Monterey police rely more on 'touch DNA' to find suspects

Armed with a Supreme Court ruling and a DNA profile in 2010, Monterey police obtained the county's first "John Doe" arrest warrant, identifying a commercial burglary suspect whose name and face were unknown.

The effort is about to pay off. Monterey police Lt. Leslie Sonne said the department will soon make an arrest it believes will clear 14 other commercial burglaries from Palo Alto to Beverly Hills where police collected the same DNA profile.

Monterey police Sgt. Bill Clark said the case exemplifies how advances in DNA testing and the availability of warrants based solely on a suspect's genetic profile are changing the way detectives process property crime scenes that used to get only a dusting for fingerprints.

DNA analysis has come a long way since the days when criminalists needed a large blood stain to get a profile. Since 2005, scientists have been able to isolate DNA swabbed from surfaces like windowsills and cellphones that were merely touched by suspects, hence the common reference "touch DNA."

"When we started years and years ago, we needed a blood stain the size of penny to get any results," said Meghan Kinney, a criminalist with the Department of Justice's lab in Watsonville. "Now we don't even need to be able to see it to get a DNA type from it."

And if police can convince a judge that DNA from a crime scene was likely left by the perpetrator, they can get a John Doe warrant for that genetic profile. The significance: The warrant stops the

Objections

No-name warrants have been used in sexual assault cases, where semen often provides an easy DNA profile, since the 1990s. But it was not until January 2010 that the state Supreme Court upheld the practice.

Now, the possibility of "tolling" the legal filing deadline with the simple swipe of a surface has investigators arming themselves with cotton swabs like never before.

The legal tool is not without controversy. The Supreme Court's ruling was split 5-2. In his dissenting opinion, Justice Carlos Moreno said the warrants do not authorize the arrest of any individual and are being used as a mere placeholder to circumvent the statute of limitations until the named perpetrator can be identified and found.

Excerpt from:
Monterey police rely more on 'touch DNA' to find suspects

Posted in DNA

DNA slip up for UK military

Defence officials in the UK have admitted the body parts of 30 soldiers killed in Afghanistan have been kept by the Ministry of Defence without the permission of their families,

The remains were discovered last month when a new manager was appointed at the Military Police's Special Investigations Branch

The MoD said it will write a formal apology to the families once it has confirmed the identies of the body parts and tissue

It would confirm the identities of those involved on Thursday and write to families offering a formal apology and details of the material held.

Major General James Everard, Assistant Chief of the General Staff said the samples relate to 30 service personnel dating back to 2002 and confirmed that two families have so far been informed.

"We owe a huge apology to the families involved and those who will now be feeling stressful even if it doesn't affect them," he said.

An Army spokesman said: "There are occasions when it is necessary for the RMP Special Investigations Branch to retain slides of forensic material from individuals killed on operations as part of their investigation - this is standard practice.

"However, the RMP identified there were a small number of cases where this had been done without the correct processes being followed to inform families."

An urgent investigation has been launched and a helpline for concerned relatives has been posted on the MoD website.

Read more from the original source:
DNA slip up for UK military

Posted in DNA

DNA fingerprinting comes of age

N.D. Tiwari, the maverick politician, managed to keep at bay the controversial issue of paternity for decades, using political clout, influence and delaying tactics in courts.

But, a few weeks ago, his lie was finally nailed by technology. DNA fingerprinting technology conclusively proved that the 87-year-old Tiwari, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and more recently Governor of Andhra Pradesh, was indeed the biological father of 32-year-old Rohit Shekhar.

Rohit Shekhar filed a case five years ago. Tiwari tried his best to get it dismissed in court, going right up to the Supreme Court. He made valiant attempts to avoid the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) test, claiming invasion of his privacy.

But, the dogged pursuit by Rohit and the Courts directive to get the blood sample for the test has finally brought out the truth. The acceptance of DNA fingerprinting as evidence by the courts should be seen as yet another milestone in the evolution of this technology in the country.

The first time that a court accepted DNA fingerprinting result to settle a paternity case was in 1991. It was the result of pioneering work by Lalji Singh and team at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, who had developed DNA fingerprinting technology in India.

The technique has been successfully deployed in solving some sensational crimes like the killing and roasting of the body of Naina Sahni in a tandoor in a New Delhi restaurant in 1995 as well as in the high profile assassinations of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Punjab Chief Minister, Beant Singh. It has been used in identifying criminals, and sorting out immigration problems.

However, unlike in the US and the UK where it is available to the common man, in India its potential has not been exploited adequately, says Singh. In the last two decades, the applications of this technique have been widely demonstrated. It is possible to distinguish between the ivory of an Indian elephant and an African one, clear doubts on contamination of meat, establish the veracity of plant varieties and trace the source of snake venom.

Given the societal and business opportunities it has opened up, DNA fingerprinting should have been available as a simple, affordable test across the country. Efforts in building databanks of populations, screening for diseases, and general use of DNA technology for genetic counselling should have proliferated under a regulatory environment. But growth remains below expectations, say experts.

At present, the CCMB, the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), and a few forensic laboratories have the DNA sequencers, diagnostic kits, laboratory facilities and trained manpower to undertake the testing. There are hardly any hospitals or diagnostic centres which have ventured into the area.

As a technology, DNA fingerprinting has emerged as a versatile scientific tool. During the early days, one required a few milligrams of the DNA sample for analysis, which took a couple of weeks. The availability of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technology, automation and growing expertise has now made it possible to do a test in 24 hours. We require a small (nanogram) sample of DNA, even degraded material is enough. The test is less expensive and accuracy beyond doubt, Singh says. The significance lies in the accuracy of the analysis and ensuring quality and regulatory check on the use of the technique, he explains.

Continued here:
DNA fingerprinting comes of age

Posted in DNA

Applied DNA Sciences to Host Conference Call Wednesday, August 15, 2012

STONY BROOK, NY--(Marketwire -08/09/12)- Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (APDN), a provider of DNA-based security and anti-counterfeiting technology and product authentication solutions, will host a conference call on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 to discuss its most recent quarterly earnings.

Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. management will host a thirty-minute conference call beginning at 9:00 a.m. eastern daylight time on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 to discuss the company's performance and outline key ongoing and future business initiatives. A presentation by CEO and President James Hayward will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

All participants must pre-register using the link below. It is suggested that you log into the conference call approximately 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time to ensure that all participants are on-line at the start of the call. While callers cannot be heard during the call, questions may be emailed beforehand or sent online using SMS messaging during the session (see below for details).

For those of you unable to participate, a transcript of the call will be posted by end of business on August 15, and available under the "Investors" tab of the company's web site.

To Participate:Reserve your spot now at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/623850862

To Send Questions Prior to or During the Call:Please email questions prior to the call to investor@adnas.com. During the conference call, questions can be sent online using SMS messaging once you are registered as a participant.

Due to the large number of expected participants, not all questions may be answered on the call.

Company Background Materials:You may be interested in the company's Investor Information section on the company's web site, including publications, recent press releases, blogs, and other materials.

About APDNAPDN is a provider of botanical-DNA based security and authentication solutions that can help protect products, brands and intellectual property of companies, governments and consumers from theft, counterfeiting, fraud and diversion. SigNature DNA and smartDNA, our principal anti-counterfeiting and product authentication solutions that essentially cannot be copied, provide a forensic chain of evidence and can be used to prosecute perpetrators.

The statements made by APDN may be forward-looking in nature. Forward-looking statements describe APDN's future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of APDN. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to our short operating history, limited financial resources, limited market acceptance, market competition and various other factors detailed from time to time in APDN's SEC reports and filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on December 8, 2011 and our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. APDN undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Original post:
Applied DNA Sciences to Host Conference Call Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Posted in DNA

DNA Dynamics Releases Operational Update

LEAMINGTON SPA,England, Aug. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --DNA Dynamics, Inc. (OTC Pink: DNAD), a global developer and publisher of mobile video games and applications, today announced that the CEO, Ed Blincoe, had written an open letter to the market outlining the Company's 'Operational Update'.

The Letter can be viewed online or downloaded from the Company's website at by going to the 'Investor Relations' dropdown menu of the Corporate Website at http://www.dnadynamics.net or via direct download from http://www.dnadpk.com/dna-dynamics/2012letter

In the letter, Ed Blincoe outlines some of the new hires that he has made as well as explaining the download numbers for the games from the previous quarter. He also sets out the Company's strategy to increase the monetization of the 100,000 players in the popular 'Warheads: Medieval Tales' title that the company released last quarter.

He also gives an update on how the company is progressing in its efforts to become 'Fully Reporting' with the SEC. Finally, he gives his reflections over the past twelve months and why the Company is set to boom throughout late 2012 and early 2013.

About DNA Dynamics, Inc.

Headquartered in Leamington Spa in the United Kingdom, DNA Dynamics is a worldwide developer and publisher of graphically rich, interactive entertainment currently delivered on iOS, Android, Apple Mac and PC. Through its operating subsidiaries, the Company has created, acquired or licensed a portfolio of highly recognizable or emerging brands that broadly appeal to its consumer demographics, ranging from children to adults and casual gamers to serious enthusiasts.For more information, please go to http://www.dnadynamics.net.You can also follow the Company on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information please email info@dnadynamics.net

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including information about management's view of DNA Dynamics, Inc.'s future expectations, plans and prospects. In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," or "may," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any statements made in this news release other than those of historical fact, about an action, event or development, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the results of DNA Dynamics, its subsidiaries and concepts to be materially different than those expressed or implied in such statements. Unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on DNA Dynamics' future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. DNA Dynamics cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Finally, DNA Dynamics undertakes no obligation to update these statements after the date of this release, except as required by law, and also takes no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by DNA Dynamics.

Visit link:
DNA Dynamics Releases Operational Update

Posted in DNA

SaneVax Announces Medical Surprise: Gardasil® HPV DNA Discovered in Post-Mortem Blood and Spleen Tissue

TROY, Montana--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

According to Norma Erickson, President of SaneVax Inc., testimony provided for a coroners inquest into the death of Jasmine Renata in New Zealand by Dr. Sin Hang Lee, a pathologist on the medical staff at Connecticuts Milford Hospital, revealed the discovery of HPV DNA fragments in post-mortem samples 6 months after Gardasil vaccination.

Dr. Lees testimony stated:

The finding of these foreign DNA fragments in the post-mortem samples six months after vaccination indicates that some of the residual DNA fragments from the viral gene or plasmid injected with Gardasil have been protected from degradation in the form of DNA-aluminum complexes in the macrophages; or via integration into the human genome.

Undegraded viral and plasmid DNA fragments are known to activate macrophages, causing them to release tumor necrosis factor, a myocardial depressant which can induce lethal shock in animals and humans.

Dr. Lee testified, The naked DNA in the vaccine was probably stabilized through a chemical binding between the mineral aluminum and the phosphate backbone of the double-stranded DNA.

Dr. Lee did not claim the HPV-16 L1 gene DNA he discovered in the post-mortem blood and spleen samples was the cause of the sudden and unexplained death of the New Zealand teenager in her sleep. He noted that the full autopsy analysis had ruled out all known causes of death, and stated that his discovery presented a plausible mechanism of action that needed further investigation in all cases of unexplained deaths following Gardasil vaccinations.

Dr. Lees testimony was provided via an international video link before Coroner Ian Smith in Wellington NZ at the request of the parents of the deceased girl on August 9.

Dr. Lee tested a total of 16 Gardasil samples from around the world under contract with the non-profit organization SaneVax Inc. Five of the Gardasil samples were distributed in New Zealand, each with a different lot number. Dr. Lee found HPV-16 L1 gene DNA fragments admixed with HPV-18 and/or HPV 11 L1 gene DNA in all samples. These HPV DNA fragments were firmly bound to the amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate (AAHS) particles used as an adjuvant in the vaccine formulation.

Dr. Lee is known for using the nested PCR/DNA sequencing technology for reliable detection and genotyping of HPV in clinical specimens. He is the author of the chapter, Guidelines for the Use of Molecular Tests for the Detection and Genotyping of Human Papillomavirus from Clinical Specimens in a Methods in Molecular Biology volume published by Humana Press in July 2012.

More here:
SaneVax Announces Medical Surprise: Gardasil® HPV DNA Discovered in Post-Mortem Blood and Spleen Tissue

Posted in DNA

Oh, my stars and hexagons! DNA code shapes gold nanoparticles

ScienceDaily (Aug. 8, 2012) DNA holds the genetic code for all sorts of biological molecules and traits. But University of Illinois researchers have found that DNA's code can similarly shape metallic structures.

The team found that DNA segments can direct the shape of gold nanoparticles -- tiny gold crystals that have many applications in medicine, electronics and catalysis. Led by Yi Lu, the Schenck Professor of Chemistry at the U. of I., the team published its surprising findings in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

"DNA-encoded nanoparticle synthesis can provide us a facile but novel way to produce nanoparticles with predictable shape and properties," Lu said. "Such a discovery has potential impacts in bio-nanotechnology and applications in our everyday lives such as catalysis, sensing, imaging and medicine."

Gold nanoparticles have wide applications in both biology and materials science thanks to their unique physicochemical properties. Properties of a gold nanoparticle are largely determined by its shape and size, so it is critical to be able to tailor the properties of a nanoparticle for a specific application.

"We wondered whether different combinations of DNA sequences could constitute 'genetic codes' to direct the nanomaterial synthesis in a way similar to their direction of protein synthesis," said Zidong Wang, a recent graduate of Lu's group and the first author of the paper.

Gold nanoparticles are made by sewing tiny gold seeds in a solution of gold salt. Particles grow as gold in the salt solution deposits onto the seeds. Lu's group incubated the gold seeds with short segments of DNA before adding the salt solution, causing the particles to grow into various shapes determined by the genetic code of the DNA.

The DNA alphabet comprises four letters: A, T, G and C. The term genetic code refers to the sequence of these letters, called bases. The four bases and their combinations can bind differently with facets of gold nanoseeds and direct the nanoseeds' growth pathways, resulting in different shapes.

In their experiments, the researchers found that strands of repeating A's produced rough, round gold particles; T's, stars; C's, round, flat discs; G's, hexagons. Then the group tested DNA strands that were a combination of two bases, for example, 10 T's and 20 A's. They found that many of the bases compete with each other resulting in intermediate shapes, although A dominates over T.

Next, the researchers plan to investigate exactly how DNA codes direct nanoparticle growth. They also plan to apply their method to synthesize other types of nanomaterials with novel applications.

The National Science Foundation supported this work.

Read this article:
Oh, my stars and hexagons! DNA code shapes gold nanoparticles

Posted in DNA

Custom DNA Art Installation

When a Texas based entrepreneur and art aficionado contacted DNA Art US about providing DNA art for all his family we were, naturally, very interested. Ideas were discussed and over time these ideas developed into a unique series of artworks that would be the centerpiece of his art collection.

Each of the four pieces is a whopping 99 inches long and 16 inches wide. The incredible color reproduction of the Orange Aid color scheme ideally compliments the natural stone and the surrounding decor.

The floor to ceiling windows created a lot of glare on our regular acrylic product; the solution was museum quality non glare acrylic. This exotic material reduces reflections to less than 15% while maintaining over 98% light transmission. All that plus it is only half the weight of glass. In common with all our range of acrylic and metal DNA art products the wall mountings are hidden giving the impression of the artworks floating in space.

President of DNA Art US LLC, Ric Harrison, says, We enjoyed the challenge of producing totally unique custom DNA artworks for our customer. Since beginning that project we have had other requests for custom pieces and we see this as a growing market for people who want to express their personalities in different, eye-catching ways

Ordering and information about the process is available on the website, http://www.dna-art-us.com. The standard range of artworks can depict the DNA of one, two, or four people but any number can be included in a wide range of custom styles and sizes.

DNA Art US offers the DNA Vision and DNA Vision Zoom ranges in collaboration with DNA Art UK. This partnership provides the best of British design coupled with innovative American production processes. DNA Art US are the only company providing the highest quality materials, processes and genuine craftsmen to produce handmade printed artworks on acrylic, canvas and metal worthy of the name masterpiece.

Obtaining the DNA sample is very easy. Customers receive a DNA Collection kit through the mail and, using the enclosed sterile swab; simply rub the inside of the cheek with it. Cells from the inner cheek membrane are absorbed within the cotton. Place the swab back in the protective case and return it to DNA Art US and they take care of the rest.

It starts in the laboratory where the DNA is processed over a number of days to draw out and highlight each unique DNA pattern. At the optimum moment, the DNA pattern is photographed using a special camera. The image is then provided to one of the designers.

Each DNA sample is assigned a unique reference and that is used to track the sample all the way through the laboratory, design and production processes guaranteeing authenticity of the artwork. No need to be concerned about privacy either because all samples are destroyed after the photograph is taken. A certificate of authenticity is provided with the DNA masterpiece.

There are 25 standard designs to choose from and two display options, Original and Zoom. Thats 50 different ways to display your unique DNA. In addition to that, every customer has the opportunity to add their own signature, to the finished image after all, every great artist signs their work!

Here is the original post:
Custom DNA Art Installation

Posted in DNA

geneME® teams with America's Health Coach, MD®, Dr. Asa Andrew, on one of the world's first and only customized DNA …

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- geneME (www.geneme.me), the leading provider of whole food based personalized health, beauty and wellness products customized to your individual DNA, announced today that it has partnered with America's Health Coach, MD, Dr. Asa Andrew on the launch of one of the world's first and only customized DNA nutritional supplements. Dr. Asa, a national best-selling author, host of the nationally-syndicated primetime radio program, "Dr. Asa On Call", and founder of Diagnosis HOPE, a non-profit dedicated to health education and supporting the uninsured, will endorse geneME and its mission of serving the public with the highest standards in natural products and groundbreaking new research in the field of DNA and genetics.

geneME is the culmination of almost 20 years of research by a group of top physicians, scientists, and researchers who have harnessed the incredible breakthroughs in DNA research to create one of the first, and only, line of supplement products that are truly customized to the requirements of each individual's DNA.

"We are pleased to have someone of Dr. Asa's caliber on board the geneME team," said Dany Sfeir, Chief Marketing Officer with geneME. "Dr. Asa firmly believes, as we do, that the solution to the growing healthcare dilemma is not a one-size-fits-all solution but rather products and services that are truly customized to the requirements and needs of each individual's DNA. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with America's Health Coach, MD, Dr. Asa, by educating and sharing with the public the exciting breakthroughs in DNA research and testing."

"geneME is truly at the cutting-edge in terms of developing whole food based supplements tailored exclusively for a consumer's unique genetic makeup," said Dr. Asa Andrew. "I'm a firm believer in the vision and research of geneME and their mission to enable consumers to live longer, healthier, happier lives through personalized healthcare. This research is the future of nutrition and prevention."

America's Health Coach, MD, Dr. Asa, is a national best-selling author, lifestyle transformation expert, host of one of the fastest growing nationally-syndicated radio and television programsin America, "Dr. Asa On Call", and is a much-in-demand health contributor to FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, and other media outlets. With his national best-selling book, newly-launching educational curriculum, upcoming television projects, still serving as CEO of his rapidly growing media companies, and dedicating considerable time to his non-profit organization, Diagnosis Hope, Dr. Asa is on a nationwide crusade to see people transform their lives to get well, stay well, and live well. Having moved away from clinical practice to focus on educational media, Dr. Asa is an active member of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American College of Preventative Medicine, The National Strength and Conditioning Association, and has served as an honorary chair to the American Diabetes Association.

About geneME

geneME (www.geneme.me) is the culmination of almost 20 years of research by a group of physicians, scientists, and researchers who have harnessed the incredible breakthroughs in DNA research to create the first, and only, line of products that are truly customized. geneME actually manufactures one-of-a-kind formulations to the requirements of each individual's DNA. For more information on geneME, visit http://www.geneme.me.

About America's Health Coach, MD, Dr. Asa Andrew

America's Health Coach, MD, Dr. Asa is a national best-selling author,host of one of the fastest growing nationally syndicated radio and television programsin America, "Dr. Asa On Call", and is a healthcontributor to FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, and other media outlets. For more information on Dr. Asa Andrew, visit http://www.DrAsa.com or Twitter @DrAsa.

Read the original here:
geneME® teams with America's Health Coach, MD®, Dr. Asa Andrew, on one of the world's first and only customized DNA ...

Posted in DNA

DNA test denied for man convicted in fatal beating

A man convicted of killing his roommate with a ball bat requested that more of the DNA on the weapon be tested in hopes of exonerating himself, but a judge has denied him.

Kenneth Eugene Carter, 51, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Ron Fortner, 51, and the malicious wounding of another Buehring Avenue roommate, Brady Dunlap, 61.

His first trial in March ended in a hung jury, but a second jury in May found him guilty.

He is serving a life sentence without a chance for parole.

On Tuesday, Kanawha Circuit Judge James Stucky denied Carter's motion to have 20 swabs taken by police from the ball bat tested for DNA. Prosecutors objected and said any information from further testing would be "confusing and not relevant."

Charles Hamilton, Carter's court-appointed public defense attorney, has appealed his murder conviction to the state Supreme Court. He claims the state was negligent when a lab tested only six of those 26 swabs.

Hamilton said, "We have this evidence that is sitting there at the State Police lab. I think it is

pretty obvious and significant that there could be another person's DNA and he's entitled to another testing."

Hamilton said he and co-counsel David Dawson originally believed that only six of the 26 samples were tested because the rest weren't viable. He said they discovered more recently that wasn't true.

"The idea of the perpetrator of the crime was a significant issue in this case," Hamilton said. "Who wielded that bat? Kenny Carter has maintained his innocence from day one."

Read the original:
DNA test denied for man convicted in fatal beating

Posted in DNA

DNA traces historic Jewish migrations

Published: Aug. 7, 2012 at 5:36 PM

NEW YORK, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- North African Jews are more closely related to Jews from other parts of the world than to their non-Jewish neighbors in North Africa, a DNA study has found.

The study strengthens other research suggesting Jewish people from Europe and the Middle East share more DNA with one another than they do with outside groups, study author Harry Ostrer, a medical geneticist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, said.

"Jews tend to be more related to one another than they are to non-Jews, including non-Jews living nearby -- it's true in every region," he told the Los Angeles Times.

DNA carries a record of Jewish migrations over the centuries, the study researchers said.

Some DNA traces back to the Middle Eastern peoples thought to have migrated to North Africa more than 2,000 years ago, while other DNA proves connections to Spanish and Portuguese Jews who fled to North Africa after their expulsion from the Iberian Peninsula in the late 15th century.

Ostrer and his colleagues analyzed DNA samples from 145 people of North African Jewish origin from Morocco, Algeria,Tunisia, Djerba (an island off the Tunisian coast) and Libya.

North African Jewish populations clearly had genetic patterns more similar to European and Middle Eastern Jews than non-Jewish people currently living in the region, the researchers said, suggesting that once established in their communities Jews in the region did not often intermarry with non-Jewish neighbors.

Go here to read the rest:
DNA traces historic Jewish migrations

Posted in DNA

Applied DNA Sciences Expands Plant and Personnel

STONY BROOK, NY--(Marketwire -08/07/12)- Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (APDN) (Twitter: @APDN), a provider of DNA-based anti-counterfeiting technology and product authentication solutions, announced today that it has significantly expanded its office, production, and laboratory space and increased its personnel. The expansion reflects the company's continued worldwide growth in production capacity, technology advancement, and global customer support. Those factors are also seen in a steady rise in shipments of its DNA products, the core technology around which the company's authentication services are built.

The company's brick-and-mortar footprint has increased by well over 50% over the last year. The company has added nine positions in that time.

Dr. James A. Hayward, President and CEO of APDN, pointed out that the expansion has been driven in part by product shipments. "By the end of December, 2011, we recorded a substantial increase in our monthly shipments of DNA; as a result, our last two previously announced quarters were each record-setters. Incremental demand should be sustained as new opportunities are addressed."

Dr. Hayward concluded: "In addition to the current growth we are experiencing across the firm, our LMI-managed microchip project is leading the DOD's Defense Logistics Agency to seriously consider mandating SigNature DNA for microcircuits. We are confident we can support a DOD mandate and continue to source additional candidates as this effort might expand.

"In addition, the initial responses to our new product lines, smartDNA and digitalDNA, have been encouraging. Our management team felt it appropriate to grow our resources at this time."

About Applied DNA Sciences

APDN is a provider of botanical-DNA based security and authentication solutions that can help protect products, brands and intellectual property of companies, governments and consumers from theft, counterfeiting, fraud and diversion. SigNature DNA and smartDNA, our principal anti-counterfeiting and product authentication solutions that essentially cannot be copied, provide a forensic chain of evidence and can be used to prosecute perpetrators.

The statements made by APDN may be forward-looking in nature. Forward-looking statements describe APDN's future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of APDN. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to our short operating history, limited financial resources, limited market acceptance, market competition and various other factors detailed from time to time in APDN's SEC reports and filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on December 8, 2011 and our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. APDN undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

More:
Applied DNA Sciences Expands Plant and Personnel

Posted in DNA

Artist Encrypts Human Rights Charter Into An Apple's DNA

Before Charlotte Jarvis applied for a license to do so, no one in the Netherlands had ever created an entirely synthetic DNA strand. The young British artist claimed that honor during a ten-month stint at the Netherlands Proteomics Centre, while developing an installation that has sparked debate among scientists about the goals of genetics and synthetic biology.

On August 4th, Jarvis unveiled Blighted by Kenning, the project she developed during an artist residency at the center. In an old dairy warehouse on the coast of Suffolk, she has installed a small apple orchard of thirteen trees. Each tree was grown in the Hague, the seat of the International Court of Justice. And hanging in the trees, one contaminated apple is encoded with a message: the Declaration of Human Rights, developed more than sixty years ago by the United Nations. During the opening on Saturday, Jarvis mingled with the audience as she ate the contaminated apple. Others like it had been sent to scientists to be decoded (and consumed)--the exhibition includes images of scientists (like the Dean of Science at Utrecht University) eating them.

The process for using the DNA sequence as a code to represent natural text is well established, explains Jarvis. When they decode the apples DNA, her collaborators will find the Declaration encrypted in three-letter codons, a tri-nucleotide unit consisting of a specific combination of Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Guanine (G) and Cytosine (C). Jarvis originally intended to infect the apples with actual bacteria made from the DNA, but as she recently explained to Dont Panic, its nearly impossible to legally exhibit a Genetically Modified Organism in a gallery, either in the U.K. or Holland, and asking people to eat the apples would have been out of the question. Instead, she extracted the naked DNA from the bacteria, and used spray-bottles to coat the apples. Since DNA alone is no more than the building blocks used to create proteins, there are fewer restrictions on its use.

DNA is an incredibly stable substance, so it will stay on the surface of the apple for many years, she writes. In the same way that in the right circumstances DNA evidence can be retrieved decades after a crime is committed. The idea, Jarvis explains, is to involve scientists in a show of support for research about genetics and structural biology, contrary to popular opinion that such research is dangerous to humanity--a forbidden fruit, if you will.

When Blighted by Kenning is complete, scientists all over the world will have reconstructed the DNA and returned samples of it to Jarvis. Speaking over email in the days before the opening, she says she plans to continue working within the field. Its while setting up for a show that I start to have new ideas, she says. I was discussing a new genetic art project with a curator just yesterday. The Suffolk exhibition is on view until August 26th, though hilariously, its possible that some unwitting Olympic tourist has already consumed a piece of the art: Jarvis tells Dont Panic that she accidentally left one of the apples on the London Tube.

[Full interview here; Images courtesy of the artist]

See the article here:
Artist Encrypts Human Rights Charter Into An Apple's DNA

Posted in DNA

DNA Dynamics Announces New Head of Studio

LEAMINGTON SPA, U.K., Aug. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DNA Dynamics, Inc. (OTC Pink: DNAD), a global developer and publisher of mobile video games and applications, today announced that it has employed industry executive Kevin Corti as Head of DNA Studios to drive the Company's future game and technology strategy.

Since late 2010, DNA Dynamics has largely concentrated its business development efforts on developing and publishing a portfolio of proprietary and licensed mobile gaming titles for delivery on the iOS and Android gaming platforms. However, according to Ed Blincoe, DNA's Chairman, President and CEO, "Expanding the reach of our mobile games to new audiences via online social networking venues, such as Facebook, has been a key long term growth objective for DNA since day one. Aided by Kevin's capable direction, we will now be proactively defining the tactical steps and strategies necessary to accelerate DNA's entry into this exciting and high growth gaming arena."

With more than 15 years of experience in online interactive media with emphasis in the consumer entertainment, marketing and education sectors, Corti has demonstrated proven expertise in overseeing the creation of social gaming applications, having built studio capacity on three separate occasions and delivering over 100 projects. Until recently, Corti served as CEO and Development Director of SoshiGames, a UK-based social games developer and publisher focused on music-themed games on Facebook and which partnered with numerous well known music industry companies to drive user acquisition. Prior to this, Corti founded and was Head of Serious Games at PIXELearning, where he led the acquisition and delivery of bespoke 'serious games' (B2B gaming applications designed to meet predetermined training and marketing objectives) for a slate of blue chip international clientele, which included KPMG, HP, Comcast, Raytheon and Coca-Cola, among many others.

CEO Ed Blincoe also stated that the Company "...has now begun a period of concerted effort to update its shareholders and the wider market with its plans and believes that shareholders will see great value in the announcement of new management team members, new game titles and new initiatives that the company is now engaged with..."

Blincoe also confirmed that a Operational Update will be released later this week.

About DNA Dynamics, Inc.Headquartered in Leamington Spa in the United Kingdom, DNA Dynamics is a worldwide developer and publisher of graphically rich, interactive entertainment currently delivered on iOS, Android, Apple Mac and PC. Through its operating subsidiaries, the Company has created, acquired or licensed a portfolio of highly recognizable or emerging brands that broadly appeal to its consumer demographics, ranging from children to adults and casual gamers to serious enthusiasts. For more information, please go to http://www.dnadynamics.net.You can also follow the Company on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information please email info@dnadynamics.net.

Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release may contain forward-looking statements, including information about management's view of DNA Dynamics, Inc.'s future expectations, plans and prospects. In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," or "may," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any statements made in this news release other than those of historical fact, about an action, event or development, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the results of DNA Dynamics, its subsidiaries and concepts to be materially different than those expressed or implied in such statements. Unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on DNA Dynamics' future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. DNA Dynamics cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Finally, DNA Dynamics undertakes no obligation to update these statements after the date of this release, except as required by law, and also takes no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by DNA Dynamics.

Read this article:
DNA Dynamics Announces New Head of Studio

Posted in DNA

DNA helps close old murder case in Fla Panhandle

NICEVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say DNA evidence has helped close a 37-year-old murder case in the Florida Panhandle.

Catherine Ainsworth's body was found in her Niceville apartment on Aug. 30, 1975. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted.

Authorities say they've linked the crime scene to William P. Rouse, a New York man who had been based at Eglin Air Force Base at the time.

Rouse died in 2006. Authorities tell the Northwest Florida Daily News (http://bit.ly/N9gUoN ) that Rouse's relatives provided two hats he frequently wore for DNA testing.

Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office Investigator Travis Robinson says DNA from the hats matched DNA evidence found on a rug under Ainsworth's body.

Rouse had been Ainsworth's neighbor. Robinson said Rouse had given conflicting stories to the case's original investigators.

Information from: Northwest Florida Daily News, http://www.nwfdailynews.com

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

View post:
DNA helps close old murder case in Fla Panhandle

Posted in DNA

DNA clue to bone setter mystery

5 August 2012 Last updated at 08:28 ET By Neil Prior BBC News

DNA mapping has shed light on a 260-year-old mystery of the origins of a child shipwrecked on Anglesey, who helped shape medical history.

The boy of seven or eight, who could not speak English or Welsh, washed up on the north Wales coast with his brother between 1743 and 1745.

Named Evan Thomas, he was adopted by a doctor and went on to show bone setting skills never seen before in the UK.

Now a DNA study has revealed he came from the Caucasus Mountains.

The boys' dark skin and foreign language led people to believe they were Spanish - a myth which went on for hundreds of years.

Evan's brother survived only a few days, but he went on to demonstrate he already possessed bone setting skills, including the first recorded use in Britain of traction and splints to pull apart the over-lapping edges of breaks and immobilise limbs while healing took place.

It's not yet a perfect match, but you can definitely say that their background was heavily influenced by this region.

Analysis of DNA from the 13th generation of Evan's descendants is now indicating that the brothers came from an area of the Caucasus Mountains, including Georgia, Ossetia and Southern Russia.

Anglesey bone setter DNA project director John Rowlands said: "When we embarked on the project, all the historical evidence seemed to point to Spain as being the most likely origins of Evan Thomas.

Read more:
DNA clue to bone setter mystery

Posted in DNA

NUS researchers identify a novel double-stranded DNA structure

This novel double-stranded DNA structure produced through mechanical stretching has been successfully demonstrated by researchers from the National University of Singapore. Credit: National University of Singapore

By way of mechanical stretching, National University of Singapore researchers identify a novel double-stranded DNA structure, thus successfully resolving a 16-year-old scientific debate over the existence of a double-stranded DNA structure.

Double-stranded DNA has often been described as a right-handed helical structure, known as B-DNA. To perform its multiple functions, double-stranded DNA has multiple structures depending on conditions. For example, the melted DNA bubble forms during transcription elongation and the left-handed helical Z-DNA forms hypothetically during transcriptional regulations.

Scientists have been proposing a novel form of double-stranded DNA structure since 1996. Referred to as 'S-DNA', it is produced from stretching the B-form DNA beyond a certain 'transition force' of around 65 pN to approximately 1.7-fold in length (termed as DNA overstretching transition). Its existence has sparked a 16-year scientific debate since it was proposed, as many other evidences suggested that DNA overstretching transition was merely a force-induced DNA melting transition, leading to peeled-apart single-stranded DNA.

At National University of Singapore (NUS), the research was led by Associate Professor Jie Yan, from the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore. It succeeded in demonstrating the intricacies of the DNA mechanics in highly sensitive single-DNA stretching experiments.

Assoc Prof Yan and his team found that DNA overstretching may involve two transitions that are distinct in their transition kinetics, namely, a slower hysteretic peeling transition to peeled-apart single-stranded DNA and a faster non-hysteretic transition to an unknown DNA structure. However, whether the unknown DNA structure produced from the non-hysteretic transition is the S-DNA or two single-stranded DNA strands through inside-DNA-melting, remains a question.

Their findings were published in Nucleic Acids Research.

In another recent work published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Assoc Prof Yan and co-researchers examined the thermodynamics associated with the two transitions. They found that the non-hysteretic transition was associated with a small negative entropy change, in contrast to the large positive entropy change found during the hysteretic peeling transition. This result strongly favors DNA re-arrangement into a highly ordered, non-melted state during the non-hyteretic transition. They also demonstrated that the selection between the two transitions was dependent on DNA base-pair stability and could be represented in a multi-dimensional phase diagram.

Their results not only brought clarity to the scientific debate of whether S-DNA exists, but also provided important insights to the possible structures and functions of the mysterious S-DNA.

Given its elongated structure, the S-DNA may be a potential binding substrate for DNA intercalators, including those used in chemotherapeutic treatment to inhibit DNA replication in rapidly growing cancer cells. In cells, many DNA-binding proteins utilize side chain intercalation to distort the DNA backbone. Therefore, the S-DNA may also be a potential binding substrate for these proteins that occur in living organisms.

Continue reading here:
NUS researchers identify a novel double-stranded DNA structure

Posted in DNA

Convicted cop’s DNA not on coat

By Mike Wagner

The Columbus Dispatch Friday August 3, 2012 7:03 AM

On the day he was sentenced to life in prison for killing his ex-wife, Douglas Prade stood up in court, defiantly proclaimed his innocence and challenged the justice system to find the real killer.

God, Margo, myself and the person who killed Margo know that I am innocent, he said.

Now, 14 years later, lab-test results show that DNA recovered from the Summit County murder scene didnt come from Prade, a former Akron police captain convicted of killing Margo Prade, a prominent doctor and the mother of his two children.

Prade, 66 and serving a life sentence at the Madison Correctional Institution, was found guilty of shooting Margo six times after a struggle in her van in a parking lot outside of her office.

The DNA testing, conducted by DNA Diagnostics Center of Fairfield, north of Cincinnati, focused on the lab coat Margo Prade was wearing during the attack, and specifically a bite mark left on her arm by her killer.

Testing results found male DNA present within the bite mark, but it didnt match Douglas Prade. Further testing of the lab coat and other evidence conducted by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation also excluded Prades DNA.

The bite mark was pivotal in the prosecutions case against Prade. During his trial, an expert testified that the bite mark matched Prades teeth.

But Prade and his attorneys have argued that the bite mark testimony was based on junk science, and it misled the jury in a case that has received national attention.

Follow this link:
Convicted cop’s DNA not on coat

Posted in DNA

DNA testing identifies NC woman missing since 1992

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Modern DNA testing has helped law-enforcement identify the remains of a Johnston County woman who disappeared in Virginia nearly 20 years ago, officials said Friday.

Angie Faye Toler left North Carolina in 1992 to move to Richmond, Va., and live with a boyfriend. The boyfriend returned to Smithfield, but Toler was never seen again. Her body was found near railroad tracks in November of that year. With no identification and no relatives around, her case was listed as an unidentified deceased.

Nona Best, supervisor of the N.C. Center for Missing Persons, attended an academy of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs, last November. During a presentation by the VA Medical Examiner's Office, she noticed a picture that looked familiar. Best approached the instructor after his presentation and asked to see the picture again.

"Once I saw the picture up close I knew it was her," Best said. "She looked just like herself and her sister."

When Best returned to her office in Raleigh, she contacted the family and Lara A. Frame, an investigator with the chief medical examiner's office in Virginia. DNA from Toler's mother and sister was sent to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to compare with the unidentified body.

On Tuesday, Best was advised by Frame that the DNA was a positive match.

Best and Princeton Police Chief Tyrone Sutton informed Toler's sister, Cora Prince, and her mother, Deloris Sherod.

"The Lord answers prayers. I prayed I would find out what happen to her before I left this earth. I'm at peace now," Sherod said.

See original here:
DNA testing identifies NC woman missing since 1992

Posted in DNA

DNA Clue Discovered For Why Women Outlive Men

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Seniors / Aging Also Included In: Men's Health;Biology / Biochemistry;Genetics Article Date: 03 Aug 2012 - 2:00 PDT

Current ratings for: DNA Clue Discovered For Why Women Outlive Men

4.5 (2 votes)

Researchers from Monash University in Australia and Lancaster University in the UK, write about their work in the 2 August online issue of Current Biology.

They found male fruit flies appear to have mutations in their mitochondrial DNA that affect how fast they age and how long they live.

Scientists use fruit flies as models for studies in genes and aging because their biological processes are remarkably similar to that of other animals, such as humans, and with a lifespan of about a month, it doesn't take too long to investigate generational effects.

Senior author Damian Dowling, a research fellow in the Monash School of Biological Sciences, told the press:

"All animals possess mitochondria, and the tendency for females to outlive males is common to many different species. Our results therefore suggest that the mitochondrial mutations we have uncovered will generally cause faster male aging across the animal kingdom."

"Intriguingly, these same mutations have no effects on patterns of aging in females. They only affect males," he added.

Mitochondria are special subunits of cells, about the same size as bacteria, that provide the energy for life. They combine sugar and oxygen into adenosine triphosphate or ATP, molecular packets of energy that are usable by cells.

See original here:
DNA Clue Discovered For Why Women Outlive Men

Posted in DNA