Author Archives: ev1

#111 Top 10 APPS – Best of The Week – Longevity Chive Simi – Video

Posted on by

26-03-2012 19:54 App List 1. Super Bokeh Wallpaper 1:44 market.android.com 2. Slider Widget 2:03 market.android.com 3. Longevity 2:43 market.android.com 4. Andmade Share 4:27 market.android.com 5. Call Actions 5:27 market.android.com 6. theCHIVE 6:27 market.android.com 7. CameraMX 7:43 market.android.com 8. Camera ICS 9:19 market.android.com 9. SimSimi 10:39 market.android.com 10. Badoo 12:04 market.android.com Intro beat by MicroDmusic.com WANT MORE ?!! ********** Visit my Website @ AndroidSavage.com ********** Find over 1000 Apps & Games I have reviewed so far! (11/2010 - 4/2012 ) You will see the quick list in Categories of ALL the Applications & Games I have Reviewed with links to the video #Number# to watch a review for that such title. Find the latest Android tech news. Top Mobile devices to have. Deals. My Favorite Must have Apps. Help Support Forums and Contact. Merchandise (looking forward to it) and more to come as I progress in time. Spread The Word!!! =] ***** Stay in touch - Follow me ***** On Twitter : ------ Tech relevant -- Twitter.com/AndroidSavage (new) ------ My personal -- Twitter.com/ThaCooLoser (everything) On Facebook : ------ Facebook.com/ThaCooLoser On Google+ ------ plus.google.com Brought to you by CooLoserTech aka ThaCooLoser =]

Read the original post:
#111 Top 10 APPS - Best of The Week - Longevity Chive Simi - Video

Scranton Products Introduces New Hardware with Two New Designer Looks That Add Strength and Longevity

Posted on by

SCRANTON, Pa., March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Scranton Products, a leading manufacturer of bathroom partitions and lockers, has unveiled two new hardware collections for the Hiny Hiders brand of partitions, joining its current standard hardware. These collections are aesthetically pleasing and offer upscale design options, with the same strength and support as Scranton Products current lines of hardware featuring Stirrup brackets (8-inch wrap around) or Continuous Brackets.

"Scranton Products' new hardware collections are as beautiful as they are strong and functional," said Don Wharton, President of Scranton Products. "We are very proud to offer these hardware options to the design community as the perfect complements to our quality HDPE partitions. We feel they will enhance any bathroom partition job."

Look for the new hardware options on the recently re-designed Scranton Products website at http://www.scrantonproducts.com and download the new animated Scranton Products Hardware brochure. For busy professionals on the move, the site has been upgraded to be mobile and iPad compatible.

About Scranton Products:

For more than 25 years our premium brands have led the plastic partitions market setting new benchmarks for the industry in quality and delivery. In fact, Scranton Products is the only manufacturer of plastic partitions that ships in as little as five days. Our well-known brands, includingHiny Hiders, Resistall and Tufftec, feature the most durable, low maintenance and best looking partitions, lockers and industrial sheet products in the industry. They won't dent, rust or need painting, and because they have color throughout, delamination is not a factor. For more information, visit http://www.scrantonproducts.com

Read this article:
Scranton Products Introduces New Hardware with Two New Designer Looks That Add Strength and Longevity

NXP Introduces Longevity Program for ARM Cortex-M Microcontrollers

Posted on by

EINDHOVEN, THE NETHERLANDS and SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwire -03/27/12)- NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI - News) today launched a Product Longevity Program for its ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers with a minimum available period of 10 years. This program assures continuity and stability of supply for NXP customers, especially those that design industrial control applications and require long-term product availability.

"NXP already has a long-standing reputation as a reliable microcontroller supplier for periods of 10 years or more," said Jan Jaap Bezemer, director of marketing, microcontroller business line, NXP Semiconductors. "This Product Longevity Program now formalizes our commitment of supply assurance to our customers and demonstrates our confidence in the long-term success of our microcontroller business."

The first microcontrollers in this Product Longevity Program are from NXP's Cortex-M0 family:

Further information about the NXP Microcontroller Longevity Program is available at http://www.nxp.com/products/microcontrollers/#description

About NXP SemiconductorsNXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI - News) provides High Performance Mixed Signal and Standard Product solutions that leverage its leading RF, Analog, Power Management, Interface, Security and Digital Processing expertise. These innovations are used in a wide range of automotive, identification, wireless infrastructure, lighting, industrial, mobile, consumer and computing applications. A global semiconductor company with operations in more than 25 countries, NXP posted revenue of $4.2 billion in 2011. Additional information can be found by visiting http://www.nxp.com.

Forward-looking StatementsThis document includes forward-looking statements which include statements regarding NXP's business strategy, financial condition, results of operations, and market data, as well as any other statements which are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected. These factors, risks and uncertainties include the following: market demand and semiconductor industry conditions; the ability to successfully introduce new technologies and products; the end-market demand for the goods into which NXP's products are incorporated; the ability to generate sufficient cash, raise sufficient capital or refinance corporate debt at or before maturity; the ability to meet the combination of corporate debt service, research and development and capital investment requirements; the ability to accurately estimate demand and match manufacturing production capacity accordingly or obtain supplies from third-party producers; the access to production capacity from third-party outsourcing partners; any events that might affect third-party business partners or NXP's relationship with them; the ability to secure adequate and timely supply of equipment and materials from suppliers; the ability to avoid operational problems and product defects and, if such issues were to arise, to correct them quickly; the ability to form strategic partnerships and joint ventures and to successfully cooperate with alliance partners; the ability to win competitive bid selection processes to develop products for use in customers' equipment and products; the ability to successfully establish a brand identity; the ability to successfully hire and retain key management and senior product architects; and, the ability to maintain good relationships with our suppliers. In addition, this document contains information concerning the semiconductor industry and NXP's business segments generally, which is forward-looking in nature and is based on a variety of assumptions regarding the ways in which the semiconductor industry, NXP's market segments and product areas may develop. NXP has based these assumptions on information currently available, if any one or more of these assumptions turn out to be incorrect, actual market results may differ from those predicted. While NXP does not know what impact any such differences may have on its business, if there are such differences, its future results of operations and its financial condition could be materially adversely affected. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak to results only as of the date the statements were made. Except for any ongoing obligation to disclose material information as required by the United States federal securities laws, NXP does not have any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after we distribute this document, whether to reflect any future events or circumstances or otherwise. For a discussion of potential risks and uncertainties, please refer to the risk factors listed in our SEC filings. Copies of our SEC filings are available from on our Investor Relations website, http://www.nxp.com/investor or from the SEC website, http://www.sec.gov.

Visit link:
NXP Introduces Longevity Program for ARM Cortex-M Microcontrollers

Research and Markets: From Genes to Genomes: Concepts and Applications of DNA Technology, 3rd Edition

Posted on by

Dublin - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/01d4e5c9/from_genes_to_geno) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "From Genes to Genomes: Concepts and Applications of DNA Technology, 3rd Edition" to their offering.

Rapid advances in a collection of techniques referred to as gene technology, genetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology and gene cloning have pushed molecular biology to the forefront of the biological sciences. From Genes to Genomes: Concepts and Applications of DNA Technology explains key ideas underlying the most central techniques in the context of the ways in which they are used. The book opens with a brief review of the basic concepts of molecular biology, before moving on to describe the key molecular methods and how they fit together. This ranges from the cloning and study of individual genes to the sequencing of whole genomes, and the analysis of genome-wide information. Finally, the book moves on to consider some of the applications of these techniques, in biotechnology, medicine and agriculture, as well as in research that is causing the current explosion of knowledge across the biological sciences.

Features:

- Major revision of a concise, well-written introduction to genome sequencing technologies.

- Excellent balance between clarity of coverage and level of detail.

- Includes clear, two-colour diagrams throughout.

- Dedicated website will include all figures.

The latest edition of this highly successful textbook introduces the key techniques and concepts involved in cloning genes and in studying their expression and variation.

Key Topics Covered:

1 From Genes to Genomes

See more here:
Research and Markets: From Genes to Genomes: Concepts and Applications of DNA Technology, 3rd Edition

Sterling Student of the Month

Posted on by

Senior Naomi Lopez, 18, is one of Sterling High Schools January Students of the Month. Her mother is Veronica Jaramillo, 38, and her brother is Elias Moreno, 9; they live in Sterling.

Favorite class: AP U.S. history. Its rigorous, and theres always something to read.

Top teacher: Susan Lawson, AP literature. Shes relatable, and she really cares about teaching us to become better readers and writers.

Extracurriculars: Tennis, I used to cheerlead. I played soccer freshman year.

After graduation: I want to major in biochemistry or molecular biology. I want to be a cosmetic dermatologist, a facial plastic surgeon or a pathologist.

Paycheck: I work off and on at Karlins Hallmark in Sterling. I was seasonal this year. I like it. Its really festive in there.

Best friend: Dahley Vinson. Shes funny, witty. She knows how to listen.

Favorite musical group: Empire of the Sun.

Favorite actor: Vincent Cassel.

Favorite movies: Black Swan and When Harry Met Sally.

See more here:
Sterling Student of the Month

BRS Labs Granted U.S. Patent for Behavioral Recognition System

Posted on by

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

ISC West - International Security Conference & Expo - Behavioral Recognition Systems, Inc. (BRS Labs), inventor of the worlds first reason-based video surveillance behavior recognition software, has been issued Patent Number 8,131,012 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office covering the companys unique artificial intelligence based technology that serves as the foundation for its AISight 3.0 video surveillance software platform. This is one of a series of more than 60 related U.S. Patents that have either been granted, are pending, or are in process.

The video surveillance technology we have invented is distinctly and materially different from the simple recognition capabilities found in video analytics solutions currently available from a number of vendors in the physical security market, explained John Frazzini, President of BRS Labs. Generally speaking, video analytics software receives video data from cameras and issues alerts based on very specific and narrowly defined human programmed rules that have failed to provide operational value in the video surveillance market. In strong contrast to those limited and deteriorating solutions, the patented technology of BRS Labs does not require any human pre-programmed rules, thereby providing an inherently scalable enterprise class software platform to the video surveillance market.

In 2005, a team of experienced software developers and scientists with backgrounds in computer vision, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and theoretical physics began working at BRS Labs to create a technology that would allow computers to autonomously learn to recognize unusual behaviors observed by security cameras and warn security teams about those behaviors.

The results of this work the patented AISight Behavioral Recognition System accepts video streams from standard cameras, detects and tracks subjects, characterizes their appearances and properties, classifies them, learns the patterns of behavior they exhibit, remembers those patterns, recognizes behaviors that deviate from those patterns, and alerts the user about those events in real time.

These advancements would not have been possible ten or fifteen years ago because science didnt adequately understand how the human brain models and manipulates data, and there wasnt enough computer power to get the job done, said Dr. Wesley K. Cobb, Chief Science Officer at BRS Labs. Now, computers are exponentially faster and we have been successful in developing a method and system for analyzing and learning behavior based on acquired streams of video frames. This was an extremely difficult technical problem to solve, and to our knowledge, no other company has been able to approximate or duplicate what we have done.

U.S. Patent Number 8,131,012, issued to BRS Labs earlier this month, covers the invention of using artificial intelligence learning modules to recognize behavior patterns in a video stream to identify objects and events that are unusual. BRS Labs has also trademarked the term Behavioral Recognition to describe this invention and revolutionary method of analyzing and learning behavior based on streaming video data.

In addition to the behavioral recognition system patent, other BRS Labs intellectual property filings cover technical breakthroughs in background models, detection, tracking, object characterization, classification, scene characterization, target matching, techniques for unsupervised learning of spatial and temporal behavior, long term associative memories, anomaly detection using long-term memories, sudden illumination change, scene preset identification, trajectory learning, trajectory anomaly detection, spatial and temporal anomaly detection, clustering techniques in self organizing maps, classification anomalies, semantic representation of scene content, and a cognitive model for behavior recognition.

BRS Labs will be displaying their revolutionary AISight 3.0 surveillance software at the upcoming ISC International Security Technology Conference & Exhibition (Booth #22071) from March 28 to 30 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

"Our now patented behavioral recognition system technology is deployed in very prominent security surveillance installations to protect the safety of millions of citizens and employees across multiple vertical markets," added BRS Labs President John Frazzini.

See the rest here:
BRS Labs Granted U.S. Patent for Behavioral Recognition System

Houston study shows stem-cell’s potential for heart treatment

Posted on by

Houston researchers are reporting that adult stem cells have a modest benefit in younger patients with heart failure, the first large-scale evidence that the controversial yet promising new therapy can be developed to help millions of people with the disease.

In a study presented at a cardiology conference Saturday, Texas Heart Institute doctors presented results of a clinical trial showing that cells derived from patients' own bone marrow produce a small but significant increase in the heart's ability to pump oxygen-rich blood.

"This study moves us one step closer to being able to help patients with severe heart failure who lack other alternatives," said Dr. James Willerson, president of the Texas Heart Institute and the study's principal investigator. "It also points to a future in which stem cells regenerate the heart."

The study did not find improvements in a number of heart function measures, but Willerson and other study leaders said it yielded key information about the specific adult stem cells with the greatest therapeutic potential. The trial used a number of stem cell types.

Transplants limited

About 6 million people in the United States have heart failure, a progressive and eventually fatal disease in which the heart loses the ability to effectively pump sufficient amounts of blood to the body's organs. Better therapy is needed because the limited availability of donor hearts makes transplants an option for only about 2,300 people in the United States annually.

Adult stem cells have become the subject of studies for a variety of conditions - the Texas Heart Institute has many involving the heart - since laboratory research in the late 1990s showed they have the ability to grow into most any kind of tissue. This is the first intermediate-stage study in the United States, characterized by multiple centers and many dozens of patients.

The idea of therapy involving adult stem cells formerly was considered non-controversial, a more ethical alternative to destroying embryos to obtain their stem cells. But it has come under fire recently because it is increasingly being used outside of research studies and for profit, particularly in Texas, where Gov. Rick Perry received it last year for his ailing back. The unregulated activity has prompted complaints to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a Texas Medical Board draft policy requiring oversight for any use of experimental drugs.

3.1 percent increase

The new study, presented at an American College of Cardiology conference and to be published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, involved 92 patients at five locations - two-thirds at the Texas Heart Institute - whose hearts were pumping at less than 45 percent of capacity and could not be treated with surgery. Doctors injected patients' own stem cells or placebos into their hearts.

More here:
Houston study shows stem-cell's potential for heart treatment

In brief: Hernando coach to lead North all-star team

Posted on by

Longevity has its rewards, and Hernando High School football coach Anthony Jenkins is about to capitalize.

Jenkins received a phone call last week advising him that he had been selected as the head coach for the 64th annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Football Game to be played this December in Biloxi. The Mississippi Association of Coaches-sponsored contest comes at the end of his 25th season with the Tigers.

"I'm very excited," said Jenkins, who served as an assistant in 1990, "because again, it gives me an opportunity to build some more friendships with coaches across the state."

It will be an assembled staff of seven for the North squad, including Lake Cormorant's Nick Nester and former Olive Branch assistant coach Tony Vance, now at Charleston.

-- Chris Van Tuyl

Leaders to attend healthy summit

Looking to share tips and bring others home, Hernando Mayor Chip Johnson and city Community Development Director Shelly Johnstone will head to Jackson for the Healthy Southern Cities Summit, April 10-12.

"Shelly and I will be presenting one of the classes," said the mayor. "The good thing for all of us going is, there's always something we can learn from our peers.

"We'll be looking at other cities -- and we'll steal some of their good ideas," Johnson said.

Hernando officials and activists have made healthful living more than an idea. Policies and priorities such as the award-winning Farmers Market and anti-obesity efforts helped bring a Healthiest Hometown title in 2010 from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation.

Visit link:
In brief: Hernando coach to lead North all-star team

DNA test confirms Rasuge remains

Posted on by

2012-03-26 16:24

Johannesburg - A DNA test has confirmed that the human remains discovered at a house in Temba, outside Pretoria, are those of slain police Constable Francis Rasuge, Gauteng police said on Monday.

Lieutenant Colonel Katlego Mogale said the DNA was analysed by a forensic science laboratory.

Construction workers came across the bones while laying a foundation at the house of her murderer William Nkuna on March 20.

The police's K9 Unit and the forensic laboratory later uncovered several bones including a skull.

Rasuge went missing on August 27 2004. She was last seen alive with Nkuna outside a hairdressing salon in Temba.

During an interview with Radio 702 at the time, Nkuna claimed that he missed Rasuge and that he was not be sure whether she was alive.

Speculation on remains of Rasuge

Judge Ronald Hendricks sentenced Nkuna, in the Mmabatho Circuit Court sitting in Ga-Rankuwa, to life imprisonment in November 2005 even though her body had not been found.

At the time of Nkuna's trial, widespread appeals were made for him to reveal the whereabouts of Rasuge's remains.

See the original post:
DNA test confirms Rasuge remains

Posted in DNA

Professor, Student Grow as Biomedical Researchers

Posted on by

Dr. Kristy McClellan, Caitlin Hof and the University of Iowa's Dr. Pamela Geyer.

Dr. Kristy McClellan, assistant professor of biology, and Caitlin Hof, a freshman biochemistry, biology and chemistry triple major from Yankton, S.D., were selected to participate in the University of Iowa's Carver College of Medicine FUTURE (Fostering Undergraduate Talent-Uniting Research and Education) in Biomedicine program.

"One of the best aspects of this program was the opportunity to bring a student. It was a great experience to work side-by-side with Caitlin and to see her grow as a scientist," says McClellan.

Over eight weeks, McClellan and Caitlin worked on a collaborative research project in the laboratory of Dr. Pamela Geyer in the Department of Biochemistry. They investigated the role of a Drosophila zinc finger transcription factor in germline and neuronal development. The Drosophila, a fruit fly, is a model for studying how human genes are regulated, says McClellan.

"Caitlin has been working on adapting what we learned in the FUTURE research into a behavioral lab for our neuroscience course which is taught in the fall semester," says McClellan. "This would be an educational lab experience for students utilizing techniques that are being done in research today."

"Before having this experience, I was sold on practicing medicine," says Caitlin. "I thought that was the only way to make a difference or help in people's lives. Now I have learned how research is a huge part of medicine and improving the quality of life for others. I now am looking at MD/ PhD programs to have a research component to my future practice."

McClellan, who started teaching at BVU in 2009, has also had other faculty development opportunities, including a presentation in 2010 at the Society of Neuroscience in San Diego, Calif. Last October, she and a group of students attended the Nobel Conference at Gustavus Adolphus College. This year, she and Caitlin plan to present their FUTURE research at the Iowa Academy of Science.

Visit link:
Professor, Student Grow as Biomedical Researchers

How Do Cats Survive Massive Falls? [Biology]

Posted on by

Everyone knows that cats can somehow survive falling out of a tree, but last week a cat survived a 19-story fall in Boston. So just how the hell did it manage it?

Science, as usual, can help explain: it's mostly anatomy. But sadly, there is a lack of empirical evidencescientists seem reluctant to throw cats out of windows in pursuit of their studiesbut there has been plenty of research into way they fall.

In comparison to most mammals, they have a large surface area for their weight, which means their terminal velocity is low. In fact, according to a 1987 study by veterinarians Wayne Whitney and Cheryl Mehlhaff, an average-sized cat with its limbs extended achieves a terminal velocity of about 60mph, while an average-sized man reaches a terminal velocity of about 120mph. The result? When a cat hits the ground, it's subjected to smaller forces and suffers fewer injuries.

But there's more. Cats have also evolved a keen sense for knowing which way is up. Weirdly, given a big enough fall, that means that they're capable of righting themselves in mid-air by spinning their tails, to ensure they land feet-first. "Everything that lives in trees has what we call an aerial righting reflex," explains Robert Dudley, a biologist at the animal flight laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, to the BBC.

Finally, when they do hit the ground, they have legs designed to soak up the impact. "Cats have long, compliant legs," explains Jim Usherwood of the structure and motion lab at the Royal Veterinary College, again to the BBC. "They've got decent muscles. In that they're able to jump quite well, the same muscles divert energy into decelerating rather than breaking bones." And by stretching out the duration of the impact, the forces transmitted through their bodies are once again greatly reduced.

Sadly, not all domestic cats can survive a massive fall, and that's for one reason: they're often overweight because they get fed treats and snacks all day long. But if your cat is lean and agile, it should happily survive a modest drop. Just please don't treat that as an experimental challenge, though. [BBC]

Image by djgis/Shutterstock

See more here:
How Do Cats Survive Massive Falls? [Biology]

NIU chemistry professor receives grant from National Science Foundation

Posted on by

Submitted March 26, 2012 4:02PM

NIU Professor Tao Xu, who has developed a promising nanoscience research program in solar energy conversion, is getting a grant from the National Science Foundation. NSF has awarded the chemistry and biochemistry professor, who lives in west suburban Lisle, with a prestigious Faculty Early Career Development grant of $400,000 over the next five years in support of his research and teaching efforts. | Submitted by NIU

storyidforme: 27984965 tmspicid: 10105310 fileheaderid: 4658715

Updated: March 26, 2012 4:02PM

NIU Professor Tao Xu, who has developed a promising nanoscience research program in solar energy conversion, is getting a big boost from the National Science Foundation.

NSF has awarded the chemistry and biochemistry professor with a prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant of $400,000 over the next five years in support of his research and teaching efforts.

CAREER awards support junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research.

This award is a tribute to the quality and productivity of Dr. Xu and his research group, said Jon Carnahan, chair of the department of chemistry and biochemistry. Were very proud of Taos accomplishment.

Xu, of Lisle, also is affiliated with NIUs Institute for Nano Science, Engineering, and Technology. His research group is working to develop potential solar cells of the future.

Because of environmental concerns related to nuclear and fossil-fuel-based energy, people are demanding clean alternative energies that can help build up our power grids, Xu said. Solar cells are quite safe, but we need to enhance their overall efficiency and affordability. To accomplish this, our group is trying to gain a better understanding of the fundamental processes at work in solar cells.

See the original post:
NIU chemistry professor receives grant from National Science Foundation

Stem cell therapy possibly helpful in heart failure patients

Posted on by

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

Contact: Beth Casteel bcasteel@acc.org 240-328-4549 American College of Cardiology

CHICAGO -- A new study found that using a patient's own bone marrow cells may help repair damaged areas of the heart caused by heart failure, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session. The Scientific Session, the premier cardiovascular medical meeting, brings cardiovascular professionals together to further advances in the field.

Millions of Americans suffer from heart failure, the weakening of the heart muscle and its inability to pump blood effectively throughout the body. If medications, surgery, or stents fail to control the disease, doctors often have few treatment options to offer.

This is the largest study to date to look at stem cell therapy, using a patient's own stem cells, to repair damaged areas of the heart in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction. Researchers found that left ventricular ejection fraction (the percentage of blood leaving the heart's main pumping chamber) increased by a small but significant amount (2.7 percent) in patients who received stem cell therapy. The study also revealed that the improvement in ejection fraction correlated with the number of CD34+ and CD133+ cells in the bone marrow information that will be helpful in evaluating and designing future therapies and trials.

"This is the kind of information we need in order to move forward with the clinical use of stem cell therapy," said Emerson Perin, MD, PhD, director of clinical research for cardiovascular medicine at the Texas Heart Institute and the study's lead investigator.

This multi-center study was conducted by the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network and took place between April 2009 and 2011. At five sites, 92 patients were randomly selected to receive stem cell treatment or placebo. The patients, average age 63, all had chronic ischemic heart disease and an ejection fraction of less than 45 percent along with heart failure and/or angina, and were no longer candidates for revascularization.

"Studies such as these are able to be completed much faster because of the team approach of the network," said Sonia Skarlatos, PhD, deputy director of the division of cardiovascular sciences at the National, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and program director of the network.

Bone marrow was aspirated from the patients and processed to obtain just the mononuclear fraction of the marrow. In patients randomly selected to receive stem cell therapy, doctors inserted a catheter into the heart's left ventricle to inject a total of 3 ccs comprising 100 million stem cells into an average of 15 sites that showed damage on the electromechanical mapping image of the heart. Dr. Perin said the procedure is relatively quick and painless, involving only an overnight stay at the hospital.

The study used electromechanical mapping of the heart to measure the voltage in areas of the heart muscle and create a real-time image of the heart.

The rest is here:
Stem cell therapy possibly helpful in heart failure patients

New Analysis Could Give Cues About When to Move Infants From NICU

Posted on by

Article is published in the Journal of Applied Physiology

Newswise Bethesda, Md. (March 26, 2012)Late gestation is a busy time for babies getting ready for life outside the womb, particularly for functions critical to life such as breathing and maintaining an adequate heartbeat. These two functions are connected in mature infants and healthy people throughout life, so measuring their level of connectedness can give doctors a cue about whether an infant is ready to head home or needs to remain in the care of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Current methods to analyze this connection are not yet fully developed, leaving doctors and nurses without an optimal way to deal with periodically missing data or natural variations in breathing or heartbeat. Now, however, researchers in Virginia have found a way around this problem by using a new analytical method that looks for so-called cardiorespiratory interaction using individual breaths and heartbeats and relating the two in time. The findings shed light on which infants may be mature enough to leave the NICU, showing that postnatal age seems to be an indicator of maturity, but birth weight or gestational age at birth are not.

The article is entitled Breath-By-Breath Analysis of Cardiorespiratory Interaction for Quantifying Developmental Maturity in Premature Infants. It appears in the current edition of the Journal of Applied Physiology, published by the American Physiological Society.

Methodology The researchers collected data from the bedside monitors of 1,202 infants cared for in the University of Virginia NICU from January 2009 to June 2011. This data included both electrocardiogram waveforms (an indicator of heartbeats) and chest impedance signals (an indicator of breaths) from both infants considered to have very low birth weights and those with normal birth weights. The researchers paired these two measures in sliding four minute windows, using software to determine whether patterns in breathing correlated with patterns in heartbeats. They also collected other data on these patients, including gestational age at birth (a measure of prematurity), postnatal age (length of time after birth), and age at discharge from the hospital.

Results The researchers were able to gather 34,600 breathing and heartbeat records for the 1,202 patients, corresponding to an average of 13 days of data for each infant. Their results showed that their analytical method was useful for identifying the link between breathing and heartbeat in this population. Findings revealed that cardiorespiratory interaction steadily increased with each infants postnatal age. Surprisingly, researchers found no correlation between cardiorespiratory interaction and either birth weight or gestational age at birth, two factors often used to gauge infant maturity. The degree of cardiorespiratory interaction increased over time before the attending physicians decision to discharge each baby from the hospital without respiratory support or cardiorespiratory monitoring, suggesting that each infants brainstema critical structure that controls many functions vital to lifewas maturing over time.

Importance of the Findings These findings suggest that by coupling individual breaths to heartbeats, the researchers were able to avoid the pitfalls of earlier methods. The analytical method used by this research team could be useful for monitoring whether premature infants have developed enough to head home from the hospital without complications.

Since coupling of organs is correlated with good health, continuously measuring cardiorespiratory interaction may provide early detection of subacute, potentially catastrophic illness. Future studies should test the hypothesis that falling cardiorespiratory interaction precedes clinically evident deterioration, the authors say.

Study Team The study was conducted by Matthew T. Clark, and John L. Hudson of the University of Virginia; Craig G. Rusin, Brooke D. Vergales, Alix Paget-Brown, John Kattwinkel, Douglas E. Lake, and J. Randall Moorman of the University of Virginia Health System; and Hoshik Lee and John B. Delos of the College of William and Mary.

The work was supported by an NICHD GO (Grand Opportunities) Grant.

### NOTE TO EDITORS: The article is available online at http://bit.ly/yLip88. For additional information please contact Donna Krupa at dkrupa@the-aps.org, @Phyziochick, or 301.634.7209. *** Physiology is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function to create health or disease. The American Physiological Society (APS; http://www.the-APS.org/press) has been an integral part of the discovery process for 125 years. To keep up with the science, follow @Phyziochick on Twitter.

See the article here:
New Analysis Could Give Cues About When to Move Infants From NICU

Celebrate National Nutrition Month

Posted on by

Use turkey sausage to lower your fat intake when making this spicy white bean soup.

March signifies the beginning of spring, March Madness and of course, National Nutrition Month.

If you havent already made healthy changes to your lifestyle, it is never too late to begin. Setting one or two goals at a time is a good place to start. At Evolution we find that small healthy changes to your diet can set you up for long-term success in future.

Here are some healthy suggestions you can make to celebrate National Nutrition Month:

Make an appointment with a dietitian. Its always good to have a professional to collaborate with when trying to make changes.

Use whole-grain products instead of refined grains for filling fiber and beneficial nutrients.

Try filling half of your dinner plate with vegetables including red peppers, broccoli, spinach, carrots and tomatoes. These vegetables contain antioxidants which can improve immune function.

Trim the fat from your meals by making lean protein choices such as skinless chicken breasts, fish, shellfish, turkey sausage and pork tenderloin.

Anyone can participate in National Nutrition Month; start by setting a goal and making informed food choices.

Turkey Sausage and Spicy White Beans

See the rest here:
Celebrate National Nutrition Month

SharecareNow Names the Top 10 Influencers of Online Nutrition Conversation

Posted on by

ATLANTA, GA and SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire -03/26/12)- In an effort to help millions of Americans avoid the onset of life-threatening diseases such as obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer caused by poor nutrition, SharecareNow, powered by WCG, today announced "SharecareNow 10 - Nutrition," a comprehensive list of the most influential online voices -- ranging from healthcare professionals and journalists to celebrity chefs -- who drive the conversation around nutrition. The list features some of the top names in nutrition today, including: Dr. Andrew Weil, a leader in integrative medicine; Jamie Oliver, television personality and founder of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution; and Michael Pollan, author of four New York Times bestsellers.

The release of the list corresponds with the close of National Nutrition Month, sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) to raise awareness about the importance of making healthy food choices and adopting physical activity habits.

"Maintaining a balanced, daily nutrition plan is essential for a long, healthy life; however, as dietary recommendations frequently change, it may be difficult for most Americans to stay on top of the most accurate and up-to-date information," said Jeff Arnold, chairman and CEO of Sharecare. "Our goal is to quickly connect individuals with experts online who can empower them to develop a personalized plan for themselves and their loves ones early in life to prevent a lifelong struggle with their weight, which can lead to the development of severe, deadly conditions."

In the United States alone, 33.9 percent of adults aged 20 years and over are obese, while 34.4 percent of adults in the same age group are overweight.(1) However, these unhealthy habits can begin at an early age. In fact, approximately 17 percent (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents in the U.S. aged two to 19 are obese,(2) which can lead to health consequences in both the immediate and long term.

The SharecareNow 10 -- Nutrition list aims to help reduce the increasing rates of unhealthy Americans, particularly for those living in specific U.S. cities with poor nutritional habits. According to RealAge -- the leading consumer health assessment website centered around the groundbreaking RealAge Test and recently acquired by Sharecare -- the top five cities in the U.S. that are not eating the recommended 10 servings of fruits and vegetables are (1) Oklahoma City, OK (2) Louisville, KY (3) Knoxville, TN (4) Cincinnati, OH, and (5) Greenville, SC. Additionally, the top five cities that are not eating the proper amount of grains (at least 5 servings), includes: (1) Greenville, SC (2) Jacksonville, FL (3) Knoxville, TN (4) Memphis, TN, and (5) Greensboro, NC.

In order to be included in the SharecareNow 10 -- Nutrition list, influencers must have demonstrated a consistent impact on nutrition-specific conversations online over the past year. An individual's influence is measured and quantified through a proprietary algorithm based on more than 40 individual metrics, including nutrition relevance, syndication, presence and reach. These influencers are then ranked from most to least influential based on a unique scoring structure.

The following top influencers make up the SharecareNow 10 -- Nutrition list:

1. Andrew Weil, MD - http://www.drweil.com/ 2. Jamie Oliver - http://jamieoliver.com/ 3. Nanci Hellmich - http://yourlife.usatoday.com/ 4. Tara Parker-Pope - http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/ 5. Mitzi Dulan, RD - http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/ 6. Nicole German, RD - http://www.diet-blog.com/ 7. Lisa Lillien - http://www.hungry-girl.com/ 8. Rebecca Scritchfield, RD - http://rebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com/ 9. Michael Pollan - http://michaelpollan.com/ 10. William Davis, MD - http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/

A downloadable version of the SharecareNow 10 -- Nutrition list can be found here: http://www.sharecare.com/static/sharecare-now-nutrition-top-ten-infographic. Additional information, including bios and the methodology behind the influencer list, is available at http://now.sharecare.com.

In support of raising awareness around healthy nutritional habits, @SharecareNow will host a Twitter Chat on Sunday, April 1st from 8-9pm EDT. Participants must use #DietDbate to participate in the conversation, where nutritional experts will answer questions related to a healthy diet, including dieting facts vs. fiction and low carb vs. low fat diets.

Read the rest here:
SharecareNow Names the Top 10 Influencers of Online Nutrition Conversation

UNC professor has a different prescription on aging

Posted on by

Nortin Hadler, a professor of medicine and microbiology/immunology at UNC Chapel-Hill, has been warning for years about the lack of evidence supporting many popular medical treatments and tests.

His work is controversial. In books such as Stabbed in the Back: Confronting Back Pain in an Overtreated Society and Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America, Hadler argues for holding medical interventions to a high standard: Do they reduce mortality or substantially lessen the burden of illness? Do potential benefits significantly outweigh potential harms? Unless research proves this, the interventions should be avoided, Hadler insists.

In his newest book, Rethinking Aging: Growing Old and Living Well in an Overtreated Society, the 69-year-old Hadler turns his attention to older Americans. The following interview has been edited.

Q: Youve called your book Rethinking Aging. What do you want readers to understand about aging?

This book is a celebration of the fact that the baby boomers and the traditionalists the generation that came before the boomers are the first in the history of the world to hit age 60 and to be able to say, What do I want to do with the next 25 years of my life?

We shouldnt worry so much about what will kill us. We should be focusing on making it to age 85 and having a pleasing journey along the way.

Q: Youre concerned about the medicalization of aging. Explain why.

You can be healthy well beyond 60, but youll be different than you were when you were 20. Youll have different posture, wrinkles and other changes that are age appropriate. We have to be very, very careful about calling any difference from when we were younger an illness or a disease. And we have to be even more careful about telling people that we have things we can do to fix these differences, but this happens all the time. Thats the medicalization of aging.

Q: You talk about the importance of older people making informed medical decisions.

For the first time in the history, we have a tremendous amount of information about efficacy: what makes sense to do medically and what doesnt.

View post:
UNC professor has a different prescription on aging

Genetic Risk and Stressful Early Infancy Join to Increase Risk for Schizophrenia

Posted on by

- Human genome and mouse studies identify new precise genetic links

Newswise Working with genetically engineered mice and the genomes of thousands of people with schizophrenia, researchers at Johns Hopkins say they now better understand how both nature and nurture can affect ones risks for schizophrenia and abnormal brain development in general.

The researchers reported in the March 2 issue of Cell that defects in a schizophrenia-risk genes and environmental stress right after birth together can lead to abnormal brain development and raise the likelihood of developing schizophrenia by nearly one and half times.

Our study suggests that if people have a single genetic risk factor alone or a traumatic environment in very early childhood alone, they may not develop mental disorders like schizophrenia, says Guo-li Ming, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology and member of the Institute for Cell Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. But the findings also suggest that someone who carries the genetic risk factor and experiences certain kinds of stress early in life may be more likely to develop the disease.

Pinpointing the cause or causes of schizophrenia has been notoriously difficult, owing to the likely interplay of multiple genes and environmental triggers, Ming says. Searching for clues at the molecular level, the Johns Hopkins team focused on the interaction of two factors long implicated in the disease: Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) protein, which is important for brain development, and GABA, a brain chemical needed for normal brain function.

To find how these factors impact brain development and disease susceptibility, the researchers first engineered mice to have reduced levels of DISC1 protein in one type of neuron in the hippocampus, a region of the brain involved in learning, memory and mood regulation. Through a microscope, they saw that newborn mouse brain cells with reduced levels of DISC1 protein had similar sized and shaped neurons as those from mice with normal levels of DISC1 protein. To change the function of the chemical messenger GABA, the researchers engineered the same neurons in mice to have more effective GABA. Those brain cells looked much different than normal neurons, with longer appendages or projections. Newborn mice engineered with both the more effective GABA and reduced levels of DISC1 showed the longest projections, suggesting, Ming said, that defects in both DISC1 and GABA together could change the physiology of developing neurons for the worse.

Meanwhile, other researchers at University of Calgary and at the National Institute of Physiological Sciences in Japan had shown in newborn mice that changes in environment and routine stress can impede GABA from working properly during development. In the next set of experiments, the investigators paired reducing DISC1 levels and stress in mice to see if it could also lead to developmental defects. To stress the mice, the team separated newborns from their mothers for three hours a day for ten days, then examined neurons from the stressed newborns and saw no differences in their size, shape and organization compared with unstressed mice. But when they similarly stressed newborn mice with reduced DISC1 levels, the neurons they saw were larger, more disorganized and had more projections than the unstressed mouse neurons. The projections, in fact, went to the wrong places in the brain.

Next, to see if their results in mice correlated to suspected human schizophrenia risk factors, the researchers compared the genetic sequences of 2,961 schizophrenia patients and healthy people from Scotland, Germany and the United States. Specifically, they determined if specific variations of DNA letters found in two genes, DISC1 and a gene for another protein, NKCC1, which controls the effect of GABA, were more likely to be found in schizophrenia patients than in healthy individuals. They paired 36 DNA letter changes in DISC1 and two DNA letter variations in NKCC1 one DNA letter change per gene in all possible combinations. Results showed that if a persons genome contained one specific combination of single DNA letter changes, then that person is 1.4 times more likely than people without these DNA changes to develop schizophrenia. Having these single DNA letter changes in either one of these genes alone did not increase risk.

Now that we have identified the precise genetic risks, we can rationally search for drugs that correct these defects, says Hongjun Song, Ph.D., co-author, professor of neurology and director of the Stem Cell Program at the Institute for Cell Engineering.

Other authors of the paper from Johns Hopkins are Ju Young Kim, Cindy Y. Liu, Fengyu Zhang, Xin Duan, Zhexing Wen, Juan Song, Kimberly Christian and Daniel R. Weinberger. Emer Feighery, Bai Lu and Joseph H. Callicott from the National Institute of Mental Health, Dan Rujescu of Ludwig-Maximilians-University, and David St Clair of the University of Aberdeen Royal Cornhill Hospital are additional authors.

Read more here:
Genetic Risk and Stressful Early Infancy Join to Increase Risk for Schizophrenia

Texas Police Use DNA Technique to Solve Property Crime

Posted on by

A thief wearing gloves walks into a parking lot, perhaps using the cover of night, smashes a car window and takes whats inside the vehicle, all in a matter of minutes.

Its the general technique for many car burglaries, and thousands of them occur in Harris County, Texas, every year. Besides shattered glass, often theres not much visible evidence left at the scene, leaving investigators with few clues to catch the culprits.

But sometimes its what investigators cannot see that helps solve many of these types of crimes.

For the last few years, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences aided area law enforcement in solving property crimes by testing evidence for touch DNA microscopic skin cells containing DNA that naturally rub off when an object, like a car steering wheel, is touched. The technology can be used even if the suspect is wearing gloves because theres a high likelihood the skin cells were transferred onto the gloves when the perpetrator was slipping them on.

It was a pretty incredible tool for us to have to identify some of these suspects, said Sgt. Terry Wilson, of the Harris County Sheriffs Office auto-theft division. These (burglary of a motor vehicle) cases are some of the hardest cases for law enforcement to solve because theres almost never any eyewitnesses. Theres very rarely any good evidence left behind, fingerprint evidence and things like that, and once we started recovering some of this DNA, it was pretty exciting there for a while.

DNA testing is a practice typically reserved for personal crimes like rape and murder. However, the forensic institute, formerly the medical examiners office, has also been performing DNA testing on evidence containing either skin cells or bodily fluids, like blood and saliva from property crime cases such as car break-ins and home invasions.

Since January 2008, the forensic institute made more than 3,000 matches to crime suspects in the FBIs Combined DNA Index System database, or CODIS, a national database used to store DNA profiles. Of those, about 75 percent were for property crime cases.

Dr. Roger Kahn, director of the forensic genetics laboratory at the institute, said the crime lab is one of the few equipped to handle DNA testing for property crimes. The lab has no testing backlog on personal crime cases, so it can focus on property crimes, he said.

Kahn noted that when the forensic institute moves to its new expanded facility in the fall, the lab will have the capabilities to perform DNA testing in property crime cases for not only law enforcement agencies in the county, but the entire region.

Kahn believes it is a useful tool in solving many more crimes.

Link:
Texas Police Use DNA Technique to Solve Property Crime

Posted in DNA

Medgenics Reports Positive Meeting With NIH Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee

Posted on by

MISGAV, Israel & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Medgenics, Inc. (NYSE Amex: MDGN and AIM: MEDU, MEDG), the developer of a novel technology for the sustained production and delivery of therapeutic proteins in patients using their own tissue, today announced that it has received formal notification of recommendations from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC) reflecting the Companys successful presentation of study findings during a meeting held on March 8, 2012. Completion of the RAC process is an important step in advancing toward the Companys proposed U.S. Phase II clinical study evaluating the safety and efficacy of sustained erythropoietin (EPO) therapy delivered via the Companys EPODURE Biopump for the treatment of anemia in dialysis patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

The RAC meeting was attended by an audience from the general public and was webcast live. An archive of this webcast is available at http://videocast.nih.gov/summary.asp?Live=11074.

EPODURE is an autologous dermal Biopump capable of the sustained secretion of therapeutic EPO in the body using a small tissue explant from the patients own skin. The EPODURE Biopump is subsequently implanted subcutaneously into the patient to provide continuous delivery of EPO.

We are delighted that the RAC has given such positive responses regarding our proposed Phase II clinical protocol for EPODURE to treat ESRD and we have already addressed most of their recommendations in our study planning, said Andrew L. Pearlman, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Medgenics. Clinical trials involving recombinant DNA products intended to be conducted in the U.S. generally need to satisfy review by the RAC, which iswidely recognized as a most thorough scientific and clinical review by leading experts in relevant areas. Key to this positive response was the safety and sustained clinical activity we showed from the EPODURE Phase I/II trial conducted in Israel. We believe the RAC recommendations can be incorporated into our proposed protocol without difficulty and will not pose any significant delay or expense. Following a positive pre-Investigational New Drug (IND) application meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last fall, completion of the RAC process clears an important hurdle toward the successful submission of our IND application and is a significant step in implementing our clinical strategy.

We look forward to submitting our IND to the FDA in the coming months and to obtaining FDA clearance for our Phase II clinical trial, which we expect will affirm the positive results from our earlier Phase I/II study of EPODURE in pre-dialysis patients, added Dr. Pearlman. In that study we demonstrated that a single administration can raise and maintain hemoglobin levels for many months without any injections of erythropoietin stimulating agents.

About Anemia

Anemia is a common complication of renal failure resulting primarily from insufficient production of the hormone EPO by the damaged kidneys, which leads to a decrease in production of red blood cells. Treatment with EPO typically involves intravenous or subcutaneous administration by injection at regular intervals followed by frequent laboratory tests to monitor hemoglobin concentration. Due to the short half-life of the protein, it is usually administered at doses that result in super physiological levels, which then decline into a more physiologic range. This variability in levels, and in particular the peak levels which then decline into a more physiologic range. This variability in levels, and in particular the peak levels, has been hypothesized to potentially increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular effects and may make maintenance of steady hemoglobin levels more challenging. The need for frequent injections and laboratory tests, medication compliance and lifestyle adjustment are potential barriers to achieving the desired hemoglobin goal. These barriers, together with the high costs of the currently available recombinant EPO products, provide an incentive to improve care with a sustained therapy approach.

About the National Institutes of Health Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee

The objective of the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee is to provide advice to the Director of the NIH on matters related to the conduct and oversight of research involving recombinant DNA, including the content and implementation of the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules and other NIH activities pertinent to recombinant DNA technology. The RAC comprises experts in a wide range of scientific and medical disciplines and also includes medical ethicists and members of patient and other lay communities. Because of the dedication, effort, and thoughtful contributions of its members over the past 30 years, the RAC has been a vital national forum promoting critically important scientific progress in a transparent, responsible, and safe manner and enhancing public trust in the science.

The rest is here:
Medgenics Reports Positive Meeting With NIH Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee

Posted in DNA