If youre a chimp, the smarts you have are in large part the smarts you were born with, according to a new study that put 99 chimpanzees through a battery of intelligence tests.

The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, show that many cognitive abilities are strongly influenced by genetics and may help shed light on the rise of intelligence in humans.

Research into human IQ has shown that children do indeed inherit their intelligence levels from their parents, the study authors wrote but that intelligence can be modified by nongenetic mechanisms like socioeconomic status. Studying animals, however, can provide insight into the genetic basis of intelligence without those confounding factors that crop up in human cases.

For this study, researchers from Georgia State University in Atlanta took 99 captive chimpanzees ages 9 to 54 and subjected them to 13 different IQ tests spanning a range of different cognitive abilities, from communication skills to spatial reasoning and tool use.

For example, in a sort of shell game, they challenged chimps to remember which of three containers hid a tasty morsel of food. This task tested their spatial memory. Researchers also put some food out of reach and waited to see if the chimps could successfully get a human to help them get it a test of communication skills.

The scientists ran the chimps performance against a number of potential confounding factors, including the animals' sex, age and rearing history and found that genetic differences appeared to account for 54.2% of intelligence a slight majority of a given chimps smarts.

But nature didnt trump nurture in all aspects of intelligence: The genes didnt seem to play a strong role across all of the 13 different cognitive abilities tested. Cognitive abilities involving spatial memory, communication and attention state (among others) seemed significantly inheritable, while skills such as tool use were not.

There could be very good evolutionary reasons that spatial memory and communication skills were inheritable, the study authors wrote.

Presumably, these attributes would have conferred advantages to some individuals, perhaps in terms of enhanced foraging skills or increased social skills, leading to increased opportunities for access to food or mating, the study authors wrote. These individuals would have then potentially had increased survival and fitness, traits that would have become increasingly selected upon during primate evolution.

Follow @aminawrite for more fascinating research from the animal world.

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

11-Jul-2014

Contact: Jia Liu liujia@genomics.cn BGI Shenzhen

Shenzhen, July 10, 2014---A team of researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, BGI and other institutes have identified a gene of wild soybean linked to salt tolerance, with implication for improving this important crop to grow in saline soil. This study published online in Nature Communications provides an effective strategy to unveil novel genomic information for crop improvement.

Soybean is an important crop for the world. Due to domestication and human selection, cultivated soybeans have less genetic diversities than their wild counterparts. Among the lost genes, some may play important roles for the adaptation to different environments. In this study, scientists used wild soybean as a resource for investigating the valuable genes that adapt to certain environmental conditions.

They sequenced and assembled a draft genome of wild soybean W05, and developed a recombinant inbred population for genotyping-by-sequencing and phenotypic analyses to identify multiple QTLs relevant to traits of interest in agriculture. Using the de novo sequencing data from this work and their previous germplasm re-sequencing data, the team discovered a novel ion transporter gene, GmCHX1, and suggested it maybe related with salt tolerance.

During the following rapid gain-of-function tests, the gene GmCHX1 was conferred its function on salt tolerance, and suggested GmCHX1 acted probably through lowering the Na+/K+ ratio. The authors assumed that the elimination of GmCHX1 in salt-sensitive germplasms may be an example of negative selection against a stress tolerance gene in unstressed environments. The expression of stress tolerance genes may be an energy burden on the plant if the functions of these genes are not required.

Through this study, researchers developed an efficient strategy using the combination of whole-genome de novo sequencing, high-density-marker QTL mapping by re-sequencing, and functional analyses, which could greatly enhance the efficiency of uncovering QTLs and genes for beneficial traits in crop breeding.

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CSULB COE Lecture - Reproducing Body Functions
Over the last several years, engineering has empowered numerous innovations in the field of medicine that have improved the lives of many. These innovations ...

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New to Idaho Waters: Genetics
A look at the concerns of cross breeding and the information learned from the hi-tech tools of genetic research. From our 2007 series, "Idaho Originals,"

By: Idaho Fish Game 75 Years

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The Sims 4: Genetics
I was lucky enough to get early access to The Sims 4 CAS! Here #39;s a little preview of what "play with genetics" looks like. -Regular t.A.T.u. content will resume Saturday! 🙂

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The Sims 4 Create A Sim Traits, Attributes, Genetics
The key to enjoying The Sims games has always come down to how well the creation tools enable you to produce fun and interesting characters to play with in the main game. As with previous...

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Stamford, CT (PRWEB) July 11, 2014

Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, Inc. (ACGT) the nations only non-profit dedicated exclusively to cell and gene therapies for cancer has announced that Joshua Corday has joined the organization as Senior Development Officer.

Corday is a veteran fundraising professional with deep experience securing gifts and addressing influential donors. Prior to joining ACGT, he served as Annual Giving Director for NewYork Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, where he increased Annual Fund revenue and developed a unique fundraising pipeline. Corday has also served as a fundraising professional at Rockland Family Shelter, United Way of Essex and West Hudson, and Special Olympics NY. He holds a BS in Political Science from University of Utah.

Im delighted to join a foundation in the vanguard of treating and combating cancer, Corday said. ACGT is funding alternatives to traditional cancer treatments, and Im proud to be a part of that quest.

ACGT funds top physicians and researchers at medical institutions in the US and Canada with a clear mission top-of-mind: uncovering effective, innovative cancer treatments that supersede radiation, chemotherapy and surgery. ACGT has served as a major funding engine in the fight against cancer since its formation in 2001, and has provided nearly $25 million in grants to date. ACGT was created by Barbara and Edward Netter after the loss of their daughter-in-law to breast cancer. Since Edwards passing in 2011, Barbara Netter has led the foundation as President and Co-Founder, continuing the mission of the organization to focus on groundbreaking treatments for cancer.

With a dearth of public funding, the importance of private philanthropy in supporting cancer research and progress grows daily, said Barbara Netter. Josh is dedicated to expanding this funding avenue he will identify and connect with donors eager to fight cancer and support the worlds best scientists and researchers. ACGT has benefited from the support and belief of private philanthropists since its beginning in 2001, and we look forward to continuing these crucial relationships.

About Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) Established in 2001, ACGT (http://www.acgtfoundation.org) is the nations only not-for-profit exclusively dedicated to cancer cell and gene therapy treatments for all types of cancer. One-hundred percent of contributions go directly to research. ACGT has funded 44 grants in the U.S. and Canada since its founding in 2001 by Barbara Netter and her late husband, Edward, to conduct and accelerate critically needed innovative research for all types of cancer. ACGTs Scientific Advisory Council is comprised of 16 of the nations most distinguished physicians and researchers in cell and gene therapy, who thoroughly review all grants. Since its inception, ACGT has awarded 29 grants to Young Investigators and 15 grants to Clinical Investigators, totaling $24.7 million in funding. Barbara Netter, as President, together with other members of the Board of Directors, are fully committed to ACGTs continued support of this research. ACGT is located at 96 Cummings Point Road, Stamford, CT 06902.

ACGT on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ACGTfoundation ACGT on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ACGTfoundation ACGT on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ACGTfoundation

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Advances in plan for individual gene therapies for leading cause of blindness Scientists use stem cells to investigate causes of degenerative eye disease Two patients with retinitis pigmentosa had mutations in a certain gene New gene therapy was used to rescue vision of mice with the same condition

By Julian Robinson

Published: 06:49 EST, 11 July 2014 | Updated: 08:08 EST, 11 July 2014

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Scientists have moved closer to a breakthrough in 'personalised' treatments for a leading cause of blindness.

Researchers have stepped up their bid to create individual gene therapies for one of the factors that triggers inherited vision loss.

They used 'induced' stem cells - taken from ordinary skin cells - to investigate patient-specific causes of the degenerative eye disease retinitis pigmentosa (RP), which leads to blindness or severe visual impairment.

Scientists have moved closer to a breakthrough in 'personalised' treatments for a leading cause of blindness

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Update

By K.C. Baker

07/10/2014 at 11:30 AM EDT

Cindy Crawford and Chase Foley

Splash News Online; Courtesy Chase Foley

When Cindy Crawford found out about a 2-year-old boy with leukemia who needed a bone marrow transplant to save his life, she had to do something to help.

"I lost my little brother, Jeff, to leukemia when I was just 10 years old," Crawford, 48, tells PEOPLE. "Sadly, a bone marrow transplant wasn't an option for him then."

In 1974, when Crawford was 8 years old, Jeff was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He was just 2 years old. At the time, she says, the deadly disease only had a 25 percent cure rate. After two years of experimental treatments, Jeff lost his battle, right before his 4th birthday.

The death of her brother, whom she describes as "one of the most influential people in my life," was devastating, says Crawford, who for years has been an advocate for bone marrow donation.

"But today," Crawford explains, "we have the chance to save the life of little Chase Foley and countless other children. We need your help to find him a bone marrow donor."

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Histogen's chief executive, Gail Naughton.

Histogen, a San Diego biotech company developing a hair loss treatment from stem cells, has established a joint venture for cancer therapy.

Privately held Histogen has created the venture, Histogen Oncology, in partnership with the medical device company Wylde LLC. Wylde contributed $2.5 million, said Gail Naughton, the company's chief executive.

The company's technology grows young skin cells called fibroblasts under simulated embryonic conditions, including low oxygen levels. The company says these conditions cause the cells to become embryonic-like, making proteins and substances called growth factors characteristic of young tissue. Histogen uses these substances in its various products.

Histogen Oncology uses certain of these substances that enable cancer cells to undergo programmed cell death, or apoptosis. These substances turn on a gene that controls apoptosis, which naturally occurs in damaged cells, Naughton said.

Since the cancer cells are genetically abnormal, they begin to self-destruct when apoptosis is triggered. Normal cells are not affected, because the apoptosis mechanism is already turned on, she said. The loss of this mechanism is a hallmark of cancer.

Histogen Oncology intends intends to apply within 18 months to start clinical trials in Stage 4 advanced metastatic pancreatic cancer, Naughton said. This cancer is a good target because it has a high mortality rate, so better therapies are urgently needed, she said.

There's an average 6.7 percent survival rate for patients over a five-year period after diagnosis with pancreatic cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

"We're hoping that we're going to see an increase in the person's life, without any toxic side effects," Naughton said.

The substances will be given either intravenously or injected into the abdominal cavity.

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

10-Jul-2014

Contact: Lucky Tran lt2549@cumc.columbia.edu 212-305-3689 Columbia University Medical Center

NEW YORK, NY (July 10, 2014) Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have created a way to develop personalized gene therapies for patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a leading cause of vision loss. The approach, the first of its kind, takes advantage of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology to transform skin cells into retinal cells, which are then used as a patient-specific model for disease study and preclinical testing.

Using this approach, researchers led by Stephen H. Tsang, MD, PhD, showed that a form of RP caused by mutations to the gene MFRP (membrane frizzled-related protein) disrupts the protein that gives retinal cells their structural integrity. They also showed that the effects of these mutations can be reversed with gene therapy. The approach could potentially be used to create personalized therapies for other forms of RP, as well as other genetic diseases. The paper was published recently in the online edition of Molecular Therapy, the official journal of the American Society for Gene & Cell Therapy.

"The use of patient-specific cell lines for testing the efficacy of gene therapy to precisely correct a patient's genetic deficiency provides yet another tool for advancing the field of personalized medicine," said Dr. Tsang, the Laszlo Z. Bito Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and associate professor of pathology and cell biology.

While RP can begin during infancy, the first symptoms typically emerge in early adulthood, starting with night blindness. As the disease progresses, affected individuals lose peripheral vision. In later stages, RP destroys photoreceptors in the macula, which is responsible for fine central vision. RP is estimated to affect at least 75,000 people in the United States and 1.5 million worldwide.

More than 60 different genes have been linked to RP, making it difficult to develop models to study the disease. Animal models, though useful, have significant limitations because of interspecies differences. Researchers also use human retinal cells from eye banks to study RP. As these cells reflect the end stage of the disease process, however, they reveal little about how the disease develops. There are no human tissue culture models of RP, as it would dangerous to harvest retinal cells from patients. Finally, human embryonic stem cells could be useful in RP research, but they are fraught with ethical, legal, and technical issues.

The use of iPS technology offers a way around these limitations and concerns. Researchers can induce the patient's own skin cells to revert to a more basic, embryonic stem celllike state. Such cells are "pluripotent," meaning that they can be transformed into specialized cells of various types.

In the current study, the CUMC team used iPS technology to transform skin cells taken from two RP patientseach with a different MFRP mutationinto retinal cells, creating patient-specific models for studying the disease and testing potential therapies.

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Newswise LA JOLLA-The ability to switch out one gene for another in a line of living stem cells has only crossed from science fiction to reality within this decade. As with any new technology, it brings with it both promise--the hope of fixing disease-causing genes in humans, for example--as well as questions and safety concerns. Now, Salk scientists have put one of those concerns to rest: using gene-editing techniques on stem cells doesn't increase the overall occurrence of mutations in the cells. The new results were published July 3 in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

"The ability to precisely modify the DNA of stem cells has greatly accelerated research on human diseases and cell therapy," says senior author Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, professor in Salk's Gene Expression Laboratory. "To successfully translate this technology into the clinic, we first need to scrutinize the safety of these modified stem cells, such as their genome stability and mutational load."

When scientists want to change the sequence of a stretch of DNA inside cells--either for research purposes or to fix a genetic mutation for therapeutic purposes--they have their choice of two methods. They can use an engineered virus to deliver the new gene to a cell; the cell then integrates the new DNA sequence in place of the old one. Or scientists can use what's known as custom targeted nucleases, such as TALEN proteins, which cut DNA at any desired location. Researchers can use the proteins to cut a gene they want to replace, then add a new gene to the mix. The cell's natural repair mechanisms will paste the new gene in place.

Previously, Belmonte's lab had pioneered the use of modified viruses, called helper-dependent adenoviral vectors (HDAdVs) to correct the gene mutation that causes sickle cell disease, one of the most severe blood diseases in the world. He and his collaborators used HDAdVs to replace the mutated gene in a line of stem cells with a mutant-free version, creating stem cells that could theoretically be infused into patients' bone marrow so that their bodies create healthy blood cells.

Before such technologies are applied to humans, though, researchers like Belmonte wanted to know whether there were risks of editing the genes in stem cells. Even though both common gene-editing techniques have been shown to be accurate at altering the right stretch of DNA, scientists worried that the process could make the cells more unstable and prone to mutations in unrelated genes--such as those that could cause cancer.

"As cells are being reprogrammed into stem cells, they tend to accumulate many mutations," says Mo Li, a postdoctoral fellow in Belmonte's lab and an author of the new paper. "So people naturally worry that any process you perform with these cells in vitro--including gene editing--might generate even more mutations."

To find out whether this was the case, Belmonte's group, in collaboration with BGI and the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in China, turned to a line of stem cells containing the mutated gene that causes sickle cell disease. They edited the genes of some cells using one of two HDAdV designs, edited others using one of two TALEN proteins, and kept the rest of the cells in culture without editing them. Then, they fully sequenced the entire genome of each cell from the four edits and control experiment.

While all of the cells gained a low level of random gene mutations during the experiments, the cells that had undergone gene-editing--whether through HDAdV- or TALEN-based approaches--had no more mutations than the cells kept in culture.

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Scientists in Missouri have revealed they have induced gender in cells They performed the trick by modifying a gene in multicellular algae This gene was responsible for giving the algae one of two mating types But they altered it so that it could switch between 'male' and female' Could explain origin of the sexes in plant and animal organisms

By Jonathan O'Callaghan

Published: 12:11 EST, 10 July 2014 | Updated: 12:11 EST, 10 July 2014

Throughout evolution, living things have repeatedly developed physically distinct sexes, but how does this actually happen?

Thats the question scientists were hoping to answer when they performed a genetic engineering trick on multicellular algae.

And they were surprised to find the process through which one gender produces eggs and the other sperm was more simple than expected - and the scientists could switch the gender roles of the algae.

Scientists in Missouri have revealed they could induce gender (stock image shown) in cells. They performed the trick by identifying and modifying a gene in multicellular algae. This gene was responsible for giving the algae one of two mating types, but they also made it switch gender

The study, led by Dr James Umen at the Danforth Plant Science Center in Missouri and published in Plos Biology, looked at the multicellular green algae Volvox carteri.

A neuroscientist has claimed the expression 'Men are from Mars and women are from Venus' has no scientific grounding, and that instead our brains are changed by the roles society forces us to play.

According to Gina Rippon, a professor at Aston University in Birmingham, stereotypes - such as women's supposed inability to read maps, or the idea men are bad at multitasking - have no links to science.

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Man, I feel like a woman: Surprisingly simple genetic quirk in transgender algae reveals how separate sexes evolved

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Carlos Castro published in PLOS
M+Visin Fellow Carlos Castro Gonzlez was lead author on a paper published in June 2014 in PLOS Computational Biology. Castro and his team at UPM with other...

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

9-Jul-2014

Contact: Julia Evangelou Strait straitj@wustl.edu 314-286-0141 Washington University School of Medicine

Studying the most common type of lung cancer, researchers have uncovered mutations in a cell-signaling pathway that plays a role in forming tumors. The new knowledge may expand treatments for patients because drugs targeting some of these genetic changes already are available or are in clinical trials.

Reporting July 9 in Nature, investigators from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), including researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Harvard Medical School and other institutions, studied tumors from 230 patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

"This is the first time we have had a panoramic look at the genomic landscape of this many lung tumor specimens," said oncologist Ramaswamy Govindan, MD, professor of medicine at Washington University and TCGA lung cancer project co-chair. "These studies reinforce the opinion that lung cancer is a very heterogeneous disease."

Combined with an earlier study of 178 patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma, TCGA researchers now have published genetic data on about 400 lung cancer patients and are working to analyze tumors from 600 more. The investigators included scientists at The Genome Institute at Washington University and other major sequencing centers.

In the new study, among the myriad genetic changes observed in adenocarcinoma, one cell-signaling pathway stood out. About 75 percent of the samples had mutations that overactivated a pathway called RTK/RAS/RAF, known for roles in tumor growth.

"It is remarkable how important the RTK/RAS/RAF pathway appears to be," said Govindan, who treats patients at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. "Mutations in this particular pathway promote cancer cell proliferation. What is amazing is how many ways this pathway can be activated.

"We also know these tumors are not static," he added. "They evolve. We have to be looking at multiple biopsies over time to see how the tumor cells escape, inhibiting one pathway and becoming resistant to therapies."

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The Defense Health Agency, relying on medical laboratory experts and existing authority to conduct medical demonstrations, will restore Tricare coverage this month for up to 40 genetic tests used in patient care.

Many of these laboratory-developed tests -- also called molecular pathology tests -- are viewed as medically necessary.But Tricare had stopped reimbursing for more than 100 such tests in January 2013, believing it lacked authority to pay for them when such tests are ordered by civilian physicians delivering care through Tricare provider networks

Military treatment facilities have continued to order and pay for such tests routinely, which created a startling disparity of coverage between military direct care and purchased care contracts.Senior DHA officials acknowledged the coverage gap last February and vowed to close it.

The first step to do so will occur July 18 when 30 to 40 genetictests, those most commonly performed across U.S. medicine, will become reimbursable again under Tricare, as part of a three-year medical demonstration project, saidArmy Maj. Gen. Richard W. Thomas, chief medical officer and director of healthcare operations for DHA.

Among genetic tests to be restored to Tricare coverage is one that determines if a woman who is pregnant, or desires to become pregnant, carries a genetic marker for cystic fibrosis.That marker would indicate increased risk that a newborn would have CF.

Tricare stopped paying for this and many more laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) after the American Medical Association changed its procedural codes for such lab work and clarified that these tests are medical devices.

Tricare, in turn, concluded that under current support contracts it cannot pay for medical devices if not certified as safe and effective by the Federal Drug Administration.Because the FDA doesnt review or approve genetic tests, Tricare officials decided they had to stop coverage.

Civilian physicians continued to order such tests but after December 2012 Tricare quietly began denying payments.For a time, many impacted laboratories absorbed the costs.But for some of the more costly tests ordered, Tricare patients began receiving unexpected bills.

In a phone interview, Thomas explained that DHA earlier this year formed its own panel of experts, the Joint Lab Working Group, and began conducting its own review of safety and effectiveness of genetic tests. It used forensic science and other criteria to screen LDTs.One factor was whether major health insurance companies covered the tests, Thomas said.

Restored Tricare coverage for up to 40 LDTs will occur under what DHA calls its Non-FDA-Approved Laboratory Test Demonstration Project, described in the June 18Federal Register.A full list of genetic testing to be approved for Tricare hasnt been released yet.But coverage will be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2013, Thomas explained, so laboratories and patients will be able to apply for reimbursements of newly-cleared tests that they had paid for back to that date.DHA already has reimbursed impacted laboratories $3.5 million, mostly for prenatal CF testing the last 18 months.

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

10-Jul-2014

Contact: Katie Marquedant kmarquedant@partners.org 617-726-0337 Massachusetts General Hospital

Circulating tumor cells captured with a microchip-based device developed at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Engineering in Medicine and the MGH Cancer Center can be cultured to establish cell lines for genetic analysis and drug testing. In the July 11 issue of Science, an MGH research team reports that the cultured cells accurately reflect a tumor's genetic mutation over time and changing susceptibility to therapeutic drugs.

"We now can culture cells from the blood that represent those present in metastatic deposits, which allows testing for drug susceptibility as the tumor evolves and acquires new mutations," says Shyamala Maheswaran, PhD, of the MGH Cancer Center, co-senior author of the Science paper. "We need to improve culture techniques before this is ready for clinical use, and we are working on doing that right now."

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are living solid-tumor cells that break off from either a primary or metastatic tumor and are carried through the bloodstream in extremely small quantities. The current version of the MGH-developed device, called the CTC-iChip, does not rely on prior identification of marker proteins on the surface of tumor cells, a limitation of previous versions of the MGH device and of the only commercially available device for capturing CTCs. Cell-surface proteins can change as tumors mutate during metastasis or in response to treatment, raising the possibility that methods targeting specific proteins may not reveal the full spectrum of CTCs.

The current study was designed to verify the ability of the CTC-iChip first described in an April 2013 Science Translational Medicine report to capture viable CTCs in a way that enables the establishment of cell lines that accurately represent the genetic status of all existing tumor sites and can be used for the testing of therapeutic drugs. The researchers first isolated CTCs from the blood of 36 patients with metastatic, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer. Long-lived cell lines were successfully established from CTCs of six patients, all of whom previously had received several courses of hormonal and other therapies. Subsequent samples taken from three of those patients were used to establish additional cell lines to track how the tumors changed during subsequent treatment.

While the MGH Cancer Center currently tests biopsy samples of nearly all solid tumors for mutations that may reveal therapeutic targets, the current technology only analyzes a limited number of genes for known mutations. Since CTC-derived cell lines allow a much more comprehensive genetic analysis, the investigators were able to screen for mutations in 1,000 known cancer-associated genes.

In addition to confirming mutations identified in biopsy samples of the patients' primary tumors, genetic analysis of CTC cell lines revealed several additional mutations, some not present in the primary. For example, one cell line showed the development of a new PI3 kinase mutation known to be a therapeutic target. In addition, a usually rare estrogen-receptor mutation, known to develop in patients treated with estrogen-blocking aromatase inhibitors (AIs), was found in CTC cell lines from three patients, all of whom had received extensive AI treatment.

Testing these CTC cell lines for drug sensitivity identified potential combinations some involving drugs still at the investigational stage that inhibited growth in cell lines and in mouse tumors developed from the injection of CTCs from specific patients. Some of these combinations included drugs known to inhibit proteins that were not mutated in the CTC cell lines but may otherwise contribute to tumor growth.

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The Sims 3 | Perfect Genetics Challenge Part 11: Walking Toddlers
In this part, we teach the twins how to walk and find out we #39;re pregnant! Backstory: "Once upon a time, the Mighty Player sent a Sim to live in the world whe...

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TS3-Midnight sun-Perfect genetics Challenge part 1
Kurtis Gilbert belongs to the people of seamen. He is ten years old and the only one left of his kind that have become extinct by the people. Kurtis has just arrived to an island that nobody...

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The Sims 3 | Perfect Genetics Challenge Part 12: Makeovers!
In this part, the twins age up with some technical difficulties 🙁 Sorry if you hear my family making a whole bunch of noises in the background, i #39;ll record ...

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New genetics from Canada of milking shorthorns through embryo transfer are in a Manawatu calf shed.

Hiwinui dairy farmer David Wood said seven embryos were carried in beef cows and three were yet to be born. Four had been born, three bull calves and a heifer.

"The whole idea was to bring in new genetics for my herd," Wood said.

There are few herds of milking shorthorns in New Zealand; most dairy cows are jersey, holstein friesian or a cross.

The sire of the embryos was Kulp- Gen Jurist ACE and the embryos were flushed from the Canadian cow Oceanbrae n Missy.

Wood is hopeful the unborn embryos will be heifers and go into his herd.

The bulls and heifer are not named yet, but Wood thinks the week-old heifer will be Northbrook Missy, named after her mother.

The bulls will stay on the farm, with hairs sent to Canada to check their breeding worth.

The Hawke's Bay-based company, EmbryoCo, transplanted 10 embryos and seven took - a success, Wood said.

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Genetics success from transplanted embryos

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On July 9, we issued an updated research report on leading molecular diagnostic company Myriad Genetics Inc. ( MYGN ). While we are impressed with the company's strong fundamentals, as once again reflected in the last reported quarter's financial performance, we believe emerging competitors and pricing pressure amid a challenging macroeconomic scenario might plague the stock in the future.

Myriad Genetics' third-quarter fiscal 2014 earnings per share came in at 60 cents, registering a stupendous 30.4% beat over the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Earnings also exceeded the year-over-year adjusted EPS number by the same margin. Likewise, revenues increased 17% to $182.9 million, topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $174 million.

According to the company, it is perfectly in sync with its strategic initiatives of expanding the core hereditary cancer market, growing its international business and launching new life-saving products.

Banking on core market growth, specifically the Oncology and Women's Health business that led to another solid quarter, and several recent positive takeaways including the recent acquisition of Crescendo Bioscience; the three-year contract with United Healthcare to provide coverage for Myriad Genetics' myRisk Hereditary Cancer test; and the collaboration with Tesaro for the use of Myriad Genetics' proprietary HRD test to identify tumor subtypes that may respond to Tesaro, Inc. 's ( TSRO ) investigational new PARP inhibitor niraparib, Myriad has raised its revenue and EPS outlook for fiscal 2014.

Backed by sustained organic growth in the core segments, the rising uptake of the BART test, and its several growth strategies, we believe Myriad will achieve its fiscal 2014 guidance with ease.The increase in reimbursement rate by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) acts as another upside.

However, with an extensive pipeline of some tests still under Early-stage development, Myriad continues to experience higher expenses.Although the company expects to increase its addressable market with myRisk in the near future, we remain cautious owing to the market conversion phase with the discontinuance of the successful legacy products.

Other Stocks to Consider

Myriad Genetics currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). However, some better-ranked stocks that are outperforming in the Biomedical sector are Actelion Ltd. ( ALIOF ) and Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ), both with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

MYRIAD GENETICS (MYGN): Free Stock Analysis Report

TESARO INC (TSRO): Free Stock Analysis Report

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Myriad Genetics Poised on Strong Fundamentals - Analyst Blog

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Newswise RUCDR Infinite Biologics, a unit of Rutgers Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, has taken a major step toward expanding its focus from conducting and supporting genomic research, where its become a recognized global leader, to the rapidly growing field of clinical genomics.

RUCDR, which is the worlds largest university-based biorepository, recently earned its initial certification from the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments program. CLIA, as its commonly known in health care, is run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CMS mandates that all tests for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of disease in human subjects be carried out in a CLIA-certified laboratory. Certification is granted only after an operation undergoes a rigorous review, including on-site inspection. The State of New Jersey also recently awarded the new lab at Rutgers a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Services license.

Building on 15 years of innovative and globally influential genomics research operations and services, RUCDR aims to provide clinical-grade diagnostics for a wide variety of diseases. In the first instance, RUCDR plans to support the precision medicine program and advanced treatment protocols being developed at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, which is located in New Brunswick. RUCDR is nearby on Rutgers campus in Piscataway.

Working with the Cancer Institutes physicians and researchers, RUCDR will use state-of-the-art genetic and genomic technologies to develop tests for the diagnosis and management of several types of cancer. Clinical testing will be carried out under the direction of staff who are board-certified in clinical molecular genetics, clinical cytogenetics and medical genetics. The laboratory data will be reviewed by and correlated with the clinical data by Cancer Institute of New Jersey oncologists.

Jay A. Tischfield, chief executive officer and scientific director of RUCDR and Duncan and Nancy MacMillan distinguished professor of genetics at Rutgers, said: The receipt of CLIA certification is a major milestone in the evolution of RUCDR Infinite Biologics from a cell and DNA repository to an organization that is actively involved in the development and implementation of diagnostic tests based on next-generation sequencing technologies. This certification is a critical step toward providing comprehensive cancer diagnostic services to the Cancer Institute and its network of hospitals. We further anticipate expanding our services to other institutions in the near future.

RUCDR forged the strategic and innovative Bioprocessing Solutions Alliance with BioStorage Technologies Inc. nearly two years ago to provide industry with an integrated, state-of-the-art scientific approach and technology infrastructure for the delivery of advanced sample bioprocessing and biobanking solutions. CLIA certification supports RUCDRs mission to engage with major pharmaceutical companies and research labs that will enable gene discovery leading to diagnoses, treatments and, eventually, cures for diseases.

RUCDR Infinite Biologics has instrumentation and expertise in place for analyzing genetic alterations in specific genes, or at the exome or whole genome level, said Andrew I. Brooks, chief operating officer and director of technology development for RUCDR and associate professor of genetics. Our technologically advanced infrastructure will enable us to identify genetic alterations that are specific for a given tumor so that appropriate therapies can be directed at that particular tumor.

RUCDR was one of the first biorepositories to be accredited by the College of American Pathologists in 2012. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is the states only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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Rutgers' Human Genetics Institute Lab Expands Into Clinical Testing

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