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Scientific fact : Development of gene therapy

2011-12-27T10:04:00.001-08:00

Since the late 1980s, gene therapy, more than virtually any other type of therapy, has given rise not only to high expectations of treatment success but also great concerns regarding health risks. Since the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, DFG) issued its first memorandum in 1995, this field of research has developed enormously.

Wide-ranging experiments have shown the therapeutic potential as well as the risks of gene therapy. The second memorandum, which has just been presented by the DFG Senate Commission on Genetic Research, makes it clear that gene therapy already shows signs of success in certain areas, such as severe hereditary immunodeficiency diseases, while in other areas there is still considerable need for research. Moreover, the clinical application of gene therapy requires careful risk/benefit assessment, although in this respect it does not differ substantially from other therapeutic approaches.

Gene therapy is defined as the introduction of genes into tissues or cells via gene transfer, with the purpose of deriving a therapeutic or preventative benefit from the function of these genes. Gene transfer is achieved using a vector – a kind of vehicle that carries the gene. Somatic gene transfer only targets body cells (somatic cells). Introducing genes into the germline is illegal in Germany. The first well-documented gene therapy studies were launched in the early 1990s. By 2005 it was estimated that more than 1,100 gene therapy studies had been conducted worldwide, one-third of them in Europe, and a significant number in Germany. The DFG is currently funding a Priority Programme for research groups, some of which are international leaders in their field, that examine the entry and persistence of gene therapy vectors in target cells.

In spite of continued great difficulties with technical implementation, initial successes in somatic gene therapy are on the horizon, for example in treating adenosine deaminase deficiency and chronic granulomatous disease. There are also initial indicators that point to the efficacy of gene therapy in treating chronic lymphatic leukaemia and haemophilia B. But successes in clinical testing come with their share of setbacks, such as the currently slight margin of therapeutic effectiveness over unwanted side effects. This underscores the necessity to carefully assess risks and benefits and also shows that there is still a dire need for more research on gene therapy. Basic research should be conducted in direct collaboration across disciplines, using animal models and clinical studies. An acute need for research exists, especially regarding the development of efficient and safe vectors for gene transfer.

Source : Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

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The good, the bad and the 'green' -- harnessing the potential of bacteria

2011-11-09T09:02:00.003-08:00

A diverse family of bacteria that can cause a potentially fatal illness in humans but could offer a greener alternative to petrol to power our cars will be the subject of a talk by a University of Nottingham academic at an international conference.

Professor Nigel Minton, one of the world's leading experts on the Clostridium bacteria, will be presenting at the Society for Applied Microbiology (SfAM) annual Winter Meeting, being held at the Royal Society in London on January 12. In his presentation Professor Minton will discuss the potential exploitation of the anaerobic, Gram-positive Clostridium bacteria — a few strains of which have given the genus a bad name.

Clostridium difficile infection is the most significant cause of hospital-acquired diarrhoea and is seven times more deadly than MRSA. The bacterium is present in the gut of up to three per cent of healthy adults and 66 per cent of infants. Usually it is kept in check by the healthy balance of bacteria in the gut but when this is disturbed by certain antibiotics, C.difficile can multiply rapidly and produce toxins that cause illness and death. The disease is spread through spores, usually from poor hygiene. The emergence of highly virulent clones means that cases and fatalities from the illness are on the increase.

In addition, there has been heightened public concern in recent years about the potential use by bioterrorists of the food-borne pathogen Clostridium botulinum, which causes the rare but serious paralytic illness botulism.M I B S I T B T

Being good moms couldn't save the woolly mammoth

2011-11-09T09:02:00.001-08:00

New research from The University of Western Ontario leads investigators to believe that woolly mammoths living north of the Arctic Circle during the Pleistocene Epoch (approx. 150,000 to 40,000 years ago) began weaning infants up to three years later than modern day African elephants due to prolonged hours of darkness.

This adapted nursing pattern could have contributed to the prehistoric elephant's eventual extinction. The findings were published recently in the journal, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.

By studying the chemical composition of adult and infant mammoth teeth, Jessica Metcalfe, an Earth Sciences PhD student working with professor Fred Longstaffe, was able to determine woolly mammoths that once inhabited Old Crow, Yukon didn't begin eating plants and other solid foods before the age of two (and perhaps as late as three) and considers predatory mammals like saber-toothed cats and a lack of sufficient vegetation to be the secondary reasons for delayed weaning.

"In modern Africa, lions can hunt baby elephants but not adults. They can't kill adults. But they can kill babies and by and large, they tend to be successful when they hunt at night because they have adapted night vision," explains Metcalfe, who examined fossil specimens alongside Grant Zazula of the Yukon Paleontology Program. "In Old Crow, where you have long, long hours of darkness, the infants are going to be more vulnerable, so the mothers nursed longer to keep them close."

Metcalfe says delayed weaning by Old Crow mammoths may have further significance for understanding mammoth life histories and extinction. "Today, a leading cause of infant elephant deaths in Myanmar is insufficient maternal milk production," offers Metcalfe. "Woolly mammoths may have been more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and human hunting than modern elephants not only because of their harsher environment, but also because of the metabolic demands of lactation and prolonged nursing, especially during the longer winter months."

Metcalfe concludes that knowing more about the past, can only help researchers understand more about the present and the future. "Mammoths lived all over the world for thousands of years, even millions of years, and then became extinct about 10,000 years ago, which was around the time the climate started warming the last time," says Metcalfe. "Understanding their ecology, their adaptations and their behaviour not only gives us insight into why they became extinct but also, potentially, gives us a better understanding of modern day mammals and how they might respond to the current warming of the planet."

Source : University of Western OntarioM I B S I T B T

If junk DNA is useful, why is it not shared more equally?

2011-11-09T09:01:00.001-08:00

The presence of introns in genes requires cells to process "messenger RNA" molecules before synthesizing proteins, a process that is costly and often error-prone. It was long believed that this was simply part of the price organisms paid for the flexibility to create new types of protein but recent work has made it clear that introns themselves have a number of important functions. And so attention is gradually shifting to asking why some organisms have so few introns and others so many.

It seems likely that new introns are added to DNA when double-stranded DNA breaks – which may arise from a variety of mechanisms – are not repaired "correctly" but the newly created ends are instead joined to other fragments of DNA. Farlow and colleagues at the Institute of Population Genetics of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna reasoned that introns may be lost by a similar mechanism. An examination of areas of DNA where introns are known to have been lost in organisms such as worms and flies provides support for their idea.

DNA breaks may be treated in one of two ways: correct repair (by a relatively time-consuming process known as "homologous recombination") or the rapid and error-prone joining of non-homologous ends. The two pathways are essentially separate and can compete with each other for DNA breaks to work with. The scientists at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna now suggest that species-specific differences in the relative activity of these two pathways might underlie the observed variation in intron number.

The theory represents a fundamental change in the way we think about the evolution of DNA. Evolution has seen periods of large scale intron loss alternating with periods of intron gain and this has been interpreted as the result of changing selection pressure. However, the rates at which single species have gained and lost introns throughout evolution have been found to vary in parallel, consistent with Farlow's notion that the two processes are related. The new theory provides an alternative interpretation: changes in the activities of the "homologous" and "non-homologous" pathways for repairing DNA breaks could cause introns to be lost faster than they are gained, or vice versa.

The idea is consistent with what we currently know about intron numbers, which range from a handful in some simple eukaryotes to more than 180,000 in the human genome. And as Farlow says, "Linking intron gain and loss to the repair of DNA breaks offers a neat explanation for how intron number can change over time. This theory may account for the huge diversity we seen in intron number between different species."

Source : University of Veterinary Medicine -- ViennaM I B S I T B T

Animal with the most genes? A tiny crustacean

2011-11-09T08:58:00.001-08:00

Complexity ever in the eye of its beholders, the animal with the most genes -- about 31,000 -- is the near-microscopic freshwater crustacean Daphnia pulex, or water flea. By comparison, humans have about 23,000 genes. Daphnia is the first crustacean to have its genome sequenced.

The findings are part of a comprehensive report in this week's Science by members of the Daphnia Genomics Consortium, an international network of scientists led by the Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics (CGB) at Indiana University Bloomington and the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute. A bullet-point list of the Science paper's most important findings appears at the end of this release.

"Daphnia's high gene number is largely because its genes are multiplying, by creating copies at a higher rate than other species," said project leader and CGB genomics director John Colbourne. "We estimate a rate that is three times greater than those of other invertebrates and 30 percent greater than that of humans."

Scientists have studied Daphnia for centuries because of its importance in aquatic food webs and for its transformational responses to environmental stress. Predators signal some of the animals to produce exaggerated spines, neck-teeth or helmets in self-defense. And like the virgin nymph of Greek mythology that shares its name, Daphnia thrives in the absence of males -- by clonal reproduction, until harsh environmental conditions favor the benefits of sex."More than one-third of Daphnia's genes are undocumented in any other organism -- in other words, they are completely new to science," says Don Gilbert, coauthor and Department of Biology scientist at IU Bloomington.

Sequenced genomes often contain some fraction of genes with unknown functions, even among the most well-studied genetic model species for biomedical research, such as the fruit fly Drosophila. By using microarrays (containing millions of DNA strands affixed to microscope slides) that are made to measure the conditions under which these new genes are transcribed into precursors for proteins, experiments that subjected Daphnia to environmental stressors point to these unknown genes having ecologically significant functions.

"If such large fractions of genomes evolved to cope with environmental challenges, information from traditional model species used only in laboratory studies may be insufficient to discover the roles for a considerable number of animal genes," Colbourne said. Daphnia is emerging as a model organism for a new field of science -- Environmental Genomics -- that aims to better understand how the environment and genes interact. This includes a practical need to apply scientific developments from this field toward managing our water resources and protecting human health from chemical pollutants in the environment.

James E. Klaunig, professor and chair of the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation's Department of Environmental Health at IU Bloomington, predicts the present work will yield a more realistic and scientifically-based risk evaluation. "Genome research on the responses of animals to stress has important implications for assessing environmental risks to humans," Klaunig said. "The Daphnia system is an exquisite aquatic sensor, a potential high-tech and modern version of the mineshaft canary. With knowledge of its genome, and using both field sampling and laboratory studies, the possible effects of environmental agents on cellular and molecular processes can be resolved and linked to similar processes in humans."

The idea behind environmental genomics for risk assessment is fairly simple. Daphnia's gene expression patterns change depending on its environment, and the patterns indicate what state its cells are in. A water flea bobbing in water containing a chemical pollutant will express by tuning-up or tuning-down a suite of genes differently than its clonal sisters accustomed to water without the pollutant. Importantly, the health effects of most industrially produced compounds at relevant concentrations and mixtures in the environment are unknown, because current testing procedures are too slow, too costly, and unable to indicate the causes for their effects on animals, including human. The new findings suggest that Daphnia's research tools (like microarrays) and genome information can provide a higher-throughput and information-rich method of measuring the condition of our water supply.

A requisite for reaching model system status is a large research community that contributes to its growing body of knowledge and resources. Over the course of the project, the Daphnia Genomics Consortium has grown from a handful of founding members to more than 450 investigators distributed around the globe. Nearly 200 scientists have contributed published work resulting from the genome study, many in open-source journals published as a thematic series by BioMedCentral.M I B S I T B T

Out of Africa -- how the fruit fly made its way in the world

2011-11-09T08:56:00.003-08:00

Fruit flies that moved from sub-Saharan Africa found themselves confronted by conditions very different from those to which they were accustomed. Most obviously, the average temperatures were considerably lower and so it is no surprise that the flies had to adapt to cope with life in the north. As a result of thousands of years of evolution, populations in sub-Saharan African and in Europe now differ dramatically in a number of characteristics known to relate to temperature (such as pigmentation, size and resistance to cold). Schlötterer's previous work had suggested that a single gene, interestingly known as cramped (crm), might be involved in helping the flies survive in a colder environment but conclusive proof was lacking.

The crm protein is a transcription factor, so Jean-Michel Gibert in Schlötterer's laboratory decided to investigate what genes it could regulate, continuing to work on the project following his move to the University of Geneva. Gibert and Schlötterer focused in particular on genes known to be involved in wing development, such as the so-called cubitus interruptus (ci) gene, the regulation of which is known to depend on temperature. Satisfyingly, they were able to show that crm is absolutely required for the inactivation of the ci gene.

M I B S I T B T

Where did flowers come from? New Research reveals

2011-11-09T08:56:00.001-08:00

The University at Buffalo is a key partner in a $7.3 million, multi-institution collaboration to explore the origins of all flowers by sequencing the genome of Amborella, a unique species that one researcher has nicknamed the "platypus of flowering plants."

Amborella is an understory shrub or small tree found in only one place on the planet: the Pacific islands of New Caledonia. The plant, a direct descendant of the common ancestor of all flowering plants, is the single known living species on the earliest branch of the genetic tree of life of flowering plants. As such, Amborella is a molecular living fossil, said Victor Albert, UB Empire Innovation Professor in biological sciences and a co-principal investigator on the Amborella genome project.

In the same way that the DNA of the platypus, a mammal of ancient lineage, can help us study the evolution of all mammals, the DNA of Amborella can help us learn about the evolution of all flowers, Albert said. Specifically, by comparing the genetic make-up of Amborella to that of newer species, biologists will be able to study a diverse range of plant characteristics, from how flowers resist drought and how fruits mature to how critical crops might respond to global warming.

"This is work that's related to the human condition in various ways. We're talking about food, fiber, fuel and the future," said Albert, a faculty member in UB's New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences. "Most of our food comes from flowers. All the fruit crops and grains are flowering plants. Cotton fiber is from fruit, and fruits come from flowers. Soybeans are fruits. Rice comes from the seed of a flowering plant."

Albert's co-investigators include Claude W. dePamphilis at Pennsylvania State University, who is leading the research; Hong Ma and Stephan Schuster at Penn State; Douglas E. Soltis, Pamela S. Soltis and W. Brad Barbazuk at the University of Florida; Steven D. Rounsley at the University of Arizona; James Leebens-Mack at the University of Georgia; Jeffrey Palmer at Indiana University; and Susan Wessler at the University of California, Riverside. The National Science Foundation is funding the project.

The team plans to complete and publish a draft sequence of the Amborella genome this year, Albert said. To share results with scientists around the world, the group will make the genome available online. "The Amborella genome and the strategies we are using to obtain and analyze the genome will provide not only a unique scientific resource with broad impacts on plant biology, but it also will provide excellent opportunities to demonstrate the utility of an evolutionary perspective across the biological sciences," said Albert, who is also a member of teams sequencing the genomes of coffee and avocado.

The Amborella project builds on another floral genetics project that dePamphilis of Penn State led. In that earlier study, he and partners including Albert sought information on the origins of flowers by comparing active genes of flowering plants including Amborella and non-flowering plants called gymnosperms. The team published major findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in December, reporting that genetic programming found in gymnosperm cones gave rise to flowering plants.

The Amborella genome project is the natural next step: Now that we know more about how the first flowers evolved, what can we learn about how they diversified? With a fossil record dating to just over 130 million years ago, flowering plants now include as many as 400,000 species on land and in water. Sequencing a genome involves determining the order in which nucleotide bases -- adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine -- appear in strands of DNA. To complete this task, the Amborella team is employing "shotgun" technology that breaks DNA into tiny bits, sequences those bits simultaneously and reassembles them into a long chain. The approach is cheaper and quicker than older methods that require scientists to sequence entire strands of DNA in order, beginning at one end and moving to the other.

At UB, Albert and fellow researchers will use visual mapping to check their colleagues' work, examining large pieces of sequenced DNA under a microscope to make sure those pieces fit correctly on Amborella chromosomes. (Though scientists do not know the exact sequence of the Amborella genome, they do already know how large chunks of DNA map to one another.) UB researchers will also compare Amborella's genetic material to that of other plants, including rice, the cucumber, the tomato and the potato.

The goal of these comparative studies is to learn more about whole-genome duplication, a commonplace process in flowers in which a new plant inherits an extra, duplicate copy of its parents' DNA. Because redundant copies of genes can evolve to develop new functions, scientists think that whole-genome duplication may be behind "Darwin's abominable mystery" -- the abrupt proliferation of new varieties of flowering plants in fossil records dating to the Cretaceous period. Amborella has relatively few chromosomes, leading biologists including Albert to conclude that the species may never have undergone such a doubling.

Besides research, the Amborella genome project also includes plans for creating education, training and mentoring opportunities for high school students, undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.

Source : University at BuffaloM I B S I T B T

Nerve cells can distinguish odors.............But How????? New Research Reveals

2011-11-09T08:54:00.001-08:00

Whether different odors can be quickly distinguished depends on certain synapses in the brain that inhibit nerve stimulation. The researchers in Professor Dr. Thomas Kuner's team at the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Heidelberg University Medical School and Dr. Andreas Schäfer at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research have shown that mice in which a certain receptor in the olfactory center is missing can distinguish similar smells more quickly than mice without genetic manipulation. This behavior was directly attributed to inhibitor loops between adjacent nerve cells.

The discovery of the activation principle of "lateral inhibition" in the eye 43 years ago by Haldan K. Hartline, George Wald, and Ragnar Granit was honored with a Nobel Prize. The Heidelberg researchers have for the first time succeeded in confirming the same mechanism for the olfactory system, from the molecular level to behavior. The results of the studies were published in the prestigious journal "Neuron".

Odors attach to receptors of olfactory cells in nasal mucosa, where they trigger nerve signals. These signals are processed in what is known as the olfactory bulb, a part of the brain. In the neuronal network, the incoming signal is converted to a specific electrical pattern that is transmitted to the cerebral cortex and other areas of the brain and is recognized there. Local inhibitor loops make recognizing smells more preciseM I B S I T B T

Fluorescent compounds make tumors glow....New research reveals.

2011-11-09T08:53:00.001-08:00

A series of novel imaging agents could light up tumors as they begin to form – before they turn deadly – and signal their transition to aggressive cancers. The compounds – fluorescent inhibitors of the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) – could have broad applications for detecting tumors earlier, monitoring a tumor's transition from pre-malignancy to more aggressive growth, and defining tumor margins during surgical removal.

"We're very excited about these new agents and are moving forward to develop them for human clinical trials," said Lawrence Marnett, Ph.D., the leader of the Vanderbilt University team that developed the compounds, which are described in the May 1 issue of Cancer Research. COX-2 is an attractive target for molecular imaging. It's not found in most normal tissues, and then it is "turned on" in inflammatory lesions and tumors, Marnett explained.

"COX-2 is expressed at the earliest stages of pre-malignancy – in pre-malignant lesions, but not in surrounding normal tissue – and as a tumor grows and becomes increasingly malignant, COX-2 levels go up," Marnett said. Compounds that bind selectively to COX-2 – and carry a fluorescent marker – should act as "beacons" for tumor cells and for inflammation.

Marnett and his colleagues previously demonstrated that fluorescent COX-2 inhibitors – which they have now dubbed "fluorocoxibs" – were useful probes for protein binding, but their early molecules were not appropriate for cellular or in vivo imaging. "It was a real challenge to make a compound that is COX-2 selective (doesn't bind to the related COX-1 enzyme), has desirable fluorescence properties, and gets to the tissue in vivo," Marnett said.

To develop such compounds, Jashim Uddin, Ph.D., research assistant professor of Biochemistry, started with the "core" chemical structure of the anti-inflammatory medicines indomethacin and celecoxib. He then tethered various fluorescent parts to the core structure, ultimately synthesizing more than 200 compounds. The group tested each compound for its interaction with purified COX-2 and COX-1 proteins and then assessed promising compounds for COX-2 selectivity and fluorescence in cultured cells and in animals. Two compounds made the cut.M I B S I T B T

Did You know ? 1 in 25 people have gene that causes heart failure in India

2011-11-09T08:49:00.003-08:00

One in 25 people from India and other south Asian countries carries a mutated gene that causes heart failure.

Studying this gene, and the protein it encodes, could lead to new treatments for heart failure, Loyola University Health System researcher Sakthivel Sadayappan, PhD, wrote in a recent review article in the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology. Sadayappan has studied the gene and protein for 15 years. Investigating the protein could provide "a better understanding of the mechanics of heart function during health and disease," Sadayappan and first author David Barefield wrote. Barefield is a graduate student and Sadayappan is an assistant professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Previous studies by Sadayappan and other researchers found that about 4 percent of people who live in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia carry the mutation. Carriers have about a 90 percent chance of developing heart failure after age 45. About 60 million people worldwide, including about 40 million Indians, carry the mutation. (Sadayappan, who is from India, is not a carrier.) Sadayappan said the mutation likely arose in a single person roughly 33,000 years ago, and spread throughout south Asia.

The gene encodes for a protein, called cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C), that is critical for the normal functioning of the heart. In the mutated gene, 25 base pairs (DNA letters) are missing. As a result, the tail end of the protein is altered. Due to this modification, the protein is not properly incorporated into the functioning unit of cardiac muscle called sarcomere. Consequently, the heart does not contract properly. In younger carriers, the heart can compensate for this defect. But as the person ages, his or her heart is no longer able to compensate. Heart muscle becomes inflamed and does not work well, a condition called cardiomyopathy. The most common manifestation of cardiomyopathy is heart failure -- the heart can't pump enough blood to the rest of the body.M I B S I T B T

Fond of Dark Chocolates...!!! Then good news it lowers blood pressure

2011-11-09T08:49:00.001-08:00

For people with hypertension, eating dark chocolate can significantly reduce blood pressure. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Medicine combined the results of 15 studies into the effects of flavanols, the compounds in chocolate which cause dilation of blood vessels, on blood pressure.

Dr Karin Ried worked with a team of researchers from the University of Adelaide, Australia, to conduct the analysis. She said, "Flavanols have been shown to increase the formation of endothelial nitric oxide, which promotes vasodilation and consequently may lower blood pressure. There have, however, been conflicting results as to the real-life effects of eating chocolate. We've found that consumption can significantly, albeit modestly, reduce blood pressure for people with high blood pressure but not for people with normal blood pressure".

The pressure reduction seen in the combined results for people with hypertension, 5mm Hg systolic, may be clinically relevant – it is comparable to the known effects of 30 daily minutes of physical activity (4-9mm Hg) and could theoretically reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event by about 20% over five years. The researchers are cautious, however, "The practicability of chocolate or cocoa drinks as long-term treatment is questionable", said Dr Ried.

Source : BioMed CentralM I B S I T B T

Brief Illustration Of Transgenic Method For Creating Transgenic Mice

2011-11-09T08:37:00.003-08:00

Genetically engineered animals have been used from decades. These genetically engineered or modified animals play a vital role in the unearthing, development and improvement of new methods and techniques of the treatment of many diseases that had been a threat to the survival and healthy way of life of the mankind. Their different techniques (such as the use of transgenic mice, knockout mice and others) help the genetic engineers and researchers to differentiate new strings of human genome. Due to their graceful work, pharmaceutical industry has grown extensively and helped mankind in the treatment of various deadly diseases and still on the road of development. Because of the development of biomedical research, the use of transgenic animals has been considerably increased. According to the government rules and regulations and other renowned pharmaceutical companies’ inflexible reviews, authorize the use of transgenic animals when there is no alternative left. In the twentieth century, all biomedical and pharmaceutical breakthroughs are the upshot of research on animals.

There are two major techniques for commencing transgenic method in mice, which are pronuclear injection and embryonic stem cells. Pronuclear injection means that peculiar DNA is injected in the pronucleus of a fertilized egg of a mouse which is then integrated in the genome at unsystematic location mostly after two cell divisions. It means that the mouse will be partial transgenic in nature because that peculiar DNA is not a part in each and every cell of the body. The sperms or eggs of these partial transgenic mice are then manipulated to produce entirely Transgenic mice in the next generation. Another method of creating transgenic mice, embryonic stem cells, is inducing DNA in the stem cells of embryo which is randomly integrated in the genome. However, if it has a structure alike to the existing fraction of genome then it goes through the homologous recombination and a sole copy is incorporated at a particular location in the genome. These peculiar cells are then injected into the host embryo, allowing them to grow and be a part of it. Chimera is a terminology that is used for a mouse that is grown from the host embryo, which is created from embryonic cells of two separate mice. Several sperms generated by chimera would be transgenic in nature and as soon as they fertilize a regular egg, the result would be fully transgenic mice comprising that peculiar DNA in every cell.

Guest Post by Sophie Alexander from http://www.transposagenbio.com/
Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
145 Graham Avenue, A217
Lexington, KY 40506

M I B S I T B T

Why fish don't freeze in the Arctic Ocean

2011-11-09T08:37:00.001-08:00

Temperatures of minus 1.8 ° C should really be enough to freeze any fish: the freezing point of fish blood is about minus 0.9 ° C. How Antarctic fish are able to keep moving at these temperatures has interested researchers for a long time. As long as 50 years ago, special frost protection proteins were found in the blood of these fish. These so-called anti-freeze proteins work better than any household antifreeze. How they work, however, was still unclear. The Bochum researchers used a special technique, terahertz spectroscopy, to unravel the underlying mechanism. With the aid of terahertz radiation, the collective motion of water molecules and proteins can be recorded. Thus, the working group has already been able to show that water molecules, which usually perform a permanent dance in liquid water, and constantly enter new bonds, dance a more ordered dance in the presence of proteins – "the disco dance becomes a minuet" says Prof. Havenith.

Souvenir from an Antarctic expedition

The subject of the current investigations was the anti-freeze glycoproteins of the Antarctic toothfish Dissostichus mawsoni, which one of the American partners, Arthur L. Devries, had fished himself on an Antarctic expedition. "We could see that the protein has an especially long-range effect on the water molecules around it. We speak of an extended dynamical hydration shell", says co-author Konrad Meister. "This effect, which prevents ice crystallization, is even more pronounced at low temperatures than at room temperature", adds Prof. Havenith. Nevertheless, to freeze the water, lower temperatures would be necessary. Complexation of the AFP by borate strongly reduces the antifreeze activity. In this case, the researchers also found no change in the terahertz dance. The researchers' results provide evidence for a new model of how AFGPs prevent water from freezing: Antifreeze activity is not achieved by a single molecular binding between the protein and the water, but instead AFP perturbs the aqueous solvent over long distances. The investigation demonstrated for the first time a direct link between the function of a protein and its signature in the terahertz range. The studies were funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.

Source : Ruhr-University BochumM I B S I T B T

Mosquitoes use several different kinds of odor sensors to track human prey...Quite intelligent..!!!

2011-11-09T08:36:00.001-08:00

It now appears that the malaria mosquito needs more than one family of odor sensors to sniff out its human prey. The experiments described in the paper provide striking new evidence that Anopheles gambiae – the species of mosquito that spreads malaria that infects some 250 million and kills 900,000 people annually – has a second set of olfactory sensors that are fundamentally different from the set of sensors that scientists have known about and have been studying for the last 10 years.

The discovery may help explain a puzzling question that has been plaguing scientists trying to develop new and more effective forms of mosquito lures and repellents: "The ORs [odorant receptors] that were identified in the lab before don't respond to a lot of human odors," says Vanderbilt graduate student Chao Liu, who is the lead author on the paper. "Now that we have a new set of receptors, we may be able to fill in the picture."

There is a good chance that this new set of receptors may be specifically tuned to detect a number of the odorants given off by humans, adds co-author R. Jason Pitts, a senior research specialist and graduate student at Vanderbilt. "If this is the case then it is quite likely that it will play a critical role in attempts to develop improved lures and repellents to control the spread of malaria." According to Pitts, they also have preliminary evidence that the mosquito's olfactory system may include additional families of sensors as well.

Vanderbilt Professor of Biological Sciences and Pharmacology Laurence Zwiebel, who was the principal investigator on the study, heads a major interdisciplinary research project to develop new ways to control by spread of malaria based on mosquito olfaction supported by the Grand Challenges in Global Health Initiative funded by the Foundation for NIH through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

"It's not at all surprising that the mosquito's olfactory system is more sophisticated than we thought," says Zwiebel. "Olfaction is absolutely essential to the mosquito. If the female cannot find a host for a blood meal she cannot reproduce. As a result, mosquitoes have developed an uncanny ability to detect odors. This is true of all species of mosquitoes, not just Anopheles. So it is highly likely that the mosquitoes that spread West Nile, dengue fever, yellow fever and encephalitis also have similar sets of odor sensors."

About ten years ago, when the mosquito genome was first sequenced, scientists at Vanderbilt and Yale identified the genes and the structure of one set of Anopheles sensors, called odorant receptors (AgORs). At first, they thought that these receptors had the same basic design as the sensors found in the nose of humans and other mammals. But recent studies have found that the mosquito receptors, along with those of several other insects, have a distinctly different structure.

Researchers have identified about 75 different AgORs that respond to a variety of volatile compounds. These receptors are expressed on the surface of nerves located in tiny hollow spikes, called sensilla, located on the mosquito's antennae. When a target molecule wafts into the interior of one of these sensilla and comes into contact with the AgOR designed to detect it, the receptor causes the nerve to fire, signaling the compound's presence. Earlier this year the Vanderbilt researchers and their colleagues at Yale succeeded in pairing more than 40 of the AgORs with the specific odorants that trigger them. In the process, the researchers discovered that these receptors are broadly tuned. That is, each receptor responds to a number of different compounds. They also overlap. More than one AgOR responds to individual odorants.

As a result, last year when scientists at Rockefeller University announced they had discovered a second set of olfactory receptors in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, an animal model for basic genetics, "it was like a light switched on," says Pitts. Because of the many parallels between the olfactory systems of the fruit fly and mosquito, the Vanderbilt researchers knew it was extremely likely that the mosquito had a second set of receptors as well. So they began searching for them.The search was successful and the researchers identified genes that code for about 50 versions of the new type receptor. The new receptors appear to have a slightly different structure from that of AgORs: They are called "ionotropic receptors" (AgIRs) and they closely resemble the type of receptor found in the brain that responds to the common neurotransmitter, glutamate.

At this point, the researchers can only speculate about what effect this structural difference has on the way that the AgIRs function as odor detectors. However, they have managed to associate an AgIR with butylamine, a human odorant that AgORs do not appear to identify. Butylamine sensitivity is located in grooved peg sensilla, a type of sensory hair on the mosquito antennae. The correlation of AgIR to butylamine could indicate that AgIRs are responsible for grooved peg sensilla sensitivities to other human odors such as ammonia and lactic acid, an idea that the Zwiebel Lab has begun exploring.

The basic problem facing the mosquito searching for human prey – and the humans who are trying to figure out how it does it – is that none of the hundreds of odors given off by humans are necessarily unique. They are actually produced by the bacteria that live on human skin. But these bacteria live on other animals as well. So the current theory is that mosquitoes must identify a blend of different odorants that provide a unique signature for humans. Determining the way that the AgIRs work may be the key to identifying such a signature and that, in turn, could be the key to developing non-toxic, ecologically benign methods for combating malaria and other mosquito-borne illnesses.

Source : Vanderbilt University

Immunogenicity Summit 2011

2011-10-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

Immunogenicity Summit 2011

M I B S I T B T

Are sharks color blind?

2011-09-13T10:44:00.003-07:00

Sharks are unable to distinguish colors, even though their close relatives rays and chimaeras have some color vision, according to new research by Dr. Nathan Scott Hart and colleagues from the University of Western Australia and the University of Queensland in Australia. Their study shows that although the eyes of sharks function over a wide range of light levels, they only have a single long-wavelength-sensitive cone* type in the retina and therefore are potentially totally color blind. Hart and team's findings are published online in Springer's journal Naturwissenschaften – The Science of Nature.

"This new research on how sharks see may help to prevent attacks on humans and assist in the development of fishing gear that may reduce shark bycatch in long-line fisheries. Our study shows that contrast against the background, rather than colour per se, may be more important for object detection by sharks. This may help us to design long-line fishing lures that are less attractive to sharks as well as to design swimming attire and surf craft that have a lower visual contrast to sharks and, therefore, are less 'attractive' to them," said Prof. Hart.

Sharks are efficient predators and their evolutionary success is thought to be due in part to an impressive range of sensory systems, including vision. To date, it is unclear whether sharks have color vision, despite well-developed eyes and a large sensory brain area dedicated to the processing of visual information. In an attempt to demonstrate whether or not sharks have color vision, Hart and colleagues used a different technique - microspectrophotometry - to identify cone visual pigments in shark retinas and measure their spectral absorbance.

They looked at the retinas of 17 shark species caught in a variety of waters in both Queensland and Western Australia. Rod cells were the most common type of photoreceptor in all species. In ten of the 17 species, no cone cells were observed. However, cones were found in the retinae of 7 species of shark from three different families and in each case only a single type of long-wavelength-sensitive cone photoreceptor was present. Hart and team's results provide strong evidence that sharks possess only a single cone type, suggesting that sharks may be cone monochromats, and therefore potentially totally color blind.

The authors conclude : "While cone monochromacy on land is rare, it may be a common strategy in the marine environment. Many aquatic mammals − whales, dolphins and seals − also possess only a single, green-sensitive cone type. It appears that both sharks and marine mammals may have arrived at the same visual design by convergent evolution, in other words, they acquired the same biological trait in unrelated lineages."

Source : Springer

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New TB vaccine enters proof-of-concept trial in people living with HIV

2011-09-13T10:44:00.001-07:00

Aeras and the Oxford-Emergent Tuberculosis Consortium (OETC) announce today the start of a Phase IIb proof-of-concept efficacy trial of a new investigational tuberculosis (TB) vaccine that involves people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The trial will be conducted at research sites in Senegal and South Africa with primary funding support from the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). TB is a leading cause of death for people infected with HIV and the second leading infectious disease killer in the world. This is the first proof-of-concept efficacy trial in people infected with HIV using MVA85A, which is being developed by OETC (a joint venture between the University of Oxford and Emergent BioSolutions) and Aeras. It is expected that the trial will generate important safety, immunogenicity and efficacy data about this vaccine.

The trial will test the vaccine candidate in approximately 1,400 adults ages 18-50 who are infected with HIV. The study will be led by the UK Medical Research Council in The Gambia, Aeras, and the University of Oxford, and conducted at two sites by the University of Cape Town (UCT) Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine in Khayelitsha, South Africa and Laboratoire de Bacteriologie-Virologie du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Aristide Le Dantec in Dakar, Senegal. This follows the first proof-of-concept clinical trial of the same candidate TB vaccine, which recently reached full enrollment with almost 3,000 infant participants in South Africa. "Clinical trials of new vaccines against tuberculosis must be an urgent priority on our agenda, as too many lives are lost to TB, especially among people living with HIV," said Member of the European Parliament Michael Cashman. "I recently visited a clinical trial site of this vaccine candidate in infants in South Africa, and I was impressed with the progress. I am anxious to see a new TB vaccine licensed, and I am proud that European Union Member States are investing in this critically-important work."

Professor Charles Mgone, Executive Director of EDCTP, said, "The TB and HIV co-epidemic is devastating, requiring a concerted global response. EDCTP in partnership with Aeras, Oxford-Emergent Tuberculosis Consortium and others is committed to accelerate research and development of this promising vaccine against tuberculosis by co-financing the clinical trial as an essential part in its evaluation."

Tuberculosis kills 1.7 million people per year, and more than two billion people worldwide are infected with TB – approximately one out of every three people on the planet. People infected with HIV living in countries with high TB prevalence are 20 times more likely to develop TB than those who are HIV-negative. In 2008, there were an estimated 1.4 million new cases of TB among persons with HIV infection, and TB accounted for 23 percent of AIDS-related deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, the only currently-licensed vaccine against TB, is not effective in preventing adult pulmonary TB, the most common form of the disease. "A new, more effective TB vaccine would be game-changing in international efforts to eliminate TB globally by 2050," said Jim Connolly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aeras. "Studies have already shown that this promising vaccine has an acceptable safety profile and stimulates strong immune responses in HIV-infected individuals."

Aeras is the trial sponsor, and significant funding is provided by EDCTP, a pan-European body that supports multicenter projects which combine clinical trials, capacity building and networking. This study has been approved by the Medicines Control Council of South Africa, the South African Department of Health, and the Comité National d'Ethique pour la Recherche en Santé (CNERS) in Senegal. The Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP) in Belgium, which first identified the antigen 85A for possible use in a vaccine candidate, is providing in-kind laboratory services for the study. "Together with our partners, Emergent BioSolutions is proud to be leading the development of a new vaccine to defeat TB, one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases. This trial is particularly critical because of its focus on adults living with HIV. If we are successful, MVA85A will help make the dream of a world free from TB a reality," said Fuad El-Hibri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emergent BioSolutions.

"It is great to see the vaccine candidate we initially developed at Oxford University reach this stage of clinical trials," said Dr. Helen McShane, a Wellcome Trust Senior Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. "In the next few years we should begin to get results on how effective the vaccine is in protecting those who are most at risk of TB. It's our hope that this vaccine will turn out to be a powerful new weapon to combat TB in the parts of the world that need it most."

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Like humans, amoebae pack a lunch before they travel

2011-09-13T10:43:00.001-07:00

Some amoebae do what many people do. Before they travel, they pack a lunch.

In results of a study reported today in the journal Nature, evolutionary biologists Joan Strassmann and David Queller of Rice University show that long-studied social amoebae Dictyostellum discoideum (commonly known as slime molds) increase their odds of survival through a rudimentary form of agriculture. Research by lead author Debra Brock, a graduate student at Rice, found that some amoebae sequester their food--particular strains of bacteria--for later use.

"We now know that primitively social slime molds have genetic variation in their ability to farm beneficial bacteria as a food source," says George Gilchrist, program director in the National Science Foundation's Division of Environmental Biology, which funded the research. "But the catch is that with the benefits of a portable food source, comes the cost of harboring harmful bacteria." After these "farmer" amoebae aggregate into a slug, they migrate in search of nourishment--and form a fruiting body, or a stalk of dead amoebae topped by a sorus, a structure containing fertile spores. Then they release the bacteria-containing spores to the environment as feedstock for continued growth.

The findings run counter to the presumption that all "Dicty" eat everything in sight before they enter the social spore-forming stage. Non-farmer amoebae do eat everything, but farmers were found to leave food uneaten, and their slugs don't travel as far. Perhaps because they don't have to. The advantages of going hungry now to ensure a good food supply later are clear, as farmers are able to thrive in environments in which non-farmers find little food. The researchers found that about a third of wild-collected Dicty are farmers. Instead of consuming all the bacteria they encounter, these amoebae eat less and incorporate bacteria into their migratory systems.

Brock showed that carrying bacteria is a genetic trait by eliminating all living bacteria from four farmers and four non-farmers--the control group--by treating them with antibiotics. All amoebae were grown on dead bacteria; tests confirmed that they were free of live bacteria. When the eight clones were then fed live bacteria, the farmers all regained their abilities to seed bacteria colonies, while the non-farmers did not. Dicty farmers are always farmers; non-farmers never learn.

Rice graduate student Tracy Douglas co-authored the paper with Brock, Queller and Strassmann. She confirmed that farmers and non-farmers belong to the same species and do not form a distinct evolved group. Still, mysteries remain.

The researchers want to know what genetic differences separate farmers from non-farmers. They also wonder why farmer clones don't migrate as far as their counterparts.

It might be a consequence of bacterial interference, they say, or an evolved response, since farmers carry the seeds of their own food supply and don't need to go as far. Also, some seemingly useless or even harmful bacteria are not consumed as food, but may serve an as-yet-undetermined function, Brock says.

That has implications for treating disease as it may, for instance, provide clues to the way tuberculosis bacteria invade cells, says Strassmann, infecting the host while resisting attempts to break them down. The results demonstrate the importance of working in natural environments with wild organisms whose complex ties to their living environment have not been broken.

Source : National Science Foundation

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Your genome in minutes: New technology could slash sequencing time

2011-09-13T10:40:00.001-07:00

Scientists from Imperial College London are developing technology that could ultimately sequence a person's genome in mere minutes, at a fraction of the cost of current commercial techniques.

The researchers have patented an early prototype technology that they believe could lead to an ultrafast commercial DNA sequencing tool within ten years. Their work is described in a study published this month in the journal 'Nano Letters' and it is supported by the Wellcome Trust Translational Award and the Corrigan Foundation.

The research suggests that scientists could eventually sequence an entire genome in a single lab procedure, whereas at present it can only be sequenced after being broken into pieces in a highly complex and time-consuming process. Fast and inexpensive genome sequencing could allow ordinary people to unlock the secrets of their own DNA, revealing their personal susceptibility to diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes and cancer. Medical professionals are already using genome sequencing to understand population-wide health issues and research ways to tailor individualised treatments or preventions.

Dr Joshua Edel, one of the authors on the study from the Department of Chemistry at Imperial College London, said: "Compared with current technology, this device could lead to much cheaper sequencing: just a few dollars, compared with $1m to sequence an entire genome in 2007. We haven't tried it on a whole genome yet but our initial experiments suggest that you could theoretically do a complete scan of the 3,165 million bases in the human genome within minutes, providing huge benefits for medical tests, or DNA profiles for police and security work. It should be significantly faster and more reliable, and would be easy to scale up to create a device with the capacity to read up to 10 million bases per second, versus the typical 10 bases per second you get with the present day single molecule real-time techniques."

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Learning the language of bacteria

2011-09-13T10:39:00.001-07:00

Bacteria are among the simplest organisms in nature, but many of them can still talk to each other, using a chemical "language" that is critical to the process of infection. Sending and receiving chemical signals allows bacteria to mind their own business when they are scarce and vulnerable, and then mount an attack after they become numerous enough to overwhelm the host's immune system.

This system, called "quorum sensing," is an interesting example of sophistication among microbes, says Helen Blackwell, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In practical terms, she adds, quorum sensing may provide an alternative therapeutic target as bacteria continue to evolve resistance to antibiotics.

Theoretically, blocking quorum sensing would prevent the bacteria from turning pathogenic and producing the toxins that are an immediate cause of disease in bacterial infections.

Bacteria use simple chemical signals to control quorum sensing, and Blackwell is interested in how these compounds work and in developing new ways to intercept them. In a study just published online in the journal ChemBioChem, Blackwell and colleagues Andrew Palmer, Evan Streng and Kelsea Jewell showed that several species of bacteria can respond to identical signals, suggesting that one drug could battle quorum sensing in several types of bacteria. Many bacteria use a class of molecules called lactones for quorum sensing, and Blackwell's lab has synthesized many non-native lactones, and then tested them in two species of bacteria that use identical native lactone signals. Overall, the organisms responded similarly to the same synthetic molecules, despite the dramatic differences between the species. These results suggest that the same basic chemical sensing mechanism could be common among microbes, Blackwell says. "That tells us that we can use these classes of chemicals to study — and perhaps eventually fight — a much broader range of bacteria."

Finding a broad-spectrum activity for the synthetic lactones is good news, Blackwell adds. "Bacteria come in countless varieties, and the ability to target multiple organisms with one compound could streamline the search for drugs. At the same time, we also have found differences in signal selectivity that may allow us to target some bacteria while ignoring others." That could provide the best of both worlds, Blackwell says. One drug might halt multiple infections, but related drugs might affect only one microbe in a mixture. "The data indicate that it should be possible to design and use compounds that are either selective or broad-spectrum."

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How we come to know our bodies as our own

2011-07-05T10:39:00.001-07:00

[PRESS RELEASE, 17 June 2011] By taking advantage of a 'body swap' illusion, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have captured the brain regions involved in one of the most fundamental aspects of self-awareness: how we recognize our bodies as our own, distinct from others and from the outside world. That self-perception is traced to specialized multisensory neurons in various parts of the brain that integrate different sensory inputs across all body parts into a unified view of the body. The findings, reported in the journal Current Biology, may have important medical and industrial applications.

Activity in the brain associated with the illusion of owning a manniquin's body. Credit: Current Biology and the study authors

"When we look down at our body, we immediately experience that it belongs to us," says Valeria Petkova, one of the researchers behind the study. "We do not experience our body as a set of fragmented parts, but rather as a single entity. Our study is the first to tackle the important question of how we come to have the unitary experience of owning an entire body."

Earlier studies showed that the integration of visual, tactile and proprioceptive information (the sense of the relative position of body parts) in multisensory areas constitutes a mechanism for the self-attribution of single limbs, the researchers explained. But how ownership of individual body parts translates into the unitary experience of owning a whole body remained a mystery.

In the current study, the researchers used a 'body-swap' illusion, in which people experienced a mannequin to be their own, in combination with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants observed touching of the mannequi's body from the point of view of the mannequin's head while feeling identical synchronous touches on his or her own body, which they could not see. Those studies revealed a tight coupling between the experience of full-body ownership and neural responses in brain regions known to represent multisensory processing nodes in the primate brain, specifically the bilateral ventral premotor and left intraparietal cortices and the left putamen.

Activation in those multisensory areas was stronger when the stimulated body part was attached to a body, as compared with when it was detached, they report, evidence that the integrity between body segments facilitates ownership of the parts. According to the researchers, the findings suggest that the integration of visual, tactile and proprioceptive information in body-part-centered reference frames represents a basic neural mechanism underlying the feeling of ownership of entire bodies.

"Understanding the mechanisms underlying the self-attribution of a body in the healthy brain can help developing better diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to address pathological disturbances of bodily self- perception," says Associate Professor Henrik Ehrsson, who led the study. "In addition, understanding the mechanisms of perceiving an entire body or a body part as belonging to oneself can have important implications for the design and production of mechanical prosthesis or robotic substitutes for paralyzed or amputated body parts."

Publication:

Valeria I. Petkova, Malin Björnsdotter, Giovanni Gentile, Tomas Jonsson, Tie-Qiang Li, H. Henrik Ehrsson

From part to whole body ownership in the multisensory brain

Current Biology, Volume 21; Issue 13, online 16 June 2011

Journal website

For questions, please contact:

PhD Valeria Petkova

Work:: +46 (0)85248 7989

E-mail:

valeria.petkova@ki.se

Department of neuroscience

Associate Professor Henrik Ehrsson

Work:: +46 (0)8 524 87 231

E-mail:

Henrik.Ehrsson@ki.se

Contact the press office and download photos

Last modified by: Katarina Sternudd 2011-06-17

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Bacterium engineered with DNA in which thymine is replaced by synthetic building block

2011-06-29T10:27:00.000-07:00

The genetic information of all living cells is stored in the DNA composed of the four canonical bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). An international team of researchers has now succeeded in generating a bacterium possessing a DNA in which thymine is replaced by the synthetic building block 5-chlorouracil (c), a substance toxic for other organisms.The project, coordinated by Rupert Mutzel (Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin) and Philippe Marlière (Heurisko USA Inc.), involved researchers of the French CEA (Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives) and of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium). As described in the latest issue of Angewandte Chemie International Edition, the experimental work was based on a unique technology developed by Marlière and Mutzel enabling the directed evolution of organisms under strictly controlled conditions. Large populations of microbial cells are cultured for prolonged periods in the presence of a toxic chemical -- in this case, 5-chlorouracil -- at sublethal levels, thereby selecting for genetic variants capable of tolerating higher concentrations of the toxic substance.
In response to the appearance of such variants in the cell population the concentration of the toxic chemical in the growth medium is increased, thus keeping the selection pressure constant. This automated procedure of long term evolution was applied to adapt genetically engineered Escherichia coli bacteria unable to synthesize the natural nucleobase thymine to grow on increasing concentrations of 5-chlorouracil. After a culture period of about 1000 generations descendants of the original strain were obtained which used 5-chlorouracil as complete substitute for thymine. Subsequent genome analysis revealed numerous mutations in the DNA of the adapted bacteria. The contribution of these mutations to the adaptation of the cells towards the halogenated base will be the subject of follow-up studies.
Besides the obvious interest of this radical change in the chemistry of living systems for basic research the scientists consider the outcome of their work also to be of importance for "xenobiology," a branch of synthetic biology. This young area of the life sciences aims at the generation of new organisms not found in nature harboring metabolic traits optimized for alternative modes of energy production or for the synthesis of high value chemicals. Like GMOs, such organisms are seen as a potential threat for natural ecosystems when released from their laboratory confinements, either through direct competition with wild type organisms or through diffusion of their "synthetic" DNA.
Scientists have recognized that physical containment cannot in every single case prevent engineered live forms from reaching natural habitats, in the same way as radioactive isotopes can leak into the surroundings of a nuclear power plant. However, synthetic organisms like those evolved by Marlière and Mutzel and their collaborators which depend on the availability of substances for their proliferation not found in nature or which incorporate non-natural building blocks in their genetic material could neither compete nor exchange genetic messages with wild type organisms, but would die in the absence of the xenobioticM I B S I T B T

A man from Alabama first to receive Stem Cell Therapy

2011-06-21T09:27:00.001-07:00

A man from Alabama has become the first person in the United States to receive a highly-debated embryonic stem cell transplant. Researchers are hoping the technology will be a game changer for those with debilitating spinal cord injuries.

TJ Atchinson hopes he's living the dream of Superman Christopher Reeve -- to become the first human to receive embryonic stem cell therapy. Atchinson was paralyzed following a devastating car accident."I realized I couldn't feel from (the top) down," Atchinson said. "When I got to the hospital, they said I would never walk again."

Atchinson was still accepting the news when doctors told him he'd be a great candidate for the stem cell therapy. Though he was injured just a few days before getting the offer, his body was strong and his will was even stronger. Atchinson agreed to be a laboratory of hope -- the first human with a spinal cord injury to test human embryonic stem cells.

Doctors began the procedure by opening his wound, then guiding a needle into his body. Doctors injected Atchinson with two million all-purpose stem cells that they hope will transform into new nerve cells and attach to muscles, refiring his central nervous system.
In the laboratory, they've used embryonic stem cells to repair the broken spinal cords of small animals that walked again. The stem cells have the potential to produce unlimited quantities of any type of cell. Atchinson's mother says she knows that people oppose the therapy on religious grounds, but thinks they're unreasonable."There are some people who are against it, but until they've been put in the position I don't think they should judge anybody," Atchinson's mother told ABC News. Atchinson says his role in the procedure was to prove it was safe, but he says he can already start to feel it working. "Right now, I can feel that," Atchinson said while pulling at hair on his leg.

Six months after the procedure, Atchinson says he can feel a sense of weight when he places heavy items onto his lap. As he rubs his leg, Atchinson says, "I can tell that...I can feel that there's something there." Atchinson is holding out hope that he can one day run again like he once did before his accident.

Source: ABC7News, San Francisco, CA

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India's Top 50 Engineering Colleges 2011

2011-06-08T00:09:00.001-07:00

Heavily dominated by public institutions, the top-50 listing is a roll call of excellence India's top 50 engineering institutions 2011

Ranking the top colleges is a very difficult task. While it is relatively easy to create clusters of colleges, it is differentiating within clusters that became the most difficult exercise. So for the first time in the country we have used balanced scorecard methodology to arrive at the ranking of the top 50 colleges. Ranking methodology: We scanned the last five year rankings of about 241 colleges and normalised their ranks, by assigning differential weights to subjective and objective ranking. Such a process is used to develop clusters of institutions. The research standing of individual institutions were further used to refine the clusters and remove the odd men out. Individual clusters were ranked serially. In each of these clusters the differences in cut-off marks, wherever possible (like in case of IITs and AIEEE institutes and some States) were used to arrive at individual ranks. Heavily dominated by public institutions, the top-50 listing is a roll call of excellence India's top 50 engineering institutions 2011

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Gut Bacteria can affect Mental Health: Did you know that?

2011-05-29T08:34:00.003-07:00

A gut feeling may help you make a quick decision, but one study credits the digestive system for possibly influencing our mental states and behavior as well. The results help scientists understand how inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive problems relate to the psychological issues that often accompany them. Anxiety and depression commonly occur alongside these bowel conditions.

Scientists want to know whether certain gut bacteria influence humans' behavior. If so, doctors may be able to battle the physical and psychological effects of disease-causing bacteria by developing treatments such as probiotics.In the experiment, researchers introduced antimicrobials to mice via drinking water in order to change the ratios of their gut bacteria. The control group received sterile water. Afterward, both groups of mice were placed between two boxes -- one in the dark, one with light, as scientists recorded their behaviors. Mice with altered digestive bacteria showed less apprehension and were less afraid to go into the well-lit box, a common sign the animals are under the influence of drugs or illness.

Scientists then euthanized the mice to study their intestines and brains. They also found out that the hippocampus of the rodents with altered gut bacteria produced more brain-derived neurotrophic factor, also called BDNF, which often increases with stress and mood disorders, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Although more research is needed to extend the findings to humans, the team found that the effects of bacterial imbalance were reversible in mice, meaning there might be a way to do the same thing for humans in the future.

Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine

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Astrocytes now can be grown in lab

2011-05-29T08:34:00.001-07:00

The most common brain cell, called the astrocyte, is often overlooked in the face of its cousin, the neuron. Researchers are finally realizing their importance and have, for the first time, been able to grow them in the lab.

"Not a lot of attention has been paid to these cells because human astrocytes have been hard to get," study researcher Su-Chun Zhang, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "But we can make billions or trillions of them from a single stem cell." Astrocytes are small, star-shaped cells in the brain that act like the neuron's bodyguards, and because of that they play an important role in diseases of the central nervous system, including dementia. They are more common than neurons but have been hard to grow in the lab. Being able to study them could help researchers understand their role in normal brain functioning, and help find new treatments for disease.

"Without the astrocyte, neurons can't function," Zhang said in a statement. "Astrocytes wrap around nerve cells to protect them and keep them healthy. They participate in virtually every function or disorder of the brain." They protect neurons by performing basic housekeeping functions, like regulating blood flow, cleaning up excess neurotransmitters (the communication molecules used by neurons), and playing a key role in controlling the blood-brain barrier, which keeps toxic substances out of the brain.

Zhang created the cells from both embryonic and adult stem cells by treating them with special proteins to get them to grow into astrocytes. These cells could also be useful as a transplant, to treat diseases like Lou Gehrig's disease (also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), in which the neurons are overworked. Transplanting healthy astrocytes could rescue the injured neurons.

Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Anxiety may be in your gut rather than in your head

2011-05-29T08:33:00.001-07:00

For the first time, researchers at McMaster University have conclusive evidence that bacteria residing in the gut influence brain chemistry and behaviour.The findings are important because several common types of gastrointestinal disease, including irritable bowel syndrome, are frequently associated with anxiety or depression. In addition there has been speculation that some psychiatric disorders, such as late onset autism, may be associated with an abnormal bacterial content in the gut.
"The exciting results provide stimulus for further investigating a microbial component to the causation of behavioural illnesses," said Stephen Collins, professor of medicine and associate dean research, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. Collins and Premysl Bercik, assistant professor of medicine, undertook the research in the Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute.The research appears in the online edition of the journal Gastroenterology.
For each person, the gut is home to about 1,000 trillium bacteria with which we live in harmony. These bacteria perform a number of functions vital to health: They harvest energy from the diet, protect against infections and provide nutrition to cells in the gut. Any disruption can result in life-threatening conditions, such as antibiotic-induced colitis from infection with the "superbug" Clostridium difficile.Working with healthy adult mice, the researchers showed that disrupting the normal bacterial content of the gut with antibiotics produced changes in behaviour; the mice became less cautious or anxious. This change was accompanied by an increase in brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which has been linked, to depression and anxiety.
When oral antibiotics were discontinued, bacteria in the gut returned to normal. "This was accompanied by restoration of normal behaviour and brain chemistry," Collins said.To confirm that bacteria can influence behaviour, the researchers colonized germ-free mice with bacteria taken from mice with a different behavioural pattern. They found that when germ-free mice with a genetic background associated with passive behaviour were colonized with bacteria from mice with higher exploratory behaviour, they became more active and daring. Similarly, normally active mice became more passive after receiving bacteria from mice whose genetic background is associated with passive behaviour.
While previous research has focused on the role bacteria play in brain development early in life, Collins said this latest research indicates that while many factors determine behaviour, the nature and stability of bacteria in the gut appear to influence behaviour and any disruption , from antibiotics or infection, might produce changes in behaviour. Bercik said that these results lay the foundation for investigating the therapeutic potential of probiotic bacteria and their products in the treatment of behavioural disorders, particularly those associated with gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.

Source: Mcmaster University

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Body can be re-educated to accept donor organ on its own

2011-05-29T08:32:00.003-07:00

British-based researchers have discovered a way to reprogramme immune system cells so that they think the donated organ is a natural part of the recipient's body.Not only will the development avoid patients having to take three different types of costly drugs every day of their life, it will also mean the donated organs lasts indefinitely.
Dr Pervinder Sagoo, co-author at King's College London, said: "We hope this is the holy grail that means that the recipient is completely tolerant to the transplanted organ for the rest of their life."
Currently patients must take around three immunosuppressant drugs a day to prevent a new organ from being rejected after transplantation.However, these drugs suppress the entire immune system, leaving the patient susceptible to infections and tumours.
Transplanted organs are also put under pressure andoften do not last longer than 10 years.
The new approach involves re-educating the immune system so that the body sees the organ as a natural part of the body.The immune system carries on working in exactly the same way but because it does not see the new tissue as alien, leaves it alone.The technique works by mixing the immune cells of the donor and the recipient in the laboratory to produce a kind of hybrid which is then copied millions of times.These new cells of then injected into the recipient – spreading around the body and re-educating the immune system for life.Ultimately this approach could extend the life of a transplanted organ and in turn, could alleviate the organ shortage problem.
The technique has already been used in animals and clinical human trials start at the end of the year.
Scientists hope it could be used in earnest within a decade.Professor Robert Lechler, Vice-Principal for Health at King's, said: "This study is a promising step forward that could lead to dramatic advances in preventing organ rejection and improving the quality of life of transplant patients."
Dr Shannon Amoils, Research Advisor at the British Heart Foundation, which part-funded both studies, said: "If the techniques used in these studies can be transferred to the clinic it could signal a move to replace long term use of immune-suppressing drugs."This would be a huge step forward for transplantation, more than four decades since the revolutionary treatment began."

Source: King's College London

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Cross your Arm, Confuse your brain & relieve pain

2011-05-29T08:32:00.001-07:00

Simply crossing your hands confuses your brain and distracts it from any pain being administered, a study suggests.The brain is used to your left hand carrying out tasks on your left hand side and the right hand carrying out tasks on the right.By crossing them, the brain is momentarily bamboozled and this makes it less susceptible to pain.
Researchers think the theory has most impact on pain felt in the hands, and have not yet tested it on other parts of the body."Perhaps when we get hurt, we should not only 'rub it better' but also cross our arms," said Dr Giandomenico Iannetti, the lead author of the study at the University College London.
In the study, scientists used a laser to generate a four millisecond pin prick of "pure pain" – which is pain without touch – on the hands of a small group of eight participants, which was repeated with the arms crossed.The hands were over the midline – an imaginary line running vertically down the centre of the body. Participants rated their perception of the intensity of the pain, and their electrical brain responses were also measured using electroencephalography (EEG) scanner.
The pain was rated from 0 to 100, with 100 being the most pain you could possibly imagine.
The results from both participants' reports and the EEG showed that the perception of pain was weaker when the arms were crossed.The effect is said to be "small but significant" and equivalent to a reduction in pain of around three per cent, the study claims.Dr Iannetti believes that the effect was caused by the brain being confused."In everyday life you mostly use your left hand to touch things on the left side of the world, and your right hand for the right side of the world – for example when picking up a glass of water on your right side you generally use your right hand," he said.
"Crossing your hands causes a mismatch and this makes the processing of pain more difficult.
"It works for other stimuli. The sensitivity of the brain is reduced. It is not a huge analgesic but we are testing it on people with chronic pain in their hands."

Source: University College London.

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Early HIV Treatment Reduces Transmission

2011-05-14T05:44:00.001-07:00

The World Health Organization is calling the results of a new study a "crucial development" in HIV treatment. The U.S. National Institutes of Health studied almost 1,800 couples from countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas in which one partner was infected with HIV. The researchers found that the couples, in which the infected partner was started on antiretroviral medications immediately after diagnosis, had a 96% decrease in the rate of HIV transmission to the uninfected partner, compared to couples in which the infected partner was given antiretroviral drugs only when their white blood cell counts decreased. Among those who started therapy immediately after diagnosis there was only one case of transmission between partners. In the other group there were 27 HIV transmissions. The study was cut short by four years due to the successful outcome thus far, and will no doubt affect current recommendations for HIV treatment.

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LIST OF IMPORTANT INSTITUTES TO PURSUE INTERNSHIP/TRAINING

2011-05-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

List of Institutions in India:
1. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Marg, New Delhi-110 029.
2. Amravati Uaniversity, Amravati-44 602
3. Banasthali Vidyapeeth, Rajasthan-304 022
4. Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046, TN
5. Bose Institute, P-1/12, CIT Scheme, VII Kankurgachi, Calcutta-700 054.
6. Calicut University, Kozhikode-673 635, Kerala
7. Centre for Biotechnology, Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu-25.
8. Centre for Biotechnology, Pondicherry University, Pondichery-605 014.
9. Centre for Plant Molecular Biology, Tamilnadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641 003
10. Consortium India Ltd,. G-6, (3rd Floor), NDSE Part 1, New Delhi.
11. Department of Biotechnology, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore-452 001, Madhya Pradesh.
12. Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar-143 005.
13. Department of Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, Calcutta-700 032.
14. Department of Biotechnology, Punjab University, Goa-5.
15. Department of Marine Sciences, Goa University, Goa-5.
16. Department of Microbiology, M.S. University, Vadodara-390 002, Gujarat.
17. Department of Zoology, Poona University, Pune-411 007, Maharashtra.
18. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad-431 004.
19. Faculty of Applied Science, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam-686 560, Kerala.
20. Faculty of Science, G.B, Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pant Nagar-263 145, Nainital Dist. Uttar Pradesh.
21. Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar, Haryana.
22. Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla-171 005.
23. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Pusa Campus, New Delhi-110 012.
24. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-560 012.
25. Indian Institute of Technology, Haus Khas, New, Delhi-6.
26. Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur-723 102.
27. Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, Mumbai-400 076.
28. Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243 122, Uttar Pradesh.
29. Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Masab Tank, Mahaveer Marg, Hyderabad-Anadhra Pradesh.
30. Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110 067.

31. Jiwaji University, Gwalior-474 011.
32. Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra-136 119.
33. North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon-425 002.
34. Osmania University, Administrative Building, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh-500 007.
35. Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur-492 010, Chhattisgarh.
36. Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab.
37. Punjab University, Patiala-147 002.
38. Rajendra Agricultural University, PO Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar.
39. School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai-625 021.
40. School of Biotechnology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005.
41. School of Life Sciences, Central University, Hyderabad-500 134.
42. Swami Ramanad Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded-431 603.
43. Tezpur University, Tezpur-784 001.
44. University of Delhi. Delhi-110 007.
45. University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-500 046.
46. University of Kerala, Thiruvananthaouram-34, Kerala.
47. University of Madras, Centenary Building Chepauk, Triplicane PO, Chennai-600 005, Tamil Nadu.
48. University of Mysore, Mysore-570 005.
49. University of Roorkee, Roorkee-247 667.
Some of the centres where Biotechnology labs are equipped with advanced facilities are:

1. National Facility for Microbial Type Culture Collection (MTCC) at Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh.
2. National Facility for Collection of Blue Green Algae (BGA) Collection at IARI, New Delhi.
3. National Facility for Marine Cyanobacteria at Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli.
4. National Facility for Plant Tissue Culture Repository at NBPGR, Pusa, New Delhi.
5. National Laboratory Animal House Facilities at Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow.
6. National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad.
Genetic Engineering labs with latest infrastructure facilities are :
1. BHU, Varanasi
2. Biochemical Engineering Research and Process Development Centre at IMTECH, Chandigarh.
3. Centre for DNA Finger Printing and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad.
4. JNU, New Delhi
5. Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
6. National Facility for Animal Cell and Tissue Culture, Pune
. 7. National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi.
8. The Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Stem Cells Can Be Distinguished on the Basis of Sugar Residues: A new study suggests

2011-05-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

A new study at Bochum let to the development of an antibody that allows them to distinguish the numerous types of stem cells in the nervous system better than before.

"In order to use stem cells for therapeutic purposes, it is important to be able to distinguish between the different types," explained Eva Hennen of the RUB Department of Cell Morphology and Molecular Neurobiology (Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology). The antibody 5750 recognises a specific sugar residue on the cell surface, which is called LewisX. The research group led by Prof. Dr. Andreas Faissner has now been able to use LewisX for the first time to separate different types of stem cells. The researchers report on their results in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Unexpected sugar diversity

Antibodies that recognise the LewisX sugar residue are used routinely to identify so-called neural stem cells from which the various cells of the nervous system originate. Prof. Faissner's team has now shown that the designation "LewisX" does not just cover a single sugar motif, but a whole range of different sugar residues. Different types of neural stem cells are equipped with individual combinations of LewisX sugar residues on their cell surface. The new Bochum antibody 5750 recognises a different LewisX sugar residue to the antibodies previously used. "This sugar diversity could also be interesting for cancer diagnosis" Prof. Faissner explained, "because LewisX sugars have also been detected on tumour cells."

New Research: Genes Determine Donor Kidney Survival

2011-05-13T09:24:00.000-07:00

A new study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center sheds light on what causes certain kidneys to do better than others after being transplanted.

"It's been long observed that kidneys taken from some black donors just don't last as long as those taken from non-black donors, and the reason for that has not been known," said Barry I. Freedman, M.D., John H. Felts III Professor and senior investigator. "This study reveals that the genetic profile of the donor has a marked affect on graft survival after transplantation. We now know that these organs aren't failing because they came from black donors, but rather because they came from individuals with two copies of a specific recessive gene."

The study appears in the May issue of the American Journal of Transplantation.

Freedman and co-researchers at Wake Forest Baptist examined 12 years' worth of medical records dating back to 1998, looking for all patients who received a kidney transplant from a black deceased donor whose genetic information had been recorded. The search yielded 106 black donors -- from whom one or both kidneys were transplanted -- for a total of 136 donated kidneys.

The researchers identified that kidneys from donors who had specific coding changes in a gene called apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) did not last as long after transplant as those from donors without these changes. These coding changes in the APOL1 gene that affect kidney transplant function are found in about 10 to 12 percent of black individuals. Recent studies, led by Freedman and his colleagues, have shown that these genetic changes are associated with an increased risk of kidney disease, which prompted researchers to investigate the role of these changes in transplant success.

"In looking at the records and follow-up of the recipients of these organs, we accounted for all the usual factors that are known to contribute to more rapid loss of kidney function after transplant," said Freedman, chief of the section on nephrology. "What we found was that the kidney disease-causing risk variants in APOL1 were the strongest predictor of graft loss after transplant. The effect of having two copies of this gene was stronger than the impact of genetic matching between donor and recipient, the amount of time the organ was out of the body, and the antibody levels. APOL1 dwarfed all these other factors known to affect survival."

If the finding is confirmed by other researchers, it has the potential to dramatically improve outcomes for both the individuals undergoing kidney transplantation and those considering kidney donation, Freedman said. It could revolutionize donor selection criteria, allowing transplant physicians the ability to identify kidneys that are likely to function for shorter periods of time. In addition, this screening tool has the potential to help doctors protect potential donors who may be at risk of developing kidney disease down the road.

Certain Heart Medications Better Taken At Night

2011-05-13T09:23:00.000-07:00

A new study to be published in the May 17, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that ACE inhibitors, a class of cardiac drugs, may be more efficacious when administered at night. ACE inhibitors are used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease, especially in people who have sustained a heart attack. They reduce the deleterious post-heart attack remodeling of heart tissue which usually occurs at night. By studying mice, the researchers found that those who were given the medication at night demonstrated better heart function and preservation of normal heart size than mice that were given the medication in the morning. The study calls to attention the need for more studies on the best times to administer cardiac drugs, since evidence shows that heart function runs on a cyclic pattern. For example, it is well known that the risk of heart attack is dramatically increased in the mornings for a variety of reasons. Therefore, giving medications to anticipate this would be more beneficial than taking a medication after one awakens.

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glutamate receptors

2011-05-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

Glutamate neurotransmission plays an important role in a number of physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. Activation of glutamate receptors occurs in pathways involved in pain, neurotoxicity and memory formation.

There are big expectations in the neuropharmacology field about the possible clinical applications of novel agents acting on these receptors. Some of the conditions that might benefit from future glutamatergic drugs include: hyperalgesia, stroke, epilepsy and schizophrenia.

This article overviews the structure and physiology of glutamate receptors.

Outline:

Classification
- Ionotropic glutamate receptors
  - NMDA receptors
  - AMPA receptors
  - Kainate receptors
- Metabotropic receptors

Structure and characteristics

Glutamate receptors are divided into two subgroups: ionotropic (ligand-gated ion channels) and metabotropic (G protein-coupled receptors).

Ionotropic glutamate receptors

These receptors act as cation-selective channels, when activated they allow the flow of Na⁺, K⁺ and Ca²⁺.

Ionotropic glutamate receptors can be subdivided into three subtypes, according to their activation by selective agonists such as NMDA, AMPA and kainate.

NMDA receptors

NMDA receptors are ligand-gated ion channels, with a primary glutamate-binding site and an allosteric glycine-binding site.These receptors consist of multisubunit oligomeric transmembrane complexes. NDMA receptor subunits include:

NR1
NR2A
NR2B
NR2C
NR2D

Smith, S. Diabetic Retinopathy and the NMDA Receptor, Drug News Perspect 2002, 15(4): 226

Three events need to occur simultaneously in order to activate NMDA receptors: binding of glutamate and glycine (which acts as cotransmitter) and membrane depolarization. Under resting conditions, Mg²⁺ ions block the channel pore in the resting membrane. When NMDA receptors are activated, Mg²⁺ ions are removed from their location, allowing the influx of Ca⁺² ions.

AMPA receptors

AMPA (alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid) receptors are constituted of four subunits:

GluR1
GluR2
GluR3
GluR4

These receptors regulate fast excitatory postsynaptic depolarization at glutamatergic synapses. AMPA receptors are located in the CNS, specially in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex.

Kainate receptors

Kainate receptors are expressed throughout the CNS, particularly in the hyppocampus and cerebellum where they play a role in both pre- and postsynaptic neurotransmission.

Five kainate receptor subunits have been identified:

GluR5
GluR6
GluR7
KA1
KA2

According to recent findings, kainate receptors may be relevant in pain neurotransmission.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) are seven transmembrane-spanning proteins that exert their actions through G protein signalling cascades.

There are eight subtypes of metabotropic glutamate receptors, which are organized into three separate groups (I, II and III).

Recent findings suggest that groups II and III might be located presynaptically, where they function as autoreceptors to block glutamate release. Autoreceptors act as "detectors" of glutamate activity in the synaptic cleft. When ligands activate group II and III mGluRs glutamate release may be reduced. Therefore, activation of presynaptic group II and III mGLURs may inhibit glutamatergic excitatory neurotransmission.

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors may be located postsynaptically, where they hypothetically enhance excitatory glutamatergic neurotransmission.

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New Florida Bill Could Prevent Doctors From Asking About Guns

2011-05-11T23:23:00.000-07:00

Florida governor Rick Scott is expected to sign a bill that is penned with the assistance of National Rifle Association (NRA) lobbyists which would effectively make it illegal for doctors to ask their patients whether they have access to guns. The bill is aimed mostly at pediatricians who routinely ask new parents whether there are guns in the home and if they are safely stored. Doctors will routinely ask suicidal patients as well regarding access to firearms. These questions are meant to guide the doctor during the patient encounter by helping to identify and discuss potential safety issues. However, gun rights advocates say physicians have a political agenda because the American Academy of Pediatrics is officially on the record supporting gun control. Similar laws are also being considered in the states of North Carolina and Alabama

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Your Happiness also has genetic basis: Did you know that?

2011-05-11T01:33:00.001-07:00

Recently, a study has come up stating links of happiness with the type of genes you possess.

The study of more than 2,500 Americans revealed two variants of a gene that influenced how satisfied – or dissatisfied – people were with their lot. Those born with two long versions of the gene (one is passed down from each parent) were more likely to declare themselves "very satisfied" with life than those who inherited two short versions.The study marks a tentative step towards explaining the mystery of why some people seem naturally happier than others.

"This gives us more insight into the biological mechanisms that influence life satisfaction," said Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, a researcher at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

"If you're feeling down, you can say it's your biology telling you life is less rosy that it is," he added.

A greater understanding of happiness genes might in future allow would-be parents to create a child who will be more satisfied with their life.

Happiness is only partly influenced by genetic makeup. Studies in twins suggest that genes account for roughly a third to a half of the variation in happiness between people. It is not yet known how many genes affect how cheerful we are. De Neve looked at the genetic makeup of 2,574 people selected to be representative of the general population, whose medical histories were recorded for the US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Among the records were answers to a question participants were asked in their early 20s about life satisfaction.

Writing in the Journal of Human Genetics, De Neve describes how roughly 40% said they were "very satisfied" with life, and among these, 35.4% had two long variants of the gene and only 19.1% had two short versions. Of those who were "dissatisfied" with life, 26.2% had two long variants of the gene, while 20% had two short versions. That indicates a slight over-representation of the long variants in happier people.

The gene, known as 5-HTT, is involved with the transport of serotonin, a feelgood chemical, in the brain. The longer variant leads to more efficient release and recycling of the neurotransmitter.

De Neve calculated that, everything else being equal, having one long version of the gene increased the number of people claiming to be "very satisfied" with life by around 8.5%. Having two long versions raised the number by 17.3%.

De Neve urged caution over the result, however, and emphasised that inheriting two short versions of the gene did not condemn a person to a life of misery any more than two long versions would make someone impervious to sadness.

"This gene has an important influence, but you cannot say it causes happiness. Happiness is hugely complex and your experiences throughout the course of your life will remain the dominant force on that," he said.

Source: London School of Economics and Political Science

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Regeneration of Nerve cells: New Hope for Spinal Cord injuries

2011-05-11T01:32:00.001-07:00

A recent study at Rutgers University suggests innovative new treatment that could help minimize nerve damage in spinal cord injuries, promote tissue healing and minimize pain.

A spinal cord injury leads to an increased production of a protein (RhoA) that blocks regeneration of nerve cells that carry signals along the spinal cord and prevents the injured tissue from healing.

Scientists at the W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience and Quark Pharmaceuticals Inc. have developed a chemically synthesized siRNA molecule that decreases the production of the RhoA protein when administered to the spine and allows regeneration of the nerve cells.

"It is exciting because this minimally-invasive treatment can selectively target the injured tissue and thereby promote healing and reduce pain," says Martin Grumet, associate director of the Keck Center and senior author of a recent study published in the Journal of Neurotrauma.

The neuropathic pain, also known as phantom pain that occurs as a result of a spinal cord injury is often associated with an increased production of RhoA. When researchers injected the chemically synthesized molecular substance into the spinal cords of laboratory rats with spinal cord injury using a procedure similar to a spinal tap, there was an overall improvement in tissue healing and recovery.

More than 250,000 people in the United States are living with a spinal cord injury and currently there is no way to reverse the damage. No drugs for early treatment of spinal cord injury have been approved in over a decade. Based on this joint research, Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc now has a drug development program for the treatment of spinal cord injury and neuropathic pain. This new research is supported by grants from the New Jersey Commission for Spinal Cord Research and Quark

Source: Rutgers University

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bubonic plague

2011-05-10T11:05:00.001-07:00

A 58 year-old man in the state of New Mexico has been officially deemed as the first bubonic plague case of 2011 in the U.S. Each year approximately 10 to 15 people in the U.S. contract the disease through contact with infected rodents and animals or through the bites of infected fleas. Symptoms of the disease (historically known as the "Black Death" which killed an estimated 75 million people in the 14th century) include fever, chills, headaches, weakness and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, groin, and armpits. Although the disease is now treatable with antibiotics, one out of every seven patients die from it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1,000 to 3,000 cases of the disease occurs annually world wide. The disease is particularly prevalent in New Mexico because the state has a high population of rodents and fleas. The gentleman from New Mexico survived after being treated and has been released from a hospita

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Q: I’ve had diabetes for 7 years. My hemoglobin A1C fluctuates between 6.2 to 6.5. Am I subject to developing problems with my feet?

2011-05-10T11:04:00.001-07:00

A: Thanks for this very important question. Foot problems are always a concern for diabetics because they can develop temporary or permanent damage to their nerves (diabetic neuropathy). Diabetics are prone to elevated blood glucose (sugar) levels and poor circulation, both of which can lead to nerve damage, especially of nerves which are fed by very small blood vessels, such as those in the feet. When nerve damage occurs in the feet, you may experience sensations of foot tingling, numbness, burning, cramping and even weakness. Nerve damage can occur in other areas of the body as well, such as the eyes, stomach, intestines, bladder, penis, eyelids, etc. This can lead to vision problems, nausea and vomiting, indigestion, urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, eyelid drooping, and more. About 50% of diabetics will develop nerve damage and, on average, these symptoms will develop 10 to 20 years after the diagnosis of diabetes has been made. One of the most important ways to prevent nerve damage is to control your blood glucose level. The latest guidelines dictate that a person has diabetes when their hemoglobin A1C (a measure of your average blood glucose level over the most recent 2-3 month period) level is 6.4 or higher. Therefore, Lorenzo, keep up the good work because your A1C level is very good and, hopefully, that will reduce your risk of future nerve problems.

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Opportunity for M.Sc Life Science to join miRNA research group at SRM University | NET required

2011-05-09T04:32:00.001-07:00

Applications are invited for a post of Junior Research Fellow to work in a research project entitled "Regulation of mesenchymal stem cells towards osteogenic cell lineage by microRNAs" funded by the Indian Council for Medical Research, New Delhi.

Name of Post : JRF
No of Post : One
Emoluments :
Rs. 16,000 + 10% HRA = Rs. 17,600 per month (fixed) for 1st year and 2nd year
Rs. 18,000 + 10% HRA = Rs. 19,800 per month (fixed) for 3rd year

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Medicare Will Pay For Pricey Prostate Cancer Drug

2011-05-09T04:30:00.001-07:00

Medicare officials announced today that they will pay the $93,000 cost of the drug, Provenge, for patients with incurable late-stage prostate cancer. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid said the biotech drug is a "reasonable and necessary" medication which can extend a patient's life by an average of 4 months, twice as long as patient undergoing chemotherapy (which has notable side effects). Provenge is an advanced medication whereby each dose is customized to work with an individual patient's immune system. The Seattle-based Dendreon Corp., maker of the drug, says Provenge's price point reflects the more than $1 billion spent on research and development of the drug. From a legal standpoint, Medicare is prohibited from considering price when deciding whether to pay for a new treatment or not

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Stroke “Triggers” May Surprise You

2011-05-07T09:04:00.001-07:00

According to the American Heart Association health issues such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cigarette smoking and certain heart rhythm disorders can increase one's risk for stroke. But are there certain triggers which can actually cause a stroke to occur. That's what researchers at the University Medical Center in Utrecht, Netherlands set out to find. According to their study, published in the journal Stroke, it appears that there are certain events which may by associated with the onset of stroke. Interestingly, the researchers found that coffee intake had the highest association with having a stroke. Other triggers include:

Coffee 10.6% (of cases of stroke)
Vigorous exercise 7.9%
Nose blowing 5.4%
Sex 4.3%
Straining to defecate 3.6%
Drinking cola 3.5%
Being startled 2.7%
Being angry 1.3%

More studies are needed to see if any of these triggers can directly cause a stroke to occur. But, for now, they are just associations which have been noted to have some form of association with stroke.

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Oral Asthma Medications Prove Effective

2011-05-06T06:54:00.003-07:00

A new study published online in the current New England Journal of Medicine suggests that oral medications used to control asthma can be just as effective as inhaled medicines. The researchers studied over 650 patients over a two year period and found that the oral asthma medications Singular (montelukast) and Accolate (zafirlukast) performed just as well as inhaled steroids in controlling asthma, but only in the first two months of the study. After two years, asthma control between oral and inhaled medications was almost equivalent, but inhaled medications held a very slight advantage. What the researchers chose to focus on, however, is that patients are more likely to adhere to a medication regimen when given oral pills, compared to inhaled medicines. This is especially important when it comes to chronic diseases such as asthma, and certainly should be taken into consideration for patients who cannot adhere to inhaled medications for whatever reason. It should be noted that the study and its authors have associations with Merck and AstraZeneca pharmaceuticals, the two companies that produce the two oral asthma medications

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Fwd: BTSE 2011 Notification

2011-05-06T06:54:00.001-07:00

BIOTECH TALENT SEARCH EXAMINATION 2011

Dear Sir / Madam

Regards, Please find enclosed here with detailed information broacher of the

Exam, BIOTECH TALENT SEARCH EXAMINATION 2011 to be held online on 29^th

May'2011, organized by Kaushik Biotech Pvt.Ltd. in association ship with leading

news paper Dainik Bhaskar.

Please visit our website www.kaushikbiotech.com for more details.

Organizing Secretary

BTSE 2011

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China Attempts Public Smoking Ban

2011-05-05T08:37:00.001-07:00

One third of the world's smokers are Chinese, according to the BBC. And in China, one million people a year die of smoking-related illnesses. This is why the country is attempting to implement a ban on smoking in public spaces, including restaurants, hotels, train stations, theaters and the like (smoking in the office is apparently still okay). But, however noble the intentions, the smoking ban comes as not much more than a casual reminder of the potential ill effects of smoking. Employers will be obliged to warn employees of the dangers of smoking, however, anyone who chooses to disobey will not be met with any form of punishment or penalty. It seems like education is a major issue as studies show that only one in four Chinese are aware of the potential health effects of cigarette smoking and second-hand smoke. Chinese officials would like to reduce the annual mortality numbers from smoking, but, at the same time, the government is the sole producer and distributor of all tobacco products in the country. A product which generates a lot of state money

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Waist Size More Accurate In Predicting Death From Heart Disease

2011-05-04T04:54:00.001-07:00

New research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that waist circumference is a much better indicator of one's risk of death from heart disease than widely used measures, such as Body Mass Index (BMI). The researchers found that patients with known heart disease who have a high ratio of waist-to-hip circumference and large waists — greater than 35 inches for women, or 40 inches for men — were 70% more likely to die during the study period than those with smaller waists. The combination of a large waist and a high BMI further increased the risk of death. "What matters probably the most is the distribution of fat, more than anything else," says the lead researcher, Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. This study drives home what we are beginning to learn more about – that the patient's body shape and fat distribution is extremely important when it comes to heart disease, and BMI tells us nothing about a person's body habitus. But, why is belly fat so bad? Research has shown that this type of fat that surrounds the organs in the abdomen tends to promote development of insulin resistance (which can increase the risk for diabetes), worsen cholesterol levels, and also increase inflammation, all of which can lead to worsened heart disease

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Q: I’ve been on Nexium for two weeks and my stomach pain and burning has not resolved. What should I do?

2011-05-03T04:56:00.001-07:00

A: This is an excellent question as most antacid directions will say to take for no longer than two weeks. One of the reasons for this is that there are a multitude of things that can cause abdominal pain, aside from heartburn. Therefore, if your abdominal complaints are still present, despite trying an antacid for two weeks, it's important to seek proper medical attention in order to find out the exact cause of the discomfort. What's more, the intensity of the pain is not necessarily a reflection of the severity of the problem. For example, cancers of the esophagus or stomach may simply present with complaints of increased burping, indigestion, or feeling full soon after starting to eat. Since there are numerous organs in the abdomen, pain can originate from any one of them, including the esophagus, stomach, intestines, pancreas, kidneys, spleen, gallbladder, appendix, liver – and more. In general, it is a good idea to contact your physician if your abdominal discomfort lasts for more than a week, is becoming worse, or is associated with fever or unexplained loss of weight.

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Now Press Delete Button For Traumatic Memory, New Study Reveals!!

2011-05-02T10:42:00.003-07:00

Every one of us goes through some tragedy and emotional trauma in life. One of the recent studies suggest that a scientific breakthrough may help us eradicate such traumatic experiences from our lives at least the scientists involved in the research claim so.

In the study, the scientists have discovered a link between a protein called PKM and our recollection of disturbing events. Their study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, could have profound implications for war veterans, the victims of violent crimes and those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Lead researcher David Glanzman, from the University of California, Los Angeles, said: 'I think we will be able to alter memories someday to reduce the trauma from our brains. 'Not in the immediate future, but I think we will be able to go into one's brain, identify the location of the memory of a traumatic experience and try to dampen it down. 'We can do this in culture, and there is no essential difference between the synapse in culture and the synapse in your brain.'

Another professor named Glanzman, a cellular neuroscientist, along with his team reported that they have eliminated, or at least substantially weakened, a long-term memory in both the marine snail known as Aplysia and neurons in a Petri dish. The researchers stated that they have gained important insights into the cell biology of long-term memory. They discovered that the long-term memory for sensitisation in the marine snail can be erased by inhibiting the activity of PKM, a protein associated with memory. The research may also help in effective treatment of drug addiction, Alzheimer's disease and other long-term memory disorders.

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Interest-free scholarship loans by Sakal Foundation

2011-05-02T10:42:00.001-07:00

The Sakal India Foundation, Pune, has decided to offer - on an all-India basis - about 50 interest-free loan scholarships, each worth Rs 40,000, to Indian students proposing to pursue post-graduate studies abroad, or research studies leading to Ph.D in India.

The Foundation, which has marked 50 years of promoting excellence in education, has invited applications from eligible Indian students for the purpose. The loans are to be repaid in two years. In order to be eligible for the loan scholarship, the applicant must have secured admission for a post-graduate degree - in any foreign university - for academic study of not less than one year's duration, for the academic year 2011-2012, or must have a valid registration for doing research - leading to Ph.D in a statutory university, national institute or institution, of equivalent standing in India, two years previous to the date of application, for the interest-free loan scholarship. A scholarship of Rs 10,000 (non-refundable), will also be awarded to a deserving student, for pursuing post-graduate studies in journalism, satisfying the above pre-conditions in India or abroad.

Coming Soon: Newer Generation Antidepressant From Max Planck

2011-05-02T10:41:00.001-07:00

Recently, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry (Munich) have carried out studies on the genomes of 4,088 patients and 11,001 healthy control subjects from all over the world. They have identified a new risk gene variant for depression. They were able to show genetic correlation with depression. They demonstrated physiologically measurable changes in the brains of healthy carriers of this risk allele which affected a transporter protein involved in the production of an important neuronal transmitter. Since, traditional drugs interact with similar transporter molecules; the researchers believe this factor as the target structure of future antidepressant medication.

Over the past several years, studies have been carried out to identify the genetic causes of depression. Such a study is also carried out by Martin Kohli, Susanne Lucae, Bertram Müller-Myhsok and Elisabeth Binder. While comparing the genetic material of depressive patients with that of healthy control subjects,the researchers discovered that the individual base exchanges, so-called single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), clearly arose in the context of major depression. The researchers were very disappointed, however, when they had to establish that this section on the chromosome does not contain any genes. "Instead of getting our hands on a 'depression gene', we found ourselves back in a 'genetic desert' so to speak," Florian Holsboer, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry in Munich, explains.

Hence, the scientists wondered whether a gene located further away could possibly be influenced by the genetic variation and whether susceptibility for depression could arise that way. In this case, the SLC6A15 gene was identified as a promising candidate. SLC6A15 is involved in the transportation of amino acids like proline and leucine to the contact sites of neurons in the brain, known as synapses. It may therefore be also involved in the regulation of glutamate which is an important excitatory neurotransmitter found in neurons. Leucine is a structural precursor of glutamate. "Because it is assumed that the communication between the neuron clusters is disturbed in depression, we considered whether the gene we had identified could possibly influence this process through glutamate," explains Elisabeth Binder, research group leader at the MPI.

Subsequently, the Max Planck scientists have succeeded in showing that the changes in the DNA sequence located a total of 287,000 bases away from the gene influenced its activity. Therefore, cells of the risk genotype displayed a lower level of gene activity than cells carrying the protective genotype. Moreover, tests carried out using the magnetic resonance imaging scanner confirmed that even healthy subjects who are carriers of the risk allele have smaller amounts of the brain metabolic substances N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and glutamate (Glx) compared to healthy subjects without genetic susceptibility.

Morphological changes such as shrinking of certain brain regions may also arise in the course of major depression. This can eventually be observed in depressive patients. Therefore, in addition to genetic susceptibility, other factors must affect the organism to trigger the development of major depression. Stress is considered as an important environmental factor in the depression and research on this aspect has been carried out for many years at the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry. It has been found, for example, that the likelihood of developing the disease is raised by a factor of two to three if a person is exposed to chronic social stress.

How Mosquitoes handle Stress? New Research Reveals

2011-05-02T10:40:00.003-07:00

Ever Wondered Mosquitoes also get stress while sucking your Blood. Yes that's true there are several ways due to which it may get stressed. Be it the fear of being tightly slapped by a Human hand or handle the hot Blood of Humans.A recent study at The Ohio State University has shown that mosquitoes make proteins which help them handle the stressful spike in body temperature that's prompted by their hot blood meals.

The mosquito's eating pattern is inherently risky:

Taking a blood meal involves finding warm-blooded hosts,
avoiding detection, penetrating tough skin and
evading any host immune response,
not to mention the slap of a human hand.

Scientists have determined that theinsects protect themselves from the stress of the change in body temperature during and after a meal by producing heat shock proteins. This study was carried out in female insects. These proteins provide protection to the integrity of other proteins and enzymes which help the mosquitoes to digest the blood meal and maintain their ability to produce eggs. Tests in two other types of mosquitoes and in bed bugs showed that these insects undergo a similar response after a blood meal. "These heat shock proteins are really important in a lot of stress responses. Our own bodies make these proteins when we have a fever," said David Denlinger, professor of evolution, ecology and organismal biology at Ohio State University and senior author of the study. "It's one of those things that, in retrospect, seems obvious – that blood meals might cause a stress like that. But it hadn't been pursued before." The research will be appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In the studies, the researchers placed sensors on female mosquitoes and subsequently observed that upon taking in a blood meal on a chicken, the insects' body temperatures increased from 22 to 32 degrees Celsius (71.6 to 89.6 Fahrenheit) within one minute – among the most rapid body temperature increases ever recorded in a cold-blooded animal. However, the body temperature decreased after feeding. In response to that blood feeding, the mosquitoes' level of Hsp70 – heat shockprotein 70 – increased nearly eightfold within one hour and remained at least twice as high as usual for 12 hours. The increase in these proteins was most pronounced in the midgut area.

Stanford University launches First PhD program in stem cell science

2011-05-02T10:40:00.001-07:00

29^th April, 2011 has marked a beginning of a new era in stem cell science asStanford University's Faculty Senate approved the creation of the first stem cell science PhD program in the nation and, perhaps, the world.

School officials stated that the university is taking the rare step of creating a new doctoral program and acknowledges the growing importance of stem cell research in biomedical science. The senate's initial approval of the program extends for five years. "Stem cell biology is a distinct discipline that requires unique skills and includes a scope of knowledge and a skill set that is not covered by other disciplines," said Renee Reijo Pera, PhD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the new PhD program. CIRM president Alan Trounson, PhD, said the doctoral program "is unique in its interdisciplinary nature and focus on applying discoveries to treat disease. This program, along with CIRM's training and research support at Stanford, will prepare the next generation of scientists to become leaders in the search for new cures."

The creation of a doctoral program will also provide a boost to graduate students and accelerate the development of the field itself. "We are establishing an entirely new field that affects both life sciences and medicine," said Irving Weissman, MD, director of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and professor of pathology. "We are doing this in a time of federal cutbacks of support for graduate students, including those doing life sciences in general and those doing medical science training.

Stanford has received $186 million during the past five years — more than any other institution in the state — from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to advance stem cell research. The funds have enabled Stanford to build facilities such as the Lorry I. Lokey Stem Cell Research Building (believed to be the largest building in the nation dedicated to stem cell research), to develop educational outreach and tissue banking capabilities, and to recruit a number of renowned researchers and trainees from whom the new PhD students can learn both the science and ethics of human stem cell research.

Invitation for Biochess 2011

2011-05-01T01:06:00.001-07:00

Respected Sir/Madam
Dept of Biotechnology and chemical engg is organising Biochess
2011,A biotechnology & Chemical engg Fest on 2 nd may 2011 ,you are cordially invited to Biochess
.As you were and are an important part of Biotech dept. ur presence is
higly awaited by students and staff of dept . Please try to come and
grace the occasion.
Thank you
--
Bio-ChESS
Dept. of Biotechnology and Chemical Engg.
SIT-Tumkur

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1 In 4 US Children Raised By Single Parent

2011-04-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a Paris-based public policy group, has released a report on family welfare which shows that 25.8 percent of US children are raised in a single family household, a number that is expected to increase by 8 percent by 2025 to 2030. This figure is the highest of any developed country in the world. Ireland was second (24.3 percent), followed by New Zealand (23.7 percent). Experts believe a variety of factors contributed to this trend, including a greater acceptance of single-parent families and having children out of wedlock, higher teenage pregnancy rates, economics, and lack of policies to help support families. The US lacks governmental policies, including childcare at work and national paid maternity leave, which are commonplace in other countries. US childhood poverty rates are also expected to climb from 20 percent to 23.5 percent in the coming years. However, the issue isn't so clear cut. Willem Adema, a senior economist at OECD, states that, "The financial strain causes all sorts of other strain, so ultimately it might contribute to family dissolution. At the same time, it might bring some families together. I suspect that the response differs across families.

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MIT DNA Robot

2011-04-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

M I B S I T B T

DNA projected to have applications in nanotechnology

2011-04-30T09:53:00.001-07:00

It is known that the primary function of DNA in our body cells is to carry genetic information from one generation to the next. However, some scientists have also predicted that DNA can also be effectively utilized as an ideal building material for nanoscale structures. Such DNA based structures can then have applications in drug delivery systems, biosensors, artificial photosynthesis and more.

Over the past few years, scientists have also tried to build DNA structures on a large scale. Five years ago, a new design strategy called DNA origami was laid out by Caltech computational bioengineer Paul Rothemund which involved the construction of two-dimensional shapes from a DNA strand folded over on itself and secured by short "staple" strands. Few years later, William Shih's lab at Harvard Medical School translated this two dimensional concept to three dimensions. This permitted for the design of complex curved and bent structures that opened new avenues for synthetic biological design at the nanoscale. However, automation of the design process was a major obstacle to these complex designs.

To overcome this hurdle of automation, a team led by biological engineer Mark Bathe at MIT, has developed software that allows easier predictions of the three-dimensional shape that will result from a given DNA template. The software doesn't automate the design process completely but then it makes it considerably easier to design complex 3-D structures."We ultimately seek a design tool where you can start with a picture of the complex three-dimensional shape of interest, and the algorithm searches for optimal sequence combinations," says Bathe, the Samuel A. Goldblith Assistant Professor of Applied Biology. "In order to make this technology for nanoassembly available to the broader community — including biologists, chemists, and materials scientists without expertise in the DNA origami technique — the computational tool needs to be fully automated, with a minimum of human input or intervention."Bathe et al have described this software in detail in the Feb. 25 issue of Nature Methods.

DNA is primarily made up of four nucleotide bases known as A, T, G and C, which make the molecule easy to program. According to nature's rules, A binds only with T, and G only with C. "With DNA, at the small scale, you can program these sequences to self-assemble and fold into a very specific final structure, with separate strands brought together to make larger-scale objects," Bathe says. Rothemund's origami design strategy is based on the idea of getting a long strand of DNA to fold in two dimensions, as if laid on a flat surface. In his paper outlining the method, he utilized a viral genome (approximately 8,000 nucleotides) to create 2-D stars, triangles and smiley faces. That single strand of DNA serves as a "scaffold" for the rest of the structure. Hundreds of shorter strands, each about 20 to 40 bases in length, combine with the scaffold to hold it in its final, folded shape.

Bathe also stated that DNA is better suited to self-assembly than proteins since physical properties of proteins are difficult to control and that they are sensitive to their environment. His new software program interfaces with another software program from Shih's lab called caDNAno. caDNAno allows users to create scaffolded DNA origami from a two-dimensional layout manually. According to Rothemund, the CanDo program should allow DNA origami designers to more thoroughly test their DNA structures and tweak them to fold correctly. "While we have been able to design the shape of things, we have had no tools to easily design and analyze the stresses and strains in those shapes or to design them for specific purposes," he says. At the molecular-level, stress in the double helix of DNA decreases the folding stability of the structure and introduces local defects, both of which have hampered progress in the scaffolded DNA origami field.

Morning Heart Attacks Cause More Damage

2011-04-30T09:49:00.001-07:00

Researchers publishing in the journal Heart revealed that heart attacks which occur in the morning, between 6am and noon, have potential for causing more widespread damage to heart tissues than those which occur at other times during the day. The researchers looked only at patients who suffered a specific type of heart attack called STEMI (ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction), during which blood supply to the heart is blocked for a relatively long period of time. Patients who suffered STEMI heart attacks in the morning were found to have 21% more dead heart tissue than those who had heart attacks between 6pm and midnight. Previous studies have shown that one's risk for heart attack can be up to 40% higher in the mornings. Scientists theorize this is due to many factors, including a sudden increase in adrenaline (which increases blood pressure and heart rate), an acute increase in the work the heart needs to do, and more likelihood for blood clots to occur. All these factors may also contribute to the findings in this recent study.

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Low Vitamin D Levels May Explain Higher Rates of Hypertension In Blacks

2011-04-30T09:48:00.001-07:00

A new study published in the current Journal of General Internal Medicine suggests that low vitamin Dlevels may, in part, explain why blacks have higher rates of high blood pressure when compared to whites in the US. A growing body of evidence has suggested that vitamin D receptors are found in various parts of the body, including the arteries and the heart, and a deficiency of vitamin D may somehow negatively affect the cardiovascular system, leading to issues such as hypertension. And, indeed, in the current study scientists showed that, overall, blacks had significantly lower levels of vitamin D in their blood than whites and low blood levels of vitamin D were linked to elevated systolic blood pressures. According to the researchers, "We also know that blood pressure is highest among Blacks living in the US, where UV exposure is low…these findings point towards vitamin D deficiency as a potential contributor to higher rates of vascular dysfunction – here hypertension – among Blacks living in the US. Further work is required to determine whether vitamin D supplementation could reduce these racial disparities."

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Meningitis Vaccine Now Approved For Infants

2011-04-27T03:48:00.001-07:00

The U.S. FDA announced this past week that the vaccine Menactra has been approved for use in children as young as 9 months of age. Previously, the vaccine was approved for use in people ages 2 to 55. Menactra is used in the prevention of invasive meningococcal disease caused by the bacteriaNeisseria meningitidis, a leading cause of meningitis in children. "The highest rate of meningococcal disease occurs in children under one year of age. With today's approval, Menactra can now be used in children as young as 9 months of age to help prevent this potentially life-threatening disease," said Karen Midthun, M.D., director of FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. The safety of Menactra in this age group was evaluated in four clinical trials in which over 3,700 participants received the vaccine. The most common adverse events reported in children who received Menactra at 9 months and 12 months of age were injection-site tenderness and irritability. Occurrence of fever was comparable to other vaccines routinely recommended for young children. [via FDA]

Q: Friends of mine have a toddler who only eats bagels, pizza, oatmeal, apples and toast – no meats, pastas or vegetables. How healthy is this?

2011-04-26T05:10:00.001-07:00

A: At some point in time most children will go through phases where they may be considered "picky eaters." In fact, being a picky eater is part of normal toddlerhood and very seldom will eating issues turn into eating disorders later on. What most parents consider eating problems, in fact, may be very normal behavior for children between the ages of two to six. Children this age will often go through food binges, consuming only one or two foods for a stretch of days, or only a handful of foods for a month or two. Rest assured that this is very common behavior for this age group and most children will not have trouble meeting nutritional requirements. Think about it from a larger perspective. Rather than strictly enforcing the child to have foods from each food group at every meal, it's more important that the child has a variety of foods over the period of days to weeks. Furthermore, if your child is meeting developmental milestones, then their dietary consumption is likely to be just fine. Toddlers and young children will need approximately 1000 to 1600 calories each day at minimum. A rough estimate of required caloric intake can be calculated by starting with 1000 calories and adding 100 calories for each year of their age. For example, if your child is 5 years old he or she will require at least 1500 calories (1000+500) per day. If you have any concerns about your child's eating habits or development, it is very important to speak to your pediatrician or family physician.

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What Gut Type Are You?

2011-04-22T23:48:00.001-07:00

Would it surprise you to find out that you are a part of a group you probably didn't even know existed? Astounding new research, published in the journal Nature, shows that humans have three distinct gut types. Specifically, we each have one of three distinct varieties of bacterial ecosystems living inside our gastrointestinal tract. According to lead researcher Peer Bork of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, "We found that the combination of microbes in the human intestine isn't random, our gut flora can settle into three different types of community — three different ecosystems, if you like." The gut types are named after the predominant bacteria in each type: Bacteroides, Prevotella and Ruminococcus. According to New Scientist, "People with a bacteriode ecosystem have a bias towards bacteria that get most of their energy from carbohydrates and proteins. Prevotellas specialise in digesting sugar-covered proteins in mucin, the mixture of viscous proteins in the gut – an ability shared by people with a ruminococcus ecosystem." To our further surprise one's ecosystem type isn't dependent on your location, age, diet, or genetic makeup. Scientists aren't exactly sure how it is that we come to have only three gut profiles. And the exact implications of this is as yet unclear. What we do know is that people with Bacteriodes-predominant gut make high amounts of vitamins C, B2, B5 and H, and prevotellan-predominant guts make more vitamin B1 and folic acid. This research certainly suggests that the relationship we have with our gut is much more complex then previously though

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Low Sunlight Exposure and Mono Linked To MS

2011-04-22T05:18:00.001-07:00

New research from Oxford University, published in the current issue of the journal Neurology, finds that the combination of low sunlight exposure and having a history of mononucleosis raises the risk for developing multiple sclerosis (MS). It's well-known that the incidence of MS is generally greater as you move away from the equator to regions that receive less sunlight. As such, MS is far more common in places like Scandinavia, Canada, and the Northern U.S. In the current study scientists used NASA satellite data on UV radiation exposure to calculate sunlight exposure in various parts of the UK, in addition to scouring all National Health Service hospital admissions records for cases of MS and mononucleosis. What they found was that 72% of all cases of MS patients lived in areas of relative low UV exposure and had a history of mononucleosis. It's believed that vitamin D (which is produced by our skin in reaction to UV light exposure) plays a protective role in preventing MS. However, more research is underway to further understand the association between mononucleosis and MS

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Happy Earth Day

2011-04-22T05:01:00.001-07:00

Happy Earth day! Our planet has been facing problems like climate change and air and water pollution. This planet is all we have and it needs to be protected from destructive development.

Click to see the video

The planet needs heroes who protect it from human greed. Every step taken to keep the earth safe is an investment for a safe future.

Greenpeace India has been working to keep the planet safe. To maintain its independence, Greenpeace does not accept money from government or business houses. All the work is funded by contributions madeby individuals like you. There can't be a better day than today, to pledge your support to the planet. Here's what you can do:

Watch this inspiring video and then make a contribution to strengthen the fight to keep this planet safe.

http://www.greenpeace.in/donate/earth_day_donate_to_greenpeace_india.php

What more, you can get a cool environment hero shirt for the contribution you make.

Thanks a billion!

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Que:I just had an abortion and was offered an “Anti-D” injection because my blood group is A- (minus). Do I need this?

2011-04-21T11:31:00.001-07:00

A: Aside from the main blood groups (A,B, AB or O), there is another component to your blood type. This is called the Rhesus (Rh) group. One can be Rh-positive or Rh-negative. This is why you'll see blood types designated as "A+" or "B-", etc. Your Rh status is determined by the Rh group of your parents. If one of your parents is Rh-positive, then you have a chance of being Rh-positive. People who are Rh-positive have a substance called D-antigen on the outside of their red blood cells, Rh-negative people don't.

Your question addresses the concern we have when an Rh-negative mother has a baby who is Rh-positive. If at any time during the pregnancy there is mixing of maternal and fetal blood, the mother's immune system may recognize the baby's Rh-positive blood as foreign and produce 'anti-D antibodies' against it. These 'anti-D antibodies' can then attack the baby's red blood cells, which then can lead to problems with the pregnancy, including spontaneous abortion.

Therefore, in women who just underwent a spontaneous abortion and are known to be Rh-negative, an Anti-D injection [Rho(D) immune globulin or Rhogam] is recommended in the event that the fetus was Rh-positive. The Anti-D injection will essentially "clean up" the mother's blood of any Rh-positive blood that may have come from the baby before mom's immune system has a chance to produce antibodies which can stay around in her system can cause issues with future pregnancies. This will help prevent future spontaneous abortions which are caused by the differences between mom and baby's Rhesus groups.

Manuka Honey May Fight Superbugs

2011-04-21T11:30:00.001-07:00

Research presented this past week at the UK Society for General Microbiology meeting suggests that manuka honey may have a role in defending our bodies from antibiotics-resistent bacteria. Manuka honey is harvested in New Zealand from bees which feed on the manuka plant. For centuries humans have known about the healing properties of this honey and, in fact, purified forms of it are currently available on the market as wound-care products. However, the researchers wanted to find out whether or not the honey would help with infections caused by certain hospital bacteria. To their surprise, the manuka honey was able to prevent attachment of bacteria to tissue, effectively preventing them from forming biofilms, a property of bacteria which allows them to multiply and escape attack by antibiotics. The scientists believe that manuka honey, in conjunction with current antibiotics, could mean greater efficacy against multi-drug resistant bacteria such as MRSA and pseudomonas, among othe

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Ovarian Cancer Starts In The Fallopian Tubes

2011-04-21T11:28:00.001-07:00

Scientists at the renowned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston have discovered that ovarian cancer actually starts in the fallopian tubes, not the ovaries. Previous studies have suggested that ovarian cancer may originate elsewhere in the body, but this is the first study to demonstrate how the cancer has its origins inside the fallopian tubes, which are located adjacent to the ovaries. Ovarian cancer is sometimes called the silent killer because its early symptoms can be so subtle and commonplace. These symptoms can include unexplained discomfort in the pelvic region, indigestion, bloating, pain with sexual intercourse and abdominal pain. Each year, approximately 200,000 women worldwide are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and about 115,000 die of the disease. The hope is that by understanding how cancers start, new screening tests may improve rates of early detection. The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

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Suicide Rates Correlate With Economy

2011-04-17T05:41:00.001-07:00

A new CDC study published in the American Journal of Public Health demonstrates the correlation between suicide and periods of economic downturn. The study shows, as one would expect, that more people commit suicide when the economy falls and less people do so when the economy rises. After looking at various economic cycles between the years of 1928 and 2007, researchers noted this trend during the most significant economic periods listed below. The link between the two is most pronounced among people between the ages of 25 and 64 – individuals of prime working ages.

According to the report:

During periods of economic crisis the overall suicide rate rose, examples include:

1929-1933 – the Great Depression
1937-1938 – the end of the New Deal
1973-1975 – the Oil Crisis
1980-1982 – The Double-Dip Recession

During periods when the economy did well the overall suicide rate dropped, examples include:

1939-1945 – World War II
1991-2001 – The longest period of economic expansion and low unemployment

More Than Half of Americans Use Supplements

2011-04-14T10:19:00.001-07:00

A report released yesterday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that over half of all Americans use some form of dietary supplement. That increase, from 42% in 1988 to 53% in 2006, has made nutritional supplements a $27 billion industry. An estimated 39% of Americans take multivitamins, making them the most popular supplements. The largest increase in use for any supplement was calcium among older women. Currently, it's estimated that more than two-thirds of women over 60 years of age take supplemental calcium. What the report doesn't tell is is whether all these supplements are doing us any good. Are we, in fact, living healthier lives? Dietary supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the same way as drugs, and the manufacturers do not have to prove any safety or effectiveness. Yet, many of us take for granted that they will make us healthier, which is not the case. Taking a multivitamin will never provide you with all the nutrition your body needs. There are compounds found only in fresh fruits and vegetables which we cannot put into a capsule – yet. Furthermore, taking a supplement will never make up for poor diet and lifestyle choices, no matter how much you take

Study: Physicians Not Always Objective In Decision Making

2011-04-13T09:54:00.001-07:00

Study: Physicians Not Always Objective In Decision Making

A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that physicians may not always be objective when it comes to decision making. Almost 1000 physicians were asked to make theoretical decisions for patients and themselves. The majority of those surveyed reported that they would choose treatment options for their patients which had the least risk of death, but higher rate of side effects. However, if they were to choose for themselves, the majority of physicians would opt for interventions which had greater risk of death, but lower risk of side effects. The researchers concluded that, "The act of making a recommendation changes the ways that physicians think regarding medical choices." This type of decision-making is logical since, in most cases, patients would prefer to live with side effects than risk death. However, the thought of experiencing certain side effects yourself may make you shy away from the interventions which could cause them. So what's the take home message? Your physician may not always be objective. According to the study, "…the advice you get could depend on whether your doctor is thinking about what you should do, or instead thinking about what he or she would do in your situation."

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Hair Braids May Lead To Baldness

2011-04-13T09:51:00.001-07:00

A new study, published this week on the website of the Archives of Dermatology, shows an association between weaves and braids and a type of permanent hair loss called central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA). Researchers believe that these so-called "traction" hairstyles, which exert a great deal of stress on the scalp due to how tight the hairs are pulled, can lead to the development of pus-filled bumps which later become infected by bacteria and lead to scarring and thinning of hair. "Making matters worse, women who are already losing their hair are more likely to favor these hairstyles because they help disguise thinning hair, the study notes." The study doesn't show that these hairstyles directly cause CCCA, just that there may be an association. Furthermore, the study only included women. Those with CCCA were more likely to have balding maternal grandfathers, as well as diabetes. Based on the study the average age of women with CCCA was 58. However, the condition often presents itself among women in their 40s, and sometimes as young as their 20s and 30

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Is erectile dysfunction a problem with the veins?

2011-04-12T09:07:00.001-07:00

A: Erectile dysfunction (ED) has many causes. Because male sexual arousal involves a complex coordination between the brain, peripheral nervous system, blood vessels (veins and arteries), muscles, hormones, as well as one's emotional state, anything that goes wrong with any of these components could contribute to ED. When it comes to blood vessels it's more common for arterial problems to cause ED, rather than venous problems. The most common arterial problem which contributes to ED is atherosclerosis – the hardening and narrowing of arteries due to plaques which build up inside them. Yes, this is the same atherosclerosis that can lead to heart disease. Atherosclerosis reduces the amount of blood that arteries can deliver to the heart and penis which, over time, can lead to heart disease and ED. As a matter of fact, because the arteries supplying the penis are much smaller than those supplying the heart, symptoms of atherosclerosis may first manifest as ED. Some even say that ED can be an early sign of heart disease. In this case, part of the treatment for ED is the same as for atherosclerotic heart disease – lifestyle changes, including weight loss, stopping smoking, and healthy dieting. More serious cases may warrant further investigation and treatment.

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Can Generic and Mail Order Drugs Save Us Billions?

2011-04-12T08:41:00.001-07:00

The 2010 Drug Trend Report, a study on medication usage in the U.S., suggests that most patients prefer generic drugs and mail-order pharmacies. According to the report, sponsored by Express Scripts, 82% of patients who use brand name medications actually prefer generics. As well, 70% of patients who use retail pharmacies to fill medications for chronic conditions prefer to use a home delivery pharmacy because of discounts offered by their insurance companies. The study suggests that if physicians were to heed patient preferences in this manner, it could eliminate up to 33% of wasteful dollars spent on pharmacy-related costs annually. This amounts to a total of $134 billion dollars. Express Scripts is a publicly traded American company with a revenue of $25 billion and net income of over $800 million in 2009.

Sudden Cardiac Death Among Student Athletes More Common Than Previously Thought

2011-04-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

A new study from the University of Washington suggests that the rate of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in college athletes is higher than previously thought. SCD is the leading medical cause of death and death during exercise in NCAA student-athletes. However, there is currently no formal measurement of SCD numbers. In fact, recent estimates of SCD have been based on questionable data sources, such as public media reports, and are believed to be underestimated. The current study attempts to more accurately identify cases of SCD by use of insurance claims databases, media reports, as well as NCAA information databases. Data from these sources between the years 2004 to 2008 showed there were 273 deaths among NCAA athletes, with 45 of them dying from SCD. Public media sources alone only identified 25 of these. Because of this, the study authors are emphasizing the importance of accurate data and its role in prevention of death from SCD. "Accurate assessment of SCD incidence is necessary to shape appropriate health policy decisions and develop effective strategies for prevention," they said.

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Heart Disease Plagued Ancient Egyptians Too

2011-04-07T09:27:00.001-07:00

New research presented this week at the annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology show that coronary artery disease (CAD), also known as coronary heart disease, is not an ailment of modernity. Coronary artery disease refers to the hardening and narrowing of blood vessels of the heart due to atherosclerosis, a process whereby plaques made of cholesterol, fat, calcium and minerals deposit and harden in the arteries. This can eventually lead to heart attacks and strokes. The scientists used CT scans to view the coronary arteries of 52 mummies and found that 20 of them had definite plaques and 8 of them had plaques in locations where they expected arteries to be. Each CT scan was read and confirmed by eight different cardiologists. The researchers say this is the earliest evidence we have of CAD in humans, putting into question the notion that CAD is due to our modern diet and sedentary lifestyle. One of the mummies was a princess that lived over 3,500 years ago. Perhaps she, too, led a pretty tame and glutinous life.

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U.S. Birth Rate Declines

2011-04-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) recently released their latest numbers on the U.S. national birth rate, which demonstrated a 4% decline between 2007 and 2009 – the highest rate of decline in any two-year period during the past 30 years. The sharpest rate of decline (9%) was among women aged 20 to 24. By region, Western and Southeastern states saw the greatest decline. The cause of the trend is likely multifactorial. Some researchers attribute the decline to the current recession, while new research from Stanford University suggest that more college students are reporting that they are virgins. Iowa State University sociologist Teresa Downing-Matibag theorizes that technology may also play a role, suggesting that virtual sex may be competing with the real thing. "They can go to those websites and have sexual relationships watching a webcam. They can still be a virgin and have 100 different partners online through chat rooms or webcams," she says. And what about younger children? Data from the NCHS shows that for women between 15-19 years old, the birth rate fell 8%, to 39.1 babies per 1,000 women

Western Notions of Obesity Globalizing

2011-04-01T20:45:00.001-07:00

A new study in the April, 2011 issue of the journal Current Anthropology suggests that the stigma associated with obesity often encountered in Western cultures has spread rapidly to countries that have traditionally valued large bodies. Researchers from Arizona State University surveyed adults in 10 countries around the world, including Argentina, Iceland, Mexico, Paraguay, New Zealand, the UK and the US, on their attitudes toward obesity. The results were compared with respondents in countries which traditionally had positive attitudes toward fatness, including American Samoa, Puerto Rico and Tanzania. The researchers found that negative attitudes toward large bodies in were present in every country they surveyed. In fact, they said that overweight individuals are increasingly regarded as lazy, ugly, undesirable, or lacking in self control. The study didn't investigate the cause of this rapid shift in attitude. However, they speculate that one contributing factor may actually be our anti-obesity public health messages. It remains to be seen what kind of societal impacts these negative notions of obesity will have on these cultures. [via Medical News Today]

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FDA Issues Warning Against Soladek Vitamin Solution

2011-03-29T12:41:00.001-07:00

FDA Issues Warning Against Soladek Vitamin Solution

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a consumer warning against the use of Soladek, an over-the-counter vitamin supplement produced by Indo Pharma, S.A., of the Dominican Republic because the product may contain dangerously high levels of vitamins A and D. Soladek claims to treat "hypo and avitaminosis, rickets, growth, dentition, lactation, fractures, infection, convalescence, protection and regeneration of certain epithelium (bronchial, glandular, ocular, cutaneous), corticotherapy, aging and pregnancy." The product is sold in a box labeled in Spanish and contains a vial of the solution. The FDA has, so far, received seven reports of serious health problems caused by the product. Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity include anemia, anorexia, alopecia, joint pain, bone weakness, bulging eyes, liver abnormalities, and birth defects. Symptoms of vitamin D toxicity include weakness, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in mental status, increased blood pressure, abnormal heart rate or rhythm, kidney damage, and coma. [via FDA]

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EPA: Radiation From Japan Is Safe

2011-03-26T11:35:00.001-07:00

EPA: Radiation From Japan Is Safe

Today the states of Colorado and Oregon joined Washington, Hawaii and California in detecting radioactive particles that have drifted over from Japan. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) trace amounts of radioactive iodine, cesium, and tellurium consistent with the Japanese nuclear incident have been captured by monitors in states along the West coast. However, the doses detected are hundreds of thousands to millions of times below the level of concern. "In a typical day, Americans receive doses of radiation from natural sources like rocks, bricks and the sun that are about 100,000 times higher than what we have detected coming from Japan. For example, the levels we're seeing coming from Japan are 100,000 times lower than what you get from taking a roundtrip international flight," said the EPA. Therefore, there is no need for people to start taking potassium iodide, a medication used for radiation poisoning. [via EPA]

Renewed Interest In Primary Care Among Medical Students

2011-03-25T02:46:00.001-07:00

Renewed Interest In Primary Care Among Medical Students

The U.S. is in dire need of primary care physicians. If the current shortage of doctors continues, it is estimated that by the year 2020 the U.S. health care system will be 40,000 primary care doctors short. However, with the recent health care reform efforts that have taken place, there may be some sliver of hope. This year, family medicine residency programs attracted 1,317 students (133 more than in 2010), which contributed to a record 94% enrollment rate. Furthermore, an additional 100 slots were added nationwide in order to accommodate the increased demand. The reason? Provisions in recent health care reform laws include measures to increase pay for primary care physicians caring for Medicaid patients, as well as those who choose to work in underserved areas. This shortage has been occurring over the past 30 years, largely because students are attracted to specialist jobs which earn higher salaries. "You can't blame students for not opting for primary care when they carry about $160,000 in debt after they leave school," said Dr. Roland Goertz, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. [via CNN]

First Born Children Have More Hay Fever and Food Allergies

2011-03-23T07:43:00.001-07:00

First Born Children Have More Hay Fever and Food Allergies

A Japanese study presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, held in San Francisco, suggests that birth order can impact the risk of specific allergies in children. The researchers surveyed the parents of over 13,000 children and found that firstborn children are more likely to have hay fever (allergic rhinitis) and food allergies. In fact, the investigators found that the prevalence of food allergy was 4% among firstborn children, 3.5% among second-born children and 2.6% in children born subsequently. However, they noted that birth order did not affect the prevalence of diseases such as asthma and eczema

How to Choose Successful Research for your PhD or Master's Degree

2011-03-22T01:54:00.001-07:00

How to Choose Successful Research for your PhD or Master's Degree After years of graduate school, choosing a great topic for your doctoral dissertation or master's thesis may feel like one of the biggest pressures yet. You're going to be spending months and perhaps years on this research project, and completion of your PhD or master's degree is contingent upon your success. To make things more stressful, your future employment may depend on choosing a topic that appeals to a hiring committee.
Take a deep breath. Yes, this is a difficult decision, but follow your instincts and you'll find your way to an appropriate and meaningful topic. Here are some criteria to keep in mind when choosing a dissertation or thesis topic.
Choose a topic you love. This may be the most important criteria. You're going to be spending so much time with this project, and your quality of life will be much better if these hours are spent enjoyably. What's more, the quality of your research, writing, and arguments will be much better if you feel genuine passion for your work, choose a topic you find both fascinating and socially significant. Never let someone pressure you into writing about a certain topic!
Pick something your advisor finds interesting and is knowledgeable about. Of course, is this is not possible, you might want to change your advisor instead of changing your topic.
Pick a topic that will be helpful in your career path. If your goal is an academic career, pick a topic that you can easily modify into journal articles or a book, and that will lend itself well to future research. If you want to work at a teaching oriented institution, consider a topic you can use in the classroom. If you are going into industry, choose a topic that will make you more marketable. Ask yourself this: how will my topic sound when I discuss it at an academic interview?
Find a topic that establishes your niche in your field. Do your research and find a topic that fits into existing bodies of literature, but that builds upon theory and expands it.
Choose research that is unique. Do significant research to make sure this topic has not been done before. Be creative and choose an idea that stands out from the pack as original and innovative.
Think carefully before you choose a controversial topic. Academics are a sensitive lot, and in every field there are certain topics and positions that will send highly educated people into intellectual temper tantrums. This doesn't mean you should avoid topics that push people's buttons. However, if you choose a controversial topic, think carefully about whether it might restrict your employment, tenure, or publishing opportunities.
Pick a topic that you already have some expertise about. This will help preserve your sanity and get you out the door faster. This isn't the time to explore a brand new area. Along the way, take coursework and write class papers that will help you write your dissertation or thesis.
Pick a manageable topic. This is a huge project, but it isn't your life's research. A good advisor will help you narrow down your topic.

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What are some medical and herbal treatments for dysmenorrhea?

2011-03-22T01:47:00.001-07:00

Today's question comes from Marilou:

Q: What are some medical and herbal treatments for dysmenorrhea?

A: Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for menstrual cramps and the goal of treatment is to provide relief of symptoms. In some cases where menstrual cramps are due to other conditions, such as uterine fibroids or endometriosis, surgery may help to lessen symptoms. For the majority of people, some over-the-counter and prescriptions medications will work very well. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, taken at regular intervals one to two days prior to the start of menses can reduce symptoms. Prescription strength NSAIDs are also available. Birth control pills, which block ovulation and decrease menstrual flow, can also aid in symptom control. Some natural remedies and supplements have also been shown to be effective. Some of these include omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, thiamine and vitamin E. Speak to your doctor to find the right dose for you. For example, too much magnesium can cause diarrhea and even lead to arrhythmias. Complimentary therapies can also help the pain of menstrual cramps through different pathways and stress reduction. These include yoga, meditation, massage, acupuncture, and acupressure.

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I got my GATE Rank, Now What???

2011-03-17T02:25:00.001-07:00

Well Guys...
Congratulations to those who cracked GATE and Congrats to those too who couldn't, because you probably have learnt your mistakes, may be in a bitter way... So, don't give up... As the father of Robin Hood said: "Rise And Rise Again Until Lambs Become Lions!" ---Enough of Lecture! Coming to the Point.

Here are some of the institutes and there choice of students :P [Remember, exception is everywhere!]
[%ile mentioned here does not signify as their cut-off. If you got that %ile, then you should look for the left most column!]

IISc--------[Top 10 or so.]

NITIE------[98%ile, very tough to get into, 100% Job opportunity.]

IIT-K------ [98%ile, Best Faculties, Tie up with Dr. Reddy's, Superb Recognition]

IIT-B-------[99.5%ile, M.Tech in BME, Toughest to get into, only 3/4 intake from BT, u can consider M.Tech in Environment Engg if u got 99%ile]

IIT-M------ [98%ile, MS]

IIT-KGP--- [99%ile, see last yr's admission report, http://gate.iitkgp.ac.in/mtech/]

IIT-D-------[99%ile Again]

IIT-G-------[96%ile]

IIT-R-------[96%ile]

CCMB----- [The The Best Reserch Lab for Life Science, Offers PhD, If u get thr u r in the Heaven!]
IMTech, Chandigarh--- [PhD, look there site]

NCL ------- [CSIR LAB, PGRPE, Notification will be coming out soon, stipend 25 K, post: junior scientist, Tougher than the Toughrst!]

IIP--------- [Same as above!]

UICT------ ["Den of Biocon", good repo]

Univ. of HYD---- [Best publication record, good repo, have seperate test.]

IT-BHU------------- [94%ile, It's Pale now, but still very good.]

NIT-Rourkela------- [90%ile, I don't have any knowledge regarding NITs.]
NIT-Surathkal------- [Same as above!]
NIT-Durgapur------- [Same as above!]
BITS-P-------------- [If you have got money, it's your place. Best 'Private' College.]
VIT------------------ [Same as above!]
Thapar University --- [Heard that it's good.]
RGCB, Trivandram-- [PhD, Autonomous body, lots of funding for the inst. good repo]
Univ. of Pune-------- [Very very good for BioInfo, don't know anything else!]

IIIT-Hyd------------ [Very very good for BioInfo, Highly expensive, Most (30%) of them get highly paid jobs!]
IIIT-Ahd------------ [Same as above!]

State Level Colleges--- [For <90%ile, if you got the money you can even apply for IISc, but if you are not Fortune's favorite then it'll go in vain :P]

Less than 80 %ile?: Listen to me, (if you wish) try next year again. Rather take up the job in your hand, if you have any, in case! Or study in a low cost Government college/univ. if you get a sit there.

Now, I think none of you should have any more queries regarding choice of colleges/univs.to apply, I hope...

Good Luck and God Bless...

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B.Tech? Cracked GATE? Applying for PhD? Read This, first...

2011-03-17T02:19:00.003-07:00

Before everything else, u need to keep in mind that where do thesescholarship funding comes from?

NET qualified students get theirscholarship from CSIR.
GATE qualified students get theirscholarship from MHRD.

MHRD doesn't fund PhDs.

All B.Tech guys, those who apply for PhD based on their GATE ranks are considered under GATE-JRF policy.
Their funding comes from CSIR not MHRD.

======================================================================

CSIR'S GATE QUALIFIED JRF FOR PHD FOR ENGINEERING GRADUATES

INTRODUCTION
CSIR has introduced a new research fellowship in 2002 for the GATE qualified candidates with BE/ BTech/ BArch/ BPharm degree to pursue research leading to PhD. This will be known as the GATE qualified Junior Research Fellowship (JRF-GATE).  JRF's selected under this scheme will have excellent opportunity to work with the CSIR scientists with state-of-art R&D facility and obtain PhD degree. These fellowships are tenable only at CSIR laboratories.

WHO CAN APPLY ?
Candidates fulfilling any of the criteria given below are eligible to apply :

Fresh BE/ B Tech degree holders with valid GATE score. The selected candidates will have to pursue Ph.D. There can be two possibilities under this:

o        Get direct admission to Ph.D programme of University/ IIT/ NIT/REC etc.
o        After joining as JRF-GATE, the candidate may pursue MTech as a part of PhD programme, where their thesis semester (last semester) should be spent at the CSIR laboratory relating to lab specialization in order to keep the continuity for the PhD programme.
OR
Those who are starting the thesis semester of ME/ MTech programme and having valid GATE score and desirous of pursuing PhD.

It may be noted that these candidates have to work on their PhD problem and should not be employed in sponsored projects.

WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE
MTech candidates (either with BTech/ MTech or with  MSc/ MTech) are not eligible for this fellowship. They have a separate opportunity for direct SRFship through interview .  All those eligible for direct CSIR  SRF cannot apply for this fellowship.

AGE LIMIT
The upper age limit for JRF shall be 28 yrs which is relaxable upto 5 years in case of candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes, women, physically handicapped and OBC applicants.

STIPEND AND TENURE
The fellowship is to be given to a candidate for a total duration of five years within which the candidate is required to complete the PhD degree. This fellowship amount is Rs 16000/- plus HRA per month. In addition, contingency grant of Rs 20,000/- per annum (calculated on pro rata basis for fraction of a year) is available to each fellowship as per the CSIR guidelines.

Further on completion of two years as JRF-GATE, the fellowship may be upgraded to SRF-GATE and stipend may be increased to Rs 18000/- per month in the subsequent years on the basis of assessment as per normal CSIR rules.  In exceptional cases where the fellow has completed MTech within one year of joining JRF-GATE, the Director may assess theperformance of the fellow (through a three member assessment committee) and recommend upgradation of the fellowship to SRF-GATE.   All other conditions of JRF-NET will apply.

SELECTION PROCEDURE
Selection of these GATE qualified JRF's can be done by the Director of the CSIR laboratories and forwarded to Head, HRDG for the issue of requisite award letters.   Director may permit the candidate to provisionally join JRF-GATE subject to meeting the eligibility criteria and issue of formal award letter from HRDG.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO BE NOTED

o        JRF-GATE should register for PhD within two years of joining,  otherwise the fellowship is deemed to be cancelled and withdrawn.  Intimation about PhD registration is to be sent to HRDG.
o        Aim of JRF-GATE is to attain academic excellence and to generate high level science and these fellows are expected to contribute to lab research through a suitable PhD program.
o        JRF-GATE are not to be deployed in any sponsored project.

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What Is Radiation Sickness?

2011-03-17T02:19:00.001-07:00

As news of a yet another explosion at the Japanese Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant makes headlines, many are asking about the potential effects of radiation exposure. Radiation from nuclear power plants is considered ionizing radiation, the type that can cause harm to human tissue. Exposure to signifiant levels of ionizing radiation (occurring in one large dose, or a successive amount of small doses) can cause what is called radiation sickness or radiation poisoning. The symptoms of such exposure can range from mild to severe. They include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, weakness, diarrhea, bruising, dehydration, hair loss, skin burns, ulcers, bloody stools, bleeding from the nose and mouth, and even sloughing off of skin. Treatment usually involves decontamination – the removal of as much radioactive particles on the outside of your body as possible. Removing your clothing will usually eliminate approximately 90% of particles and washing the skin with soap and water will remove even more. If needed, various oral and injection treatments can be given for damaged bone marrow and internal organs. Chemicals such as iodine, DTPA and Prussian Blue can help extract and remove radioactive particles from the body. Some patients who have severely damaged bone marrows, which compromises one's ability to make blood, may require blood transfusions. Although treatment can often be more complex, hopefully, this will give you a basic understanding of the subject matter.

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Mahantesh.I.B
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Omega-3 Good For Vision

2011-03-17T02:15:00.001-07:00

Omega-3 Good For Vision

A new study published in The Archives of Ophthalmology suggests that women who consume more omega-3 fatty acids reduce their chances of developing age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the most common cause of vision loss in the developed world and the leading cause of blindness in Americans over the age of 50. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids, meaning they are necessary for our health, but our bodies are unable to produce them ourselves and, therefore, must obtain them from the foods we consume. The two most studied omega-3 fatty acids are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). In the current study, the risk of AMD was 38% lower in women with the top one-third DHA intake, compared to those with the bottom one-third intake. The risk for women who consumed a lot of EPA was 34% lower. In order to get enough DHA and EPA in your diet, the current recommendation (for people without a history of heart disease) from the American Heart Association is to consume cold water fish at least twice a week. In particular, fatty fish are recommended. These include anchovies, bluefish, carp, catfish, halibut, herring, lake trout, mackerel, pompano, salmon, striped sea bass, tuna (albacore), and whitefish. Omega-3 supplements are also available in pill form over the counter.

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Mahantesh.I.B
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Recycled Food Packaging May Pose Health Risks

2011-03-12T07:15:00.001-08:00

Recycled Food Packaging May Pose Health Risks

European food manufacturers are considering changes to food packaging after Swiss researchers announced that mineral oils found in recycled food containers may pose health risks. Mineral oils are liquid by-products of petroleum processing and are commonly used in newspaper ink. Newspapers are often recycled to make packages for dry food products such as cereal, rice, pasta, and those oils could easily get absorbed into foods unless a protective barrier – thick plastic bags or aluminum foil – is in place. The concern with mineral oil is that excessive exposure has been associated with inflammation of internal organs and cancer in laboratory animals. According to a spokesperson from the Food Safety Laboratory of Switzerland, "One meal has no real effect on health. It is a matter of long-term exposure." As reported by the BBC, British-based cereal marker Jordans has stopped using recycled cardboard, and other manufacturers are moving to packaging that doesn't contain recycled newspaper. Health Canada packaging guidelines already demand vegetable-based inks in food packaging. According to the BBC, the Kellogg's and Weetabix companies are taking steps to reduce the amount of mineral oil in their packaging. [via CBC and BBC]

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Mahantesh.I.B
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First Lupus Drug In 56 Years Approved

2011-03-12T07:14:00.001-08:00

First Lupus Drug In 56 Years Approved

The U.S. FDA has approved the first new lupus drug in 56 years. The drug, Benlysta (belimumab), is an injection medication that has been shown to moderately relieve symptoms of the disease. Benlysta is an antibody which works on the immune system. Those treated with the medication had fewer lupus symptoms than those treated with placebo and the most common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, fever, and localized reactions at the injection site. Lupus is a potentially fatal autoimmune disease that can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, blood cells, and nervous system. It also affects women more than men. Black women have the highest rates of lupus, followed by Asians, then white women. Ironically, the drug doesn't appear to work effectively in African-Americans, according to the FDA. [via Epoch Times]

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Er Mahantesh.I.Biradar

Amrita Institute of Medical Science

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