Are women in Iran who use Facebook less likely to wear a veil?
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
8-Apr-2014
Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
New Rochelle, NY, April 8, 2014Use of social media such as Facebook can influence attitudes and behaviors among people of all countries and cultures. Among women in Iran, the duration and amount of daily Facebook activity is associated with their desire to wear a traditional head-covering and their willingness to display pictures of themselves without a veil, according to an article in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking website.
In "The Influence of Social Networking Technologies on Female Religious Veil-Wearing Behavior in Iran," Sean Young, PhD, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Abbas Shakiba, University of Shahid Chamran (Ahvaz, Iran), Justin Kwok, UCLA, and Mohammad Sadegh Montazeri, University of Semnan, Iran, report the results of a survey of Iranian women. They found significant relationships between several factors and how likely the Iranian women surveyed were to cover themselves with a veil and whether they would post unveiled photos on Facebook.
"This study is an important foray into the impact technology and social media is having on cultural and religious norms," says Brenda K. Wiederhold, PhD, MBA, BCB,BCN, Editor-in-Chief of Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, from the Interactive Media Institute, San Diego, CA.
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About the Journal
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking is a peer-reviewed journal published monthly online with Open Access options and in print that explores the psychological and social issues surrounding the Internet and interactive technologies, plus cybertherapy and rehabilitation. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking website.
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520-Million-Year-Old Fossils Had Heart and Brain
The fossil of an extinct marine predator that lay entombed in an ancient seafloor for 520 million years reveals the creature had a sophisticated heart and blood-vessel system similar to those of its distant modern relatives, arthropods such as lobsters and ants, researchers report today (April 7).
The cardiovascular system was discovered in the 3-inch-long (8 centimeters) fossilized marine animal species called Fuxianhuia protensa, which is an arthropod from the Chengjiang fossil site in China's Yunnan province. It is the oldest example of an arthropod heart and blood vessel system ever found.
"It's really quite extraordinary," said study co-author Nicholas Strausfeld, a neuroscientist at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
The cardiovascular network is the latest evidence that arthropods had developed a complex organ system 520 million years ago, in the Cambrian Period, the researchers said. Arthropodscome in a wide range of shapes and sizes today, but the animals have kept some aspects of their basic body plan since the Cambrian. For instance, the brain in living crustaceans is very similar to that of F. protensa, which is a distant relative but not a direct ancestor of modern species, Strausfeld said. "The brain has not changed much over 520 million years," he said.
In contrast, blood vessel networks have become both simpler and more complex in the ensuing millennia, in response to changing bodies. The modern relatives of F. protensa are arthropods with mandible jaws, and include everything from insects such as beetles and flies to crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs.
"What we're seeing in the arterial system is the ground pattern, the basic body pattern from which all these modern variations could have arisen," Strausfeld told Live Science.
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New research may provide effective nonsurgical treatment for knee osteoarthritis
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
8-Apr-2014
Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2156 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
New Rochelle, NY, April 8, 2014A new nonsurgical approach to treating chronic pain and stiffness associated with knee osteoarthritis has demonstrated significant, lasting improvement in knee pain, function, and stiffness. This safe, two-solution treatment delivered in a series of injections into and around the knee joint is called prolotherapy, and is described in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine website.
David Rabago, MD, and a team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and Meriter Health Services, Madison, WI, report substantial improvement among participants in the one-year study who received at least three of the two-solution injections. Symptom improvement ranged from 19.5-42.9% compared to baseline status.
As described in the article "Dextrose and Morrhuate Sodium Injections (Prolotherapy) for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Open-Label Trial", reported improvement in knee pain, function, and stiffness scores exceeded the minimum for a "clinically important difference" in 50-75% of patients.
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About the Journal
Celebrating 20 years in 2014, The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine is a monthly peer-reviewed journal publishing observational, clinical, and scientific reports and commentary intended to help healthcare professionals and scientists evaluate and integrate therapies into patient care protocols and research strategies. Tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine website.
About the Publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Alternative and Complementary Therapies, Medical Acupuncture, and Journal of Medicinal Food. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.
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New research may provide effective nonsurgical treatment for knee osteoarthritis
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Next-generation glaucoma therapeutics hold considerable promise
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
7-Apr-2014
Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
New Rochelle, NY, April 7, 2014Elevated pressure in the eye is the most common risk factor for glaucoma, an optic neuropathy that can cause blindness and affects more than 67 million people worldwide. Elevated eye pressure in glaucoma develops due to abnormal functioning of the trabecular meshwork (TM) causing intraocular fluid to back up. Next-generation glaucoma drugs will target the finely tuned mechanisms of the TM that maintain normal intraocular pressure, as described in an article in Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article, one of 25 articles in a special double issue of the Journal, is available free on the Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics website.
The article "Intraocular Pressure Homeostasis: Maintaining Balance in a High-Pressure Environment," by Ted Acott and coauthors, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, describes the efficient mechanisms at work in the eye to keep intraocular pressure within an acceptable range for 92-98% of the population. Understanding these mechanisms will enable the development of drug interventions to treat the unfortunate 2-8% of people that are at risk of developing elevated eye pressure and glaucoma.
"The TM, a unique multilayered tissue that controls intraocular pressure, and its surrounding structures represent viable targets for the development of novel glaucoma therapies," write Editor-in-Chief W. Daniel Stamer, PhD, Duke University (Durham, NC) and Guest Editor John R. Samples, MD, Professor, Rocky Vista University and Director, Western Glaucoma Foundation, Portland, OR, in the Editorial "The Trabecular Meshwork Special Issue, Inspired by the TM Study Club."
The special double issue provides a comprehensive look at the TM and next-generation glaucoma therapies in development through a collection of editorials, original research articles, and reviews. Included is the review article "The Role of TGF-2 and Bone Morphogenetic Proteins in the Trabecular Meshwork and Glaucoma," in which Robert Wordinger, Tasneem Sharma, and Abbot Clark, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, describe the TGF- superfamily of growth factors and their role in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.
Also of note, Nelson Winkler, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, and Michael Fautsch, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, explore the current understanding of how prostaglandin analogues, first-line treatments for glaucoma, work to reduce elevated intraocular pressure, in the review article "Effects of Prostaglandin Analogues on Aqueous Humor Outflow Pathways."
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About the Journal
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Next-generation glaucoma therapeutics hold considerable promise
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Antipsychotic drug use among ADHD-diagnosed foster care youth is increasing
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
7-Apr-2014
Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
New Rochelle, NY, April 7, 2014Antipsychotic medications are often used for unlabeled indications, such as treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The results of a study of "atypical antipsychotic" drug use among youths with ADHD, comparing age groups, Medicaid eligibility, and presence in foster care are presented in Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology website.
Mehmet Burcu and Julie Zito, University of Maryland, Aloysius Ibe, Morgan State University, and Daniel Safer, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, report that nearly one-third of the ADHD-diagnosed foster care youth ages 2-17 years of age included in the assessment received atypical antipsychotics during the study period. The most common medications given were risperidone, aripiprazole, and quetiapine, according to the article "Atypical Antipsychotic Use Among Medicaid-Insured Children and Adolescents: Duration, Safety, and Monitoring."
"This study adds critical hard data to our understanding of a persistent and unacceptable trend in pediatric psychiatry," says Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, and President, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY. "Our poorest, most vulnerable children, lacking access to evidence-based care, are receiving potentially harmful treatment with little oversight. The highlight of Burcu et al.'s paper for any reader should be the simple but necessary recommendations for antipsychotic prescribing and monitoring in these populations."
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About the Journal
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published 10 times a year in online with Open Access options and in print. The Journal is dedicated to child and adolescent psychiatry and behavioral pediatrics, covering clinical and biological aspects of child and adolescent psychopharmacology and developmental neurobiology. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed online on the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology website.
About the Publisher
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Antipsychotic drug use among ADHD-diagnosed foster care youth is increasing
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Ertel Medicine now offering genetic testing
Print Create a hardcopy of this page Font Size: Default font size Larger font size National Public Health Week now under way Observation recognizes strides made, changes needed in US health system
Posted: Monday, April 7, 2014 11:07 am
Ertel Medicine now offering genetic testing
Ertel Medicine and Pediatrics is now offering special genetic testing called pharmocogenetic testing. The test helps the medical provideradminister the most accurate treatment based on each patients unique science.
Since everyone processes medications differently, this may be the key to help my patientsget to the sweet spot sooner, Dr. Larry Ertel said in a news release. Whether it is Plavix (a heart medicine) which is known to havesevere adverse reactions if the dose is too high or just a common reflux medicine or even anti-depressants I will be able to see how a patient metabolizes medicine and adjust accordingly.
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Proove Biosciences Research Recognized and Presented at the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians 16th …
Irvine, CA (PRWEB) April 07, 2014
Proove Biosciences, the leader in Personalized Pain Medicine testing services, exhibited and presented research from three studies at the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians' (ASIPP) 16th annual meeting in New Orleans. The event took place at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside hotel, this weekend, April 4-6.
Proove submitted abstracts on three IRB-approved clinical studies to ASIPP for presentation at the annual meeting. Out of many abstracts submitted by various researchers, ASIPP only accepted 20 studies for presentation and publication. All three Proove study abstracts were accepted for poster presentation, and one of Proove's study abstracts was selected in the "Top 5 Posters" presented before the general session on Saturday afternoon.
Specifically, the company plans to present: Predictive Risk of Injury Complications Enduring Over one Year Using Genetic Predisposition (P.R.I.C.E.) Study, MED Scale to Predict Hydrocodone Efficacy versus the Pain VAS Score Study, and Perception of Analgesia in Narcotic Users with Chronic Pain: A Multi-Center Cross-Sectional Study Comparing Genotype to Pain VAS (P.A.I.N.) Study.
On Saturday afternoon, Proove's Medical Director for Pain and Addiction, Daniel Schwarz, MD, MROC presented information on Prooves P.R.I.C.E. study during the "Top 5 Posters" session.
The PRICE Study demonstrates how a proprietary algorithm can identify workers' compensation claims that are at risk for extending beyond one-year. In this study of 272 patients, a PRICE score of 3 was able to predict claims extending beyond 1 year with an accuracy of 52% positive predictive value (+PPV) and a sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 92%.
The MED Scale to Predict Hydrocodone Efficacy versus the Pain VAS Score Study validates the Proove proprietary MED Scale to identify therapeutic outcomes in pain medicine. This abstract demonstrates how the MED Scale used with chronic non-cancer pain patients taking hydrocodone correlates with the commonly used Pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Proove research exhibited findings on how the MED Scale may be a reliable assessment of therapeutic efficacy for chronic pain patients treated with hydrocodone.
The purpose of the PAIN Study is to evaluate whether genotype, or SNP variations can help objectively stratify patient perception of pain among chronic pain patients taking narcotics. Statistical data supports Prooves findings that a proprietary genotypic analysis from Proove can stratify pain perception, and may be a more objective method to define subjective numerical rating scales based on patient perceptions.
ASIPP was created to support the needs of physicians who practice interventional pain management. The society offers extensive opportunities to train and educate physicians on the latest science behind interventional pain management, and is one of the most I involved and influential medical political action groups.
Proove Biosciences is excited to be participating in ASIPPs Annual Meeting, and to share and present our clinical data on how our Proove Genetic tests have been helping to improve clinical outcomes in pain medicine and reducing costs within our healthcare system, stated Brian Meshkin, President of Proove Biosciences and author of the three studies. "Collaborating with our Medical Advisory Board members who are leaders in ASIPP like Dr. Andrea Trescot and Dr. Sandy Silverman, we are very pleased to continue leading the industry in pain medicine genetics testing and research."
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Cleft palate discovery in dogs to aid in understanding human birth defects
UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine researchers have identified the genetic mutation responsible for a form of cleft palate in the dog breed Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers.
They hope that the discovery, which provides the first dog model for the craniofacial defect, will lead to a better understanding of cleft palate in humans. Although cleft palate is one of the most common birth defects in children, affecting approximately one in 1,500 live human births in the United States, it is not completely understood. The findings appear this week online in the journal PLOS Genetics and are available at https://tinyurl.com/knr8wb3.
"This discovery provides novel insight into the genetic cause of a form of cleft palate through the use of a less conventional animal model," said Professor Danika Bannasch, a veterinary geneticist who led the study. "It also demonstrates that dogs have multiple genetic causes of cleft palate that we anticipate will aid in the identification of additional candidate genes relevant to human cleft palate."
Bannasch, who holds the Maxine Adler endowed chair in genetics, explains that common breeding practices have made the dog a unique animal model to help understand the genetic basis of naturally occurring birth defects.
By conducting a genome-wide study of these particular retrievers with a naturally occurring cleft palate, researchers identified a mutation responsible for the development of cleft palate in the breed. Dogs with this mutation also have a shortened lower jaw, similar to humans who have Pierre Robin Sequence. The disorder, a subset of cleft palate, affects one in 8,500 live human births and is characterized by a cleft palate, shortened lower jaw and displacement of the tongue base.
Cleft palate condition occurs when there is a failure in the formation of the secondary palate, which makes up all of the soft palate and the majority of the hard palate. A disruption in the sequential steps of palate development causes a cleft palate and leads to the spectrum of cases that are observed. Children born with cleft palate may develop hearing loss and difficulties with speech and eating. They also may be at increased risk for neurological deficits.
Additional UC Davis researchers include: Zena T. Wolf, a graduate student in the Department of Population Health and Reproduction at the School of Veterinary Medicine, whose thesis topic is the study of craniofacial clefts in dogs; and Assistant Professor Boaz Arzi from the Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine.
Funding was provided by the Center for Companion Animal Health at the School of Veterinary Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
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Cleft palate discovery in dogs to aid in understanding human birth defects
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Michael Deai – Dynamics and population genetics of rapid adaptation – Video
Michael Deai - Dynamics and population genetics of rapid adaptation
PROGRAM: School and Discussion Meeting on Population Genetics and Evolution PROGRAM LINK: http://www.icts.res.in/program/PGE2014 DATES: Saturday 15 Feb, 2014...
By: ICTS Talks
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Michael Deai - Dynamics and population genetics of rapid adaptation - Video
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How do environment and genetics influence the cichild fish’s brain? – Video
How do environment and genetics influence the cichild fish #39;s brain?
Cichlids provide excellent model organisms for such studies because thousands of species of cichlids have evolved; many of these species are genetically simi...
By: NSF BRAIN Initiative
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How do environment and genetics influence the cichild fish's brain? - Video
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Genetics Problem – Video
Genetics Problem
By: Eric Sor-Lim
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Genetics Problem - Video
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Elliott Hulse & Tim Muriello: Hardwork Versus Genetics – Video
Elliott Hulse Tim Muriello: Hardwork Versus Genetics
http://www.IllPumpYouUp.com Tim Muriello, Fitness and Supplement Expert for I #39;llPumpYouUp.com, interviews Elliott Hulse on how hard it is to beat genetically gifted...
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Elliott Hulse & Tim Muriello: Hardwork Versus Genetics - Video
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New method confirms humans and Neandertals interbred
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
8-Apr-2014
Contact: Tracey DePellegrin Connelly tracey.depellegrin@thegsajournals.org 412-760-5391 Genetics Society of America
BETHESDA, MD April 8, 2014 Technical objections to the idea that Neandertals interbred with the ancestors of Eurasians have been overcome, thanks to a genome analysis method described in the April 2014 issue of the journal GENETICS. The technique can more confidently detect the genetic signatures of interbreeding than previous approaches and will be useful for evolutionary studies of other ancient or rare DNA samples.
"Our approach can distinguish between two subtly different scenarios that could explain the genetic similarities shared by Neandertals and modern humans from Europe and Asia," said study co-author Konrad Lohse, a population geneticist at the University of Edinburgh.
The first scenario is that Neandertals occasionally interbred with modern humans after they migrated out of Africa. The alternative scenario is that the humans who left Africa evolved from the same ancestral subpopulation that had previously given rise to the Neandertals.
Many researchers argue the interbreeding scenario is more likely, because it fits the genetic patterns seen in studies that compared genomes from many modern humans. But the new approach completely rules out the alternative scenario without requiring all the extra data, by using only the information from one genome each of several types: Neandertal, European/Asian, African and chimpanzee.
The same method will be useful in other studies of interbreeding where limited samples are available. "Because the method makes maximum use of the information contained in individual genomes, it is particularly exciting for revealing the history of species that are rare or extinct," said Lohse. In fact, the authors originally developed the method while studying the history of insect populations in Europe and island species of pigs in South East Asia, some of which are extremely rare.
Lohse cautions against reading too much into the fact that the new method estimates a slightly higher genetic contribution of Neandertals to modern humans than previous studies. Estimating this contribution is complex and is likely to vary slightly between different approaches.
"This work is important because it closes a hole in the argument about whether Neandertals interbred with humans. And the method can be applied to understanding the evolutionary history of other organisms, including endangered species," said Mark Johnston, Editor-in-Chief of the journal GENETICS.
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New method confirms humans and Neandertals interbred
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Gene, immune therapy help cancer war
Stanford University researcher Irving Weissman explains how the drug Rituxan, generically called rituximab, improves the cancer-killing effect of a new antibody that renders cancer cells vulnerable to immune attack. He spoke Monday, April 7, at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in San Diego.
The war on cancer is getting some potent reinforcements, including a potentially broad-spectrum new weapon and genetically engineered immune cells with improved cancer-fighting abilities, speakers said at a major cancer research conference held this week in San Diego.
The American Association for Cancer Research, attended by an estimated 18,000 participants, is being held at the San Diego Convention Center through Wednesday. While it is covering the gamut of research, cancer immunotherapy is a major focus. The field began more than 100 years ago, and has lately scored impressive advances by using gene therapy to its tool kit.
The weapon is an antibody that makes a wide range of cancer cells vulnerable to immune attack. It's close to entering human clinical trials, said Irving L. Weissman, a Stanford University professor leading that project. The antibody neutralizes a chemical signal many cancers exude to decoy the immune system, Weissman said in a Monday morning plenary session.
The antibody is being tested first in acute myeloid leukemia patients, backed by $20 million from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Weissman said. The institute is interested because the target cells are cancer stem cells, the cells that proliferate to spread cancer.
Moreover, research indicates the method can be used against many solid tumors that emit the signal, a protein called CD47. These include breast, ovarian, bladder, pancreatic and colon cancer.
"Every human cancer that we've seen has CD47," Weissman said.
Animal studies show that anti-CD47 antibodies inhibit growth of transplanted patient tumors, he said. And when used against non-Hodgkin's lymphoma along with an existing antibody drug called Rituxan, the result is a potent cancer-killing effect. Immune cells called macrophages actually engulf and destroy the cancer cells.
The CD47 molecule is normally present on young cells, serving as a "don't eat me" signal to immune system cells that might otherwise attack them, Weissman said. Cancer cells have chanced on mutations that cause the protein to be made in exceptionally high amounts. So even when they might be abnormal enough to merit immune system attack, they escape surveillance.
Another approach already in the clinic is to genetically engineer immune cells called T cells to be better at fighting cancer. Carl June, a University of Pennsylvania researcher behind one of the studies, said results continue to be encouraging. This approach targets another protein abnormally made by cancer cells, CD19. Novartis is testing the therapy.
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Gene, immune therapy help cancer war
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AAVLife Formed To Advance Gene Therapy For Friedreich's Ataxia
By Estel Grace Masangkay
The Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) announced the birth of a new company, AAVLife, for the rapid development of a promising gene-therapy program for the treatment of cardiomyopathy in Friedreichs ataxia (FA).
The founding of AAVLife is based on the groundbreaking research of FARA-funded scientist Dr. Hlne Puccio. Dr. Puccio and her colleagues reported significant results showing that gene-replacement therapy using an adeno-associated virus to deliver the frataxin gene missing in patients with FA prevented and corrected cardiac damage in an FA mouse model.
Jennifer Farmer, FARA Executive Director, said, When we first learned of Dr. Puccio's results and saw that she was demonstrating prevention and correction of the cardiomyopathy at both the functional and cellular levels we were beyond excited because this gave us evidence that we could attack the cardiomyopathy, which takes an individual's life at an early age. While we also want to have therapies that treat the neurological aspects of the disease, the significance of the cardiac disease is often under appreciated.
FA is a rare, degenerative, life-shortening, neuro-muscular disorder that affects balance and coordination in both children and adults. As the disease progresses it affects other organs including the pancreas, skeletal muscle, and the heart. The primary cause of early death in patients with FA (usually in the early 20s to 30s) is cardiomyopathy.
Ron Bartek, FARA President and co-founder, said, The launch of AAVLife and Dr. Puccio's tremendous achievement reported in Nature Medicine represent an exciting new opportunity for the FA community that comes from our international partnership. Dr. Puccio's research was funded by public agencies in France, Europe, and the United States, and AAVLife is bringing together international expertise and resources. This partnership is essential when we are battling a rare disease like FA FARA will continue working closely with AAVLife, FA scientists, and the patient community as, together, we drive this promising therapeutic approach forward into the clinic.
FARA is a non-profit, charitable organization committed to accelerating research FA treatments. The organization has been in close collaboration with the founders of AAVLife since 2013.
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AAVLife Formed To Advance Gene Therapy For Friedreich's Ataxia
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Whats Going Around: Multiple Sclerosis Research
By Dr. Kyle Scarborough
Thirteen thousand cyclists will ride to Austin this weekend after raising millions of dollars to fund research into Multiple Sclerosis. The effort is paying off. A decade ago, there was little hope for victims. Now drugs exist that reduce the severity and frequency of relapses, and slow the progression of the disease. The newest drug, Gilenya, is the first oral version of these medications. Several others are in the final stages of testing, and should be available in the next five years.
Genetic research has uncovered several genes that trigger MS. One is associated with low Vitamin D levels.
The disease affects myelin, a conductive sheath around nerve cells. Stem cell researchers are learning how to grow cells that produce myelin, hopefully to someday restore function to damaged nerves.
Thought for the day: Whether you do the research or raise funds as a rider, the outlook for MS is finally getting brighter.
Go online to Lone Star: BP MS 150 and DONATE to support your favorite bicycle riders as they ride to Austin to raise funds for MS research this month. Find them by name. Dr. Scarborough is riding for his eighth year.
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Whats Going Around: Multiple Sclerosis Research
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Desiccated L4/5 disc five months after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson – Video
Desiccated L4/5 disc five months after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson
A decorated war hero, Chris, discusses the stem cell injection into his L4/5 disc by Dr Harry Adelson http://www.docereclinics.com.
By: Harry Adelson, N.D.
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Desiccated L4/5 disc five months after stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson - Video
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PAYING IT FORWARD: Jeffersonville cancer survivor advocates for bone marrow donations
JEFFERSONVILLE When Phil Meeks went to the doctor for shortness of breath and a burning in his legs, he expected nothing more than a routine diagnosis.
I was a smoker, so I thought, its probably my smoking, said Meeks, a 47-year-old Jeffersonville resident.
So it was quite a shock when his doctor came back with alarming blood test results and a prognosis that he would be dead in 30 days if he didnt start chemotherapy treatments immediately.
I was blown away, said Meeks, whose doctor also delivered a diagnosis of acute myloid leukemia in August 2012.
Because his form of cancer was so aggressive, Meeks needed a bone marrow transplant to have a chance of long-term survival. However, his chance of finding a match was only 20 percent because he is African-American with multiracial genes minorities have a harder time finding matches due to the lower number of people on the bone marrow registry.
I figured my days were over, he said.
Meeks was met with another shock about three months later. Doctors had found not one, but three bone marrow matches.
[The nurse] said, Thats just unheard of, Meeks said. I was blessed immensely.
But not everyone is so fortunate, he said.
Thats why Meeks now cancer-free volunteers for Be The Match, a nonprofit organization that works to boost bone marrow registry numbers for those suffering from blood cancers.
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PAYING IT FORWARD: Jeffersonville cancer survivor advocates for bone marrow donations
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Researchers discover new plant gene to control growth
A group of researchers at Rutgers-Camden announced in February the discovery of a new plant gene they called Gigantus 1, which influences yields from important food crops, such as rice and corn.
The researchers found GTS1, a member of the WD-40 protein family, that controls seed germination, growth and biomass accumulation in plants.
One of the researchers, Simeon Kotchoni, an assistant professor of biology at Rutgers-Camden, said that their lab has always been interested in biomass and yield. To observe the effects of each gene they used a procedure called reverse genetics.
The basic procedure involves knocking out a gene and recording what happens to the plant afterward, Kotchoni said.
Emma Gachomo, a co-author of the research, oversaw the procedure. She said that when the team disabled GTS1 for the first time, they realized within a week how significant the gene was.
The gene is a negative regulator of growth, Gachomo said. Without the gene, the plants grow significantly bigger, flower earlier and have more seed yields.
Because of this effect, they named the gene Gigantus 1, Kotchoni said.
They used the Arabidopsis thaliana plant because it shares traits with many other plants and the scientific community understands its genomic sequencing, or its DNA.
Scientists can devote several years to pinpointing the genes that contribute to growth in specific plants, but they can now apply the findings from our work, in which we used a model plant species, to various other plants, Kotchoni said in an nj.com article.
This project took about a year and a half, said Gachomo. They had three undergraduate students who applied to RutgersCamdens Computational Biology Summer Program, a program funded by the National Science Foundation.
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Researchers discover new plant gene to control growth
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Synthetic genetic clock keeps accurate time across a range of temperatures
A long-standing challenge in synthetic biology has been to create gene circuits that behave in predictable and robust ways. Mathematical modeling experts from the University of Houston (UH) collaborated with experimental biologists at Rice University to create a synthetic genetic clock that keeps accurate time across a range of temperatures. The findings were published in a recent issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"Synthetic gene circuits are often fragile, and environmental changes frequently alter their behavior," said Kreimir Josi, professor of mathematics in UH's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. "Our work focused on engineering a gene circuit not affected by temperature change."
Synthetic biology is a field in which naturally occurring biological systems are redesigned for various purposes, such as producing biofuel. The UH and Rice research targeted the bacterium E. coli.
"In E. coli and other bacteria, if you increase the temperature by about 10 degrees the rate of biochemical reactions will double -- and therefore genetic clocks will speed up," Josi said. "We wanted to create a synthetic gene clock that compensates for this increase in tempo and keeps accurate time, regardless of temperature."
The UH team, led by Josi and William Ott, an assistant professor of mathematics, collaborated with the lab of Matthew Bennett, assistant professor of biochemistry and cell biology at Rice. Josi, Bennett and Ott have been working together on various research projects for three years. The team also included UH postdoctoral fellow Chinmaya Gupta.
According to Bennett, the ability to keep cellular reactions accurately timed, regardless of temperature, may be valuable to synthetic biologists who wish to reprogram cellular regulatory mechanisms for biotechnology.
The work involved engineering a gene within the clock onto a plasmid, a little piece of DNA that is inserted into E. coli. A mutation in the gene had the effect of slowing down the clock as temperature increased.
UH researchers created a mathematical model to assess the various design features that would be needed in the plasmid to counteract temperature change. Gupta showed that the model captured the mechanisms essential to compensate for the temperature-dependent changes in reaction rates.
The computational modeling confirmed that a single mutation could result in a genetic clock with a stable period across a large range of temperatures -- an observation confirmed by experiments in the Bennett lab. Josi's team then confirmed the predictions of the models using real data.
"Having a mechanistic model that allows you to determine which features are important and which can be ignored for a genetic circuit to behave in a particular way allows you to more efficiently create circuits with desired properties," Gupta said. "It allows you to concentrate on the most important factors necessary in the design."
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Synthetic genetic clock keeps accurate time across a range of temperatures
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New study sheds light on genetic drivers of fatal pediatric cancer
New insights on the genetic drivers behind a rare type of fatal pediatric brain cancer may lead to the development of new patient-targeted treatments, a new study suggests.
Each year about 30 children in Canada are diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a pediatric cancer for which there is no effective treatment.
Because DIPG tumours occur in the middle of the brainstem specifically in the "pons" region that controls vital functions such as breathing, heart regulation and movement doctors are not able to surgically remove them.
As well, biopsies are rarely performed on the tumours, meaning researchers have faced challenges investigating the genetic landscape of DIPG.
But in a new study from Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, researchers have uncovered the genetic drivers of DIPG.
The study, published online Sunday in the journal Nature Genetics, found that DIPG is comprised of three molecularly distinct subgroups: "MYCN," "silent" and "H3-K27M."
"Although previously considered to be one disease, DIPG represents three distinct subgroups with different methylation, expression, copy number alteration (CAN) and mutational profiles," the authors write.
The results from the study show that DIPG tumours are distinct from adult brain cancer, the study says.
Dr. Cynthia Hawkins, a neuropathologist and the study's principal investigator, said the discovery will have a significant impact on the development of DIPG treatment options.
"This work gives us the opportunity to make some real progress for these patients and their families," she said in a statement.
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New study sheds light on genetic drivers of fatal pediatric cancer
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
DNA Genetics @ Spannabis 2014 Barcelona – Video
DNA Genetics @ Spannabis 2014 Barcelona
Herbies Seeds Interview with Don from DNA Genetics @ Spannabis 2014 in Barcelona Spain. Buy DNA Genetics Seeds http://www.herbiesheadshop.com/dna-genetics-se...
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Amitabh Joshi – Basic genetics – Video
Amitabh Joshi - Basic genetics
PROGRAM: School and Discussion Meeting on Population Genetics and Evolution PROGRAM LINK: http://www.icts.res.in/program/PGE2014 DATES: Saturday 15 Feb, 2014 - Monday 24 Feb, 2014 VENUE:...
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Hiroshi Akashi – Codon usage bias in Drosophila: Population genetics and comparative genomics of – Video
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Vishwesha Guttal – Codon usage bias in Drosophila: Population genetics and comparative genomics o – Video
Vishwesha Guttal - Codon usage bias in Drosophila: Population genetics and comparative genomics o
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