DNA tests could clear more

ARLINGTON --

A new study of data from Virginia's DNA testing project estimates that as many as 15 percent of people found guilty in sexual assault cases between 1973 and 1987 were wrongfully convicted.

According to an Urban Institute report released Monday, DNA supports the innocence of 38 people five convicted in murders and 33 in sexual assaults indicating that more people are left to be cleared of wrongful convictions.

The Virginia DNA project began in 2005 after sample testing cleared two men of rapes. Testing in hundreds of cases since then has exonerated three more people.

Also Monday, the Virginia Department of Forensic Science released the DNA reports in 29 of the 38 cases cited by the Urban Institute that have been cleared for release by prosecutors.

Earlier this year, the General Assembly ordered the department to release by July 1 the reports in all 78 cases in which testing failed to identify the convicted person's DNA, except for reports that authorities say are critical to a current investigation.

Reports released Monday to the Richmond Times-Dispatch include those of three men who have been exonerated: Phillip Thurman of Alexandria, Bennett S. Barbour of Charles City County and Victor Burnette of Richmond.

DNA exclusion does not necessarily prove innocence. The lack of DNA may have no bearing on guilt or innocence. Also, more than a dozen of the 78 convicted people are dead, and some of those who are alive have not been found.

The Urban Institute, which conducts research on social, economic and criminal justice issues, had access to the Virginia data for its study under a $4.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice that funded most of the Virginia testing.

The institute estimates a wrongful conviction rate in sexual assault cases of 8 percent to 15 percent, comparable to the results in sample testing that exonerated two people and prompted Gov. Mark R. Warner to order the full Virginia DNA project in 2005.

More here:
DNA tests could clear more

Posted in DNA

DNA evidence could show slew of VA criminals wrongly convicted

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) -

DNA evidence could exonerate 38 offenders convicted of sexual assault and homicide in Virginia decades ago. The findings of Virginia's post-conviction DNA project were released Monday, by the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C..

In 2005, Virginia launched a huge undertaking for forensic labs to DNA test old swabs and threads of evidence that scientists filed away in the 1970's and 1980's.

The Virginia Department of Forensic Science took on the tedious task of sifting through filed-away evidence for nearly 800 rape and homicide cases. Deputy Director Gail Jaspen says in 78 of those conviction cases from 1973 to 1988, the criminal's DNA wasn't discovered in the recently analyzed evidence.

"It is an indication when you make that finding, that further investigation is probably warranted...and indeed, that's what's occurred in many cases," said Jaspen.

Five convicts have already been exonerated through the effort. Now, the Urban Institute says there could be many more. John Roman is leading the study on the new data.

"As much as one in six convicted offenders in Virginia in the 70s and 80s for sexual assault probably wasn't the right person," said Roman.

The Urban Institute's study concludes that for 38 of the criminals (33 sexual assault cases, five homicide cases) whose DNA wasn't found, there is a strong chance that the wrong person was put behind bars. However, Roman points out that only cases in which evidence still existed were examined, and that many other cases lacking evidence will never be rehashed.

"In most cases, evidence wasn't retained, which means that there's lots of other people in Virginia at that time who were wrongfully convicted," concluded Roman.

However, for offenders who have found new hope with the recent DNA testing, the process has only begun. The lab reports must be sent to the investigators and prosecutors who originally dealt with the case. The legal process for exoneration must then be taken on.

More here:
DNA evidence could show slew of VA criminals wrongly convicted

Posted in DNA

Scientists tie DNA repair to key cell signaling network

Public release date: 15-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Kelly jpkelly@utmb.edu 409-772-8791 University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers have found a surprising connection between a key DNA-repair process and a cellular signaling network linked to aging, heart disease, cancer and other chronic conditions. The discovery promises to open up an important new area of research one that could ultimately yield novel treatments for a wide variety of diseases.

"This is a totally new concept it goes against current dogma about the role of DNA repair," said UTMB professor Istvan Boldogh, senior author of a paper on the work now online in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. "We couldn't believe it ourselves, but the data convinced us."

Boldogh and his colleagues came up with the idea of a link between DNA repair and cellular signaling after a close examination of the relationship between DNA damage and cell death produced unexpected results. Conventional DNA-repair dogma holds that a cell's lifespan is determined by the amount of accumulated DNA damage it suffers the overall corruption of genetic information stored in sequences of molecules called bases, which form the "rungs" of the DNA double helix. The cells used in Boldogh's study were especially vulnerable to damage because they lacked a key enzyme that repairs the DNA base guanine. According to dogma, this should have shortened the cells' lives; instead, they actually lived longer than expected. This made Boldogh wonder if another factor was involved in reducing the lifespan of normal cells.

"We proposed the hypothesis that instead of the accumulation of damaged guanine in DNA causing ill effects, what is significant is the release of a DNA-repair byproduct that somehow activates processes that shorten the lifespan of cells," Boldogh said.

The researchers knew just where to look to find this hypothetical repair byproduct. The majority of DNA damage is caused by ubiquitous reactive oxygen species, very chemically active molecules created as byproducts of respiration. When DNA meets reactive oxygen species, one of the most common results is the transformation of the DNA base guanine into a molecule called 8-oxoguanine, which can produce mutations in genes.

To protect the integrity of the genetic code, cells remove 8-oxoguanine from their DNA with a repair enzyme called OGG1. OGG1 does its job by attaching to a damaged base, cutting it free from the DNA molecule, and then releasing it. Boldogh and his collaborators found that their key byproduct was being produced just after this repair process was completed. Analyzing test-tube, cell-culture and mouse experimental data, they realized that immediately after being released by OGG1, 8-oxoguanine reunites with the repair enzyme, attaching at a bonding site different from the one used previously. And the resulting 8-oxoguanine-OGG1 complex, they found, has the ability to activate the powerful Ras signaling pathways, some of the most important biochemical networks in the cell.

"Ras family proteins are involved in almost every cell function: metabolism, activation of genes, growth signals, inflammation signals, apoptosis," Boldogh said. "Because it activates Ras pathways, the release of 8-oxoguanine in DNA base repair could be a master regulator of many very basic processes."

According to Boldogh, learning to control this "master regulator," could result in profound consequences for biomedical science and human health. "The ability to regulate 8-oxoguanine excision may give us the ability to prevent the inflammation that's key to a number of chronic diseases arthritis, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's and others," he said. "We believe it may even enable us to extend lifespan, or at least healthy lifespan, which would be a very big achievement. Possibilities like that make us believe that this discovery is going to be very significant."

Continue reading here:
Scientists tie DNA repair to key cell signaling network

Posted in DNA

DNA focus for Dechaine trial

1:00 AM

By Ann S. Kim akim@mainetoday.com Staff Writer

PORTLAND -- Expert witnesses who testified Thursday in Dennis Dechaine's hearing on a new trial offered contrasting views on whether the DNA evidence at issue is a result of contamination.

Three DNA experts, with doctorates in genetics and extensive backgrounds in forensic science, testified about the partial DNA profile that is at the center of the multi-day hearing. Dechaine's lawyer, Steve Peterson, is trying to convince a judge that the jurors would not have convicted Dechaine of the 1988 murder and kidnapping of 12-year-old Sarah Cherry had they known about the DNA from an unknown male on the girl's left thumbnail.

Two witnesses for the state testified that the autopsy conditions described to them posed a high risk for DNA contamination. At the time, DNA technology was new and lacked the kinds of safeguards that are used today.

In 1988, the State Medical Examiner's Office did autopsies in the morgue of the Kennebec Valley Medical Center in Augusta. Earlier testimony indicated that instruments were kept in a metal tool box with towel-lined drawers. Instruments were sometimes rinsed and sometimes simply put back into the drawers. The towels got soiled with blood over time and were changed after several months.

"That scenario that you described would really be a textbook recipe for the potential for contamination for many, many steps along the way," Frederick Bieber said after the conditions were recounted by Deputy Attorney General William Stokes.

Bieber, who holds positions at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, said he has been at autopsies done under similar conditions, and dozens of people would handle instruments.

It probably wasn't until the early 1990s that precautions to prevent DNA cross-contamination became widespread in autopsy rooms, he said. Before then, it was common for autopsies to be done with bare hands. The first precautions were not related to DNA, but to guard against the transmission of infections like HIV or to protect cells that would be cultured.

Carll Ladd, supervisor of the DNA section of Connecticut's forensic lab, agreed that the conditions at the time of Sarah Cherry's autopsy would have been "ideal" for contamination.

See original here:
DNA focus for Dechaine trial

Posted in DNA

DNA contamination focus of testimonyat Dechaine hearing

1:00 AM

BY ANN S. KIM

PORTLAND -- Expert witnesses who testified Thursday in Dennis Dechaine's hearing on a new trial offered contrasting views on whether the DNA evidence at issue is a result of contamination.

Three DNA experts, with doctorates in genetics and extensive backgrounds in forensic science, testified about the partial DNA profile that is at the center of the multi-day hearing. Dechaine's lawyer, Steve Peterson, is trying to convince a judge that the jurors would not have convicted Dechaine of the 1988 murder and kidnapping of 12-year-old Sarah Cherry had they known about the DNA from an unknown male on the girl's left thumbnail.

Two witnesses for the state testified that the autopsy conditions described to them posed a high risk for DNA contamination. At the time, DNA technology was new and lacked the kinds of safeguards that are used today.

In 1988, the State Medical Examiner's Office did autopsies in the morgue of the Kennebec Valley Medical Center in Augusta. Earlier testimony indicated that instruments were kept in a metal tool box with towel-lined drawers. Instruments were sometimes rinsed and sometimes simply put back into the drawers. The towels got soiled with blood over time and were changed after several months.

"That scenario that you described would really be a textbook recipe for the potential for contamination for many, many steps along the way," Frederick Bieber said after the conditions were recounted by Deputy Attorney General William Stokes.

Bieber, who holds positions at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, said he has been at autopsies done under similar conditions, and dozens of people would handle instruments.

It probably wasn't until the early 1990s that precautions to prevent DNA cross-contamination became widespread in autopsy rooms, he said. Before then, it was common for autopsies to be done with bare hands. The first precautions were not related to DNA, but to guard against the transmission of infections like HIV or to protect cells that would be cultured.

Carll Ladd, supervisor of the DNA section of Connecticut's forensic lab, agreed that the conditions at the time of Sarah Cherry's autopsy would have been "ideal" for contamination.

See the original post here:
DNA contamination focus of testimonyat Dechaine hearing

Posted in DNA

DNA test boosts Beaman's innocence claim

BLOOMINGTON New DNA test results shake up the list of possible suspects in the 1993 murder of Jennifer Lockmiller and strengthen Alan Beamans claim of innocence.

Recently tested evidence contained no DNA from Beaman, who spent more than a dozen years in prison before a court ordered him released, or from three other men considered suspects in the death of the Decatur woman. It did, however, contain DNA from two unknown males.

Documents submitted Thursday to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board by Beamans lawyers contained the results of tests a Missouri lab did on a vaginal swab taken from Lockmiller.

Beaman, now 39, was released in 2008, following the reversal of his murder conviction by the Illinois Supreme Court in an opinion that called the evidence in his 1995 jury trial tenuous.

McLean County prosecutors opted to dismiss the murder charges against Beaman but have maintained that authorities consider Lockmillers death an open case. Beaman and Lockmiller had a rocky dating relationship that ended shortly before she was found strangled and stabbed in her Normal apartment.

Assistant States Attorney Pablo Eves said Thursday that his office has received the results, which are being reviewed.

The significance of the new evidence cannot be overstated, said Beaman lawyers Karen Daniel and Jeff Urdangen in their supplemental report to the clemency board considering recommending a pardon to Gov. Pat Quinn.

Crime scene evidence indicating that Lockmiller had been sexually assaulted combined with the DNA report very strongly suggests that at least one, if not both, of the contributors of the semen raped and killed her, said the lawyers.

The DNA report also demonstrates that the prosecutions theory of the case at Alan Beamans trial was utterly false, said the lawyers with the Center on Wrongful Convictions in Chicago.

The recent round of DNA testing was completed as part of a certificate of innocence petition filed by Beaman in 2009. The McLean County States Attorneys Office has opposed the certificate, which, if granted, would qualify Beaman to receive $170,000 from the state as compensation for the 13 years he served of a 50-year sentence.

More:
DNA test boosts Beaman's innocence claim

Posted in DNA

DNA Leads BSO To Man Wanted For Kidnapping, Attempted Rape

Theodore Shirley (Source: Broward Sheriffs Office)

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) DNA left at the crime scene helped Broward Sheriffs detectives track down a man they suspect kidnapped a woman at gun point last year from in front of a North Lauderdale store.

Theodore Antonio Shirley, 19, faces a slew of charges including grand theft, kidnapping, resisting arrest with violence and attempted rape.

The attack happened October 1st, just after 10:30 a.m., 7200 block of w McNab Road. As the 29-year old woman left The Beauty Supply Store, sheriffs detectives say Shirley approached her as she walked to her car, pulled a handgun from his shorts and pointed it at her face.

Shirley used one hand to hold the gun against her head and the other hand to cover her mouth as he pushed her into the car, according the detectives. He then reportedly used his body to pin her up against the drivers seat and put the gun in her mouth in an attempt to keep her quiet.

Then he wrapped duct tape around her head, nose, mouth, arms and wrists to immobilize her before forcing her into the back seat, according to the sheriffs office.

What Shirley didnt realize, said investigators, was that someone had watched him kidnap the woman at gunpoint and call 911. Within moments, a sheriffs deputy pulled alongside the womans car. Shirley was driving it, but the deputy could see the woman her head, arms and wrists wrapped in duct tape in the back seat.

When the deputy tried to stop the car, Shirley reportedly jumped out and ran. The woman was able to get into the front seat to hit the brakes before the car slammed into a Taco Bell.

Detectives say the womans assailant left behind a loaded handgun, a beanie, gloves, duct tape and his DNA. BSOs Crime Lab analysts determined that Shirleys DNA matched that left in the vehicle. He was located and arrested this week.

The gun used in the kidnapping had been reported stolen in Lee County in 2010.

Read the original:
DNA Leads BSO To Man Wanted For Kidnapping, Attempted Rape

Posted in DNA

DNA tests for personalized nutrition are now available through dietitians

Research shows that genetic test results are more motivating that general nutrition advice

TORONTO, June 14, 2012 /CNW/ - The one-size-fits-all approach to nutritional counselling includes basic advice to eat more whole grains and cut back on sodium. While this guidance is certainly appropriate, it doesn't take into account that these universal nutrition recommendations are not equally useful for every person.

All of that is about to change. With the official launch tomorrow at the Dietitians of Canada Conference in Toronto, dietitians now have access to a genetic test kit from Nutrigenomix, a University of Toronto spin-off biotechnology company spearheaded by Dr. Ahmed El-Sohemy, Canada Research Chair in Nutrigenomics and an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at U of T.

The simple Nutrigenomix test requires only a saliva sample and reveals how a person's unique genetic code determines their body's response to seven components of their diet. Based on the results, a dietitian can guide the client to eat more - or lessof certain foods in order to decrease their risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and related health conditions.

Nutrigenomix genetic test kits were developed exclusively for registered dietitians, since they are the most knowledgeable practitioners to deliver reliable nutrition advice. The test will finally allow dietitians to provide personalized nutritional information based on their client's DNA and is not like any other genetic test kit on the market.

In addition to the official launch of Nutrigenomix, Dr. El-Sohemy is also speaking at the conference on his research, which found that people are more highly motivated to adopt healthy dietary habits when given specific information based on their genes, rather than when given general population-based advice. The results were just published in the journal Genes and Nutrition.

"In a randomized control trial involving 149 men and women between the ages of 20-35 years, participants were put into an intervention or control group and were given either DNA-based personalized dietary advice or general dietary advice" explains El-Sohemy. "We discovered that individuals found the dietary recommendations based on genetics more understandable and more useful than general dietary advice."

Nutrigenomix testing is now available through dietitians across Canada. To find a dietitian offering this test, visit http://www.Nutrigenomix.com.

About Nutrigenomix

Nutrigenomix is a University of Toronto spinoff biotechnology company dedicated to providing registered dietitians and their clients with comprehensive, reliable, genomic information with the ultimate goal of improving health through personalized nutrition. The Nutrigenomix service includes the genetic test kits, genotyping and customized reports based on cutting-edge research and stringent standards of scientific evidence.

Link:
DNA tests for personalized nutrition are now available through dietitians

Posted in DNA

DNA links Tamarac man to October North Lauderdale crime fueled by 'sexual urges'

A sharp-eyed witness and a subsequent DNA match are being credited for the arrest of a man in connection with the kidnapping and attempted rape of a woman outside a North Lauderdale beauty shop eight months ago.

Theodore Antonio Shirley, 19, of Tamarac was charged this week with kidnapping, carjacking with a firearm, burglary with assault or battery, burglary of a conveyance, attempted rape and grand theft of a firearm.

According to a Broward Sheriff's Office arrest report:

Shirley targeted the 29-year-old victim leaving the North Lauderdale store at 7250 W. McNab Road and getting into her 1996 Cadillac about 10:30 p.m. Oct. 1. Shirley pulled a handgun from his shorts, pointed it at her head, covered her mouth and forced his way into the car.

After pinning the woman down, he put the gun in her mouth, taped her arms, head and mouth, placed her in the back seat and began driving.

A witness saw Shirley point the gun at the unidentified victim's head and called 911. A deputy then spotted the Cadillac and the woman in the back seat with her wrists bound.

When the deputy tried to conduct a traffic stop, Shirley ran away from the car but left behind a loaded handgun stolen from Lee County, a beanie, gloves and duct tape. The BSO crime lab processed his belongings for DNA.

The case lingered until Shirley's April 10th arrest on an armed burglary charge. After a DNA sample was taken from him in connection with that crime, it showed a potential match with samples taken from the kidnapping and carjacking case, the Sheriff's Office said.

Last month, investigators interviewed Shirley and, according to the Sheriff's Office, he confessed to committing the crime outside the beauty supply store. He said he had planned to rob and rape the victim due to his "sexual urges," the Sheriff's report said.

Shirley was formally charged Tuesday when the crime lab confirmed the DNA match. He's being held at Broward's Main Jail without bond.

More here:
DNA links Tamarac man to October North Lauderdale crime fueled by 'sexual urges'

Posted in DNA

DNA Dynamics Invites Mobile Gamers Worldwide to "Get NAKED" for Under a Buck

LEAMINGTON SPA,England, June 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --DNA Interactive Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of mobile gaming developer and publisher DNA Dynamics, Inc. (OTC Pink: DNAD), today announced that for the next five days the App Store's hottest new adventure game, THE NAKED GUN: I.C.U.P., can be downloaded on iOS for the paltry sum of only $0.99 (regularly priced at $4.99).

The special 'Get NAKED for Under a Buck' promotion provides mobile gamers with the opportunity to experience Episode 1 - "A Date with Destiny", the first of several planned NAKED GUN episodes which one reviewer promises will find you "giggling like a child at the schoolboy humor." 148Apps agrees, reporting, "Many of the jokes are anything but kid-friendly, but the timing is spot-on and it can be hard not to laugh out loud. This can be particularly problematic when using public transportation."

THE NAKED GUN: I.C.U.P. special promotion will begin today, June 14, 2012 and run through Monday, June 18, 2012. During the promotional period, you can download the game for $0.99 from the App Store http://www.itunes.com/appstore. Don't wait! Get NAKED today (if you can bare it!).

About DNA Interactive Ltd

Established in 2010, DNA Interactive, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DNA Dynamics, is a publisher of games and apps for mobile and tablet devices including iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets. At the present time, DNA Interactive's IP portfolio is comprised of proprietary game titles which include Quest of Legends, Jigsawium, Legacy: Mystery Mansion, Chess Crusade and Sudokium. Its licensed titles include The Naked Gunand Warheads: Medieval Tales. For more information, please visit http://www.dna-interactive.com.

About DNA Dynamics, Inc.

Headquartered in Leamington Spa in the United Kingdom, DNA Dynamics is a worldwide developer and publisher of graphically rich, highly experiential interactive entertainment currently delivered on iOS, Android, Nintendo DS and Sony PSP platforms. Through its operating subsidiaries, DNA Studios and DNA Interactive, the Company has created, acquired or licensed a portfolio of highly recognizable or emerging brands that broadly appeal to its consumer demographics, ranging from children to adults and casual gamers to serious enthusiasts. For more information, please go to http://www.dnadynamics.net. You can also follow the Company on Facebook and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including information about management's view of DNA Dynamics, Inc.'s future expectations, plans and prospects. In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," or "may," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any statements made in this news release other than those of historical fact, about an action, event or development, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the results of DNA Dynamics, its subsidiaries and concepts to be materially different than those expressed or implied in such statements. Unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on DNA Dynamics' future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. DNA Dynamics cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Finally, DNA Dynamics undertakes no obligation to update these statements after the date of this release, except as required by law, and also takes no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by DNA Dynamics.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Read more here:
DNA Dynamics Invites Mobile Gamers Worldwide to "Get NAKED" for Under a Buck

Posted in DNA

No trace of DNA on wine bottle

KUANTAN: NO traces of accused, Asni Omars deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) were found on the wine bottle alleged used in the murder of French tourist Stephanie Foray.

Chemist Nor Aidora Saedon, who took the witness stand at the trial yesterday, replied the above in response to a question by counsel Datuk Ng See Teong who is acting for 37-year-old petty trader Asni.

Ng: When the bottle was given to you, was it in the same condition as it is now?

Nor Aidora: Yes, it was in the same physical condition as shown in court now (referring to the stained Malibu wine bottle tendered as part of the prosecutions exhibits).

When Ng asked Nor Aidora if she had opened the bottle when she was performing the DNA profiling test, she replied no.

Ng: You did not open the bottle at all to analyse even its contents?

Nor Aidora: No, I did not.

Ng: What was the result you got from analysing the bottle?

Nor Aidora: No blood traces were found on the bottle.

Ng: Did you perform DNA profiling test on the bottle?

Go here to read the rest:
No trace of DNA on wine bottle

Posted in DNA

DNA Scans Can Spot Cause of Brain Issue in 25% of Kids

By Robert Langreth - 2012-06-13T18:00:00Z

Scanning the genes of children with inherited brain disorders pinpoints the precise cause more than a quarter of the time, often changing the diagnosis, according to one of the largest studies of child DNA sequencing.

The study published today in Science Translational Medicine examined the genes in 118 people with child-onset brain development disorders where obvious causes had been excluded. Researchers found new disease-causing mutations in 22 patients. In 10 more people, the scans found rare genetic diseases that had been misdiagnosed because symptoms were atypical. In two cases, the new diagnosis led to changes in treatment.

The study is a remarkable demonstration of the power of sequencing in the clinic -- precise, molecular, root cause diagnosis, said Eric Topol, a professor of genomics at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego in an e-mail. Virtually all diseases will be more precisely defined through gene sequencing in the not-too-distant future, he wrote.

The research shows how often DNA scans can improve diagnosis in kids with brain disorders such as autism, severe epilepsy, or intellectual disability, said Joseph Gleeson, a child neurologist and study author. Brain development disorders afflict as much as 4 percent of children and are often genetic, yet the precise causes can be elusive, he said. Sequencing lets researchers examine all genes for abnormalities, instead of testing for one genetic disorder at a time as done now.

The biggest surprise is that some children with genetic brain disorders have diseases that have been known for a long time, said Gleeson, of the University of California, San Diego. The kids werent diagnosed correctly because frequently their symptoms dont match those in the textbook.

As a consequence, doctors may not have thought of ordering gene tests for those rare diseases, Gleeson said.

This is taking the whole medical field by surprise, Gleeson said. It used to be that the gray-haired professor was the gold standard, and if patient didnt respond to treatment then patient was an anomaly.

Gene sequencing eliminates the problem of misleading or vague symptoms by testing all genes, Gleeson said. It will change the way we practice medicine, he said.

The study follows research published in the June issue of the Journal of Medical Genetics, where scientists at Duke University used sequencing to diagnose six of 12 kids with genetic disease of unknown origin. In five of the cases, the children had had mutations in genes known to cause disease, said David Goldstein, the study leader and director of the Center for Human Genome Variation at Dukes School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. One child had been diagnosed with autism, yet turned out to actually have Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome.

See the rest here:
DNA Scans Can Spot Cause of Brain Issue in 25% of Kids

Posted in DNA

DNA Brands selects Titan Distributors for Canadian foray

DBR Staff Writer Published 13 June 2012

US-based energy drink maker DNA Brands has entered into an exclusive agreement with Titan Distributors to expand its footprint in Canada.

The company manufactures DNA Energy Drink and DNA Shred Stix.

DNA Energy Drink is a proprietary blend of ingredients in four flavors - Citrus, Lemon Lime, Sugar Free Citrus and Cranrazberry.

DNA Brands president and CEO Darren Marks said that the company intends to support and grow the DNA name in Canada through conventional marketing initiatives including sampling programs, TV and radio, and by utilizing Titan's close relationships with premier athletes and celebrities to act as brand ambassadors and spokesmen

"An August launch is expected," Marks said.

Titan Distributors president and CEO David Coriaty said that the company looks forward to work hand-in-hand with DNA's dedicated management team to first ensure a successful product launch and ultimately a huge success throughout Canada.

Independent retailers throughout the US and national retailers including Walgreens, Race Trac and Circle K sell the DNA Brands products.

Original post:
DNA Brands selects Titan Distributors for Canadian foray

Posted in DNA

Scientists map DNA of our ape cousin

Behold the bonobo, our ape cousin that's kinder and gentler than the chimp or, well, us. Now scientists have mapped the primate's DNA, and some researchers say that may eventually reveal secrets about how the darker side of our nature evolved.

Scientists have found that we are as close genetically to the peace-loving but little-known bonobo as we are to the more violent and better understood chimpanzee. It's as if they are siblings and we are cousins, related to them both equally, sharing some traits with just bonobos and other characteristics with just chimps.

Bonobos and humans share 98.7 per cent of the same genetic blueprint, the same percentage shared with chimps, according to a study released on Wednesday by the journal Nature.

The two apes are much more closely related to each other - sharing 99.6 per cent of their genomes - said study lead author Kay Prufer, a geneticist at the Max Planck Institute in Germany.

'Humans are a little like a mosaic of bonobo and chimpanzee genomes.'

Bonobos and chimps have distinctly different behaviours that can be seen in humans, with bonobos displaying what might be thought of as our better angels, said Duke University researcher Brian Hare.

Bonobos make love, not war. Chimps have been documented to kill and make war.

Bonobos share food with total strangers, but chimps do not.

Bonobos stay close to their mothers - who even pick out their sons' mates - long after infancy like humans. But chimps tend to use tools better and have bigger brains, like humans.

'Is the bonobo genome the secret to the biology of peace?' asked Hare, who was not involved in the new research. 'They have done something in their evolution that even humans can't do. They don't have the dark side we do.

Read the original post:
Scientists map DNA of our ape cousin

Posted in DNA

Dechaine witness: Test more for DNA

1:00 AM That could clarify whether thumbnail DNA evidence came from contamination during the autopsy, he says.

By Ann S. Kim akim@mainetoday.com Staff Writer

PORTLAND - More testing of items from the investigation of Sarah Cherry's murder could help clarify whether the DNA found on one of her thumbnails came from contamination, a witness said Wednesday at a hearing on Dennis Dechaine's motion for a new trial.

click image to enlarge

Dennis Dechaine, right, and defense attorney Steven Peterson.

John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Swabs of certain items from the 1988 kidnapping and murder of the 12-year-old Bowdoin girl have already been tested for male DNA and come up negative. Those items include sticks that were used to assault the girl, the rope that bound her hands and the scarf that was over her mouth.

Witness Rick Staub, the forensics laboratory director of a company in Texas that handled some of the tests, testified that there could be value in doing additional DNA analysis on evidence in the case. If DNA similar to the thumbnail DNA was found on other items, it would make it unlikely that the thumbnail DNA came from contamination during the autopsy.

The partial DNA profile extracted from the girl's left thumbnail is at the center of Dechaine's attempt to get another trial. On Wednesday, his lawyer, Steve Peterson, continued to present witnesses' testimony aimed at convincing Superior Court Justice Carl Bradford that jurors would not have convicted Dechaine in 1989 had they known about the DNA.

One of those witnesses, Rick Staub, said it's hard to imagine that DNA was transferred to the thumbnail by clippers used in the autopsy -- as Deputy Attorney General William Stokes has argued is the most likely scenario -- unless the clippers had wet blood on them and were used immediately afterward.

Here is the original post:
Dechaine witness: Test more for DNA

Posted in DNA

Agreement on DNA testing in Skinner case, but "key" evidence missing

DNA testing of evidence in the Henry Skinner triple murder case hit yet another snag this week as prosecutors admitted that a blood-stained windbreaker termed "perhaps the key piece of evidence" by the killer's lawyer cannot be found.

In a motion laying out terms of a joint agreement to begin testing filed late Tuesday, the state and Skinner attorney Rob Owen identify 40 items to be submitted for testing. Among them are clippings from a victim's fingernails, vaginal swabs, and knives found at the scene of the 1993 New Year's Eve Pampa murder.

Skinner, 50, was convicted of fatally bludgeoning his girlfriend, Twila Busby, and stabbing to death her two adult sons. He consistently has maintained his innocence, saying that consumption of codeine and alcohol had rendered him incapable of killing the victims.

Prosecutors in Tuesday's filing concede that the windbreaker, collected from the scene by the Pampa Police Department, has not been found.

"According to the state, every other single piece of evidence in this case has been preserved," Owen said in an email. "It is difficult to understand how the state has managed to maintain custody of items as small as fingernail clippings while apparently losing something as large as a man's windbreaker jacket. To date, the state has offered no explanation for its failure to safeguard evidence in this case."

A spokesman for the Texas Attorney General's Office declined immediate comment.

Owen said the jacket, which appears to be stained with perspiration and blood, may have been worn by the assailant. Owen said that, since the trial, a witness has identified the jacket as one worn by Busby's uncle.

That man, now dead, reportedly was seen stalking Busby at a party shortly before her murder.

Skinner has had at least two execution dates set. Last November, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a stay to ascertain how revised laws regarding such testing may apply to his case.

Skinner has endeavored for more than a decade to obtain DNA testing of seemingly important evidence gathered at the crime scene.

Go here to see the original:
Agreement on DNA testing in Skinner case, but "key" evidence missing

Posted in DNA

DNA sample leads to suspect in sexual assault

MINNEAPOLIS - Sex Crimes investigators say a DNA sample led to the arrest of a suspectin a robbery and sexual assault on the north side of Minneapolis in late May.

Police received a call on May 24 from a resident on the 1600 block of Fremont Avenue North who told them she had been awakened by a who had broken into her home.She told officers that the man forced her to perform a sex act on him at knifepoint.

The suspect fled the scene but investigators found he left evidence behind, including a knife. DNA evidence was extracted from these items and entered into the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's (BCA) data base.

The victim was also able to provide officers with a detailed suspect description.

DNA samples sent to the BCA lab matched an offender who was already in the agency's computer database. The victim then picked that offender from a photographic lineup.

That man, 41-year-old Nathan Dwayne Jones, was charged with one count of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree and one count of first degree burglary.

Jones is currently being held in the Hennepin County Jail.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Read the original:
DNA sample leads to suspect in sexual assault

Posted in DNA

DNA Seattle Secures Five New Accounts

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Building upon a track record of breakthrough work that has created distinctive Northwest brands such as PEMCO and BECU, DNA Seattle announced today that it has signed five new clients, including Group Health Cooperative, Benaroya Research Institute, Trupanion, RDM Properties and Futures Without Violence.

An independent full-service agency with expertise in brand strategy, advertising, digital strategy and media, DNA Seattle will work to create transformational campaigns by tapping into the real meaning within these organizations that is not just entertaining, but engaging.

These new wins are really a result of the success and momentum were seeing with many of our existing clients, said Chris Witherspoon, principal and director of client service at DNA Seattle. Each of these new clients have come to us to help them create meaning for their brands. Brands that truly make a difference in peoples lives: healthcare, insurance, and even the not-for-profit segment. Were working with great organizations that match our own DNA and that we think can be pioneers in their respective categories.

Group Health Cooperative: Group Health is recognized nationally for its unique non-profit health plan and health delivery model. As brand advertising agency of record, DNA will focus on helping Group Health communicate its compelling brand story in an effort to grow the membership base in Washington State.

Benaroya Research Institute: Viewed as an international leader in immune system and autoimmune disease research, DNA will work to increase awareness of this groundbreaking organization, as well as increase fundraising efforts and clinical trial patients.

Trupanion: This health insurance provider for pets is looking to grow the number of insured customers globally. DNA will draw upon its experience in creating meaning and differentiation to turn the shared values and love people have for their pets into a deeper connection and loyalty with the Trupanion brand.

RDM Properties: A developer of market rate apartments in Seattle, RDM has secured DNA to attract tenants based on a commitment to the local community in which their developments are located. DNAs exceptional insight into the Northwest will allow the agency to effectively brand each development as an integral part of its neighborhood.

Futures Without Violence: A San Francisco-based recipient of a grant from the Avon Foundation, DNA is working with Futures Without Violence to build a digital, global exchange of ideas, communications materials and best practices for organizations trying to reduce domestic violence against women and children.

About DNA Seattle

View post:
DNA Seattle Secures Five New Accounts

Posted in DNA

DNA Brands Expands Operations to Canada

BOCA RATON, Fla., June 12, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DNA Brands, Inc. ("DNAX.OB"), the maker of DNA Energy Drink(R), the delicious and award winning energy drink and long-time favorite of the action sports community, announced today this it is expanding its distribution footprint outside of the United States through a mutually exclusive agreement with Titan Distributors.

Darren Marks, President and CEO of DNA, said, "We are extremely pleased with this mutually exclusive agreement that enables us to grow the DNA Brand in Canada. With Titan's long-standing retail relationships covering nearly all of Canada it is comforting to know that DNA Energy Drink will be the exclusive energy drink in their beverage portfolio." Marks continued, "We intend to support and grow the DNA name in Canada through conventional marketing initiatives including sampling programs, TV and radio, and by utilizing Titan's close relationships with premier athletes and celebrities to act as brand ambassadors and spokesmen." "An August launch is expected," concluded Marks.

David Coriaty, Titan's President and CEO, stated, "We at Titan are very pleased to have DNA and their delicious energy drinks as part of our portfolio. We look forward to working hand-in-hand with DNA's dedicated management team to first ensure a successful product launch and ultimately a huge success throughout Canada."

About DNA Brands, Inc.

DNA Brands makes DNA Energy Drink(R), the award-winning, best-tasting energy drink at the 2010 World Beverage Competition, and DNA Shred Stix(TM). DNA Energy Drink(R) is a proprietary blend of quality ingredients in four flavors Citrus, Lemon Lime, Sugar Free Citrus and CRANRAZBERRY. DNA is a proud sponsor of many action sport teams consisting of top athletes from Motorcross, Surf, Wakeboard and Skateboard and has received tremendous TV and media coverage.

Independent retailers throughout the state sell the DNA Brands products as well as national retailers including Walgreens, Race Trac and Circle K.

True to its actions sports roots, DNA Brands, Inc. has earned national recognition through its sponsorship of the DNA Energy Drink/Jeff Ward Racing team where it competes on a world-class level in Supercross and Motorcross, reaching millions of fans. DNA Energy Drink(R) can also be found in other action sports such as Surfing, BMX, Wakeboarding and Skateboarding and its athletes are recognized stars in their own right.

For more information about DNA Energy Drink, its athletes and sponsorships, please visit http://www.dnabrandsusa.com

Safe Harbor Forward-Looking Statements

To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, including statements as to revenue projections, business strategy, outlook, objectives, future milestones, plans, intentions, goals, future financial conditions, future collaboration agreements, the success of the Company's development, events conditioned on stockholder or other approval, or otherwise as to future events, such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made.

More here:
DNA Brands Expands Operations to Canada

Posted in DNA

DNA Methylation Declines with Age

Newborns carry more epigenetic markers than nonagenarians, providing clues to the mechanisms underlying aging.

Aging is associated with loss of an epigenetic marker that helps control gene expression, according to new research published today (June 11) in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, with a centenarian carrying some 7 percent fewer methylated DNA bases than a newborn. Researchers posit that reductions in methylation may be one of the mechanisms underlying the aging process.

Its one of the first studies to look at aging from an epigenetic point of view, said Willis Li, at the University of California, San Diego, who did not participate in the research. Other research, including Lis own in Drosophila, has shown that the amount of heterochromatinhistone modifications that result in tight chromosome packingalso appears to decline with an organisms age. The new study further supports the idea that epigenetic modifications, in addition to genetic factors, play a critical role in aging, said Li.

Searching for clues to why some people live long healthy lives and some succumb to early to aging, scientists have discovered that genetic factors only contribute about 10 percent to longevity, while environmental factors contribute about 90 percent, said senior author Manel Esteller of the University of Barcelona. Knowing that epigenetic modifications, such as cytosine methylation, are responsive to environmental stimuli, Esteller and his collaborators wondered if they could be a reliable indicator of physiological aging.

The scientists first compared the DNA methylation epigenomethe genome-wide level and location of methylated cytosines located next to guanines (CpG)in circulating T cells from a newborn and a centenarian. The general level of methylation of the centenarians genome (73 percent), they found, was lower than the newborns (80 percent). Looking at a 26-year-olds genome, they found an intermediate level of methylation.

Examining more closely the patterns of methylation in the newborns and centenarians genomes gave hints that Esteller thinks may help explain how loss of methylation affects cellular function and leads to aging. While most areas of the centenarians genome were less methylatedsuch as genes with tissue-specific expression patterns, suggesting the possibility that the centenarians T cells were expressing genes they shouldnt, like neuron- or testes-restricted genesa few regions showed greater methylation. Many promoters of tumor-suppressor genes, for example, showed higher levels of methylation, suggesting a possible connection with age-associated increases in cancer risk, Esteller said.

When Esteller and his colleagues extended the study to 19 more newborns and 19 people in their 90s, they found similar differences in their genomes methylation patterns. Furthermore, explained Esteller, they were able to use the epigenetic patterns to predict the agenewborn or nonagenarianof their samples.

As tantalizing as these differences are, its still not clear how the epigenetic changes factor into the aging process, said Karl Kelsey, a molecular biologist who studies epigenetic biomarkers for cancer at Brown University, who was not involved in the study. We dont yet fully understand the phenotypic consequences of epigenetics, he said, and its unclear whats underlying the loss [of methylation].

It could be that DNA methyltransferases become less active as age progresses, for example, adding fewer methyl groups after each cell division. Alternatively, changes in metabolism and diet could change the intake of folate, the nutrient from which the methyl groups are derived. Understanding the mechanism of these epigenetic changes, as well as their consequences, will be an important next step for understanding how the new findings relate to aging, Kelsey said.

In the meantime, Esteller hopes to discover whether manipulating the epigenome of mice will extend their lifespans. If maintaining methylation really can stave off aging, it may offer therapies for preventing neurodegenerative disorders, he said, and possible aid children suffering from premature aging disorders, who show epigenetic changes similar to the nonagenarians.

Read the rest here:
DNA Methylation Declines with Age

Posted in DNA