sensation, known as heartburn, plagues roughly 20 percent of Americans at least once a week.

Over time, chronic heartburn can develop into the more serious gastritis or esophagitis, in which the lining of the stomach or esophagus erodes and ulcerates.

If you want to put out the flames, try the following natural remedies so you can tell the heat to hit the road!

Sizzling Symptoms

Heartburn often appears after a meal and can last for several hours. When we eat, our stomach acid increases, so excessive food and liquid can increase stomach acid that backs up into your esophagus.

This creates a scalding sensation behind the breastbone, which is often accompanied by the following:

-- burning in the throat or a hot, sour, acidic taste at the back of the throat

-- difficulty swallowing

-- chronic cough, sore throat, or hoarseness Seek immediate help if you experience severe chest pain, especially when accompanied by jaw or arm pain, or difficulty breathing. What Lights Your Fire? Trigger Foods

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Dr. Mao's Wellness Living: Cooling The Burning Fire Of Heartburn

Digital Pathology FAQs

Posted on July 22, 2012 by ev1

Courtesy of the Digital Pathology Association.

Answers to many key questions you may have been afraid of asking.

1. Q: Is digital pathology FDA approved for primary diagnosis?

A: No, digital pathology is not FDA approved for primary diagnosis. However, several manufacturers have received 510(k) clearances or specific uses. Please refer to theregulatory page for more information.

2. Q: What CPT codes can apply to digital pathology?

A: (Reference chart below)

CPT CODE(S)	DESCRIPTION	DIGITAL PATHOLOGY APPLICATION
88300-88309	Accession, examination, and reporting of gross and microscopic	Primary Diagnosis preformed on whole slide images*
88321	Consultation and report on referred slides prepared elsewhere	Second opinion consultations preformed on whole slide images
88323	Consultation and report on referred material requiring preparation of slides	Second opinion consultations on whole slide images
88329, 88331, 88332	Pathology consultation during surgery, frozen section	Frozen section consultation preformed via live telepathology or on whole slide images
88360, 88361	Morphometric analysis, tumor immunohistochemistry (eg. Her-2/neu, ER/PR), quantitative or semiquantitative, each antibody, manual or using computer assisted technology	Manual or computer- assisted analysis of HER2, ER/PR, Ki-67, p53, etc**
88365, 88367, 88368	In situ hybridization (eg. FISH), morphometric analysis (quantitative or semi-quantitative), manual or using computer assisted technology for each probe	Manual or computer assisted analysis of FISH*

*No manufacturers at this time are FDA approved for primary diagnosis. Refer to the Regulatory page for more information.
** Some manufacturers have obtained 510(k) clearances for manual and/or quantitative analysis of Immunohistochemistry and/or FISH. Please refer to the 510(k) clearance list [link to page] and the Regulatory page for more information.

3. Q: Do I need to validate my digital pathology system for clinical use?
A: It is recommended by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), a CLIA accredited organization, that all institutions or practices considering the implementation of digital pathology for clinical diagnostic purposes must carry out their own validation. For more information please refer to the Regulatory page.

4. Q: Do I need to preform a validation if I am only doing the professional component (PC) of the diagnosis?

A: It is recommended by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), a CLIA accredited organization, that all institutions or practices considering the implementation of digital pathology for clinical diagnostic purposes must carry out their own validation. However, it is up to the institution or practice who has implemented the digital pathology system to determine the scope of the validation study; specifically what will and will not be included as an intended use. Refer to the institution preforming the technical component (TC) for information on their validation of the digital pathology system and weather it is validated for the professional component (PC) of a primary or secondary diagnosis.

5. Q: How can digital pathology benefit patients?
A: Often pathologists do not meet the patients they serve. However, digital pathology provides the tools and innovation necessary to bridge the gap between a patient, their diagnosis, and their pathologist. Digital pathology can illustrate and document key findings within a patient diagnosis to promote better communication between pathologists, other physicians, and patients. Examples include a digital image imbedded into the pathology report, the delivery of a prognostic score based on computer assisted quantitative analysis, whole slide images of a patient case being discussed at a tumor board, or simply improving the turnaround time of a patient diagnosis.

6. Q: Is viewing a whole slide image on a computer monitor the same as viewing a glass slide under a microscope?
A: Many pathologists believe the viewing experience of a whole slide image is better then a microscope. When you look through the eye pieces of a microscope you have a limited field of view and can only view one slide. With digital pathology you can see more slides and more of the tissue all at once. In addition you can move the slide around, change objectives, and even focus up and down through the tissue - just like a microscope!

7. Q: What is the file size of a whole slide image and how should they be managed?
A: Most scanners support capture resolutions of 0.5 microns/pixel (effective viewing magnification: 20X) or 0.275 microns per pixel (effective viewing magnification: 40X). The image file associated with a 20X scan of a 15mmx20mm tissue specimen is as large as 3.6GB and a 40X scanned image can be as large as 14.5GB. The images are compressed to more manageable sizes (25:1 compression or greater) such that there is an optimization between image quality, image file size, network bandwidth usage, and server and client resource utilization. For example, the 20X scan could be stored in a JPEG2000-compression file of size 144MB. The 40X image described above could be stored in a JPEG2000-compressed file of size 576MB. Digital Pathology images are about 10X that of Radiology images and will require more storage management through their useful life cycle. For more information on how they should be managed please refer to the DPA white paper “Archival and Retrieval in Digital Pathology Systems.”

8. Q: Is cloud (SaaS) storage secure and fast for digital pathology?
A: Yes, cloud technology or Storage as a Service (SaaS) is growing in popularity and offers some significant benefits for primary storage and for replication of data. Cloud based storage can lower storage costs, maintain or improve security and data integrity including HIPPA compliance, improve flexibility, and expand capacity when capacity resources are strained. More information on cloud replication of data is provided in the DPA white paper “Archival and Retrieval in Digital Pathology Systems.”

9. Q: Are whole slide images DICOM compatible?
A: Yes, however digital pathology solution manufacturers must support DICOM Supplement 145: Whole Slide Microscopic Image IOD and SOP Classes, finalized by the DICOM Standards Committee, and Working Group 26 for Pathology in 2010.

10. Q: Is digital pathology HIPAA compliant?
A: The metadata associated with a whole slide image, but not the whole slide image itself, can contain protected health information (PHI) which is at the center of HIPAA compliancy. However, most digital pathology manufacturers can support a HIPAA compliant solution by encrypting PHI sensitive metadata such as slide labels, hospital / patient / case / specimen information, etc. Furthermore, procedures must be in place to protect PHI within the digital pathology system to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to the computer system.

11. Q: How long does it take to scan a glass slide?
A: Scan time is calculated by the time it takes to acquire the high resolution whole slide image of the tissue represented on the glass slide; most manufacturers have scan times under 3 minutes a slide. Scan time will typically include the overview image, focus, and acquisition of the whole slide image at either 0.5 microns/pixel (effective viewing magnification: 20X) or 0.275 microns per pixel (effective viewing magnification: 40X). Scan time does not take into account post processing time, which is the time it may take to compress the image and transfer the image to a data management solution for viewing of the whole slide image remotely. Other variables that contribute to variation in scan time include tissue size, capture resolution, if z-plane scanning is added, brightfield versus fluorescence, and the manufacturers specification since scan time will vary from scanner to scanner.

12. Q: Can whole slide images be integrated with my Laboratory Information System (LIS) or a snapshot put into my pathology report?
A: Yes, the current state of integration between digital pathology systems (DPS) and anatomic pathology laboratory information systems (APLIS) provide pathologists with access to images and image analysis data from within the APLIS or the DPS. This information is then available to the Patient Report. More detailed information on this topic can be found in the DPA white paper “Interoperability between Anatomic Pathology Laboratory Information Systems and Digital Pathology Systems.”

Source:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/DigitalPathologyBlog

Telemedicine bill enables VA providers to practice across state lines

Posted on July 22, 2012 by ev1

Courtesy of FierceHealthIT

By Dan Bowman Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Telemedicine services for veterans get a shot in the arm in a new bipartisan supported bill introduced in the House last week.

The bill--the Veterans E-Health & Telemedicine Support (VETS) Act of 2012 (H.R. 6107)--would remove restrictions that currently prevent providers with the Department of Veterans Affairs from practicing across state lines if they aren't licensed in the same state as the patients they are treating. According to Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), who introduced the bill along with Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), veterans with mental health issues will benefit greatly from such a change.

"This bill enables the VA to expand key treatment services, including behavioral health, which is critical considering the department is facing increasing care demand and mounting provider shortages," Thompson said in a statement.

According to an announcement by Rangel, 11 other representatives have joined as co-sponsors of the bill, which also was endorsed by the American Telemedicine Association, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The bill was proposed on the heels of the VA's announcement last week that it was launching a three-year, $15 million pilot to test the potential of providing long-distance specialty training and support to rural primary care providers who treat veterans, a program dubbed Specialty Care Access Network-Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (SCAN-ECHO).

Last month, the VA announced that it has set a goal of providing 200,000 remote consultations in 2012 through videoconferencing. And earlier in the year, the VA announced that it no longer would charge veterans a co-payment for any telehealth services.

To learn more:
- read the proposed bill (.pdf)
- here's Thompson's announcement
- here's Rangel's announcement

Read more about: Department of Veterans Affairs, telemedicine

Source:
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Going glass to digital: virtual microscopy as a simulation-based revolution in pathology and laboratory science

Posted on July 22, 2012 by ev1

Recent review article on whole slide imaging/virtual microscopy for use in education.

Abstract

The recent technological advance of digital high resolution imaging has allowed the field of pathology and medical laboratory science to undergo a dramatic transformation with the incorporation of virtual microscopy as a simulation-based educational and diagnostic tool. This transformation has correlated with an overall increase in the use of simulation in medicine in an effort to address dwindling clinical resource availability and patient safety issues currently facing the modern healthcare system. Virtual microscopy represents one such simulation-based technology that has the potential to enhance student learning and readiness to practice while revolutionising the ability to clinically diagnose pathology collaboratively across the world. While understanding that a substantial amount of literature already exists on virtual microscopy, much more research is still required to elucidate the full capabilities of this technology. This review explores the use of virtual microscopy in medical education and disease diagnosis with a unique focus on key requirements needed to take this technology to the next level in its use in medical education and clinical practice.

J Clin Pathol doi:10.1136/jclinpath-2012-200665

¹The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
²The Israel Center for Medical Simulation, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
³Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Correspondence to: Dr Karim S Bandali, The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, 222 St Patrick Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1V4, Canada; kbandali@michener.ca