Public release date: 21-Feb-2012
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Contact: Dr. Ian Zagon
isz1@psu.edu
Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine

Researchers at The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania have discovered that the presence and integrity of the opioid growth factor receptor (OGFr), which mediates the inhibitory action of opioid growth factor (OGF) on cell proliferation, is a key to understanding the progression and treatment of human ovarian cancer. Transplantation of human ovarian cancer cells that were molecularly engineered to have a reduced expression of OGFr, into immunocompromised mice resulted in ovarian tumors that grew rapidly. This discovery, reported in the February 2012 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine, provides fresh new insights into the pathogenesis and therapy of a lethal cancer that is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women in the USA, and has a death rate that is unchanged for over 75 years.

The OGF (also-termed [Met5]-enkephalin)-OGFr axis plays a fundamental role in cancer, development, and cellular renewal by regulating cell proliferation. An important question addressed in this study relates to the requirement of this peptide-receptor system for the progression of carcinogenesis. Human ovarian cancer cell lines that were genetically modified to underexpress OGFr grew far more rapidly in tissue culture than control (empty vector/wildtype) cell lines. Moreover, the addition of OGF to cultures of these genetically modified cells did not respond to the inhibitory peptide and change cell number, indicating that the loss of OGFr interfered with the function of the OGF-OGFr axis with respect to regulating cell proliferation. Immunocompromised mice injected with ovarian cancer cells that had a reduction in OGFr displayed tumors much earlier than controls, and these tumors grew faster than controls. Putting this information together with knowledge that the pathway for OGF-OGFr regulation of cell proliferation in ovarian cancer is by way of increasing the cyclin-dependent inhibitory kinase proteins p16 and p21, we now can understand that minimizing the quantity of OGFr results in an increase in the number of cells entering the G1/S phase of the cell cycle. This has the net effect of increasing the progression of tumorigenic events. These results reveal the critical nature of OGFr in human ovarian cancer, and that the receptor along with its ligand, OGF, is essential for determining the course of these neoplasias.

The research team was comprised of Dr. Ian S. Zagon, Distinguished University Professor, and Dr. Patricia J. McLaughlin, Professor, along with Dr. Renee N. Donahue in the Department of Neural & Behavioral Sciences. Drs. Zagon and McLaughlin discovered that endogenous opioids serve as growth factors, and have been pioneers in translating their findings from the bench to the bedside. Dr. Zagon states that "Over 75% of women are initially diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer. Despite excellent initial response to cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy, 65% of these patients relapse within two years. However, only palliative care is available for these patients. With evidence from Phase I and II clinical trials as to the success of OGF for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer and knowledge presented herein that the OGF-OGFr axis is a critical determinant of the course of ovarian neoplasia, the present study raises the possibility of using this information to modulate the OGF-OGFr pathway with i) exogenous OGF, ii) imiquimod to upregulate OGFr, and/or iii) low dose naltrexone (LDN) to increase OGF and OGFr, as a therapeutic strategy for ovarian carcinoma." Co-author Dr. McLaughlin adds that "A major problem in ovarian cancer is the need for diagnostic markers - both for early diagnosis and to monitor treatment modalities. Since some of the signaling pathways for OGF-OGFr are known (e.g., karyopherin ?, Ran, p16, p21), the components of this system would represent a worthwhile focus in designing diagnostic assays." Dr. Donahue, who conducted the ovarian cancer studies and its relationship to the OGF-OGFr axis for her doctoral dissertation, states that "Ovarian cancers frequently have a methylation of p16 that is associated with an increased progression of ovarian cancer and a loss of OGFr in ovarian tumors. The diminished expression of OGFr and its repercussions on tumorigenesis, only adds to the concern about the need for information concerning genetic and epigenetic changes that may impact the course of disease and its treatment. Our findings also hold potentially ominous overtones for those individuals taking naltrexone for addictive disorders. The dosage used for treatment of addiction blocks opioid receptors continually. The present findings that diminishing the OGF-OGFr axis by depleting the receptor exacerbates tumorigenesis, could place these patients using naltrexone at risk for accelerating disease processes that involve cell proliferation."

Dr. Steven R. Goodman, Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Biology and Medicine, said "This compelling evidence confirms the absolute requirement for OGFr (and OGF) as a tonically active inhibitory regulatory mechanism in ovarian cancer. As a corollary, amplifying the OGF-OGFr pathway is a novel and highly effective biotherapeutic strategy to suppress the progression of these deadly cancers."

###

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A breakthrough in understanding the biology and treatment of ovarian cancer

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b93d9c/evolutionary_biolo) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Evolutionary Biology: Cell-Cell Communication, and Complex Disease" to their offering.

Evolutionary Biology: Cell-Cell Communication, and Complex Disease - An Integrative View of the Evolution of Genetics and the Natural World

Even in this advanced age of genomics, the evolutionary process of unicellular and multicellular organisms is continually in debate. Evolutionary Biology, Cell-Cell Communication, and Complex Disease challenges current wisdom by using physiology to present an integrative view of the nature, origins, and evolution of fundamental biological systems.

Providing a deeper understanding of the way genes relate to the traits of living organisms, this book offers useful information applying evolutionary biology, functional genomics, and cell communication studies to complex disease. Examining the 4.5 billion-year evolution process from environment adaptations to cell-cell communication to communication of genetic information for reproduction, Evolutionary Biology hones in on the "why and how" of evolution by uniquely focusing on the cell as the smallest unit of biologic structure and function.

Based on empirically derived data rather than association studies, Evolutionary Biology covers:

A model for forming testable hypotheses in complex disease studies The integrating role played by the evolution of metabolism, especially lipid metabolism The evolutionary continuum from development to homeostasis Regeneration and aging mediated by signaling molecules

Key Topics Covered:

1 THE CELLULAR ORIGIN OF VERTEBRATES

2 REDUCING LUNG PHYSIOLOGY TO ITS MOLECULAR PHENOTYPES

3 A CELL-MOLECULAR STRATEGY FOR SOLVING THE EVOLUTIONARY PUZZLE

4 THE EVOLUTION OF CELL-CELL COMMUNICATION

5 HOW TO INTEGRATE CELL-MOLECULAR DEVELOPMENT, HOMEOSTASIS, ECOLOGY, AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY: THE MISSING LINKS

6 FROM CELL-CELL COMMUNICATION TO THE EVOLUTION OF INTEGRATED PHYSIOLOGY

7 EXPLOITING CELL-CELL COMMUNICATION ACROSS SPACETIME TO DECONSTRUCT EVOLUTION

8 THE PERIODIC TABLE OF BIOLOGY

9 VALUE ADDED BY THINKING IN TERMS OF THE CELL-CELL COMMUNICATION MODEL FOR EVOLUTION

10 CELL-CELL COMMUNICATION AS THE BASIS FOR PRACTICING CLINICAL MEDICINE

Author:

John Torday, PhD, is Professor of Pediatrics and Ob/Gyn at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center where he is also Director of The Henry L. Guenther Laboratory for Cell/Molecular Research and Director of Laboratory for Evolutionary Preventive Medicine.

V.K. Rehan, MD, is Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. The recipient of numerous teaching honors, Dr. Rehan is involved both in treating patients and continuing research on neo and peri-natal respiratory issues and lung development.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b93d9c/evolutionary_biolo

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Research and Markets: Evolutionary Biology: Cell-Cell Communication, and Complex Disease - An Integrative View of the ...

30-01-2012 22:46 General Biology Laboratory

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Biology 1AL - Lecture 2 - Video

13-02-2012 16:09 Hank talks about the molecules that make up every living thing - carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins - and how we find them in our environment and in the food that we eat. Follow CrashCourse on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com Like CrashCourse on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com Resources for this episode in the Google Document here: dft.ba TAGS: biological molecules, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, food, biolography, william prout, urea, energy, monosaccharides, glucose, fructose, disaccharides, sucrose, polysaccharides, simple sugars, cellulose, starch, glycogen, glycerol, fatty acid, triglyceride, phospholipid, steroid, cholesterol, enzymes, antibodies, hormones, amino acids, nitrogen, polypeptides, protein synthesis, biology, molecule, crashcourse, hank green

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Biological Molecules - You Are What You Eat: Biology #3 - Video

20-02-2012 19:58 Chapter 13 Section 1

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Speedway Biology - Chapter 13 Section 1 - Video

14-02-2012 03:47 Are UFOs biological life forms? Here is evidence from NASA. Life (extremophiles) can survive in almost any environment; why not outer space? This film footage, from NASA, depicts what are commonly called "UFOs", as well as "space junk." However, some of this "junk" displays purposeful behaviors and physical morphology which is often identical to simple life forms on Earth. In this film, comparisons are made between these "UFOs" and simple life forms, and the evidence indicates that some UFOs and "space" junk, appears to be alive. A film by Rhawn Joseph, Ph.D. Cosmology.com Let us consider the few facts available 1) Astronauts could see these objects outside the space shuttle--traveling along side the shuttle 2) Astronauts used binoculars to observe the structures at a greater distance away--they could be seen by the naked eye, but they used binoculars to get a close up view. 3) When the tether was viewed with a deep field lens, there were tens of thousands of these structures, some smaller, some similar in width to the the teather. 4) When the tether was viewed close up, objects of all sizes could be viewed; and many of these objects were semi-transparent. 5) When the tether is viewed close up, there are very large objects and the entire field is filled with millions of very tiny objects which must be very far away. 6) Many of these objects must be huge in size 7) Many of these objects have a pulsating nucleus 8) Some of these objects suddenly change direction and speed ...

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Biological UFOs, Extraterrestrial Extremophiles. Life in Space. Evidence From NASA - Video

20-02-2012 20:20 Chapter 13 Section 2

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Speedway Biology - Chapter 13 Section 2 - Video

20-02-2012 20:39 Chapter 13 Section 3

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Speedway Biology - Chapter 13 Section 3 - Video

20 February 2012 Last updated at 10:25 ET

A teacher who forged her qualifications may have over marked GCSE course work at a Devon school, Exeter Crown Court has heard.

Julia Rawlinson faked documents to work as an Edexcel examiner in 2007 and a biology teacher at Westlands School, Torquay, in 2011, the court heard.

Staff at the school became suspicious and called the police.

Sentencing was adjourned on Rawlinson, 44, of Brixham, who admitted false representation and forgery.

Continue reading the main story

The grades of children are likely to be affected”

End Quote Howard Phillips Prosecutor

Prosecutor Howard Phillips told the court Rawlinson had been marking course work and that as a consequence "the grades of children are likely to be affected".

Her forged documents included a masters degree in science psychology and a doctorate of science psychology from the Glasgow Caledonian University and a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa.

No mention was made in court of any impact Rawlinson's employment may have had on exam results marked by Edexcel.

Jolyon Tuck, defending Rawlinson, said she had not marked the course work, saying: "The teacher at the school doesn't mark the course work. It gets passed to an external marker."

He also said there were concerns about her mental health.

Photocopied certificates

Judge Phillip Wassall adjourned sentencing to allow new medical reports to be prepared. The issue of whether Rawlinson marked the course work at the school needed to be clarified, he said.

Colin Kirkman, head teacher at Westlands, said Rawlinson had portrayed herself as chief examiner for A-level biology with Edexcel and had helped the school before summer 2011 with A-level biology project work.

She had been taken on as a temporary part-time staff member on 1 September.

He said: "The normal CRB checks were undertaken and references received prior to employment.

"However, we noticed that her exam certificates were photocopies.

"As a result, we immediately contacted the universities where she 'gained' her qualifications to validate her certificates.

"We found that they were forgeries and reported this to the police."

Rawlinson's employment at Westlands was terminated in early October.

He also said the school understood Rawlinson had also worked in "at least two other schools" in the area.

Edexcel said it had reviewed Rawlinson's work while she was employed as an examiner for them and it was "confident every student received the grade they deserved".

The firm added the application process for markers had been strengthened as a result of the case.

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Fake teacher raises exams concern

Posted: Saturday, February 18, 2012 6:10 pm | Updated: 4:10 pm, Sun Feb 19, 2012.

Students now have an interactive and interesting way to learn about biology through a medium many understand — video games.

"Meta!Blast" is a video game that works to make learning biology more exciting for students.

"I decided if you can go into and explore a cell, it would be more interesting," said Eve Syrkin Wurtele, "Meta!Blast" developer and professor of genetics, development and cell biology.

The game takes place in year 2052, during an ecological crisis. Plants are dying and the expert team of plant scientists has disappeared. The player, a novice undergraduate research student, must shrink to microscopic size, enter the plant cell to discover what is killing the plants and save the world.

"Players of the game are introduced to photosynthesis, cell respiration and the relationship between biochemical reactions and cell structures," Wurtele said.

Throughout the game, players must solve problems and answer questions about the cell and metabolic biology.

So far, "Meta!Blast" has an incredible amount of positive feedback, Wurtele said. It won honorable mention in the 2011 International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and was featured in the Feb. 3 issue of the journal Science.

Wurtele said a video game was the best way to get the attention of the gamer generation because it takes information out of a textbook and into a more interactive form.

"Video games are very accessible to younger generations and they actually want to play them," said Diane Bassham, co-developer and associate professor of genetics, development and cell biology. "Hopefully we can educate students with 'Meta!Blast' by having them do something they actually want to do."

In addition to engaging students in a "tough to entertain" generation, teaching biological concepts is difficult for educators, Wurtele said.

"Biological processes are hard to explain in words because of the multidimensional and difficult-to-visualize concepts," Bassham said. "The video game not only entertains, but it allows students to accurately see what is going on inside a cell."

So far, five or six ISU professors plan to supplement entry-level biology courses with "Meta!Blast" starting next fall.

"Next year, we are hoping to have a trial run in Biol 211 and 212 classes," Bassham said. "It will allow for introduction and assessment of the educational value of the game."

Wurtele stressed that "Meta!Blast" is not a stand-alone teaching method.

"The goal of the game is not to replace textbook use, but to supplement textbooks and lectures," she said.

"Meta!Blast" has recently been implemented in some Iowa and Missouri high school classrooms. It is free for academic use and is downloadable at its official website.

Wurtele and her development team plan to keep developing the game for different educational levels and with different concepts. There will be new editions released almost monthly, she said.

"We want it to be as up to date as possible," Wurtele said. "It will be constantly changing because of new scientific information and new game engine abilities."

Continued here:
'Meta!Blast' video game makes biology more entertaining

The Washington Post this week says advances in nanotechnology and synthetic biology, among other fields, may provide "a solution to the unemployment puzzle."

The World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Emerging Technologies' Javier Garcia-Martinez and Sang Yup Lee write in the Post that "from nanotechnology to synthetic biology, these [emerging] technologies are beginning to show their potential in the lab if not already in the market whether in sun block, planes or sports equipment."

The authors add that advances in synthetic biology are sure to drive job growth, saying:

We can now develop new biological processes and organisms designed to serve specific purposes, including the conversion of renewable biomass to chemicals, fuels and materials, producing new therapeutic drugs, or protecting the body against infectious diseases. The biotech industry, already a worldwide job-creator, will greatly benefit from advances in synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and modelling of complex biological systems.

Overall, though, technology development along is not enough. "Commercialization is key to creating new jobs," Garcia-Martinez and Lee write.

Excerpt from:
Tech-Driven Job Growth

The publisher of Scientific American and Nature is stepping into a new genre with its first digital textbook, the company announced on Thursday.

Principles of Biology, already in use at three California State universities, is a web-based introductory text. At $49, it costs about three times less than its typical paper counterpart.

[More from Mashable: Inkling Takes on Apple iBooks With a New Tool for Publishers]

It stands out from both Nature Publishing's collection of scientific journals and magazines, as well as from similarly priced digital textbooks.

Publishing Director Vikram Savkar, who left Pearson to head up Nature Publishing's new Nature Education division in 2007, says the publisher's goal is to make high-quality original science textbooks that incorporate its large library of scientific research. Whereas most publishers convert their traditional books to digital ones through a third-party book maker, Nature Publishing built its first textbook to be digital.

[More from Mashable: Apple Announces a New iPad Textbook Experience]

"Ebooks have always been about putting a pdf of traditional books online," he says of other digital textbook makers, which include companies such as Kno, Chegg and CourseSmart. "What we’ve developed is a textbook. It’s not a reader, we're a publisher."

The book includes text and diagrams one would expect from any version of a biology text as well as data sets and research articles from the publisher's archive. Nature Publishing hired about 75 experts to contribute "modules" that can easily be reordered by teachers rather than chronological chapters.

There are a few features that aren't typical of digital textbooks, such as questions that test comprehension throughout the text and a quiz at the end of each chapter that can help teachers understand class progress. But basically, Principles of Biology is just a book.

What Nature Publishing has managed to do, however, is make it a very practical book. Because it's web-based, it can be accessed on any device with a browser. It's cheap. It can be arranged to fit the syllabus of individual teachers. And Nature Education can update its web-based pages in a jiffy if, say, someone figures out how to decode the human genome halfway through the semester.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, atreides64

This story originally published on Mashable here.

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Scientific American Publisher Launches $49 Online Textbook

Sarah Bleau

Sarah Bleau is a news reporter with FOX 31 News

Science projects from Southwest Georgia students were on display at Darton on Friday  / Sarah Bleau

Nearly 200 science experiments by regional middle school and high school students were judged for a place in the state science fair

Read more: Local, State, Education, Science, News, Darton College’S Regional Science Fair, Georgia Science and Engineering Fair, International Science and Engineering Fair, Middle School Students, High School Students, Science Projects, Science Experiments, Albany Ga, Darton College

ALBANY, GA -- Middle school and high school students from across Southwest Georgia competed for a spot in the state science fair.

Nearly 200 students displayed their science projects at Darton College’s 40th Annual Regional Science Fair. Divisions for their experiments included computer science, animal sciences and biology.

The top exhibits received awards and invitations to compete at the 64th Georgia Science and Engineering Fair in Athens. Those who do well there go on to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pennsylvania.

Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them; they are not reflective of the views or opinions of Barrington Broadcasting, Fox 31, its directors or employees. If you believe a comment violates the Barrington Terms of Use, please flag it below.

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Bacteria, biology and bytes, oh my!

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire -02/16/12)- Faculty of 1000 (F1000), an online service that selects and evaluates articles based on the opinions of global leaders in biology and medicine, today announced the launch of a new application that helps researchers explore the scientific content in biology and medicine included in Elsevier's SciVerse platform.

"The Faculty of 1000 app (http://www.applications.sciverse.com/action/appDetail/298954) now available in SciVerse Applications allows researchers to tap into the collective knowledge of our 10,000 experts to determine which research is essential reading and to find relevant information efficiently," said Jane Hunter, Managing Director, F1000. "With the continued volume growth of published research, the guidance of the F1000 faculty becomes even more essential for researchers."

Once a SciVerse user adds the app, the articles that have been highlighted by the F1000 faculty will display a badge that, when clicked, brings the user to the F1000 evaluation.

"The F1000 application offers another option for researchers to filter information that is relevant to their domain," said Rafael Sidi, Vice President, Application Marketplace and Developer Network at Elsevier. "We look forward to continued collaborations with developers in creating solutions that enhance research efficiency."

SciVerse Applications and the Developer Network provide opportunities for researchers and librarians to collaborate with developers in creating and promoting new applications that improve research workflows. The Developer Network features a growing community of application developers that gain potential recognition, prestige and revenue through their contributions to SciVerse Applications.

For more information, visit http://f1000.com.

About Faculty of 1000

Faculty of 1000 is a unique online service that selects and evaluates important articles based on the opinions of global leaders in biology and medicine. F1000's distinguished international Faculty identify key articles across these fields, providing a rapidly updated, authoritative guide to the life science literature that matters. Find out more at http://f1000.com.

About the Elsevier SciVerse Suite

The SciVerse® suite of search and discovery offerings provides the global research community access to a constantly expanding universe of content and solutions which can now be accessed in one platform. The suite currently includes SciVerse ScienceDirect®, the world's largest source of peer-reviewed content containing more than 10 million articles, and SciVerse Scopus®, an abstract and citation database containing 41 million records, 70% with abstracts and nearly 19,500 titles from 5,000 publishers worldwide. The platform also includes SciVerse Hub which enables researchers to perform a single search across all of the major peer-reviewed publishers as well as targeted web content with results ranked by relevancy and without duplication. Applications and Developer Network allow the scientific community to build, find and use applications that enhance the SciVerse research experience.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include SciVerse ScienceDirect, SciVerse Scopus, Reaxys, MD Consult and Nursing Consult, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite and MEDai's Pinpoint Review, which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

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New Faculty of 1000 Application Identifies the Best Research in Biology and Medicine Covered in Elsevier's SciVerse

March will the last time high school students will have to pass a science test in order to receive a diploma.

But, students shouldn't expect to get off the hook when it comes to science in graduation testing. Over the last few years, the state has gradually transitioned the science test to a biology test, said Larry Hooks, Fort Payne City schools administrative assistant to the superintendent.

"We've been giving a biology and a science exam for the last two years," Hooks said. "It's been gradually transitioned to a biology test. This March will be the last time the science test is given. There is a little more rigor to the biology test. It's a little tougher test."

The change from science to biology was mandated by the Alabama Department of Education. The difference in terminology of science and biology may seem a little confusing. But, the biology test encompasses the majority of the objectives for the science test and expands on those objectives.

For example, the science objectives included questions on tracing matter and energy transfer, the periodic table, identifying physical and chemical changes, differentiating the characteristics of plants, animals and ecosystems and Newton's three laws of motion.

The biology objectives are defined in 16 different categories that cover a wide range of study. Students will be required to use lab equipment for experiments, understanding homeostasis, photosynthesis, biological division and the ability to identify cells, organ systems, populations, communities and ecosystems. Students will also be tested on Mendel's laws, DNA, RNA, different types of plants, classify animals, describe animal adaptations and understanding how energy flows through the food chains.

In order to receive a diploma, students must pass a graduation test that covers five fields of study. Hooks said the students are tested in math, social studies, language, reading and, currently, science and biology. After the graduation exams are administered in March, the science test will be replaced by the biology test.

Underclassmen, however, will have an opportunity to grandfather in and pass the science test before the transition to biology is complete. In March, juniors will be able to take the test, as well as sophomores, who take the test as a pre-graduation test. Ninth-graders currently have an opportunity to pass what is termed an Early Opportunity Test in math or biology.

However, Hooks said, the freshmen students must first pass biology or algebra before they can take the Early Opportunity Test.

"Tenth-graders will have the opportunity to take the test as a pre-graduation test," Hooks said. "It won't be counted against them if they fail the test, but it will count toward their graduation requirements if they pass the test.

"Students have to pass all areas of the graduation exam in order to get a diploma. They get the requirements in the ninth grade, so they know what they have to pass."

DeKalb County schools will give the last science test March 21 at 8 a.m.

© 2012 times-journal.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Public release date: 16-Feb-2012
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Contact: Eleanor Howell
press@f1000.com
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Faculty of 1000: Biology and Medicine

Faculty of 1000 (F1000) http://f1000.com, an online service that selects and evaluates articles based on the opinions of global leaders in biology and medicine, today announced the launch of a new application that helps researchers explore the scientific content in biology and medicine included in Elsevier's SciVerse platform.

"The Faculty of 1000 app (http://www.applications.sciverse.com/action/appDetail/298954) now available in SciVerse Applications allows researchers to tap into the collective knowledge of our 10,000 experts to determine which research is essential reading and to find relevant information efficiently," said Jane Hunter, Managing Director, F1000. "With the continued volume growth of published research, the guidance of the F1000 faculty becomes even more essential for researchers."

Once a SciVerse user adds the app, the articles that have been highlighted by the F1000 faculty will display a badge that, when clicked, brings the user to the F1000 evaluation.

"The F1000 application offers another option for researchers to filter information that is relevant to their domain," said Rafael Sidi, Vice President, Application Marketplace and Developer Network at Elsevier. "We look forward to continued collaborations with developers in creating solutions that enhance research efficiency."

SciVerse Applications and the Developer Network provide opportunities for researchers and librarians to collaborate with developers in creating and promoting new applications that improve research workflows. The Developer Network features a growing community of application developers that gain potential recognition, prestige and revenue through their contributions to SciVerse Applications.

###

To find out more about Faculty of 1000, please contact Eleanor Howell on 44-20-7631-9129 or email press@f1000.com. For more information, visit http://f1000.com.

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New F1000 app identifies top research in biology and medicine covered in Elsevier's SciVerse

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)

Link:
Amity Institute of Biotechnology hosts conference on perspectives in phyllosphere biology

Public release date: 15-Feb-2012
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Contact: Barry Whyte
communications@embo.org
49-622-188-91108
European Molecular Biology Organization

Heidelberg -- The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) announce Susan Gasser, director of the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research in Basel, Switzerland, as the winner of the 2012 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award. Professor Gasser has been recognized for her outstanding scientific research on genome stability and epigenetics and her commitment to mentoring women pursuing a career in science.

The FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award rewards the exceptional achievements of a female researcher in molecular biology over the previous five years. Winners of the award are role models who inspire future generations of women in science.

The Gasser laboratory studies two research topics of central importance to human health and disease: the maintenance of genome stability through DNA repair, and the role of epigenetic inheritance during tissue differentiation. Susan and her colleagues have examined how the experience of the cell and the environment affects the epigenetic code in different organisms. The Swiss scientist has authored more than 200 scientific articles and reviews over the last thirty years. The implications of her research are far-reaching for human disease, notably cancer. "Susan Gasser is not only a first-rate scientist, but is also playing an important role as one of the most dynamic and successful female scientific leaders in Europe and, indeed, anywhere," stated Gottfried Schatz, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry at the University of Basel.

"This is indeed a great honour, since being recognized as a top scientist seems harder for a woman than for a man," said the award winner upon hearing of her distinction. "My own success, in any case, reflects that of my team, which balances individual goals with those of the group as a whole. This coordination is a talent women often have."

Mentoring female scientists was a role that she assumed early on in her career. Susan Gasser supported mentoring programmes at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and the Swiss National Science Foundation. Career and family matters in academic institutions and industry were a frequent topic of her lectures. She has also trained many female scientists in her own laboratory with the result that many of them now run their own labs, and others are in leading positions in industry. "I am very proud of having trained a lot of very successful scientists," said the award winner.

"She clearly represents a role model for female scientists in Europe and beyond," commented Erich Nigg, Director of the Biozentrum, University of Basel, who has followed Susan's scientific career for the past 25 years.

The 2012 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award of 10,000 euros will be presented to Susan Gasser on 7 September at the 37th FEBS Congress in Sevilla, Spain, where she will present a plenary lecture.

###

Nominations for the 2013 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award close on 15 October 2012. For more information, please visit: http://www.embo.org/policy-and-society/women-in-science/women-in-science-award.html or http://www.febs.org/women-award.

Biosketch

Susan Gasser studied biology at the University of Chicago and completed her PhD at the University of Basel, developing an assay for the import of mitochondrial proteins with Gottfried Schatz. During her postdoctoral studies she examined questions of metaphase chromosome structure and higher-order organization of DNA in Drosophila nuclei.

Between 1986 and 2001, she led a research group at the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Epalinges, Switzerland, focusing on the functional implications of chromosomal organization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In 2001, she became a professor at the Department of Molecular Biology at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Since December 2004, she is Director of the Friedrich Miescher Institute (FMI) for Biomedical Research in Basel and Professor of Molecular Biology at the University of Basel.

Professor Gasser has served nine years as a member of the Swiss National Science Foundation Council, she was Vice-chair and Chair (as of 2003) of the EMBO Council, and currently sits on numerous editorial boards, review committees and advisory boards. She has been awarded several prizes, including the Otto N?geli Prize 2006, the INSERM International Prize 2011 and the Medal of Honor from the Charles University in Prague.

Contact Susan Gasser: Sandra Ziegler; Head, FMI Communications; Phone: 41-61-696-1539; sandra.ziegler@fmi.ch

Contact FEBS: Lea Sistonen; Chair of FEBS Women in Science; Phone: 358-50-4013513; lea.sistonen@btk.fi

Contact EMBO: Barry Whyte; Head, EMBO Public Relations & Communications; Phone 49-6221-8891-111; communications@embo.org

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Susan M. Gasser to receive the 2012 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5ff75e/fungi_biology_and) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Fungi: Biology and Applications, 2nd Edition" to their offering.

Fungi: Biology and Applications, Second Edition provides a comprehensive treatment of fungi, covering biochemistry, genetics and the medical and economic significance of these organisms at introductory level. With no prior knowledge of the subject assumed, the opening chapters offer a broad overview of the basics of fungal biology, in particular the physiology and genetics of fungi and also a new chapter on the application of genomics to fungi.

Later chapters move on to include more detailed coverage of topics such as antibiotic and chemical commodities from fungi, new chapters on biotechnological use of fungal enzymes and fungal proteomics, and fungal diseases of humans, antifungal agents for use in human therapy and fungal pathogens of plants.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction to Fungal Physiology

2 Fungal Genetics

3 Fungal Genomics

4 Fungal Genetics: A Post-Genomic Perspective

5 Fungal Fermentations Systems and Products

6 Pharmaceutical and Chemical Commodities from Fungi

7 Biotechnological Use of Fungal Enzymes

8 The Biotechnological Exploitation of Heterologous Protein Production in Fungi

9 Fungal Proteomics

10 Fungal Infections of Humans

11 Antifungal Agents for Use in Human Therapy

12 Fungal Pathogens of Plants

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5ff75e/fungi_biology_and

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Research and Markets: Fungi: Biology and Applications, 2nd Edition

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Nabsys, Inc., a life sciences company pioneering development of solid-state single-molecule positional sequencing technology, today announced that data demonstrating the first direct electronic re-sequencing and mapping of DNA will be presented at the annual Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) meeting, February 15 to 18, on Marco Island, Fla., and the Omics and Personalized Medicine Conference at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), February 16 to 18,  in Heidelberg, Germany.   

Nabsys' positional sequencing platform uniquely reveals information about both the identity and location of DNA sequences through direct electrical detection of probes bound to single molecules that may be as large as hundreds of kilobases in length. Depending on how the methodology is deployed, the platform can be used to analyze the full size scale of DNA variation, including single-base resolved sequence, large scale genomic structural variants, chromosomal aneuploidies, and any combination of the above.

"Significant improvements have been made over the past few years in the speed, throughput and cost of generating DNA sequence information, creating great enthusiasm for applying sequencing technology in the clinic," said Barrett Bready, M.D., chief executive officer of Nabsys. "While these advances have been impressive and important, many applications of sequence data – in medicine as well as in basic biological research and agriculture – require similar levels of improvement in data accuracy, information content, reduced data and computational burden, and simplified workflow.  The data we are presenting at AGBT and EMBL demonstrate what is possible with purely solid-state detection.  These data provide insights into how the Nabsys positional sequencing platform, once scaled, has the potential to set new performance standards and open new markets for DNA sequence analysis."

In contrast to other approaches referred to as "nanopore sequencing," positional sequencing does not attempt to discriminate individual nucleotide bases passing through an electrical detector.  Instead, the Nabsys approach involves hybridization of short oligonucleotide probes to very long DNA templates, passage of probe-bound templates through solid-state nanodetectors, and electronic detection of the locations of hybridized probes.  By combining information on the positions of many such probes, it is possible to create detailed genomic maps with sparse probe coverage, or true de novo sequences of large genomes with dense probe coverage. 

Positional sequencing does not require slowing down DNA translocation rates through nanodetectors.  Information can thus be generated very rapidly over unprecedented length scales with a method that is inherently targeted, quantitative, and involves a simple workflow.  The use of solid-state nanodetectors provides the basis for a platform that is highly scalable, with the potential for enormous advances in throughput, dramatically reduced data burden, and high volume manufacturing.

Data to be presented will demonstrate that Nabsys' nanodetector design and DNA preparation techniques enable:

Analysis of single DNA molecules up to 50kb in length Mapping of probes with precision that greatly exceeds the diffraction limit of light Re-sequencing of targeted regions without a capture or enrichment step Analysis of genome structural variants

About Nabsys

Nabsys is dedicated to enabling advances in life sciences and healthcare through strategic deployment of a novel positional sequencing platform with broad applicability for DNA analysis. The Nabsys platform uses solid-state nanodetectors to analyze single DNA molecules, revealing both location and identity of DNA sequences over long distances. The system is designed to set new standards for accuracy, speed and scalability, offering compelling advantages for the analysis of genome structural variation, genome mapping, and both targeted and whole genome sequencing. Nabsys was the first company to receive a "$1000 Genome" award from the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health for an electronic approach to sequencing DNA. For more information about Nabsys, please visit http://www.Nabsys.com.

Company Contact:
Barrett Bready, M.D.
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Nabsys, Inc.
401-276-9100  Ext. 200
bready@nabsys.com

Media Contact:
Robert Flamm, Ph.D. or Martina Schwarzkopf, Ph.D.
Russo Partners
212-845-4226
212-845-4292
Robert.flamm@russopartnersllc.com 
Martina.schwarzkopf@russopartnersllc.com

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Nabsys to Present DNA Sequence Data from Solid-State Nanodetectors at the Annual Advances in Genome Biology and ...