Category Archives: DNA

Were Steve Jobs, Sheryl Sandberg or even Martin Luther King Jr. born great leaders?

The short answer is no, says Michael Useem, a professor emeritus of management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and leadership development consultant for a wide array of private, public and nonprofit companies. Useem says the ability to tutor, guide and galvanize the people around you isn't innate it's something you learn and develop over time.

And there's no one-size-fits-all strategy to acquiring those skills, Useem says: Rather, you need to look at your successes and failures with an "unclenching eye," and use those experiences to identify what you personally need improve on.

"Leadership is not something we're born with, it's not something in our DNA," he tells CNBC Make It. "We learn it. We have to learn to improve and become a great leader."

Useem says he taught that lesson for years at Wharton, drawing on scholarship from other experts and referring to real-world examples. Today, his go-to example is the "humiliating" downfall of Matt Doherty, a former college basketball coach.

At age 37, in the first season of his first head coaching role, Doherty led the University of Notre Dame to the finals of the 1999-2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. That success immediately catapulted him to the prestigious role of head coach at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina, in 2000.

But then, after just three years, Doherty was "abruptly, unceremoniously" forced to resign, Useem says. This was reportedly due to concerns over his treatment of players: One players' parent told the Greensboro News & Record that Doherty tore down her son's "confidence and self-esteem," while another pointed to verbal abuse during practice.

"From there, he clearly needed to figure out why his leadership of the team backfired," Useem says. "He had to learn."

For Doherty's part, the ex-coach says he viewed himself as a decent leader before coming to UNC, which made him experience an "immediate feeling of failure" after resigning.

"I started to believe some headlines, started to believe that maybe I'm not a good leader," Doherty says. "And back then, I thought maybe that I wasn't born a great leader."

Doherty says he set out on a personal "leadership journey" to understand what went wrong ending up in one of Useem's leadership classes at Wharton, which is how the duo met.

The revelation that leadership is a trained skill, rather than a given, was "the most exciting thing to learn in my life, at the time," Doherty says. "I was so down and out. I was depressed. I never thought I'd be a good leader until then."

Doherty says the class taught him he was missing a critical element of leadership: emotional intelligence. He had the hard skills he needed to strategize as a coach, but not a natural ability to make strong emotional connections with his players.

"We talk about core values mine now are respect, trust, commitment, positivity. But those, I didn't learn and develop until after I went through this leadership journey," says Doherty, who went on to coach at two other schools before becoming associate commissioner of the Atlantic 10 conference. Now, he works off the court as an executive coach helping owners of small to mid-sized businesses.

Doherty says the journey looks different for everyone. While he needed a lesson in emotional intelligence, others may lack entirely different elements of leadership. Useem says that's the crucial takeaway: Whether you're an entry-level employee or CEO, you can't just rely on your so-called natural traits to motivate those around you.

You also need to rely on the lessons you've learned along the way, Useem says: "We have to look at what we've been through some great successes, others that are terrible disasters and use that as a source of educational guidance."

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This is the key to influencing and motivating the people around you, says Wharton professor: 'It's not something in our DNA' - CNBC

Scientists know that Europeans brought red foxes to North America, likely for hunting, while other red foxes escaped into the wild from fur farms. But are some red foxes found on the East Coast, and in North Carolina, native?

According to wildlife genetics expert Liz Kierepka, the answer to this mystery is in their DNA.

The Abstract spoke to Kierepka, who has a joint appointment at NCState and at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, about what we know so far about the origin of red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, in North Carolina, and in North America more broadly.

The Abstract: Are there native red foxes in the Southeast?

Liz Kierepka: Based on genetic studies, we think the vast majority of red foxes in the Southeast are native to North America and mostly belong to a line of foxes known as the eastern lineage. The eastern lineage is one of three relatively well-established, genetically distinct lineages of red foxes in North America. All of these lineages were separated during the Ice Ages, and we can see differences in their DNA today. There is also another group in Alaska that is more closely related to Asian red foxes.

We know there was an introduction of European red foxes in the mid-Atlantic region of the eastern United States. There is a higher proportion of non-native foxes in Virginia and Maryland because of that introduction, which was dated to about the 1700s. There were also foxes bred for their fur, and many foxes either escaped or were released. A lot of those foxes have interbred with our native foxes.

TA: How far back do foxes go in North America?

Kierepka: Red foxes originated in the Middle East, and then they expanded across the globe. They crossed from Eurasia over the land bridge between Russia and Alaska about 400,000 years ago. When the Ice Ages occurred, previous habitats were covered in ice and foxes had to re-arrange themselves in unglaciated areas. Because of the glaciers, certain populations of foxes were no longer in genetic contact. They then evolved into the genetically different groups that you can still see today.

TA: How do you know all this?

Kierepka: Red foxes have been subject of much genetic study across the years. Researchers from the University of California, Davis were able to identify the three genetically distinct groups of red fox in North America by studying their DNA. The more differences that occur across their DNA sequences, the more differentiated the animals are.

In these genetic analyses, researchers looked at the DNA from the mitochondrion. Mitochondrial DNA is nice for building phylogenetic trees because it often reflects isolation that occurred during the Ice Ages. Mitochondrial DNA is much easier to get than nuclear DNA. There is one nucleus per cell whereas there are hundreds to thousands of mitochondria. You can get the DNA from hair samples, fecal samples or even saliva.

TA: What about red foxes in North Carolina are they native or were they introduced?

Kierepka: The thing is about red foxes in North Carolina is that we havent really looked at the population here closely. In the study that characterized red fox genetics for North America, there were only a handful of samples from North Carolina. Of the few samples that they ran, one was likely a fur farm individual and two were native. It is likely that there are native foxes here, but we dont know the frequency. We just do not have enough samples.

There are historical records where people that would speculate about this question. They suggested the possibility of the introduction of European foxes, but these are from records from the early 1800s and 1900s. There are multiple accounts saying they may have been brought over, but it is hard to verify these records.

TA: Why is it important to try to answer questions like this?

Kierepka: Its important for understanding how species can adapt to new environments. When you have invasive species coming in, it can cause invasive and native species to breed together. This interbreeding can disrupt populations that are adapted to certain environments.

In California, for example, the non-native foxes do really well in human-dominated landscapes, while the native foxes prefer unaltered habitats. Some of these native foxes are on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and climate change. We might lose some of this genetic diversity that we did not know existed until we looked. I do not know if thats happening in North Carolina or not, but we will only find out if we study it.

In conservation, one of the goals is to preserve as much genetic diversity as we can because it can help species adapt in the future with habitat loss and climate change.

TA: Are gray foxes and red foxes the same species?

Kierepka: Gray foxes are the oldest canid in the dog family. They are so divergent from red foxes; I would be flabbergasted if they hybridized. Its like a rat and a squirrel interbreeding successfully.

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The Answer to a Red Fox Mystery is in Their DNA - NC State News

TROY A sample of DNA found on the handgun used in the drive-by shooting of 11-year-old Ayshawn Davis matched the DNA profile of Jahquay Brown, a State Police forensic scientist testified at Browns murder trial Tuesday.

Meredith Pelletier, a DNA expert who has worked with the State Police for 16 years, told jurors Browns profile matched that of the major contributor of DNA on the .40 caliber handgun with the chances of it being from someone else less than 1 in 320 billion.

Police said they discovered the gun in a book bag found in Browns home in Cohoes. The DNA of three lesser contributors was also found on the gun.

Rensselaer County prosecutors allege the evidence backs their contention that Brown, 22, was in a blue Honda Accord that carried the gunman who opened fire at a crowd on Old Sixth Avenue in Troy, killing Davis on Sept. 13, 2020, at 11:20 p.m.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Matthew Hauf has not said Brown was or was not the triggerman. The defendant is not charged with being the shooter, but acting together with another person in the car to commit the murder in a case of depraved indifference second-degree murder.

During cross-examination, Browns defense attorney, Robert Molloy, asked Pelletier about the DNA of the other three people found on the gun.

The DNA that was the most, that had the highest (amount), matched that of Jahquay Brown, Pelletier said.

She testified that a soda bottle recovered from the Honda had DNA that did not match Brown or anyone in the case.

Another prosecution witness, State Police forensic scientist Victoria OConnor, testified that projectile fragments and shell casings found at the crime scene were fired from the weapon found in Browns book bag.

Molloy asked OConnor if she could say who fired the weapon and when. She said she could not.

A forensic pathologist, Bernard Ng, testified later Tuesday that Davis cause of death was severe head trauma from a gunshot to the head.

Hauf, who called 14 witnesses and entered more than 200 pieces of evidence, rested his case.Molloy did not present a defense.

Both sides are expected to deliver closing arguments on Wednesday.

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Expert: Suspect's DNA found on gun that killed Ayshawn Davis, 11 - Times Union

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. & PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DNA Script, a world leader in Enzymatic DNA Synthesis (EDS) for DNA on demand, has announced the first successful qPCR assays using primers and probes synthesized by a customer via enzymatic synthesis using the companys SYNTAX System DNA printer. This success was achieved as part of a contract with the French Defense Innovation Agency, in liaison with the French Armament General Directorate (DGA), first announced in January 2021.

The partnership leverages the SYNTAX System to produce high-quality DNA primers and probes to rapidly develop qPCR assays for infectious disease detection. Based on these results, the collaboration has been extended to further test EDS primers and probes for qPCR assay development, giving the DGA access to new versions of synthesis and labeling technologies that the company commercially develops.

This markets applications in biodefense are a strategic focus contributing to the sovereign production of biological assays for the French Ministry for the Armed Forces.

This extension validates the importance of our SYNTAX benchtop DNA printing system for rapid response programs, said Thomas Ybert, CEO and co-founder of DNA Script. We have demonstrated that SYNTAX can consistently print high-quality DNA probes for mobile and onsite deployment, enabling same-day qPCR from design to results, which is an enormous advantage for any pathogen early warning system.

The ultimate goal is to create a platform that can quickly develop new assays targeting biological threats or emerging pathogens during an outbreaks earliest phases.

COVID has taught us that we need to be prepared for new threats, said Ybert. Our work with the DGA takes that preparation to the next level, providing the ability to respond faster to new biothreats.

The SYNTAX System delivers a DNA printing technology that is compliant with the DGAs requirements. The system relies on enzymatic synthesis, a safer, more sustainable technology that does not rely on toxic reagents or produce the hazardous organic waste associated with phosphoramidite chemistry DNA printing.

The SYNTAX printer synthesizes high-quality, custom nucleic acids for immediate use within hours. As a result, researchers developing new assays can save days, sometimes even weeks, by printing in-house versus waiting for oligos to be delivered from third-party service providers. This capability is critically important for programs focused on improving the response time to emerging biological risks and biothreats.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

About DNA Script

Founded in 2014, DNA Script is a pioneering life sciences technology company developing a new, faster, more powerful and versatile way to design and manufacture nucleic acids. The company has developed an alternative to traditional DNA synthesis called Enzymatic DNA Synthesis, or EDS, enabling this technology to be accessible to labs with the first benchtop enzymatic synthesis instrument, the SYNTAX System. By putting DNA synthesis back in the lab, DNA Script aims to transform life sciences research through innovative technology that gives researchers unprecedented control and autonomy. http://www.dnascript.com

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French Defense Innovation Agency Investigates the Use of DNA Script's SYNTAX System to Synthesize Custom qPCR Probes for On-demand Detection of...

Im of the opinion that genetic testing to find your ancestral background and lost relatives is a Bad Idea. For one thing, whichever company you use owns that information. They sell it to pharmaceutical companies. They hand it over to law enforcement. They store it in online databases ripe for hacking. Plus, I dont care for most of the relatives I grew up around. Why would I want to know about others?

But orphan Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel, Ramsey from the Fast & Furious franchise) thinks the answer to her loneliness is family (HA!). So she sends off her DNA to a testing service and discovers shes related to English aristocrats. They invite her overseas to attend a family wedding and things get weird.

Note: The trailer is spoiler-heavy, and I recommend opting out after the first slit throat.

The Invitation looks fun if a little heavyhanded on the allegory. We get it, the 1% are literal vampires sucking the life from society. But I appreciate that the protagonist is a person of color. It adds another layer to the interactions between poor American and wealthy Brits. The movie feels very like 2019s Ready or Not, a personal favorite; I hope its more inspired by than derivative. That being said, my hopes for the heroine are slim. If you cant figure out the spooky rich guy named Walter DeVille is evil, well, your chances of survival are that of an old horse in a glue factory.

The Invitation is directed and written by Jessica M. Thompson, known for The Light of the Moon and The End, and also written by Blair Butler (Helstrom). It hits theaters this August 26.

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Sony's Vampire Movie 'The Invitation' Shows the Dangers of DNA Testing - Pajiba Entertainment News

Pippa Hudson speaks to director of DNA for Africa, Vanessa Lynch, about the importance of DNA evidence in the fight against crime in the country.

One of the biggest developments of the 21st century has been the rapid expansion of the use of DNA samples to solve and fight against criminal activities.

South Africa is a little late to the party, with guest and director of DNA for Africa, Vanessa Lynch, fighting for 20 years for the country to have a decent DNA criminal database following a personal tragedy.

Though slow to start and a withdrawal of funding that led to cases being backlogged, Lynch notes that the country is moving in the right direction.

The government has really come to the party, so to speak. They have allocated more funding, they've started building a new laboratory in the Eastern Cape, which is state of the art and should be finished next year, they've committed to a zero backlog by November 2021... contracts have been fulfilled, we're starting to see more hits on the database again, and we're moving in the right direction.

This is excellent news because, as Lynch mentions, DNA evidence is one of the strongest and most reliable sources of evidence we can use.

With DNA laws set in place and a growing database, what Lynch calls the "Convicted Offender Bill," was approved by the National Assembly earlier this year, which will allow authorities to sample the DNA of convicted offenders.

A number of the prisoners are serial offenders and they can be linked to other cold cases and serial cases. We've seen this in the past where unrelated cases are linked to a prisoner up to 30, 60 cases.

Though major strides are being reached in the country, Lynch says that the database needs to have its capacity increased, backlogs processed and sample analysations increased.

What we need to be doing is we need to be identifying these offenders at a much earlier stage so that we can save tomorrow's victims and we haven't really got to that point, yet. That's what we need to get to.

You can find out more about DNA for Africa on here.

Listen to the full interview above.

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Why the expansion of DNA evidence usage in SA will help curb crime - CapeTalk 567

On his way back from Germany after attending the G7 summit, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a one hour stopover in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. He was accorded a warm welcome at the airport by the current President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Both leaders hugged each other. PM Modi also condoled the passing away of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, former President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi.

How important are the two countries for each other?

The UAE is India's third largest trade partner after China and USA, whereas India is its second largest trade partner for the UAE. In the year 2019-20, there was a trade of Rs 4,60,000 crore between the two countries. After America, India exports the most to the UAE. In 2019, India exported goods and services worth Rs 2,26,000 crore to the UAE.

Today, the UAE is heavily dependent on India for sugar, fruits, green vegetables, tea, meat, clothing, chemicals, precious metals and stones. On the other hand, India is dependent on the UAE for crude oil. After Saudi Arabia and Iraq, India buys 10 percent of its crude oil from the UAE.

The total population of the UAE is about 10 million, of which 3.5 million people are from India alone. That is, 35 percent of the total population of the UAE are Indians. The big thing is that in 2018, people of Indian origin living in other countries sent about Rs 6 lakh crore to India, out of which Rs 1 lakh crore came from the UAE alone.

READ | From Gulabi Meenakari to Kashmiri carpet: PM Modi's gift to world leaders at G7 Summit highlight Indian heritage

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DNA Special: How integral is the India-UAE relationship? A glimpse of its importance to both the countries - DNA India

The UK is providing technology to allow grain to be tested to make sure it has not been stolen by Russia from Ukrainian silos and sold abroad for profit.

George Eustice, the environment and food secretary, says the government is giving 1.5m to fund the DNA analysis of wheat to find where it comes from.

He told Sky's Kay Burley: "Russia, it appears, are stealing some wheat from those stores and so what the UK government is doing is making available technology we've got to... test the provenance of wheat.

"We're working with other countries, including Australia, on this so that we can ensure that stolen Ukrainian wheat does not find a route to market.

"You can test the DNA of the grain and we've got samples of Ukrainian grain. We did a lot of work on this - remember the horsemeat scandal about a decade ago?

"The UK is a world leader in being able to test the provenance - that's the precise region in which a crop was grown - through the testing of DNA. And that's what we've made available."

It comes after a Sky News investigation that tracked one ship that turned off its transponder as it approached Ukraine in the Black Sea, adding evidence that Russian forces are illegally expropriating Ukrainian resources.

Read more: The disappearing ships: Russia's great grain plunder

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also said the US possesses "credible reports" that Russia is stealing Ukrainian grain and selling it internationally.

He was speaking with reference to a New York Times story that said Washington had last month warned 14 countries, mostly in Africa, that Russia was trying to ship stolen Ukrainian grain to buyers overseas.

The Sky News investigation showed a shipment of grain that was likely to have come from occupied Ukraine before being moved to a Turkish port.

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Last week Ankara said it was looking into claims that Ukrainian grain had been stolen by Russia and transferred to countries including Turkey, but added investigations had not found any stolen shipments so far.

Russia has denied allegations it has stolen Ukrainian grain.

Mr Eustice did not explain exactly how and where the British technology would be used and where the money would be spent but the government said on Sunday Prime Minister Boris Johnson would ask other G7 countries to join these efforts.

Sky News understands that the UK is already undertaking work to take geo-referenced timber samples around the world, including from Ukraine, and evidence has shown that a similar approach could be taken with grain samples.

Before the scheme would be able to work, however, samples from Ukraine and neighbouring countries (Russia, Belarus, Moldova) would be required to build a geo-referenced grain data library and the samples must be gathered before this season's harvest which falls around August/September.

Initial estimates show that spending around 1.5m over 12 months would be enough to build a database of sufficient size to identify whether illegally harvested grain was being imported into the UK but the government admits international cooperation would be necessary to source sufficient samples and hopes likeminded nations support the initiative.

It also admits that it would need to be decided whether traders of host governments would be responsible for paying for the necessary tests as part of importing grain.

Mr Eustice ruled out using the Royal Navy to escort Ukrainian grain ships through the Black Sea to help Kyiv export the 25 million tonnes of wheat in its silos. But, he said, the UK was doing what it can to help them get the grain to market.

He said: "Although it's a small proportion of the overall total (of grain in worldwide storage), in the current context it's quite significant and unless we can get it out, there won't be stores for this year's harvest to go into.

"So we're looking at what we can do to help - to repair railways, to look at a land bridge so that we can get that wheat out across the land border. It's now very, very perilous to try to get ships into the Black Sea... because the area is mined and in fact Ukraine themselves have closed their ports for security reasons."

There have been fears expressed that there will be growing calls from countries affected by a worldwide hike in food prices as a result of the Ukraine war for Russia and Kyiv to end their conflict, even if it means Ukraine loses territory.

On Monday, it was reported that Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the chair of the Group of 20 (G20) nations, will urge Russia and Ukraine to rekindle peace talks, and seek ways to free up exports of grain to global markets when he visits Moscow and Kyiv in the coming days.

Also on Monday, disruption in wheat supplies caused by the Ukraine war were said to have contributed to a decision by the World Food Programme to further reduce rations in Yemen, where millions face hunger.

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Ukraine war: UK to supply grain DNA testing technology to combat 'Russian thefts of wheat' - Sky News

In a horrific incident, two Muslim extremists beheaded a Hindu man in Rajasthan's Udaipur today. His fault - writing a post on social media in support of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma's remarks on Prophet Muhammad. The man, Kanhaiya Lal, was a poor shopkeeper in Udaipur, who used to run a tailoring shop. The two extremists entered the shop as customers and killed the man when he was taking their measurements. Not only this, the two Muslim men even made a video of the incident and posted the same on social media.

In today's DNA, Zee News' Rohit Ranjan makes an analysis of the Udaipur incident and the rising extremism in the country.

There were a few takeaways that should be noted - 1. The two Muslim men entered disguising themselves as customers. They were placing an order, and as seen in the video, Kanhaiya Lal was taking their measurement. However, it was clear from their attire that they were Muslims. Still, Kanhaiya Lal didn't deny taking their order on the basis of their religion. This proves that Kanhaiya Lal was indeed not an extremist.

A few days ago, when violent protests were taking place against Nupur Sharma's comments, some extremist groups had given a very provocative slogan - "Gustakh-e-Rasool ki ek hi saza, sir tan se juda" (Only one punishment - beheading); and today, the same happened.

Government action

The state of Rajasthan is currently ruled by a Congress government. There were huge protests against the incident in Udaipur today. People also expressed their anger against the government. A curfew has been imposed across the state and internet services have also been suspended to avoid any untoward incidents.

However, what's surprising is Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's statement where he is blaming PM Narendra Modi for the incident. In a nutshell, politics has also started over the incident.

Watch DNA with Sudhir Chaudhary to understand in detail the incident of brutal killing in Rajasthan's Udaipur.

Link:
DNA Exclusive: Analysis of Hindu man`s brutal murder in Rajasthan - Zee News

NewsShane SupervilleYesterdayDenzel Matthew, father of murdered vendor Ako Matthew walks away from Forensics Science Centre in St James after receiving the DNA tests from the remains of his son, whose body was found off a precipice on North Coast Road , Maracas in April. - Photo by Sureash Cholai

While he is grateful to receive the remains of his son, Denzel Matthew says he and his family are still pained by the nature of his death.

The body of Matthew's son, Ako Matthew, 34, was found over a precipice off the North Coast Road, Maracas, on April 25, days after he went missing.

The remains of Robin Sancho Jr, 21 and Alexsia Edwards, 21 were found nearby.

They were badly decomposed and could only be identified via DNA testing. This was done by comparing a swab from Ako Matthew's father and a sample of tissue from bone material among the remains.

The elder Matthew visited the Forensic Science Centre, St James, on Monday, where he received confirmation that the remains were those of his son.

"We got through with the custody of the body today.

"This is a really stressful and painful thing but say what, we're glad to get it now.

"The wound for me is still there and his mother is taking it on."

Matthew said they intended to hold a small service for his son. He is expected to be cremated.

On May 18, 37-year-old Kwasi Matthew was charged with Matthew's murder after he surrendered to police in Chaguanas.

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Murdered vendor's father still grieving as DNA confirms remains - TT Newsday