tagged w/ Genomics
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NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – An independent group that provides scientific advice to the US Department of Defense has suggested that DoD start collecting and making plans to use personal genomic data in its health care programs and in making some of its personnel decisions.NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – An independent group that provides scientific advice... more
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On October 23 2010, MicrobeWorld attended the first annual USA Science and Engineering Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. In part 2 of this two-part video, Stanley Maloy, Dean of the College of Science at San Diego State University, continues his tour of the microbiology related exhibits at the festival.
Featured in this episode are members of the departments of biology and microbiology at the University of Georgia and Idaho State University. Maloy also introduces us to some of the work being done at The J. Craig Venter Institute in San Diego, Ca.
Watch as Maloy introduces us to the power of microbes through demonstrations of waste turned into energy, termites living off a diet of wood, and the radiation resistant power of microbes. Maloy also takes us on a tour of the The DiscoverGenomics! Mobile Laboratory which travels around the Washington D.C. area visiting schools that otherwise wouldn't get the chance to see science in action.On October 23 2010, MicrobeWorld attended the first annual USA Science and Engineering... more
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Puerto Rico is widely known as the "La Isla del Encanto," which translated means "The Island of Enchantment." And while its beaches, tropical rain forest, and biolumescent bays are wonders of nature, the island is not without its problems. From energy needs to economics, Puerto Rico shares many issues facing the rest of the world.
In this MicrobeWorld Video episode we talk with Nadathur S. Govind, Ph.D., Professor, Marine Sciences Department at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, and William Rosado, Marine Sciences Department at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, about the sustainable biofuel program they are launching in southwestern Puerto Rico.
According to Govind, the island's successful sugarcane industry died in the 1990's. In fact, local rum manufacturers now import their molasses from as far away as Malaysia. As a result, approximately 70 percent of the population in southwestern Puerto Rico is on welfare.
Govind believes he can rebuild the local economy by harnessing bacterial enzymes extracted from the guts of termites and shipworms (mollusks) found in the mangroves off the coast to break down the lignocellulose in sugarcane and hibiscus. The idea is that if he can bring agricultural production back to his community, he can use the crop waste to produce ethanol to supplement Puerto Rico's demand for fuel. And since the byproduct of ethanol is carbon dioxide, he also plans to use algae to capture the gas and produce biodiesel. The waste that he has left over can then be returned to the soil as fertilizer or given to livestock as feed, completing the cycle.
For more information about Govind's program please read the article, "Combining Agriculture with Microbial Genomics to Make Fuels," found in the American Society for Microbiology's Microbe magazine.Puerto Rico is widely known as the "La Isla del Encanto," which translated... more
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the Spanish National Court’s decision to continue investigating suspected Israeli war criminals is welcomed
The victims and their legal team have placed their trust in the criminal justice system, believing that this is the only mechanism whereby accountability can be pursued and Israel’s impunity combated. Judge Fernando Andreu’s judgment indicates that, even in the face of considerable political pressure – including statements made by the Spanish Foreign Minister Moratinos – this trust in the rule of law is justified. This decision confirms the credibility and independence of the Spanish Courts.
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On 22 July 2002, at approximately 11:55 pm, an Israeli Air Force F16 fighter jet dropped a 985 kilogramme bomb on a three-storey apartment building. The attack was intended to kill Salah Shehade, the suspected leader of the Izzidin al-Qassam Brigade, Hamas’ military wing. The apartment building was located within the densely populated Al Daraj district, a residential neighbourhood in Gaza City. At the time of the attack, Shehade was on the upper floor of the building. As a result of the blast impact, eight other adjoining and nearby apartment buildings were completely destroyed, nine were partially destroyed, and another 21 sustained considerable damage. Excluding Shehade and his guard, a total of 14 civilians were killed, including eight children. Approximately 150 civilians were injured.
Israeli Occupation Force (IOF) officials have acknowledged that they decided to drop the bomb on Shehadeh’s house knowing his wife was with him, intentionally killing her as well.the Spanish National Court’s decision to continue investigating suspected... more
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Dr. James Watson, the DNA pioneer, claimed black Africans are genetically less intelligent than white Europeans. But that was before he released his own genome on the internet and somebody decoded it, revealing that he has more African genes than the average European.
"An analysis of Dr Watson's genome shows 16 of his genes are likely to have come from a black ancestor of African descent. By contrast, most people of European descent would have no more than one such gene."
Dr. Watson, please open your mouth. Insert foot.
Isn't irony delicious?
Dr. James Watson, the DNA pioneer, claimed black Africans are genetically less... more
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"This winter marks the birth of a new industry: Companies will take a sample of your DNA, scan it, and tell you about your genetic future, as well as your ancestral past. A much-anticipated Silicon Valley startup called 23andMe offers a thorough tour of your genealogy, tracing your DNA back through the eons. Sign up members of your family and you can track generations of inheritance for traits like athletic endurance or bitter-taste blindness. The company will also tell you which diseases and conditions are associated with your genes from colorectal cancer to lactose intolerance giving you the ability to take preventive action."
"This is also where a novel use of social-networking tools comes in. Wojcicki envisions groups of customers coming together around shared genotypes and SNPs, comparing notes about their conditions or backgrounds and identifying areas for further scientific research on their own. "It's a great way for individuals to be involved in the research world," Wojcicki says. "You'll have a profile, and something almost like a ribbon marking participation in these different research papers. It'll be like, How many Nature articles have you been part of?'" (Social networking will be included in version 2.0 in a matter of months, Avey says.)"
When I first read a blurb about this new startup a couple of months back I thought to myself Google had finally gone too far. But, this article dispels most of the fears that initially came to mind and actually opens doors to really interesting possibilities.
Why settle with knowing what bands, books or movies your friends are into when you can actually go so much deeper an uncover what their genetic makeup really says about them. I'm sure their will also be some privacy measures set in place and for $1,000 a pop (and my freakin DNA) this better be the case.
All sarcasm aside, I would be really interested to find out if my last name has anything to do with a small town in Spain of the same namesake. It would also be helpful to know if I'm predisposed to any type of disease that I could help prevent due to this knowledge.
"This winter marks the birth of a new industry: Companies will take a sample of... more
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