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Biochemistry professor receives patent

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Posted: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 9:17 pm | Updated: 1:41 pm, Thu Feb 16, 2012.

One University professor is now teaching students with a new patent under his name.

Professor of biochemistry Dr. Rafiq Islam invented a method to detect sugar and silver nanoparticles by using a microwave.

According to the leading Life Science and high technology company, Sigma-Aldrich of St. Louis, silver nanoparticles are being incorporated into products that range from photovoltaic to biological and chemical sensors.

"I don't know how my invention will change people's lives," Islam admits. "But by simplifying procedure, it might be helpful for components they are making now."

Islam said he has been working on the invention since 2006. He believes it is an inexpensive task that other scientists and biochemists can use.

Although it took a few years to develop the invention, Islam said the process to receiving his patent was surprisingly simple.

Associate professor of organic chemistry at the University Dr. Ahmed Mlakawi watched Islam as he progressed with his soon-to-be patent. Mlakawi said a number of students have been asking him about Islam's newest invention.

"It's exciting and inspiring to those students who have been asking me about it," Mlakawi said.

Islam said he encourages students at the University to chase their dreams just like he did.

"We have a good number of resources in our department, and that should inspire them (students)," Islam said.

Islam is proud of his achievement, but said his invention won't stop with a patent.

Although his project is relatively new to him because it's in a field other than the one he specializes in, Islam enjoys the field of bioscience more.

"But I like to combine those two," Islam said. "I know I'm in biochemistry, but I want to try to move on and progress in nanochemistry as well."

Posted in News, Campus on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 9:17 pm. Updated: 1:41 pm.

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Biochemistry professor receives patent

Flame retardant linked to behavioral, other deficits

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SACRAMENTO — Mice genetically engineered to be susceptible to autism-like behaviors that were exposed to a common flame retardant were less fertile and their offspring were smaller, less sociable and demonstrated marked deficits in learning and long-term memory when compared with the offspring of normal unexposed mice, a study by researchers at UC Davis has found. The researchers said the study is the first to link genetics and epigenetics with exposure to a flame retardant chemical.

The research was published online today (Feb. 16) in the journal Human Molecular Genetics. It will be presented during a symposium on Saturday (Feb. 18) at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) by Janine LaSalle, a professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the UC Davis School of Medicine and the UC Davis Genome Center. (LaSalle will discuss her research during a news briefing with her colleagues at 9 a.m. Sunday (Feb. 19) in room 221 on the second level of the Vancouver Convention Center).

"This study highlights the interaction between epigenetics and the effects of early exposure to flame retardants," said LaSalle, the study's senior author and a researcher affiliated with the UC Davis MIND Institute. "Our experiments with wild-type and mutant mice indicate that exposure to flame retardants presents an independent risk of neurodevelopmental deficits associated with reduced sociability and learning."

Epigenetics describes the heritable changes in gene expression caused by mechanisms other than those in the DNA sequence. One such mechanism is DNA methylation, in which genes are silenced when their activation no longer is required. DNA methylation is essential for normal development. The researchers chose a mouse that was genetically and epigenetically susceptible to social behavioral deficits in order to understand the potential effect of this environmental pollutant on genetically susceptible humans.

LaSalle and her colleagues examined the effects of the chemical BDE-47 (Tetrabromodiphenl ether), a member of the class of flame retardants called polybrominated diphenylethers, or PBDEs. PBDEs have been used in a wide range of products, including electronics, bedding, carpeting and furniture. They have been shown to persist in the environment and accumulate in living organisms, and toxicological testing has found that they may cause liver toxicity, thyroid toxicity and neurodevelopmental toxicity, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. BDE-47 is the PBDE found at highest concentrations in human blood and breast milk, raising concerns about its potential neurotoxic effects during pregnancy and neonatal development.

The research was conducted in the offspring of mice genetically engineered for the autism phenotype found in Rett syndrome, a disorder that occurs primarily in females and causes regression in expressive language, motor skills and social reciprocity in late infancy. The condition affects about 1 in 10,000 children.

Autism spectrum disorders are a group of neurodevelopmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral deficits. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that an average of 1 in 110 children born in the United States today will be diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

Rett syndrome is causally linked to defects in the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 gene MECP2 situated on the X chromosome. Mutations in MECP2 result in a nonfunctional MeCP2 protein, which is required for normal brain development. The researchers evaluated the effects of exposure to BDE-47 on mice genetically engineered to have mutations in MECP2 and their offspring, or pups. The genetically engineered Mecp2 mother mice, or dams, were bred with non-mutant wild-type males. The dams were monitored for 10 weeks — for four weeks prior to conception, three weeks during gestation and three weeks of lactation. They were then compared with a control group of normal, unexposed dams and pups over several generations and hundreds of mice.

The study found that that the weights of the pups of the lactating BDE-47-exposed dams were diminished when compared with the controls, as were their survival rates. To assess the effects of the flame retardant exposure on the pups and their genotypes, the researchers placed them through more than 10 cognitive, social and physical tests.

Female offspring of dams exposed with BDE-47 spent half as much time interacting with another mouse in a 10-minute sociability test compared to controls. The reduced sociability in BDE-47 exposed females corresponded to reduced DNA methylation in females regardless of genotype. In addition, genetic and environmental interaction effects in this study were specifically observed in females.

In a short-term memory test of social novelty, although all mice showed the expected preference for interacting with a novel over a familiar mouse, BDE-47-exposed mutant female mice spent about half as much time interacting with the familiar mouse than their non-mutant littermates. In a long-term memory test of swimming to reach a hidden platform in a cloudy pool, female mice who were both mutant and BDE-47 exposed did not learn to reach the platform faster after fourdays of training. These behavioral changes in social and cognitive learning specifically in the interaction group corresponded to changes in a known epigenetic regulator of DNA methylation in brain, DNA methyltransferase 3a (Dnmt3a).

LaSalle said that the study results are important because better understanding of the epigenetic pathways implicated in social behavior and cognition may lead to improved treatments for autism spectrum disorders.

"While the obvious preventative step is to limit the use and accumulation of PBDEs in our environment, this would likely be a long-term solution," LaSalle said. "These pollutants are going to be hard to get rid of tomorrow. However, one important preventative that all women could do tomorrow is to start taking prenatal vitamins before becoming pregnant, as these may counteract the toxins in our environment through DNA methylation," she said.

A study by researchers at UC Davis conducted in 2011 found that women who reported not taking a daily prenatal vitamin immediately before and during the first month of pregnancy were nearly twice as likely to have a child with an autism spectrum disorder as women who did take the supplements — and the associated risk rose to seven times as great when combined with a high-risk genetic make-up.

Other authors of the research are Rima Woods, Roxanne O. Vallero, Mari Golub, Joanne K. Suarez, Tram Anh Ta, Dag H. Yasui, Lai-Har Chi, Isaac N. Pessah and Robert F. Berman, all of UC Davis, and Paul J. Kostyniak of the Toxicology Research Center, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York.

The research was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences/Environmental Protection Agency Center for Children's Environmental Health, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program.

At the UC Davis MIND Institute, world-renowned scientists engage in research to find improved treatments as well as the causes and cures for autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, fragile X syndrome, Tourette syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Advances in neuroscience, molecular biology, genetics, pharmacology and b
ehavioral sciences are making inroads into a better understanding of brain function. The UC Davis MIND Institute draws from these and other disciplines to conduct collaborative, multidisciplinary research. For more information, visit mindinstitute.ucdavis.edu.

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Flame retardant linked to behavioral, other deficits

Researchers see differences in Autism brain development as early as 6 months

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Public release date: 17-Feb-2012
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Contact: Jane E. Rubinstein
jrubinstein@rubenstein.com
212-843-8287
Autism Speaks

New York, N.Y. -- The changes in brain development that underlie autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be detectable in children as young as 6 months, according to research reported online today in the American Journal of Psychiatry. While core behaviors associated with ASD (impaired social communication and repetitive behaviors) tend to be identified after a baby's first birthday, researchers found clear differences in brain communication pathways as early as 6 months in infants who later received a definitive diagnosis of ASD.

As part of the Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS), senior author Joe Piven, M.D., director of the University of North Carolina's Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities in Chapel Hill, and his colleagues studied early brain and behavior development in 92 infants. These infants had older siblings on the autism spectrum and, so, were at elevated risk of developing ASD themselves.

"These results offer promise that we may one day be able to identify infants at risk for autism before the behavioral symptoms are present," says study co-author Geri Dawson, Ph.D., Autism Speaks chief science officer. "The goal," she adds, "is to intervene as early as possible to prevent or reduce the onset of disabling symptoms." One promising area of follow-up research is to identify the specific genetic and biological mechanisms behind the observed differences in brain development.

In their report, the researchers describe using a magnetic resonance imaging technology called diffusion tensor imaging to evaluate the brains of infants at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years of age. This allowed them to create three-dimensional pictures showing changes over time in each infant's "white matter." White matter represents the part of the brain that is particularly rich in the nerve fibers that form major information pathways between different brain regions.

The 28 infants who went on to develop ASD showed different white matter development for 12 of the 15 major brain pathways studied compared with 64 infants who did not go on to develop ASD. At 6 months, there was evidence that the white matter fiber tracts were different in infants who later developed ASD from those of infant siblings who did not develop ASD, and over time it appears that there is a slowing in white matter development. It is a brain marker that differs in children who go on to be classified with autism. These developmental differences may suggest slower white matter development during early childhood, when the brain is making and strengthening vital connections.

"It's too early to tell whether the brain imaging techniques used in the study will be useful in identifying children at risk for ASD in early infancy," Piven says. "But the results could guide the development of better tools for predicting the risk that a child will develop ASD and perhaps measuring whether early intervention therapies improve underlying brain biology."

This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Child Health and Development, Autism Speaks and the Simons Foundation. Further support was provided by the National Alliance for Medical Image Computing, funded by a National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering grant. With funding from Autism Speaks, the IBIS team is also looking at the genetic and environmental influences on brain and behavior development in these high-risk infants.

###

About Autism

Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders ? autism spectrum disorders ? caused by a combination of genes and environmental influences. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by social and behavioral challenges, as well as repetitive behaviors. An estimated 1 in 110 children in the U.S. is on the autism spectrum ? a 600 percent increase in the past two decades that is only partly explained by improved diagnosis.

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization. Since its inception in 2005, Autism Speaks has made enormous strides, committing over $173 million to research and developing innovative resources for families. The organization is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. In addition to funding research, Autism Speaks has created resources and programs including the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network, Autism Speaks' Autism Genetic Resource Exchange and several other scientific and clinical programs. Notable awareness initiatives include the establishment of the annual United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, which Autism Speaks celebrates through its Light it Up Blue initiative. Also, Autism Speaks award-winning "Learn the Signs" campaign with the Ad Council has received over $316 million in donated media. Autism Speaks' family resources include the Autism Video Glossary, a 100 Day Kit for newly-diagnosed families, a School Community Tool Kit, a Grandparent's Guide to Autism, and a community grant program. Autism Speaks has played a critical role in securing federal legislation to advance the government's response to autism, and has successfully advocated for insurance reform to cover behavioral treatments in 29 states thus far, with legislation continuing to advance in more states. Each year Walk Now for Autism Speaks events are held in more than 85 cities across North America. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit http://www.autismspeaks.org.

About the Co-Founders

Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Bob Wright is Senior Advisor at Lee Equity Partners and Chairman and CEO of the Palm Beach Civic Association. He served as Vice Chairman of General Electric; and as the Chief Executive Officer of NBC and NBC Universal for more than twenty years and is a graduate of the College of Holy Cross and the University of Virginia School of Law. He also serves on the board of directors of the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, Mission Product, EMI Group Global Ltd., and AMC Networks Inc., and is a Trustee of the New York Presbyterian hospital. Suzanne Wright is a Trustee Emeritus of Sarah Lawrence College, her alma mater. Suzanne has received numerous awards, the Women of Distinction Award from Palm Beach Atlantic University, the CHILD Magazine Children's Champions Award, Luella Bennack Volunteer Award, Spirit of Achievement award by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's National Women's Division and The Women of Vision Award from the Weizmann Institute of Science. In 2008, the Wrights were named to the Time 100 Heroes and Pioneers category, a list of the most influential people in the world, for their commitment to global autism advocacy. They have also received the first ever Double Helix Award for Corporate Leadership from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the NYU Child Advocacy Award, the Castle Connolly National Health Leadership Award and the American Ireland Fund Humanitarian Award. In the past couple of years the Wrights have received honorary doctorate degrees from St. John's University, St. Joseph's University and UMass Medical School.


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Researchers see differences in Autism brain development as early as 6 months

What Motivates Tomorrow's Great Entrepreneurs?

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A new study reveals that young entrepreneurs are driven by rule-breaking, thinking outside the box, and friendship.

Andres Blumer (left) and Ryder Fyrwald (right) presented a Humantelligence Study the first day of the Kairos Global Summit 2012—held at the New York Academy of Medicine.

 

Today's young entrepreneurs are motivated to start companies because they hate authority and want to break all the rules, according to a recent study of 250 business owners between the ages of 18 and 22 years old.

The study, released by Humantelligence, a behavioral science research and consulting firm that provides online tools, found that just over 60 percent of those studied showed that valuing their freedom and doing things their own way was a dominant motivator—a mere 1 percent see themselves as wanting to create or adhere to structure.

Two Humantelligence directors, Andres Blumer and Ryder Fyrwald, presented these findings last week at the three-day Kairos Global Summit 2012 held at the New York Academy of Medicine and hosted by Kairos Society, a non-profit organization seeking to foster entrepreneurship amongst those ages 18 to 22. The organization brings together the best and brightest young entrepreneurs in the world.

“For us, studying Kairos members was a no-brainer,” says Blumer, also one of the earliest members of the Kairos Society and the director of international development at Humantelligence. “This is such an amazing group of people. When I come to these events where everyone is gathered, I find myself surrounded by all these young brilliant people who really are changing the world—they are truly unique.”

Humantelligence aims to aid companies in understanding, communicating and connecting with their employees. They begin this process with the Humantelligence Scan, a 36-question test that focuses on the four lenses most associated with success in the workplace—uncovering the main motivators and strengths of employees while also providing critical feedback of areas to improve. After the study, Humantelligence then helps companies use the information from the study to improve their employees’ work environments. 

As Humantelligence strives to improve work environments and company organization, they base their methods on positive psychology and behavioral science—framing findings in a positive manner, which is reflected in the results of the Kairos study. 

“We strive to help companies provide their employees with the best possible workplace—a place where they can find success and happiness,” says Blumer. 

“We found that when looking at the profiles of the Kairos members there were a number of qualities we have found consistent amongst many entrepreneurial leaders we have collected data on,” said Fyrwald, director of strategic partnerships at Humantelligence. “Many of them go against the status-quo and challenge convention—approaching their work with a flexible attitude, based on getting it done.”

The study showed that 64 percent of Kairos members prefer work requiring them to think outside the box and avoid rules and existing procedures. Additionally, almost 65 percent of those studied prefer work that allows them to solve problems on a regular basis. 

“This is a highly motivated group of young people, who have all these unique and thought-provoking ideas,” says Blumer. “We always say, ‘you can’t change the future, but you can create it.’ That’s what this group is doing.”

Humantelligence reported that “coupled with a drive, behavior and ideal work profile that involves doing it their own way, Kairos members also hold a deep-seeded value for uniqueness. That is, they seek to stand out from the crowd and become energized when their drive for creativity is triggered.”

Beyond showing signs of uniqueness, a little over 30 percent of those scanned had decisiveness as a dominant characteristic—which Humantelligence reports as slightly unusual for this age demographic, found more commonly amongst “seasoned professionals.” Conversely, only 3 percent of the 250 Kairos members showed signs of being “results driven or practical.” 

The percent of Kairos members driven by wealth was similarly low, with only 5 percent of members having it as a main motivator and 10 percent of those surveyed had helping others as their motivation above all else.

For those studied, there was a high emphasis placed on achievement, personal development, adventure, creativity—but most notably friendship. Friendship has never before come up as one of the top priorities for any group analyzed by Humantelligence. 

“This is so important. Its like we always say, ‘imagine if the world’s most influential people were friends 25 years ago?’” says Blumer. “I know that I could reach out to any of the friends I have made through Kairos, anywhere in the world and ask for help or stay at their place. We are in it together.”

 

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Common flame retardant linked to social, behavioral and learning deficits

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Public release date: 16-Feb-2012
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Contact: Phyllis Brown
phyllis.brown@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
916-734-9023
University of California - Davis Health System

Mice genetically engineered to be susceptible to autism-like behaviors that were exposed to a common flame retardant were less fertile and their offspring were smaller, less sociable and demonstrated marked deficits in learning and long-term memory when compared with the offspring of normal unexposed mice, a study by researchers at UC Davis has found. The researchers said the study is the first to link genetics and epigenetics with exposure to a flame retardant chemical.

The research was published online today in the journal Human Molecular Genetics. It will be presented during a symposium on Saturday, Feb. 18, at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) by Janine LaSalle, a professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the UC Davis School of Medicine and the UC Davis Genome Center. (LaSalle will discuss her research during a news briefing with other autism researchers at 9 a.m. on Feb. 19 in Room 221 on the second Level of the Vancouver Convention Center).

"This study highlights the interaction between epigenetics and the effects of early exposure to flame retardants," said Janine LaSalle, the study's senior author and a researcher affiliated with the UC Davis MIND Institute. "Our experiments with wild-type and mutant mice indicate that exposure to flame retardants presents an independent risk of neurodevelopmental deficits associated with reduced sociability and learning."

Epigenetics describes the heritable changes in gene expression caused by mechanisms other than those in the DNA sequence. One such mechanism is DNA methylation, in which genes are silenced when their activation no longer is required. DNA methylation is essential for normal development. The researchers chose a mouse that was genetically and epigenetically susceptible to social behavioral deficits in order to understand the potential effect of this environmental pollutant on genetically susceptible humans.

LaSalle and her colleagues examined the effects of the chemical BDE-47 (Tetrabromodiphenl ether), a member of the class of flame retardants called polybrominated diphenylethers, or PBDEs. PBDEs have been used in a wide range of products, including electronics, bedding, carpeting and furniture. They have been shown to persist in the environment and accumulate in living organisms, and toxicological testing has found that they may cause liver toxicity, thyroid toxicity and neurodevelopmental toxicity, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. BDE-47 is the PBDE found at highest concentrations in human blood and breast milk, raising concerns about its potential neurotoxic effects during pregnancy and neonatal development.

The research was conducted in the offspring of mice genetically engineered for the autism phenotype found in Rett syndrome, a disorder that occurs primarily in females and causes regression in expressive language, motor skills and social reciprocity in late infancy. The condition affects about 1 in 10,000 children.

Autism spectrum disorders are a group of neurodevelopmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral deficits. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that an average of 1 in 110 children born in the United States today will be diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

Rett syndrome is causally linked to defects in the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 gene MECP2 situated on the X chromosome. Mutations in MECP2 result in a nonfunctional MeCP2 protein, which is required for normal brain development. The researchers evaluated the effects of exposure to BDE-47 on mice genetically engineered to have mutations in MECP2 and their offspring, or pups. The genetically engineered Mecp2 mother mice, or dams, were bred with non-mutant wild-type males. The dams were monitored for 10 weeks -- for four weeks prior to conception, three weeks during gestation and three weeks of lactation. They were then compared with a control group of normal, unexposed dams and pups over several generations and hundreds of mice.

The study found that that the weights of the pups of the lactating BDE-47-exposed dams were diminished when compared with the controls, as were their survival rates. To assess the effects of the flame retardant exposure on the pups and their genotypes, the researchers placed them through more than 10 cognitive, social and physical tests.

Female offspring of dams exposed with BDE-47 spent half as much time interacting with another mouse in a 10-minute sociability test compared to controls. The reduced sociability in BDE-47 exposed females corresponded to reduced DNA methylation in females regardless of genotype. In addition, genetic and environmental interaction effects in this study were specifically observed in females.

In a short-term memory test of social novelty, although all mice showed the expected preference for interacting with a novel over a familiar mouse, BDE-47-exposed mutant female mice spent about half as much time interacting with the familiar mouse than their non-mutant littermates. In a long-term memory test of swimming to reach a hidden platform in a cloudy pool, female mice who were both mutant and BDE-47 exposed did not learn to reach the platform faster after fourdays of training. These behavioral changes in social and cognitive learning specifically in the interaction group corresponded to changes in a known epigenetic regulator of DNA methylation in brain, DNA methyltransferase 3a (Dnmt3a).

LaSalle said that the study results are important because better understanding of the epigenetic pathways implicated in social behavior and cognition may lead to improved treatments for autism spectrum disorders.

"While the obvious preventative step is to limit the use and accumulation of PBDEs in our environment, this would likely be a long-term solution," LaSalle said. "These pollutants are going to be hard to get rid of tomorrow. However, one important preventative that all women could do tomorrow is to start taking prenatal vitamins before becoming pregnant, as these may counteract the toxins in our environment through DNA methylation," she said.

A study by researchers at UC Davis conducted in 2011 found that women who reported not taking a daily prenatal vitamin immediately before and during the first month of pregnancy were nearly twice as likely to have a child with an autism spectrum disorder as women who did take the supplements -- and the associated risk rose to seven times as great when combined with a high-risk genetic make-up.

###

Other authors of the research are Rima Woods, Roxanne O. Vallero, Mari Golub, Joanne K. Suarez, Tram Anh Ta, Dag H. Yasui, Lai-Har Chi, Isaac N. Pessah and Robert F. Berman, all of UC Davis, and Paul J. Kostyniak of the Toxicology Research Center, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York.

The research was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences/Environmental Protection Agency Center for Children's Environmental Health, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program.

At the UC Davis MIND Institute, world-renowned scientists engage in research to find improved treatmen
ts as well as the causes and cures for autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, fragile X syndrome, Tourette syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Advances in neuroscience, molecular biology, genetics, pharmacology and behavioral sciences are making inroads into a better understanding of brain function. The UC Davis MIND Institute draws from these and other disciplines to conduct collaborative, multidisciplinary research. For more information, visit mindinstitute.ucdavis.edu.


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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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Common flame retardant linked to social, behavioral and learning deficits

Stem Cell Stocks: Mending Scarred Hearts

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A new study at Johns Hopkins University has shown that stem cells from patients' own cardiac tissue can be used to heal scarred tissue after a heart attack. This is certainly exciting news considering heart failure is still the No. 1 cause of death in men and women.

The study included 25 heart attack victims, 17 of whom got the stem cell treatment. Those patients saw a 50% reduction in cardiac scar tissue after one year, while the eight control patients saw no improvement.

The procedure involves removing a tiny portion of heart tissue through a needle, cultivating the stem cells from that tissue, and reinserting them in a second minimally invasive procedure, according to Bloomberg.

"If we can regenerate the whole heart, then the patient would be completely normal," said Eduardo Marban, director of Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute who was the study's lead author. "We haven't fulfilled that yet, but we've gotten rid of half of the injury, and that's a good start."

Business section: Investing ideas
Interested in investing in the promise that stem cell therapy holds? For a look at the investing landscape, we compiled a list of the 10 largest companies involved in stem cell therapy.

Do you think this industry will see growth from stem cell research? (Click here to access free, interactive tools to analyze these ideas.)

1. BioTime (NYSE: BTX  ) : Focuses on regenerative medicine and blood plasma volume expanders. Market cap at $291.95M. The company develops and markets research products in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine. It develops therapeutic products derived from stem cells for the treatment of retinal and neural degenerative diseases; cardiovascular and blood diseases; therapeutic applications of stem cells to treat orthopedic diseases, injuries, and cancer; and retinal cell product for use in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

2. Cleveland BioLabs (Nasdaq: CBLI  ) : Market cap at $111.50M. Its products include Protectan CBLB502, a radioprotectant molecule with multiple medical and defense applications for reducing injury from acute stresses, such as radiation and chemotherapy by mobilizing various natural cell protecting mechanisms, including inhibition of apoptosis, reduction of oxidative damage, and induction of factors that induce protection and regeneration of stem cells in bone marrow and the intestines, and Protectan CBLB612, a modified lipopeptide mycoplasma that acts as a stimulator and mobilizer of hematopoietic stem cells to peripheral blood, providing hematopoietic recovery during chemotherapy and during donor preparation for bone marrow transplantation.

3. Gentium: Focuses on the development and manufacture of its primary product candidate, defibrotide, an investigational drug based on a mixture of single-stranded and double-stranded DNA extracted from pig intestines. Market cap at $128.29M. The company develops defibrotide for the treatment and prevention of hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD), a condition that occurs when veins in the liver are blocked as a result of cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation, that are administered prior to stem cell transplantation.

4. Geron (Nasdaq: GERN  ) : Develops biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer and chronic degenerative diseases, including spinal cord injury, heart failure, and diabetes. Market cap at $265.57M. The company has licensing agreement with the University Campus Suffolk to develop human embryonic stem cell-derived chondrocytes for the treatment of cartilage damage and joint disease.

5. Harvard Bioscience: Develops, manufactures, and markets apparatus and scientific instruments used in life science research in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, universities, and government laboratories in the United States and internationally. Market cap at $118.28M. Develops devices used by clinicians and researchers in the field of regenerative medicine, including bioreactors for growing tissue and organs outside the body, and injectors for stem cell therapy.

6. Lydall (NYSE: LDL  ) : Designs and manufactures specialty engineered products for thermal/acoustical, filtration/separation, and bio/medical applications in the United States. Market cap at $163.44M. In addition, it offers Cell-Freeze, a medical device used for cryogenic storage of peripheral blood stem cells.

8. Osiris Therapeutics (Nasdaq: OSIR  ) : Focuses on the development and marketing of therapeutic products to treat various medical conditions in the inflammatory, autoimmune, orthopedic, and cardiovascular areas. Market cap at $157.26M. A stem cell company, focuses on the development and marketing of therapeutic products to treat various medical conditions in the inflammatory, autoimmune, orthopedic, and cardiovascular areas.

7. Verastem: Market cap at $229.00M. Focuses on discovering and developing proprietary small molecule drugs targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs) in breast and other cancers.

Interactive Chart: Press Play to compare changes in analyst ratings over the last two years for the stocks mentioned above. Analyst ratings sourced from Zacks Investment Research.

Kapitall's Alexander Crawford does not own any of the shares mentioned above.

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Stem Cell Stocks: Mending Scarred Hearts

Protein that functions in normal breast may also contribute to breast cancer metastasis

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Public release date: 16-Feb-2012
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Contact: David Sampson
ajpmedia@elsevier.com
215-239-3171
Elsevier Health Sciences

Philadelphia, PA -- The trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) protein protects and maintains the integrity of the epithelial surface in the normal breast. New research has found that while TFF3 protein expression is higher in well-differentiated low grade tumors and therefore associated with features of a good prognosis, it has a more sinister role in breast cancer invasion and metastasis. The report is published in the March issue of the American Journal of Pathology.

"Our findings suggest that TFF3 is regulated by estrogen and has beneficial properties in breast epithelia," says lead investigator Felicity E.B. May, PhD, of the Northern Institute for Cancer Research and the Department of Pathology at Newcastle University, UK. "We propose that early during breast tumorigenesis, TFF3 retains its association with normal functionality of breast epithelial cells. Subsequently, with the loss of tumor cell differentiation, its function is subverted to promote the development of tumors and infiltration and lymph node metastasis."

To determine the role of TFF3 in breast cancer, researchers measured its level in tissue samples from normal breasts, benign breast lesions, in situ carcinomas, invasive carcinomas, and involved lymph nodes. TFF3 was expressed in the majority of benign and malignant breast lesions studied. Well-differentiated tumor types expressed higher levels of TFF3. There was a positive association between TFF3 protein expression and microvessel density, suggesting that it stimulates angiogenesis in breast tumors.

A striking finding of the study is the strength and consistency of the association between TFF3 expression and a more metastatic phenotype in invasive breast cancer. TFF3 was expressed at higher levels in primary tumors with associated metastasis, and its expression was higher in malignant cells that have metastasized away from those within the primary tumor. There appears to be a switch in the normal polarized secretion of TFF3 in invasive cancer, which allows it to exert invasion-promoting effects.

The study suggests that TFF3 may be one of the genes that mediate the various effects of estrogens in breast cancer. "The paradox remains, however, for both the estrogen receptor and TFF3, that they contribute to the normal physiology of the breast epithelium yet are involved in the progression of cancer," notes Dr. May.

Importantly, the investigators also evaluated the potential of TFF3 as a biomarker of lymphovascular invasion and lymph node metastasis. They found that TFF3 had greater predictive power than other markers analyzed, including tumor grade, age, tumor size and type, and estrogen and progesterone receptor status. "Our study reinforces the view that TFF3 expression merits evaluation as a prognostic biomarker and as a predictive marker of response to therapy," concludes Dr. May. "It is probable that its malign effects will be mitigated by adjuvant endocrine therapy in women with hormone-responsive cancers. However, the usefulness of TFF3 as a marker of hormone responsiveness needs to be evaluated."

###

The article is "TFF3 Is a Normal Breast Epithelial Protein and Is Associated with Differentiated Phenotype in Early Breast Cancer but Predisposes to Invasion and Metastasis in Advanced Disease," by A.R.H. Ahmed, A.B. Griffiths, M.T. Tilby, B.R. Westley, and F.E.B. May (doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2011.11.022). It will appear in The American Journal of Pathology, Volume 180, Issue 3 (March 2012) published by Elsevier.


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Protein that functions in normal breast may also contribute to breast cancer metastasis

Mead Johnson to Present at Annual Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) Conference

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

Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (NYSE: MJN - News) announced today that it will present at the 2012 Consumer Analyst Group of New York Conference in Boca Raton, Florida on Wednesday, February 22, 2012. The presentation by Kasper Jakobsen, executive vice president and chief operating officer and Peter G. Leemputte, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will begin at 1:45 p.m. EST and will be broadcast live over the Internet. To access the webcast, visit meadjohnson.com and click on the Investors tab. A replay of the event will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the webcast at meadjohnson.com under the Investors tab.

About Mead Johnson

Mead Johnson, a global leader in pediatric nutrition, develops, manufactures, markets and distributes more than 70 products in over 50 countries worldwide. The company's mission is to nourish the world’s children for the best start in life. The Mead Johnson name has been associated with science-based pediatric nutrition products for over 100 years. The company's "Enfa" family of brands, including Enfamil® infant formula, is the world's leading brand franchise in pediatric nutrition. For more information, go to http://www.meadjohnson.com.

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Metagenics, Inc. Introduces New Wellness Essentials Personalized Daily Nutrition Packets®

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SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Metagenics, Inc., a nutrigenomics and lifestyle medicine company focused on improving health, today announced seven Wellness Essentials® products that feature once-daily packets of nutritional supplements backed by scientific research to support personalized daily nutrition. The Wellness Essentials product line offers seven specialized formula combinations that are convenient and easy to use. These formula combinations provide a foundation of essential vitamins and minerals, along with phytonutrients, concentrated omega-3s, and other targeted nutritional supplements to offer personalized health support.*

“Our Wellness Essentials packets are developed through extensive research to meet the unique health needs of specific demographics,” said Deanna Minich, PhD, FACN, Vice President of Scientific Affairs at Metagenics. “These formula combinations incorporate advanced nutritional approaches, including science-based support for specialized applications—such as selective kinase response modulators (SKRMs) to impact healthy cellular communication—to deliver revolutionary foundation nutrition along with targeted health support. Doctors now have the option to choose a nutritional formula combination that will meet a patient's specific health needs.”*

Every Wellness Essentials packet contains a minimum of 1000 mg of purity-tested omega-3 fatty acids, important for maintaining healthy blood lipids. The product line (excluding Wellness Essentials Pregnancy) also features the new PhytoMulti™ supplement that provides essential vitamins/minerals and a proprietary blend of 13 concentrated extracts and phytonutrients with scientifically tested biological activity to help protect cells and maintain DNA stability. Unlike common foundational nutrition packets, Wellness Essentials formulas are backed by a scientific review and quality standards to deliver nutrition that supports heart, brain, and immune health, as well as positive mood and vitality.*

The Wellness Essentials product line:

Wellness Essentials® supports immune and nervous system health* Wellness Essentials®Men’s Vitality targets vitality and libido, as well as supports masculine functions and overall health* Wellness Essentials®Women targets heart and bone health, as well as helps maintain vitality and overall health in women* Wellness Essentials®Women’s Prime targets energy metabolism, heart and bone health, in addition to vitality and overall health in mature women* Wellness Essentials®Pregnancy provides comprehensive nutritional support for preconception through nursing* Wellness Essentials®Active targets healthy joint flexibility, mobility and comfort, as well as vitality and overall health* Wellness Essentials®Healthy Balance supports healthy blood sugar and insulin levels that are already in the normal range, as well as overall health and well-being*

The enhanced Wellness Essential formulas are part of Metagenics’ “Year of You” in-office program for healthcare practitioners—providing simple nutritional protocols and novel products to help patients make and keep resolutions to improve health.* Other recent product introductions include the Identi-T™ Personalized Stress Relief Program and the “Smart Multi” formulas—PhytoMulti and PhytoMulti™ with Iron.

For additional information, please visit http://www.metagenics.com or call 1-800-692-9400.

About Metagenics, Inc.

Metagenics, Inc. (www.metagenics.com) is a nutrigenomics and lifestyle medicine company focused on improving health. Founded in 1983, Metagenics serves more than 75,000 healthcare providers worldwide through premium quality, science-based medical foods, nutritional formulas, and lifestyle therapy programs to help their patients achieve a lifetime of good health. Metagenics’ scientific staff—among the largest in the nutrigenomics industry—has published more than 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals and has been awarded more than 50 international or domestic patents. The company’s educational arm, Metagenics University, collaborates with renowned medical experts to annually deliver more than 200 events designed to help healthcare professionals stay on the leading edge of lifestyle medicine and incorporate nutrition into their clinical practice.

Metagenics maintains its corporate headquarters in San Clemente, CA; R&D headquarters in Gig Harbor, WA; and operating subsidiaries in Brussels, Belgium and Brisbane, Australia.

*

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration.

These products are not intended to diagnose, cure or prevent any disease.

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Jill Grunewald: Beyond the Plate: Nourishment vs. Nutrition

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For many of us, nutrition can be a confusing matter. It has become a topic of bewilderment, inciting dizzying searches for the ideal way to eat. Even if you've never wrestled with these concerns, you have to concur that Western society is bombarded with "expert" advice urging us to eat this and forego that for well being and longevity.

What's missing from this well-meant advice is the distinction between nourishment and nutrition, for nourishment is more than the sum of nutritional grams. According to Joshua Rosenthal, founder and director of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and author of Integrative Nutrition, "Eating well helps, but don't expect it to work miracles. It can fill you, but it cannot fulfill you."

When it comes to sustained health and aging well, sound nutrition is important, but it isn't everything. "The problem with nutrient-by-nutrient nutrition science," states Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition and food studies at NYU and author of What to Eat, "is that it takes the nutrient out of the context of food, the food out of the context of diet and the diet out of the context of lifestyle."

Mr. Rosenthal continues:

"If we are not physically starving, other dimensions of the human experience are much more important than what we put in our mouths. The foods you eat are secondary to all the other things that feed you -- your relationships, career, spirituality and exercise routine. All that we consider today as nutrition is really just a secondary source of energy."

The Ideology of Nutrition-ism

There exists an unexamined assumption that food, with its nutrients, phytochemicals and minerals, is merely a means to an end, a way of achieving and maintaining physical well-being and that its cultural and social implications are, in comparison, superficial.

According to Michael Pollan, professor of journalism at the University of California and author of Food Rules:

"Hippocrates' famous injunction to 'let food be thy medicine' is ritually invoked to support this notion ... it is not shared by all cultures and the experience of other cultures suggests that, paradoxically, viewing food as being about things other than bodily health -- like pleasure, say, or socializing -- makes people no less healthy; indeed, there's reason to believe that it may make them more healthy."

The X Factors

Chronic, overwhelming stress, including historic stress, is thought to be the most significant plague of modern life. Dr. Mark Hyman, chairman of the Institute for Functional Medicine and author of The Blood Sugar Solution, states that 95 percent of all illness is caused or worsened by stress. Prolonged activation of the stress response and the subsequent overexposure to stress hormones can disrupt almost all your body's processes, making none of our organs immune to its effects. Heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, hypertension, depression, ulcers, headaches and chronic anxiety are all scientifically linked to chronic stress.

"So, if you don't think the mind has the power to influence your body, think again," states Dr. Hyman. "The good news is that you can change your beliefs and attitudes and their effects on your mind and body. You may need to learn a few new skills, like stress reduction techniques, but it can be done."

He continues, "... the health of your mind and spirit and your sense of connection to your community has an immense impact on the health of your body. In fact... the biggest predictor of longevity is psychological resiliency -- being able to roll with the punches that life throws at us." How does he suggest building this resiliency? Through our attitude, social networks, community and spiritual beliefs.

"We've known about this in medicine for a long time," he says. "There is a dramatic and powerful connection between your mind and body, and between your body and your mind. In fact, it really should not be called a connection because it is just one bidirectional system. Unfortunately, few doctors accept or understand this fundamental reality about biology."

Undoubtedly, eating a whole foods, nutrient-dense diet is essential for good health, but our attitude towards food and life and how we manage stress are equally if not more important, for nourishment is not limited to food alone. It includes all of the ways we feed the many needs we have as humans.

 

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Jill Grunewald: Beyond the Plate: Nourishment vs. Nutrition

Dietary Help Can Boost Cancer Patients' Nutrition, But Not Survival

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WEDNESDAY, Feb. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Good dietary advice and supplements can boost nutrition while improving quality of life in malnourished cancer patients, a new study finds.

However, the interventions do not appear to affect survival for these patients, according to the findings published in the Feb. 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

For the study, Christine Baldwin, a lecturer in the nutritional sciences division at King's College London, and colleagues analyzed data from 13 clinical trials that included a total of more than 1,400 cancer patients who were malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. Some of the patients received oral nutritional support (dietary advice and/or supplements) while others received routine care.

Oral nutritional support had a wide range of effects on both weight and energy intake, and led to improvements in aspects of quality of life, such as emotional functioning, shortness of breath and loss of appetite. However, this type of intervention had no effect on patient death rates, the study authors noted in a journal news release.

The level of benefit varied between patients, and the authors concluded that "it is likely that the factors such as site and stage of disease and, indeed, variations in the duration, nature and intensity of the nutritional intervention will account for difference in effects in patients."

International guidelines have suggested oral nutritional intervention for malnourished cancer patients or those who are at nutritional risk, but these suggestions are based largely on expert opinion as opposed to clinical trials, according to background information in the study.

Commenting in an editorial accompanying the study, Ann O'Mara and Diane St. Germain of the U.S. National Cancer Institute wrote that "until future research provides clearer answers regarding who will benefit from nutritional interventions, the use of a comprehensive assessment, published nutritional guidelines and early interventions are essential."

More information

The American Cancer Society has more about cancer patients and nutrition.

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Dietary Help Can Boost Cancer Patients' Nutrition, But Not Survival

Stellicktricity: Red Wings have record of longevity

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Nicklas Lidstrom played in his 1,550th NHL game in Detroit's 4-3 win over Philadelphia on Sunday, all with the Red Wings, which establishes a new NHL record for the most career games with a single team. Next on the list are two other Red Wings. Alex Delvecchio (1,549 games) held the record Lidstrom broke and next is Steve Yzerman at 1,514 games.

- Fabulous week for Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada in Prince Edward Island. I enjoyed the people and the hockey at all levels.
 
- Can't say the same about the Montreal Canadiens-Toronto Maple Leafs game on Saturday night. Mats Sundin eloquently and passionately urged the crowd to put their support behind a young Leafs team that was trying as hard as it could under the pressure of playing hockey in a place like Toronto. The crowd continued to applaud Sundin and followed his wishes. It was tough to sustain during the embarrassing 5-0 drubbing that followed.
 
- Give Jaroslav Spacek credit for sticking to his guns over comments he made a few months ago. The ex-Canadien, now a member of the Carolina Hurricanes, maintained that Montreal was a fabulous city to play in, but that things had "fallen apart" with the hockey organization while he was there. He reiterated his support of Randy Cunneyworth's abilities and his belief that an anglophone could successfully coach the Canadiens as long as he had the services of an interpreter for the media. Cunneyworth and Kirk Muller, his current head coach in Carolina, are two candidates that Spacek thinks would have fit the bill.
 
- Nicklas Lidstrom played in his 1,550th NHL game in Detroit's 4-3 win over Philadelphia on Sunday, all with the Red Wings, which establishes a new NHL record for the most career games with a single team. Next on the list are two other Red Wings. Alex Delvecchio (1,549 games) held the record Lidstrom broke and next is Steve Yzerman at 1,514 games.
 
- Not only is Evgeni Malkin looking like the Hart Trophy winner, he has also scored at least one goal in each of the Pittsburgh Penguins' last eight home games. Only one other player has accomplished that same feat this year and that is teammate James Neal, who scored in the Penguins' first eight home games of the season. Only once have two players on the same team scored in at least eight consecutive home games in a single season. That was the Boston Bruins in 1970-71, when Phil Esposito scored in 13 consecutive home games and Ken Hodge in eight consecutive home games.
 
- Last year's Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry has five hat tricks in the last two seasons, which is the best mark in the NHL. Unbelievably, Perry never had a three-goal game in his first five seasons. He leads a charging Ducks team that has now been upgraded to an outside chance of making the playoffs in the Western Conference from no chance at all before Bruce Boudreau took over as head coach.
 
- Interesting connection to Perry with the announcement that Mike Comrie has retired after 10 NHL seasons and three hip surgeries. He is only 31. When Comrie had his well-publicized and bitter split with his hometown Edmonton Oilers in the summer of 2003, the Ducks were one logical destination. The stumbling point for the Oilers was that they wanted Comrie to return $250,000 US to the Oilers organization in order to facilitate the trade. He refused and was later dealt to Philadelphia. The player they were to receive from Anaheim? The recently drafted Perry, who was then playing for the OHL's London Knights.
 
- One of the biggest splashes at last year's trade deadline was the Los Angeles Kings' acquisition of Dustin Penner from Edmonton. Head coach Darryl Sutter seemed to reach wits end when he made him a healthy scratch last Saturday against Dallas (a 4-2 Kings' win). On the positive side, two King players recorded their first ever NHL goals in that victory, Dwight King and Jordan Nolan (son of former NHL coach Ted).

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Toy Makers Give New Products Longevity Through Apps

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New toys are looking to capitalize on the high-tech market with unique takes on the iPad and Android devices. NY1’s Adam Balkin filed the following report.

No matter how cool a new toy is, oftentimes a child would likely still pick up a device like an iPad or iPod Touch if given the choice. So it's no wonder so many developers at the American International Toy Fair are using devices like iPads or iPod Touches as part of their new toys.

Mattel is launching a new line of what it's calling Apptivity Toys, physical toys you hold in your hand that interact somehow with companion apps.

“Every toy is unique and designed for the brand for the game, so whether it's Barbie, where you're unlocking potentially parts of a closet, or Hot Wheels, where it's a challenge or a race or a quest or accumulate points and unlock things,” says Chuck Scothon of Mattel.

Out this fall, they range from about $10 to $20 apiece.

The $50 TeeGee out this summer is a more traditional toy, but where it breaks from tradition, you stick an iPhone or iPod Touch in its back and it becomes the brains of the monkey, so to speak.

“You're able to download age appropriate apps, so as your child gets older, you can evolve the experience for your child and you don't have to buy other toys. You can sing songs with TeeGee, arithmetic, Spanish, English, grammar,” says Christopher Ahn of TeeGee.

Or finally, if it's just the actual tablet or smartphone your kids want but you don't want to give them yours, the Kurio is a fully functioning Android tablet for kids.

The only thing that really makes it different from other Android tablets on the market is that parents can pretty much control every single thing their kids do on it. Parents set up profiles for up to eight users and then each user gets certain rights. For starters, parents can determine what types of websites can be visited.

“We have an online service that will everyday update inappropriate sites for kids and families, and by category, you can determine based on your own value system which categories are appropriate for your child,” says Eric Levin of TechnoSource.

You can also designate which user can access which apps. Kurio is out early summer for about $200.

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Fitch: Insurance Longevity Product Raises Questions and Concerns

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NEW YORK & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Fitch notes the latest product offering aimed at the longevity risk protection market, the contingent annuity (CA), is generating controversy. From a ratings perspective, we are concerned with the ultimate risk profile of any CA products, pricing adequacy, questions of transparency, and how the product will be reserved for considering the level of capital required under regulatory capital ratios.

The market for longevity risk protection is enormous and growing rapidly, as underscored by an ongoing shift toward defined contribution pension plans and baby boomers reaching retirement age.

To date, U.S. life insurers have been actively selling variable annuities and other lifetime income annuities that protect against the risk of outliving one's assets. The CA product structures that have been proposed would offer similar lifetime income benefit guarantees but would not require the policyholder to transfer the assets to the insurance company. We are aware of only a handful of U.S. life insurers that have actually sold a CA type product; however, a large number of insurers are looking to potentially enter this market given recent policy statements from the Treasury and Labor departments encouraging lifetime annuities.

We share key concerns voiced by U.S. life insurance companies, regulators, and trade group, including the potential for mispricing that could lead to significant financial problems for the life insurance industry down the road. Due to investment guarantees embedded in variable annuity products, the industry suffered material financial losses in the 2008-2009 financial crisis. We also share concerns that the CA product offering could cannibalize sales of existing annuity products and will not necessarily increase market share.

We do not portend any rating impact over the near term associated with the development of CA offerings and note that there has been very little business written in the new product to date. Over the near term, we will be actively monitoring further developments related to the CA market, including forthcoming recommendations from the subgroup recently formed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to examine this market, and will discuss potential reserve and capital requirements.

Additional information is available on http://www.fitchratings.com

The above article originally appeared as a post on the Fitch Wire credit market commentary page. The original article, which may include hyperlinks to companies and current ratings, can be accessed at http://www.fitchratings.com. All opinions expressed are those of Fitch Ratings.

ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: http://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE.

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Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Approves Bevo Co-Sponsored Research Grant

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LANGLEY, BC, Feb. 15, 2012 /CNW/ - The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has approved a co-sponsored research grant submitted by Bevo Agro Inc. (TSX-V: BVO.V - News) and The University of British Columbia (UBC). The purpose of the grant is to develop a new cultivar of Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), North America's largest native fruit.

In August 2011 , Bevo, in concert with Dr. Kermit Ritland , a professor and plant geneticist at UBC, applied to NSERC for a $200,000 grant, (requiring matching support from Bevo), for a four year research program aimed at establishing a new patentable Pawpaw cultivar. This small tree, produces a tropical-like fruit similar in size and shape to a mango, and having a banana-mango flavour. Due to certain genetic characteristics including a short shelf life, large inedible seeds, and low fruit yields, to date, the Pawpaw has not been an attractive candidate for broad commercialization. Our research program aims to create a new commercially viable cultivar.

After a review of the grant proposal by an NSERC appointed scientific/industrial committee, the grant was conditionally approved in December 2011 pending the execution of a collaborative research agreement between Bevo and the University of British Columbia, which will administer the grant and direct the research program. The collaborative research agreement came into effect on February 06, 2012 .

About Bevo

Bevo Agro is North America's leading supplier of propagated agricultural plants, growing and distributing vegetable, flower, berry and other plant seedlings to North America's growers. Bevo propagates quality seedlings and plants for wholesale vegetable greenhouse growers, field growers and nursery operators from its 40 acres of greenhouse and related production infrastructure.

About NSERC

NSERC, an agency of the Government of Canada , promotes and supports discovery research, and fosters innovation by encouraging Canadian companies to participate and invest in research projects carried out at Canadian universities. Additionally, it helps to train university graduate students in their advanced studies, through participation in NSERC funded research programs.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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Scientists Debate How To Conduct Bird Flu Research

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Scientists working with bird flu recently called a 60-day halt on some controversial experiments, and the unusual move has been compared to a famous moratorium on genetic engineering in the 1970s.

But key scientists involved in that event disagree on whether history is repeating itself.

"I see an amazing similarity," says Nobel Prize winner Paul Berg, of Stanford University.

To him, it's almost eerie to watch events unfold just like they did back then: There's been a startling scientific discovery, concerns raised by an expert committee, then a voluntary moratorium and calls for an international discussion to figure out how to move forward in a way that protects the public.

 

This time around, fears revolve around experiments on the bird flu virus H5N1. Scientists tweaked its genes and made it more transmissible between ferrets, which are the laboratory stand-in for people.

Some experts fear that if this virus ever escaped or fell into the wrong hands, it could cause a devastating pandemic. On Jan. 20, flu virologists said they'd temporarily halt this line of research. And a small group of experts will meet at the World Health Organization in Geneva on Thursday and Friday to discuss what to do next.

In the 1970s, the concerns centered on the first steps towards what's now known as genetic engineering. Berg had figured out how to splice together DNA from different organisms. This was new, and some people were disturbed by the experiments Berg wanted to do that involved viruses and bacteria.

"People said, 'Hey, you're doing this crazy experiment, you're potentially spreading cancer genes, etc., etc,' " recalls Berg. "I said, 'Nonsense!' "

But as he talked to people, he began to realize that he couldn't say there was zero risk. And the tools he had pioneered were advancing rapidly. More and more people were doing this kind of work. So Berg and some colleagues took an unusual step.

They asked scientists around the world to hold off on certain experiments until there was a consensus on how to do them safely. In February of 1975, about 150 researchers gathered at the Asilomar conference center in Pacific Grove, Calif.

"They developed guidelines and policy for how to do that research, and we still live with many of those guidelines and policies today," says Paul Keim, a microbiologist at Northern Arizona University who chairs a government advisory committee that recently reviewed the bird flu research.

It recommended keeping some details of the bird flu experiments under wraps, so as not to provide terrorists with a recipe for a new biological weapon. And Keim and the other committee members recently issued a statement that calls the bird flu situation "another Asilomar-type moment."

"The parallels are that, you know, there is so much uncertainty here. The potential for grave harm is obvious, to most of us," says Keim. "So the thought is, why not pause here, think about what we're doing."

Society's 'Implied Trust' In Scientists

But others say today's controversy over bird flu and the events leading up to Asilomar don't really match up at all.

"There's a whole bunch of differences, actually, that make the situation that we faced in '73 and '75 really quite different from this," says Maxine Singer, a prominent molecular biologist who also was one of the organizers of Asilomar.

The Asilomar conference was forward-looking and focused on the potential risks of hypothetical experiments that scientists hadn't yet done, says Singer. This time around, worrisome bird flu viruses have already been made.

"Now we're talking about locking the barn door after the horses have gone," Singer says. "So that's one big difference."

And a big part of today's debate is whether to try to limit who gets to see key details of those experiments. Singer says that discussions about bird flu research seem to be happening in closed-door meetings convened by government-level agencies. But Asilomar was open to reporters, and was organized by the scientists themselves.

Today's moratorium also feels very different to Stanley Falkow, a prominent microbiologist who was at Asilomar.

This time, scientists agreed to a pause in their work only after a public outcry. "My view is that they're doing it grudgingly," Falkow says.

Society supports scientists and gives them tremendous freedom in their pursuit of knowledge, notes Falkow, "and there's an implied trust. And I think in part what's happened has shaken the trust of many people."

In his view, it's not enough for scientists to think that what they're doing is fine — one of the lessons of Asilomar is to make sure the public will think that, too.

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Scientists Debate How To Conduct Bird Flu Research

Promising early results with therapeutic cancer vaccines

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Public release date: 15-Feb-2012
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Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, February 15, 2012?Therapeutic cancer vaccines, which stimulate the body's immune system to target and destroy cancer cells, are being used in combination with conventional chemotherapy with growing success, as described in several illuminating articles in Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (http://www.liebertpub.com). These articles are available free online at http://www.liebertpub.com/cbr

The U.S. FDA recently approved the first cancer therapeutic vaccine for treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. At least 14 other cancer vaccine strategies are in Phase II or III clinical trials for metastatic melanoma, lung cancer, and lymphoma, for example.

A critical perspective, "Recent Advances in Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines," (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/cbr.2012.1200) published in the Journal by Jeffrey Schlom, PhD, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD explains that a key advantage of cancer vaccines used in combination with chemotherapy is the extremely low level of toxicity. "The next frontier for vaccine therapy will be the use of vaccines in combination with certain chemotherapeutic agents, radiation, hormone therapy, and certain small molecule targeted therapies," according to Dr. Schlom.

These emerging areas of cancer vaccine therapy are explored in detail in two accompanying research reports by Dr. Schlom's colleagues at NCI/NIH. James Hodge, Hadley Sharp, and Sofia Gameiro describe how a tumor-targeted vaccine can enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy on cancer growth and spread beyond the primary tumor in the article "Abscopal Regression of Antigen Disparate Tumors by Antigen Cascade After Systemic Tumor Vaccination in Combination with Local Tumor Radiation." (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/cbr.2012.1202) Drs. Hodge and Gameiro and coauthor Jorge Caballero present the molecular signatures of lung tumor cells that can be made more susceptible to immunotherapy when first exposed to chemotherapeutic agents in the article "Defining the Molecular Signature of Chemotherapy-Mediated Lung Tumor Phenotype Modulation and Increased Susceptibility to T-cell Killing." (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/cbr.2012.1203)

"This perspective and promising research reports are from one of the leading vaccine research laboratories in the world," says Co-Editor-in-Chief Donald J. Buchsbaum, PhD, Division of Radiation Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham. "The ultimate use of cancer vaccines in combination with other immunotherapies, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy will be based on preclinical investigations and hopefully will produce clinical survival benefit for a range of cancers."

###

Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals, published 10 times a year in print and online, is under the editorial leadership of Editors Donald J. Buchsbaum, PhD and Robert K. Oldham, MD, Lower Keys Cancer Center, Key West, FL. Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals is the only journal with a specific focus on cancer biotherapy, including monoclonal antibodies, cytokine therapy, cancer gene therapy, cell-based therapies, and other forms of immunotherapy. The Journal includes extensive reporting on advancements in radioimmunotherapy and the use of radiopharmaceuticals and radiolabeled peptides for the development of new cancer treatments. Topics include antibody drug conjugates, fusion toxins and immunotoxins, nanoparticle therapy, vascular therapy, and inhibitors of proliferation signaling pathways. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed online at http://www.liebertpub.com/cbr

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research; Human Gene Therapy and Human Gene Therapy Methods; and Stem Cells and Development. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 70 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available at http://www.liebertpub.com

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DNA: The map to your past

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Read more: Local, National, International, Education, Community, Health, Consumer, Science, Technology, News, Gene Tree, DNA, Rachel Welte DNA, Welte, Rachel Regalado DNA, Geneology, Scott Woodward, DNA Samples, DNA Kit, Family Tree, Ancestors, Finding your Family Tree, Relatives, Rachel Regalado Family Tree, Rachel Regalado Welte, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Morning Show, Family

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Blue eyes, brown hair, freckles.

We all have unique features, a combination of our relatives past and present.

But the way we look is just the tip of the iceberg, as who we are is written in our DNA.

A complex set of instructions that we inherit from our parents.

With the help of GeneTree, a genealogy research company, I set out on a journey to find my roots, and the origin of my family tree.

Getting started was easy.

I received a DNA kit in the mail from GeneTree.

Inside was a set of instructions, mouthwash, and a baggie.

After swishing for several minutes, I spit my DNA into the cup and sent it on its way, back to GeneTree for processing.

Then, after eight weeks, my results arrived.

Of course, I already had an idea of who, and where my ancestors were from, but the results were still surprising.

"You, out of all the ones (reporters) we have done so far, show two major extremes," Scott Woodward said.

To help me break it all down, I enlisted the help of Woodward, a genealogy expert and founding member of GeneTree.

We began by looking at my mother, and her family.

"When we put your mitochondria DNA into the database, we literally found a thousand people that connect to you," Woodward said.

One of 12 kids, my mom's roots extend back to Europe, the birthplace of many of her ancient relatives.

"If we look at the world today we find people that share your DNA almost exactly, and we find them in the United States, in Switzerland, in Russia, in Yugoslavia, and in Mexico," Woodward said.

And what about famous relatives?

Woodward said I share an ancient maternal ancestor with Marie Antoinette.

"You have a line that goes back to an ancestor, she (Antoinette) has a line that goes back to an ancestor, and they meet somewhere back in the past," he said.

Now for my dad, Richard Regalado (my maiden name).

Where are his predecessors from?

"On your father's side you belong to a group this is called O-3, and O-3 is an Asian type, and we see a lot of people with O-3 in the Philippines," Woodward said.

Which is exactly where my grandfather, Eduardo Regalado, was born and raised.

From there, his roots extend all the way to South East Asia.

"The DNA type is actually older than the use of surnames," Woodward said. "We really did not use surnames until relatively recent, the past 400 to 600 years."

In other words, Regalado is most likely a surname.

An important fact, because Woodward said I have a close connection to a person with the last name Espinoza in Peru.

"There are a lot of interesting possibilities there, and that is where DNA and genealogy can lead to very interesting stories," Woodward said.

So now it is up to me to continue my journey back in time, armed with the knowledge given to me by GeneTree.

If you are wondering how it all works, basically the founders of the company spent years gathering DNA samples from around the world.

For pricing and additional details on the DNA test, click here. 

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DNA: The map to your past

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DNA technology leads to arrest in Boca Raton home robbery

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DNA lifted from a robbery victim's car may have led Boca Raton detectives to the man behind an attack in a woman's garage five months ago.

Lab test results released last week match DNA from the September crime scene to Reache Evans, 36, of Boca Raton, police said.

Evans was arrested Friday on a charge of home invasion robbery.

He is accused of walking into a woman's garage on Southwest 12th Road and grabbing her purse as she arrived home from shopping, police said. The two struggled until the purse strap broke and Evans was able to run off with it, police said.

Crime-scene technicians lifted the DNA from the exterior of the woman's car and sent it to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office crime lab. After the match was made, police showed the victim a photo lineup and she identified Evans as her attacker.

Boca Raton police have made several arrests thanks to recent advances in DNA technology.

Blood samples collected at the scene of a home robbery in 2010 led to an arrest 10 months later. The robber had cut himself as he crawled through a ripped window screen to get inside.

A major coup for Boca Raton police was a 2010 arrest in a cold case more than a decade old. John McKenzie, of Boynton Beach, was arrested for attacking a woman in March 1989 and raping her in an apartment.

He sliced off the woman's bathing-suit top, cut her hand and assaulted her. Investigators collected DNA from the scene, but at the time, technology didn't exist to identify him.

McKenzie was convicted of sexual battery and is serving a life sentence in prison. Recent DNA tests linked him to another Boca Raton rape case from 1987, resulting in additional sexual-battery charges against him.

A shared law enforcement database allows police to match DNA samples collected years ago to offenders in the system. The more the database grows, the more likely a match can be made.

apcampbell@tribune.com or 561-243-6609.

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DNA technology leads to arrest in Boca Raton home robbery

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Amity Institute of Biotechnology hosts conference on perspectives in phyllosphere biology

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NOIDA (Uttar Pradesh), Feb.16 (ANI): The Amity Institute of Biotechnology is hosting a three-day international conference on 'Perspectives in Phyllosphere Biology'.

Inaugurated on Wednesday by Dr. Karl. R. Matthews, Professor, Department of Food Science, Rutgers University, USA, the conference includes lectures by several renowned professors and researchers.

The aim of the conference is to discuss the important phyllosphere biology researches, and the importance and scope of the field

Dr. Matthews presented his study on human pathogens ability to colonize plants: induction of plant responses at molecular level.

He stated that pathogens from human sources can easily get transferred to plant bodies, in turn infecting them. Various forms of pathogens, especially bacteria are found in humans, which gets transferred to plant surfaces and grow on them, making them unhealthy to consume in raw form, he added.

He emphatically revealed that there have been over 82 outbreaks of microbes recorded in green leafy vegetables especially spinach, lettuce, tomatoes all over the world from 1996- 2008, thereby increasing the cases of food borne illnesses which accounts for over 21.9 percent of all illnesses.

The incidences of various microbes, especially pseudomonas, bacillus and streptococcus detected in vegetables grown in Delhi/ NCR is increasing due to increase in the consumption of imported foods and fruits and vegetables.

Dr. Mathews advised consumers to pick up fruits and vegetables without spots, which otherwise could lead to food poisoning

Dr. Ashok .K. Chauhan, Founder President of the Amity Group, expressed his desire to increase the research works being carried out in the area of phyllosphere biology so that path breaking results could be achieved.

He also announced the formation of two new societies in Amity - The Society for Phyllosphere Biology and the Society for Microbial Ecology.

Among the other experts participating in the conference are Dr. Krishnendu Acharya, Dr. Gayathri Subbiah, Dr. P.D. Sharma, Dr. Sapna Sharma, Dr. P. Malathi, Dr. P.K.Paul and Dr. V. Bhuvaneshwari.

The conference ends on Friday. (ANI)

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Amity Institute of Biotechnology hosts conference on perspectives in phyllosphere biology