SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A child with a life threatening disease is heart wrenching for parents. Suddenly they are faced with no easy way to get a match for stem cells that could save their child.

With cell therapy, there is a way to do that but it starts in the delivery room.

Delanie Rinne's fourth child, Ezekial, was born earlier this year and even though he'll get older; proof of that day is being stored at Core23 BioBank in Springfield.

"We decided to look into banking the cord blood because we know that this is probably our last biological child," says Rinne.

Core23 stores your child's blood, plasma or tissue from the umbilical cord to help treat 81 different diseases.

"If I had a child that has Leukemia and I was pregnant then that would be a treatment option."

Emily and Michael Perry opened the private cord bank as another option for parents.

"We see that cell therapy is surpassing bone marrow, we truly believe that it is the medicine of the future."

"Cell therapy is taking a healthy, viable cell and putting it into somebody's body to treat a disease or a condition."

The process starts in the delivery room and ends in a hydrogen tank in their lab.

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Cord Banking, Cell Therapy Helps Treat Deadly Diseases

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[ Watch the Video: Longevity Gene May Boost Brain Power ]

redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports Your Universe Online

People possessing a variant of the longevity gene KLOTHO have demonstrated enhanced brain skills, regardless of factors such as age, sex or risk of Alzheimers disease, according to research published in the journal Cell Reports.

The National Institutes of Health-funded study found that people with the variant had improved thinking, learning and memory. It also revealed that increasing levels of the KLOTHO gene in mice made the creatures smarter, possibly by increasing the strength of the brains nerve cell connections, the study authors explained.

This could be a major step toward helping millions around the world who are suffering from Alzheimers disease and other dementias, lead author Dr. Dena Dubal, the David A. Coulter Endowed Chair in Aging and Neurodegeneration at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, said in a statement. If we could boost the brains ability to function, we may be able to counter dementias.

According to the study authors, the effects that aging has on the brain will become a greater health issue as people live longer, especially when it comes to the set of brain disorders known as dementias. The symptoms of dementia include impaired language skills and memory issues, and the number of cases is expected to double every 20 years. By the year 2050, over 115 million people worldwide are expected to require treatment for one of these conditions.

People who have one copy of a variant of the KLOTHO gene known as KL-VS are more likely to live longer and are also less likely to suffer a stroke, the researchers said. On the other hand, people who have two copies of the gene are more likely to live shorter lives and have a higher risk of stroke.

As part of their new study, Dr. Dubal and her colleagues discovered that men and women who possessed one copy of the KL-VS variant performed better on a series of different cognitive examinations than those who lacked the gene regardless of how old they were, whether they were male or female, or whether or not they had the apolipoprotein 4 gene (the primary genetic risk factor for Alzheimers disease).

The investigative team recruited over 700 subjects between the ages of 52 and 85, none of whom demonstrated signs of dementia, and tested several different cognitive abilities during three studies. Between 20 and 25 percent of all subjects had one copy of the KL-VS variant, and those individuals outperformed those who had no copies on the various tests, according to the study authors.

This study shows the importance of genes that regulate the multiple aging processes involved in the maintenance of cognitive function, said Dr. Suzana Petanceska, of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Division of Neuroscience. Understanding the factors that control the levels and activity of KLOTHO across multiple organ systems may open new therapeutic avenues for prevention of age-related cognitive decline and dementia.

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Variant Of Longevity Gene Could Enhance Cognitive Abilities

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Newswise MANHATTAN, Kan. A collaborative study involving Kansas State University researchers has discovered a new gene expression mechanism in porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, or PRRS, virus an important swine pathogen that costs the U.S. pork industry more than $600 million a year. The discovery provides a new avenue for scientists to explore strategies to control and prevent the disease.

Ying Fang, Ph.D., associate professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology at Kansas State University, led a study that looked at the unique gene expression mechanism of the PRRS virus. She and colleagues found a new protein in the virus, nsp2TF, was generated through novel ribosomal frameshifting signals.

The research recently appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, or PNAS, study, "Transactivation of programmed ribosomal frameshifting by a viral protein."

Fang conducted this study with her European collaborators, including Eric Snijder and his team members at Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands, and Andrew Firth, Ian Brierley and Brierley's lab members at the University of Cambridge. Yanhua Li, Fang's doctoral student in pathobiology, China, made important contributions to this study. Zhi Sun, Fang's former doctoral student, and Longchao Zhu, visiting scholars in diagnostic medicine and pathobiology in Fang's lab, also were involved in the study.

The study builds on a 2012 PNAS study Fang and her European collaborators conducted while she was at South Dakota State University. In it, researchers identified the nsp2TF protein in the PRRS virus. The protein is expressed through a new gene expression mechanism called -2 ribosomal frameshifting.

"Frameshifting occurs when a ribosome encounters a 'slippery' sequence and downstream signal in messenger RNA," Fang said. "This causes the ribosome to shift two nucleotides backward, which results in all the genetic codons downstream of the shifted site to be read differently and produce a new protein that has a different function."

With the most recent study, Fang and colleagues have shown that this -2 frameshifting requires a PRRS virus protein, nsp1beta. It is the first time a virus's genetic mechanism has been found to require the action of a transacting viral protein rather than a RNA structure to induce a ribosomal frameshifting, which is novel in the protein translation field.

The function of the nsp2TF protein is currently under investigation, Fang said. The protein contains a genetic element that may be responsible for suppressing the pig's immune system.

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Researchers Find a New Gene Expression Mechanism of PRRS Virus

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/rccld6/rnai) has announced the addition of Jain PharmaBiotech's new report "RNAi - Technologies, Markets and Companies" to their offering.

RNA interference (RNAi) or gene silencing involves the use of double stranded RNA (dsRNA). Once inside the cell, this material is processed into short 21-23 nucleotide RNAs termed siRNAs that are used in a sequence-specific manner to recognize and destroy complementary RNA. The report compares RNAi with other antisense approaches using oligonucleotides, aptamers, ribozymes, peptide nucleic acid and locked nucleic acid.

Delivery of therapeutics to the target tissues is an important consideration. siRNAs can be delivered to cells in culture by electroporation or by transfection using plasmid or viral vectors. In vivo delivery of siRNAs can be carried out by injection into tissues or blood vessels or use of synthetic and viral vectors.

Regulatory, safety and patent issues are discussed. Side effects can result from unintended interaction between an siRNA compound and an unrelated host gene. If RNAi compounds are designed poorly, there is an increased chance for non-specific interaction with host genes that may cause adverse effects in the host. However, there are no major safety concerns and regulations are in preliminary stages as the clinical trials are still ongoing and there are no marketed products. Many of the patents are still pending.

The markets for RNAi are difficult to define as no RNAi-based product is approved yet but several are in clinical trials. The major use of RNAi reagents is in research but it partially overlaps that of drug discovery and therapeutic development. Various markets relevant to RNAi are analyzed from 2013 to 2023. Markets are also analyzed according to technologies and use of siRNAs, miRNAs, etc.

Profiles of 161 companies involved in developing RNAi technologies are presented along with 233 collaborations. They are a mix of companies that supply reagents and technologies (nearly half of all) and companies that use the technologies for drug discovery. Out of these, 33 are developing RNAi-based therapeutics and 35 are involved in microRNAs. The bibliography contains selected 600 publications that are cited in the report. The text is supplemented with 35+ tables and 11 figures.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Technologies for suppressing gene function

2. RNAi Technologies

3. MicroRNA

Visit link:
Research and Markets: RNAi - Technologies, Markets and Companies (Updated 2014 Report)

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Genetic Engineering By Anna from Germany
Genetic Engineering By Anna from Germany.

By: Genn Kla

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Genetic Engineering By Anna from Germany - Video

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A scientific breakthrough has expanded the way genetic information can be stored.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- All of life as we know it on Earth -- pigs, pandas, fish, bacteria and everything else -- has genetic information encoded in the same way, with the same biological alphabet.

Now, for the first time, scientists have shown it is possible to alter that alphabet and still have a living organism that passes on the genetic information. They reported their findings in the journal Nature.

"This is the first experimental demonstration that life can exist with information that's not coded the way nature does (it)," said Floyd Romesberg, associate professor of chemistry at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.

Medicine can greatly benefit from this discovery, Romesberg said. There's potential for better antibiotics and treatments for a slew of diseases for which drug development has been challenging, including cancers.

The findings also suggest that DNA as we know it on Earth may not be the only solution to coding for life, Romesberg said. There may be other organisms elsewhere in space that use genetic letters we have never seen -- or that don't use DNA at all.

"Is this alien life? No," he said. "Does it suggest that there could be other ways of storing information? Yes."

How they did it

For their genetic experiments, Romesberg and colleagues used molecules, called X and Y, that are completely different from the four building blocks of DNA.

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Changing the DNA alphabet

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Genetics, Teatro Caupolican, Santiago de Chile, 4 de Mayo 2014.
The Knife..., gracias Chile !!!!!

By: FriendshipmusicAR

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Tomorrow #39;s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food
Pamela Ronald and Raoul Adamchak Husband and wife Raoul Adamchak and Pamela Ronald are co-authors of the book "Tomorrow #39;s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, a...

By: University of NebraskaLincoln

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Advanced Genetics Tutorial - Monster Mash
Part three of my Minecraft tutorial series for Advanced Genetics. In this video you will find out how to make useful monsters in any mod pack that includes A...

By: IDEDonline

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The Sims 3 | Perfect Genetics Challenge Part 2: Love Letters
In this part, we get romantic with Darren and find out we #39;re pregnant! Backstory: "Once upon a time, the Mighty Player sent a Sim to live in the world where all its creations were living...

By: simplyapril

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The Sims 3 | Perfect Genetics Challenge Part 2: Love Letters - Video

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Genetics Lectures

By: Motaher Hossain

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Genetics Lectures - Video

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Gene Therapy (Breast Cancer)
Assignments SQG 4143.

By: Nursyuhada Fatihah

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Gene Therapy (Breast Cancer) - Video

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Beverly Hills, California (PRWEB) May 12, 2014

The top Beverly Hills pain management doctors at BZ Pain are now offering stem cell procedures for those with joint arthritis and pain. The outpatient regenerative medicine procedures are typically able to relieve pain and help patients avoid the need for joint replacement surgery of the shoulder, hip, knee and ankle. Call (310) 626-1526 for more information and scheduling.

Over a million joint replacement procedures are performed each year in America. These procedures should be considered an absolute last resort, since the implants are not meant to last forever. There are potential complications with joint replacement.

Therefore, stem cell procedures are an excellent option. They often help repair and regenerate damaged tissue, which is very different than what occurs with steroid injections. The stem cell procedures include options derived from amniotic fluid, fat tissue, or one's bone marrow.

Initial studies are showing the benefits of stem cell procedures for degenerative arthritis. With exceptionally low risk, there is a significant upside with the stem cell pain management therapies.

Dr. Zarrini at BZ Pain is a Double Board Certified Los Angeles pain management doctor, and is able to provide both medical and interventional therapies. The procedures do not involve any fetal tissue or embryonic stem cells. The procedures may help degenerative disease symptoms in the shoulder, hip, knee and ankle to name a few joints.

For those interested in stem cell therapy Los Angeles and Beverly Hills trusts, call BZ Pain today at (310) 626-1526.

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Top Beverly Hills Pain Management Doctors at BZ Pain Now Offering Stem Cell Procedures for Joint Arthritis for Pain ...

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This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.

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Xcelthera Inc and its joint research partner San Diego Regenerative Medicine Institute are granted U.S. Patent No. 8,716,017 entitled, Technologies, Methods, and Products of Small Molecule-Directed Tissue and Organ Regeneration from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) May 08, 2014

Xcelthera Inc, a major innovator in the stem cell research market and one of the first U.S. companies formed for clinical applications of human embryonic stem cell (human ES cell) therapeutic utility for unmet medical needs, and its joint research partner San Diego Regenerative Medicine Institute announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Patent No. 8,716,017 entitled, Technologies, Methods, and Products of Small Molecule-Directed Tissue and Organ Regeneration from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. This newly-issued patent is the first among a portfolio of intellectual property of Xcelthera Inc covering PluriXcel human stem cell technology platform for large-scale production of high quality clinical-grade pluripotent human ES cell lines and their functional human neuronal and heart muscle cell therapy products.

Neurodegenerative and heart diseases are major health problems and cost the worldwide healthcare system more than $500 billion annually. The limited capacity of these two cell systems -- neurons and cardiomyocytes -- for self-repair makes them suitable for stem cell-based neuronal and heart therapies. Nevertheless, to date, the existing markets lack a clinically-suitable human neuronal cell source or cardiomyocyte source with adequate regenerative potential, which has been the major setback in developing safe and effective cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative and heart diseases. Xcelthera proprietary PluriXcel technology allows efficient derivation of clinical-grade human ES cell lines and direct conversion of such pluripotent human ES cells by small molecule induction into a large commercial scale of high quality human neuronal or heart muscle cells, which constitutes clinically representative progress in both human neuronal and cardiac therapeutic products for treating neurodegenerative and heart diseases.

PluriXcel technology of Xcelthera Inc is milestone advancement in stem cell research, offering currently the only available human cell therapy products with the pharmacological capacity to regenerate human neurons and contractile heart muscles that allow restitution of function of the central nervous system (CNS) and heart in the clinic. Through technology license agreement with San Diego Regenerative Medicine Institute, Xcelthera Inc has become the first in the world to hold the proprietary breakthrough technology for large-scale production of high quality clinical-grade pluripotent human ES cell lines and their functional human neuronal and heart cell therapy products for commercial and therapeutic uses.

As neurodegenerative and heart diseases incur exorbitant costs on the healthcare system worldwide, there is a strong focus on providing newer and more efficient solutions for these therapeutic needs. Millions of people are pinning their hopes on stem cell research. PluriXcel technology platform of Xcelthera Inc is incomparable, providing life scientists and clinicians with novel and effective resources to address major health concerns. Such breakthrough stem cell technology has presented human ES cell therapy derivatives as a powerful pharmacologic agent of cellular entity for a wide range of incurable or hitherto untreatable neurodegenerative and heart diseases. Introduction of medical innovations and new business opportunities based on PluriXcel technology will shape the future of medicine by providing pluripotent human ES cell-based technology for human tissue and function restoration, and bringing new therapeutics into the market.

About Xcelthera Inc.

Xcelthera INC (http://www.xcelthera.com) is a new biopharmaceutical company moving towards clinical development stage of novel and most advanced stem cell therapy for a wide range of neurological and cardiovascular diseases with leading technology and ground-breaking medical innovation in cell-based regenerative medicine. The Company was recently incorporated in the state of California to commercialize the technologies and products developed, in part, with supports by government grants to the founder, by San Diego Regenerative Medicine Institute (SDRMI), an non-profit 501C3 tax-exempt status independent biomedical research institute that is interested in licensing its PATENT RIGHTS in a manner that will benefit the public by facilitating the distribution of useful products and the utilization of new processes, but is without capacity to commercially develop, manufacture, and distribute any such products or processes. Xcelthera is a major innovator in the stem cell research market and one of the first companies formed for clinical applications of human embryonic stem cell (human ES cell) therapeutic utility for unmet medical needs. The Company is the first to hold the proprietary breakthrough technology for large-scale production of high quality clinical-grade pluripotent human ES cell lines and their functional human neuronal and heart muscle cell therapy products for commercial and therapeutic uses. The Company owns or has exclusive rights in a portfolio of intellectual property or license rights related to its novel PluriXcel human stem cell technology platforms and Xcel prototypes of human stem cell therapy products. The inception of Xcelthera is driven by the urgent need for clinical translation of human ES cell research discoveries and innovations to address unmet medical challenges in major health problems. Xcelthera breakthrough developments in human ES cell research dramatically increase the overall turnover of investments in biomedical sciences to optimal treatment options for a wide range of human diseases. The overall strategy of the Company is to use cutting-edge human stem cell technology to develop clinical-grade functional human neural and cardiac cell therapy products from pluripotent human ES cells as cellular medicine or cellular drugs to provide the next generation of cell-based therapeutic solutions for unmet medical needs in world-wide major health problems. The Company is currently offering Series A Convertible Preferred Stock to accredited investors through equity crowdfunding to raise fund for its pre-IPO business operation and filing confidential IPO as an emerging growth company according to the JOBS Act to create a public market for its common stock and to facilitate its future access to the public equity market and growth of the Company.

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Xcelthera Inc Secures First U.S. Patent for Large-Scale Production of High Quality Human Embryonic Stem Cells and ...

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

11-May-2014

Contact: Joseph Caputo joseph_caputo@harvard.edu 617-496-1491 Harvard University

Cambridge, MAHarvard scientists have merged stem cell and 'organ-on-a-chip' technologies to grow, for the first time, functioning human heart tissue carrying an inherited cardiovascular disease. The research appears to be a big step forward for personalized medicine, as it is working proof that a chunk of tissue containing a patient's specific genetic disorder can be replicated in the laboratory.

The work, published in Nature Medicine, is the result of a collaborative effort bringing together scientists from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston Children's Hospital, the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Harvard Medical School. It combines the 'organs-on-chips' expertise of Kevin Kit Parker, PhD, and stem cell and clinical insights by William Pu, MD.

Using their interdisciplinary approach, the investigators modeled the cardiovascular disease Barth syndrome, a rare X-linked cardiac disorder caused by mutation of a single gene called Tafazzin, or TAZ. The disorder, which is currently untreatable, primarily appears in boys, and is associated with a number of symptoms affecting heart and skeletal muscle function.

The researchers took skin cells from two Barth syndrome patients, and manipulated the cells to become stem cells that carried these patients' TAZ mutations. Instead of using the stem cells to generate single heart cells in a dish, the cells were grown on chips lined with human extracellular matrix proteins that mimic their natural environment, tricking the cells into joining together as they would if they were forming a diseased human heart. The engineered diseased tissue contracted very weakly, as would the heart muscle seen in Barth syndrome patients.

The investigators then used genome editinga technique pioneered by Harvard collaborator George Church, PhDto mutate TAZ in normal cells, confirming that this mutation is sufficient to cause weak contraction in the engineered tissue. On the other hand, delivering the TAZ gene product to diseased tissue in the laboratory corrected the contractile defect, creating the first tissue-based model of correction of a genetic heart disease.

"You don't really understand the meaning of a single cell's genetic mutation until you build a huge chunk of organ and see how it functions or doesn't function," said Parker, who has spent over a decade working on 'organs-on-chips' technology. "In the case of the cells grown out of patients with Barth syndrome, we saw much weaker contractions and irregular tissue assembly. Being able to model the disease from a single cell all the way up to heart tissue, I think that's a big advance."

Furthermore, the scientists discovered that the TAZ mutation works in such a way to disrupt the normal activity of mitochondria, often called the power plants of the cell for their role in making energy. However, the mutation didn't seem to affect overall energy supply of the cells. In what could be a newly identified function for mitochondria, the researchers describe a direct link between mitochondrial function and a heart cell's ability to build itself in a way that allows it to contract.

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Patient stem cells used to make 'heart disease-on-a-chip'

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Neurosurgeon and stem cell researcher, Joseph Ciacci M.D. will soon start a clinical trial of stem cells to treat paralysis from spinal cord injury.

After many years of waiting, a flood of new regenerative-cell therapies is finally reaching patients. Hundreds of clinical trials for these experimental treatments are under way across the world.

In the United States, 774 trials with stem or other regenerative cells are open to patients or soon will be, according to clinicaltrials.gov, which lists government-approved clinical testing in this country and abroad. Of that total, 147 are taking place in California.

One of the most difficult tests involving stem cells repairing spinal-cord damage that has caused complete loss of movement and sensation below the injury site is set to begin soon at UC San Diego.

Patients in that study will get injections of fetal-derived neural stem cells in and around the injury site, along with physical therapy and immune-system drugs in case theres a reaction to the stem cells. The trial will use a device that delivers precisely targeted micro-injections of cells to the targeted areas.

The clinical trial will test safety and look for early signs of efficacy, said Dr. Joseph Ciacci, a UC San Diego neurosurgeon leading the testing.

A study published a year ago found that in rats with spinal-cord injuries, the neural stem cells significantly improved movement in the hind paws. Ciacci, who co-authored that study, saw the cells proliferate and fill in a spinal-cord cavity that had resulted from the injuries. Such results supported testing the therapy in people, he said, but he declined to say whether he expected to see any improvement in those patients.

I really dont know, because its not been done, Ciacci said.

The clinical trial is expected to start in June. Its intended for adults 18 to 65 years old who suffered their injury at least one year ago but no more than two years ago. For more information, visit utsandiego.com/ucsdspinal or call Amber Faulise at (858) 657-5175.

Another type of stem cells, mesenchymal stromal, might be described as the duct tape of regenerative cells. Generally derived from bone marrow, they are being tested for treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, kidney transplants, liver cirrhosis, osteoarthritis of the knee, stroke and many other conditions. Worldwide, 226 trials are being conducted with these cells, including 45 in the U.S. and 12 in California, according to clinicaltrials.gov.

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Stem cell treatments reaching patients

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Whitehead Institute scientists have identified a genetic cause of a facial disorder known as hemifacial microsomia (HFM). The researchers find that duplication of the gene OTX2 induces HFM, the second-most common facial anomaly after cleft lip and palate.

HFM affects approximately one in 3,500 births. While some cases appear to run in families, no gene had been found to be causative. That is until Whitehead Fellow Yaniv Erlich and his lab set out to do just that. Their work is described in this week's issue of the journal PLOS ONE.

Patients with HFM tend to have asymmetrical faces, --typically with one side of the upper and lower jaws smaller than the opposite side--a smaller or malformed ear on the affected side, and, in some cases, neurological or developmental abnormalities.

Thought to be brought on by circulation difficulties during embryonic development, HFM is also thought to be sporadic -- meaning that it occurs spontaneously rather than through inheritance. However, one family in northern Israel has more than its share of the anomaly.

To identify the origin of this family's disorder, Erlich and lab technician Dina Zielinski began studying the genomes of a five-year-old female member of the family, along with those of her mother, grandmother, and male cousin, who all exhibited traits of HFM. Later, the genetic information from the grandmother's Russian cousin, who resides in the Philadelphia area, was recruited to the study.

"What's unique here is that this is the largest family with this disorder described in the literature," says Erlich. "Most of the time, you see one person affected, or perhaps two people -- a parent and a child. Such a large family increases the power of the genetic study and clearly signals that there is a genetic component to a disease."

To find the cause of this family's HFM, Zielinski began by searching for a point mutation, but the five of the study participants held no such mutation in common. Next she looked for sections of the genome that are duplicated. All had an extra copy of one 1.3 megabase pair section of chromosome 14. Duplications this large are frequently detrimental.

Within this large piece of DNA, Zielinski identified eight candidate genes that could cause the type of HFM running in this family. She then used two algorithms to compare the molecular signatures of these eight genes to other genes known to be responsible for various facial malformations with features similar to HFM. After this analysis, the gene OTX2 that codes for a transcription factor rose above the seven other candidates.

These results are supported by what is known of OTX2's function. Previous data indicates that the gene codes for a protein that is expressed in the heads and pharyngeal arches of mouse embryos in developmental stages corresponding to the periods when HFM abnormalities are thought to arise in humans.

Although this is a tantalizing hint as to OTX2's activity during development, Zielinski cautions that little is known about its overall role, in part because it serves as a transcription factor that regulates other genes.

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Gene behind highly prevalent facial anomaly found

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A specially formed material that can provide custom broadband absorption in the infrared can be identified and manufactured using "genetic algorithms," according to Penn State engineers, who say these metamaterials can shield objects from view by infrared sensors, protect instruments and be manufactured to cover a variety of wavelengths. "The metamaterial has a high absorption over broad bandwidth," said Jeremy A. Bossard, postdoctoral fellow in electrical engineering.

"Other screens have been developed for a narrow bandwidth, but this is the first that can cover a super-octave bandwidth in the infrared spectrum."

Having a broader bandwidth means that one material can protect against electromagnetic radiation over a wide range of wavelengths, making the material more useful. The researchers looked at silver, gold and palladium, but found that palladium provided better bandwidth coverage.

This new metamaterial is actually made of layers on a silicon substrate or base. The first layer is palladium, followed by a polyimide layer. On top of this plastic layer is a palladium screen layer. The screen has elaborate, complicated cutouts -- sub wavelength geometry -- that serve to block the various wavelengths. A polyimide layer caps the whole absorber.

"As long as the properly designed pattern in the screen is much smaller than the wavelength, the material can work effectively as an absorber," said Lan Lin, graduate student in electrical engineering. "It can also absorb 90 percent of the infrared radiation that comes in at up to a 55 degree angle to the screen."

To design the necessary screen for this metamaterial, the researchers used a genetic algorithm. They described the screen pattern by a series of zeros and ones -- a chromosome -- and let the algorithm randomly select patterns to create an initial population of candidate designs. The algorithm then tested the patterns and eliminated all but the best. The best patterns were then randomly tweaked for the second generation.

Again the algorithm discarded the worst and kept the best. After a number of generations the good patterns met and even exceeded the design goals. Along the way the best pattern from each generation was retained. They report their results in a recent issue of ACS Nano.

"We wouldn't be able to get an octave bandwidth coverage without the genetic algorithm," said Bossard. "In the past, researchers have tried to cover the bandwidth using multiple layers, but multiple layers were difficult to manufacture and register properly."

This evolved metamaterial can be easily manufactured because it is simply layers of metal or plastic that do not need complex alignment. The clear cap of polyimide serves to protect the screen, but also helps reduce any impedance mismatch that might occur when the wave moves from the air into the device.

"Genetic algorithms are used in electromagnetics, but we are at the forefront of using this method to design metamaterials," said Bossard.

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Genetic approach helps design broadband metamaterial

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

11-May-2014

Contact: Mark Thomson press.office@sanger.ac.uk 01-223-492-384 Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

In the most comprehensive exploration of the association between genetic variation and human metabolism, researchers have provided unprecedented insights into how genetic variants influence complex disease and drug response through metabolic pathways.

The team has linked 145 genetic regions with more than 400 molecules involved in human metabolism in human blood. This atlas of genetic associations with metabolism provides many new opportunities to understand the molecular pathways underlying associations with common, complex diseases.

Metabolic molecules, known as metabolites, include a wide range of different molecules such as vitamins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleotides. They make up parts of, or are the products of, all biological pathways. This new compendium of associations between genetic regions and metabolite levels provides a powerful tool to identify genes that could be used in drug and diagnostic tests for a wide range of metabolic disorders.

"The sheer wealth of biological information we have uncovered is extraordinary," says Dr Nicole Soranzo, senior author from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. "It's exciting to think that researchers can now take this freely available information forward to better understand the molecular underpinnings of a vast range of metabolic associations."

The team measured the levels of a large number of metabolites, both those already known and many as yet uncharacterised, from many different metabolic pathways.

They found 90 new genetic associations, trebling the figure of known genetic associations with metabolites. In many of the cases where metabolites were known, the team were able to link the molecule to gene function. They mapped genes to their likely substrates or products and linked these to a number of conditions, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

They further found that these genetic regions map preferentially to genes that are currently targeted in drug-development programmes. This provides new opportunities to assess genetic influences on drug response, and to assess the potential for existing drugs to treat a wide range of diseases.

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Atlas shows how genes affect our metabolism

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Glove LOVE Iron Fist genetics
18 and over please Iron fist glove love social grow growers love.

By: TjrA homemadegrowbox

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Iron fist genetics 10 pack of MOB
Mail Order Bride 10 Pk from Iron Fist Genetics whoot whoot.

By: dakine pakalolo

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Iron fist genetics 10 pack of MOB - Video

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genetics plays santiago chile 4 mayo 2014
Descripcin can-utility and the coastliners teatro caupolican.

By: jose caurapan

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genetics plays santiago chile 4 mayo 2014 - Video

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AQA Unit 2 Biology. Genetics lesson 11 Fossils
Free GCSE and A Level video lessons.

By: Freesciencelessons

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AQA Unit 2 Biology. Genetics lesson 11 Fossils - Video

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AQA Unit 2 Biology. Genetics lesson 12 How do new species form?
Free GCSE and A Level video lessons.

By: Freesciencelessons

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AQA Unit 2 Biology. Genetics lesson 12 How do new species form? - Video

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FreeTheBean OG X ChemD F3 CA2AK genetics
18 OVER MMMP patient and caregiver I full compliance. Day 1 germ free the bean, thx again CA2AK for the awesome genetics and thx ba jones and smokesalotjohnny for including us in your grow along.

By: BolagnaSheetsMD .

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FreeTheBean OG X ChemD F3 CA2AK genetics - Video

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