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ST Aerospace posts higher profit but lower revenue for 2Q

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Danzig

MOBILE, Alabama -- Despite a challenging economic environment, Singapore Technologies Aerospace on Tuesday reported a 3 percent earnings increase in its second quarter.

The aircraft maintenance company in Mobile said earnings before interest and tax were 65.2 million Singapore dollars ($52.2 million), up 3 percent from 63 million in 2011.

Also on Tuesday, Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd., the parent company of Mobile's ST Aerospace and Pascagoula's VT Halter Marine, reported a 9.7 percent rise in second quarter profit.

The defense contractor reported a net profit of 143.1 million Singapore dollars ($114.9 million) compared with 130.5 million Singapore dollars a year earlier. The company said its gains were due to higher contributions from its electronics, marine and land systems business.

Revenue for ST Aerospace for the quarter fell 2 percent to 494 million Singapore dollars from 504 million in the same quarter last year, while revenue for ST Engineering rose 5.8 percent to 1.57 billion Singapore dollars ($1.25 billion).

For the first half of the year, ST Engineering had a net profit of 277.5 million Singapore dollars ($222 million), a 14.8 percent increase compared to the same period in 2011.

The company also said barring unforeseen circumstances, it expects to have higher revenue and profit before tax this year compared with 2011.

ST Aerospace Mobile employs about 1,500 at Brookley Aeroplex, where it maintains and overhauls large airplanes. VT Halter Marine, which employs 1,800 at shipyards in Pascagoula, Moss Point and Escatawpa, is an arm of ST Engineering's marine branch, ST Marine.

Earlier this month, Vision Technologies Aerospace Inc., the aerospace arm of ST Engineering, halted its $49.7 million acquisition of Pemco's Tampa aerospace maintenance facility after some closing conditions could not be fulfilled by the seller before the closing deadline.

ST Engineering announced in June that VT Aerospace made a bid for the maintenance facility and Pemco's Boeing 737 freighter conversion Supplemental Type Certificates at a bankruptcy auction.

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ST Aerospace posts higher profit but lower revenue for 2Q

Bleak Economic Outlook for U.S. Aviation Affecting Global Aerospace Industry if Congress Proceeds with Rampant …

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Danzig

FARMINGTON, Conn., Aug. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- The US and European countries are the dominant markets in the aerospace industry, and act as catalyst for overall growth. In fact, the US represents the biggest aerospace market in the world, followed by France, UK, Germany and Canada. In a recent report released by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), nationwide sequestration set to be triggered in less than 5 months could result in astronomical budget cuts to the US Federal Aviation Administration operations roughly amounting to annual losses of $80 billion from the national GDP. Moreover, the automatic spending cuts are estimated to drop passenger enplanements by more than 50% and reduce transported air freight by one billion pounds. The report Global Industry Aerospace Industry Outlook to 2015, now available from Global Information Inc., finds that upward trends of air traffic is paramount to maintaining strong growth in the this industry.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120815/CG58119)

Theoretically, reducing air activity through sequestration could reduce total tons of emissions, which achieves a major aim of the Next Generation Air Traffic Control System (NextGen) to be implemented in 2025 if budget cuts are carried through. If Congress does decide to proceed with sequestration, players in the US aerospace industry may need to turn to private equity firms for financing. "Analysis of Private Equity and Venture Capital Investment Trends in the North American Aerospace and Defense Industry," now available from Global Information Inc., covers key opportunities in aerospace and defense that financial and strategic investors are likely to capitalize on.

Global Aerospace Industry Outlook 2015

The US represents the biggest aerospace market in the world, followed by France, UK, Germany and Canada. In the near future, developing nations, like China, India, Mexico, and Brazil are expected to emerge as potential marketplaces for aerospace products.

The study finds that growing air traffic and increasing merger & acquisition activities are adding growth to this strong industry. The report provides an extensive research and objective analysis of the global aerospace market, and its various segments, including civil and military aerospace. In addition, the report entails a detailed analysis of the industry in terms of developed and emerging markets. The research contains information on key players such as Business Description and Recent Developments which will help clients assess opportunities existing in the global aerospace market, and formulate appropriate strategies.

An Executive Summary of this analysis, full table of contents, and a free sample of the full report are available at http://www.giiresearch.com/report/rnc243952-global-aerospace-industry-outlook.html

Analysis of Private Equity and Venture Capital Investment Trends in the North American Aerospace and Defense Industry

Illiquid investments and long gestation periods among other financing challenges for Aerospace and Defense industry

This research service covers the private equity and venture capital investment trends in the Aerospace & Defense (A&D) industry. The objective of the study is to provide both financial and strategic investors information pertaining to investment opportunities. The output of the study will help in addressing the following points:

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Bleak Economic Outlook for U.S. Aviation Affecting Global Aerospace Industry if Congress Proceeds with Rampant ...

DNA evidence clears Louisville man of murder charges

Posted on August 16, 2012 by ev1

by Gene Kang

WHAS11.com

Posted on August 15, 2012 at 12:37 PM

Updated today at 6:41 PM

LOUISVILLE, Ky (WHAS11) -- A Louisville man who faced the death penalty is free tonight. Thats after prosecutors dropped a murder charge against him. It was DNA evidence that ultimately cleared him but not before he spent several years behind bars.

The Hall of Justice is where Carlos Lagantta claimed his freedom in more ways than one. He was waiting for trial for five years three for the current case and two for an unrelated charge. But Lagantta says he never grew bitter after being wrongfully accused of murder.

Overall, Carlos Lagantta served three years in prison for a murder he did not commit. He felt an overwhelming sense of freedom as a court of law declared that he's innocent.

WHAS 11 News: "What are you doing here at the Hall of Justice today?" "I'm turning in my HIP equipment and being a free man. Once I turn this in I'm all the way free," said Lagantta.

"Not only did he put this behind him but he was facing the death penalty," said Ryan Vantrease, Laganttas lawyer.

"It is the Commonwealth's decision to dismiss without prejudice," said prosecution in Judge Audra Eckerles court in Jefferson County.

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DNA evidence clears Louisville man of murder charges

PLoS ONE launches Synthetic Biology Collection

Posted on August 16, 2012 by ev1

Public release date: 15-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Yael Franco yfranco@plos.org 415-568-3169 Public Library of Science

PLoS ONE announces the launch of the Synthetic Biology Collection. The new Collection contains an unprecedented number of articles illustrating the many facets of this dynamically evolving research area.

The field of synthetic biology interconnects many engineering and scientific disciplines including biology, chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, and computer science. PLoS ONE has published more than 50 articles covering all aspects of synthetic biology. The journal aims to help increase the visibility of this growing transdisciplinary field by assembling the articles into a Collection.

"When working at its best, science should be an active conversation that keeps refining ideas," said Damian Pattinson, PLoS ONE's Executive Editor, "We believe that PLoS ONE provides the ideal venue to achieve this and we hope that the Collection will inspire further progress in synthetic biology."

PLoS ONE's innovative editorial policy has made it possible for synthetic biologists to publish research that may not be the proper fit for a classical journal.

"The collection includes several articles from engineers and computer scientists who traditionally publish their work in conference proceedings rather than the journals available to life-scientists," said Dr. Jean Peccoud, an Associate Professor at Virginia Bioinformatics Institute. "PLoS ONE's breadth of subject matter made it possible to publish an unprecedented body of articles that reflects the multifaceted nature of synthetic biology."

A key feature of PLoS ONE is the inclusion of article-level metrics (ALMs) that are published alongside each paper and can be used to assess the impact of the research.

"Two articles now included in the Collection, were published in 2006, and to date have been cited 70 and 84 times, respectively," said Dr. Mark Isalan, Group Leader at the Centre for Genomic Regulation. "Metrics such as social bookmarking or number of views lead us to believe that articles published more recently will also have a lasting impact on the field."

The Collection highlights selected synthetic biology articles published in PLoS ONE since 2006. It will be updated regularly with appropriate new papers, as a growing resource. "Ultimately, we hope that having a dedicated repository in PLoS ONE will further increase the journal's attractiveness to researchers publishing synthetic biology," said Pattinson.

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PLoS ONE launches Synthetic Biology Collection

Redskins’ Alexander shrinks to play linebacker

Posted on August 16, 2012 by ev1

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Lorenzo Alexander has quite a collection of white bottles, labeled with words straight from a biochemistry class. Beta Alanine Supreme. Carnitine Synergy. Uber C. Some 19 containers, big and small, in his Washington Redskins locker.

''I have a lot of supplements,'' he said.

The consummate self-made NFL player, Alexander has always been conscious about his diet. Like many players, he also gets advice on the right mix of tablets to maximize his endurance and energy output. Or, as he puts it, ''to help balance your body out.''

This year, it's been more of a challenge to find that balance. Alexander, who once was a 300-pound lineman, arrived at training camp weighing 245, having dropped some 30 pounds from this time last season so that he can hold his own in his new role as the team's primary backup at inside linebacker.

''Being 265,'' he said, ''is not ideal for covering tight ends and fast wide receivers down the middle of the field.''

No one would expect anything different from the player who arrived as a practice squad nobody in 2006 and soon became an indispensable utility man, working his way up to his current role as a team captain who now gets annual support from his teammates as an ought-to-be Pro Bowl player.

''I'd say he's one of, if not the biggest influence I've had since I've been here,'' said linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, a first-round draft pick last year. ''He seems to me what really embodies a professional. Not just a professional athlete, but a professional human being. He shows you what hard work can do.''

Alexander was a novelty his rookie season, a three-way player who saw game action on the offensive line, defensive line and special teams. He made his name with hard work, smarts and big special teams hits.

In 2010, the Redskins (No. 25 in the AP Pro32) moved him to outside linebacker. Last year, he started learning the inside linebacker position. This year, it's his main focus on the only experienced alternative to starters London Fletcher and Perry Riley in the 3-4 scheme.

Alexander's weight loss has been noticeable during training camp. He broke up a pass over the middle to Santana Moss during Wednesday's practice, the type of play he couldn't have made when he was a lot heavier.

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Redskins' Alexander shrinks to play linebacker

CSHL-led team introduces new method to closely model diseases caused by splicing defects

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

Public release date: 14-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Peter Tarr tarr@cshl.edu 516-367-8455 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Cold Spring Harbor, NY A team led by scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has developed a new way of making animal models for a broad class of human genetic diseases those with pathology caused by errors in the splicing of RNA messages copied from genes. To date, about 6,000 such RNA "editing" errors have been found in various human illnesses, ranging from neurodegenerative disorders to cancer.

The new modeling approach can provide unique insights into how certain diseases progress and is likely to boost efforts to develop novel treatments. It was tested successfully by the CSHL team, led by Professor Adrian Krainer, Ph.D., in collaboration with scientists from Isis Pharmaceuticals, in mouse analogs of human spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a motor-neuron disease that is the leading genetic cause of childhood mortality. The results are detailed in a study published today in Genes & Development.

The modeling method is called TSUNAMI (shorthand for targeting-splicing using negative ASOs to model illness). The study demonstrates it can be used in illnesses with pathology associated with the missplicing of pre-mRNAs unedited RNA molecules that bear the messages encoded in genes which provide instructions for cells to manufacture specific proteins.

Correcting splicing errors in SMA

A cellular machine called the spliceosome routinely snips non-essential bits called "introns" out of every pre-mRNA molecule that carries a copy of a gene's instructions. All that should remain after the spliceosome has done its work is a string of spliced-together "exons," the protein-encoding portions of the message. These edited mRNA messages are subsequently read by ribosomes, the cellular factories where proteins are synthesized.

In SMA and some other human illnesses, pathology can be traced to errors in the pre-mRNA editing process. In SMA, it is caused either by a severe mutation in a gene called SMN1 ("survival of motor neuron-1") or by that gene's complete absence in an affected individual's genetic material. The SMN protein normally encoded by the gene is essential for motor neuron development. Humans have a second, similar gene called SMN2, but it is a poor backup. Because of an error in the splicing of its pre-mRNA, the SMN2 gene, when expressed, typically produces only a fraction of the SMN protein needed by motor neurons. This is critical in the first stages of life when the body and muscles are still developing.

While the level of the "backup" gene's protein output varies in individuals with spinal muscular atrophy, resulting in pathology of varying intensity, Krainer -- a leading expert on splicing -- and his collaborators have succeeded in recent years in devising a method of getting SMN2 to produce therapeutic amounts of protein, enough to reverse pathology in both mild and severe mouse analogs of the disorder.

To achieve this they synthesized tiny snippets of RNA called ASOs (antisense oligonucleotides) and injected them into the cerebrospinal fluid of mice carrying a human SMN2 transgene (i.e., a gene not native to mice). This enabled them to get the therapeutic ASOs through the so-called blood-brain barrier, to reach cells throughout the central nervous system. ASOs are configured to attach at highly specific spots in pre-mRNAs, where, by design, they can inhibit activators or repressors of the splicing process. Krainer's team synthesized an ASO that corrected the SMN2 splicing error and gave rise to therapeutic amounts of SMN protein. Importantly, the ASO was shown to be stable in the body as well as persistent, the effects of a single injection lasting at least half a year in mice.

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CSHL-led team introduces new method to closely model diseases caused by splicing defects

Research and Markets: Sports Nutrition in Hong Kong, China

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dd4skv/sports_nutrition_i) has announced the addition of the "Sports Nutrition in Hong Kong, China" report to their offering.

In Hong Kong sports nutrition products were mostly used by serious athletes in 2011, which is a niche market. Typical consumers were not aware of these products, nor was there a demand for them.

The Sports Nutrition in Hong Kong, China report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data 2007-2011, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. Forecasts to 2016 illustrate how the market is set to change.

Product coverage: Non-Protein Products, Protein Products.

Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.

Why Buy This Report?

- Get a detailed picture of the Sports Nutrition market;

- Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;

- Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands;

DNA evidence 'gobsmacked' accused

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

15 August 2012 Last updated at 09:38 ET

The man accused of murdering a Perthshire pensioner was "gobsmacked" to learn a partial profile of his DNA was found on her wrist, a court heard.

The jury was read parts of William Kean's police interviews which took place in March, the month after 80-year-old Jenny Methven was found dead.

Mr Kean, 46, denies killing Mrs Methven at her Forteviot home on 20 February.

He has lodged a special defence blaming the victim's son David Methven, or others connected to him.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Mr Kean told police during the interview that he did not assault Mrs Methven.

Det Sgt Brian Smith had told the accused he was offering him a chance to explain what had happened.

Mr Kean denied murdering Mrs Methven but replied "no comment" when asked if he had been in her house and then refused to explain that answer.

He also told officers that if he knew who was involved in her murder, he would tell them.

Mr Kean had said to officers: "I wish I did. I wish someone would come forward and admit it. It's a sad time for everybody."

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DNA evidence 'gobsmacked' accused

Scientists identify previously unknown Whimbrel migration pathway over open Atlantic Ocean

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

Fletcher Smith with Akpik on breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic.

(Phys.org) -- Scientists at the College of William & Mary/Virginia Commonwealth University Center for Conservation Biology (CCB) at the VCU Rice Center have tracked three whimbrels off the east coast of Canada to the northern shore of South America via a previously unknown migration pathway over the open Atlantic Ocean. The route passed through the center of the vast Atlantic at one point passing 1,000 miles closer to Africa than to North America and within 700 miles of the Cape Verde Islands. The bird with the longest flight flew nonstop for 145 hours (six days), covering a distance of 7,000 kilometers (4,355 miles).

The three birds, named Mackenzie, Taglu and Akpik, were originally marked by the CCB and Canadian Wildlife Service staff on the breeding grounds along the Mackenzie River Delta in far northwestern Canada (Mackenzie was fitted with a transmitter recovered from Machi, a bird that was shot on Guadeloupe in September of 2011).

Map of migration route for three whimbrels that were marked on a breeding ground in western Canada. Incredible flight over the open Atlantic Ocean was previously undocumented.

The three birds are part of a larger project that has included 20 additional birds that have been tracked to better understand migratory pathways and locations that are critical for this declining species. The study has tracked whimbrels for more than 185,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) since 2008. The broader tracking project is a collaborative effort between the Center for Conservation Biology, the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.

Provided by Virginia Commonwealth University

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Scientists identify previously unknown Whimbrel migration pathway over open Atlantic Ocean

Organovo Reports Q2 2012 Financial Results, Provides Business Update

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Organovo Holdings, Inc. (ONVO) ("Organovo") a three-dimensional biology company focused on delivering breakthrough 3-D bioprinting technology, today reported unaudited financial results for the period ended June 30, 2012.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120813/MM55537LOGO)

Organovo is focused on breakthrough 3D bioprinting technology to create tissue on demand for research and medical applications. The company's NovoGen MMX Bioprinter() is part of a 3D human tissue generation platform that works across a broad array of tissue and cell types to recapitulate in vivo biology. Organovo's bioprinting technology has immediate applications in disease research, drug discovery and development, and toxicology testing. In the future, the Company believes that applications of this technology hold the promise to generate tissues for therapeutic uses.

Second quarter 2012 revenues increased approximately 49% above the same period in 2011. Collaborative research revenues for the second quarter increased approximately 81% over the same period of prior year revenues, but were partiallyoffset by a reduction in grant revenues. Loss from Operations for the second quarter was approximately $1,449,700.

Recent Corporate HighlightsOn July 17, 2012, Organovo announced the commencement of operations at its new, larger facility in San Diego, California. The new facility has over three times the capacity of Organovo's previous headquarters and is expected to facilitate the Company's needs to grow staff and research and development output.

On July 9, 2012, Organovo announced the receipt of two issued patents. The patents consisted of the issuance in the United States of a patent to which the Company owns the exclusive license from the University of Missouri, and the issuance in the United Kingdom of the Company's first assigned patent.

On July 9, 2012 Organovo announced the appointment of James T. Glover, former CFO of Beckman Coulter and Anadys Pharmaceuticals, to its Board of Directors. Mr. Glover has been affirmed as an independent director by the Organovo Board of Directors, and the Company expects to attract additional independent directors as it grows.

On May 21, 2012, Organovo announced the hiring of Dr. Eric Michael David as Chief Strategy Officer.

On April 25, 2012, Organovo announced the hiring of Michael Renard as its Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations, and the promotion of Dr. Sharon Presnell to Chief Technology Officer.

The Company is performing on current contracts with Pfizer and United Therapeutics. The Company expects to book revenue on both contracts in the second half of 2012.

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Organovo Reports Q2 2012 Financial Results, Provides Business Update

Grey's Anatomy(TM) Professional Wear by Barco Signature Series Brings Professional Polish

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

GARDENA, CA--(Marketwire -08/15/12)- Barco Uniforms, an acclaimed leader in the uniform industry, unveiled its striking new Grey's Anatomy Professional Wear by Barco Signature Series. The collection, with new fabric, colors and designs, builds on the company's most popular styles, adding a professional, "heathered" look and arcLux with stretch, which clothes professionals in luxurious comfort that stretches and flatters every shape and fit.

"Barco Uniforms shares the passion and commitment medical professionals bring to their work every day, and we understand that while their uniforms must be practical, professionals desire comfortable, flattering, professional styles," said David Murphy, Senior Vice President, of Sales and Marketing at Barco Uniforms. "Our new Grey's Anatomy Professional Wear by Barco Signature Series is designed to deliver the ease and performance expected from Barco Uniforms in fashion-forward, sophisticated styles."

The new collection is created from soft, touchable fabrics that stretch to move with the body to deliver professional polish, whether meeting with colleagues, patients or families, handling crises or providing everyday care. Four exciting new colors -- Electric Heather, Punch Heather, Purple Rain Heather and Hot Tamale Heather -- complement Barco's popular Bahama Heather, Black Heather, Cabernet Heather, and Indigo Heather fabulous prints to create the perfect palette for expanding or designing an entirely new wardrobe. Advanced moisture wicking ensures all-day ease, even through the longest and most demanding shifts.

Grey's Anatomy Professional Wear by Barco Signature Series is available now at leading medical uniform retailers. To locate a retail outlet, visit http://medical.barcouniforms.com/medical/locator.asp.

About Barco UniformsBarco Uniforms, a recognized leader in the uniform industry, fuses innovative fabric technology and fashion-forward design to create uniforms that inspire individuals and enhance the work environment. From its versatile, widely appealing Medical Collections and distinctive Spa Collection, to its corporate Identity solutions, Barco Uniforms is committed to making professional attire that people love to wear. For more information, visit http://www.barcouniforms.com/.

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Grey's Anatomy(TM) Professional Wear by Barco Signature Series Brings Professional Polish

Primary looks to strong earnings growth

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

Medical centres operator and pathology provider Primary Health Care has unveiled a near 50 per cent rise in full year profit and forecast stronger earnings in 2012/12.

Primary lifted its net profit for the year to June 30 by 49 per cent to $116.6 million, from $78.3 million in 2010/11.

Revenue climbed 5.3 per cent to $1.4 billion.

Primary impressed investors by forecasting a 20-25 per cent rise in earnings per share (EPS) in 2012/13.

Its EPS was 23.3 cents a share in 2011/12.

Primary also expects earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation to climb to $370-380 million in 2012/13, from $351.1 million in 2011/12.

"Primary is able to look forward to strong growth as a result of the underlying strength of the business, positive industry dynamics, and long-term increasing demand for healthcare services," Primary said in a statement on Wednesday.

Shares in the company were 34 cents, or 11 per cent, higher at $3.43 at 1038 AEST.

Primary, which operates 76 medical centres, said it expected consolidation in the industry to continue and would look for small bolt-on acquisitions.

Its medical centres, pathology and medical imaging divisions all lifted their earnings and revenue during 2011/12.

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Primary looks to strong earnings growth

New method to closely model diseases caused by splicing defects

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

ScienceDaily (Aug. 14, 2012) A team led by scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has developed a new way of making animal models for a broad class of human genetic diseases -- those with pathology caused by errors in the splicing of RNA messages copied from genes. To date, about 6,000 such RNA "editing" errors have been found in various human illnesses, ranging from neurodegenerative disorders to cancer.

The modeling method is called TSUNAMI (shorthand for targeting-splicing using negative ASOs to model illness). The study demonstrates it can be used in illnesses with pathology associated with the missplicing of pre-mRNAs -- unedited RNA molecules that bear the messages encoded in genes which provide instructions for cells to manufacture specific proteins.

Correcting splicing errors in SMA

TSUNAMI's 'negative ASOs': therapy in reverse

A version of this therapeutic ASO is now being tested in Phase 1 human trials. But even as the tests proceed, Krainer and colleagues have worked on getting the splice-correction method to work in reverse: using a "negative ASO" to cause or exacerbate disease pathology in neonatal mice, with the approach they call TSUNAMI.

Starkville nutrition store owner helps clients find their 'want to'

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

Chris Williams, owner of Peak Nutrition, originally planned to enter law school or pursue a career in politics but his own struggle with weight led him to open his own nutrition store in Starkville. Photo by: Micah Green/Dispatch staff

If you had asked Chris Williams where he thought he would be at 23 years old, he probably would have told you he would be in law school or working in the political arena. Instead, the former football player turned entrepreneur has opened his own nutritional shop in Starkville.

Truly one of a kind to the area, Peak Nutrition focuses on the body and the mind. Williams opened the store last week and said he already has customers lining up to try the shakes made in house and the meal plans targeted to athletes on the go.

Williams said that before anyone can begin to get in shape, they first must have the desire or as he commonly calls it, "the want to."

He said he had that break through moment several months back. Williams played football all throughout high school and college, first as a tight end and then as a defensive tackle. Williams said he quickly gained weight when playing, starting out at less than 220 pounds and to 278 pounds by his senior year. When he graduated from Mississippi College in December 2011, he quit playing football, but kept consuming the same amount of calories as when he was working out on the field. Williams said he knew he needed to lose weight but didn't know where to start. Not only was he becoming unhappy with his weight, Williams was also beginning to question the direction his professional life was going as well. That is when he said he had that "want to" moment and approached a friend to help him lose weight. Williams began eating right and leading an active lifestyle, focusing not only on his physical health, but his mental health as well. He quickly began losing weight but in addition, his state of mind changed, too. He said he had more energy and was on overall happier person.

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Starkville nutrition store owner helps clients find their 'want to'

Complete Nutrition Names Sheldon Harris Chief Executive Officer

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

OMAHA, Neb., Aug. 14, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sheldon Harris, the former president of the ice cream franchise Cold Stone Creamery, has been named Complete Nutrition's CEO, effective immediately. Former CEO Cory Wiedel, who founded the company in 2005, will serve as Chairman of the newly created board of directors.

Harris has been involved with Complete Nutrition for the past six months, leading the development team as a consultant. In this role, he strategically outlined a road map for growth as Complete Nutrition continues to increase its national footprint, with plans to add 150 new stores in the next three years. In the past few years, the company has gone from a 15-store regional chain to a 160-unit national brand.

"Sheldon is an exceptional leader who brings impressive experience in franchising and working with high-growth companies to Complete Nutrition," said Wiedel. "After growing at an unprecedented rate for the past three years, our priority has been to assemble a top-notch executive team. Naming Sheldon as CEO of Complete Nutrition fulfills this objective."

Earlier in his career, Harris served as president of Cold Stone Creamery from 1996-2006. The franchise catapulted from a handful of stores to more than 1,400 international and domestic locations during his tenure. Harris' crowning moment at Cold Stone Creamery came in 2006 when the franchise was named No. 11 in Entrepreneur magazine's list of fastest-growing franchises.

"I'm thrilled to join the Complete Nutrition team," said Harris. "As a health and fitness enthusiast, it's an honor to be in a position where I can help people make dramatic, positive life changes through our consultative approach and superior products."

Other notable milestones in Harris' career include overseeing operations in Alaska for wholesale giant Costco where he was responsible for managing 350 employees and $160 million in sales. In 2006, Harris launched Trust Funding, a consumer-lending company, which to date has helped more than 3,000 people who have faced hardships reach financial solvency.

Complete Nutrition offers more than 200 exclusive general health, sports nutrition and weight-loss supplements. Employing certified personal trainers, former strength coaches and others experienced in health and fitness, Complete Nutrition differentiates itself from competitors through its consultative approach to nutritional supplements.

About Complete Nutrition

Complete Nutrition is a network of high quality nutritional supplement retail stores whose mission is to create a safe and effective weight management, sports nutrition, and healthy aging program to help customers look better, feel better, and perform better. Since 2005, Complete Nutrition has been helping people achieve their health and wellness goals by offering exclusive supplements at affordable prices. Staff members are athletes, certified personal trainers, nutritionists, and other people with experience in the health and fitness supplement retail industry. CEO Cory Wiedel and President Ryan Zink were named finalists of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2012 Central Midwest award. Complete Nutrition recently earned the following top honors from Entrepreneur Magazine in 2012: Franchise 500 award recipient, No. 2 Top New Franchise, No. 36 Fastest-Growing Franchise. Additionally, Complete Nutrition was named to the 2011 Allbusiness.com AllStar Franchises Top 300 list. For more information about Complete Nutrition, call 866-366-5766 or visit http://www.CompleteNutrition.com.

The Complete Nutrition logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=12982

DNA doesn’t help inmate prove his innocence

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

DALLAS -

A Dallas man accused of a rape decades ago has been cleared by DNA twice. But so far he has yet to be exonerated.

Family members have been protesting outside the Lew Sterrett Justice Center on behalf of Ocie Moore.

"He has served 21 years of a 99-year sentence, almost died twice for a crime he did not commit. Now they want to send an innocent man back to prison for a crime he did not commit," said Audra Woods, Moore's sister.

In 1990 Moore and another man were convicted of rape. Since then he has maintained his innocence, even requesting to be DNA tested.

"I passed a DNA test in June. She come back and said they want to do another test. They tested again in April. I passed that one also," Moore said.

Moore's DNA did indeed exclude him. But in this case the allegations involved two men who raped the woman and only one DNA profile could be identified as belonging to the man convicted with Moore.

Prosecutor Russell Wilson said DNA alone does not open the door to freedom. Context matters as much as the content.

"We consider all the information that we can gather -- the scientific test, the testimony at the trial, the witness statements that we're able to gather, his own statements," he said.

Dallas County leads the nation in exonerations. Thirty wrongly-convicted men have been set free, almost all cleared by DNA. But the district attorney's office believes this is one conviction from the early 90s that's right.

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DNA doesn’t help inmate prove his innocence

Applied DNA Sciences Reports Fiscal Third Quarter 2012 Results

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

STONY BROOK, NY--(Marketwire -08/14/12)- Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (APDN), (Twitter: @APDN), a provider of DNA-based anti-counterfeiting technology and product authentication solutions, announced its financial results for the third fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2012, generating revenues of $528,574. This represents the company's highest recorded quarterly revenues, and is the third sequential quarter to set this record.

Third Quarter Highlights:

"The Company continues to improve quarter over quarter, beginning FY '12 with an exciting first quarter and improving on that performance with each quarter to date," said Dr. James A. Hayward, President and CEO of Applied DNA Sciences. "The continued expansion of our customer base and product offerings have sustained that momentum and contributed to the steady increase in our revenues. The first nine months of fiscal 2012 have been very productive for the Company, so much so that, as we recently announced, we have hired an additional 9 employees and expanded our physical footprint by over 50% in the past twelve months."

Dr. Hayward commented further, "We are pleased with the ongoing success of our partnerships, expanding the breadth and depth of our product offerings with such customers as Martin Guitar (see http://www.adnas.com/newsroom/press_releases). Our relationships continue to flourish and grow as we add new partners and customers. We continue to grow our revenues while managing our expenses closely."

Revenues in the quarter ending June 30, 2012 totaled $528,574 compared to $229,710 for the third quarter ending June 30, 2011, an increase of 130%. The increase in revenues was substantially generated from sales of our SigNature DNA and BioMaterial GenoTyping, our principal anti-counterfeiting and product authentication solutions.

An aggregate of 59% of our revenues was earned from two customers for the current quarter, while one customer accounted for 46% of the Company's total revenues for the nine months ending June 30, 2012.

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased from $1,580,788 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 to $1,752,501 for the three months ended June 30, 2012. The increase of $171,713, represents an 11% increase over the same quarter in the prior fiscal year and is primarily attributable to the cost of stock-based compensation incurred in the current period compared to the same period last year

Net loss dropped $725,350 or 34% for the quarter as compared to the quarter ending June 30, 2011. Loss in the three months ended June 30, 2012 decreased to $1,429,645 from a net loss of $2,154,995 for the three months ended June 30, 2011.

The Company incurred research and development expenses of $99,958 and $47,988 for the three-month periods ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $274,528 and $161,645 for the nine month periods ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The increase is attributable to additional research and development activity needed to support current operations.

Total operating expenses increased to $1,955,797 for the three months ended June 30, 2012 from $1,720,668 for the three months ended June 30, 2011, an increase of $235,129 quarter over quarter, or 14%.

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Applied DNA Sciences Reports Fiscal Third Quarter 2012 Results

Open Journal System web site for Gravitational and Space Biology is Active

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

Dear Colleagues:

The Open Journal System web site for Gravitational and Space Biology is active, and we continue to encourage manuscript submissions of all kinds. The instructions to authors can be found on the website, and in the front-matter of the September 2011 issue.

Manuscripts can be submitted any time through the website, http://GravitationalAndSpaceBiology.org, and will be published in the order of their completion through the peer review and author revision process. Manuscripts for the Fall 2012 issue are in various stages of the submission and review, However, depending on the time it takes to navigate the peer review system, manuscripts submitted as late as August 31st can still make it into the Fall issue. So please do not hesitate if you have a paper of interest you would like to submit!

Submission is open to all (members and non-members alike), and we are actively encouraging papers in the fields of gravitational and space biology, astrobiology, analog environment research, advanced life support (ALS), as well as biophysics, radiation biology, engineering, and hardware development relevant to these arenas. The categories of papers include Short Communication, Methods, Research, and Review. In addition, we are also opening a new category: Hypothesis. Guidelines for each category can be found in the Instructions to Authors, and you may feel free to contact any of the members of the Editorial team for guidance at any time.

The value of the journal to ASGSR, and to the scientific community, depends heavily on the quality and number of articles submitted. We look forward to receiving many high-quality papers that strongly reflect the exciting research of our members. We are the face of ASGSR.

As always, do not hesitate to e-mail with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

Best regards, Anna-Lisa Paul alp - at - ufl.edu

Editor, Gravitational and Space Biology

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.

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Open Journal System web site for Gravitational and Space Biology is Active

NIH backs Rice University study of delay in gene transcription networks

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

Public release date: 14-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: David Ruth david@rice.edu 713-348-6327 Rice University

A Rice University researcher and his colleagues have received a National Institutes of Health grant to see how delays in gene transcription life's most basic messaging system affect cellular processes.

Matthew Bennett, an assistant professor of biochemistry and cell biology, will receive more than a million dollars over five years to gather and combine data from computer simulations and live cells. The goal is to create techniques to generate and analyze models of gene networks that incorporate delay as part of their process.

"Delay in transcriptional signaling is an unavoidable consequence of the way biochemistry works," said Bennett, a theoretical physicist by training who turned to synthetic biology as a postdoctoral researcher before joining Rice in 2009. "Once a gene is activated, often as a response to a molecule being introduced into the cell, it takes time for the results to come to fruition. Eventually the DNA must be transcribed into RNA, and the RNA must be translated into protein. Then, sometimes, the protein has to be modified or has to fold."

Bennett and his team want to know precisely what happens and why in that cascade of events, which can take minutes. "We want to be able to create accurate mathematical models of gene networks in order to predict how they function and how they fail, so we can design new synthetic networks and know what they're going to do before we build them," he said.

Synthetic biology has become an increasingly hot topic as researchers create biological systems not found in nature. (A leader in the field, J. Craig Venter, will speak at Rice on Oct. 10 as part of the university's Centennial Celebration.)

Bennett sees the process as similar to sophisticated electronic design, in which the genetic equivalent of logic gates can be used to program circuit-like behavior in living things. The resulting genomes can be used in cells for information processing, materials fabrication, chemical sensing, the production of energy and even food.

"We've learned that delays can have a significant impact on the function of genetic networks, and the discoveries have changed our fundamental understanding of how genes talk to one another," Bennett said. "There are many processes in cells that require specific timing in order to operate: Stress responses, circadian oscillations, cellular growth and division. We've found the dynamics of these networks are important to their function, and delay can have a profound effect. Understanding that delay and being able to model is critical for accurate computational simulations."

While simple models are able to help build simple cellular "circuits," Bennett felt a more sophisticated model will expand the possibilities for synthetic biology and lower the cost of engineering new synthetic microbes.

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NIH backs Rice University study of delay in gene transcription networks

AIDP announces it has been granted U.S. patents for Magtein™

Posted on August 15, 2012 by ev1

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., Aug. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AIDP, Inc., the distributors of Magtein magnesium L-threonate, expected to be the next breakthrough ingredient for cognitive health, has been awarded two patents for magnesium compositions and uses for cognitive function (Patent 8,178,118) and neurological disorders (Patent 8,142,803).

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120814/SF56977LOGO)

The patents, titled "Magnesium compositions and uses thereof for cognitive function" (Patent 8,178,118) and "Magnesium compositions and uses thereof for neurological disorders" (Patent 8,142,803) are among the four U.S. patents awarded from seven ongoing patent applications, including international rights. These patents protect Magtein's unique magnesium compositions and its use for any magnesium L-threonate-containing food, nutritional supplements and drugs for enhancing cognitive function or ameliorating the effects of a neurological disorder. The use of these products is applicable for improving the health of people suffering from loss of cognitive function, loss of memory, Alzheimer's disease, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, migraine, anxiety disorder, and mood disorder, as some representative of cognitive and neurological disorders.

"We truly believe that Magtein is a game changing ingredient that will benefit millions of busy and stressed consumers by helping to improve their quality of life," says Edward Lee Ph.D., AIDP president.

"AIDP, as the exclusive provider of all Magtein magnesium L-threonate, is uniquely positioned to serve the functional food and beverage marketplace to support the cognitive health category," added Dr. Lee.

Discovered byGuosong Liu, M.D., Ph.D., and a group of scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, studies on Magtein have been published in prestigious journals of neuroscience Neuron (January 2010) and The Journal of Neuroscience (October 2011). With cognitive diseases the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. and growing at an alarming rate, Magtein, which has self-affirmed GRAS status, is the only form of magnesium proven to significantly increase brain magnesium levels. Furthermore, animal research showed Magtein improved short-term and long-term memory as well as spatial recognition.

Dr. Liu is the president and founder of the Center for Learning and Memory, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China and Adjunct Full Professor of the Center for Learning and Memory, University of Texas Austin. Dr. Liu is an investigator at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and is a former professor at the department of brain and cognitive science and the department of biology at MIT.

For over 15 years, AIDP, Inc. based in City of Industry, CA, has been a leader in functional ingredients for a wide-range of applications from vitamins, minerals and amino acids, to specialty and proprietary products. Pioneering breakthroughs for the research and development of proprietary ingredients for bone, joint and cognitive health under the anti-aging platform, the AIDP mission is to achieve ultimate customer satisfaction through creative product innovation and superior service.

For more information about Magtein magnesium L-threonate studies, call Kathy Lund, AIDP vice president of business development and marketing, at 303.734.0860 or visit http://www.AIDP.com.

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AIDP announces it has been granted U.S. patents for Magtein™

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