Bacterial cause found for skin condition rosacea

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Scientists are closer to establishing a definitive bacterial cause for the skin condition rosacea. This will allow more targeted, effective treatments to be developed for sufferers, according to a review published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology.

Rosacea is a common dermatological condition that causes reddening and inflammation of the skin mostly around the cheeks, nose and chin. In severe cases skin lesions may form and lead to disfigurement. Rosacea affects around 3% of the population usually fair-skinned females aged 30-50 and particularly those with weak immune systems. The condition is treated with a variety of antibiotics, even though there has never been a well-established bacterial cause.

A new review carried out by the National University of Ireland concludes that rosacea may be triggered by bacteria that live within tiny mites that reside in the skin.

The mite species Demodex folliculorum is worm-like in shape and usually lives harmlessly inside the pilosebaceous unit which surrounds hair follicles of the face. They are normal inhabitants of the face and increase in number with age and skin damage for example, following exposure to sunlight. The numbers of Demodex mites living in the skin of rosacea patients is higher than in normal individuals, which has previously suggested a possible role for the mites in initiating the condition.

More recently, the bacterium Bacillus oleronius was isolated from inside a Demodex mite and was found to produce molecules provoking an immune reaction in rosacea patients. Other studies have shown patients with varying types of rosacea react to the molecules produced by this bacterium exposing it as a likely trigger for the condition. What's more, this bacterium is sensitive to the antibiotics used to treat rosacea.

Dr Kevin Kavanagh who conducted the review explained, "The bacteria live in the digestive tracts of Demodex mites found on the face, in a mutually beneficial relationship. When the mites die, the bacteria are released and leak into surrounding skin tissues - triggering tissue degradation and inflammation."

"Once the numbers of mites increase, so does the number of bacteria, making rosacea more likely to occur. Targeting these bacteria may be a useful way of treating and preventing this condition," said Dr Kavanagh. "Alternatively we could look at controlling the population of Demodex mites in the face. Some pharmaceutical companies are already developing therapies to do this, which represents a novel way of preventing and reversing rosacea, which can be painful and embarrassing for many people."

More information: Dr Kavanagh's review "The potential role of Demodex folliculorum mites and bacteria in the induction of rosacea," will be published online ahead of print on Thursday 30 August in the Society for General Microbiology's Journal of Medical Microbiology. dx.doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.048090-0

Journal reference: Journal of Medical Microbiology

Provided by Society for General Microbiology

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Bacterial cause found for skin condition rosacea

Research and Markets: Food Microbiology: An Introduction, Third Edition Includes Expert Perspectives on Parasites …

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8kkjwc/food_microbiology) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new report "Food Microbiology: An Introduction, Third Edition" to their offering.

Authoritative coverage presented in a format designed to facilitate teaching and learning

The newly updated and expanded third edition:

- Incorporates instructors' input to further clarify complex topics in the field of food microbiology.

- Encourages students to venture beyond memorization and think critically to gain a broader conceptual understanding of food microbiology and acquire the understanding and skills necessary to ensure the safety of tomorrow's food supply.

- Presents explicit learning goals to focus students on the core principles of food microbiology.

- Introduces the genetics and molecular mechanisms important for the understanding of foodborne microbes

Key Topics Covered:

I. Basics of Food Microbiology

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Research and Markets: Food Microbiology: An Introduction, Third Edition Includes Expert Perspectives on Parasites ...

Lake Erie experts fear DNA spike is sign of Asian carp

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John Flesher | Associated Press

An Asian carp, jolted by an electric current from a research boat, jumps out of the Illinois River. The fishs DNA was detected in 20 of 150 water samples taken July?30-31 from Sandusky Bay in Lake Erie.

The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday August 29, 2012 8:15 AM

The discovery of additional Asian carp DNA in Sandusky Bay has state and federal wildlife officials increasing efforts to see whether the invasive fish has entered Lake Erie.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources reported yesterday that Asian carp DNA had been detected in 20 of 150 water samples taken July 30-31.

In earlier tests, four of 325 water samples in Sandusky Bay and two of 92 samples taken from Maumee Bay were positive. State and federal officials swept the area over three days this month but found no actual Asian carp.

We are going to go out and do more electro-fishing and netting to see what we can find, said Bethany McCorkle, an agency spokeswoman. We wont know until we actually have a live fish.Jeffrey Reutter, the director of Ohio Sea Grant and Ohio State Universitys Stone Laboratory on Lake Erie, called the latest test results disappointing.

At this point, that is definitely worrisome, he said.

Finding breeding carp would signal a huge threat to the lakes $1-billion-a-year fishing industry and its $10-billion-a-year tourism industry. The carp out-compete native fish for food. After escaping fish farms during massive floods in 1993, they now dominate several stretches of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers.

Sandy Bihn, the director of the Toledo-based Lake Erie Waterkeeper advocacy group, expressed hope that the fish havent set up housekeeping.

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Lake Erie experts fear DNA spike is sign of Asian carp

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DNA test confirms cantaloupe from Chamberlain Farms of Indiana a source in 21-state salmonella outbreak

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Chamberlain Farm Produce Inc. in Owensville, Ind. is the source of at least some of the salmonella that has infected 178 people in 21 states.

The Salmonella bacteria collected from Chamberlain Farms matches the "DNA fingerprint" of the salmonella strain responsible for sickening 178 people, including 62 who were hospitalized, FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess said.

73 sickened by salmonella-tainted mangoes, say California health officials Cantaloupe-linked salmonella kills two FDA: Avoid cantaloupes grown in southwestern Indiana

She stressed that federal and state agencies were still investigating whether there might be other sources of the salmonella involved in the outbreak.

"Just because we've identified this as one source, things just don't stop here," she said. "We're still assessing the full scope of this."

Salmonella bacteria typically live in animal and human intestines and are shed through feces, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Salmonella infection, or salmonellosis, may cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps within eight to 72 hours of exposure. Most people recover without treatment, but it can be deadly for some. In some cases, diarrhea associated with the infection can be so dehydrating that medical attention is necessary. If salmonella spreads beyond infected people's intestines, they risk death.

Amy Reel, a spokeswoman for the Indiana State Department of Health, said samples have been collected from multiple southern Indiana farms. The FDA is handling analysis of those samples, she said.

Gary Zhao, an attorney for the southwestern Indiana farm, said Tuesday in response to a message seeking comment that the farm would release a statement later this week.

Last week, Tim Chamberlain, who runs the 100-acre (40-hectare) Chamberlain Farms, said it had stopped producing and distributing cantaloupe on Aug. 16, when the FDA alerted him that the fruit could be tainted.

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DNA test confirms cantaloupe from Chamberlain Farms of Indiana a source in 21-state salmonella outbreak

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Biology Course at WHS Earns AP Designation

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Washington High School has learned its biology course syllabus is now authorized to use the AP (Advanced Placement) designation for the 2012-13 academic year.

The AP program is a curriculum in the United States and Canada sponsored by the College Board which offers standardized courses to high school students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college.

Participating colleges grant credit to students who obtained high enough scores on the exams to qualify.

WHS Principal Dr. Frank Wood said it also signifies the course is more rigorous than the general course offerings.

Were real pleased to learn of the AP approval, said Wood, adding that about 16 students are currently enrolled in that particular class, which includes a lab.

A letter from the AP program states that WHSs syllabus was reviewed by experienced college and university faculty, who have confirmed that it outlines how you provide a college-level learning experience for your students.

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Biology Course at WHS Earns AP Designation

Bio-Rad Launches a Digital Biology Center to Develop Products for Research and Diagnostics Markets Based on the …

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HERCULES, CA--(Marketwire -08/29/12)- Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (BIO) and (BIO.B), a multinational manufacturer and distributor of life science research and clinical diagnostic products, today announced the launch of a Digital Biology Center to focus on the development of innovative new products based on the company's recently acquired droplet partitioning technology. The first product based on this technology, Bio-Rad's QX100 Droplet Digital PCR system that was introduced last year, applies a sample partitioning technology to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and offers a new approach to nucleic acid quantification.

PCR is widely used to amplify and quantify nucleic acids. Droplet digital PCR offers researchers a new level of precision in the quantification of target nucleic acid molecules, providing accurate determination of copy number variation as well as the detection of rare mutation events such as those seen in certain tumors. Applications of these capabilities have the potential to provide new strategies for diagnosis of inherited disorders, cancer, and infectious disease.

"We believe the digital droplet partitioning technology, which is at the heart of our recently launched QX100 Droplet Digital PCR instrument, has potential far beyond the digital PCR market," said Annette Tumolo, Director, Digital Biology Center. "Our mission is to provide innovative products that deliver powerful, accessible solutions for digital biology and expand the reach of our digital droplet PCR technology."

About the QX100 Droplet Digital SystemThe QX100 Droplet Digital PCR system (ddPCR) provides an absolute measure of target DNA molecules with unrivaled performance in precision, accuracy, and sensitivity for quantitative PCR applications. The Droplet Digital PCR system is the third generation of PCR technology and provides a new approach to target DNA quantification. The QX100 droplet generator partitions samples into 20,000 nanoliter-sized droplets. After PCR on a thermal cycler, droplets from every sample are streamed in single file on the QX100 droplet reader. The PCR-positive and PCR-negative droplets are counted to provide absolute quantification of target DNA in digital form, detecting rare DNA target copies with unmatched sensitivity and determining copy number variation with unrivaled accuracy.

About Bio-Rad Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (BIO) and (BIO.B) has remained at the center of scientific discovery for more than 50 years, manufacturing and distributing a broad range of products for the life science research and clinical diagnostic markets. The company is renowned worldwide among hospitals, universities, major research institutions, as well as biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies for its commitment to quality and customer service. Founded in 1952, Bio-Rad is headquartered in Hercules, California, and serves more than 100,000 research and industry customers worldwide through its global network of operations. The company employs over 7,100 people globally and had revenues exceeding $2 billion in 2011. For more information, visit http://www.bio-rad.com.

This release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "intend," "estimate," "continue," or similar expressions or the negative of those terms or expressions. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. For further information regarding the Company's risks and uncertainties, please refer to the "Risk Factors" in the Company's public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect an analysis only and speak only as of the date hereof. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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Bio-Rad Launches a Digital Biology Center to Develop Products for Research and Diagnostics Markets Based on the ...

Could Your Genes Influence How You Vote?

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By Carina Storrs HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) -- With the U.S. presidential campaign season heating up and Election Day drawing nearer, political science experts are saying that campaigns could one day benefit from having a deeper understanding of voters, all the way down to their DNA.

"Since about 2005, there has been a turning of the tide that genes can influence political traits," said Peter Hatemi, an associate professor of political science, microbiology and biochemistry at Pennsylvania State University.

"Most social scientists had viewed the world as a blank slate, whatever your family is, whatever you run into and your experiences, is how you develop your attitudes," he added.

Research into the genetic underpinnings of political views has grown significantly in the past eight years, Hatemi said. His comprehensive review of previous research on the role genes play in attitudes, ideologies and voting behavior, is co-authored by Rose McDermott, a professor of political science at Brown University, and appears online Aug. 27 in Trends in Genetics.

Political scientists have borrowed pages from the geneticists' book of techniques for studying medicine and psychology, but it may be how political scientists are using these approaches that will have the biggest impact on public health.

"The world revolves around politics, it doesn't revolve around schizophrenia. It's important to study because the biggest determinant of public health is going to be politics," Hatemi said.

One technique in particular involves studying identical and fraternal twins. Researchers can compare how often identical twins, who share all of their genes, and fraternal twins, who share half their genes on average, give the same answers to political questions to gauge how big of a role genes play in different categories.

Hatemi and McDermott reviewed previous twin studies and reported that about half of the variation in political traits could be explained by genetics, the other half by upbringing and environment.

Categories such as political knowledge and liberal versus conservative ideology were more likely to be influenced by genetics, whereas political party identification was strongly affected by upbringing, the researchers said.

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Could Your Genes Influence How You Vote?

Scaled-Down: New Nano Device Can Weigh Single Molecules

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A tiny resonating beam, just 10 millionths of a meter in length, can measure the mass of a molecule or nanoparticle in real time

By John Matson

WEIGHTY MATTERS: The diagonal beam in this image can detect the presence of single molecules and determine their mass. Image: Caltech/Scott Kelber and Michael Roukes

Showcasing more than fifty of the most provocative, original, and significant online essays from 2011, The Best Science Writing Online 2012 will change the way...

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Dieters and exercise buffs might feel better about their progress if they tracked their weight loss in daltons. Even a short jog can help you shed a few septillion daltons, a unit of mass often used in biochemistry that is equivalent to the atomic mass unit. (Of course, no weight-conscious individual would want to know their full weight in this unitthe average American male weighs approximately 5 X 1028 daltons.)

Even the megadalton, or one million daltons, is a tiny unit of measurea gold particle five nanometers across weighs in at just a few megadaltons. (One nanometer is a billionth of a meter.) But researchers at the California Institute of Technology and CEALeti, a government-funded research organization in Grenoble, France, have built a scale that weighs single objects even lighter than a megadalton, including nanoparticles and human antibody molecules. The device is the first of its kind to determine the masses of individual molecules and nanoparticles in real time, the researchers reported in a study published online August 26 in Nature Nanotechnology. (Scientific American is part of Nature Publishing Group.)

The heart of the device is a nanoelectromechanical resonatora tiny beam of silicon vibrating at two tones simultaneously. "It's like vibrating a guitar string at the fundamental and a harmonic," says study co-author Michael Roukes, a Caltech physicist. "We're continuously strumming it with an electrostatic excitation." The beam runs diagonally across the photo (above); it measures 10 microns long and 300 nanometers wide. (A micron is one millionth of a meter.)

Tiny arms connecting the ends of the beam to the rest of the device convert the resonator's vibrations into an electrical signal via a phenomenon known as the piezoresistive effect. "The smallest pieces there are flexed slightly, and when they're flexed their resistance changes," Roukes says. "And so we can read out the motion as a change in resistance." A single molecule landing on the beam shifts the frequency of the two tones downward, and from the accompanying change in resistance the researchers can deduce both the mass of the particle and where it landed along the beam.

The device's sensitivity to single molecules allowed the researchers to perform mass spectroscopyidentifying the various particles in a mixture by their masseson collections of gold nanoparticles five and 10 nanometers in diameter, as well as on the antibody molecule immunoglobulin M, which weighs just under one megadalton. (The natural molecules proved much more consistent in their construction than did the man-made nanoparticles, whose masses fluctuated by a factor of five or so from particle to particle.)

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Scaled-Down: New Nano Device Can Weigh Single Molecules

Project MICREAgents: self-assembling smart microscopic reagents to pioneer pourable electronics

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29.08.2012 - (idw) Ruhr-Universitt Bochum

First place in an EU competitive call on Unconventional Computing was awarded to a collaborative proposal coordinated by Prof. John McCaskill from the RUB Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The project MICREAgents plans to build autonomous self-assembling electronic microreagents that are almost as small as cells. They will exchange chemical and electronic information to jointly direct complex chemical reactions and analyses in the solutions they are poured into. The EU supports the project within the FP7 programme with 3.4 million Euros for three years. Turning chemistry inside-out Self-assembling smart microscopic reagents to pioneer pourable electronics 3.4 million Euros from EU programme for international research project

First place in an EU competitive call on Unconventional Computing was awarded to a collaborative proposal coordinated by Prof. John McCaskill from the RUB Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The project MICREAgents plans to build autonomous self-assembling electronic microreagents that are almost as small as cells. They will exchange chemical and electronic information to jointly direct complex chemical reactions and analyses in the solutions they are poured into. This is a form of embedded computation to compute is to construct in which for example the output is a particular catalyst or coating needed in the (input) local chemical environment. The EU supports the project within the FP7 programme with 3.4 million Euros for three years. Four research groups at RUB will join forces with top teams across Europe, from Israel and New Zealand.

Self-assembling electronic agents

In order to create this programmable microscale electronic chemistry, MICREAgents (Microscopic Chemically Reactive Electronic Agents) will contain electronic circuits on 3D microchips, called lablets. The lablets have a diameter of less than 100 m and self-assemble in pairs or like dominos to enclose transient reaction compartments. They can selectively concentrate, process, and release chemicals into the surrounding solution, under local electronic control, in a similar way to which the genetic information in cells controls local chemical processes. The reversible pairwise association allows the lablets to transfer information from one to another.

Translating electronic signals into chemical processes

The lablet devices will integrate transistors, supercapacitors, energy transducers, sensors and actuators, and will translate electronic signals into constructive chemical processing as well as record the results of this processing. Instead of making chemical reactors to contain chemicals, the smart MICREAgents will be poured into chemical mixtures, to organize the chemistry from within. Ultimately, such microreactors, like cells in the bloodstream, will open up the possibility of controlling complex chemistry from the inside out.

The self-assembling smart micro reactors can be programmed for molecular amplification and other chemical processing pathways that start from complex mixtures, concentrate and purify chemicals, perform reactions in programmed cascades, sense reaction completion, and transport and release products to defined locations. MICREAgents represent a novel form of computation intertwined with construction. By embracing self-assembly and evolution, they are a step towards a robust and evolvable realization of John von Neumanns universal construction machine vision. Although these nanoscale structures will soon be sufficiently complex to allow self-replication of their chemical and electronic information, they will not present a proliferative threat to the environment, because they depend for their function on the electronic circuit layer that is fabricated as part of their substrate.

RUB collaborators

For the project, Prof. Dr. John S. McCaskill (Microsystems Chemistry and Biological Information Technology) collaborates with Prof. Dr. Gnter von Kiedrowski (Bioorganic Chemistry), Prof. Dr. Jrgen Oehm (Analog Integrated Circuits) and Dr. Pierre Mayr (Integrated Digital Circuits). McCaskills and von Kiedrowskis labs at RUB have already joined forces in previous European Projects forging a path towards artificial cells. The ECCell project, for example, that finished in February this year, has laid the foundation for an electronic chemical cell. There, the electronics and microfluidics were exterior to the chemistry: in MICREAgents this is being turned inside out.

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Project MICREAgents: self-assembling smart microscopic reagents to pioneer pourable electronics

Nature’s wrinkle reducer

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Sometimes, the answer to a more youthful-looking skin lies within a tree bark.

THE Greek physician Hippocrates once said: Let plants be your medicine. American skincare brand Origins has taken his advice to heart and bases much of its products around the healing powers of nature.

Its award-winning Plantscription Anti-Aging collection offers formulations fortified with Annogeissus tree bark extract, touted to be natures wrinkle reducer.

Native to the Republic of Ghana in West Africa, Anogeissus is commonly known as Siiga, meaning the soul. Local tribes revere the Anogeissus extract as it is regarded a potent natural wound healer and antimicrobial.

After five years of intensive research in partnership with plant scientists at the University of Strasbourg, Origins discovered that the extract of the bark demonstrated an excellent ability to protect collagen and help boost skins natural production levels of a glycoprotein called fibrillin. This resulted in a firmer and more resilient, youthful-looking complexion.

Now, there are new additions to the collection: a cleanser, treatment lotion, serum and two eye products.

The perfect starting point is the Plantscription Anti-Aging foaming cleanser which utilises potent plants to thoroughly wash away dirt, make-up and impurities in one simple step.

The gentle cleansing system contains Anogeissus, along with oat protein and jasmine flowers to condition skin and preserve the vital moisture balance.

The lightweight moisture-rich treatment lotion contains Anogeissus and is fortified with jasmine flowers, caffeine and aloe leaf. It is claimed to deliver softening and conditioning benefits, much like a skin cream.

Skin texture is smoothened and a youthful radiance is restored, as the skin is prepped to receive the optimum benefits from the other Plantscription treatments.

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Nature’s wrinkle reducer

Hurricane Isaac forces closure of county beaches

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Boca Chica Beach and the county beaches on South Padre Island were closed late Tuesday because of conditions created by Hurricane Isaac.

County Judge Carlos H. Cascos ordered the temporary closing of the beaches until further notice, officials said. This includes Beach Access No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 on the northern part of the Island and Isla Blanca Park on the southern end of the Island, and Boca Chica Beach. He ordered the closures particularly because of high tides.

I have asked our law enforcement authorities to ensure that no individuals or vehicles be allowed access to the beaches on the north end and sound end of South Padre Island as well as Boca Chica Beach, Cascos said in a press release.

It is very important that the public pay attention to our warnings and stay out of harms way, he said. We continue to monitor tidal conditions as Hurricane Isaac makes it way to the Louisiana coast.

County Parks Director Javier Mendez said officials on Tuesday had been monitoring conditions in case closures were necessary

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday morning with winds of 75 mph. It was expected to get stronger by the time it reached the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana.

County workers removed the trash cans from beaches as a precautionary measure against higher-than-usual tides, Mendez said.

The parks director said there were a few people there, including surfers taking advantage of the high waves.

The National Weather Service in Brownsville said the risk of high tides and strong rip currents will continue through today. The agency said long period swells could increase waves to head height or more. Four to six feet waves are possible. In addition, some tidal run up to the sand dunes was possible, which might curtail driving on the beaches today.

While Isaac is not expected to bring any rain to the Rio Grande Valley, it is expected to cause high temperatures in South Texas, according the NWS. The high today is expected to reach 99 degrees and on Thursday, 101 degrees.

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Hurricane Isaac forces closure of county beaches

'Patrolled beaches don't need shark nets'

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SHARK NETS: A grey nurse shark caught in a shark net. WA Premier Colin Barnett says metro beches are safe from sharks without the nets. Source: The Daily Telegraph

SHARK nets probably won't be adopted at West Australian beaches, with Premier Colin Barnett saying swimmers can feel safe between the flags in patrolled areas.

Mr Barnett's comments came as a 34-year-old surfer recovered in Royal Perth Hospital after being attacked by a shark in a remote part of the Gascoyne region, some 140km north of Carnarvon, yesterday afternoon.

In addition, another shark was sighted off Garden Island this morning, the latest in a spate of recent shark sightings off Perth and nearby beaches.

Late this morning, Surf Life Saving WA reported that a 3.5m shark was spotted by recreational fishers at Harding Rock, at the northern end of of Garden Island, at about 9.30am.

A report commissioned by the WA government was "not particularly encouraging'' about shark nets, Mr Barnett said.

"I have said, given the numbers of attacks and another one yesterday, that we will look at everything that is used to minimise the risk of shark attack including shark nets,'' he told ABC radio.

"A shark net is in fact a shark trap ... and people have very mixed views about shark nets when they see it in that context, but there are other things that are being looked at.''

Mr Barnett said the WA government would consider easing restrictions on the number of sharks professional fisherman could catch and culling large great whites that lurk close to swimming areas.

The government was also looking at providing surf life saving clubs with more equipment to help them protect people in the water, and had increased shark patrols.

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'Patrolled beaches don't need shark nets'

Hurricane Isaac as Seen From the International Space Station

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Hurricane Isaac as Seen From the International Space Station

Mars rover beams back spectacular photos, NASA greeting

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Mars rover: NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has beamed home some extraordinary images of Mount Sharp, the three-mile-high mountain near the rover's landing site. Curiosity has also sent back a greeting from NASA administrator Charles Bolden, the first human voice ever to be broadcast from another planet.

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has beamed home the first human voice ever sent from another planet, as well as some spectacular new images of its Martian environs.

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The 1-tonCuriosity roverbroadcast a greeting from NASA administrator Charlie Bolden, who congratulated the mission team for getting the huge robot to Mars safely. While the significance of the audio accomplishment is largely symbolic, NASA officials hope it presages a more substantial human presence on the Red Planet down the road.

"With this, we have another small step that's being taken in extending the human presence beyond Earth, and actually bringing that experience of exploring the planets back a little closer to all of us," said Curiosity program executive Dave Lavery, invoking the famous linelate astronaut Neil Armstronguttered from the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969.

"As Curiosity continues her mission, we hope the words of the administrator will be an inspiration to someone who's alive today, who will become the first to stand upon the surface of the planetMars," Lavery told reporters today (Aug. 27). "Like the great Neil Armstrong, they'll be able to speak aloud in first person at that point of the next giant leap in human exploration."

The mission team also unveiled today a stunning 360-degree panorama of Curiosity's Gale Crater landing site, showing in crisp detail some of the landforms scientists want the six-wheeled robot to explore. [Video: Curiosity's Martian Panorama]

Curiosity touched downinside Mars' huge Gale Crater on the night of Aug. 5, tasked with determining whether the Red Planet could ever have supported microbial life.

For the next two years, Curiosity is slated to explore Gale and the crater's 3.4-mile-high (5.5 kilometers) central peak, the mysteriousMount Sharp. The $2.5 billion rover is outfitted with 10 different science instruments to aid its quest, including a rock-zapping laser and gear that can identify organic compounds the carbon-containing building blocks of life as we know it.

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Mars rover beams back spectacular photos, NASA greeting

NASA's Mars rover beams will.i.am song back to Earth

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Broadcast from NASA's Curiosity rover, 'Reach for the Stars,' by rapper will.i.am, is the first human song ever played from Mars.

The first song ever played from Mars was broadcast today (Aug. 28) from NASA's Curiosity rover on the Red Planet.

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The concert represented the world premiere of the appropriately named song "Reach for the Stars," by rapper and songwriter will.i.am. It was beamed via radio signal about 150 million miles (241 million km) back to Earth from Curiosity's landing spot on Mars' Gale Crater at 1 p.m. PDT (4 p.m. EDT).

"The point of the song is to remind people that anything is possible if you discipline yourself and dedicate yourself and stand for something," the musician said today from Curiosity's mission control center at NASA'sJet Propulsion Laboratory(JPL) in Pasadena, Calif.

The music arrived there during an educational event held for students from the Los Angeles neighborhood where will.i.am grew up.

"There's no words to explain how amazing this is," will.i.am. said. "These kids here are from Boyle Heights, the same neighborhood I'm from. We don't have to just end up in the 'hood. But it's a hard thing. The hardest thing is discipline."

Students and rocket scientists alike bobbed their heads and clapped as the song's strains came back to Earth.

"Why do they say the sky is the limit When I've seen footprints on the moon And I know the sky may be high But baby it ain't really that high And I know that Mars might be far But baby it ain't really that far Let's reach for the stars"

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NASA's Mars rover beams will.i.am song back to Earth

NASA and will.i.am Bring Music Back From Mars: Curiosity Rover Successfully Delivers First Music and Song "Reach For …

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PASADENA, Calif., Aug. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Earlier today during an education program hosted by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), 53 high school students from the i.am College Track Center in Boyle Heights/East Los Angeles, VIP guests and NASA and JPL officials, and Curiosity mission members paid tribute to the legacy of Astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon. During the event, the group also celebrated the successful delivery of the world's first song from The Red Planet, Mars, back to Earth.

Concurrently, will.i.am's i.am.angel Foundation and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital resources to K-12 classrooms proven to impact student achievement, announced a groundbreaking youth engagement initiative to bring STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) education to life for millions of students nationwide. The program, i.am.STEAM, which features NASA assets such as the Mars Curiosity Rover, is designed to inspire and cultivate the next generation of problem-solvers and innovators. The program will be made possible by the financial contributions of the i.am.angel Foundation and its partners, and will be executed by Discovery Education.

"Reach For The Stars (Mars Edition)," an original composition by musician and philanthropist will.i.am, traveled hundreds of millionsof miles roundtrip to Mars and back to Earth. NASA scientists and engineers explained the technical process by which the song was placed on the Mars Science Lab Curiosity rover, now on Mars, and then brought back to Earth.

Designed to inspire young people everywhere to reach for their dreams and to embrace STEAM education and careers in the field, will.i.am composed and produced "Reach For The Stars (Mars Edition)", which included two youth choirs who joined him in the studio, and includes additional vocals by recording artist Lil Jon. The school choirs included the Oasis Academy Hadley School Gospel Choir in Northeast London (Enfield, UK) and the Southfields Academy Choir in Southwest London (near Wimbledon, UK). Both the Oasis Academy Hadley School and the Southfields Academy schools offer STEM-focused curriculum. Young people from the Agape International Center Children's Choir also participated in studio rehearsals with will.i.am in Los Angeles. Recording took place at the Record Plant in Los Angeles and Metropolis Studios in London.

"Today is about inspiring young people to lead a life without limits placed on their potential and to pursue collaboration between humanity and technology through STEAM education. I know my purpose is to inspire young people, because they will keep inspiring me back," said will.i.am.

"In 1969, when Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon, he inspired a generation.It is still all about inspiration. I want to thank everyone who believes that and is working with NASA education to spread the message that a brighter tomorrow begins by inspiring dreamers, creators and explorers today," said Leland Melvin, Astronaut and Associate Administrator for Education at NASA.

"Discovery has a 25-year commitment to education and igniting peoples' curiosity, rooted in our very DNA. The foundation's goals around STEAM education are in perfect synch with Discovery Education's experience, solutions, tools and resources to drive interest and excellence in STEAM subjects and eventually, careers," said Bill Goodwyn, CEO, Discovery Education. "We are thrilled to partner with the i.am.angel foundation and will.i.am on this groundbreaking initiative and together, prepare the next generation of STEAM leaders."

Program speakers included: Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator (via video message); Adam Steltzner, JPL lead engineer for entry, descent and landing of the Curiosity rover; Mike Meyer, Lead Scientist, Mars Exploration Program; Leland Melvin, Astronaut and Associate Administrator for Education at NASA; will.i.am, musician, philanthropist and STEM education advocate; Bill Goodwyn, CEO of Discovery Education.

Prior to the official program remarks that were televised on NASA TV (www.nasa.gov/ntv), the 53 students from the inaugural i.am College Track Boyle Heights Center and teachers from Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights, CA participated in a guided tour of the JPL campus, viewing model rover spacecraft and learned about STEM careers from NASA and JPL scientists and engineers. Students and teachers also discussed the educational coursework requirements and high school and college internships available at NASA and JPL.

"Reach For The Stars (Mars Edition)" is now available at iTunes http://smarturl.it/RFTSMars

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NASA and will.i.am Bring Music Back From Mars: Curiosity Rover Successfully Delivers First Music and Song "Reach For ...

Basque region backs nanotechnology research

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Nanotechnology for food and other industries is receiving strong support in the Basque region of Spain, with cash being channelled to researchers through the EU Framework 7 research funding programme.

Thats according to Dr Yolanda de Miguel, research and development project manager working on nanostructured and eco-efficient materialsat Tecnalia Research & Innovations construction unit, sustainable development divisin.

The group is exploring a wide variety of pan industry studies, including nanotechnology, which de Miguel told FoodNavigator has broad applications for the food industry.

Some scientists are looking at ways of using nanotechnology to block cholesterol from entering the bloodstream. Others are looking at applying it to the area of food safety, using antimicrobial coatings for work surfaces.

'Bettering packaging'

Others are exploring its potential for use in packaging materials to extendproductshelf life, for example.Its being explored in bettering packagingby increasing its oxygen-barrier properties,"saidDr. de Miguel.

Major food brands such as Nestl, Unilever, Kraft and Heinz were known to be investigating nanotechnology and the Basque research would help support such endeavours, she said.

One of her major areas of focusat present is developingnano-coatingsfor different types ofsurfaces,which would in a sense make them self-cleaning. The coatings use nanoparticles of titanium dioxide, which at that size become translucent and react with oxygenand water moleculesin air to release high energy radicals, which destroy the cell wall of harmful microbes.These hydroxyl radicalswill alsodegradeorganic material on the surface, which meansthat the surfacestays clean for longer,said de Miguel.

Hydrophilic

Coating nanoparticlesof titanium dioxideonto a given surface can also make it hydrophilic, whichmeans water canbe used more easily to washit,plusthe surface does not show water droplets remaining on it as the droplets run easily off them.

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Basque region backs nanotechnology research

Fifth edition of Bangalore Nano on December 6, 7

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It is important to focus on nanotechnology field

The fifth edition of Bangalore Nano, the annual nanotechnology conference-cum-trade show organised by the Karnataka government, will be held on December 6 and 7.

C.N.R. Rao, scientific adviser to the Prime Minister, said that it was a matter of pride that his city, Bangalore, was at the forefront of leading and nurturing innovation in the field of nanotechnology. He spoke about his visit to Israel where he met a young researcher who wanted to use exhaled air and analyse molecules to detect cancer. Years later, Prof. Rao got to know that the researcher came up with a product called the nano nose that helps detect cancer. Such are the possibilities of nanotechnology, and this is why it is important to focus on this emerging field, he said.

Criticising the resistance among academia to collaborate on research work, Prof. Rao said that working together is imperative to move forward.

Nano, a game changer

Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath said that Karnataka has taken an early lead in science and technology, and compared the nanotechnology scene now to what IT was two decades ago. Nano is going to be a game changer, and it presents a unique challenge as it applies across disciplines. He said that Karnataka has 396 research and development organisations and over 2,100 IT companies, and that over 40 per cent of software exports come from here.

The two-day event includes several plenary sessions on healthcare and medicine, aerospace and defence, electronics, food and agriculture, energy and environment, water management solutions and advanced materials.

The event organisers claim that over 100 leading international and domestic companies are slated to participate. A poster presentation session will display at least 120 posters, and 450 graduate level students will attend the event. As part of the conference, the Research Industry Collaboration Hub will be organised.

The pre-event schedule includes a pre-conference tutorial session on December 5 for delegates.

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Fifth edition of Bangalore Nano on December 6, 7