As you can see above, my name is BuckWheat.? I got into this community through Planetside2 (awesome outfit) and decided to join you guys.? I am very much of a strategic and puzzle gamer (like Portal 2, Civilization and such) but also like to play some casual FPS. Came to this community just looking for some people just to casually play games with.
SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) -Rickie Lambert scored for the 14th time in his first Premier League season as Southampton beat Chelsea 2-1 on Saturday to edge closer to securing its status in the top flight.
The highest scoring Englishman in the league this season struck from a free kick in the 35th minute only two minutes after Chelsea captain John Terry had cancelled out Jay Rodriguez's 23rd-minute opening goal at St. Mary's Stadium.
After also beating Liverpool last round, Southampton rose two spots to 13th, four points above the relegation zone with seven matches left.
The result endangers Chelsea's bid to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League. The reigning European champions are only two points ahead of fifth-place Arsenal after their first league loss in five weeks.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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PST: Teenager Jose Villarreal hit a spectacular bicycle kick in stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw for the Galaxy in Toronto.
The body of a student pilot who was ejected from a small aircraft above an area east of Chattanooga, Tenn., in a freak accident Friday evening was found on Saturday, authorities said.
The man?s body was located after 8 a.m. local time, Bob Gault, a spokesman for the Bradley County Sheriff?s department, told NBC News.
The accident occurred when the owner of the Zodiac 601XL plane was taking lessons from an instructor, NBC station WRCB of Chattanooga reported, citing police. A malfunction caused the plane to nose dive and the canopy flew open ? and neither man was wearing a seat belt, WRCB reported.
The accident occurred at about 2,500 feet,?the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported.?
The instructor was able to land the aircraft back at Collegedale Municipal Airport, operations manager Chris Hancock confirmed to NBC News. He directed further questions to a Collegedale police spokesman who could not immediately be reached.
?The people inside the plane were not wearing seat belts,? said Troy Spence, director of the county?s emergency management agency, according to WRCB. ?So when they lost control of the plane, in an attempt to regain control of the plane, the passenger was ejected.?
Authorities conducted a ground search in Bradley County, WRCB said. The Times Free Press said the owner-pilot had a cell phone with him and rescuers pinged it in an attempt to find him.
Neither of the men was identified publicly by authorities.
WRCB said the plane had been owned by a man killed in a December crash and then was sold to the current owner, described as an experienced pilot who wanted more training in the Zodiac.
The Zodiac 601XL is a single-engine kit aircraft offered for home builders. Its two seats are side by side under a large domed canopy.
This story was originally published on Fri Mar 29, 2013 9:18 PM EDT
Mar. 29, 2013 ? When blessed with a resource in overwhelming abundance it's generally a good idea to make valuable use of that resource. Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant organic material on Earth. For thousands of years it has been used as animal feed, and for the past two centuries has been a staple of the paper industry. This abundant resource, however, could also supply the sugars needed to produce advanced biofuels that can supplement or replace fossil fuels, providing several key technical challenges are met.
One of these challenges is finding ways to more cost-effectively extract those sugars. Major steps towards achieving this breakthrough are being taken by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI).
"Through the tools of synthetic biology, we have engineered healthy plants whose lignocellulosic biomass can more easily be broken down into simple sugars for biofuels," says Dominique Loque, who directs the cell wall engineering program for JBEI's Feedstocks Division. "Working with the model plant, Arabidopsis, as a demonstration tool, we have genetically manipulated secondary cell walls to reduce the production of lignin while increasing the yield of fuel sugars."
JBEI is a scientific partnership led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) whose mission is to advance the development of next generation biofuels that can provide the nation with clean, green and renewable transportation energy that will create jobs and boost the economy. Loque and his research group have focused on reducing the natural recalcitrance of plant cell walls to give up their sugars. Unlike the simple starch-based sugars in corn and other grains, the complex polysaccharide sugars in plant cell walls are locked within a robust aromatic polymer called lignin. Setting these sugars free from their lignin cage has required the use of expensive and environmentally harsh chemicals at high temperatures, a process that helps drive production costs of advance biofuels prohibitively high.
"By embedding polysaccharide polymers and reducing their extractability and accessibility to hydrolytic enzymes, lignin is the major contributor to cell wall recalcitrance," Loque says. "Unfortunately, most efforts to reduce lignin content during plant development have resulted in severe biomass yield reduction and a loss of integrity in vessels, a key tissue responsible for water and nutrient distribution from roots to the above-ground organs."
Lignin has also long posed problems for pulping and animal feed. To overcome the lignin problem, Loque and his colleagues rewired the regulation of lignin biosynthesis and created an artificial positive feedback loop (APFL) to enhance secondary cell wall biosynthesis in specific tissue. The idea was to reduce cell wall recalcitrance and boost polysaccharide content without impacting plant development.
"When we applied our APFL to Arabidopsis plants engineered so that lignin biosynthesis is disconnected from the fiber secondary cell wall regulatory network, we maintained the integrity of the vessels and were able to produce healthy plants with reduced lignin and enhanced polysaccharide deposition in the cell walls," Loque says. "After various pretreatments, these engineered plants exhibited improved sugar releases from enzymatic hydrolysis as compared to wild type plants. In other words we accumulated the good stuff -- polysaccharides -- without spoiling it with lignin."
Loque and his colleagues believe that the APFL strategy they used to enhance polysaccharide deposition in the fibers of their Arabidopsis plants could be rapidly implemented into other vascular plant species as well. This could increase cell wall content to the benefit of the pulping industry and forage production as well as for bioenergy applications. It could also be used to increase the strength of cereal straws, reducing crop lodging and seed losses. Since regulatory networks and other components of secondary cell wall biosynthesis have been highly conserved by evolution, the researchers feel their lignin rewiring strategy should also be readily transferrable to other plant species. They are currently developing new and even better versions of these strategies.
"We now know that we can significantly re-engineer plant cell walls as long as we maintain the integrity of vessels and other key tissues," Loque says.
A paper describing this research in detail has been published in Plant Biotechnology Journal. The paper is titled "Engineering secondary cell wall deposition in plants." Loque is the corresponding author. Co-authors are Fan Yang, Prajakta Mitra, Ling Zhang, Lina Prak, Yves Verhertbruggen, Jin-Sun Kim, Lan Sun, Kejian Zheng, Kexuan Tang, Manfred Auer and Henrik Scheller.
This research was supported by the DOE Office of Science.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Fan Yang, Prajakta Mitra, Ling Zhang, Lina Prak, Yves Verhertbruggen, Jin-Sun Kim, Lan Sun, Kejian Zheng, Kexuan Tang, Manfred Auer, Henrik V. Scheller, Dominique Loqu. Engineering secondary cell wall deposition in plants. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 2013; 11 (3): 325 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12016
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? UCLA hired Steve Alford as basketball coach on Saturday, luring him from New Mexico days after he signed a new 10-year deal with the Lobos.
Athletic director Dan Guerrero said Alford is "the perfect fit for UCLA" because he connects with a new generation of players and brings an up-tempo and team-oriented style of play to Westwood.
The 48-year-old coach succeeds Ben Howland, who was fired last weekend after 10 years and a 233-107 record that included three consecutive Final Four appearances and four Pac-12 titles. The Bruins were 25-10 this season, which ended with a 20-point loss to Minnesota in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Alford led New Mexico to a 29-6 record this season that included the Mountain West regular-season and tournament titles. But the Lobos were upset by Harvard in the second round of the NCAAs shortly after Alford's new deal with the school had been announced.
Alford will be introduced at UCLA on Tuesday.
"I have been so fortunate and blessed in my life, and an opportunity to lead one of the greatest programs in college basketball history is once-in-a-lifetime," he said in a statement.
Alford had a 155-52 record in six years at New Mexico, with the Lobos making three trips to the NCAA tournament. He was selected Mountain West coach of the year three times.
His other head coaching stints were at Iowa (2000-07), Missouri State (1996-99) and Manchester College (1992-95) in his native Indiana.
Alford is a legend in the Hoosier state, where he starred at Indiana University from 1984-87 under coach Bob Knight. The Hoosiers won the national championship in his senior year. He also played on the gold medal-winning 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team in Los Angeles as a college sophomore. Knight coached that team.
Alford was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 1987 and played four years in the NBA before starting his head coaching career at tiny Manchester.
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova led his first team practice on Friday since returning from a 10-week medical stay in New York to treat a throat tumor.
Barcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura said that Vilanova would direct the session but that he would not accompany the team to Saturday's Spanish league match at Celta Vigo. Roura says that the club hopes Vilanova can travel with the team to Paris for Tuesday's first-leg Champions League quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain.
In Vilanova's absence, the team suffered a pair of painful defeats to archrival Real Madrid, but also pulled off a historic 4-0 win to come back against AC Milan in the Champions League. Roura insisted throughout that he was carrying out Vilanova's orders.
Barcelona leads the Spanish league by 13 points with 10 games to go.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Can Sunderland shock United?
PST: With Manchester United's EPL title all but wrapped up and an FA Cup quarterfinal looming Monday, are the Red Devils ripe for Sunderland's picking on Saturday?
TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares fell on Thursday as weak euro zone data, a sluggish debt auction in Italy and fears of a potential run on Cyprus's banks stoked investors' concerns about instability in Europe.
European markets were seen subdued, with financial spreadbetters predicting London's FTSE 100, Paris's CAC-40 and Frankfurt's DAX to open down as much as 0.3 percent.
Benchmark indices in Spain and Italy were likely to open flat and 0.3 percent lower respectively.
A 0.4 percent fall in U.S. stock futures pointed to a weak Wall Street start.
Japan's Nikkei stock average closed down 1.3 percent, as euro zone worries prompted profit taking in exporters and financials.
The negative tone for Asian equities was compounded by the latest restrictive move by China, with its banking watchdog ordering banks to strengthen checks on the underlying assets of a range of wealth management products to ward off potential risks to the financial system.
The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.7 percent, wiping out the previous day's gains, which had taken the index to a one-week high.
Thursday is the last trading day for the first quarter for many Asian markets, which will be closed on Friday for the Good Friday holiday.
The pan-Asian index was set for its smallest quarterly gain since the second quarter last year with a 0.9 percent rise, which would also be its worst first quarter in four years.
"Multiple factors are denting sentiment, with uncertainties over the future of Cyprus despite the bailout, Italian political instability and bad economic indicators from the euro zone," said Hirokazu Yuihama, a senior strategist at Daiwa Securities in Tokyo.
Despite their recent retracement, Asian shares outside of Japan have generally stayed in a range for the first three months of 2013, holding near the upper end close to their highest levels since August 2011, as improving U.S. economic growth and hopes China will stay on a recovery track helped boost investors' risk appetite.
"China's move to tighten property regulations has been the biggest drag for Asia. Looking ahead, whether China can keep recovering will be the main issue speficic to this region," Yuihama said, adding that Southeast Asian markets may be exposed to the biggest adjustments if negative news spurred broader selling.
China shares, by far the worst regional performer on Thursday, were headed for their worst loss in nearly a month, hurting Hong Kong markets, with banks taking a hit after they were ordered to tighten control over wealth management products (WMP) and improve transparency.
Hong Kong shares slid 1.3 percent and Shanghai shares slumped 2.7 percent.
"The timing of the announcement caught the market by surprise, although people were already expecting the regulators to act," said Hong Hao, chief strategist at Bank of Communication International Securities.
Trading slowed generally as market players closed positions ahead of the Easter holidays.
"Whatever is happening in Europe in terms of Cyprus and the ramifications of that, maybe a lot of traders just don't want to be long or don't want to have positions over this long weekend," said Winston Sammut, investment director at Maxim Asset Management.
EURO VULNERABLE
Cypriots are expected to besiege lenders in the morning as banks reopen for the first time in almost two weeks.
Authorities imposed restrictions on cash withdrawals and may curb the use of credit cards abroad to keep a rein on money flows after the country agreed to a bailout deal that will wipe out some senior bank bondholders and impose losses on large depositors.
In Italy, the government's cost of borrowing over five years rose to its highest since October at an auction on Wednesday, reflecting investor wariness over a lack of progress in forming a new government and worries about Cyprus's bailout.
Meanwhile, data on Wednesday showed confidence in the euro zone economy fell more than expected in March after four straight months of gains.
"Headline risks for the euro should persist, although a positive turn of events in either country would probably come as a greater surprise given the market's subdued expectations," said Vassili Serebriakov, strategist at BNP Paribas.
The euro was at $1.2789 (8448 pence), hovering near a four-month low of $1.2750 (842 pence) touched on Wednesday.
The dollar was down 0.1 percent but still near Wednesday's 7-1/2-month peak of 83.302 against a basket of key currencies.
Fears about the euro zone underpinned safe-haven U.S. Treasuries and gold, while 10-year Japanese government bond yields fell to 0.510 percent, the lowest level since June 2003, on expectations strong stimulus measures will be announced by the Bank of Japan next week at its first policy meeting under new leadership.
Such anticipations drove the BOJ's benchmark interest rate down on Wednesday to 0.059 percent, the lowest since July 13, 2006, which was one day before the central bank ended its policy to keep the overnight call rate effectively at zero percent.
U.S. crude futures rose 0.2 percent to $96.77 (63.93 pounds) a barrel while Brent added 0.3 percent to $110 (72.66 pounds).
London copper eased 0.2 percent to $7,590.50 (5,014.20 pounds) a tonne, with prices set to end the month and quarter down due to a lack of robust Chinese demand.
(Additional reporting by Clement Tan in Hong Kong, Ian Chua and Maggie Lu Yueyang; in Sydney; Editing by Eric Meijer & Kim Coghill)
The OUYA Tegra 3-powered Android game console is having quite a day, but now that it's shipping, CEO Julie Uhrman is informing early recipients of what to expect when they open the packaging. According to an email sent out to Kickstarter backers this evening, their new box will have a software update required as soon as it's plugged in. After the Wii U we hope this isn't a trend (but fear it is) although the Ouya promises to take only seconds or at most minutes to complete. Also detailed are the 104 games already available from the 8,000 registered developers including Beast Boxing Turbo, Stalagflight, and KnightmareTower, plus entertainment apps like XBMC and Flixster. The games are all free to try out, but a credit/debit card is required upfront.
We've already offered our opinion of the shipping hardware after a quick hands-on, although backers are encouraged to contribute their own during the preview period before it officially launches. To that end, the company is planning a Reddit AMA next month and will have its own forums available for feedback soon. Until then, you can get the rest of the info directly at the source link below.
LOOK 1: At the Trooping of Colours event in June 2012.
LOOK 2: At a friend's wedding in September 2012.
(Getty/Ikon Pictures)
Whistles Dress
LOOK 1: At the Diamond Jubilee Concert, June 4, 2012
LOOK 2: At the London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony, August 12, 2012
(Getty photos)
Roksanda Ilincic Frock
LOOK 1: North American Royal Tour in Beverly Hills, July 8, 2011
LOOK 2: Arts reception during the 2012 London Olympics, July 30, 2012
Jane Troughton Brocade Coat
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: At a wedding in London on August 14, 2009.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: At a celebration for Prince Philip's 90th birthday on June 12, 2011, wearing a Zara dress and L. K. Bennett shoes. (Getty photos)
Ted Baker Trenchcoat
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: At the Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival in England on March 14, 2008, wearing a black fedora, scarf and boots.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Arriving at a hotel in Yellowknife on July 4, 2011, wearing navy pumps. (Getty photos)
Issa Dress
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Arriving at the Goring Hotel on April 28, 2011, wearing L.K. Bennett wedges.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Speaking with volunteers in Ottawa on June 30, 2011, wearing Pied ? Terre slingback wedges. (Getty photos)
Gold Sign Jeans, White Ten Gallon Hat
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: At a rodeo demonstration in Calgary, Canada on July 7, 2011, wearing a blouse by Temperley.
<br>
<br> <strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Watching a rodeo demonstration at the BMO Center in Calgary, Canada on July 8, 2011 in an Alice by Temperley blouse.
(Getty photos)
Jane Troughton Gold Brocade Coat
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Worn with a feathered fascinator to the nuptials of Laura Parker Bowles and Harry Lopes.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Paired with an elaborate hat at Zara Phillips' wedding. (Getty photos)
L.K. Bennett Nude Pumps
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Arriving in Ottawa, Canada in an Erdem dress on June 30, 2011.
<br>
<br> <strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Arriving at the Calgary airport in a Jenny Packham dress on July 7, 2011. (Getty photos)
DVF "Maja" Dress
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: At the British Consul-General's residence in L.A. on July 8, 2011.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: At Zara Phillips' pre-wedding party. (Getty photos)
Reiss Dress
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Keeping it simple while posing for official engagement photos.
(AP photo)
<strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Arriving at the Canadian Museum of Civilization for a Canada Day celebration in Quebec on July 1, 2011, wearing a Sylvia Fletcher/Lock and Co. hat.
(Getty photo)
Sebago Shoes
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Attending a dragon boat race in Charlottetown, Canada on July 4, 2011, wearing J Brand twill pants.
<strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Boarding a sea plane in Yellowknife Canada, wearing J Brand pants on ?July 5, 2011. (Getty photos)
Pied ? Terre Slingback Wedges
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Speaking with volunteers in Ottawa on June 30, 2011, wearing an Issa dress.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Boarding a plane in Yellowknife, Canada on July 6, 2011, wearing a Smythe blazer and J Brand twill pants. (Getty photos)
Smythe Blazer
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Departing for Canada on June 30, 2011 in a Roland Mouret dress, carrying a Mulberry bag.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Boarding a plane in Yellowknife, Canada on July 6, 2011, wearing twill J Brand pants and Pied ? Terre wedges. (Getty photos)
Katherine Hooker Coat
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: At the Cheltenham Races on March 17, 2006, keeping warm with a fur hat.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Launching a lifeboat in Wales on February 24, 2011. Catherine got the coat shortened (a look we much prefer!). (Getty photos)
J Brand Twill Pants
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Boarding a sea plane in Yellowknife, Canada, wearing Sebago boat shoes.
<br>
<br> <strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Boarding a plane in Yellowknife, Canada on July 6, 2011, wearing a Smythe blazer and Pied ? Terre wedges. (Getty photos)
L.K. Bennett Black Wedges
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Arriving at the Goring Hotel the day before the Royal Wedding in a dress by Issa.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Leaving Buckingham Palace the day after the Royal Wedding, wearing a Zara dress. (Getty photos)
Zara Dress
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Leaving Buckingham Palace the day after the Royal Wedding, wearing L. K. Bennett wedges.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Celebrating Prince Phillip's 90th birthday on June 12, 2011 in a Jane Troughton brocade coat. (Getty photos)
Princess Diana's Repurposed Earrings
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Paired with a Temperley London frock at Wimbledon on June 27, 2011.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: On the last day of her North America tour, in a Whistles ensemble. (Getty photos)
Amanda Wakeley Suit
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Meeting with children at a soccer club in Darwen, north-west England on April 11 with a half-up hairdo.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Posing for the official North American Tour portrait on June 3 in London with a sleek, natural-looking coif. (Getty photos)
Natalie Handbag By L.K. Bennett
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Worn with a hand-painted, chinoiserie silk dress by Jenny Packham to a polo match in Santa Barbara on July 9, 2011.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Worn with a canary yellow Jenny Packham dress at Calgary Airport two days earlier. (Getty photos)
Queen Elizabeth's Maple Leaf Brooch
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: Stuck on a red Catherine Walker coat during the couple's last hours in Canada.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Pinned to a purple Issa dress on Canada Day. (Getty photos)
Suede Prada Pumps
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: At a welcome ceremony in Charlottetown, Canada on July 4, 2011, wearing an Alexander McQueen dress.
<br>
<br><strong>LOOK 2</strong>: Meeting participants in an Inner City Arts program in a Whistles skirt on July 10, 2011. (Getty photos)
Lavender Jenny Packham Dress
<strong>LOOK 1</strong>: The wedding of Emily McCorquodale and James Hutt on July 7th, 2012, paired with her bronze pillbox hat and a gray Katherine Hoooker coat.
<strong>LOOK 2</strong>: At Kate Middleton and Prince William's Royal Canada & California tour, on July 9, 2011.
(Getty photos)
Blue Tweed Coat Dress By Missoni
LOOK 1: Diamond Jubilee Event at Fortnum & Mason, March 1, 2012
LOOK 2: Diamond Julbille visit to Nottingham, June 13, 2012
(Getty photos)
Pink Pleated Dress
LOOK 1: Sovereign Monarchs Jubilee Lunch in Kensington, May 18, 2012
LOOK 2: Diamond Jubilee Party at Buckingham Palace, May 26, 2012
(Getty photos)
Alexander McQueen Sailor Dress
LOOK 1: Canada tour in Prince Edward Island, July 5, 2011
LOOK 2: Wimbledon, July 4, 2012
(Getty photos)
Start out your daily app downloads with Mobli, a photo- and video-sharing app that brings you lots of options for the memories you capture. We've also got the newly updated and redesigned Washington Post for iPad for all your news needs, and Dragon City, a management game in which you build a city, raise dragons, and use them to fight other dragons.
Also on Appolicious
Zinio put together a survival guide for magazine lovers, now that many magazine and newspaper publishers are embracing digital. Read about their counsel in this Guest Post.
Mobli update (Free)
What?s it about? Share photos and videos better with Mobli, a social network that doesn't crop your photos or limit the length of video you can share on it or other networks.
What?s cool? The main function of Mobli is to share your life as it's happening. The app makes it quick and easy to snap photos and shoot videos, lay down a quick caption, add some hashtags to make the image easier to categorize, and share it with others. Mobli is a social network unto itself, but you can also easily share what you snap or shoot on other networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Best of all, though, there's no limit on the size of photos or the length of videos you post, and includes its own photo and video filters, smart hashtag suggestions, and even filters that are specific to certain locations and events in the Mobli community. The app's latest update beefs up its privacy controls, adds new filters, enhances social sharing on Facebook and Twitter, and adds new camera features for photos and video.
Who?s it for? If you're a fan of capturing everything with your iPhone or iPad, Mobli will help you do it, as well as help you share it.
What?s it like?Try Instagram for more photo-sharing power (and a huge, growing social community), and SocialCam for a more video-focused approach.
What?s it about? The Washington Post brings its newspaper to iPads with the help of Apple's Newsstand feature, bringing users their daily dose of news.
What?s cool?The Washington Post doesn't need a ton of introduction ? if you're familiar with newspapers, you're familiar with one of the biggest in the U.S. ? but its iPad app deserves a place on your radar. The digital version of the paper brings everything print subscribers get, with all the day's top news, videos and other multimedia, more than 40 comic strips, blog posts and instant access to Twitter, as well as an offline mode for reading when you don't have an Internet connection. The Washington Post's latest update brings it into Apple's Newsstand, with a whole new design that brings the entire print edition into an interactive digital format and adds all the Washington Post blogs from its website. The app is also offered for free as a promotion until this summer.
Who?s it for? Fans of The Washington Post in print shouldn't miss the chance to read it on their iPads for free.
What?s it like? For more great digital versions of newspapers, check out USA TODAY's and The New York Times' apps.
What?s it about? Part management sim, part pet battle game, Dragon City has players building and maintaining a ? you guessed it ? dragon city and then using the dragons raised there to fight other dragons.
What?s cool? Making the leap from Facebook to iOS, Dragon City puts players in the role of the manager of a city with a number of structures dedicated to raising dragons. Your job is to use your city to earn money that can be spent to expand it, and as you do so, you'll get new dragons to collect and use in battles against other dragons. The battles are turn-based, just like favorite monster battle titles such as Pokemon, and Dragon City has the benefit of being completely linked to the Facebook version ? so if you're a fan of that, you can still interact with friends and continue the city you've been building on the social network.
Who?s it for? If you like free-to-play management games, check out Dragon City.
What?s it like? Check out Monster Life and Pocket Summoner for some more monster-battling action.
Mar. 27, 2013 ? Since its introduction fifty or so years ago, thermography has been increasingly used by vets to pinpoint the cause of lameness in horses.? The method is fast and safe and is based on a simple idea.? The horse?s body surface emits infrared radiation that can be detected by an infrared camera, which is both easy and inexpensive to use.? The camera produces a coloured image that shows the variation in surface temperature across the area investigated.? The temperature is directly related to the presence of blood vessels near the skin, so the method can detect local inflammatory lesions or regions of modified blood flow and thus help localize the origin of lameness.
The theory is clear but to date there have been comparatively few investigations into the reliability of the method.? Furthermore, it is important to note that in practice trivial matters such as time constraints and movement of the horse can cause changes in both camera angle and distance of the camera to the area of the horse being investigated.? The effect to which these changes affect the results of thermographic imaging is unknown.? Finally, although it is generally accepted that thermographic imaging of horses should be performed in draught-free surroundings, there have not been any published studies on the effect of airflow on the results.
These issues have now been tackled by Simone Westermann of the Clinical Unit of Equine Surgery at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, together with colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna) and with Adrian Ion at the Vienna University of Technology.? The scientists found that the method was highly reproducible and was less sensitive to variations in camera position and angle than might be expected.? In fact, the results were almost completely unaffected by 20? changes in camera angle and increases of up to 50 cm in the distance of the camera from the animal.? At a distance of 1 m from the horse a 20? change in camera angle corresponds to about 35 cm.? This represents the effective horizontal tolerance in positioning of the camera.? As Westermann says, ?vets should have little difficulty in remaining within this limit, so the method is applicable in practice.?? Surprisingly, the results showed that horses? left and right forelimbs show minor differences in temperature and Westermann cautions that ?it might be important to take these into account before reaching a final diagnosis.?
The technique is thus reliable and robust, at least in terms of variation in where the camera is located.? However, it turned out to be extremely sensitive to even very gentle drafts.? A wind speed of less than 1 m/s causes a drop in measured temperature of about 0.6?C, while winds of 1.3-2.6 m/s cause a drop of 1.5?C and winds of 3-4 m/s cause a drop of 2.1?C.? The discrepancies are more than sufficient to lead to a wrong diagnosis, although even the highest wind speed tested is hardly perceptible:? it would barely cause leaves on trees to move.
Westermann is keen to note the relevance of her work for vets who work on horses.? As she says, ?It turns out that it is not too important to be sure that the camera is in exactly the correct position before taking measurements.? But it is essential to perform thermography on horses in a room that is completely free of draughts.? If you don?t, your diagnosis will be completely unreliable.?
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Veterin?rmedizinische Universit?t Wien.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal References:
S. Westermann, C. Stanek, J. P. Schramel, A. Ion, H. H. F. Buchner. The effect of airflow on thermographically determined temperature of the distal forelimb of the horse. Equine Veterinary Journal, 2013; DOI: 10.1111/evj.12019
Simone Westermann, Heinz H. F. Buchner, Johannes P. Schramel, Alexander Tichy, Christian Stanek. Effects of infrared camera angle and distance on measurement and reproducibility of thermographically determined temperatures of the distolateral aspects of the forelimbs in horses. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2013; 242 (3): 388 DOI: 10.2460/javma.242.3.388
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
LONDON (AP) ? A diocese in southern England says it has exhumed a grave over fears that a set of bones could be stolen amid speculation that the remains are those of King Alfred the Great.
The Diocese of Winchester says the exhumation took place earlier this week in the churchyard of St. Bartholomew's Church. The bones are now in storage.
Nick Edmond, diocese spokesman, said Wednesday the exhumation was authorized to protect the bones amid heightened interest following the recently discovered remains of King Richard III.
Edmondson said no permission has been given to analyze the bones.
Alfred ? who lived from 849 A.D. to 899 A.D. ? was believed buried at nearby Hyde Abbey and there is speculation he was later reburied in the same area.
0?American adoptive parents of the 3-year-old boy must be brought to court over Maxim?s death,? Russia?s children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said.
0He voiced his indignation over the fact that the U.S. has not yet handed over all data concerning the investigation of the boy?s death to the Russian Investigative Committee, though some details were made available to the media.
0Maxim Kuzmin died in Texas on January 21, 2013. The recently published autopsy results say that the boy?s death was accidental, and the bruises found on his body had resulted from self-injury as Maxim was not mentally stable. ?
0
0The autopsy report of a three-year-old Russian boy adopted by a Texan couple concludes that the child had more than 30 bruises on his body as well as other signs that he was routinely injured.
0
0The medical document released to the Odessa American suggests that the foster family, who have also adopted the victim?s brother, were struggling to provide proper care for Maksim Shatto but examiners believe that the injuries were due to self-injury stemming from a serious mental condition.
0The medical examiner found abrasions, scrapes and bruises on the boy?s body.
0Max?s adoptive father has said that the boy was constantly hitting his head at home and had serious behavioural issues.
0The mother had previously told the authorities that Maksim used to claw himself, which she tried to prevent by cutting his nails short and having him wear gloves at night.
0The boy, born Maksim Kuzmin, died January 21 after his adoptive mother Laura Shatto found him unresponsive outside their home in Gardendale, Texas.
0Last week?US prosecutors said that no charges would be made in the case due to lack of evidence.
0Moscow has repeatedly blamed the adoptive couple for the death of the child based on abusive treatment. But the US authorities claim Maksim?s death was an accident.
0Russia, U.S. to hold consultations on destiny of adopted children soon - ministry
0Russia and the United States will soon hold consultations and will in particular discuss the destiny of two Russian children adopted to the U.S., Kirill Kuzmin and Yegor Shatabalov, Voice of Russia's Olga Denisova reports.
0"We plan to hold relevant consultations soon during which we will receive exhaustive information on the investigations on the deaths of Russian children. Then we [will discuss] the issue on the latest two cases related to Kirill Kuzmin and the re-adoption of Yegor Shatabalov," Russian Deputy Education and Science Minister, Igor Remorenko, said while speaking at a "governmental hour" in the Russian State Duma.
0Kirill Kuzmin's brother, Maxim Kuzmin, died in his adoptive family. Yegor Shatabalov, Kuzbass native, was adopted several years ago by a U.S. woman, who as it later transpired was in a same-sex marriage. The Russian official said that several requests have been sent to the U.S. State Department. In these requests Russia raises the issue that in certain cases agreement on conditions in which Russian children live in U.S. adoptive families has been violated, Remorenko said.
0"In particular, we've stated that if conditions in which a child lives change, we are entitled to demand them to provide other living conditions, including the child's return to Russia," Remorenko said.
0?The Russian official said that regardless of the ban Russia introduced on U.S. citizens, the Russian-U.S. agreement on adoption remains in force until January 1, 2014. "This allows us to demand that the U.S. side fulfill the agreement on regulations related to control over living conditions and upbringing of adopted children," Remorenko said.
A mysterious parasitoid wasp was found in the B?hmerwald (Northeast Austria) and reared in the garden of the amateur entomologist Ewald Altenhofer of Gross Gerungs municipality, Austria. The parasitoid was identified by Kees van Achterberg, senior researcher at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, the Netherlands, as the rare Seleucus cuneiformis. It is the first time that a tip of its biology was discovered. The study was published in the open access journalJournal of Hymenoptera Research.
The parasitoids reared by Mr Altenhofer belong to the peculiar genus Seleucus. The reared parasitoid Seleucus cuneiformis is known from only a few countries in Europe and is new to Austria. The host is the fern sawfly Blasticotoma filiceti, the only member of the family Blasticotomidae in Europe. The family is considered to be one of the oldest extant families of the true sawflies. This particular sawfly was previously known only from the region near Linz since 1973 and this is the second find reported for the fauna of Austria.
The larvae of B. filiceti live in the stems of ferns in a small chamber, or gall, that they induce themselves for their protection. They feed on the nutrients in the phloem fluids and may produce foam on the outer side of the gall. The larvae have a true ant trophobiosis, or ants can live in symbiosis based on food for protection, the only known occurrence of this phenomenon within the Hymenoptera. The Myrmica ants receive fluids through some holes connected to the stem gall of the larva.
During the rearing experiments, important notes on the previously unknown biology of the parasitoid wasp were recorded. Four weeks after the sawflies emerged from the gall, the adults of Seleucus cuneiformis also started appearing, which continued over a period of two weeks. Interestingly, the parasitoid females at first had a droplet-shaped rear body characteristic for males. During the course of the first day the metasoma got expanded into the very elongate shape typical of females, which is of use to inject their eggs into the galls of the sawflies.
###
Achterberg C van, Altenhofer E (2013) Notes on the biology of Seleucus cuneiformis Holmgren (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Ctenopelmatinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 31: 97?104. doi: 10.3897/JHR.31.4204
Pensoft Publishers: http://www.pensoft.net
Thanks to Pensoft Publishers for this article.
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"Dancing With the Stars" pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy.
"Dancing With the Stars" pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy will be blogging about his experiences and thoughts on his fourth quest for the mirror ball trophy in The Clicker throughout the season. The 14-time US champion in dance is paired with 16-year-old Disney star Zendaya, who plays Rocky Blue on "Shake It Up!"
By Valentin Chmerkovskiy
First of all, thank you to all the fans for all of your support, the really encouraging, really great comments I received after the debut performance with Zendaya! It means a lot that people take the time to write something nice for us to see, whether it?s on Twitter or Instagram or a website. I want to say that I really appreciate all the love and support. It makes me stay motivated, and it really inspires me to do better.
Last Monday?s performance was so inspiring! Not just for people watching. When I dance, I?m just in a different zone. When she dances, she?s in a different zone. That Monday night performance, it was heaven on earth! It was a feeling that you can?t really explain. At the end when we took our bow, and just hearing the roar and understanding that we just did something special? All the hard work paid off. It?s an unexplainable high. That kind of feeling is what we?re fighting for every day, every week. It?s worth the sweat, it?s worth the hard work.
I feel the thing about Monday?s performance with the contemporary wasn?t even the choreography or the dancing. It was just her performance. She?s a star now. Mark my words: I?ve worked with her for three weeks. She?s going to be a superstar. She?s the next Beyonce. She?s the next mega superstar.
This week we?re doing the jive. The jive is a very fast, very upbeat type of dance. The origins are -- vaguely speaking -- of the rock ?n? roll genre and era of dance: swing, Lindy, all those higher-paced, energetic dances. This is where having an understanding for connection and synergy and bonding and understanding each other and dancing completely in unison is very crucial to making this dance work. She?s put on three-inch heels, which is very difficult to dance in, and is something that is pretty new to a girl who is 16 years old. She?s a sneakerhead! She loves her Nikes and her Adidas! So it?s a challenge.
I?m not going to reveal too much about it. The dance is ? honestly, I?m so happy with how the dance came out! We don?t need too much production. We don?t need too much story. The story is simple. The song is very old-school sounding. When I hear the song, I think 1920s flapper vibe. I?m going to wear my pinstriped suit and she?s going to wear her flapper dress, and we?re going to come out and show a jive.
I basically choreographed the routine that I would?ve been dancing with a pro. That?s how challenging it is. I basically drove her, destroyed her into doing it pretty damn close to a pro! I?m excited to do an authentic, really competitive, challenging routine that doesn?t have a lot of fluff, but is something different. ? I?m glad that I finally have a partner that I can showcase those things with. Zendaya is somebody that I don?t hold back anything with choreographically. I?m not sacrificing anything.
I want her to be Zendaya at her best. It?s not easy because it?s constant work. I?ve put her through the same grueling practice schedule and work schedule that everybody else goes through, if not probably more. When she goes through that, that?s the result that you see -- Monday?s performance.? And it doesn?t matter if it?s contemporary, jive or tango. I will put the pressure on and I know a diamond is going to be the result. I just want to keep doing that, keep creating beautiful things, keep putting the pressure on, and see what she can do. I think she can do anything.
Whatever the judges want to give us, I?ll be happy with. I?m looking for what I want to see. At the end of the day, this is a matter of my pride and my integrity ? my integrity to her parents, my integrity to ?Dancing With the Stars? and the production, my integrity to everything that I represent as a teacher. It?s my integrity to my craft. That?s all I want. I want to come out and I want to surprise the people that I love. I want to surprise her parents. I want to surprise my parents. I want to surprise our fans. Those are the people I?m really prioritizing here.
Tune in Monday night to ABC, ?Dancing With the Stars?! And vote for Team Valdaya (3406)! We really appreciate it!
Andy Rubin's Kick-Butt Business Card From When He Worked At Apple
Uh Oh, It Looks Like Apple Is Under Attack From The Chinese Media
Apple analyst Gene Munster said in a note he expects the iPhone 5S to ship at the end of June. While it's possible the iPhone comes out in June, we think Munster might be off on this one.
Rene Ritchie at iMore reported the iPhone 5S is coming in August. Ritchie has excellent sources at Apple. He was one of the first to report what the iPad Mini would look like. He was also first to report Apple was going with a smaller cable for the iPhone. He nailed the announcement and release date of the iPhone 5.
In addition to Ritchie's report of an August release, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said he's hearing Apple pushed the release of the iPhone 5S from June to the July-September time frame because it was having some manufacturing issues.
Based on Ritchie's excellent track record, plus the shift from Jefferies, we're now expecting a new iPhone in August.
The iPhone 5S isn't expected to be a big upgrade over the iPhone 5. Ritchie says it will look the same with some internal improvements and a camera upgrade.
Be sure to check out our detailed stock analysis (click here).Ken Heebner is the co-founder of Capital Growth Management, a money management firm with more than $6 billion under management. The hedge fund is growth-oriented and founded by Heebner in 1990. Capital Growth on average has a 17.2% return rate against the 12.8% of index, and of late the fund has been been making bets on the airlines.
Capital Growth's New Picks
A couple of Capital Growth's new picks includes those from the airline industry, Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL) and United Continental Holdings Inc (NYSE: UAL). Delta is now Capital Growth's ninth largest holding, and United Continental is 19th (see Jim Cramer's thoughts on airlines). The recent consolidation of the industry, with the merger of U.S. Airways and American, leaves three major airlines, which should bode well for the remaining operators. In particular, the consolidation should lead to pricing power and higher revenue per seat.
Delta has managed to see impressive operating efficiencies and expects margin expansion of 2.5% to 4.5% for the March-ending quarter. Delta has been performing well across the board, with luggage misses falling 25% and customer complaints down 40% last quarter on a year over year basis. As far as longer-term growth, one of Delta's key moves has been the acquisition of a 49% stake in the British carrier Virgin Atlantic. The big "win" for Delta related to the acquisition includes the fact that Delta will now have greater access to the New York - London route. London's Heathrow airport is one of the busiest in the world and Delta Air Lines has only 0.3% of the slots at the airport, but Virgin has 3.3%.
United Continental was another one of Capital Growth's airline picks. United has some of the top unit revenue growth, and has been focusing on improving its products and in-flight features to help with differentiation. This includes having already installed economy plus seats on 91% of its fleet and embarking on new initiatives that include expanding its global routes. The airline plans to add international destinations that include Taiwan; Ireland, Paris and various Canadian locations, not to mention the first-ever nonstop Denver - Tokyo service.
Both Delta and United may also be the cheapest airlines in the industry:
Price to earnings (forward estimates)
Delta 5 times
United Continental 6 times
Southwest Airlines 10 times
Jetblue 10 times
Alaska Air 10 times
Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE: WY)w as also another new position, with Capital Growth buying up 2.6 million shares and putting the timber REIT as its 22nd largest holding (read about the timber outlook). Weyerhaeuser is a somewhat diversified REIT, deriving 43% of revenues from wood products (lumber, plywood, etc.), 26% from fibers (pulp), 15% from timberlands (land) and 15% from real estate (housing and residential development). The timber REIT has an impressive asset base, and driving future performance should be a turnaround in the U.S. housing market and a greater demand for timber exports. Related to the U.S turnaround, S&P expects residential construction to recover nicely in 2013, with housing starts expected to be up 27%.
Capital Growth's Selloffs
As far as bearish signs, Capital Growth sold off shares of two major car makers, Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and General Motors Company (NYSE: GM). The firm sold off all of its GM shares and downsized its Ford shares by 32%. I don't necessarily agree with Capital Growth's sell offs and believe there are reasons to buy both stocks. For one, Ford expects industry volume of 15 million to 16 million unit sales in the U.S. for 2013, compared to the 14.8 million in 2012. The car company is also expecting gains in market share for its U.S. and China operations; its current U.S. market share is 15% in the U.S. and only 3% in China. Beside growth in China, Ford plans to focus on the highly populous country of India by boosting exports of its engine production and manufacturing in India and then embarking on plans to ship from India to Europe. Ford also pays a near 3% dividend yield that is sometimes overlooked (read about Ford's great dividend).
GM is another top car maker. The company has some $18 billion in cash, with total debt of only $16.0 billion. North American market share is just one of GM's focuses, but the company does plan to boost market share and increase prices in the region over the next few years. This includes upping its profit margins from 8% to 10% for the region over the next three years. The margin expansion is expected to be a result of its investments in Cadillac, which it hopes to bring to the forefront as a premier brand.
With Ford's plans to look to China and India for growth, GM is following suit. GM has a joint venture with SAIC for opening its second plant in the Guangxi province for manufacturing the only-in-China brand Baojun, which will be able to produce some 400,000 vehicles annually. GM also has a joint venture with SAIC, of which it owns 93%, that will launch several light commercial vehicles in the Indian car market. GM's India operations will also export vehicles to other markets, including South America and South East Asia (see how the car makers are doing in China so far).
As far as GM and Ford go, both still trade much cheaper than their overseas counterparts:
Price to Earnings
Ford 9 times
GM 9.5 times
Toyota 19 times
Honda 17 times
Don't Be Fooled
Capital Growth focuses on growth-storied stocks. It appears that they believe the airline industry has impressive growth ahead, namely Delta and United. As well, a leading timber REIT, Weyerhaeuser, should also grow nicely on the back of a rebounding U.S. housing and real estate recovery. Meanwhile, it appears Capital Growth no longer sees the top U.S. car makers, Ford and GM, as growth stories. Yet, I believe both of these stocks could still reward shareholders over the interim. The growth prospects for the car industry might not be as robust as the airline industry, but I think Ford and GM have the advantage of being value plays, trading well below their Japanese counterparts
46 gene sequencing test for cancer patients on the NHSPublic release date: 25-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Press Office press.office@admin.ox.ac.uk 44-018-652-80530 University of Oxford
The first multi-gene DNA sequencing test that can help predict cancer patients' responses to treatment has been launched in the National Health Service (NHS), thanks to a partnership between scientists at the University of Oxford and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The test uses the latest DNA sequencing techniques to detect mutations across 46 genes that may be driving cancer growth in patients with solid tumours. The presence of a mutation in a gene can potentially determine which treatment a patient should receive.
The researchers say the number of genes tested marks a step change in introducing next-generation DNA sequencing technology into the NHS, and heralds the arrival of genomic medicine with whole genome sequencing of patients just around the corner.
The many-gene sequencing test has been launched through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), a collaboration between Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and Oxford University to accelerate healthcare innovation, and which has part-funded this initiative.
The BRC Molecular Diagnostics Centre carries out the test. The lab, based at Oxford University Hospitals, covers all cancer patients in the Thames Valley area. But the scientists are looking to scale this up into a truly national NHS service through the course of this year.
The new 300 test could save significantly more in drug costs by getting patients on to the right treatments straightaway, reducing harm from side effects as well as the time lost before arriving at an effective treatment.
'We are the first to introduce a multi-gene diagnostic test for tumour profiling on the NHS using the latest DNA sequencing technology,' says Dr Jenny Taylor of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at Oxford University, who is programme director for Genomic Medicine at the NIHR Oxford BRC and was involved in the work. 'It's a significant step change in the way we do things. This new 46 gene test moves us away from conventional methods for sequencing of single genes, and marks a huge step towards more comprehensive genome sequencing in both infrastructure and in handling the data produced.'
Dr Anna Schuh, who heads the BRC Molecular Diagnostics Centre and is a consultant haematologist at Oxford University Hospitals, adds: 'Patients like the idea of a test that can predict and say up front whether they will respond to an otherwise toxic treatment. What the patient sees is no different from present. A biopsy is taken from the patient's tumour for genetic testing with a consultant talking through the results a few days later. It is part of the normal diagnostic process.'
Cancer is often described as a genetic disease, since the transition a cell goes through in becoming cancerous tends to be driven by changes to the cell's DNA. And increasingly, new cancer drugs depend on knowing whether a mutation in a single gene is present in a patient's cancer cells.
For example, a lung cancer patient may have a biopsy taken to check for changes in the EGFR gene. If there is a mutation, the patient may then be treated with a drug that works as an EGFR inhibitor. If there is no mutation, such drugs won't work and the patient would get a different drug that would be more effective for them. Knowing the presence or absence of mutations in a certain gene can choose the treatment path for that patient.
The NHS can currently test for mutations in 2 or 3 genes genes called BRAF, EGFR or KRAS using older sequencing technology that has been around for decades. Efforts are being made to look at increasing the number of cancer genes sequenced to nine as standard.
The Oxford scientists are the first to make such multi-gene tests possible in the NHS using the latest DNA sequencing techniques. The NHS service they have launched looks for mutations in 46 genes, and they are now working towards verifying the use of a test involving 150 genes.
Having a diagnostic test or 'panel' that can screen for mutations in multiple genes at once will be important for access to all the new cancer drugs that are coming along.
'It will be very difficult to manage in NHS diagnostic labs without gene panels,' explains Dr Schuh. 'Currently, new cancer drugs tend to get approved alongside a diagnostic test specific to that drug which can determine which patients will benefit. But as more and more drugs like this come along, we can't possibly run all the many different separate tests this could mean. We need one test for a range of drugs.'
Dr Taylor adds: 'We wanted a test that would use the latest DNA sequencing techniques to detect a wide range of mutations in a wide range of genes. A test that would be able to cover more cancers and more treatments, all for a similar cost to conventional methods.'
The test is run on a next generation sequencing platform from Life Technologies Corporation, called the Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM(TM)). The test and accompanying software have been substantially modified as requested by the Oxford team to fulfil diagnostic standards in their lab.
This work was co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board, the UK's innovation agency, through a grant to the NIHR Oxford BRC, Life Technologies Corporation, AstraZeneca, and Janssen Research & Development, LLC, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies.
As part of the test development, the Oxford team looked to improve the initial sample preparation in the lab, and to provide the software and infrastructure support to handle and analyse the amount of information involved. Most importantly, the Oxford group has carried out tests and comparisons to verify the robustness of the technique with cancer biopsies direct from patients.
The team compared the new 46 gene test against conventional techniques for 80 consecutive cancer biopsies in the hospital lab's workflow.
The next-generation DNA sequencing method detected all the mutations the conventional method did; it detected new mutations the conventional method didn't; and detected mutations present at much lower levels in the samples. The time taken for the 46 gene test also fitted into the standard turnaround time for samples at the lab.
There is definite benefit in screening some of the 46 genes included in the test; there is probable or likely clinical benefit in screening some of the others; mutations in further genes might be important in some cancers but not others; and the other genes, we don't know as yet. But having this information means researchers can investigate whether a mutation has biological significance.
'We can keep data, bank it and link it with anonymised clinical data on patients' cancers for future research,' explains Dr Schuh.
The test looks for mutations in 'hotspot' regions of each gene areas where mutations are more likely to occur. This does mean the test may miss up to 5% of mutations, as they can occur elsewhere, but this is still significantly better than the 'false negative' rate using current methods.
It can also detect mutations present in only 5% of the tumour cells present in a sample. This is much lower than is possible currently, and is important in being able to capture information from cells present in only small numbers in a tumour, but which are still important in driving cancer growth.
Having shown that it is possible to introduce the 46 gene test as an NHS service, the researchers are now moving on to investigate the potential of a test that will sequence 150 genes. The team will use the test first of all with 500 existing samples from patients taking part in cancer clinical trials to be able to compare the results retrospectively with information from the trials. They will then use the test with 1000 new cancer biopsies to better understand how the extra information could be used in guiding treatments for patients and their outcomes.
Dr Schuh says: '"Panel" tests have significant potential while we wait for the cost of sequencing whole patient genomes to come down. Even then, panel tests may be with us for some time. After whole genome sequencing does come into use, it may be that panel tests are used first with patients' biopsies, with only those whose panel test shows no result having their entire DNA sequenced to look for rarer genetic changes.'
Lord Howe, Health Minister, said: 'We want to be among the best countries in the world at treating cancer and know that better tailored care for patients could potentially save lives.
'Health research like this is incredibly important and I'm delighted we could support the work of researchers in Oxford through the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre.
'By rapidly translating findings from genetics research into real benefits for patients, their work will make sure that patients get the right treatments straight away, reduce potential side effects and also help us use NHS funds more effectively.'
The 46-gene panel is based on Ion AmpliSeq(TM) chemistry from Life Technologies Corporation. The test requires a very small amount of DNA (5 nanograms), an advantage when working with clinical samples that are typically limited in quantity.
The Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM(TM) and Ion AmpliSeq(TM) are for Research Use Only, not intended for use in diagnostic procedures. Life Technologies intends to pursue CE-IVD designation for the PGM.
###
Notes to Editors
The NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre is a partnership between the research expertise of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Oxford. Its main aim is to enable clinical research for patient benefit and foster innovation to improve healthcare. It is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR provides the NHS with the support and infrastructure it needs to conduct first-class research funded by the Government and its partners alongside high-quality patient care, education and training. Its aim is to support outstanding individuals (both leaders and collaborators), working in world class facilities (both NHS and university), and conducting leading edge research focused on the needs of patients. oxfordbrc.nihr.ac.uk
The Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (OUH) is one of the largest acute teaching trusts in the UK, with a national and international reputation for the excellence of its services and its role in patient care, teaching and research. The Trust supports world-leading research programmes in cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's through its designation as one of the UK's five comprehensive biomedical centres and units. It works in close partnership with the University of Oxford and is a leading centre for cancer, neurosciences, diabetes, genetics and many other fields. Research themes of particular strength are: cancer, cardiovascular science, diabetes, endocrinology & metabolism, infection and immunology, musculoskeletal science, neuroscience and reproduction and development. The Trust has been designated as a major trauma centre and is one of four UK centres for craniofacial surgery and The Trust employs 11,000 staff and consists of four hospitals: the Churchill Hospital, John Radcliffe Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. http://www.ouh.nhs.uk
Oxford University's Medical Sciences Division is one of the largest biomedical research centres in Europe, with over 2,500 people involved in research and more than 2,800 students. The University is rated the best in the world for medicine, and it is home to the UK's top-ranked medical school.
From the genetic and molecular basis of disease to the latest advances in neuroscience, Oxford is at the forefront of medical research. It has one of the largest clinical trial portfolios in the UK and great expertise in taking discoveries from the lab into the clinic. Partnerships with the local NHS Trusts enable patients to benefit from close links between medical research and healthcare delivery.
A great strength of Oxford medicine is its long-standing network of clinical research units in Asia and Africa, enabling world-leading research on the most pressing global health challenges such as malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS and flu. Oxford is also renowned for its large-scale studies which examine the role of factors such as smoking, alcohol and diet on cancer, heart disease and other conditions.
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Since its establishment in April 2006, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of patients and the public, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research. The NIHR plays a key role in the Government's strategy for economic growth, attracting investment by the life-sciences industries through its world-class infrastructure for health research. Together, the NIHR people, programmes, centres of excellence and systems represent the most integrated health research system in the world. For further information, visit the NIHR website (http://www.nihr.ac.uk).
The Technology Strategy Board is the UK's innovation agency. Its goal is to accelerate economic growth by stimulating and supporting business-led innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy. For more information please visit http://www.innovateuk.org.
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46 gene sequencing test for cancer patients on the NHSPublic release date: 25-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Press Office press.office@admin.ox.ac.uk 44-018-652-80530 University of Oxford
The first multi-gene DNA sequencing test that can help predict cancer patients' responses to treatment has been launched in the National Health Service (NHS), thanks to a partnership between scientists at the University of Oxford and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The test uses the latest DNA sequencing techniques to detect mutations across 46 genes that may be driving cancer growth in patients with solid tumours. The presence of a mutation in a gene can potentially determine which treatment a patient should receive.
The researchers say the number of genes tested marks a step change in introducing next-generation DNA sequencing technology into the NHS, and heralds the arrival of genomic medicine with whole genome sequencing of patients just around the corner.
The many-gene sequencing test has been launched through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), a collaboration between Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and Oxford University to accelerate healthcare innovation, and which has part-funded this initiative.
The BRC Molecular Diagnostics Centre carries out the test. The lab, based at Oxford University Hospitals, covers all cancer patients in the Thames Valley area. But the scientists are looking to scale this up into a truly national NHS service through the course of this year.
The new 300 test could save significantly more in drug costs by getting patients on to the right treatments straightaway, reducing harm from side effects as well as the time lost before arriving at an effective treatment.
'We are the first to introduce a multi-gene diagnostic test for tumour profiling on the NHS using the latest DNA sequencing technology,' says Dr Jenny Taylor of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at Oxford University, who is programme director for Genomic Medicine at the NIHR Oxford BRC and was involved in the work. 'It's a significant step change in the way we do things. This new 46 gene test moves us away from conventional methods for sequencing of single genes, and marks a huge step towards more comprehensive genome sequencing in both infrastructure and in handling the data produced.'
Dr Anna Schuh, who heads the BRC Molecular Diagnostics Centre and is a consultant haematologist at Oxford University Hospitals, adds: 'Patients like the idea of a test that can predict and say up front whether they will respond to an otherwise toxic treatment. What the patient sees is no different from present. A biopsy is taken from the patient's tumour for genetic testing with a consultant talking through the results a few days later. It is part of the normal diagnostic process.'
Cancer is often described as a genetic disease, since the transition a cell goes through in becoming cancerous tends to be driven by changes to the cell's DNA. And increasingly, new cancer drugs depend on knowing whether a mutation in a single gene is present in a patient's cancer cells.
For example, a lung cancer patient may have a biopsy taken to check for changes in the EGFR gene. If there is a mutation, the patient may then be treated with a drug that works as an EGFR inhibitor. If there is no mutation, such drugs won't work and the patient would get a different drug that would be more effective for them. Knowing the presence or absence of mutations in a certain gene can choose the treatment path for that patient.
The NHS can currently test for mutations in 2 or 3 genes genes called BRAF, EGFR or KRAS using older sequencing technology that has been around for decades. Efforts are being made to look at increasing the number of cancer genes sequenced to nine as standard.
The Oxford scientists are the first to make such multi-gene tests possible in the NHS using the latest DNA sequencing techniques. The NHS service they have launched looks for mutations in 46 genes, and they are now working towards verifying the use of a test involving 150 genes.
Having a diagnostic test or 'panel' that can screen for mutations in multiple genes at once will be important for access to all the new cancer drugs that are coming along.
'It will be very difficult to manage in NHS diagnostic labs without gene panels,' explains Dr Schuh. 'Currently, new cancer drugs tend to get approved alongside a diagnostic test specific to that drug which can determine which patients will benefit. But as more and more drugs like this come along, we can't possibly run all the many different separate tests this could mean. We need one test for a range of drugs.'
Dr Taylor adds: 'We wanted a test that would use the latest DNA sequencing techniques to detect a wide range of mutations in a wide range of genes. A test that would be able to cover more cancers and more treatments, all for a similar cost to conventional methods.'
The test is run on a next generation sequencing platform from Life Technologies Corporation, called the Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM(TM)). The test and accompanying software have been substantially modified as requested by the Oxford team to fulfil diagnostic standards in their lab.
This work was co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board, the UK's innovation agency, through a grant to the NIHR Oxford BRC, Life Technologies Corporation, AstraZeneca, and Janssen Research & Development, LLC, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies.
As part of the test development, the Oxford team looked to improve the initial sample preparation in the lab, and to provide the software and infrastructure support to handle and analyse the amount of information involved. Most importantly, the Oxford group has carried out tests and comparisons to verify the robustness of the technique with cancer biopsies direct from patients.
The team compared the new 46 gene test against conventional techniques for 80 consecutive cancer biopsies in the hospital lab's workflow.
The next-generation DNA sequencing method detected all the mutations the conventional method did; it detected new mutations the conventional method didn't; and detected mutations present at much lower levels in the samples. The time taken for the 46 gene test also fitted into the standard turnaround time for samples at the lab.
There is definite benefit in screening some of the 46 genes included in the test; there is probable or likely clinical benefit in screening some of the others; mutations in further genes might be important in some cancers but not others; and the other genes, we don't know as yet. But having this information means researchers can investigate whether a mutation has biological significance.
'We can keep data, bank it and link it with anonymised clinical data on patients' cancers for future research,' explains Dr Schuh.
The test looks for mutations in 'hotspot' regions of each gene areas where mutations are more likely to occur. This does mean the test may miss up to 5% of mutations, as they can occur elsewhere, but this is still significantly better than the 'false negative' rate using current methods.
It can also detect mutations present in only 5% of the tumour cells present in a sample. This is much lower than is possible currently, and is important in being able to capture information from cells present in only small numbers in a tumour, but which are still important in driving cancer growth.
Having shown that it is possible to introduce the 46 gene test as an NHS service, the researchers are now moving on to investigate the potential of a test that will sequence 150 genes. The team will use the test first of all with 500 existing samples from patients taking part in cancer clinical trials to be able to compare the results retrospectively with information from the trials. They will then use the test with 1000 new cancer biopsies to better understand how the extra information could be used in guiding treatments for patients and their outcomes.
Dr Schuh says: '"Panel" tests have significant potential while we wait for the cost of sequencing whole patient genomes to come down. Even then, panel tests may be with us for some time. After whole genome sequencing does come into use, it may be that panel tests are used first with patients' biopsies, with only those whose panel test shows no result having their entire DNA sequenced to look for rarer genetic changes.'
Lord Howe, Health Minister, said: 'We want to be among the best countries in the world at treating cancer and know that better tailored care for patients could potentially save lives.
'Health research like this is incredibly important and I'm delighted we could support the work of researchers in Oxford through the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre.
'By rapidly translating findings from genetics research into real benefits for patients, their work will make sure that patients get the right treatments straight away, reduce potential side effects and also help us use NHS funds more effectively.'
The 46-gene panel is based on Ion AmpliSeq(TM) chemistry from Life Technologies Corporation. The test requires a very small amount of DNA (5 nanograms), an advantage when working with clinical samples that are typically limited in quantity.
The Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM(TM) and Ion AmpliSeq(TM) are for Research Use Only, not intended for use in diagnostic procedures. Life Technologies intends to pursue CE-IVD designation for the PGM.
###
Notes to Editors
The NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre is a partnership between the research expertise of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Oxford. Its main aim is to enable clinical research for patient benefit and foster innovation to improve healthcare. It is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR provides the NHS with the support and infrastructure it needs to conduct first-class research funded by the Government and its partners alongside high-quality patient care, education and training. Its aim is to support outstanding individuals (both leaders and collaborators), working in world class facilities (both NHS and university), and conducting leading edge research focused on the needs of patients. oxfordbrc.nihr.ac.uk
The Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (OUH) is one of the largest acute teaching trusts in the UK, with a national and international reputation for the excellence of its services and its role in patient care, teaching and research. The Trust supports world-leading research programmes in cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's through its designation as one of the UK's five comprehensive biomedical centres and units. It works in close partnership with the University of Oxford and is a leading centre for cancer, neurosciences, diabetes, genetics and many other fields. Research themes of particular strength are: cancer, cardiovascular science, diabetes, endocrinology & metabolism, infection and immunology, musculoskeletal science, neuroscience and reproduction and development. The Trust has been designated as a major trauma centre and is one of four UK centres for craniofacial surgery and The Trust employs 11,000 staff and consists of four hospitals: the Churchill Hospital, John Radcliffe Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. http://www.ouh.nhs.uk
Oxford University's Medical Sciences Division is one of the largest biomedical research centres in Europe, with over 2,500 people involved in research and more than 2,800 students. The University is rated the best in the world for medicine, and it is home to the UK's top-ranked medical school.
From the genetic and molecular basis of disease to the latest advances in neuroscience, Oxford is at the forefront of medical research. It has one of the largest clinical trial portfolios in the UK and great expertise in taking discoveries from the lab into the clinic. Partnerships with the local NHS Trusts enable patients to benefit from close links between medical research and healthcare delivery.
A great strength of Oxford medicine is its long-standing network of clinical research units in Asia and Africa, enabling world-leading research on the most pressing global health challenges such as malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS and flu. Oxford is also renowned for its large-scale studies which examine the role of factors such as smoking, alcohol and diet on cancer, heart disease and other conditions.
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Since its establishment in April 2006, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of patients and the public, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research. The NIHR plays a key role in the Government's strategy for economic growth, attracting investment by the life-sciences industries through its world-class infrastructure for health research. Together, the NIHR people, programmes, centres of excellence and systems represent the most integrated health research system in the world. For further information, visit the NIHR website (http://www.nihr.ac.uk).
The Technology Strategy Board is the UK's innovation agency. Its goal is to accelerate economic growth by stimulating and supporting business-led innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy. For more information please visit http://www.innovateuk.org.
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Public release date: 25-Mar-2013
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