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Councillors in limbo over plan's longevity

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MARC GREENHILL

Key decisions on Christchurch's annual plan could become irrelevant once the Government's central-city blueprint is finished, councillors fear.

Annual plan hearings will begin tomorrow, but some councillors are still unsure what it will mean, with the Government-led Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU) blueprint not due for release until July.

Cr Yani Johanson said it was "pretty clear we're not in control here".

The Government was "basically going to tell us where things go and what they are", and the council would fund it, Johanson said. He said the CCDU blueprint should have been released before the draft annual plan was approved.

In emails to the Save Centennial Pool group, Cr Sally Buck said the CCDU had removed the council from central-city decision-making, and Cr Jamie Gough said it made sense to wait until the unit's plan was finalised.

Cr Aaron Keown said he was "comfortable" with council staff working with the unit.

"The central-city plan may skew things in the future, but let's see what it is before we criticise it," he said.

Save Centennial Pool spokeswoman Simone Pearson said the number of agencies involved in the central-city recovery had confused the public. "Up until now there have been no comments regarding the relationship between the draft central-city plan and the anchor projects plan. There's been no obvious connection made in the documentation," she said.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said the annual plan "does matter".

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Councillors in limbo over plan's longevity

Centenarians celebrate secrets to longevity

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COLLINGSWOOD Jen Brandt sought out younger friends. Julia Slimm was helped by good genes. And Phil Sheafer rarely missed a meal.

All three took different routes to cracking the century mark, and on Thursday they were among seven people here to celebrate their longevity at Collingswood Manor.

The retirement community provided a cake for its centenarians, their family members and friends. In turn, the members of the 100-year club shared their pasts and pondered their lifespans.

Honestly, I think I just have good genes, said Slimm, who has lived at the Manor for 15 of her 101 years. She enjoys the bus tours that are provided by the staff, as well as teaching crafts to other residents.

Sheafer, whos 100, was the only man in the group. His advice for a long life: Eat three meals a day.

Brandt, a lively 103, described the 1950s as her favorite decade.

They had a lot of good music, she recalled. Im a music person. I love all kinds.

Brandt, who recently took part in a fashion show at the Manor, had her own strategy for a full life. I always spent time with people younger than I was, she said. Maybe that had something to do with it.

The oldest of the bunch, Mabel Cordier, was born in 1903 in Philadelphia, making her 109 years old. The Haddon Avenue facility also is home to Millie Goodman, 100, and Thelma Chew, 101.

Cathy Anthony from Haddon Heights was at the celebration to honor her grandmother Marion Oldfield, who is to turn 100 in August. She never drank or smoke and was careful with her diet so I think that had a lot to do with it, Anthony said.

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Centenarians celebrate secrets to longevity

People’s Geographic Origins Traceable With New Genetic Method

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Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Genetics Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail;Medical Devices / Diagnostics Article Date: 29 May 2012 - 11:00 PDT

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The team, from the University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA) Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, UCLA's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Tel Aviv University, write about their work in a paper published online in Nature Genetics on 20 May.

The researchers hope their method, which they call "spatial ancestry analysis" or SPA, will increase understanding of genetic diversity among populations, which in turn helps us better understand human disease and evolution.

Research areas that may benefit from the new method include finding links between genetic variants and disease and locating parts of genomes that have been subject to positive selection.

SPA is a software tool for analyzing spatial structure in genetic data. It models genotypes in two- and three-dimensional space.

With SPA researchers can model the spatial distributon of each genetic variant. And in this study, the team showed that particular frequency patterns of spatial distribution of gene variants are tied to particular geographic locations.

For genetic variants the team used SNPs ("snips", short for single-nucleotide polymorphisms) from various parts of the genome, including "the well-characterized LCT region, as well as at loci including FOXP2, OCA2 and LRP1B".

An SNP is a DNA sequence variation where there is a single nucleotide (A, T, C or G) difference in the "spelling" of the sequence.

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People's Geographic Origins Traceable With New Genetic Method

Kinks, Bends & Repairs: DNA-Bending Protein Studied

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Newswise DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, forms a blueprint of life represented by billions of chemical "base-pairs." But mismatch just one of these complementary pairs, and the genetic code gets altered. While certain proteins can diffuse along DNA strands to search for damaged sites, how they find them -- and how quickly -- remain unanswered questions.

University of Illinois at Chicago physics professor Anjum Ansari hopes to find some answers, supported by a new five-year, $1.14 million National Science Foundation grant.

Ansari and her UIC laboratory team are studying two classes of DNA-bending proteins. One is a "damage recognition" protein that recognizes a mismatched base-pair, binds to that site, and then signals for helper proteins to gather and aid in the repair. The other protein is an enzyme that targets invader DNA, cutting it apart.

Ansari is collaborating with other researchers at UIC, University of Pittsburgh, Wesleyan University and Arizona State University to study different aspects of these proteins.

Ansari's lab is one of only a few equipped to monitor the dynamics of DNA bending in complex with these proteins on timescales ranging from several milliseconds down to as fast hundreds of nanoseconds -- or less than one-millionth of a second.

The instruments in her lab are designed to look at macromolecules as they change their shapes within this time window -- "which is precisely the time window in which proteins recognize their specific binding sites," she said.

Researchers have made measurements at the longer timescales on which proteins diffuse along DNA in search of target sites Ansari said, "but not much is known about the timescale of the recognition process, for virtually any protein."

Her lab's experiments "are designed to make time-resolved measurements of how a protein, when it reaches its target site, transforms the DNA from a conformation in which it is straight to one which is kinked and bent," Ansari said, and to "learn about the recognition mechanism by watching the dynamics -- or time scales -- on which this happens."

Many other biophysical questions about this protein-DNA interaction will be investigated by the team, including the presence of subtle kinks in DNA structure at the damage sites in the absence of a bound protein.

"Clearly, the kinked conformation of the DNA facilitates the [protein's] recognition that something is wrong at the site," Ansari said. "The question we're addressing is, 'Is it the protein that bends and kinks the DNA when it reaches that site?' Or does the DNA, on its own, have a propensity to adopt these locally bent conformations because there's a mismatch -- and the protein, when it is moving along on the DNA, recognizes that something is not right at certain spots?"

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Kinks, Bends & Repairs: DNA-Bending Protein Studied

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Garden fork held DNA of all slain siblings

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DNA samples consistent with all three murdered Singh siblings were detected on a garden fork that police found hidden in their family home's garage, a court heard today.

In Supreme Court in Brisbane, Justin Anthony Howes, a DNA expert from Brisbane's John Tonge Centre, said various major and minor DNA profiles consistent with Neelma Singh, Kunal Singh and Sidhi Singh were found on the front and back of the garden fork's tines.

Mr Howes was giving evidence on the 60th day of a trial in which Max Sica, 42, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Neelma Singh, 24, Kunal Singh, 18, and Sidhi Singh, 12, at Bridgeman Downs, on April 21, 2003.

Follow the Max Sica trial day-by-day here

The trial has heard police found the fork behind a barbecue in the garage several days after the murders.

Mr Howes explained that in various samples there was a major profile for each sibling on at least one occasion.

But in some others the minor profile could have been either Neelma or Sidhi because they were sisters.

Scientists had been unable to get any identifiable DNA from the fork's handle.

Mr Howes told the court bleach could have a major impact on the collection of DNA at crime scenes.

The trial has heard police alleged whoever killed the Singhs had tried to sterilise parts of the house with bleach.

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Garden fork held DNA of all slain siblings

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Brazil's President Signs Historic DNA Database Legislation Designed to Solve and Prevent Violent Crime

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Brazil's President Signs Historic DNA Database Legislation Designed to Solve and Prevent Violent Crime

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Grants further exploration of interface of physics, biology

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SANTA BARBARA Imagine being able to mathematically describe the process by which an embryo develops into an animal, assigning numbers to its every function and dysfunction. Such capability holds enormous implications for medicine, pointing to the potential for determining when and where things go developmentally awry and paving the way to possible solutions.

This sort of breakthrough is one of the long-term goals of theoretical physicists and experimental biologists at UC Santa Barbara, where the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP) is uniting researchers from the disparate disciplines in joint study. Two new grants, together totaling $2 million, are giving those interdisciplinary efforts a big boost.

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has awarded KITP $1.6 million for its ongoing interdisciplinary biology initiatives, including workshops, postdoctoral fellowships, and plans for a new summer program the Santa Barbara Advanced School for Quantitative Biology (SBASQB) aimed squarely at the interface of physics and biology. A $400,000 grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund will go exclusively toward the latter endeavor.

"We are profoundly grateful for the extraordinary gift from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, whose steadfast support of scientific research and the pursuit of knowledge in emerging fields is of vital importance. Their grant to KITP will be a tremendous boon to the institute's work at the interface of physics and biology," said Chancellor Henry T. Yang. "The remarkable generosity of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund provides another lasting benefit by helping to launch the Santa Barbara Advanced School for Quantitative Biology, an innovative, interdisciplinary new course with the potential for groundbreaking scientific discoveries."

Set to welcome its first class in 2013, SBASQB aspires to advance both physics and biology by unifying their practitioners in intensive summer study. Side-by-side in lectures and in the lab, researchers will explore subjects such as morphogenesis, embryology, microbial biology, and evolution. The new program is the brainchild of physics professor and permanent KITP member Boris Shraiman, and Joel Rothman, chair of UC Santa Barbara's Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology.

"We thank the Moore Foundation for their generosity and their vision in supporting a broader range of activities at the KITP, and we are delighted that, with our proposed course, we were able to rise to the challenge set by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund," Shraiman said.

"It really has been a dream to set up a course like SBASQB," Shraiman added. "It is a merger of two cultures drawing on the lab course tradition in biology and the workshop tradition in theoretical physics and it is going to be a rather unique combination of the two."

Describing SBASQB as the culmination of their shared vision to bring together theorists and experimentalists in an active lab setting, Shraiman and Rothman said the venture was largely inspired by the storied research program at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass., which boasts more than 50 Nobel laureates among its past participants.

What sets such courses apart, said Rothman who likes to think of SBASQB as a sort of "Woods Hole West" is the way they turn scientific convention on its head. The elite, intensive program will, on occasion, see graduate students and postdoctoral students serving as instructors to faculty; theorists engaging in lab work; experimentalists participating in theory-focused lectures; and instructors and students collaborating on experiments. Differentiating SBASQB from Woods Hole: The former will be built on the foundation of the KITP, grounded in the physical science community.

"There is a lot of exciting stuff going on at the interface of traditional, hard physical sciences and biology that I think will engender what really will be a new discipline," said Rothman, who served as Woods Hole summer faculty for 18 years, spending five years as course director. "A new generation of scientists who've had strong training in both realms will ultimately be creating the new departments of quantitative biology."

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Grants further exploration of interface of physics, biology

Modifying Behavior With A Protein

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Editor's Choice Main Category: Schizophrenia Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;Autism;Mental Health Article Date: 29 May 2012 - 16:00 PDT

Current ratings for: 'Modifying Behavior With A Protein'

Stored memories that we have experienced previously enable us to repeat certain tasks. For example, we remember certain routes that we have driven previously. However, when circumstances change and our usual route is blocked for some reason, we have to find an alternative way to get to our destination. These changes are possible due to our behavioral flexibility in order for us to complete the task and they are partially driven by protein synthesis, which produces experience-dependent changes in neural function and behavior.

In many people, this process is impaired, meaning they are unable to adjust their behavior when faced with different circumstances than those they are accustomed to. The researchers set out to investigate how protein synthesis is regulated during behavioral flexibility and decided to focus on the kinase PERK, an enzyme that regulates protein synthesis and that modifies eIF2alpha, a factor required for proper protein synthesis.

The team conducted an experiment in two groups of ordinary lab mice of which one group had the PERK enzyme and the other group did not. The mice had to navigate a water maze in which they had to lift themselves onto a platform to get out of the water. Both groups of mice accomplished to learn how to complete the task. The next step was to move the platform to a different location within the maze, which allowed the team to study the mice's behavioral flexibility in response to the change. The observed that the mice with PERK managed to locate the platform, whilst those lacking PERK were either unable to do so or it took them considerably longer to complete the task.

The researchers then decided to examine how PERK assists mice in terms of their behavioral flexibility. They conducted a second experiment, in which both normal and mice without PERK heard an audible tone followed by a mild foot shock. Both groups of mice developed a normal response of fear, i.e. they froze when hearing the tone, anticipating the foot shock. The team then removed the foot shock from the procedure so that the mice only heard the tone. After a while they observed that the normal mice adjusted their responses and did not freeze after hearing the tone anymore, whilst the mice lacking PERK continued to respond as if they expected a foot shock to follow.

In order to support their findings that the absence of PERK may contribute to impaired behavioral flexibility in human neurological disorders the team conducted postmortem analyses of human frontal cortex samples from patients afflicted with schizophrenia, who often exhibit behavioral inflexibility, as well as from healthy individuals. They discovered that the healthy individuals' samples had normal levels of PERK, whilst those from schizophrenic patients had considerably lower levels of the protein.

Eric Klann, a professor in NYU's Center for Neural Science, who co-authored the study, concluded:

Written By Petra Rattue Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

MLA

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Modifying Behavior With A Protein

Nestlé Reports New Accomplishments Toward Creating Shared Value in the United States

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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nestl in the United States today released its 2011 Creating Shared Value report detailing new accomplishments in the areas of nutrition, sustainable business practices, and economic and community development.

Among the ways Nestl creates shared value are by offering high-quality products, working to improve our environmental efficiency, providing stable jobs that contribute to our economic vitality, and remaining actively involved in our communities, said Heidi Paul, vice president, Corporate Affairs, Nestl Waters North America.

Creating Shared Value is Nestl's fundamental business strategy based on the belief that for a business to prosper in the long-term, it must create value for society as well as for shareholders. In the United States, Nestls largest market, the company creates value by providing quality products supported by an expertise in nutrition, health and wellness.

Nestl in the United States consists of five main businesses: Nestl USA, Nestl Purina PetCare Company, Nestl Waters North America, Nestl Nutrition and Nestl Professional. In 2011, its sales totaled $24 billion and the company now boasts seven billion-dollar brands in the United States. This year, Coffee-mate joins Stouffers, Lean Cuisine, DiGiorno, Nestl PureLife, Gerber and Friskies as billion dollar brands.

Below are some highlights of the latest Nestl in the United States annual Creating Shared Value report. To view the full report, please click here.

Good Food, Good Life: A Focus on Nutrition

Creating Shared Value for Sustainable Business Practices

Creating Shared Value in its Communities

About Nestl in the United States

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Nestlé Reports New Accomplishments Toward Creating Shared Value in the United States

Creative Edge Nutrition, Inc. Signs Distribution Deal

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ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwire -05/29/12)- Creative Edge Nutrition, Inc. (FITX.PK), a nutritional supplement company focusing on active lifestyles, announced today that it has signed a distribution deal with Fitness One, a leading online e-commerce site. Fitness One is a direct to consumer and a national and international supplement distribution company based in Michigan.

Science Defined Nutrition (SDN) and Cenergy will be one of the featured supplement lines in the Fitness One product offering. Fitness One represents other top nutrition manufacturers in the industry.

Bill Chaaban, Cenergy's CEO and Founder of Fitness One, stated, "We will be very strategic in our online and retail distribution partnerships. Our strategy is to identify companies that will focus on online marketing strategies and brand development. The demand for new innovative products will drive the SDN and Cenergy line of products in the U.S., and internationally through this online distribution presence and partnership with Fitness One. We will continue to aggressively grow and expand our presence in the sports nutrition marketplace through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions."

Jeff Thomas, Vice President of Distributor Relation and Brand Management, commented, "This was obviously one of the first distribution deals that we wanted to do as Fitness One have a major online presence and it is important that SDN and Cenergy establish its ecommerce product offerings to clients worldwide. This is the first of many distribution deals we will be announcing both in the retail and internet market expansion."

About Fitness One, Inc.Fitness One is a performance nutrition superstore, and a leading online e-commerce and worldwide distribution company and direct to consumer, specializing in nutritional supplements, vitamins, and other health products. http://www.fitnessone.com

About Creative Edge Nutrition, Inc. Creative Edge Nutrition is a holding company and a Nutritional Supplement Company focused on developing innovative, high quality supplements. The company offers a broad spectrum of capsules, tablets, and powders, as well as science-based products in the principal categories of weight management, nutrition challenges, energy and fitness. The Company manufactures under strict GMP guidelines at GMP Certified and/or FDA registered facilities. http://www.CenergyNutrition.com and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Creative-Edge-Nutrition-Inc/115224738609211

Safe Harbor Notice This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to financial results and plans for future development activities, and are thus prospective. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business and finances in general, including the ability to continue and manage its growth, competition, global economic conditions and other factors discussed in detail in the Company's periodic filings with the Security and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

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Newcastle University experts get £5m synthetic biology grant

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RESEARCHERS in the North East have been awarded a multi-million pound grant to develop new technology which could lead to breakthroughs for healthcare and the environment.

Experts at Newcastle University are playing a leading role in the new project, which has just secured almost 5m from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

The academics are looking to develop new technology in the emerging field of synthetic biology, with support from research teams at Imperial and Kings Colleges London, plus Cambridge and Edinburgh Universities.

Professor Anil Wipat, from the universitys school of computing science, is leading Newcastles side of the project.

He said: This work builds on ongoing cutting-edge work in the application of computing principles and technology to the design of novel, commercially valuable biological systems.

This is an unrivalled opportunity to develop the infrastructure necessary to produce new and useful innovations for medicine, agriculture and the environment.

The application of synthetic biology will both replace existing inefficient production processes and speed up the development of new processes and products for a wide range of industrial sectors, including chemical, biofuels and healthcare industries.

Newcastle University will play a major role in the project, leading the computational design and the development of industrially relevant bacterial strains. Announcing the grant, Science and Technology Minister David Willetts said: Synthetic biology could provide solutions to many of humanitys most pressing issues and at the same time presents significant growth opportunities.

This investment will lay the groundwork for the commercialisation of research, ensuring academics and industry can realise the full potential of this exciting area of science.

Another goal of the project is to create a UK infrastructure for synthetic biology that will be widely available to universities throughout the UK and beyond.

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Newcastle University experts get £5m synthetic biology grant

Leading RNA biologist René Ketting joins the Institute of Molecular Biology as Scientific Director

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29.05.2012 - (idw) Johannes Gutenberg-Universitt Mainz

Ketting will introduce C. elegans and the zebrafish as model systems at IMB to study mechanisms controlling development and disease The Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) appoints Professor Ren Ketting as its second Scientific Director. Ketting is a leading molecular biologist who will be focusing on the biology of non-coding RNAs. He will introduce C. elegans and the zebrafish as model systems at IMB to study mechanisms controlling development and disease.

For decades, RNAs have only been seen as intermediates in the production of proteins. However, the discovery of new classes of RNA which control the activity of genes has dramatically changed our view of these molecules. Professor Ren Ketting is one of the pioneers of this exciting, emerging area. His research focuses on so-called non-coding RNA (ncRNA), which he, with others, has shown to play a key role in embryonic development. Furthermore, errors in the control of gene activity by ncRNAs contribute to major diseases, such as cancer and heart failure.

Specifically, Ketting investigates three central aspects of ncRNA biology: (i) how certain ncRNAs are able to silence the expression of specific genes, (ii) how ncRNAs regulate the activity of genes by triggering changes to chromatin, i.e., the way the DNA is packaged, and (iii) how they act to stop transposons, short pieces of DNA that can jump within the genome, from moving. The movement of transposons has a major impact on the stability of our genetic material. Understanding how ncRNAs prevent such movement therefore provides important insights into how our genomes are maintained in a healthy state.

IMB's Founding Director, Professor Christof Niehrs, is enthusiastic about Ren Ketting joining IMB: "Ren's research perfectly complements the work already carried out at IMB. His recruitment significantly bolsters the IMB's expertise and international visibility in the field of RNA biology and will lead to many exciting collaborations." In addition to becoming a Director at IMB, Ketting has also been appointed as Professor within the Faculty of Biology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). "We are very glad to have succeeded in recruiting Professor Ren Ketting. His appointment brings an internationally renowned scientist to Mainz and further strengthens biological research at Mainz University," states Professor Georg Krausch, President of JGU.

"Professor Ketting's appointment marks another important step in establishing IMB as an international beacon of research in the life sciences. We are very happy that IMB could attract a scientist of such caliber from abroad and are confident that the search for a further scientific director will be equally successful", says Otto Boehringer, chairman of the Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation. To mark the 125th anniversary of the company Boehringer Ingelheim in 2010, the foundation pledged itself to donate 100 million for the scientific running of IMB.

The Institute for Molecular Biology gGmbH (IMB) The Institute of Molecular Biology gGmbH (IMB) is a new center of excellence in the life sciences. It was established in March 2011. Research at IMB concentrates on three cutting-edge areas: epigenetics, developmental biology, and DNA repair. The institute is a prime example of a successful collaboration between public authorities and a private foundation. The Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation has dedicated 100 million for a period of 10 years to cover the operating costs for research at IMB, while the state of Rhineland-Palatinate provided approximately 50 million for the construction of a state-of-the-art building

The Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation The Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization committed to the promotion of the medical, biological, chemical, and pharmaceutical sciences. It was established in 1977 by Hubertus Liebrecht, a member of the shareholder family of the company Boehringer Ingelheim. jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $("fb_share").attr("share_url") = encodeURIComponent(window.location); });

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Leading RNA biologist René Ketting joins the Institute of Molecular Biology as Scientific Director

Senior Nutrition Program serves 60,000 meals

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Editor's note: This is the next in a series of articles about the member agencies of the United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley.

MARIETTA - The Senior Nutrition Program offered through Washington-Morgan Community Action served about 60,000 meals last year through its home-bound meal deliveries and congregate nutrition sites.

The nutrition program receives funding from the United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley.

Carrie McNamee, director of Senior and Community Services at Community Action, said the program offers six congregate nutrition sites, which include five in Washington County and one in Morgan County.

The sites are: Marietta, O'Neill Senior Center, Fourth and Scammel streets; New Matamoras, Carrol Senior Center, 606 Broadway Ave.; Lower Salem, Lower Salem Village Hall; Beverly, John Dodge Senior Center, 218 Fourth St.; McConnelsville, Reicker Building, 155 E. Main St.; Layman, Layman United Methodist Church, Brownrigg Road; and Belpre, Rockland United Methodist Church, 2300 Washington Blvd.

Food is prepared at the O'Neill Senior Center in Marietta from Monday through Friday, with 400 meals prepared daily, which includes the congregate meals and the program's home-delivered meals, McNamee said.

The program is for seniors over the age of 60 for the congregate sites and age 60 and over and homebound for the delivered meals. There are no income guidelines and while a $3 donation is requested for the meals, they will still be provided if a person can't pay, McNamee said.

Both programs have grown over the years, but the limiting factor is funding, she said. There is a waiting list with over 100 people on it for the home-delivered meals, but the program doesn't have enough money to expand the service further at this time.

Depending on the season, the congregate sites may have between five to 25 people who come in for the meals.

"We always have more and more people that are needing services as our population ages, especially here in Washington County," she said.

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Senior Nutrition Program serves 60,000 meals

Canvas to canvass for nutrition cause Vidya to unveil exhibition

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Glamour and creativity will come together on Tuesday evening to raise awareness for a worthy cause fighting the ills of malnutrition.

Along with King Khan and his Knights, the city on Tuesday will play host to its very own Vidya Bidya Bagchi Balan, who will inaugurate a special exhibition of artwork by 14 eminent Calcutta-based artists at the Oberoi Grand.

The exhibition, under the Art for Nutrition banner, is part of the Horlicks Aahar Abhiyan initiative launched by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare in association with NGO Child In Need Institute (CINI), The Telegraph and Anandabazar Patrika.

The list of participating artists reads like a whos who of the Calcutta art circuit: Aditya Basak, Atin Basak, Bimal Kundu, Jogen Chowdhury, Kingshuk Sarkar, Partha Dasgupta, Pradip Maitra, Rabin Mondal, Reshmi Bagchi Sarkar, Samir Aich, Shuvaprasanna, Sreyashi Chatterjee, Subrata Gangopadhyay, and Sumitro Basak. Twelve of them have contributed a painting each, while Chowdhury has given four. Kundu has contributed a sculpture.

Vidya, who has taken up the cause, will unveil each artwork at the exhibition.

This (campaign) is close to my heart because I believe that nutrition is a basic need. And Horlicks is such a part of our culture, its one of the oldest brands in the country. And of course, it gives me a chance to come back to my hometown, Calcutta, the actress told Metro.

Across the world, government efforts to increase awareness about social and health issues are being supplemented by the private sector, said Shuvaprasanna. I was happy to learn that an initiative on malnutrition was being taken in Bengal. This will benefit society in the long run. The seeds of the perils of a malnourished life have been sown in the minds of children who were asked to paint on the subject. They will grow up to be volunteers and leaders in the campaign, extending a helping hand to their less privileged brothers. Approaching slums and tea gardens with messages about the need for nutritious food, which will be within their means, may improve the quality of life there.

Most of the artwork that will be displayed at the exhibition are on the mother and child theme and aims to raise awareness about the need for right nutrition for children.

The proceeds from the exhibition will go to CINI for the implementation of the Horlicks Aahar Abhiyan, which aims to tackle malnutrition in the state.

CINI has identified two target areas for the first phase of implementation the Mazdoorpara slums in ward 66 and the Chamrapatti slums in ward 65 of Calcutta and the tea gardens of Dhupguri block in Jalpaiguri district. Their plan of action includes launching awareness workshops, monitoring the health and weight of children in the target areas, training local employees and working with the Integrated Child Development Services centres.

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Canvas to canvass for nutrition cause Vidya to unveil exhibition

Clay Buchholz Leans on Improved Changeup to Finally Provide Stability, Longevity in Start

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BOSTON -- Following his last start, Clay Buchholz promised stronger results.

After surrendering at least five runs in seven starts, the right-hander wanted to reward the Red Sox' offense for its run support. Buchholz aimed to accomplish the goal by providing stability and longevity moving forward.

Sunday's outing was a strong beginning toward ensuring that. Although he didn't receive a decision in the 4-3 loss to the Rays, Buchholz enjoyed his longest and best start, going seven innings while striking out a season-high six batters. He allowed just two runs.

"I've been able to start trusting [my changeup] again and start throwing it like I have in the past instead of trying to baby it, guide it and throw it for a strike," Buchholz said. "It's been just trying to throw a fastball with a different grip right now, and that's when it's at its best."

The first run Buchholz yielded was a byproduct of Adrian Gonzalez's inexperience in the outfield. When Matt Joyce roped a double into right field, Gonzalez fielded it cleanly, but he misfired on the cutoff throw to second base.

As a result of the fourth-inning error, Joyce advanced to third and ultimately scored on Ben Zobrist's groundout. Buchholz was still able to avoid the kind of big inning that has plagued him for the majority of April and May.

"I was very encouraged," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said. "He looked good. He gave up that second run and he was still throwing pretty good. I thought we were going to pull that one out and get him what he deserved. I thought he deserved a win."

But Buchholz at least emerged with confidence. He tallied a season-high in pitches (111) and innings while matching lows in runs and walks (one), key components to regaining his old form.

"The big thing was I stayed out of the middle of the plate for the most part," Buchholz said. "When I missed, I missed off -- either away or in. I felt like I was able to throw almost all my pitches for strikes at some point during the game. I felt this good my past three starts, just hadn't had the results."

Behind the backstop, Jarrod Saltalamacchia credit Buchholz's smooth start to the hurler's changeup. By leaning on the pitch, Buchholz was able to routinely induce weak contact from Tampa Bay's hitters.

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DNA rape case evidence 'flawed'

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DNA expert Professor Angela Van Daal leaves court. Picture: Campbell Brodie Source: The Advertiser

THE case against a man accused of rape is built on inflated DNA evidence and flawed statistics, a court has heard.

Prosecutors claim Peter Tasman Cannell raped an elderly woman in her home and escaped detection for 17 years. A DNA sample, they claim, proves there is a 600-billion-to-1 chance of anyone other than Cannell being the rapist.

Yesterday, Bond University forensics expert Associate Professor Angela van Daal told the District Court that statistic was unreliable.

Giving evidence on Cannell's behalf, she said Forensic Science SA had not revealed its "confidence interval" - an expression, as a percentage, of faith in its conclusion. She said the odds of Cannell being the rapist could drop between 20 and 40 per cent once that figure was included in calculations.

"The confidence interval takes into account the number of people in the database ... one with 100 or 200 people isn't going to give the same confidence as one with 1000 or one million people," Prof van Daal said.

"That is a very fundamental concept of statistics, something that any student would have done ... it's very elementary.

"Any estimate can, obviously, be incorrect ... given you do not know the true answer, it's important to determine the confidence had in the estimate."

Cannell, 41, of Victoria, has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of burglary.

Prosecutors have alleged he raped a woman, 81, in her Wright St home in October 1993. The victim suffered extensive injuries requiring six weeks in hospital.

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DNA rape case evidence 'flawed'

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'No DNA' on two Michaela accused

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28 May 2012 Last updated at 06:12 ET

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BBC reporter Natasha Sayee has sent this report from the Mauritian capital Port Louis

The trial of two men charged with the murder of Michaela McAreavey has heard that no DNA from either of the accused was found in her hotel room in Mauritius or on her body.

Mrs McAreavey, a 27-year-old teacher, was found dead during her honeymoon at the Legends Hotel in January 2011.

Hotel workers Avinash Treebhoowoon, 30, and Sandip Moneea, 42, deny murder.

On Monday, the court heard evidence from an Oxfordshire-based forensic scientist.

Susan Woodroffe examined samples from Mrs McAreavey's body, as well as swabs taken from the hotel room.

The scientist, who is a prosecution witness, said that the results of her tests revealed "no specific indication" of DNA from either of the accused.

An additional key card for the couple's room was also examined and was found to contain the DNA of Dassen Naraynen, a security guard at the Legend's Hotel who was charged with conspiracy to murder in the days after the killing.

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'No DNA' on two Michaela accused

Posted in DNA

Missing kids: Perception, reality

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By Kenneth V. Lanning, Special to CNN

updated 5:07 PM EDT, Fri May 25, 2012

National Missing Children's Day is based on the case of Etan Patz.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Editor's note: Kenneth V. Lanning, a consultant in crimes against children, was a special agent with the FBI for more than 30 years and was assigned to the FBI Behavioral Science Unit at the FBI Academy for 20 of those years.

(CNN) -- May 25, National Missing Children's Day, is a day on which we honor and remember missing children. This date was chosen specifically because it is the date in 1979 when 6-year-old Etan Patz went missing on his way to school in New York.

The Patz case has resurfaced as a result of some potential new leads and an arrest that hopefully will result in the case finally being solved. I have the greatest respect and empathy for the parents of Etan, who are going through what is clearly one of the greatest nightmares any parent can experience -- never again seeing and not knowing what happened to one's own child.

Just as the Lindbergh case in the 1930s became a landmark case for increased national awareness concerning ransom kidnapping, the Patz case became a landmark case for increased national awareness concerning "stranger abduction." Each of these cases played a major role in creating laws, but they also fueled some confusing stereotypes.

Kenneth V. Lanning

When I joined the FBI in 1970 and someone talked about child abduction, you immediately assumed it was a ransom-motivated case. In less than 20 years, the attitude drastically changed to almost immediately assuming any child abduction involved a sexual predator. Either assumption is obviously not always correct.

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Missing kids: Perception, reality

Di’Anno Wants Former Iron Maiden Bandmate To Undergo Stem Cell Therapy Recap

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Burr, the drummer with Maiden from 1979 until 1982, has been in a wheelchair as a result of multiple sclerosis, which has been attacking his nervous system since before he was diagnosed in 2002.

MS reduces the ability of the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other, resulting in a wide range of potentially severe symptoms. The cause is unknown and there is no cure; but in 2009 researchers made the first breakthrough in reversing symptoms through stem cell therapy.

Di'Anno tells Talking Metal Pirate Radio Burr's condition is "not very good at all." - He had a lot to say, read it here.

Classic Rock Magazine is an official news provider for antiMusic.com. Copyright Classic Rock Magazine- Excerpted here with permission.

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Di'Anno Wants Former Iron Maiden Bandmate To Undergo Stem Cell Therapy Recap

Nutrition — in a nutshell

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THE K FACTOR Coconut water is rich in potassium Photo: A. Roy Chowdhury

It's described as Nature's energiser, thirst-quencher and even life enhancer! If thats not enough tender coconut water has many health benefits

Huffington Post reports that tender coconut water packed, of course is America's latest health craze. The marketing strategy, it says, has been to dub the drink as nature's sports drink and life enhancer. And it has hit its mark with celebrities who have replaced their acai berry drinks and Kabbalah water with cartons of coconut water. Vita Coco and Zico are the major sellers, says the report, adding, as fads go the U.S. coconut water industry went from zero to $35 million. It then asks: But with a price tag of $2-3 for a typical 11 fl. ounce pack (about 10 sips), is it really worth paying top dollar for, well, top water?

Ilaneer has climbed to similar price levels after the Thane havoc in coastal Tamil Nadu. But sellers aren't complaining about stocks going waste. That is because we have always known of ilaneer's thirst-quenching, energy-restoring abilities.

Coconut water is full of electrolytes, says Nirmala Jesudasan, consultant dietician, Cherian Heart Foundation. It's helps replenish body salts after sweating, and is good support material for nutrition. There are records of people surviving only on coconut water for days. Dieters must love it. It has little sugar, little cholesterol and no fat, she says.

Packed with potassium

What makes the drink a star is its K factor. You eat fruits and veggies to get your potassium, while a glass of coconut water has 569 mg of this mineral which is almost twice the amount in a banana. Potassium tends to regulate blood pressure by counteracting the stimulating effects of sodium, of which it contains only 160 mg. This in turn helps to prevent problems like stroke, heart attack and hangovers. Compare this to 14 fl. oz. of a standard sports drink, which contains 52.5 mg of potassium and 192.5 mg of sodium. So we have no quarrel with the ad blitz calling coconut water Mother Nature's answer to dehydration.

Health on a budget.com claims coconut water is anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. A 2008 research study showed that coconut water contains peptides (small proteins) that can kill bacteria. It helps relieve stomach upsets, protects against ulcer-causing bacteria H. pylori. Its answers for why coconut water? include ilaneer's ability to dissolve kidney stones, bring stress relief (small amounts of B vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B-6 and folate play a crucial role in lowering anxiety, depression and stress), hangover relief, weight loss (naturally isotonic, increases metabolism) and detoxification.

Chinemere Onuekwusi of Yahoo! Contributor Network believes coconut water stops all kinds of adverse drug reactions. Its sodium+potassium+magnesium composition makes it a good substitute for saline-glucose, he writes. Coconut water is germ-free (pyrogen free: a substance that causes fever). It has been found very useful for natural oral re-hydration therapy (ORT). It is on record that coconut water if taken during feverish conditions reduces fever, he says. It is also known to calm nervous and emotional imbalances. Taking coconut water regularly aids in flushing the liver, since it contains lauric acid that has anti-microbial properties.

Over-hyped, say some. You can get some of these benefits from other fruits and vegetables, they argue. Liz Applegate, Director, Sports Nutrition at UC-Davis isn't sold on coconut water as a post-exercise drink. Its high-potassium-low-sodium combo isn't ideal, she said. When you sweat, you lose a lot more sodium than potassium. Plain water does the job just as well, notes Samir Zakhari, Ph.D., Director, Division of Metabolism and Health Effects, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The kidneys preserve electrolytes when we drink, so there's no need to replace the electrolytes with coconut water. Also, there's no scientific evidence that coconut water has anti-aging and kidney health properties. Nor will it cure cancer and hypertension. If you have a kidney problem, consult a doctor about ilaneer intake, said Dr. Nirmala. And there is no truth in the belief that it improves skin texture.

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Nutrition — in a nutshell