#Mini DNA Sequencer Data Belies its Size A miniature DNA sequencing device that plugs into a laptop
more expensive devices The Minion is a handheld DNA-sequencing device developed by Oxford Nanopore,
a spin out company from the University of Oxford. The smallest high-throughput sequencing system currently available,
the device can be plugged into any computer using a USB port, weighs just 90 grams and measures 10 centimeters in length.
It works by detecting individual DNA bases that pass through a nanopore a tiny hole in a membrane.
The sequencer has been made available to thousands of laboratories around the world via the Minion Access Programme,
Canada and The netherlands, including a team from Oxford Wellcome Trust Centre for Human genetics have carried out a series of experiments to assess the accuracy
and reproducibility of the data the device produces. The laboratories carried out two sets of ten experiments,
sequencing the genome of a laboratory strain of E coli (Escherichia coli K-12). Working to a single, shared protocol, the consortium produced 20 data sets with enough results to be able to quantify the data yield, quality,
accuracy and reproducibility that can be expected from the Minion. The findings show that the device provided consistent results between labs
which were all of good quality. While the data from the Minion device did contain more errors than larger,
more expensive devices so-called standard short-read technologies other researchers have shown that theye of high enough quality to infer full-length genomes from scratch, for the E coli bacterium, Influenza virus,
and the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast genomes. The researchers of this study point out, though, that there is work still to be done, to improve the reproducible delivery of molecules into the device and the clarity of the software it uses.
The results are published online at F1000research, an open access, open peer review scientific publishing platform that allows the team to quickly disseminate their findings for use by other researchers. ee published the paper in F1000research before peer review as a baseline for the community,
so that everyone can look at the paper and data, go on to do their own analysis share their results
and stimulate discussion, explains Dr. David Buck of Oxford university. The rapidity with which the findings are released is important:
the data generated in the study actually represents a snapshot of the Minion performance in April 2015.
with new chips and kits released every 3-6 months. n a few years time, people who may be removed several steps from basic genomic research,
like teachers in a classroom, could be using this device to teach science in new,
and Senior Analyst in Microbial Genomics at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human genetics. using the Minion in a project with secondary-school students in Oxford,
#Researchers Identify a New Culprit Behind Fibrosis An international team of researchers has identified a new molecule involved in skin fibrosis,
a life-threatening disease characterized by the inflammation and hardening of skin tissue. The new study is the first to investigate the role of this molecule in skin fibrosis
and paves the way toward new and improved therapies for the disease. The study reveals a new mechanism for the development of fibrosis in skin tissues
and could potentially be relevant to other organs that develop fibrosis such as the lungs, heart,
liver and kidney, said researchers. The team led by bioengineering professor Shyni Varghese at the University of California, San diego and Colin Jamora,
a biologist at the IFOM-instem Joint Research Laboratory in India, published the findings in the Oct 15 issue of Nature Communications. ee identified a new component that hasn previously been studied as a factor contributing to fibrosis,
said Varghese. his discovery gives us a new understanding of how fibrosis forms and could help us develop therapeutic strategies that are more effective than existing ones. ibrosis is a condition in which tough,
fibrous connective tissues develop in an organ, similar to scar tissues that form after injuries. The disease can affect various tissues
including those of the skin, lungs, heart and liver. Due to the development of tough, fibrous matter, fibrosis causes the affected tissues to stiffen,
swell, and eventually lose their normal functions. The exact mechanism by which fibrosis develops is understood not yet clearly,
and there are no proven cures or treatments for the disease. In this study, researchers discovered that a molecule called fibulin-5 played a role in the development of skin fibrosis in mice.
Fibulin-5 is responsible for the formation of elastin, a protein that enables skin to bounce back to its original shape after being stretched.
Elastin is a small component of connective tissues in the body and little is known about its contribution to fibrosis.
Since a large component of connective tissue is made of collagen, most research on the underlying cause of fibrosis has focused so far on the overproduction of collagen.
However, the role of less abundant proteins like elastin has been ignored largely, until now. linical trials to test the effectiveness of potential therapies for many known fibrotic diseases have so far been disappointing.
Our study points to a new way to target this debilitating disease, said Jamora. By focusing on elastin, the team discovered that the development of fibrosis in skin tissues was linked to a particular molecule:
fibulin-5. Researchers studied mice that were engineered genetically to develop skin fibrosis and found substantially higher levels of fibulin-5 in their skin tissues than in normal mice.
High levels of fibulin-5 were also found in the skin tissues of human patients with skin fibrosis.
Researchers explained that elevated levels of fibulin-5 caused elastin to form in abnormally large amounts,
and that higher elastin levels likely contributed to increased skin tissue inflammation and stiffening. Researchers also demonstrated that removing fibulin-5 from the genetically engineered mice before they developed skin fibrosis helped prevent all the symptoms of skin fibrosis including skin tissue inflammation
and stiffening from occurring. anipulating the fibulin-5 levels could be a therapeutic strategy to treat skin fibrosis,
said Varghese. ith further studies, we are looking to provide hope for a disease condition that contributes to approximately 30 percent of all deaths worldwide,
said Jamora. As a next step, researchers are exploring methods to inhibit the increase of fibulin-5
and determine whether fibulin-5 plays a role in fibrosis development in other organs besides the skin.
One of their goals is to translate this proof of concept study on mice to clinical trials in the future.
The work was supported by grants from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin diseases under the National institutes of health (NIH/NIAMS
Scleroderma Foundation, and core funds from instem and IFOM r
#Discovery Could Lead to Better Recovery After Stroke UCLA researchers have identified a molecule that, after a stroke,
signals brain tissue to form new connections to compensate for the damage and initiate repairs to the brain.
The finding could eventually lead to a new treatment to promote brain repair and functional recovery in people who have suffered a stroke,
which is the leading cause of serious long-term disability in adults. The five-year study, performed in an animal model,
the study senior author and a professor and vice chair for research and programs in the UCLA department of neurology. he brain has limited a capacity for recovery after stroke,
Carmichael said. ost stroke patients get better after their initial stroke, but few fully recover.
or off by GDF10 in brain cells after a stroke and compared the cellsrna to RNA in comparable cells during brain development and normal learning,
and to RNA in the brain cells of people with other diseases. They found that GDF10 regulates a unique collection of molecules that improves recovery after stroke.
Stroke kills nearly 130,000 Americans each year one of every 20 deaths in the U s. according to the Centers for Disease Control.
including the cost of health care, medications and missed days of work. The study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological disorders and Stroke at the National institutes of health, the American Heart Association, the Richard Merkin Foundation for Neural Regeneration at UCLA, the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson
#Radiotherapeutic Bandage Could Treat Skin cancer Research behind a new radiotherapeutic bandage that could potentially treat squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cancer was presented Wednesday, at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting and Expo in Orlando.
which incorporates nanoparticles into polymers through a technique called electrospinning, was developed by a team from the University of North Texas System College of Pharmacy,
led by professor Anthony J. Di Pasqua, Ph d, . as a possible alternative to surgery for minimally invasive, cosmetic solution,
or for SCC where surgery cannot be performed. Electrospinning uses an electrical charge to create very thin fibers from a liquid.
Researchers tested the bandages which only become radioactive immediately prior to therapy, on mice with SCC for one hour.
After 15 days of monitoring tumor size, three out of 10 mice that wore the radioactive bandage had their tumors completely eliminated.
The seven other mice in that group had significantly smaller tumor volumes, compared to control groups,
according to the researchers. adiation has a tendency to be a systemic, yet aggressive treatment for patients,
Di Pasqua said. According to the research, the bandages achieve a similar level of radioactivity to conventional radiation,
which can require large and specialized equipment. hese bandages can be tailored individually for easy application on tumor lesions of all shapes and sizes,
and manufactured on a large scale, said Bhuvaneswari Koneru, a graduate student who worked on the team.
There are about 700,000 new cases of SCC diagnosed in the U s. each year. It tends to develop after years of sun exposure,
#Scientists Work on the Drug Building Process One Block at a time, University of Illinois Reveals Molecule-Making Machine Simplifies Complex Chemistrychampaign, Ill.
A new molecule-making machine could do for chemistry what 3-D printing did for engineering:
Chemists at the University of Illinois, led by chemistry professor and medical doctor Martin D. Burke,
built the machine to assemble complex small molecules at the click of a mouse, like a 3-D printer at the molecular level.
The automated process has the potential to greatly speed up and enable new drug development and other technologies that rely on small molecules.
We wanted to take a very complex process, chemical synthesis, and make it simple, said Burke, a Howard hughes medical institute Early Career Scientist.
Simplicity enables automation which, in turn, can broadly enable discovery and bring the substantial power of making molecules to nonspecialists.
They are very important in medicine most medications available now are small molecules as well as in biology as probes to uncover the inner workings of cells and tissues.
Small molecules also are key elements in technologies like solar cells and LEDS. However, small molecules are notoriously difficult to make in a lab. Traditionally
The group s strategy has been to break down the complex molecules into smaller building blocks that can be assembled easily.
The chemical building blocks all have the same connector piece and can be stitched together with one simple reaction,
Many of the building blocks Burke s lab has developed are available commercially. See a video of Burke explaining the process.
-and-release method that adds one building block at a time, rinsing the excess away before adding the next one.
flexible and accessible, said Miles Fabian of the National institutes of health s National Institute of General Medical sciences,
The automated synthesis technology has been licensed to REVOLUTION Medicines Inc.,a company that Burke co-founded that focuses on creating new medicines based on small molecules found in nature.
The company initially is focusing on antifungal medications, an area where Burke s research has made already strides.
It is expected that the technology will similarly create new opportunities in other therapeutic areas as well as the industrialization of the technology will help refine
Perhaps most exciting, this work has opened up an actionable roadmap to a general and automated way to make most small molecules.
#Stellenbosch University Doctors Perform First Successful Penile Transplant In The World In a ground-breaking operation,
a team of pioneering surgeons from Stellenbosch University (SU) and Tygerberg Hospital performed the first successful penile transplant in the world.
The marathon nine-hour operation, led by Prof Andr van der Merwe, head of SU's Division of Urology, was performed on 11 december 2014 at Tygerberg Hospital in Bellville, Cape town.
This is the second time that this type of procedure was attempted, but the first time in history that a successful long-term result was achieved."
"South africa remains at the forefront of medical progress, "says Prof Jimmy Volmink, Dean of SU's Faculty of medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS)."
"This procedure is another excellent example of how medical research, technical know-how and patient-centred care can be combined in the quest to relieve human suffering.
It shows what can be achieved through effective partnerships between academic institutions and government health services.""Van der Merwe was assisted by Prof Frank Graewe, head of the Division of Plastic Reconstructive Surgery at SU FMHS, Prof Rafique Moosa, head of the FMHS Department of Medicine, transplant
coordinators, anaesthetists, theatre nurses, a psychologist, an ethicist and other support staff. The patient, whose identity is being protected for ethical reasons,
has made a full recovery and has regained all function in the newly transplanted organ.""Our goal was that he would be fully functional at two years
and we are surprised very by his rapid recovery, "says Van der Merwe. The end result of the transplant was the restoration of all the patient's urinary and reproductive functions."
"It's a massive breakthrough. We've proved that it can be done we can give someone an organ that is
"We are proud of the medical team, who also form part of our own staff compliment at Tygerberg Hospital.
It is good to know that a young man's life has been changed significantly with this very complex surgical feat.
From experience we know that penile dysfunction and disfigurement has a major adverse psychological effect on people."
"The procedure was part of a pilot study to develop a penile transplant procedure that could be performed in a typical South african hospital theatre setting."
and experts estimate as many as 250 amputations per year across the country.""This is a very serious situation. For a young man of 18 or 19 years the loss of his penis can be deeply traumatic.
After extensive research Van der Merwe and his surgical team decided to employ some parts of the model
and techniques developed for the first facial transplant.""We used the same type of microscopic surgery to connect small blood vessels and nerves,
and the psychological evaluation of patients was also similar. The procedure has to be sustainable
and has to work in our environment at Tygerberg, "says Van der Merwe. This procedure could eventually also be extended to men who have lost their penises from penile cancer or as a last-resort treatment for severe erectile dysfunction due to medication side effects.
As part of the study, nine more patients will receive penile transplants. Media enquiries Mandi Barnard Marketing Coordinator+27 (0) 21 938 9505+27 (0) 82 573 4477 mandi@sun. ac. za
Marketing and Communication Office Faculty of medicine and Health Sciences Stellenbosch University Prof Andr van der Merwe Head of the Division of Urology arvdm@sun. ac. za Department
of Surgical Sciences Faculty of medicine and Health Sciences Stellenbosch University Hey, check out all the engineering jobs. Post your resume today y
#Neuropsychology: Power Naps Produce A Significant Improvement In Memory Performance, Study Neuropsychology: Power Naps Produce A Significant Improvement In Memory Performance Generations of school students have gone to bed the night before a maths exam
or a vocabulary test with their algebra book or vocabulary notes tucked under their pillow in the hope that the knowledge would somehow be transferred magically into their brains
That they were taken not completely in by a superstitious belief has now been demonstrated by a team of neuropsychologists at Saarland University,
a graduate biologist specializing in neuropsychology, working with her Phd supervisor Axel Mecklinger and co-researcher Emma Bridger, is examining how power naps influence memory performance.
The results are clear:''Even a short sleep lasting 45 to 60 minutes produces a fivefold improvement in information retrieval from memory,
Strictly speaking, memory performance did not improve in the nap group relative to the levels measured immediately after the learning phase,
whose members watched DVDS while the other group slept, performed significantly worse than the nap group
immediately after completing the learning phase, says Professor Mecklinger. The researchers were focused particularly on the role of the hippocampus-a region of the brain in
which memories are consolidated'-the process by which previously learned information is transferred into long-term memory storage.''We examined a particular type of brain activity, known as"sleep spindles,
A sleep spindle is a short burst of rapid oscillations in the electroencephalogram (EEG.''We suspect that certain types of memory content,
In short, a person's memory of something is stronger, the greater the number of sleep spindles appearing in the EEG.
for example, be"milk-taxi"."Familiarity is of no use here when participants try to remember this word pair,
'A short nap at the office or in school is enough to significantly improve learning success. Wherever people are in a learning environment,
A concentrated period of learning followed by a short relaxing sleep is all that's needed.##
###The research work (DOI: 10.1016/j. nlm. 2015.02.012) was carried out as part of the International Research Training Group'1457"Adaptive Minds:
Neural and Environmental Constraints on Learning and Memory"(Saarbr#cken, Beijing'.'The results have been published in'Neurobiology of Learning and Memory'.
'The publication can be accessed via: http://www. sciencedirect. com/science/article/pii/S1074742715000362hey, check out all the research scientist jobs.
Post your resume today d
#Britain Becomes First Nation to Offer Meningitis B Vaccine After Tense Novartis AG Stand-Off The United kingdom will officially become the first country in the world to offer a vaccine for meningitis B after to infants covered under its national health system,
after reaching a hard-fought deal with Glaxosmithkline (GSK), said health officials Monday. Britain will now be able to offer Glaxo Bexsero vaccine, formerly part of Novartis AG (NVS) vaccine portfolio under its massive asset swap earlier this year.
Neither part disclosed the cost of the program, but Nikki Yates, general manager of GSK in Britain,
Meningitis causes severe neck pain after a bacterial infection of the lining surrounding the brain
Treating just one severe case of the disease can cost regulators more than $4. 5 million
estimated Reuters. U k. Health Secretary Jeremy hunt said Sunday he was pleased xceptionally that we will be the first country on the planet to have a nationwide Men B vaccination program. e had a stand-off really for the best part of
a year with the company that used to own this vaccine but since GSK have come on board they have reduced the price
and that means we can now go ahead this year with rolling out the meningitis B vaccine,
"Hunt said. Yates said that Glaxo was delighted"to have reached an agreement particularly since the company has owned only Bexsero for three weeks o
has been developed by scientists at Queen University Belfast. Researchers in the Queen University Ionic Liquid Laboratories (QUILL) Research Centre have developed a unique new perfume delivery system
which releases more of its aroma when it comes into contact with moisture, meaning a person smells nicer
The research was carried out by corresponding author Dr Nimal Gunaratne, Professor Ken Seddon and Dr Peter Nockemann
s Alectinib Shrank Tumors in Nearly Half of Patients With Specific Lung cancer Mutation Genentech Investigational Medicine Alectinib Shrank Tumors in Nearly Half of People With Specific Type of Lung cancer--Alectinib showed response rates of up to
69 percent in the central nervous system (CNS) in people with advanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer---Genentech plans to submit these Phase I/II data to the FDA as part of a New
which has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation--2015 ASCO Annual Meeting SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--BUSINESS WIRE)--Genentech,
its oral investigational anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor, shrank tumors (overall response rate; ORR: 50.0 percent and 47.8 percent, respectively) in people with advanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease had progressed following treatment with crizotinib.
In addition, alectinib was shown to shrink tumors in people whose cancer had spread to the central nervous system (CNS)( CNS ORR:
57.1 percent and 68.8 percent, respectively. People whose tumors shrank in response to alectinib continued to respond for a median of 11.2 and 7. 5 months, respectively (duration of response;
DOR). ) Alectinib demonstrated a safety profile consistent with that observed in previous studies. The most common adverse events (Grade 3 or higher occurring in at least 2 percent of people) were an increase in muscle enzymes (increased blood levels of creatine phosphokinase), increased liver enzymes
and shortness of breath (dyspnea. e plan to submit these data to the FDA this year to support alectinib as a potential new option for people
whose advanced ALK-positive lung cancer progressed on crizotinib. ancer spreads to the brain in about half of people with ALK-positive lung cancer,
and these studies suggest that alectinib can shrink tumors in people with this difficult-to-treat disease,
said Sandra Horning, M d, . chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. e plan to submit these data to the FDA this year to support alectinib as a potential new option for people
whose advanced ALK-positive lung cancer progressed on crizotinib. Results from both studies will be presented at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology ASCO).
) The NP28673 study will be presented by Dr. Sai-Hong Ignatius Ou, associate clinical professor, University of California, Irvine (Abstract#8008, Sunday, May 31, 10:24-10:36 A m. CDT),
and the NP28761 study will be presented by Dr. Leena Gandhi, assistant professor of medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston (Abstract#8019, Monday, June 1, 8: 00-11:30 A m. CDT).
Alectinib was granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the U s. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2013 for people with ALK-positive NSCLC
whose disease progressed on crizotinib. Breakthrough Therapy Designation is designed to expedite the development and review of medicines intended to treat serious diseases
and to help ensure patients have access to them through FDA approval as soon as possible. ALEX, a global randomized Phase III study, is ongoing,
comparing alectinib to crizotinib as an initial (first-line) treatment for people with advanced NSCLC
whose tumors were characterized as ALK-positive by an investigational companion immunohistochemistry (IHC) test being developed by Roche.
About the NP28673 Study NP28673 is a Phase I/II global single-arm, open-label, multicenter trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of alectinib in 138 people with ALK-positive NSCLC
whose disease progressed on crizotinib. The study showed by assessment of an independent review committee an ORR in 50.0 percent of people treated with alectinib,
An investigator assessment also showed tumors shrank in 47.8 percent of people who received alectinib.
CNS tumors shrank in response to alectinib in 57.1 percent of people whose disease had spread to the brain or other parts of the CNS.
In addition, the people whose tumors shrank in response to alectinib continued to respond for a median of 11.2 months (DOR
immature data. The median progression-free survival (PFS) for people who received alectinib was 8. 9 months.
Alectinib demonstrated a safety profile consistent with that observed in previous studies. The most common (occurring in at least 2 percent of people) Grade 3
or higher adverse event was shortness of breath (dyspnea; 4 percent. About the NP28761 Study NP28761 is a Phase I/II North american, single-arm, open-label,
whose disease progressed on crizotinib. The study showed by assessment of an independent review committee an ORR in 47.8 percent of people treated with alectinib,
An investigator assessment showed tumors shrank in 46.0 percent of people who received alectinib. CNS tumors shrank in response to alectinib in 68.8 percent of people
whose disease had spread to the brain or other parts of the CNS. In addition the people whose tumors shrank in response to alectinib continued to respond for a median of 7. 5 months (DOR, immature data.
The immature median PFS was 6. 3 months (95 percent confidence interval CI 5. 5ot estimable.
Alectinib demonstrated a safety profile consistent with that observed in previous studies. The most common (occurring in at least 2 percent of people) Grade 3
5 percent) and shortness of breath (dyspnea; 3 percent. About Alectinib Alectinib (RG7853/AF-802/RO5424802/CH5424802) is an investigational oral medicine created at Chugai Kamakura Research Laboratories
and is being developed for people with NSCLC whose tumors are identified as ALK-positive. ALK-positive NSCLC is often found in younger people who have a light
or nonsmoking history. It is almost always found in people with a specific type of NSCLC called adenocarcinoma.
About Lung cancer According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that more than 221,000 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015,
and NSCLC accounts for 85 percent of all lung cancers. It is estimated that approximately 60 percent of lung cancer diagnoses in the United states are made
when the disease is advanced in the stages. About Genentech in Lung cancer Lung cancer is a major area of focus and investment for Genentech,
and we are committed to developing new approaches, medicines and tests that can help people with this deadly disease.
Our goal is to provide an effective treatment option for every person diagnosed with lung cancer.
We currently have approved two medicines to treat certain kinds of lung cancer and more than 10 medicines being developed to target the most common genetic drivers of lung cancer
or to boost the immune system to combat the disease. About Genentech Founded more than 35 years ago
Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious or life-threatening medical conditions.
The company, a member of the Roche Group, has headquarters in South San francisco, California. For additional information about the company, please visit http://www. gene. com
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