Cyborg Trading Systems Changes Name to Embium and Opens New York Office

NEW YORK, April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - Cyborg Trading Systems has changed its corporate name to Embium and opened a new office in New York. The purpose of the rebranding campaign is to highlight the company's revolutionary approach to financial trade automation and increasing demand in the institutional domain.

"We wanted our new corporate name, Embium, to convey our focus on servicing institutional customers and to better reflect the sophistication of our product offering," stated Mr. McInnes, CEO of Embium. "We have seen tremendous growth for cloud technology in the financial industry and moving our headquarters to 90 Broad Street, New York will allow us to better meet this demand and service our customers."

The company's foundation for automated trading was built around a desktop automation solution that enabled retail traders to rapidly develop strategies. "We have since evolved the technology and in the process, created a new trading engine to effectively serve global financial institutions," stated Mr. McInnes. "Our focus has shifted to flexible strategy development and highly scalable, server-side automation solutions for low latency executions."

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About Embium

Founded in 2008, Embium specializes in the development of automated trading technology for global financial firms, including hedge funds, brokers, banks, exchanges and professional traders. Its industry-leading technology streamlines the development and implementation of sophisticated algorithmic strategies. Cloud Trader is Embium's flagship multi-asset, broker agnostic automation solution. It enables rapid development, testing and seamless global deployment of algorithmic strategies through multiple brokers at any number of venues.

More Information: http://www.embium.com

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Cyborg Trading Systems Changes Name to Embium and Opens New York Office

Bikini ban on United Arab Emirates beaches extends to tourists

Sept. 6, 2012 - FILE photo of a woman reading the Koran on a beach as people in bikinis sunbathe and swim at sunset in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.AP

RAS AL-KHAIMAH, United Arab Emirates Bikinis and briefs are no longer welcome on some sands in the United Arab Emirates.

Authorities in Ras al-Khaimah, the northernmost emirate in the UAE, have posted signs on public beaches warning of possible fines for revealing swimwear such as two-piece bikinis for women and brief trunks for men.

The Abu Dhabi-based newspaper The National reports Monday that the move followed complaints from local families who didn't like sharing the sands with tourists showing too much skin. The emirate is located about 60 miles northeast of Dubai.

The UAE hosts a patchwork of different social mores among its seven semi-autonomous emirates, ranging from conservative to relatively liberal. Dubai for example urges "respectful" attire but rarely objects to outfits such as miniskirts or bikinis.

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Bikini ban on United Arab Emirates beaches extends to tourists

Santa Cruz beaches make Yahoo's list of most searched

SANTA CRUZ -- Whether daydreaming at the office or picking a place for a family vacation, a high percentage of people are plugging "Santa Cruz beach" into the Yahoo search engine, according to data provided by the Sunnyvale company.

In a seven-day snapshot ending April 16, Santa Cruz beach was the fourth most searched beach on Yahoo, only beat by South Carolina's Myrtle Beach, Virginia Beach and Panama City Beach in Florida.

The search company was unable to provide specific numbers, and would only say the data was based on the volume of searches over seven days in which a spike was seen for Santa Cruz.

"Every April we start to see people searching for beaches," said Carolyn Clark, a Yahoo web trend analyst. "We like to keep a pulse on what people are searching for. People are deliberate in their searches."

On a balmy Thursday without a cloud in the sky and the rumble of Boardwalk rides echoing across the warm sand at Main Beach, it was easy to see why folks are seeking out the laid back surf town online.

"It's a nice big beach with a lot of sand area versus the more rocky beaches," said Stephanie Randazzo, a resident of the Los Gatos mountains visiting Santa Cruz with a group of new mothers. "It's a fun environment with the Boardwalk right here."

The search engine spike is welcome news to the many businesses in Santa Cruz that depend on tourist traffic to survive, especially during the upcoming summer months.

With

The Boardwalk has a slew of new additions to keep drawing fans, including the new $6 million roller coaster called Undertow, which should be running by June.

The amusement park also will put in a new Cyclone and add Jungle Climb, a game in which guests climb a string ladder and press a button at the top to win.

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Santa Cruz beaches make Yahoo's list of most searched

Ball Aerospace 'Supplier of the Year'

U.S. company Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. has been named "Supplier of the Year" by Boeing for its avionics work on F/A-18 and Harpoon antenna programs.

BOULDER, Colo., April 22 (UPI) -- U.S. company Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. has been named "Supplier of the Year" by Boeing for its avionics work on F/A-18 and Harpoon antenna programs.

"We are very pleased to be honored by Boeing for the outstanding day-to-day performance delivered by Ball employees on programs critical to our nation," said Rob Freedman, vice president and general manager of Ball's Tactical Solutions business unit. "Harpoon is one of our longest-running programs and demonstrates our outstanding relationship with Boeing and the confidence they have in the quality of our work."

Boeing each year honors its partners for their performance on Boeing programs. Winners are selected from more than 17,500 companies in 50 countries for awards in 16 categories. Selection is based on statistical measurements of quality, on-time delivery, post-delivery support and cost.

The ability to anticipate and respond to changing customer requirements is also part of the mix.

"These partners are critical to helping Boeing provide our customers the most affordable, highest-quality products and services possible," said Jack House, leader of Boeing's Supplier Management function.

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Ball Aerospace 'Supplier of the Year'

B/E Aerospace First Quarter 2013 Results Exceed Expectations; Revenues up 13%, Operating Earnings up 18%, EPS up 30%

WELLINGTON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

B/E Aerospace, Inc. (BEAV), the worlds leading manufacturer of aircraft cabin interior products and the worlds leading distributor of aerospace fasteners and consumables, today announced first quarter 2013 financial results.

FIRST QUARTER 2013 HIGHLIGHTS VERSUS FIRST QUARTER PRIOR YEAR

FIRST QUARTER CONSOLIDATED RESULTS

First quarter 2013 revenues of $842.2 million increased $94.9 million, or 12.7 percent, as compared with the prior year period.

First quarter 2013 operating earnings were $153.6 million, an increase of 18.3 percent, and operating margin of 18.2 percent increased 80 basis points as compared to the prior year period. The growth in operating earnings and the improvement in operating margin occurred primarily as a result of operating leverage at the higher revenue level and ongoing operational efficiency initiatives. Operating earnings and operating margin, both adjusted to exclude acquisition, integration and transition (AIT) costs, were $157.7 million and 18.7 percent.

First quarter 2013 net earnings and earnings per diluted share were $89.9 million and $0.87 per share, increases of 30.7 percent and 29.9 percent, respectively, as compared with the prior year period.

Commenting on the Companys first quarter 2013 performance, Amin J. Khoury, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of B/E Aerospace said, Today we reported a strong start to 2013. Our first quarter 2013 results included record quarterly revenues, bookings, operating earnings, operating margin, net earnings, and EPS. Our revenue growth continues to be driven primarily by the robust new aircraft delivery cycle. Approximately 61 percent of first quarter revenues was driven by demand for products for new-buy aircraft reflecting both robust new aircraft deliveries and continued softness in aftermarket demand.

FIRST QUARTER SEGMENT RESULTS

The following is a tabular summary and commentary of revenues and operating earnings by segment:

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B/E Aerospace First Quarter 2013 Results Exceed Expectations; Revenues up 13%, Operating Earnings up 18%, EPS up 30%

UTC Aerospace Systems Receives Third UK Queen's Award for Innovation

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sensors & Integrated Systems, a unit of UTC Aerospace Systems located in Plymouth, UK has won a 2013 Queen's Award for Enterprise, the highest official UK honor for British business. The award, in the category of Innovation, recognizes the international success of the business' unique, miniature, solid state gyroscopic devices. These rugged inertial measurement units (IMUs) help guide a wide variety of systems including air and land vehicles, missiles and shells. UTC Aerospace Systems is a unit of United Technologies Corp. (UTX).

This is the company's third Queen's Award for Enterprise in ten years. The first, in 2004, recognized the highly-innovative nature of the IMU design while the second, in 2011, recognized the company's success in tripling exports for their products which included these small, reliable IMUs. These highly-successful guidance devices are just the latest development in a century of innovative gyroscopic technology from the company, including the Sperry Gyroscope and the ship-borne guidance systems that date back to 1913 in the UK.

UTC Aerospace Systems designs, manufactures and services integrated systems and components for the aerospace and defense industries. UTC Aerospace Systems supports a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and customer service facilities.

United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Connecticut, is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the building and aerospace industries.

http://www.utcaerospacesystems.com

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UTC Aerospace Systems Receives Third UK Queen's Award for Innovation

B/E Aerospace 1Q net income rises 31 percent

WELLINGTON, Fla. (AP) -- B/E Aerospace Inc., which makes products for aircraft cabins, said Monday that its net income rose 31 percent in the first quarter on improved demand for new planes.

The Wellington, Fla., company's profit grew to $89.9 million, or 87 cents per share, from $68.8 million, or 67 cents per share. Revenue rose 13 percent, to $842.2 million from $747.3 million.

Analysts were expecting net income of 73 cents per share and $803.1 million in revenue, according to FactSet.

The company's commercial aircraft revenue rose 12 percent, to $420 million. Business jet revenue rose 11 percent, to $95.5 million. Revenue in an airplane parts division rose 14 percent, to $326.7 million.

"Our revenue growth continues to be driven primarily by the robust new aircraft delivery cycle," said CEO Amin Khoury. He said demand for new planes drove 61 percent of revenue in the first quarter, while the market for replacement parts remained weak.

The company is still expecting net income of $3.45 per share and $3.35 billion in revenue in 2013. Analysts are forecasting $3.46 per share and $3.39 billion in revenue on average.

B/E Aerospace shares rose 85 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $59.73 in morning trading.

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B/E Aerospace 1Q net income rises 31 percent

Mary Robinson, President of MRFCJ – Hunger – Nutrition – Climate Justice Conference, Dublin – Video


Mary Robinson, President of MRFCJ - Hunger - Nutrition - Climate Justice Conference, Dublin
The Dublin Conference on Hunger · Nutrition · Climate Justice took place in Dublin Castle from 15-16 April 2013, during Ireland #39;s Presidency of the EU. The F...

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Mary Robinson, President of MRFCJ - Hunger - Nutrition - Climate Justice Conference, Dublin - Video

Animal Hospital in Middletown Educates on Pet Nutrition to Fight Pet Obesity

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y., April 21, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ani-Mall Pet Hospital in Middletown, NY is educating pet owners about the importance of proper pet nutrition. Puppy and kitten veterinarian Dr. Michael Barra cites new research showing that the majority of dogs and cats are overweight or obese. Dr. Barra says that a combination of overfeeding and lack of exercise are contributing to pet obesity. Additionally, Dr. Barra says that may pet owners simply do not realize how detrimental a few extra pounds can be to their pets' health. The vet clinic's nutrition counseling services educate pet owners about weight management and obesity prevention.

Ani-Mall Pet Hospital is joining the fight against obesity in pets. The Middletown animal hospital announced nutritional counseling services aimed to address weight management problems in pets.

"I see every day the numerous health problems caused by obesity in pets," said Dr. Michael Barra. "Unfortunately, many pet owners do not realize how serious and widespread this problem is. In fact, according to a recent study, many pet owners mistakenly believed that their pets were a healthy weight, when in reality, they were overweight."

Dr. Barra is partnering with pet owners to raise awareness about the dangers of pet obesity. Through dietary management, the veterinarian is hoping to reduce the number of dogs and cats facing weight problems and improve pet health.

"Just a few extra pounds can cause serious health problems for pets," said Dr. Barra. "Pets that are overweight or obese are at increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, arthritis-related joint pain, and other chronic health conditions."

The Middletown animal hospital's pet nutrition services are designed to help pets safely lose weight. The veterinarian says that simple changes to portion size, food quality and exercise can help pets lose the extra pounds.

"Overfeeding is a huge problem, especially when it comes to high-caloric treats," said Dr. Barra. "We educate pet owners about how much food their pets actually need, which frequently differs from the manufacture recommendations printed on the food packaging."

Pet nutrition counseling can also help pets diagnosed with a food allergy or intolerance. Dr. Barra says that an increasing number of pets are allergic to common food ingredients, including beef, chicken, soy, wheat, barley, corn, eggs and dairy.

"Our dietary management services can also help pets that are suffering from a food allergy," said Dr. Barra. "We help pet owners create an elimination diet to identify the allergy trigger. Once this is identified, we can create a customized diet that will maintain a pet's healthy weight while avoiding the ingredients triggering allergies."

Ani-Mall Pet Hospital is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). The veterinary hospital provides comprehensive pet care services, including vaccinations, surgery, spay/neuter, pet grooming and pet boarding.

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Animal Hospital in Middletown Educates on Pet Nutrition to Fight Pet Obesity

Nutrition Capital Network's NYC Investor Meeting April 29 – 30 Highlights High Growth Companies and Emerging Market …

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nutrition Capital Network (NCN) (www.nutritioncapital.com), an organization that connects investors with high-potential growth companies in the nutrition and health & wellness industry, is holding its Spring Investor Meeting on April 29-30 in New York City, where 20-22 selected growth companies will present to 50-70 investment groups representing $6 billion in capital.

With private equity leaders and strategic investors such as Bayer, DSM, Coca-Cola, Kelloggs, Pepsi and Unilever among its distinguished Cornerstone Investors, NCN serves as a gateway for growth companies to obtain both capital and seasoned partners. The NCN XII Spring Investor Meeting in New York will highlight growth companies in a range of segments, including dietary supplements, natural & organic food and beverages, and nutritional ingredients, among others. Presenting companies are selected and coached by NCNs committee of industry veterans.

NCN investment meetings also present the Health & Wellness Investor Forum, where NCN Principals and Partners present industry data and insights into recent transactions.

NCN tracks investment activity in the nutrition and health & wellness industry throughout the year. The industry is on track to equal, if not surpass, the record high of 287 transactions posted in 2012 with recent Q1 transactions showing sustained interest among investors, noted Grant Ferrier, NCN CEO and co-founder. Last year, we saw over 50% growth in financings despite a 12% drop in M&A activity, indicating strong momentum in the nutrition and health & wellness markets served by NCN.

NCN has a successful track record of matching entrepreneurs, growth companies and technology innovators with suitable investors, acquirers and strategic partners. Of the 287 companies that have presented at NCN Investor Meetings from 2007-2012, 43% have completed some form of transaction. Past presenters that have closed significant transactions include Food Should Taste Good, a company acquired by General Mills in February 2012, in addition to Annies, Immaculate Baking, Zico and Zhenas Gypsy Tea.

For more information about Nutrition Capital Network and the upcoming NYC Investor Meeting, please contact Alissa Sears of Christie Communications at (805) 969-3744 or email alissa@christiecomm.com.

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Nutrition Capital Network's NYC Investor Meeting April 29 – 30 Highlights High Growth Companies and Emerging Market ...

Herbalife Announces That It Will Become Official Nutrition Sponsor of Colombian Golfer, Paola Moreno

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Herbalife (HLF) has announced that it will become official nutrition sponsor of Colombian golfer, Paola Moreno.

Moreno becomes the second Colombian to compete on the LPGA Tour after finishing second on the 2012 Symetra Tour. Herbalife will work with 27-year old Moreno to develop the right nutrition program for her and provide her with all her sports nutrition products as she competes around the world.

"I feel very privileged to be playing on the LPGA Tour and am focused on winning tournaments. Nutrition is a key part of my overall preparation and I am excited to be working with Herbalife to ensure I get the very best products and support, said Moreno.

This agreement is part of Herbalifes broader sponsorship program aimed at promoting healthy and active lifestyles. Moreno joins more than 100 other Herbalife-sponsored athletes, such as the worlds best soccer player, Leo Messi; international cricketer, Virat Kohli; and triathlon champion, Heather Jackson.

About Herbalife Ltd.

Herbalife Ltd. (HLF) is a global nutrition company that sells weight-management, nutrition and personal care products intended to support a healthy lifestyle. Herbalife products are sold in more than 80 countries to and through a network of independent distributors. The company supports the Herbalife Family Foundation and its Casa Herbalife program to help bring good nutrition to children. Herbalife's website contains information about Herbalife, including financial and other information at http://www.herbalife.com.

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Herbalife Announces That It Will Become Official Nutrition Sponsor of Colombian Golfer, Paola Moreno

Liquid Nutrition Announces Annual General Meeting

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Apr 22, 2013) - Liquid Nutrition Group Inc. ("Liquid Nutrition" or "Company") (TSX VENTURE:LQD)(TSX VENTURE:LQD.WT) announces that its Annual General Meeting is to be held on May 3, 2013 at 9:30 am ET at the office of Heenan Blaikie LLP, located at Bay Adelaide Centre,333 Bay Street, Suite 2900 in Toronto, ON.

The Company's Annual Report for year Ended 31 December 2012, Notice of Annual General Meeting and Management Information Circular are available on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com.

About Liquid Nutrition Group Inc.

Liquid Nutrition Group Inc. (LNGI) (TSX VENTURE:LQD)(TSX VENTURE:LQD.WT) is a rapidly growing, hybrid retailer of functional beverages, fresh pressed fruit juices, vitamins and supplements. Liquid Nutrition is committed to building a global brand in the health and wellness industry by bringing its healthy and delicious product offering to communities around the world. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Liquid Nutrition Franchising Corporation, LNGI has signed franchise agreements for over 80 stores across Canada, as well as license agreement in the Caribbean and the Middle East. For store locations, business opportunities or more information visit http://www.liquidnutrition.com. Please join Liquid Nutrition on Facebook and follow on Twitter @liquidnutrition.

About Team Liquid

Comprised of pro-athletes and experts in the world of sports, fitness and nutrition, members of Team Liquid were selected based on their personal and professional dedication to healthy active living. Members of the Team Liquid include: Steve Nash, Matt Ryan, Suzann Pettersen, Russell Martin, Vincent Lecavlier, Torah Bright, Elaine Hastings, RD, LD/N, CSSD, Nutritionist, Trish Stratus, seven time WWE World Champion and Yoga and Fitness icon, and Arlene Dickinson from CBC's Dragon's Den. To see what the Team Liquid has to say about Liquid Nutrition, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da785AGWQqk.

To receive Company news via email, contact erica@chfir.com and mention "Liquid Nutrition news" in the subject line.

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Liquid Nutrition Announces Annual General Meeting

Microbiology Quality Control Seminar to Assist Medical Device Manufacturers Validate Sterilization, Cleaning Processes

A seminar on microbiology quality control designed to help medical device manufacturers validate sterilization and cleaning processes, and maintain controlled environments will be held on Thursday, May 16, in Boston.

Agawam, MA (PRWEB) April 22, 2013

For today's medical device manufacturers, the challenge is to validate their sterilization and cleaning processes to ensure patient safety and product integrity. This seminar will focus on a host of issues pertaining to the sterilization of medical devices including sterilization validation, bioburden, sterility, and endotoxin testing, as well as submitting samples to a contract testing laboratory, said Steven Richter, Ph.D., president and scientific director of Microtest Laboratories, which is hosting the event.

Topics at the Microbiology Quality Control Seminar will include:

The event will be held at the MIT Endicott House in Boston, Mass., on Thursday, May 16, 2013, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration is 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. A networking reception and lunch are included.

To register, download the form from http://www.microtestlabs.com/pdfs/seminar-registration-form_1305.pdf. Or, contact Julie Adamski at Microtest Laboratories by phone at 1-800-631-1680, ext. 192, or by email at jadamski(at)microtestlabs(dot)com. The registration fee is $149.

The event is one in a series of technical seminars and workshops for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers presented by Microtest Laboratories, a Mass.-based, FDA-audited company with a history of exceptional regulatory compliance.

About Microtest Laboratories

Microtest Laboratories is a leader in testing services and contract manufacturing for the medical device, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries. Based in Agawam, Massachusetts, USA, the company provides expertise and flexible processes that enhance product safety and security, accelerate time to market, and minimize supply chain disruption. For more information, visit http://www.microtestlabs.com or call 1-413-786-1680 or toll-free 1-800-631-1680. Follow Microtest Laboratories on Twitter @MicrotestLabs at http://twitter.com/MicrotestLabs.

Don Goncalves Tiziani Whitmyre, Inc. 781-793-9380 Email Information

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Microbiology Quality Control Seminar to Assist Medical Device Manufacturers Validate Sterilization, Cleaning Processes

Method makes it easier to separate useful stem cells from ‘problem’ ones for therapies

Apr. 22, 2013 UCLA researchers led by Carla Koehler, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and Dr. Michael Teitell, professor of pathology and pediatrics, both members of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, have discovered a new agent that may be useful in strategies to remove pluripotent stem cells that fail-to-differentiate from their progeny, tissue-specific cells, potentially resulting in safer therapies for patients.

The study was published online ahead of press April 15, 2013 in Developmental Cell.

Pluripotent stem cells can become any cell in the body. When stem cells are differentiated into specific daughter cells such as nerve, muscle, or bone cells, not all of the stem cells differentiate, leaving some pluripotent stem cells mixed in with the differentiated cells. Because of the pluripotent stem cell's ability to become any cell type in the body, these cells can also become unintended cells such as bone in blood, or form tumors called teratomas. Therefore, identifying and removing pluripotent stem cells from the differentiated cells before using daughter cells is of utmost importance in stem cell-based therapeutics. Current methods for removing pluripotent stem cells are limited.

Studies in the model system Saccharomyces cerevisiae, simple baker's yeast, by Koehler, Teitell, and colleagues discovered a molecule called MitoBloCK-6 that inhibits assembly of the mitochondria, which are the power plants of cells. As the group moved to more complex systems, they showed that MitoBloCK-6 blocked cardiac development in the model organism, zebrafish. However, MitoBloCK-6 had no effect on differentiated cell lines that are typically cultured in the lab. "I was puzzled by this result, because we thought this pathway was essential for all cells regardless of differentiation state," said Koehler.

Post-doctoral fellow Deepa Dabir meticulously tested the compound on many differentiated cell lines, but the results were still the same: The cells remained healthy. Then the team decided to test MitoBloCK-6 on human pluripotent stem cells. Post-doctoral fellow Kiyoko Setoguchi showed that the pluripotent stem cells died in the presence of MitoBloCK-6, but shortly after differentiation, the daughter cells were resistant to death.

MitoBloCK-6 caused the pluripotent stem cells to die by triggering apoptosis, a process of cell suicide. The death of pluripotent stem cells left a population of differentiated cells, thus potentially reducing the risks of teratoma and other problems that would limit their use as a regenerative medicine treatment strategy.

"We discovered that pluripotent stem cell mitochondria undergo a change during differentiation into tissue-specific daughter cells," said Teitell, "which could be the key to the survival of the differentiated cells when the samples are exposed to MitoBloCK-6. We are still investigating this process in mitochondria, but we now know that mitochondria have an important role in controlling pluripotent stem cell survival."

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Method makes it easier to separate useful stem cells from 'problem' ones for therapies

Study: Mushrooms provide as much vitamin D as supplements

Public release date: 22-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Angela Hopp ahopp@asbmb.org 713-471-4541 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

BOSTON Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine have discovered that eating mushrooms containing vitamin D2 can be as effective at increasing and maintaining vitamin D levels (25hydroxyvitamin D) as taking supplemental vitamin D2 or vitamin D3.

These findings will be presented Monday, April 22, at the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, which is being held in conjunction with the Experimental Biology 2013 meeting in Boston. The findings also will appear concurrently as an open-access article in the journal Dermato-Endocrinology.

Vitamin D is crucial for good bone health and muscle strength; adequate amounts help the body maintain bone density, reducing the risk of fracture, osteomalacia, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. The nutrient also plays an integral role in modulating the immune system to help fight infections like the flu and reduces the risk of many common diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression and diabetes.

For the randomized study, 30 healthy adults took capsules containing 2,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D2, 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 or 2,000 IU of mushroom powder containing vitamin D2 once a day for 12 weeks during the winter.

Baseline serum 25hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], a measure to determine a person's vitamin D status, were not significantly different among the groups.

The levels among the three groups gradually increased and plateaued at seven weeks and were maintained for the next five weeks. After 12 weeks of the vitamin D supplements, the levels were not statistically significantly different than those who ingested the mushroom powder.

"These results provide evidence that ingesting mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet light and contain vitamin D2 are a good source of vitamin D that can improve the vitamin D status of healthy adults," said Michael F. Holick, the principal investigator. "Furthermore we found ingesting mushrooms containing vitamin D2 was as effective in raising and maintaining a healthy adult's vitamin D status as ingesting a supplement that contained either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3."

Holick added: "These results confirm other studies that have demonstrated that ingesting vitamin D2 either from fortified orange juice, a supplement or a pharmaceutical formulation were all capable of increasing total circulating 25(OH) D concentrations for at least three months and up to six years."

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Study: Mushrooms provide as much vitamin D as supplements