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8,000-Year-Old Mutation Key to Human Life at High Altitudes

Posted: Published on August 18th, 2014

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise (SALT LAKE CITY) In an environment where others struggle to survive, Tibetans thrive in the thin air of the Tibetan Plateau, with an average elevation of 14,800 feet. A study led by University of Utah scientists is the first to find a genetic cause for the adaptation a single DNA base pair change that dates back 8,000 years and demonstrate how it contributes to the Tibetans ability to live in low oxygen conditions. The work appears online in the journal Nature Genetics on Aug. 17, 2014. These findings help us understand the unique aspects of Tibetan adaptation to high altitudes, and to better understand human evolution, said Josef Prchal, M.D., senior author and University of Utah professor of internal medicine. The story behind the discovery is equally about cultural diplomacy as it is scientific advancement. Prchal traveled several times to Asia to meet with Chinese officials, and representatives of exiled Tibetans in India, to obtain permissions to recruit subjects for the study. But he quickly learned that without the trust of Tibetans, his efforts were futile. Wary of foreigners, they refused to donate blood for his research. After returning to the U.S., … Continue reading →

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Jersey dairy cow six years after genetics ban

Posted: Published on August 17th, 2014

Six years ago, a 250-year ban on importing cow genetics on to the island of Jersey came to an end. Aly Balsom speaks to two producers with varying views on introducing international genetics to the island breed Choosing from many cow families across the world is something most breeders take for granted, yet until 2008, dairy producers on the island of Jersey were limited to using bulls produced on the island, which measures nine by five miles. Ironically for the island that gave birth to the Jersey breed, a ban on imported genetics put in place in 1763 to protect trading, led to many farmers fearing for the future viability of the islands Jersey cow population. The ban had originally remained in place as farmers found their isolation created a unique selling point that was beneficial for export. However, the development of bull proving schemes around the world meant the Jersey island cow was quickly getting left behind, explains David Hambrook of Jersey Island Genetics. It was a numbers game. There just wasnt the opportunity for large scale proving schemes on the island, he says. The island did introduce a bull proving scheme, but it flat-lined in terms of genetic … Continue reading →

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DNA methylation involved in Alzheimer’s disease

Posted: Published on August 17th, 2014

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 17-Aug-2014 Contact: Marjorie Montemayor-Quellenberg mmontemayor-quellenberg@partners.org 617-534-6383 Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA A new study led by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Rush University Medical Center, reveals how early changes in brain DNA methylation are involved in Alzheimer's disease. DNA methylation is a biochemical alteration of the building blocks of DNA and is one of the markers that indicate whether the DNA is open and biologically active in a given region of the human genome. The study is published online August 17, 2014 in Nature Neuroscience. According to the researchers, this is the first large-scale study employing epigenome-wide association (EWAS) studieswhich look at chromosomal make-up and changesin relation to the brain and Alzheimer's disease. "Our study approach may help us to better understand the biological impact of environmental risk factors and life experiences on Alzheimer's disease," said Philip L. De Jager, MD, PhD, Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics, BWH Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, lead study author. "There are certain advantages to studying the epigenome, or the chemical changes that occur in DNA. The epigenome is malleable and may harbor traces of life events that influence disease susceptibility, such as smoking, depression and menopause, … Continue reading →

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New Material Could Enhance Fast And Accurate DNA Sequencing

Posted: Published on August 17th, 2014

August 17, 2014 Image Caption: Illinois researchers found that the material molybdenum disulfide could be the most efficient yet found for DNA sequencing, making personalized medicine more accessible. Pictured, from left, are Amir Barati Farimani, Kyoungmin Min and professor Narayana Aluru. Credit: L. Brian Stauffer Liz Ahlberg, Physical Sciences Editor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Gene-based personalized medicine has many possibilities for diagnosis and targeted therapy, but one big bottleneck: the expensive and time-consuming DNA-sequencing process. Now, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have found that nanopores in the material molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) could sequence DNA more accurately, quickly and inexpensively than anything yet available. One of the big areas in science is to sequence the human genome for under $1,000, the genome-at-home, said Narayana Aluru, a professor of mechanical science and engineering at the U. of I. who led the study. There is now a hunt to find the right material. Weve used MoS2 for other problems, and we thought, why dont we try it and see how it does for DNA sequencing? As it turns out, MoS2 outperforms all other materials used for nanopore DNA sequencing even graphene. A nanopore is a very tiny hole drilled … Continue reading →

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SPD: DNA evidence links at large Shreveport man to crimes

Posted: Published on August 17th, 2014

BREAKING Plane crash claims life of Natchitoches barber, friend in hospital Plane crash claims life of Natchitoches barber, friend in hospital Updated: Sunday, August 17 2014 6:27 PM EDT2014-08-17 22:27:36 GMT Investigators are looking into what may have sparked an argument that led to the death of a Shreveport man Sunday morning. KSLA News 12's Troy Washington spoke to the neighbor who called 911 and will have that interview tonight at 10. Investigators are looking into what may have sparked an argument that led to the death of a Shreveport man Sunday morning. KSLA News 12's Troy Washington spoke to the neighbor who called 911 and will have that interview tonight at 10. Updated: Sunday, August 17 2014 4:00 PM EDT2014-08-17 20:00:04 GMT Updated: Sunday, August 17 2014 3:16 PM EDT2014-08-17 19:16:24 GMT Updated: Saturday, August 16 2014 11:55 PM EDT2014-08-17 03:55:00 GMT DNA evidence has linked a Shreveport man to a vehicle burglary in the city's South Highlands neighborhood more than three years ago. Police are hoping to locate Timmy Davis, 43 of the 300 block of West 69th Street, who they believe entered an unlocked vehicle parked at a home in the 4100 block of Richmond Avenue. The … Continue reading →

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Bone chemistry reveals royal lifestyle of Richard III

Posted: Published on August 17th, 2014

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 16-Aug-2014 Contact: Sacha Boucherie s.boucherie@elsevier.com 31-204-853-564 Elsevier Oxford, August 17, 2014 - A recent study by the British Geological Survey, in association with researchers at the University of Leicester, has delved into the bone and tooth chemistry of King Richard III and uncovered fascinating new details about the life and diet of Britain's last Plantagenet king. The study, published in Elsevier's Journal of Archaeological Science indicates a change in diet and location in his early childhood, and in later life, a diet filled with expensive, high status food and drink. This forensic study, the most complete to have been conducted on a medieval monarch, will feature in a documentary, Richard III: The New Evidence, airing on Channel 4 on Sunday 17th August at 9pm. Isotope analysis of bone and tooth material from King Richard III has revealed previously unknown details of his early life and the change in his diet when he became King two years and two months before he was killed at the Battle of Bosworth. The research examines the changes in chemistry found in the teeth, the femur and the rib; all of which develop and rebuild at different stages of life. Isotope measurements … Continue reading →

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Mayo Clinic Task Force Challenges Some Recommendations In Updated Cholesterol Treatment Guideline

Posted: Published on August 17th, 2014

Traci Klein, Mayo Clinic A Mayo Clinic task force challenges some recommendations in the updated guideline for cholesterol treatment unveiled by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) in 2013. The task force concludes, based on current evidence, that not all patients encouraged to take cholesterol-lowering medications, such as statins, may benefit from them and that the guideline missed some important conditions that might benefit from medication. Furthermore, the task force believes an emphasis needs to be placed on an individualized treatment approach with each patient and exercising shared decision-making. Recommendations of the task force, made up of Mayo Clinic experts in cardiology, endocrinology and preventive medicine, with no conflicts of interest or links to the drug industry, was published Aug. 14 in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. An editorial will accompany the paper. Mayo Clinic physicians are adopting the task forces guideline. The ACC/AHA cholesterol guideline was last updated in 2001, so it needed to be updated. We agree with many points of the guideline, but there are some key areas where we do not completely agree or we wanted to expand and provide more guidance, says Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., task force chairman and director of preventive … Continue reading →

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B-CU gets $400K grant for biology

Posted: Published on August 17th, 2014

Published: Sunday, August 17, 2014 at 5:10 p.m. Last Modified: Sunday, August 17, 2014 at 5:10 p.m. DAYTONA BEACH The National Science Foundation has awarded a grant of $400,000 to Bethune-Cookman University that will benefit biology students. The grant supports the colleges Targeted Infusion Project: Developing Quantitative Expertise in the Undergraduate Biology Curriculum (QEUBiC). The project is directed by professors Raphael D. Isokpehi, Elizabeth R. Congdon and Katharina C. Wollenberg Valero. The award started Friday runs through July 2017. This grant aligns with our vision to make Bethune-Cookman University a great institution that offers an outstanding education, said B-CU President Dr. Edison O. Jackson. We strive to offer our students a relevant, dynamic education that prepares them for a globalized marketplace. The project at at B-CU seeks to enhance undergraduate education in the biology department by developing a curriculum that focuses on quantitative expertise, Isokpehi said. Students will be taught how to work with large data sets to understand biological systems and to solve problems in biology. Assessment metrics that integrate quantitative literacy, scientific literacy and strategic learning will be developed as part of the overall evaluation of the project, Isokpehi said. Three new biology courses will be created through … Continue reading →

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Biology as an engineering subject

Posted: Published on August 17th, 2014

For the first time in the history of engineering studies, we are introducing Biology as a subject for engineers. Science has been the foundation for engineering and has played a great role in its development. In order to provide an insight into health sciences, the academic council decided to introduce Biology for engineers, said K. Mallikharjuna Babu, Principal of BMS College of Engineering, while welcoming the new batch of B.E. and B.Arch students for 2014. The chief guest was B.S. Sonde, former Vice-Chancellor, Goa University. Pulse Jain University, School of Commerce and Management Studies, organised the annual inter-collegiate dance fest Pulse recently. Participants from around 20 colleges from Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai and Pune performed. Actors Satish and Sindhu from the blockbuster movie Lucia and Rakshit Shetty and Aishani Shetty added glamour to the programme. Induction Day The 18th induction day celebrations were organised at the Shirdi Sai Engineering College. The chief guest was S. Ravichandran, AGM, Ashok Leyland Ltd. Sai Prakash Leo Muthu, CEO and Managing Trustee, Sai Ram Group of Institutions, in his presidential address, said these days acquiring an engineering degree is not sufficient; updating the technological knowledge is extremely essential. The chief guest honoured the college and … Continue reading →

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Drugs shortage hits epilepsy patients

Posted: Published on August 17th, 2014

DRUGS for non-communicable diseases like epilepsy are being hardest hit by funding shortfalls affecting Zimbabwes public health sector. While the government is struggling to meet its budget commitments, donors are more focused on communicable diseases like HIV and TB. Tsarai Moto (not her real name), 25, from Musami village in Mashonaland East Province has to travel to Harare, about 80km away, for her anti-epileptic medication every month because of shortages of the drug in her area. She told IRIN that during these trips, she frequently experienced seizures as a result of having gone for days without taking her medication. My money and valuables have been stolen during the seizures and left me stranded, she said. Moto is one of an estimated 2 percent of people affected by epilepsy in Zimbabwe, according to the Epilepsy Support Foundation of Zimbabwe (ESFZ), an NGO that provides medical and psycho-social support services to people with the condition. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. These seizures can be successfully controlled with anti-epileptic drugs, but according to WHO, nine out of every 10 people with epilepsy in Africa go untreated. ESFZ estimates that 86 percent of people with epilepsy in Zimbabwe are not … Continue reading →

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