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Oregon Humanities next Think & Drink discussion to center on artificial intelligence

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Danzig

A discussion about artificial intelligence will be the subject of the next Oregon Humanities Think & Drink series.

The third conversation in the four-part 2012 Think & Drink series will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18 at the Mission Theater, 1624 N.W. Glisan St. Doors will open at 5 p.m.

The event will focus on the future of human and artificial intelligence.

Taking part in the conversation will be Mott Green, affiliate professor of earth and space sciences at the University of Washington, and Ramez Naam, a fellow of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies and author of "More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement."

Oregonian reporter Richard Read moderates the series. The event is free, and minors are allowed when accompanied by an adult.

-- Molly Hottle; Twitter: @nwpdxreporter

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Oregon Humanities next Think & Drink discussion to center on artificial intelligence

Scott Spaulding Boards Rocket Fuel, Hired as VP of Sales in New York City

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Danzig

REDWOOD SHORES, CA--(Marketwire -07/02/12)- Rocket Fuel, the leading provider of artificial intelligence advertising solutions for digital marketers, today announced it has hired Scott Spaulding as Vice President of Sales, based in New York City.

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About Rocket Fuel:

Rocket Fuel is the leading provider of artificial intelligence advertising solutions that transform digital media campaigns into self-optimizing engines that learn and adapt in real-time, and deliver outstanding results from awareness to sales. Recently awarded #22 in Forbes Most Promising Companies in America list, over 700 of the world's most successful marketers trust Rocket Fuel to power their advertising across display, video, mobile, and social media. Founded by online advertising veterans and rocket scientists from NASA, DoubleClick, IBM, and Salesforce.com, Rocket Fuel is based in Redwood Shores, California, and has offices in fifteen cities worldwide including New York, London, Toronto, and Hamburg.

2012 Rocket Fuel Inc. All rights reserved. Rocket Fuel Inc. is a registered trademark of Rocket Fuel Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Scott Spaulding Boards Rocket Fuel, Hired as VP of Sales in New York City

A Promising Basket of Aerospace and Defense Stocks

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Danzig

Exchange-traded funds offer a convenient way to invest in sectors or niches that interest you. If you expect the aerospace and defense industry to prosper over the long run due to the seeming inevitability of air travel and wars, the PowerShares Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSE: PPA) could save you a lot of trouble. Instead of trying to figure out which companies will perform best, you can use this ETF to invest in a lot of them simultaneously.

The basics ETFs often sport lower expense ratios than their mutual fund cousins. The PowerShares ETF's expense ratio -- its annual fee -- is 0.60%. The fund is very small, too, so if you're thinking of buying, beware of occasionally large spreads between its bid and ask prices. Consider using a limit order if you want to buy in.

This ETF has performed reasonably, beating the world markets by a modest margin over the past three and five years. As with most investments, of course, we can't expect outstanding performances in every quarter or year. Investors with conviction need to wait for their holdings to deliver.

With a low turnover rate of 12%, this fund isn't frantically and frequently rejiggering its holdings, as many funds do.

What's in it? This industry is facing some uncertainty, as our nation's financial troubles are leading to cuts in defense spending. Thus, lots of aerospace and defense companies didn't post impressive performances over the past year. (Fortunately, their fortunes may well change in the coming years.)

SAIC (NYSE: SAI) , the eighth-largest government contractor, fell 29%. Shareholders were disappointed recently when the company lost its biggest federal contract, worth up to $4.6 billion, to Lockheed Martin. It's not all bad news, though, as SAIC is still inking contracts, such as one worth up to $36 million with the U.S. Air Force. SAIC will be changing its name soon, too, due to an internal merger, to Science Applications International Corp.

Aerospace and defense parts supplierEsterline Technologies (NYSE: ESL) dropped 22%. In its last quarter, it posted a strong 16% increase in revenue, with its sensors and systems sales more than doubling and its backlog growing. But the company lowered its near-term projections, too. Some think the company may be acquired, but that remains speculation at this point. Folks at the Relational Investors hedge fund, which is Esterline's third-largest shareholder, don't like the company's recent performance and are encouraging the company to consider selling itself.

Computer Sciences (NYSE: CSC) , recent winner of a NASA "Contractor of the Year" award, shed 35%, reporting poor results in its latest quarter and announcing plans to cut costs and begin a turnaround. It has been busy collecting contracts, such as one worth up to $91 million to provide cloud-computing services for the Federal Aviation Administration. It's also expanding into new areas, such as the e-delivery, cloud-based service it's offering to insurance companies.

Industry behemoth Boeing (NYSE: BA) , meanwhile, ended the past 12 months in the black, up 1%. Investors are happy that its long-awaited Dreamliner is finally in production, but some worry about defense cuts, as Boeing gets roughly 40% of its revenue from the U.S. government. Europe's financial woes could hurt Boeing, too, via a slowdown in orders. Still, its future looks promising, partly due to its new fuel-efficient planes, which are extra appealing in these days of high fuel prices.

The big picture A well-chosen ETF can grant you instant diversification across any industry or group of companies -- and make investing in and profiting from it that much easier.

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A Promising Basket of Aerospace and Defense Stocks

Washington Aerospace Training Center expanding

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Danzig

Published: Monday, July 2, 2012, 12:01 a.m.

Gov. Chris Gregoire cut the ribbon on an expansion that will enable the center to accommodate nearly double the number of students learning skills to land jobs in factories and shops.

"We need the WATR Center to come back in two years and expand again," Gregoire told about 75 local and state politicians, educators and community members.

Nearly 800 students have completed 12-week programs at the center's Paine Field location since it opened in June 2010. Roughly 75 percent of those graduates have landed jobs in the industry.

"We're getting students jobs. Jobs, jobs and more jobs," said Jean Hernandez, president of Edmonds Community College, which oversees the center's training program.

Demand for trained aerospace workers isn't likely to stop soon with the Boeing Co. and suppliers speeding up jet production. Boeing hired roughly 10,000 new employees in Washington in 2011 and has added another 3,000 so far in 2012.

"We need the talent," said Wayne Brown, a director for manufacturing and quality for Boeing. "We absolutely need the talent."

Katharine Huey was in the center's first graduating class, in 2010. The facility wasn't completed when Huey began taking courses. But her instructors' enthusiasm made up for it.

After working as a mechanic for about 18 months at Boeing, Huey since has begun helping with training at the jet maker.

"This training changed my life," Huey said of the WATR center.

Washington Aerospace Training Center expanding

Align Aerospace is Appointed An Authorized Distributor for Click Bond, Inc.

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Danzig

CHATSWORTH, Calif., July 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Align Aerospace LLC, a global provider of aerospace fasteners, assembly component and supply chain solutions, has been appointed an Authorized Distributor for Click Bond aerospace products, announced Align CEO Richard C. Organ.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120410/LA84423LOGO)

"Our strategic partnership with Click Bond is most significant given both parties' high standards of quality and commitment to providing superior manufacturing solutions for industry," said CEO Richard C. Organ. "The addition of the Click Bond aerospace line adds another dimension to the expansive product offerings currently stocked and sold out of Align's global network."

Click Bond has been a pioneer of advanced fastening solutions addressing a wide array of applications for more than forty years. The family-owned company designs and manufactures an extensive selection of bonded fasteners that eliminate welding, structural penetrations and costly labor assembly while providing lightweight traditional threaded attachment points. Click Bond surface mounted hardware simplifies the installation and support of electrical, fuel, and hydraulic systems, while their rivetless nutplates reduce hole count by two thirds and reduce installation labor time by over 80 percent.

About Align:

Align Aerospace is a leading supplier of hardware and related components to a broad range of aerospace and defense OEMs and their subcontractors throughout the world. Experts in bid-to-buy, JIT, VMI, lean manufacturing and supply chain management, Align has more than 90,000 unique parts in stock from over 2,000 suppliers ready to ship from its warehouses throughout the U.S. and Europe. Between 1998 and 2011, the Company operated as Pentacon, Eurofast SAS, and Anixter Aerospace Hardware. Align began independent operations in August 2011 as a result of the divestiture of the business by Anixter International toGreenbrier Equity Group.

About Click Bond

Click Bond, Inc. (www.clickbond.com)is the global leader in adhesive bonded fastening systems for industry, delivering solutions that have revolutionized the design and assembly of aerospace, defense, marine, and energy exploration systems.

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Align Aerospace is Appointed An Authorized Distributor for Click Bond, Inc.

Generating dopamine via cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease

Posted on July 2, 2012 by ev1

Public release date: 2-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sarah Jackson press_releases@the-jci.org Journal of Clinical Investigation

In Parkinson's disease, the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the midbrain causes well-characterized motor symptoms. Though embryonic stem cells could potentially be used to replace dopaminergic (DA) neurons in Parkinson's disease patients, such cell therapy options must still overcome technical obstacles before the approach is ready for the clinic. Embryonic stem cell-based transplantation regimens carry a risk of introducing inappropriate cells or even cancer-prone cells. To develop cell purification strategies to minimize these risks, Dr. Lorenza Studer and colleagues at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York developed three different mouse lines to fluorescently label dopaminergic neurons at early, mid, and late stages of differentiation. Their data suggest that mouse embryonic stem cells induced to the mid stage of neuronal differentiation are best suited for transplantation to replace dopaminergic neurons. Further, their work identified new genes associated with each stage of neuronal differentiation. Their results in the mouse model system help define the differentiation stage and specific attributes of embryonic stem cell-derived, dopamine-generating cells that hold promise for cell therapy applications.

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TITLE:

Identification of embryonic stem cellderived midbrain dopaminergic neurons for engraftment

AUTHOR CONTACT:

Lorenz Studer

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

Phone: 212.639.6126; E-mail: studerl@mskcc.org

Amicus Therapeutics Announces Publication of BLISS Quantitative Histology Method in Archives of Pathology & Laboratory …

Posted on July 2, 2012 by ev1

CRANBURY, N.J., July 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. (FOLD), a biopharmaceutical company at the forefront of therapies for rare and orphan diseases, today announced that a manuscript describing the Barisoni Lipid Inclusion Scoring System (BLISS) has been published in the July 2012 issue of Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. The manuscript titled, "A Novel, Quantitative Method to Evaluate GL-3 Inclusions in Renal Peritubular Capillaries by Virtual Microscopy in Patients with Fabry Disease,"1 is currently available online.

BLISS improves the ability to detect and quantify changes in globotriaosylceramide (GL-3) peritubular capillary (PTC) inclusions - also referred to as interstitial capillaries - in females and males with Fabry disease. GL-3 is the lipid substrate that accumulates in tissues affected by Fabry disease, including the kidney. BLISS was developed by Dr. Laura Barisoni while she was an Associate Professor in Pathology and Medicine at the New York University School of Medicine, in collaboration with Amicus. Dr. Barisoni is currently a Voluntary Associate Professor in Pathology at the University of Miami.

In a Phase 3 study (Study 011) intended for U.S. registration of migalastat HCl monotherapy for Fabry disease, BLISS with virtual microscopy will be utilized for the histological evaluation of interstitial capillary GL-3 in kidney biopsies, the primary endpoint. Migalastat HCl is an oral investigational pharmacological chaperone for Fabry disease being developed by Amicus in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Previous pivotal studies of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for Fabry disease used a semi-quantitative approach with conventional light microscopy. Pathologist readers manually searched for and categorically scored PTC GL-3 (0, 1, 2, or 3) within the same histological sections, but not necessarily in the same PTCs. A more sensitive methodology was needed to more accurately and reliably quantify GL-3 inclusions, and to assess response to treatment, particularly in patients who have lower amounts of GL-3.

Published Results

The study published by Dr. Barisoni and colleagues compared BLISS to the previously reported semi-quantitative scoring method. Intra- and inter-reader variability was also assessed using BLISS in combination with virtual microscopy (BLISS-VM) versus conventional light microscopy (BLISS-LM). The novel BLISS-VM protocol was created by the pathology team composed of Dr. Barisoni; Dr. Charles Jennette, Professor and Chair at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; and Dr. Robert Colvin, Professor in Pathology at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

Pre-treatment kidney biopsies were scored from 17 patients (eight males and nine females) enrolled in three Phase 2 studies of migalastat HCl. Results demonstrated that BLISS is a more sensitive scoring system to measure GL-3 inclusions in PTCs compared to the semi-quantitative methodology. The addition of virtual microscopy further improved accuracy and reproducibility of BLISS, reducing intra- and inter-reader variability. BLISS-VM used one pathologist annotator to identify PTCs on a scanned digital slide image, and different pathologist readers to score the total number of GL-3 inclusions in each PTC identified by the annotator. The annotation step ensures that both readers are scoring the same PTCs. Results are digitally recorded as each PTC is scored to prevent double counting. The scored digital images also provide a permanent and retrievable record for clinical studies and submission to regulatory authorities.

Dr. Barisoni stated, "We developed BLISS as a novel quantitative methodology to detect GL-3 in both male and female Fabry patients. Our study showed that BLISS was able to detect GL-3 inclusions that were missed by the semi-quantitative scoring method. While the traditional semi-quantitative methodology can measure GL-3 inclusions in patients with a high level of GL-3 storage, a large percentage of Fabry patients have some residual enzyme activity and fewer GL-3 inclusions. In addition, innovations in digital imaging have made it possible to incorporate virtual microscopy to address several limitations of conventional light-based microscopy."

Drs. Barisoni, Jennette, and Colvin will utilize BLISS-VM to score the kidney biopsies of Fabry patients in Study 011. Amicus and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) are on track to report results from this study in the third quarter of 2012.

1. Barisoni L.1, Jennette J.C.2, Colvin R.3, Sitaraman S.4, Bragat A.4, Castelli J.4, Boudes P.4, Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: July 2012, Vol. 136, No. 7, pp. 816-824.

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Amicus Therapeutics Announces Publication of BLISS Quantitative Histology Method in Archives of Pathology & Laboratory ...

Schiff Nutrition Appoints Richard F. Baruch Jr. Senior Vice President – Chief Commercial Officer

Posted on July 2, 2012 by ev1

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Schiff Nutrition International, Inc. (SHF) appointed, effective today, Richard F. Baruch Jr., 44, to the new position of Senior Vice President Chief Commercial Officer.

Rich brings an extensive background in sales, marketing and general management, and we welcome him to the team, stated Tarang Amin, president and chief executive officer of Schiff Nutrition. With over 20 years of experience expanding brands and delivering results at leading companies such as Coca-Cola, Clorox, and Procter & Gamble, we believe Rich will help broaden our commercial opportunities.

Baruch stated: I am excited to join Schiff and I believe my skill set complements Schiffs strong leadership team. Together, we can drive further growth, particularly in our efforts to expand the channel and geographic footprint of the company.

Baruch most recently served as Vice President Category Advisory Services at Coca-Cola where he led an initiative to build a new organization and bring a new set of capabilities to Coca-Colas North American business. Prior to that, Baruch was President and Chief Operating Officer of CotnWash, Inc. where he led the national launch of Dropps laundry detergent and grew overall top-line revenue by over 300% over two years. Previously, Baruch spent fourteen years at The Clorox Company in a number of leadership roles, with the most recent being Vice President and General Manager of the Home Care business. He began his career at Procter & Gamble in various sales management roles. Baruch holds a bachelors degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

About Schiff Nutrition

Schiff Nutrition International, Inc. is a leading nutritional supplement company offering vitamins, nutritional supplements and nutrition bars in the United States and abroad. Schiffs portfolio of well-known brands includes Move Free, MegaRed, Airborne, Tiger's Milk, Sustenex, Digestive Advantage and Schiff Vitamins. Focused on quality for 75 years, Schiffs headquarters and award-winning manufacturing and distribution facility are based in Salt Lake City, Utah. To learn more about Schiff, please visit the web site http://www.schiffnutrition.com.

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Schiff Nutrition Appoints Richard F. Baruch Jr. Senior Vice President - Chief Commercial Officer

What Diving Seabirds Can Tell Us About Our Own Longevity

Posted on July 2, 2012 by ev1

July 2, 2012

[ Watch the Video ]

redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports Your Universe Online

Diving seabirds reach their 30s and then die swiftly and unexpectedly, showing little signs of aging prior to their death. Studying these birds could help us understand the aging process and provide critical insights for our aging citizens.

Researchers studied Guillemots which look similar to penguins but can fly over four summers. During this time, they periodically tracked Brnnichs guillemots fitness, recording depth and for how long they would dive for prey, how far and fast they would fly, and how much energy they used on these activities. They also looked for changes in the birds behavior and metabolism.

Guillemots have the highest flight outlay of any bird and use large amounts of energy for diving. Their high metabolisms and frequent dives should produce oxidative stress, causing the birds to weaken as they age. However, the researchers discovered that the birds stay fit and active as they grow older, maintaining their flying, diving, and foraging abilities.

Kyle Elliott, a PhD student at the University of Manitoba and the studys lead author, said, Most of what we know about aging is from studies of short-lived round worms, fruit flies, mice, and chickens, but long-lived animals age differently. We need data from long-lived animals, and one good example is long-lived seabirds.

Elliott also said, Not only do these birds live very long, but they maintain their energetic lifestyle in a very extreme environment into old age.

One bird, nicknamed Wayne Gretzky by the researchers (after the Canadian hockey great who played 20 seasons and because the birds band of colors matched Gretzkys team colors), raised young for 18 uninterrupted years.

The findings will be presented today at the Society for Experimental Biology meeting in Salzburg.

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What Diving Seabirds Can Tell Us About Our Own Longevity

DNA Results Negative For Angeline Quinto, Purported Mother

Posted on July 2, 2012 by ev1

The key to Angelines true identity remains elusive (File Photo)

MANILA, Philippines It seems singer Angeline Quintos quest to find her biological mother has not yet come to an end.

Although frustrated and emotional after the recent DNA test she underwent together with Veronica Tolentino, the woman claiming to be her biological mom, came back negative, Quinto vowed to continue searching for her real mother.

Sabi ko nga po sa tatay ko, tulungan niyo rin naman po ako na sana may magawa rin siya para makita namin ang totoo kong nanay, Quinto shared in a taped interview with The Buzz aired on July 1.

Aside from Tolentino, Quintos father Pop Quiros, also subjected himself to a DNA testing. Unlike Tolentino, the test yielded a positive result for Quiros, which means that shes Quintos biological father.

Natutuwa po ako na si Papa ko talagang tatay ko po at siyempre 'yung mga nakilala ko po na mga kapamilya ko simula noong bata ako, talagang kapamilya ko po, she said.

However, Quinto, for her part, felt sorry that she got a negative result when her DNA was cross-examined with Tolentinos.

Nakita niyo naman po kung ano ang reaction ni Aling Veronica, talagang umiyak siya noong niyakap niya ako. Sabi ko nga po, Pasensya na po kayo, siguro po ganoon talaga, the singer recalled.

Feeling for Tolentino, Quinto related that shes praying for her to eventually find her own biological daughter whom shes been searching for, for so long.

As for her own search, Quinto vowed that this is not the end; just the beginning of yet another chapter.

Originally posted here:
DNA Results Negative For Angeline Quinto, Purported Mother

Humble DNA could help decipher dark matter

Posted on July 2, 2012 by ev1

A few strands of DNA could help solve the mystery of dark matter. A newly proposed detector aims to use DNA to resolve the conflicting claims from current dark matter detectors.

Dark matter is thought to make up about 85 per cent of the matter in the universe. The prime suspects are so-called weakly interacting massive particles, which are immune to the electromagnetic and strong nuclear forces. In theory, WIMPs interact with normal matter only via gravity and the weak nuclear force.

Attempts to detect WIMPs on Earth have provided conflicting results. On the positive front, two experiments CoGeNT in Soudan, Minnesota, and DAMA/LIBRA at Gran Sasso, Italy have seen more putative dark matter particles hitting their detectors in June than in December. All else being equal, the excess is attributed to Earth's relative velocity through the sea of dark matter that fills our galaxy. In June, Earth is moving in the same direction as the sun and so encounters a "headwind" of dark matter, the theory goes. In December, Earth, in its orbit around the sun, is moving in the opposite direction.

But, crucially, other bigger and more sensitive experiments, such as CDMS-II and XENON1O0, have seen no such particles. One way to resolve the conflict would be to detect the directionality of dark matter particles, to see if they are indeed aligned with the direction of the sun's motion through the galaxy, as required by DAMA/LIBRA and CoGeNT.

Now Andrzej Drukier of Biotraces a biotech firm based in Herndon, Virginia and a group of cosmologists and biochemists are suggesting that DNA could help break the impasse.

Their proposed detector consists of a 1-metre-square sheet of gold foil and a "forest" of single-strand DNA molecules suspended beneath in an ordered array, like the bristles on a toothbrush. When a WIMP strikes a gold atom in the foil, it would dislodge a gold nucleus and send it careening through the array, severing the DNA strands along its path. Energetic particles like cosmic rays have been shown to collide with and break strands of DNA, though WIMPs would have much lower energy.

The broken DNA strands would be gathered, amplified and analysed to determine exactly where each strand was severed. Given that the sequence of bases that make up each DNA strand is well known, the location of the cut on each strand and hence the path of the gold nucleus could be tracked to within a nanometre in three dimensions, around 1000 times better resolution than current detectors.

"The higher resolution means that we would get more data per WIMP event," says team member George Church of Harvard University.

Such 3D resolution would allow cosmologists to infer the both the energy and the direction of a WIMP, which could in turn confirm the existence of the predicted "WIMP wind" created by the solar system's motion through the galaxy.

A DNA-based detector has other advantages too, the team claims. It can operate at room temperature, as opposed to near absolute zero for current detectors. And by changing the material of the foil, it can be tuned to look for particles of different energies, including the WIMPs apparently detected by CoGeNT and DAMA/LIBRA. The team is now testing the feasibility of the design.

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Humble DNA could help decipher dark matter

How A 'DNA Tracking Chamber' Could Detect Dark Matter

Posted on July 2, 2012 by ev1

Perhaps the greatest and most fiercely contested race in modern science is the search for dark matter.

Physicists cannot see this stuff, hence the name. However, they infer its existence because they can see its gravitational influence on the structure of galaxies and clusters of galaxies. It implies that the universe is filled with dark matter, much more of it than the visible matter we can see

If they're right, dark matter must fill our galaxy and our Solar System. At this very instant, we ought to be ploughing our way through a dense sea of dark matter as the Sun moves towards the constellation of Cygnus as it orbits the galactic centre.

That's why various groups are racing to detect this stuff using expensive detectors in deep underground caverns, which shield them from radiation that would otherwise swamp the signal.

These experiments are looking for the unique signature that dark matter is thought to produce as a result of the Earth's passage around the Sun. During one half of the year, the dark matter forms headwind as the Earth ploughs into it; for the other half of the year, it forms a tailwind.

Indeed, a couple of groups claim to have found exactly this diurnal signature, although the results are highly controversial and seem to be in direct conflict with other groups who say they have not seen it.

There's a a straightforward way to make better observations that should solve this conundrum. The dark matter signal should vary, not just over the course of a year, but throughout the day as the Earth rotates.

The dark matter headwind should be coming from the direction of Cygnus, so a suitable detector should see the direction change as the Earth rotates each day.

There's a problem, however: nobody has built a directional dark matter detector.

That's why a revolutionary new idea from an unlikely collaboration of physicists and biologists looks rather exciting. The group brings together diverse people, such as Katherine Freese at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, an astrophysicist and one of the leading thinkers in the area of dark matter, and George Church at Harvard University in Cambridge, a geneticist and a pioneer in the area of genome sequencing.

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How A 'DNA Tracking Chamber' Could Detect Dark Matter

Revolutionary 'DNA Tracking Chamber' Could Detect Dark Matter

Posted on July 2, 2012 by ev1

Perhaps the greatest and most fiercely contested race in modern science is the search for dark matter.

That's why various groups are racing to detect this stuff using expensive detectors in deep underground caverns, which shield them from radiation that would otherwise swamp the signal.

The dark matter headwind should be coming from the direction of Cygnus, so a suitable detector should see the direction change as the Earth rotates each day.

There's a problem, however: nobody has built a directional dark matter detector.

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Revolutionary 'DNA Tracking Chamber' Could Detect Dark Matter

DNA Methylation Linked to Memory Loss

Posted on July 2, 2012 by ev1

Scientists find that declining DNA methylation in mouse neurons may cause age-related memory deficits.

Researchis increasingly connecting changes in epigenetic regulation of gene expression to the aging process. Many studies demonstrate that DNA methylation declines with age. Now, new research published yesterday (July 1) in Nature Neuroscience links DNA methylation with brain aging. Researchers show that levels of an enzyme that attaches methyl groups to cytosine nucleotides throughout the genome is linked to cognitive decline, and that its overexpression can restore performance of aging mice on memory-related tasks.

We already know normal aging is associated with cognitive decline, but this paper links that with expression a specific DNA methyltransferase, said Yuan Gao, an epigeneticist at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development in Maryland, who did not participate in the study. The current work also builds on other studies demonstrating that proper regulation of methylation in brain cells is critical to memory formation. Previous studies have suggested a connection between loss of DNA methylation and Alzheimers disease, said Gao, suggesting that if researchers could restore [methyltransferase] activity and cure or delay dementia, it would make a nice model for developing drugs to tackle age-related cognitive diseases.

DNA methylation, wherein a methyl group is attached to a cytosine next to a guanosine, is one form of epigenetic regulation that can modulate how available genes are to the cells transcription machinery, and thus how highly expressed they are. Scientists already appreciate how differences in epigenetic regulation can affect development of diseases like cancer, without need for gene mutations. Studies are also accumulating that correlate declining methylation with aging, although the mechanism remains unclear.

Classically, DNA methylation is considered a repressive modification, but that view is beginning to change, suggesting a more nuanced role for methylation in gene regulation, explained senior author Hilmar Bading of the University of Heidelberg. The twist in Badings current research is that the methyltransferase his group focuses on, Dnmt3a2, may be working to enable gene transcription, rather than repress it.

This gene-activating role may stem from methylation that blocks repressors, rather than activators, explained Trygve Tollesfbol, who investigates the role of epigenetics in cancer and aging at the University of Alabama, who did not participate in the research. Whether methylation is located in the promoter or body of the gene can also determine whether it inhibits or enhances transcription, explained Guoping Fan, who studies epigenetic regulation of neuron development at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Badings group identified Dnmt3a2 when looking for genes that are upregulated by neuronal activity. Knowing that DNA methylation decreases with age, first author Ana Oliviera compared Dnmt3a2 expression in 3-month-old and 18-month-old mice, and found lower levels of Dnmt3a2 in the older mice. Furthermore, learning tasks designed to stimulate hippocampus neurons failed to upregulate Dnmt3a2 expression in old mice as robustly as in young mice.

Theorizing that reduced Dnmt3a2-dependent DNA methylation contributed to older mices poorer performance on learning and memory tasks, the scientists used an adeno-associated virus to supplement Dnmt3a2 expression in their hippocampal neurons. Boosting its expression enhanced both brain methylation in the older mice, and their ability to learn. Conversely, when the researchers used short hairpin RNA to knockdown Dnmt3a2 expression in young mice, their performance on learning and memory tests worsened.

I think Dnmt3a2 has a basic gating function, said Bading. Neurons need to turn genes on and off quickly in response to changing stimulation. Bading hypothesizes that Dnmt3a2-dependent methylation helps keep geneslike brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and Arc, both regulated by Dnmt3a2 and both involved in responses to signaling changesreceptive to changing stimulation, putting the genome in the right state for being inducible, Bading said. Genes like BDNF shouldnt be transcribed all the time, but it may be that without Dnmt3a2-dependent methylation, the door is closed neurons cant express them when they need to.

This could set up a vicious cycle, Bading explained, because Dnmt3a2 is also induced by neuronal activity. Less Dnmt3a2 would result in less expression of methylation-dependent genes, possibly including Dnmt3a2 itself, and the effect would worsen over time. It would take many years to add up, but aging takes years, Bading noted.

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DNA Methylation Linked to Memory Loss

Cell biology — new insights into the life of microtubules

Posted on July 2, 2012 by ev1

Public release date: 2-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr. Kathrin Bilgeri kathrin.bilgeri@lmu.de 49-892-180-6938 Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitt Mnchen

Every second, around 25 million cell divisions take place in our bodies. This process is driven by microtubule filaments which continually grow and shrink. A new study shows how so-called motor proteins in the cytosol can control their dynamics.

The cytoskeleton plays a central role in the process of cell division. It is composed in large part of protein filaments known as microtubules, which also help determine the size, shape and mobility of a cell. In a new study, LMU biophysicist Erwin Frey and his colleagues Anna Melbinger and Louis Reese have used a theoretical model to show how cells control the construction and breakdown of microtubules. The dy-namics of this process affect how cells divide, and how they maintain the cytoskeleton. In particular, it is responsible for regulating the size and shape of the mitotic spindle.

Easy come, easy go

Theoretical modeling has now revealed that the regulation of microtubule length relies on the length of the filament itself: The longer the filament the more motor proteins can attach to it. These all move towards the 'plus end' of the microtubule and tend to pile up as they do so. Upon arrival at the plus-end they shorten the filament. In parallel, new microtubule building blocks bind to precisely the same 'plus end' through spontaneous polymerization from the surrounding cytosol, and the filament grows.

It has now been demonstrated that such interplay between growth and length-dependent shrinkage indeed results in the maintenance of a precisely regulated microtubule length. This kind of length regulation might be essential for many intracellular tasks which depend on microtubules of a certain length. (Physical Review Letters, 22. June 2012)

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This work was supported by the Cluster of Excellence "Nanosystems Initiative Munich" (NIM) and SFB 863 (Forces in Biomolecular Systems)

Publication: Microtubule Length Regulation by Molecular Motors Anna Melbinger, Louis Reese, and Erwin Frey Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 258104 (2012). Published online June 22, 2012

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Cell biology -- new insights into the life of microtubules

FMRI Brain Scanner Reads Thoughts Letter By Letter

Posted on July 2, 2012 by ev1

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: MRI / PET / Ultrasound Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience;Medical Devices / Diagnostics;Biology / Biochemistry Article Date: 02 Jul 2012 - 3:00 PDT

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Bettina Sorger of Maastricht University in The Netherlands and colleagues report their work in the 28 June online issue of Current Biology.

Human communication depends on being able to move and use a multiplicity of muscles, such as in forming sounds and words and making gestures and facial expressions. To do this the neuromuscular system must be healthy and undamaged. But severely motor-disabled patients, such as those with locked-in syndrome, who are fully conscious and aware, can't have a back-and-forth conversation because their neuromuscular system is not intact.

The challenge to scientists trying to find ways to enable such patients to communicate is to tap into those parts of the brain that are performing the mental tasks of communication but are denied the means with which to express them physically, using the motor system or voluntary muscles.

fMRI tracks brain activity by measuring changes in blood flow (hemodynamics) and oxygen in the brain. When a brain area is more active it uses more oxygen, and to meet this increase in demand, the blood flow to the area increases. Thus using fMRI, researchers can produce activation maps that show which parts of the brain are involved in particular brain processes.

Neuroscientists like Adrian Owen and his team have already used fMRI to assess consciousness in people thought to be in an unconscious vegetative state and thus incapable of thought, and enabled them to respond yes or no to questions.

This latest study by Sorger and colleagues takes that work a stage further, as Sorger explained to the press:

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FMRI Brain Scanner Reads Thoughts Letter By Letter

Researcher hunts for sickle cell anemia cure

Posted on July 1, 2012 by ev1

Halfway around the world in India, Sivaprakash Ramalingam had heard of Johns Hopkins researchers using a promising new technique for gene therapy that he hoped to integrate with stem cells to cure diseases.

After getting a doctorate in biochemistry in his native country, he came to Baltimore four years ago to study under the technique's pioneer, Srinivasan Chandrasegaran, at Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ramalingam's research has led him down the path of seeking a cure for sickle cell anemia, a painful, life-shortening blood disorder that afflicts many in his home region in southern India. In the United States, the disease affects 70,000-100,000 people, mostly African-Americans, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

"I couldn't have done this type of research in India," said Ramalingam. "I wanted to use this technique with stem cells to treat disease."

Ramalingam's research was given a lift last month by the state. He was one of 17 researchers who was funded by the Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission, a state entity that has doled out roughly $10 million to $12 million a year in taxpayer funds since its founding in 2006.

The program helps keep Maryland competitive in stem cell research when other states have instituted similar ones to lure scientists and biotechnology companies. More than 100 researchers applied for funding from the program, many from Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland.

"There's definitely a great demand for the awards," said Dan Gincel, the commission's director. "We're trying to figure out how to fund so many researchers."

Gincel said Ramalingam's work is interesting because his approach could have applications beyond sickle cell anemia. It could be used to treat other diseases and, for instance, modify plants and crops to make them resistant to pests.

Ramalingam received a $110,000 award two years ago from the commission to help fund his post-doctoral fellowship; the commission invested more money in his work this year because he was continuing to progress with it, Gincel said.

"The approach can be translated to many other diseases, which is what we want to see with stem cells," said Gincel.

Ramalingam is applying a relatively new technique called zinc finger nuclease, or ZFN, to try to cure sickle cell anemia. With ZFN, Ramalingam is able to target and replace specific, problem-causing sequences of the human genome with healthier genetic material.

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Researcher hunts for sickle cell anemia cure

DNA test on Angeline, supposed mom negative

Posted on July 1, 2012 by ev1

MANILA, Philippines The DNA test conducted on Angeline Quinto and Veronica Tolentino, the woman who claims to be the singers biological mom, turned out to be negative.

Quintos DNA, however, matched that of her father Pop Quiros, according to The Buzz.

In an interview with the ABS-CBN talk show which aired on Sunday, Quinto said she had mixed emotions when she learned about the DNA test results.

Natutuwa po ako na si Papa ko talagang tatay ko po at siyempre 'yung mga nakilala ko po na mga kapamilya ko simula noong bata ako, talagang kapamilya ko po. Pero siyempre may halo rin pong lungkot kasi nakita niyo naman po kung ano ang reaction ni Aling Veronica, talagang umiyak siya noong niyakap niya ako, she said.

While she vows to continue searching for her biological mom, Quinto also hopes that Tolentino will eventually find her real daughter.

Sabi ko nga po pasensya na po kayo, siguro po ganoon talaga. Tapos tinatanong niya po ako bakit daw ganun, alam daw po kasi niyang talagang anak nyia ako. Naiyak nga rin po ako kanina pero pinigilan ko kasi ayaw kong makita niya, she said.

Asked what she wants to tell her mother if she happens to be watching, Quinto said: Sana po kung nagdadalawang isip pa kayong magpakita sa akin... huwag po kayo mag-alala kasi naiintindihan ko naman na po lahat iyon kahit na sumama ang loob ko sa inyo nung bata ako. Matagal ko na kayong gustong makilala kahit makita ko lang po.

Meanwhile, Tolentino said she will forever consider Quinto as her daughter. She also hopes the singer will never be changed by fame.

Mabigat sa loob ko kasi nga alam ko talaga anak kita. Parang hindi ko makaya. Para akong binagsakan ng lupat langit. Pero anak, anak pa rin ang tawag ko sa iyo, huwag mo na lang ipagkait. Sana huwag ka magbago, she said.

Tolentino also thanked Quinto for going out of her way just to have the DNA test conducted.

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DNA test on Angeline, supposed mom negative

Even a Little Overweight, Inactivity Hurts the Heart

Posted on July 1, 2012 by ev1

(HealthDay News) -- Even a few extra pounds and just a little inactivity increased the risk of heart failure in a major study of American doctors.

"What this study shows is that even overweight men who are not obese have an increase in heart failure risk," said Dr. Satish Kenchaiah, lead author of a report on the finding in the Dec. 23 issue of Circulation.

As for exercise, "even a little amount of physical activity appears to decrease the risk of heart failure," said Kenchaiah, who did the research as a epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and is now at the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

The study has followed more than 21,000 doctors for two decades, measuring among other factors the influence of overweight and physical activity on development of heart failure, the progressive loss of ability to pump blood, which is often a prelude to major coronary events. Read more…

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Supreme Court Upholds Entire Affordable Care Act

Posted on July 1, 2012 by ev1

June 28, 2012 — The Supreme Court today declared that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — the most significant healthcare legislation since the creation of Medicare — is also a constitutional act.

The ruling comes as a shock to many observers, who predicted the court would strike down the individual mandate to obtain insurance coverage, if not the entire law, after its 5-member conservative wing voiced misgivings about the controversial provision during oral arguments in March. The court decision also represents an early Christmas present for President Barack Obama, who seeks reelection this fall against a Republican opponent committed to rolling back "Obamacare."

The individual mandate was at the core of a lawsuit filed against the ACA by officials from 26 states, all but 1 of whom were Republican, as well as a business association. Similar to their Republican allies in Congress, the plaintiffs claimed that the mandate violated the Constitution's Commerce clause, which empowers Congress to regulate interstate commerce. They argued that although healthcare is a form of interstate commerce, Congress cannot compel "inactive" individuals to engage in commerce; that is, to buy or sell something. To allow the mandate to stand, they said, would open the door to further encroachments on personal liberty.

A federal district court in Florida and a federal appeals court in Georgia sided with the plaintiffs and invalidated the individual mandate. However, the Supreme Court had other precedents to follow.

The majority of lower federal courts that ruled on similar challenges to the ACA gave the mandate a clean bill of health, agreeing with the Obama administration's argument that contrary to the law's critics, individuals foregoing insurance coverage actively participate in the healthcare marketplace because they will eventually require medical attention. Their decision not to get coverage is bad for everyone else because the cost of their free or subsidized care is passed on to others in the form of higher provider costs and higher premiums, according to the administration. In addition, the decision by healthy Americans to go uninsured leaves the existing risk pool of insured Americans smaller and sicker, driving up premiums even more.

The mandate helps cure all these problems, the administration contended, by forcing "free riders" to finance their healthcare now as opposed to later, if at all.

During the oral arguments in March, several conservative Supreme Court justices did not appear to buy into the administration's point of view.

"Here the government is saying that the federal government has a duty to tell the individual citizen that it must act," said Justice Anthony Kennedy, "and that is different from what we have in previous cases, and that changes the relationship of the federal government to the individual in a very fundamental way."

By finally affirming the individual mandate in its written opinion, the Supreme Court today held to a broad interpretation of the Constitution's Commerce clause that has held sway during the last 70 years. That position is remarkable because, in a number of rulings since 1995, the court has narrowed its interpretation of what Congress can and cannot do in the name of regulating interstate commerce. In the ACA decision, the court is honoring past precedents, as opposed to further rocking the boat.

The court's ruling on the ACA addressed more than the mandate. The justices also upheld the constitutionality of the law's dramatic expansion of the Medicaid program, which the plaintiffs had portrayed as a usurpation of states' rights. The court also declared that a penalty levied on individuals who fail to obtain health insurance coverage beginning in 2014 does not bar consideration of the case beforehand. At issue was a law called the Anti-Injunction Act (AIA), which prohibits anyone from challenging a tax in court until it has been paid. A federal district judge in Richmond, Virginia, last year ruled that the ACA penalty amounted to a tax, and thus triggered the AIA.

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