Archive for the ‘Gene Therapy Research’ Category

JMP Securities cut shares of Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday morning, TheFlyOnTheWall.com reports.

We are downgrading Myriad Genetics from Market Outperform to Market Perform. We surveyed 28 oncologists and ob/gyns in recent weeks regarding their sensitivity to pricing and test accuracy, as well as their views on what percentage of BRCA1/BRCA2 testing would migrate to other tests. Our respondents indicate that 40% of test volumes could migrate to other manufacturers within 24 months. This is almost a 2x order of magnitude more than we had previously modeled. On a separate matter, our industry contacts voiced a great deal of concern that the new reimbursement levels are, at best, a clerical error that will not be resolved before the implementation of the new codes, and at worst, the correct reimbursement levels and a reflection of CMSs ongoing efforts to revise the calculus behind how molecular tests are reimbursed. We are not making any drastic changes to our models until we gain further clarity on this issue., JMP Securities analyst commented.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Analysts at Credit Suisse raised their price target on shares of Myriad Genetics from $20.00 to $22.00 in a research note to investors on Monday, November 11th. They now have an underperform rating on the stock. Separately, analysts at Jefferies Group raised their price target on shares of Myriad Genetics from $24.00 to $25.00 in a research note to investors on Wednesday, November 6th. They now have a hold rating on the stock. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. The company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $30.97.

Shares of Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) opened at 25.55 on Tuesday. Myriad Genetics has a 52-week low of $22.20 and a 52-week high of $38.27. The stocks 50-day moving average is $26.21 and its 200-day moving average is $27.92. The company has a market cap of $1.910 billion and a P/E ratio of 12.24. Myriad Genetics also was the recipient of unusually large options trading on Monday. Investors purchased 8,612 put options on the stock. This is an increase of 164% compared to the typical volume of 3,260 put options.

Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) last released its earnings data on Tuesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.68 EPS for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.22. The company had revenue of $202.50 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $167.64 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.36 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 51.8% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Myriad Genetics will post $2.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Myriad Genetics, Inc (NASDAQ:MYGN) is a molecular diagnostic company.

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First gene therapy treatment approved in Europe

By: Mary Markey

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First gene therapy treatment approved in Europe - Video

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University of Southern California

University of Southern California

Exposure to air pollution appears to increase the risk for autism among people who carry a genetic disposition for the neurodevelopmental disorder, according to newly published research led by scientists at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC). "Our research shows that children with both the risk genotype and exposure to high air pollutant levels were at increased risk of autism spectrum disorder compared to those without the risk genotype and lower air pollution exposure," said the study's first author, Heather E. Volk, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of research in preventive medicine and pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and principal investigator at The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

The study, "Autism spectrum disorder: Interaction of air pollution with the MET receptor tyrosine kinase gene," is scheduled to appear in the January 2014 edition of Epidemiology.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disability characterized by problems with social interaction, communication and repetitive behaviors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in 88 children in the United States has an ASD.

ASD is highly heritable, suggesting that genetics are an important contributing factor, but many questions about its causes remain. There currently is no cure for the disorder.

"Although gene-environment interactions are widely believed to contribute to autism risk, this is the first demonstration of a specific interaction between a well-established genetic risk factor and an environmental factor that independently contribute to autism risk," said Daniel B. Campbell, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and the behavioral sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the study's senior author. "The MET gene variant has been associated with autism in multiple studies, controls expression of MET protein in both the brain and the immune system, and predicts altered brain structure and function. It will be important to replicate this finding and to determine the mechanisms by which these genetic and environmental factors interact to increase the risk for autism."

Independent studies by Volk and Campbell have previously reported associations between autism and air pollution exposure and between autism and a variant in the MET gene. The current study suggests that air pollution exposure and the genetic variant interact to augment the risk of ASD.

Campbell and Volk's team studied 408 children between 2 and 5 years of age from the Childhood Autism Risks From Genetics and the Environment Study, a population-based, case-control study of preschool children from California. Of those, 252 met the criteria for autism or autism spectrum disorder. Air pollution exposure was determined based on the past residences of the children and their mothers, local traffic-related sources, and regional air quality measures. MET genotype was determined through blood sampling.

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Air pollution and genetics combine to increase risk for autism ...

MANILA, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Scientists from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Japan announced on Tuesday the discovery of a rice gene that has the potential to increase the production of modern long-grain indica rice varieties.

The SPIKE gene was found to increase the output of indica rice varieties--considered the world's most widely grown types of rice-- by 13 to 36 percent.

"We discovered the gene, SPIKE, in an Indonesian tropical japonica rice variety," said rice breeder Dr. Nobuya Kobayasahi of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization-Institute of Crop Science and a former IRRI scientist.

The Philippine-based IRRI said tropical japonica rice is mainly grown in East Asia and accounts for only about 10 percent of global rice output.

Incorporating the SPIKE gene into indica varieties that are very popular and widely used across 70 percent of global rice- growing areas could significantly contribute to food security, it added.

IRRI breeders had earlier observed traits related to higher yield potential such as large panicles and large leaves in several Indonesian tropical japonica rice varieties. But the specific gene responsible for higher yield among these varieties had not been identified.

The discovery of SPIKE means that breeders can now start incorporating the gene into popular indica rice varities. Kobayashi said the gene can improve plant architecture without altering grain quality or growth periods.

IRRI scientists validated the function of the SPIKE gene and it is now being used by breeders of the institute to boost the yield potential of leading local rice varieties.

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Interview: China achieves first of UN Millennium Development Goals: FAO chief

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Scientists discover gene for increasing rice yield - Xinhua ...

Angry Birds, shooter games have pluses

Study Hall presents the results of scientific studies as described by the researchers and their institutions. This report is from the American Psychological Association :

Playing video games, including violent shooter games, may boost childrens learning, health and social skills, according to a review of research on the positive effects of video game play to be published by the American Psychological Association.

While one widely held view maintains playing video games is intellectually lazy, such play actually may strengthen a range of cognitive skills such as spatial navigation, reasoning, memory and perception, according to several studies reviewed in the article. This is particularly true for shooter video games that are often violent, the authors said. A 2013 meta-analysis found that playing shooter video games improved a players capacity to think about objects in three dimensions just as well as academic courses to enhance these same skills, according to the study. This enhanced thinking was not found with playing other types of video games, such as puzzles or role-playing games.

Playing video games may also help children develop problem-solving skills, the authors said. The more adolescents reported playing strategic video games, such as role-playing games, the more they improved in problem solving and school grades the following year, according to a long-term study published in 2013.

Childrens creativity was also enhanced by playing any kind of video game, but not when the children used other forms of technology, such as a computer or cellphone, other research revealed. Simple games that can be played quickly, such as Angry Birds, can improve players moods, promote relaxation and ward off anxiety, the study said.

Brains of babies with Alzheimers gene develop differently

This report is from Brown University:

The brains of infants who carry a gene associated with an increased risk for Alzheimers disease develop differently than those of babies who dont have the gene.

While this discovery is neither diagnostic nor predictive of Alzheimers, it could be a step toward understanding how the gene variant APOE E4 confers risk much later in life.

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A new study shows benefits of violent video games for kids ...

"Genetics", Preformationism and Epigenesis

By: MyCyberCollege

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"Genetics", Preformationism and Epigenesis - Video

gene therapy noun

medical : a way of treating some disorders and diseases that usually involves replacing bad copies of genes with other genes

: the insertion of usually genetically altered genes into cells especially to replace defective genes in the treatment of genetic disorders or to provide a specialized disease-fighting function

gene therapist noun

1971

: the insertion of usually genetically altered genes into cells especially to replace defective genes in the treatment of genetic disorders or to provide a specialized disease-fighting function (as the destruction of tumor cells)

gene therapist noun

Introduction of a normal gene into an individual in whom that gene is not functioning, either into those tissue cells that normally express the gene (curing that individual only) or into an early embryonic cell (curing the individual and all future offspring). Prerequisites for each procedure include finding the best delivery system (often a virus) for the gene, demonstrating that the transferred gene can express itself in the host cell, and establishing that the procedure is safe. Diseases for which gene-therapy research is advanced include cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, and familial hypercholesterolemia; research continues on its application for Alzheimer's disease, breast and other cancers, and diabetes. Some aspects of gene therapy, including genetic manipulation and selection, research on embryonic tissue, and experimentation on human subjects, have aroused ethical controversy.

gene therapy or gene transfer therapy

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Gene therapy - Definition and More from the Free Merriam ...

In addition, study results show clinical event rates in gene therapy patients are significantly lower three years later compared to those patients receiving placebo. Also, patients experienced no negative side effects following gene therapy delivery at three-year follow-up.

"This study shows AAV1/SERCA2a gene therapy has long-lasting and beneficial effects for congestive heart failure patients allowing us to block the downward spiral of patients with severe heart failure, " says principal investigator Roger J. Hajjar, MD, Director of the Cardiovascular Research Center and the Arthur & Janet C. Ross Professor of Medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who developed the gene therapy approach.

The gene therapy uses a modified adeno-associated viral-vector derived from a parvovirus. The one-time gene therapy is injected through the coronary arteries of heart failure patients using catheters. It works by introducing healthy SERCA2a genes into cells. The delivery of the SERCA2a gene produces SERCA2a enzymes, which helps heart cells restore their proper use of calcium.

SERCA2a is an enzyme critical for proper pumping of calcium in calcium compartments within cells. SERCA2a dysfunction or reduced expression occurs in patients with heart failure. When SERCA2a is down-regulated, calcium stays longer in the cells than it should, and it induces pathways that lead to overgrowth of new and enlarged cells. This contributes to an enlarged heart in heart failure patients.

Previously, CUPID 1 study results showed the gene therapy to be clinically safe and effective for over 12 months with improved heart function status and left ventricular function, along with a significant decrease in recurrent cardiovascular events. CUPID 1 was the first-in human clinical gene therapy randomized, double-blind study which enrolled 39 patients with advanced heart failure.

"AAV1/SERCA2a gene therapy has been proven to be a safe and effective therapeutic intervention for advanced heart failure," says Dr. Hajjar. "Our long-term results support the potential use of AAV1/SERCA2a gene therapy as a new important additional tool for treating and managing advanced heart failure patients."

This study was presented as an Oral Session (Abstract 10667): Long Term Follow-up of Patients with Advanced Heart Failure Following a Single Intracoronary Infusion of AAV1/SERCA2a.

In addition, on Nov. 19 Dr. Hajjar also presented at the AHA Scientific Sessions 2013 a Plenary talk entitled, "How the Postgenome Era Will Change the Practice of Cardiology" and discussed his work on targeted gene therapy for human heart failure.

In his Plenary talk, Dr Hajjar presented his new findings just published in the journal Science Translational Medicine on Nov. 13 that show delivery of small ubiquitin-related modifier 1 (SUMO-1), an important regulator of SERCA2a, in preclinical heart failure models improves cardiac contractility and prevents left ventricular dilatation two major aspects of heart failure. According to Dr. Hajjar, the transition of this SUMO-1 gene therapy from pigs to humans seems likely in the short-term. Also, Dr. Hajjar revealed that development of novel cardiotropic vectors may render cardiovascular gene therapy easier and less-invasive in the near future.

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Advanced Heart Failure Patients Benefit From Long-lasting Gene ...

When cases of illegal trading in endangered species drew public attention a few years ago, the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology became a bridge between genetic research and law enforcement.

The institute received samples of animal body parts that the Forestry Ministry had seized from poachers. Later, the institute identified them using forensic DNA tests.

Through molecular analysis, the institute could identify the body parts of the protected endangered species to be used as evidence to prosecute the poachers.

The advanced molecular biology technique really overcame difficulties we faced in providing evidence for law enforcement, Herawati Sudoyo, the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biologys deputy chairman, said recently.

Speaking at a discussion titled Capacity Building in Wildlife Conservation and Forensic Genetics held jointly by the institute and the Research and Technology Ministry, Herawati said forensic genetics for investigation into wildlife-related crimes was one of the most outstanding achievements of the Eijkman Institute in the last few years.

A string of activities in barcoding animals such as fish, larvae, birds, insects and marine organisms using special markers including the mitochondrial DNA and Y STR are part of early initiatives taken by the institute on the wildlife conservation using forensic genetics.

This is the role of the Eijkman Institute to develop molecular genetic markers for species and sub-species identification by scrutinizing genetic patterns among geographically isolated populations, defining sub-species level for conservation management purposes, and revising traditional species and sub-species designation, said Herawati.

Ross McEwing, the TRACE Wildlife Forensics Networks technical director, said forensic genetics was the key to wildlife investigation as it could identify both species and the population origin of species or their parts as well as establishing a database of individuals for enforcement purposes. We have seen a growing awareness among countries of the need for forensic genetics to save wildlife, he said.

Citing examples, McEwing said wildlife forensic DNA testing in Malaysia had increased by 80 percent with 1,205 forensic samples processed. Vietnam has requested training courses for wildlife enforcement officers. All captive tigers in the country have been sampled for a DNA sampling/database. It also has requested assistance in establishing wildlife DNA forensics.

Noviar Andayani, a scientist from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Indonesia Program, also said her institution had been looking more into genetic management of endangered species. (Published June 28, 2012)

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Genetic test crucial for animal protection | ellyburhainifaizal

Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, allows the genetic diagnosis of vulnerabilities to inherited diseases, and can also be used to determine a child's parentage (genetic mother and father) or in general a person's ancestry. Normally, every person carries two copies of every gene (with the exception of genes related to sex-linked traits, which are only inherited from the mother by males), one inherited from their mother, one inherited from their father. The human genome is believed to contain around 20,00025,000 genes. In addition to studying chromosomes to the level of individual genes, genetic testing in a broader sense includes biochemical tests for the possible presence of genetic diseases, or mutant forms of genes associated with increased risk of developing genetic disorders. Genetic testing identifies changes in chromosomes, genes, or proteins.[1] Most of the time, testing is used to find changes that are associated with inherited disorders. The results of a genetic test can confirm or rule out a suspected genetic condition or help determine a person's chance of developing or passing on a genetic disorder. Several hundred genetic tests are currently in use, and more are being developed.[2][3]

Since genetic testing may open up ethical or psychological problems, genetic testing is often accompanied by genetic counseling.[citation needed]

Because genetic mutations can directly affect the structure of the proteins they code for, testing for specific genetic diseases can also be accomplished by looking at those proteins or their metabolites, or looking at stained or fluorescent chromosomes under a microscope.[4]

This article focuses on genetic testing for medical purposes. DNA sequencing, which actually produces a sequences of As, Cs, Gs, and Ts, is used in molecular biology, evolutionary biology, metagenomics, epidemiology, ecology, and microbiome research.

Genetic testing is "the analysis of, chromosomes (DNA), proteins, and certain metabolites in order to detect heritable disease-related genotypes, mutations, phenotypes, or karyotypes for clinical purposes."[5] It can provide information about a person's genes and chromosomes throughout life. Available types of testing include:

Non-diagnostic testing includes:

Many diseases have a genetic component with tests already available.

over-absorption of iron; accumulation of iron in vital organs (heart, liver, pancreas); organ damage; heart disease; cancer; liver disease; arthritis; diabetes; infertility; impotence[7]

Obstructive lung disease in adults; liver cirrhosis during childhood; when a newborn or infant has jaundice that lasts for an extended period of time (more than a week or two), an enlarged spleen, ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity), pruritus (itching), and other signs of liver injury; persons under 40 years of age that develops wheezing, a chronic cough or bronchitis, is short of breath after exertion and/or shows other signs of emphysema (especially when the patient is not a smoker, has not been exposed to known lung irritants, and when the lung damage appears to be located low in the lungs); when you have a close relative with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency; when a patient has a decreased level of A1AT.

Elevation of both serum cholesterol and triglycerides; accelerated atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease; cutaneous xanthomas; peripheral vascular disease; diabetes mellitus, obesity or hypothyroidism

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Genetic testing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Nov. 27, 2013 A team of researchers has brought new clarity to the picture of how gene-environmental interactions can kill nerve cells that make dopamine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that sends messages to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination. Their discoveries, described in a paper published online today in Cell, include identification of a molecule that protects neurons from pesticide damage.

"For the first time, we have used human stem cells derived from Parkinson's disease patients to show that a genetic mutation combined with exposure to pesticides creates a 'double hit' scenario, producing free radicals in neurons that disable specific molecular pathways that cause nerve-cell death," says Stuart Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., professor and director of Sanford-Burnham's Del E. Webb Center for Neuroscience, Aging, and Stem Cell Research and senior author of the study.

Until now, the link between pesticides and Parkinson's disease was based mainly on animal studies and epidemiological research that demonstrated an increased risk of disease among farmers, rural populations, and others exposed to agricultural chemicals.

In the new study, Lipton, along with Rajesh Ambasudhan, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the Del E. Webb Center, and Rudolf Jaenisch, M.D., founding member of Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and professor of biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), used skin cells from Parkinson's patients that had a mutation in the gene encoding a protein called alpha-synuclein. Alpha-synuclein is the primary protein found in Lewy bodies -- protein clumps that are the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease.

Using patient skin cells, the researchers created human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) containing the mutation, and then "corrected" the alpha-synuclein mutation in other cells. Next, they reprogrammed all of these cells to become the specific type of nerve cell that is damaged in Parkinson's disease, called A9 dopamine-containing neurons -- thus creating two sets of neurons -- identical in every respect except for the alpha-synuclein mutation.

"Exposing both normal and mutant neurons to pesticides -- including paraquat, maneb, or rotenone -- created excessive free radicals in cells with the mutation, causing damage to dopamine-containing neurons that led to cell death," said Frank Soldner, M.D., research scientist in Jaenisch's lab and co-author of the study.

"In fact, we observed the detrimental effects of these pesticides with short exposures to doses well below EPA-accepted levels," said Scott Ryan, Ph.D., researcher in the Del E. Webb Center and lead author of the paper.

Having access to genetically matched neurons with the exception of a single mutation simplified the interpretation of the genetic contribution to pesticide-induced neuronal death. In this case, the researchers were able to pinpoint how cells with the mutation, when exposed to pesticides, disrupt a key mitochondrial pathway -- called MEF2C-PGC1alpha -- that normally protects neurons that contain dopamine. The free radicals attacked the MEF2C protein, leading to the loss of function of this pathway that would otherwise have protected the nerve cells from the pesticides.

"Once we understood the pathway and the molecules that were altered by the pesticides, we used high-throughput screening to identify molecules that could inhibit the effect of free radicals on the pathway," said Ambasudhan. "One molecule we identified was isoxazole, which protected mutant neurons from cell death induced by the tested pesticides. Since several FDA-approved drugs contain derivatives of isoxazole, our findings may have potential clinical implications for repurposing these drugs to treat Parkinson's."

While the study clearly shows the relationship between a mutation, the environment, and the damage done to dopamine-containing neurons, it does not exclude other mutations and pathways from being important as well. The team plans to explore additional molecular mechanisms that demonstrate how genes and the environment interact to contribute to Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and ALS.

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Genetic mutation increases risk of Parkinson's disease from ...

Researchers from the UK have found something that can actually drive mice to drinkand no, it isnt stress induced by narrowly dodging mousetraps on a daily basis.

A joint research project conducted on mice by students from five UK universitiesImperial College London, Newcastle University, UCL, University of Dundee, and University of Sussexhighlighted the effects of a gene called Gabrb1 on regulating alcohol consumption. The study revealed that a mutation in the gene caused mice to drink enough alcohol in 1 hour to render them intoxicated and unable to move properly.

Gabrb1, the alcohol-regulating gene

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the researchers found that ordinary mice had no special interest in alcoholic beverages, opting to go for a bottle of normal water over a bottle of diluted alcohol.

However, mice with a mutated Gabrb1 gene showed a strong preference for alcoholic beverages, even going as far as to consume about 85% of their daily fluid intake in the form of alcohol.

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Mutant genes may trigger alcoholism, study shows | SciTech ...

This morning (November 28, 2013) National Geographic Wild (NGW) broadcasted a documentary on TV showing the Sacramento-Davis area scientist from the University of California - Davis, Leslie A. Lyons, School of Veterinary Medicine, and her research team traveling abroad a few years ago to find out where cats originated by testing their DNA in various countries. Was it Egypt or Turkey where the cat was first domesticated, most likely to keep the stored grain safe from mice? The answer is Egypt. You can check out the study, published in the January 2008 issue of Genomics, "The ascent of cat breeds: Genetic evaluations of breeds and worldwide random-bred populations."

The house cats' family tree is rooted in Fertile Crescent, starting with Egypt, the study confirmed as it covered the diaspora of the modern cat. Cats roaming the temples in Southern Egypt were found to be bigger than housecats in other parts of the world, as if they had more recently begun to be domesticated.

Thousands of years ago in Egypt, cats protected the grain bins from being eaten by rodents. From there, cats spread over most of the world. You also can check out the site, The Lyons' Den - UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

The feline genetics laboratory of Professor Leslie Lyons at UC Davis is located in the Center for Companion Animal Health (CCAH). Research focuses on the genetics of the domestic cat and the development of genetic tools and resources that assist gene mapping in the cat and other companion animals.

Feline research is focused on the discovery of mutations that cause inherited diseases and phenotypic traits and in the population dynamics of breed development and domestic cat evolution. See, "Feline Research Projects" and "How to Participate." All cats can participate, and all contributions are confidential, the website notes.

There are a variety of ways to assist genetic research of the domestic cat - any cat owner can be of assistant. Listed below are the different ways you can help. Please also see the Feline Research Projects for additional information.

The Fertile Crescent of the Middle East has long been identified as a cradle of civilization for humans. In a new genetic study, researchers at the University of California, Davis, have concluded that all ancestral roads for the modern day domestic cat also lead back to the same locale.

Findings of the study, according to the January 28, 2008 news release, "Cats' family tree rooted in Fertile Crescent, study confirms," involving more than 11,000 cats, are reported in the cover article of the January 2008 issue of the journal Genomics. This study confirms earlier research suggesting that the domestication of the cat started in the Fertile Crescent region. It also provides a warning for modern cat fanciers to make sure they maintain a broad genetic base as they further develop their breeds, said Monika Lipinski, according to the news release. Lipinski (at the time of the 2008 news release) is noted in the news release as a lead researcher on the study and a doctoral candidate in the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Leslie Lyons, an authority on cat genetics and principal investigator on this study, said, according to the news release: More than 200 genetic disorders have been identified in modern cats, and many are found in pure breeds. We hope that cat breeders will use the genetic information uncovered by this study to develop efficient breed-management plans and avoid introducing genetically linked health problems into their breeds.

History of the Modern Cat

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Cats' family tree rooted in Fertile Crescent, starting with ...

Genetic engineering (GE) is the modification of an organisms genetic composition by artificial means, often involving the transfer of specific traits, or genes, from one organism into a plant or animal of an entirely different species. When gene transfer occurs, the resulting organism is called transgenic or a GMO (genetically modified organism).

Genetic engineering is different from traditional cross breeding, where genes can only be exchanged between closely related species. With genetic engineering, genes from completely different species can be inserted into one another. For example, scientists in Taiwan have successfully inserted jellyfish genes into pigs in order to make them glow in the dark.

All life is made up of one or more cells. Each cell contains a nucleus, and inside each nucleus are strings of molecules called DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Each strand of DNA is divided into small sections called genes. These genes contain a unique set of instructions that determine how the organism grows, develops, looks, and lives.

During genetic engineering processes, specific genes are removed from one organism and inserted into another plant or animal, thus transferring specific traits.

Nearly 400 million acres of farmland worldwide are now used to grow GE crops such as cotton, corn, soybeans and rice. In the United States, GE soybeans, corn and cotton make up 93%, 88% and 94% of the total acreage of the respective crops. The majority of genetically engineered crops grown today are engineered to be resistant to pesticides and/or herbicides so that they can withstand being sprayed with weed killer while the rest of the plants in the field die.

GE proponents claim genetically engineered crops use fewer pesticides than non-GE crops, when in reality GE plants can require even more chemicals. This is because weeds become resistant to pesticides, leading farmers to spray even more on their crops. This pollutes the environment, exposes food to higher levels of toxins, and creates greater safety concerns for farmers and farm workers.

Some GE crops are actually classified as pesticides. For instance, the New Leaf potato, which has since been taken off grocery shelves, was genetically engineered to produce the Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) toxin in order to kill any pests that attempted to eat it. The actual potato was designated as a pesticide and was therefore regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), instead of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates food. Because of this, safety testing for these potatoes was not as rigorous as with food, since the EPA regulations had never anticipated that people would intentionally consume pesticides as food.

Adequate research has not yet been carried out to identify the effects of eating animals that have been fed genetically engineered grain, nor have sufficient studies been conducted on the effects of directly consuming genetically engineered crops like corn and soy. Yet despite our lack of knowledge, GE crops are widely used throughout the world as both human and animal food.

Scientists are currently working on ways to genetically engineer farm animals. Atlantic salmon have been engineered to grow to market size twice as fast as wild salmon, chickens have been engineered so that they cannot spread H5N1 avian flu to other birds, and research is being conducted to create cattle that cannot develop the infectious prions that can cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (aka mad cow disease). At this point, no GE animals have been approved by the FDA to enter the food supply. Genetic engineering experiments on animals do, however, pose potential risks to food safety and the environment.

In 2003, scientists at the University of Illinois were conducting an experiment that involved inserting cow genes into female pigs in order to increase their milk production. They also inserted a synthetic gene to make milk digestion easier for the piglets. Although the experimental pigs were supposed to be destroyed, as instructed by the FDA, 386 offspring of the experimental pigs were sold to slaughterhouses, where they were processed and sent to grocery stores as pork chops, sausage, and bacon.

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Sustainable Table | Genetic Engineering

Genetics Interview

By: Karlie Kaizer

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Genetics Interview - Video

BBC Genetics Discussed by Two Pro Bodybuilders
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Hardly a day passes without stories in the news concerning human genetics. Whether it is about new research into the genetic causes for illness, obesity, or even editorials concerning the use of stem cells in genetic research, the average American is bombarded with news about genetics. Someone who teaches about the marvels, latest discoveries and controversies surrounding genetics is Amy Hubert, an assistant professor in the department of biological sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Despite the popularity of the subject, Hubert had a very personal reason why entered the field.

My undergraduate genetics class was really interesting, Hubert said. I actually started out my undergraduate career as chemistry major, but I realized about halfway through that I really enjoyed my biology classes that I was taking as electives more than I enjoyed the chemistry classes. So I took genetics class and really enjoyed it and the lab that went with it. A native of Concordia, Kan., she obtained her bachelors degree in biology from the University of Kansas and her doctorate in genetics from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. After switching majors, she became more and more interested in molecular biology, which is key for understanding the workings of heredity.

One of the emphasis options was genetics and since I enjoyed the class so much thats the one I chose, she said. Thats what I got my degree in and just went on from there. These days she is working on a rapidly evolving field: the regeneration of the nervous system. This is research that is really entering a new frontier of science. In her work she studies microscopic organisms. One question many people ask is if they can regenerate the nervous system of a worm, why not a human?

Its a little more complicated than that, explained Hubert. The worms are actually a few millimeters long. While you can see them with the naked eye, we study them with a microscope. And they have this amazing ability to regenerate any of their body parts, including their nervous system. That is due to this population of stem cells that they maintain throughout their lifetime that lets them make new cells, including nervous system cells.

Although humans are quite a bit more complicated, Hubert said that scientists are hoping that some of what they learn from the worms is applicable, particularly in relation to stem cells.

Stem cells are cells that have the ability to replace themselves, she explained. So they can divide and make another stem cell. Or they can divide and create a cell that goes on to differentiate, a process in which it takes on characteristics of other cell types. Examples of those cells are the ones we find in the muscle, heart, or skin tissues.

The characteristics of stem cells are that they have those abilities to both replace themselves and create more stem cells so they can proliferate, or they can differentiate and make other types of cells. So they are capable of producing other cells that are necessary for other functions. Another concept one commonly hears in the media is that there is a gene that controls everything, but what about environmental influences?

Identical twins have the same exact genes. So if you see differences between identical twins reared in different environments, or even in the same environment, then you can use that to calculate what percentage of that trait or behavior or whatever you are measuring is controlled by genetic influences versus what percentage is controlled by environmental influences, she explained.

What we see is that any complex trait is going to be a combination of both the genetic and environmental components, she added. Also using fraternal twins, who share half of their genes, we can compare the differences in the similarities in identical twins and the similarity between fraternal twins. We can start to get at what parts of the traits involve genetics and what parts involve the environment.

Despite the fact that each offspring has 50 percent of the genes of each parent, not all genes are the same when it comes to dominance in the characteristics they express. That is why siblings can be very different from each other. Its all a random mixture, and sometimes it turns out that you look more like one parent than the other, Hubert said.

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Genetics answers questions and raises more - The Edwardsville ...

http://www.CLINICell.com "MENISCUS TEAR alternative with PRP and Stem Cell Therapy"
http://www.CLINICell.com offers the latest alternative treatments with PRP and Stem Cell Therapy for an MENISCUS Tear. Platelet Rich Plasma and Stem Cell treatments can be used as an alternative...

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http://www.CLINICell.com "MENISCUS TEAR alternative with PRP and Stem Cell Therapy" - Video

Other common name(s): cellular therapy, fresh cell therapy, live cell therapy, glandular therapy, xenotransplant therapy

Scientific/medical name(s): none

In cell therapy, processed tissue from the organs, embryos, or fetuses of animals such as sheep or cows is injected into patients. Cell therapy is promoted as an alternative form of cancer treatment.

Available scientific evidence does not support claims that cell therapy is effective in treating cancer or any other disease. Serious side effects can result from cell therapy. It may in fact be lethalseveral deaths have been reported. It is important to distinguish between this alternative method involving animal cells and mainstream cancer treatments that use human cells, such as bone marrow transplantation.

In cell therapy, live or freeze-dried cells or pieces of cells from the healthy organs, fetuses, or embryos of animals such as sheep or cows are injected into patients. This is supposed to repair cellular damage and heal sick or failing organs. Cell therapy is promoted as an alternative therapy for cancer, arthritis, heart disease, Down syndrome, and Parkinson disease.

Cell therapy is also marketed to counter the effects of aging, reverse degenerative diseases, improve general health, increase vitality and stamina, and enhance sexual function. Some practitioners have proposed using cell therapy to treat AIDS patients.

The theory behind cell therapy is that the healthy animal cells injected into the body can find their way to weak or damaged organs of the same type and stimulate the body's own healing process. The choice of the type of cells to use depends on which organ is having the problem. For instance, a patient with a diseased liver may receive injections of animal liver cells. Most cell therapists today use cells taken from taken from the tissue of animal embryos.

Supporters assert that after the cells are injected into the body, they are transported directly to where they are most needed. They claim that embryonic and fetal animal tissue contains therapeutic agents that can repair damage and stimulate the immune system, thereby helping cells in the body heal.

The alternative treatment cell therapy is very different from some forms of proven therapy that use live human cells. Bone marrow transplants infuse blood stem cellsfrom the patient or a carefully matched donorafter the patients own bone marrow cells have been destroyed. Studies have shown that bone marrow transplants are effective in helping to treat several types of cancer. In another accepted procedure, damaged knee cartilage can be repaired by taking cartilage cells from the patient's knee, carefully growing them in the laboratory, and then injecting them back into the joint. Approaches involving transplants of other types of human stem cells are being studied as a possible way to replace damaged nerve or heart muscle cells, but these approaches are still experimental.

First, healthy live cells are harvested from the organs of juvenile or adult live animals, animal embryos, or animal fetuses. These cells may be taken from the brain, pituitary gland, thyroid gland, thymus gland, liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen, heart, ovaries, testicles, or even from whole embryos. Patients might receive one or several types of animal cells. Some cell therapists inject fresh cells into their patients. Others freeze them first, which kills the cells, and they may filter out some of the cell components. Frozen cell extracts have a longer "shelf life" and can be screened for disease. Fresh cells cannot be screened. A course of cell therapy to address a specific disease might require several injections over a short period of time, whereas cell therapy designed to treat the effects of aging and "increase vitality" may involve injections received over many months.

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Cell Therapy - American Cancer Society

Adam Rutherford on Creation, synthetic biology and hip-hop
Geneticist and self-proclaimed geek, Adam Rutherford talks about his new book, Creation: The Origin of Life/The Future of Life, and what hip-hop can teach us...

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Adam Rutherford on Creation, synthetic biology and hip-hop - Video

Genetics. What is the probability have at least 2 boys out of 4 children?
the possible combinations of boys and girls are: bbbb bbbg bbgg bggg gggg all boys can occur in 1 way so p(4b) = 1 * .5^4 = .0625 3 boys 1 girl can occur in ...

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Genetics. What is the probability have at least 2 boys out of 4 children? - Video

Strainhunters Live Thread - 26th High Times Cannabis Cup smoking Apothecary Genetics
Sunday morning during the first day of the Cannabis Cup in amsterdam, we have been having some good times with our friend from Apothecary Genetics. http://www.strai...

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Strainhunters Live Thread - 26th High Times Cannabis Cup smoking Apothecary Genetics - Video

Genetics. Law of probability: rules of multiplication and addition.
If A and B are events, the probability of obtaining either of them is: P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A and B) If the events A and B are mutually exclusive( that is, if both events cannot occur...

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Genetics. Law of probability: rules of multiplication and addition. - Video

In the nearly three years that Greenwich's Barbara Netter has served as president of the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, she has seen history-making strides in the successful use of gene therapy in combating cancer. Individuals, young and old with certain types of cancer have been living cancer-free after receiving treatments funded by the Stamford-based foundation that she and her late husband Edward Netter created in 2001.

To learn more about Netter's work, Greenwich Time took a Time Out with her in her ACGT office.

Q: What is your role as president of ACGT?

A: As president, I try to map out strategic directions for the alliance, to see that what chiefly needs to be done is done. I became president shortly after my husband, Ed Netter, passed away -- it took me a while to get my arms around it. I was still grieving for my husband. But a year ago, April of last year, on the day we held our benefit, I was named "donor of the day" by The Wall Street Journal. The editor had asked me how did I know what to do when I took over, but I had worked on the alliance with Ed. I had done special events. I found I had inner resources I never thought I had. You develop confidence when you make important things happen. Seeing wonderful things happening mitigated my grief. I feel we've really made progress.

Q: How does ACGT dispense its funds?

A: We give seed money to scientists who are chosen by ACGT's Scientific Advisory Council from applications for funding that are sent to us. My esteemed scientists are able to determine which applications present potential for future discoveries.

Q: What are the major new advances of cancer treatment using gene therapy that ACGT has funded?

A: The extraordinary results brought about by Dr. Carl June at the University of Pennsylvania with T cell therapy were first reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in August of 2011. His T cell therapy seemed to work for a number of people with lymphocytic leukemia. There are 22 to 23 adults who have achieved cancer remission from this therapy who are now back at work. Emily Whitehead, a child who had leukemia, was treated by Dr. June using T cell therapy, and she is doing great. She's back at school. She was not expected to live.

We funded Dr. June first in 2004 and again in 2008. We also funded another research fellow in 2004, Dr. Michael Sadelain of Sloan-Kettering's Cancer Center. He is the director of cell engineering at the center. He and Dr. June spoke at a recent event we held in New York City. Sadelain said we're on the cusp of a golden age of cancer prevention and treatment, thanks to the promise of recent discoveries.

Q: Your event was held at the Harvard Club in New York. What was the purpose of this event?

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Funding research in search for a cure - GreenwichTime