Anatomy of a Sunset

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Story published: 03-14-2012 Print Article E-mail Story to a Friend

Anatomy of a Sunset

By Lacy Hilliard

Freelance writer/photographer

The silhouette cast by the setting sun paints everything it touches in abstract perfection. To gaze upon the sky at sunset is to feel the presence of something larger than ourselves. From fiery red to gentle purple, the discovery of the history behind the setting sun is fascinating.

Native Americans regarded sunset as the most sacred of hours. Many ceremonies were set to be performed at this blessed hour. Taoism teaches that sunset is the time when one is most likely to achieve Zen or absolute enlightenment. The Aztecs believed that sunset brought a blessing of fertility.

The colors of the sunset are determined be the wavelength of light provided by the sun and the disbursement of molecules in the atmosphere. Red and orange are the most common colors experienced at sunset because they have the longest wavelengths of any visible light. The intensity of these colors is determined by the amount of molecular activity taking place in the atmosphere; more molecular activity works to scatter the weakest wavelengths (blue and violet) away from our eyes and intensify the orange and red hues, less activity makes for a clearer violet tinted sunset.

An appreciation for the sunset is something human beings have shared from the beginning of time. In a world where it often seems difficult to agree on anything, the setting of the sun proves that beauty is universal.

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Anatomy of a Sunset

"Grey's Anatomy," Live and Singing

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Grey's Anatomy

Several members of the "Grey's Anatomy" cast will sing at Royce Hall on Sunday, March 18.

When"Grey's Anatomy" first debuted back in 2005, it was presented as a medical drama. Stories of a hospital, and the people who work there, and love there, and the patients they love and treat.

It wasn't sold as a musical extravaganza a la "Smash" or "Glee"or, yep,"CopRock"(c'mon -- "Cop Rock"! Miss that show). But history, and thousands of CD racks, tell the further story; "Grey's" is very much associated with the pleasures of song, both via its best-selling soundtracks and the tunes the characters have actually sung on the show itself.

Now several cast members will be gathering together at Royce Hall on Sunday,March 18.They won't be in their scrubs (at least we expect not); they'll be gussied up and ready to belt a few showstoppers. "Grey's Anatomy:The Songs Beneath the Show"won't round up nearly every member in the large, multi-year cast, but look at the stellar performers set to show:Jessica Capshaw, Sandra Oh, and Sara Ramirez, who we wish would be singing somewhere in our immediate vicinity nearly every hour of the day.

Several other actors are set to show, and here's the reason why:They'll be raising money for TheActors Fund, which is a really good and important fund to support, least of all because we live in an actor-heavy community. The reasons are manifold.

The VIPticket is $250, and that nets you a few nice additionals beyond the performance, like a cast Q&A.

Follow NBCLA for the latest LA news, events and entertainment: Twitter: @NBCLA // Facebook: NBCLA

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"Grey's Anatomy," Live and Singing

StemCells, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End 2011 Financial Results and Provides Business Update

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NEWARK, Calif., March 13, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEM - News), a leading stem cell company developing and commercializing novel cell-based therapeutics and tools for use in stem cell-based research and drug discovery, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2011 and provided a business update.

"The StemCells team made significant progress in 2011 with regard to two critical goals for the Company, namely accelerating and broadening our HuCNS-SC neural stem cell clinical trial agenda for diseases of, and injuries to, the central nervous system, while at the same time reducing our operating cash burn. We are now uniquely positioned as the only stem cell company pursuing clinical trials for disorders of all three organs of the CNS, the brain, spinal cord and eye," said Martin McGlynn, President and CEO of StemCells, Inc. "We have strong preclinical data underlying all our clinical trials, much of which has already been published in peer-reviewed journals, but we realize that the true test of our proprietary cell-based technology will be in the clinic. In this regard, I am pleased to confirm StemCells remains on track to report safety and efficacy data from our recently completed Phase I Pelizeaus-Merzbacher disease trial at the European Leukodystrophy Association meeting to be held in Paris, March 31-April 1. We are confident that executing our clinical trial agenda, while controlling our cash burn, is the best way to build lasting shareholder value."

Fourth Quarter and Recent Business Highlights

Therapeutic Product Development

Tools and Technologies Programs

Other Business Activities

Fourth Quarter 2011 Financial Results

For the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company reported a net loss of $7,212,000, or $(0.47) per share, compared with a net loss of $8,957,000, or $(0.70) per share, for the fourth quarter of 2010. Loss from operations in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $7,313,000, which was 5% lower when compared to the $7,706,000 loss from operations in the fourth quarter of 2010. Included in net loss and loss from operations in the fourth quarter of 2011 is a charge of $655,000 for the write-off of an acquired intangible asset.

Total revenue during the fourth quarter of 2011 was $541,000, compared to $699,000 in the same period of 2010. The decrease of 23% from 2010 to 2011 was due to both lower product sales and lower licensing and grant revenues. Total revenues in the fourth quarter of 2010 were higher due to a particularly strong quarter in our SC Proven business as well as the receipt of a milestone payment under a licensing agreement of approximately $438,000 in 2010.

Total operating expenses in the fourth quarter of 2011 were $7,807,000, compared to $8,341,000 in the fourth quarter of 2010. Excluding the impairment of the intangible asset, which is included as an operating expense, total operating expenses in the fourth quarter of 2011 were $7,152,000, or 14% lower than the same period in 2010. In the fourth quarter of 2011, research and development expenses totaled $4,834,000, or 18% less than in the same period of 2010, while selling, general and administrative expenses totaled $2,290,000, or 8% lower. The significant reduction in operating expenses was primarily attributable to the Company's cost containment efforts, including the reduction in force effected in May 2011.

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StemCells, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End 2011 Financial Results and Provides Business Update

Kellogg’s-sponsored Nutrition talks at KMS Skolasport

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KMS Skolasport is organising talks on nutrition and healthy breakfast for parents and adults at its various sports complexes in Malta. The talks are sponsored by Kelloggs, the worlds leading provider of breakfast cereals, and official sponsor of KMS Skolasport for the past 12 years.

The talks on nutrition will be conducted by Jeremy Ellul, state registered nutritionist and physiotherapist. He will address the importance of a healthy balanced diet, and the benefits of breakfast cereals and snacking. The talks will be conducted in Maltese and each talk will be followed by a question and answer session.

In line with its commitment to reach as many parents as possible, KMS Skolasport is holding two talks on Saturday mornings in five different localities. The first two talks will be held on Saturday 17th March 2012 in the Lecture Room at Maria Regina College in Mosta starting at 9.00am till 10am and a repeat session at 10.30am till 11.30am.

The talks will be repeated on 24th March at St Ignatius College Tal-Handaq Sports Complex, on the 14th April at KMS Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex, on 21st April at St Benedicts Sports Complex in Kirkop, and on 28th April at Cottonera Sports Complex.

Since the year 2000, Kelloggs has sponsored KMS Skolasport to promote sport and physical activity among the young Maltese generations. Kelloggs and KMS share the same commitment and encourage physical activity from a young age and caring for the Maltese community healthy lifestyle.

As a responsible corporate company, Kelloggs invests in the communities where it operates, such as Malta, said Tony Papadoukakis, Kelloggs Market Development Manager for the Mediterranean. Kelloggs has been providing nutritious foods to consumers for more than 100 years and will remain committed to offering a wide range of products and meeting the consumers changing needs and tastes.

Adult students and parents who have children attending the sports sessions are encouraged to attend. It is advisable that one registers in advance. Interested persons can reserve a place by calling KMS Skolasport on tel. no 21660658/9, or by sending an e-mail to programmes@sportmalta.org.mt. Kelloggs cereal products will be distributed at the end of each session.

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Kellogg’s-sponsored Nutrition talks at KMS Skolasport

Research and Markets: Genetic Engineering – Global Outlook

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/719d98/genetic_engineerin) has announced the addition of the "Genetic Engineering - Global Outlook" report to their offering.

The global outlook series on Genetic Engineering provides a collection of market briefs and concise summaries of research findings. The report offers an aerial view of the industry, highlights latest developments, and discusses demand drivers, issues and concerns, and regulatory environment. Discussion on the industry's most noteworthy regional market, the US, is amply detailed with unbiased research commentary to provide the reader a rudimentary understanding of the prevailing market climate. Market discussions in the report are punctuated with fact-rich market data tables.

Regional markets elaborated upon include United States, Canada, India, China, and South Africa among others. Also included is an indexed, easy-to-refer, fact-finder directory listing the addresses, and contact details of 153 companies active in the market.

Key Topics Covered:

1. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

2. MARKET DYNAMICS

3. ISSUES AND CONCERNS

4. REGIONAL TRENDS

5. GENETIC ENGINEERING: AN OVERVIEW

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Research and Markets: Genetic Engineering - Global Outlook

DNA match leads to man's arrest in 1974 Oakland slaying of teen girl

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OAKLAND -- In what is believed to be the oldest cold case solved so far by Oakland police, a DNA match has led to special circumstance murder charges being filed against a 63-year-old ex-convict in the August 1974 fatal beating and sexual molestation of a 13-year-old East Oakland girl, authorities said Tuesday.

Curtis J. Tucker is charged with murder and the special circumstance enhancements of lewd or lascivious acts upon a child and that the killing happened during a burglary.

The victim, Julie McElhiney, a sixth grader at Sequoia Elementary School, was found about 5:40 p.m. Aug. 9, 1974, by her mother, in the bathroom of their apartment in the 3000 block of Pleitner Avenue. She had been beaten to death. Her mother told investigators she had talked to her daughter on the phone about 1 p.m. and there was no indication anything was wrong.

Tucker, a U.S. Army veteran who was arrested last Thursday at an Oakland veterans clinic, refused to talk to investigators, said Sgt. Mike Weisenberg, a patrol sergeant who works part-time in the department's cold case unit.

Weisenberg said the family did not know Tucker and had no prior contact with him. He said police are not sure of the motive.

Authorities said Tucker has a criminal record going back to the 1970s, including a felony burglary conviction in Oakland in 1972 that he went to prison for. In that case, he posed as a deliveryman and broke into a woman's downtown apartment and tried to sexually

He also has arrests in other states, including one in Washington that led to him being identified in the Oakland slaying.

The department a few years ago formed a cold case unit made up of a retired sergeant and current officers who help investigate cold cases part-time like Weisenberg. Recently an officer was assigned full-time to the unit.

Weisenberg was assigned the McElhiney case on April 2, 2010. He reviewed the evidence and found that a T-shirt Julie was wearing had semen stains on it. He requested a DNA analysis on April 22, 2010.

Because of a severe backup in the Oakland police crime lab, a possible match did not come back until last November after a nationwide DNA database search. The match with Tucker's DNA was confirmed with additional testing, as is procedure in such cases.

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DNA match leads to man's arrest in 1974 Oakland slaying of teen girl

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Coalition Wants Moratorium on 'Extreme' Synthetic Bio Businesses

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By Matt Jones

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) An international advocacy coalition today called for a moratorium on the development of new synthetic organisms for commercial use while new international regulations for governing the synthetic biology sector are created to protect the environment and people from unknown perils.

The coalition said today that synbio represents "extreme genetic engineering." It said there currently is little or no governance over synthetic organisms, and private companies cannot be trusted to self-regulate and protect people and the environment from risk and harm.

"We are calling for a global moratorium on the release and commercial use of synthetic organisms until we have established a public interest research agenda, examined alternatives, developed the proper regulations, and put into place rigorous biosafety measures," Carolyn Raffensperger, executive director of the Science and Environmental Health Network, said in a statement today.

"Self-regulation of the synthetic biology industry simply won't work," added Andy Kimbrell, executive director of the International Center for Technology Assessment. "Current laws and regulations around biotechnology are outdated and inadequate to deal with the novel risks posed by synthetic biology technologies and their products."

Friends of the Earth and over 100 international groups focused on environmental, bioscience, food safety, human and consumer rights issues, and religion, said in a report published today that although the synbio market had a value of more than $1.6 billion in 2011 and could hit $10.8 billion by 2016, there has been "little or no governance of the industry or assessment of the novel risks posed by synthetic organisms."

In a conference call today unveiling the report, Jaydee Hanson, policy director at the International Center for Technology Assessment, said that the first creation of a synthetic genome and its implantation into a microbe by the J. Craig Venter Institute in 2010 "should have been a wake-up call for governments around the world, but little new oversight resulted."

"The ability to synthesize DNA and create synthetic organisms and products is far outpacing our understanding of how these novel products work in the real world. Even engineering simple organisms could have major ecological and health effects," Hanson said.

In its report, "The Principles for the Oversight of Synthetic Biology," the consortium calls for governments to take specific steps to account for a range of possible effects caused by synthetic organisms.

It calls for a moratorium on the release and commercial use of synthetic organisms, cells, or genomes, until a government research agenda has been established to study the public's interest. The moratorium also would hold while alternative approaches are considered and risk assessments are made, and international oversight and security mechanisms are developed.

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Coalition Wants Moratorium on 'Extreme' Synthetic Bio Businesses

Textbook breaks new ground in experimental biology

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(PR NewsChannel) / March 13, 2012 / BEIJING

"New Experimental Biology" by Winpen Hann

In New Experimental Biology: Deep Structure Studies II (ISBN 1467987182), scientist Winpen Hann maps a new path for biology, pushing it beyond its current focus on molecular data and genome mapping. His book is a timely introduction to Deep Structure Theory, which introduces new concepts to explain how species physically transform themselves through evolutionary adaptation. The biology textbook reviews four decades of select experiments, which open up possibilities for new insights into brain science, genomics, artificial intelligence and chronic diseases.

The book works from the assumption that many experimental methods of modern-day biology have been pushed to their limit. New Experimental Biology looks at different paths for research that can reinvigorate the field. For instance, studies in molecular biology, biochemistry and structural biology have yielded vast universes of data.

Yet for biologists of all stripes, the question still remains of what to do with this mountain of knowledge. What theory and methods can effectively integrate the vast amounts of data and information yielded by a global community of scientists? Hanns book offers a promising answer through the experimental methods of Deep Structure Theory, which promise to reconcile biologys cell and molecular-level knowledge with an organisms behavior, movement and physiology.

Intended for scientists, professors, researchers and anyone else who wants to keep abreast of cutting-edge developments in science, New Experimental Biology is a textbook that proposes a new view of scientific research that is equally concerned with micro- and macro processes. It is a new, comprehensive vision of biology which seeks to systematize knowledge of an organisms genetic activity with the ecology in which it must ultimately thrive and reproduce.

New Experimental Biology: Deep Structure Studies II is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.

About the Author: Winpen Hann is director of the Brain and Ecology Deep Structure Lab and Deep Structure Bio-science Research Co., Ltd. He is also director of the original Brain and Ecology Comparative Group. His interests include ecology, evolutionary biology and economics. Hanns other books include New Experimental Biology and The Deep Structure of Life, which he authored in his native language, Chinese.

MEDIA CONTACT Winpen Hann E-mail: Winpen@brainecology.netPhone: 0086 + 13 + 02003-9389 Website: http://www.brainecology.net

REVIEW COPIES AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE

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Textbook breaks new ground in experimental biology

UTHSCT researchers receive five seed grants totaling $115,000

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UTHSCT researchers receive five seed grants totaling $115,000

Five seed grants totaling $115,000 have been awarded to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. The locally raised money will help UTHSCT researchers explore new cures for serious diseases, saidSteven Idell, MD, Ph.D., UTHSCTs vice president for research.

Hong-Long Ji, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry, was awarded a $40,000 grant to study the relationship between abnormal genes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Usha Pendurthi, Ph.D., professor of molecular biology, received $40,000 to fund her work into how certain proteins that curb blood clotting affect the growth of cancerous tumors.

Proteins are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the bodys cells, tissues, and organs; each protein has unique functions. Hormones, enzymes, and antibodies are all examples of proteins.

Buka Samten, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology, and Malini Madiraju, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry, were awarded $20,000 for preliminary research that could lead to a better vaccine against tuberculosis. Thats important, because TB kills more than a million people each year, according to the World Health Organization.

Anna Kurdowska, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry, received $10,000 for her research into a new way to treat acute lung injury, also known as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). And Amir Shams, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology, received $5,000 to examine how to keep treatments for injured lungs inside those lungs.

These grants enable our scientists to pursue new and exciting research that could change our understanding of how serious diseases develop, as well as transform how we treat them. They help our researchers acquire the preliminary data they need to successfully compete for funding from the National Institutes of Health, the gold standard in biomedical research, Dr. Idell said, calling this years projects outstanding.

Funding for the seed grants comes from UTHSCs Research Council and the Texas Lung Injury Institute. Since 2002, scientists in the Center for Biomedical Research have been awarded $118.6 million in research dollars.

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UTHSCT researchers receive five seed grants totaling $115,000

Research and Markets: Biochemistry for Sport and Exercise Metabolism

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b561c1/biochemistry_for_s) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Biochemistry for Sport and Exercise Metabolism" to their offering.

How do our muscles produce energy for exercise and what are the underlying biochemical principles involved? These are questions that students need to be able to answer when studying for a number of sport related degrees. This can prove to be a difficult task for those with a relatively limited scientific background. Biochemistry for Sport and Exercise Metabolism addresses this problem by placing the primary emphasis on sport, and describing the relevant biochemistry within this context.

The book opens with some basic information on the subject, including an overview of energy metabolism, some key aspects of skeletal muscle structure and function, and some simple biochemical concepts. It continues by looking at the three macromolecules which provide energy and structure to skeletal muscle - carbohydrates, lipids, and protein. The last section moves beyond biochemistry to examine key aspects of metabolism - the regulation of energy production and storage. Beginning with a chapter on basic principles of regulation of metabolism it continues by exploring how metabolism is influenced during high-intensity, prolonged, and intermittent exercise by intensity, duration, and nutrition.

Key Features:

Biochemistry for Sport and Exercise Metabolism will prove invaluable to students across a range of sport-related courses, who need to get to grips with how exercise mode, intensity, duration, training status and nutritional status can all affect the regulation of energy producing pathways and, more important, apply this understanding to develop training and nutrition programmes to maximise athletic performance.

Key Topics Covered:

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b561c1/biochemistry_for_s

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Research and Markets: Biochemistry for Sport and Exercise Metabolism

Disruptive Innovations and Unsustainable Costs Propel Life Sciences Companies Into the Behavioral Change Business

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Fundamental company data provided by Capital IQ. Historical chart data and daily updates provided by Commodity Systems, Inc. (CSI). International historical chart data and daily updates provided by Morningstar, Inc.

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Disruptive Innovations and Unsustainable Costs Propel Life Sciences Companies Into the Behavioral Change Business

Cannabis Science, Inc. Begins Pre-Production of Groundbreaking Cannabis Television Documentary

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTCBB:CBIS.OB - News), a pioneering U.S. biotech company developing pharmaceutical cannabis (marijuana) products, is excited to be embarking on a medical marijuana documentary project. Pre-production of this groundbreaking educational film is currently underway.

Many documentaries about marijuana have been made, typically focusing on getting high or the medicinal effects and benefits. Cannabis Science will be first documentary to focus on the science behind medicinal cannabis, including untangling the history of marijuanas reputation, the improvement it can bring to peoples daily lives, and what breakthroughs could be on the horizon for this emerging industry.

Modern science supports a long list of illnesses that cannabis can treat: Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer, Arthritis, HIV/Aids, Asthma, Alzheimer's Disease, Anti-aging, Auto Immune Disease, brain trauma (closed head injury), Crohn's Disease, chronic pain management, Diabetes, digestive illnesses, Gastro Intestinal Reflux Disease (GERD), high blood pressure, Glaucoma, Influenza, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Tourette Syndrome, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), etc. The science gives a foundation for understanding the broad spectrum of benefits that can be achieved by increasing the cannabinoid activity in people suffering from so many illnesses.

Part of the science that will be explored are the various forms marijuana can take as a medication, including edibles, pills, liquids, and strips that dissolve on the tongue. The documentary will investigate how these forms are processed in the body and can reverse or minimized the effects of disease. Cannabis Science is first and foremost a patient orientated company. Therefore, patients will be interviewed, giving the audience a glimpse at the real, positive benefits the medicine provides for those with chronic illness, as opposed to the prevailing and false belief that marijuana is addictive and even harmful.

Other documentaries showcase marijuana culture, likening it to the popular view of the 1960s and marijuana use running rampant among the hippie population. Cannabis Sciences documentary, however, will show cannabis in a positive light and demonstrate that what has been, and is, taught by prohibitionists is false, and ignores modern science, history, and the voice of patients. The documentary will also focus on the co-founders of Cannabis Science, how the company is working to target critical illnesses, conducting much needed research, and is developing cannabis-based medications. The audience will hear the views of doctors who have discovered for themselves through treating patients the amazing benefits that cannabis based medicines can provide for their patients.

While the main focus of the documentary is not political, learning the truth about the science of cannabinoids will educate the public on the damage caused by prohibition. Patients whose circumstances could have drastically improved and who could have reduced the severity of their illnesses much earlier from medical marijuana will be interviewed. The film will explore the reasons behind the delay in world governments opening up to the idea that medical marijuana is a beneficial reality.

About Cannabis Science, Inc.

Cannabis Science, Inc. is at the forefront of pharmaceutical grade medical marijuana research and development. The second formulations will address the needs of patients choosing to use concentrated cannabis extracts to treat their ailments. Eventually, all Americans will have access to a safe and effective FDA approved medicine regardless of which state they live in. To maintain that marijuana is a dangerous, addictive drug with no medical value is scientifically absurd. Cannabis medicines, with no effective lethal dose, are far safer than aspirin, acetaminophen, and most other OTC drugs that kill thousands of Americans every year.

The Company works with world authorities on phytocannabinoid science targeting critical illnesses, and adheres to scientific methodologies to develop, produce and commercialize phytocannabinoid-based pharmaceutical products. In sum, we are dedicated to the creation of cannabis-based medicines, both with and without psychoactive properties, to treat disease and the symptoms of disease, as well as for general health maintenance.

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Cannabis Science, Inc. Begins Pre-Production of Groundbreaking Cannabis Television Documentary

Two ECU grad programs ranked

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Two graduate programs at East Carolina University have been ranked among the best in the nation according to an annual list from U.S. News & World Report.

The rehabilitation counseling program and the Brody School of Medicine were included in the magazine's 2013 listing of the best professional and graduate schools released today.

The rehabilitation counseling program in the College of Allied Health Sciences is ranked the 13th.

"Our graduates are in high demand in substance abuse, mental health and other rehabilitation settings," said Dr. Lloyd Goodwin, professor and interim chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Studies at ECU.

"Student interns are almost always offered jobs at the end of their internship and often before completion of their internship. It is rare for a graduate to not be offered a position within one month of graduation."

The Brody School of Medicine tied for 31st overall among primary care schools this year. ECU also sent the seventh-highest percentage of its graduates, 49.6 percent, into primary care residencies between 2009 and 2011. U.S. News defines primary care as family medicine, pediatrics and internal medicine.

"We are glad to be included among some very fine and well-established schools from across the country," said Dr. Paul Cunningham, dean of the medical school. "We will continue to pursue our mission to serve the citizens of North Carolina with passion and purpose."

The U.S. News guidebook of U.S. professional and graduate schools will be available on newsstands April 3.

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‘Grey’s Anatomy’s’ Chandra Wilson to Direct her 6th Episode

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*Greys Anatomy star Chandra Wilson will get behind the camera again for one of the remaining episodes of the current season 8.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Wilson and co-star Kevin McKidd will each take their turn in the directors chair. Wilson, who plays Dr. Miranda Bailey, will mark her sixth time at the helm when she directs Episode 22 of Greys 24-episode season.

McKidd who plays Dr. Owen Hunt, and has already directed Episode 6 of the Shonda Rhimes drama this year, is set to take the lead again on Episode 21.

An airdate has not yet been determined for the episodes.

Greys Anatomy returns from its winter hiatus on Thursday at 9 p.m. on ABC.

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Jessica Capshaw Talks Twitter Photo War With 'Grey's Anatomy' Co-Star Patrick Dempsey

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"Grey's Anatomy" returns with an all new episode this Thursday on ABC, but during her visit to Access Hollywood Live on Tuesday, actress Jessica Capshaw revealed there is some Internet-related drama brewing behind the scenes too.

According to the actress, who plays Dr. Arizona Robbins, she and Patrick Dempsey are involved in an amusing Twitter photo war.

PLAY IT NOW: Would Patrick Dempsey Like To See Katherine Heigl Back On Greys Anatomy?

"We got into a Twitter pic war, where literally he was wielding his iPhone like it was a weapon," Jessica smiled as she told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover what's been going on with Patrick.

Jessica explained that Patrick, who recently joined Twitter, has become fond of posting photos of his cast mates, including her, in less than perfect poses.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Lovely Ladies Of Primetime Television

"Patrick most likes to take pictures of me in compromising positions," Jessica explained of the amusing way they've been spending their down time on set. "[Like] when you're in the middle of taking a bite of a muffin, making a sun [squinting] face, doing something that's just not attractive."

Now, for all of Twitter to see, there are a host of unapproved photos circulating of Jessica and some of her fellow "Grey's" co-stars.

"He doesn't ask us [before posting]. We live in this world where it's like, it'd be nice if someone said, 'Hey! I just took this picture, I'm gonna Tweet it now," she explained.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Primetime Hunks

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Jessica Capshaw Talks Twitter Photo War With 'Grey's Anatomy' Co-Star Patrick Dempsey

‘2 steps’ ahead in cystic fibrosis research

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Public release date: 12-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Allison Flynn allison.j.flynn@mcgill.ca 514-398-7698 McGill University

A recent study led by Gergely Lukacs, a professor at McGill University's Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, and published in the January issue of Cell, has shown that restoring normal function to the mutant gene product responsible for cystic fibrosis (CF) requires correcting two distinct structural defects. This finding could point to more effective therapeutic strategies for CF in the future.

CF, a fatal genetic disease that affects about 60,000 people worldwide, is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a membrane protein involved in ion and water transport across the cell surface. As such, CF is characterized by impaired chloride secretion causing the accumulation of viscous mucous that may cause multiple organ dysfunctions, including recurrent lung infection.

The most common mutation in CFTR, known as deltaF508, is caused by a single amino acid deletion and results in a misfolded version of CFTR that is retained within the cell and quickly degrades rather than being trafficked to the cell membrane where it would function as a chloride channel.

In 2005, Lukacs and his lab suggested that deltaF508 mutation effect is not restricted to the domain (the nucleotide binding domain 1 or NBD1, one of five building blocks of CFTR) where the deltaF508 is located. Specifically, his team found that the mutation destabilizes the NBD1 as well as the NBD2 architecture, suggesting that domain-domain interaction plays a critical role in both normal and pathological CFTR folding.

Building on his team's previous work and computer generated models of CFTR, Lukacs and his team set out to determine whether it was possible to correct both NBD1 stability and domain-domain interaction defect. Using a combination of biophysical, biochemical and genetic techniques, the team found that only simultaneous correction of both folding defects was able to ensure normal-like cell surface expression and function of the mutant.

"These findings offer a plausible explanation for the limited efficiency of the available correctors currently under clinical trial. If there are two different folding steps to correct, it is difficult to envision how a single drug could work," explained Lukacs. "The proposed two-step folding model points to the fact that the correction strategy has to be reconsidered."

###

The study was funded in part by The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Canada, The Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), Canada Research Chair (CRC) program and the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

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'2 steps' ahead in cystic fibrosis research

With eye on nutrition, Tex seeing results

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TAMPA, Fla. -- Once a week this spring, a special delivery has arrived at George M. Steinbrenner Field with Mark Teixeira's name on it. It is what the Yankees first baseman solely credits for his lighter frame and increased energy.

Teixeira fell in love with fruit and vegetable juices over the offseason, having been introduced to a New York company called Juice Press, and it is a major reason why the slugger showed up for camp with a body that deleted 15 pounds.

"There's all these diets and fads out there, but no one has ever said, 'You're eating too many vegetables,'" Teixeira said. "That's really the only thing I changed in my diet, substituting juice for what I would call normal snacks or unhealthy food."

Teixeira didn't perform a complete overhaul of his diet, like Prince Fielder did a few years back with the Brewers, when the burly slugger opted to become a vegetarian. Teixeira still enjoys his share of meat, fish and potatoes, so he looks at this as more of a healthy supplement or substitution.

"You can eat too much meat, too many carbs -- there's even too much fish with mercury," Teixeira said. "There's all these things that if you eat too much of them, there are all these negative effects. No one has ever said that you can eat too many vegetables. It has been a great thing for me, and I'll continue to do it as long as I feel good."

Teixeira said that he grabs two or three of the cold-pressed juices from his shipment per day, taking them to the ballpark and freezing the ones he doesn't need right away. He can often be found chugging one after batting practice, opting for the juice instead of his old stand-by processed energy bar.

Teixeira said that his favorite drinks contain mostly vegetables like carrots, kale, spinach or cucumber, with apples or pineapples blended in to provide sweetness. He also likes the options with cayenne pepper or ginger to add variety.

"I'm not a huge vegetable lover, but I eat a normal diet and just make better choices on the side and in between meals," Teixeira said.

The results have been apparent following a winter in which Teixeira did most of his baseball training at Bobby Valentine's Sports Academy in Stamford, Conn., and a season in which he batted .248 with 39 homers and 111 RBIs.

Teixeira is trying to consciously raise his batting average this year by hitting the ball with more authority to left-center field and center, and the Yankees don't believe Teixeira's new look will rob any of his home run power.

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With eye on nutrition, Tex seeing results

Audubon center in Algiers logs another breakthrough in genetic engineering of endangered cats

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A year after introducing the first pair of rare African black-footed kittens conceived through in vitro fertilization, the scientists at the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species in Algiers have announced the arrival of another kitten that, genetically, is their sister, and the first kitten of her type to be carried in the womb of a domestic cat. The same parents contributed to the frozen embryos that produced the two males born last year and this year's female.

A black-footed cat served as the surrogate mother for last year's litter. Researchers next sought to show that vastly more plentiful domestic cats can serve as surrogate mothers in efforts to save the small wild cat from extinction.

"Being able to use domestic cats adds another extra dimension to that, being able to produce more," said Earle Pope, acting director of the center. Only 53 of the cats, which are native to South Africa, live in zoo collections in the United States.

Domestic and African black-footed are different species of cat but members of the same group of felines. Their similar sizes and gestation lengths, Pope said, appear to be what made the pregnancy and birth physically possible even though the genetic makeup of the kitten differed from the mother.

"They're considered to be of the same lineage," he said. "Somewhere back a couple of million years ago, they're descended from the same ancestor."

The kitten, named Crystal, was born on Feb. 6 to domestic cat Amelie without any human assistance in the birth itself. It exhibits all the characteristics of a black-footed cat despite being nurtured by a domestic cat mother, Pope said.

"It's not changed genetically in any way," from other black-footed cats, he said. "It is totally a black-footed cat in behavior."

Researchers handle the kitten almost every day as they study it, but she remains decidedly unadapted to human contact.

"It just wants you to leave it alone and stay away from it," Pope said. "It gets along beautifully with the domestic cat mother. They don't know, or do not care, that it's a different species."

Scientists started gathering the genetic material that eventually created the kitten in 2003, when they collected and froze a sperm sample from a black-footed cat named Ramses that lived at a research center in Nebraska. In 2005, they thawed the sperm and combined them with eggs from Zora, a cat living at Audubon. That produced 11 embryos, which went into deep freeze.

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Audubon center in Algiers logs another breakthrough in genetic engineering of endangered cats

Simple test reveals DNA percentages

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CLEVELAND - Saturday is St. Patrick's Day, a celebration of ancestry. Theres a company based in Ohio that can show you where your DNA comes from. All you need are some cotton swabs and this envelope.

NewsChannel5 traveled to the Cincinnati area to visit the lab of the DNA Diagnostics Center. With its AncestrybyDNA test, the company can actually tell you your ethnic make-up down to the percentages.

Dr. Michael Baird is the chief science officer of the company.

The four broad ethnic groups we're looking at are European, Sub-Saharan African, East Asian, and Indigenous American," Baird said.

Indigenous American means Native American. So, how does the AncestrybyDNA test work? Baird said they look for whats called ancestry informative markers.

And these are markers in the DNA that have been around for 10,000 years or more. So we look at a battery of those and determine what percentage of those you have in your genome, and we can determine what your ethnicity is, Baird said.

"Desperate Housewives" actress Eva Longoria took a similar test on Dr. Henry Louis gates' PBS program called "Faces of America." She thought the test would show that she was mostly Native American.

But, her ethnic pie chart showed that she's 70 percent European, 27 percent Native American and three percent African.

Oprah Winfrey took a DNA ancestry test and it turns out that the queen of talk is 89 percent African, 8 percent Native American and 3 percent East Asian. On "The George Lopez Show," actor and comedian Larry David found out hes 63 percent European and 37 percent Native American.

Dr. Michael Baird was curious about his ancestry.

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Simple test reveals DNA percentages

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Man Beats Machines In DNA Alignment Computer Game [VIDEO]

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Here's one instance when man triumphs over the visually-impaired machine. The online game Phylo lets gamers solve the multiple sequence alignment (MSA) problem by finding the best possible DNA sequence match between up to eight species at a time --- and, amazingly, beating out a computer, according to a study reported in the journal PLoS One.

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We have shown that humans game-playing visual talents can do some things better than a computer algorithm, the study's lead author Jrme Waldisphl, a computational biologist at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, said in Nature.com.

If a player's score beats the MULTIZ, a computer alignment program hosted by the University of California, Santa Cruz, their scores will be displayed in the game's hall of fame. To play, gamers shift the sequences one block at a time to find alignments before time runs out. Players who align similar sequences before their time is up, get their sequences entered into Phylo's database.

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So far, Phylo has 12,252 registered users and almost 3,000 regular players. But it does take some biology know-how to play the game. So far, gamers have come up with about "350,000 solutions to various MSA problems, beating the accuracy of alignments from MULTIZ in roughly 70% of the sequences they manipulated," notes the article.

There are many fascinating innovations for decoding and studying DNA. Just last month scientists unveiled a biological computer that could extract DNA from a chip. The biological computer acts like computer software to extract images.

What was once a subject only scientists and academics were concerned with, the idea of DNA and what unraveling it means for humans, is becoming an increasingly known and tangible concept.

This isn't the first time gamers have played a role in helping scientists find answers and solutions to complex problems. Last year online gamers helped to discover an enzyme of an AIDS-like virus that had been a mystery for years.

Have you, by chance, played Phylo or any other biology-based games? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

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Man Beats Machines In DNA Alignment Computer Game [VIDEO]

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