Updated: April 18, 2012, 4:51 PM ET

Dyrdek Enterprises Incorporated -- the business arm of pro skater, entertainer, and entrepreneur Rob Dyrdek -- announced Tuesday that it had acquired DNA Distribution from Burton after year-long discussions. DNA includes skateboarding brands Alien Workshop, Habitat and Reflex.

DNA is a foremost supplier of skateboard decks, wheels, trucks, hardware, grip tape, and other accesories. Based out of Dayton, Ohio, Chris Carter and Mike Hill started DNA in 1990, with Alien Workshop as its original label. Dyrdek's ties to Alien Workshop in particular stretch to both the company's early days and his as a young pro skater in the early 90s. "It's hard to put into words what an amazing opportunity this is for me," Dyrdek said in a prepared statement. "I am extremely proud to now own the company that first sponsored me 20 years ago."

In the same release, Burton founder and CEO Jake Burton said, "It's been an honor to call DNA part of the Burton family for the past four years." And while Burton COO Mike Rees acknowledged in January that the company was in talks with Dyrdek about transferring DNA, the motivations behind the transaction -- and which party initiated it -- remain unclear.

Dyrdek established Drydek Enterprises in 1999, and in 2010 launched Street League Skateboarding, whose next season begins in May. His portfolio also contains connections to DC Shoes, Monster, IVI Vision, and the Rob Dyrdek Foundation, founded in 2003, to assist communities with the design, development, construction, and promotion of skateparks.

Dyrdek, the president of his namesake company, has seen his profile extend far beyond the realm of skateboarding in part due to his MTV television shows "Rob & Big," "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory," and "Ridiculousness."

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Dyrdek Enterprises acquires DNA Distribution

Detectives have taken DNA samples from several Sacramento middle-school students in connection with the murder investigation into the death of a 13-year-old girl who was found stabbed, strangled and beaten to death at a park.

Jessica Funk-Haslam was found in the dugout of a baseball field at Rosemont Park on March 5. Investigators saythe girl had argued with her mother and lefthome the night before. She boarded a nearby light-rail train,transferred to a bus and got off near the park.

Police have released surveillance video from a neighbor near the park showing a suspicious man running away from the park along Rosemont Drive toward Mayhew Road about the time Jessica was killed. It showed him ducking down a side street when a car approached.

But last week the investigation took a turn when Sacramento County detectives showed up at Albert Einstein Middle School where Jessica had attended to talk to three or four students and to take DNA cheek swabs from them.

This is the first indication that there may be a possible DNA link to the case, Fox 40 Sacramento reported.

"My child's in a room with two detectives being questioned and grilled and I'm sure he was quite frightened, which is very upsetting," said Michaela Brown, the mother of one of the students who was questioned.

Authorities said they do not need parental consent to obtain a DNA swab.

"Regardless of whether the individual is an adult or a juvenile, they are capable of giving consent. We don't require the consent of a parent if we're doing it with someone of a younger age," said Deputy Jason Ramos of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.

If detectives had wanted to draw blood from the middle-schoolers, then a parent would have to be present and because of the 4th Amendment. Detectives would also need a warrant.

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Police collect DNA from middle-schoolers in murder investigation

17 April 2012 Last updated at 08:10 ET

The DNA of people living in Scotland has "extraordinary" and "unexpected" diversity, according to a new study.

The Scotland's DNA project, led by Edinburgh University's Dr Jim Wilson, has tested almost 1,000 Scots in the last four months to determine the genetic roots of people in the country.

The project discovered four new male lineages, which account for one in 10 Scottish men.

It also found that actor Tom Conti is related to Napoleon Bonaparte.

Scotland's DNA was set up by Dr Wilson along with historian Alistair Moffat, the current rector of St Andrews University.

Using new technology, scientists were able to pinpoint a participant's DNA marker, from which they tracked the person's history and lineage.

Conti and Napoleon both share the M34 marker, which is Saracen in origin.

The project found that Scotland has almost 100 different groups of male ancestry from across Europe and further afield.

More than 150 different types of female DNA from Europe, Asia and Africa were discovered.

Excerpt from:
Study reveals 'extraordinary' DNA

Apr 18, 2012 9:29pm

(Image Credit: ABC)

Samples of DNA were collected without parental consent from students at a Sacramento, Calif.,middle school in connection with the murder of an 8th grade student who was found stabbed, strangled and beaten to death near the dugout of a local park.

The Sacramento Sheriffs Department, which has been spearheading the investigation into the murder of Jessica Funk-Haslam, 13, said parental consent was not required in the DNA collection and interview of minors, several of whom were taken out of class during the day last week at Albert Einstein Middle School.

These are interviews, not interrogations, Sheriffs Deputy Jason Ramos told ABCNews.com. They are all consensual. Once its done, there is a mechanism in place for school administrators to notify parents.

Ramos said the DNA collection was done at the time of the interview so efforts didnt have to be duplicated. Ramos cautioned that the collection did not necessarily mean authorities had a DNA profile of the suspect.

Over the past few weeks, police have sifted through a number of leads and alibis but have been unable to name a suspect in Jessicas murder.

The teens body was found at Rosemont Community Park on the morning of March 6. Jessica was reportedly arguing with her mother the night before and voluntarily left her home and boarded local transportation to a local park.

There is nothing under California law that prohibits DNA collection of consenting minors, said John Myers, a professor at the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento.

I think the answer is, kids can consent, and if they consented and it was knowing and intelligent, [law enforcement] can do the search, he told the Sacramento Bee.

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Cops Take School Kids' DNA in Murder Case

BOCA RATON, Fla., April 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DNA Brands, Inc. (OTCBB:DNAX.OB - News) today announced that it has entered into an agreement that appointed Charles Morgan Securities, Inc., as its Investment Banker. Under the terms of the Agreement, Charles Morgan has agreed to assist in an initial equity capital raise of $1.5 million at $0.30 per share. A second capital raise of $2.5 is anticipated in the future at a price to be determined. The funds will be used by DNA to increase inventory and implement an aggressive marketing and advertising campaign.

"We are so very pleased to have found a group like Charles Morgan Securities, who not only shares in our vision but is also willing to roll up their sleeves to provide support on so many levels," said DNA's CEO Darren Marks. "Having successful and experienced investment bankers behind us, like Paul Taboada, Charles Morgan's CEO, will allow DNA's management to direct all of its efforts building sales and growing the brand. Specifically, we plan to greatly increase points of distribution (PODS) throughout Florida where we have demonstrated increasingly strong sales and demand for the brand. In addition, this Agreement will allow us to complete the build out of regional markets like California, Wisconsin, Texas and New York. Our goal is to have national distribution by 2014," concluded Marks.

Paul Taboada, CEO of Charles Morgan Securities, Inc., said, "I am excited about working with DNA Brands and their management team. I believe together with the proper funding we can develop a regional brand that has the potential to grow nationally. I have been reviewing the business plan as well as the roll out plan for other states and believe the management team is one that will deliver for all shareholders involved. I am looking into more avenues of distribution as well as other retailers that will carry the brand and am pleased with the response so far. I believe that this company will grow and it's growth will be illustrated in the company's financials as we grow revenues and penetrate new markets. We have signed a long term investment banking deal with DNA BRANDS and I look optimistically toward the future to build this brand and distribute the product into new markets."

About DNA Brands, Inc.

DNA BRANDS, make 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 has received tremendous TV and media coverage.

Independent retailers throughout the state sell the DNA Brand products as well as national retailers including Walgreens, Race Trac and Circle K. Distribution is primarily through Grass Roots Beverage the Company's wholly owned subsidiary and select Miller and Anheuser-Bush distributors in select markets.

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 Motocross, 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 or contact:

Darren M. Marks, President (954) 970 3826 darren@dnaenergydrink.com

The DNA Beverage Corp. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7258

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DNA Brands and Charles Morgan Securities Sign Agreement

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At the Porsafillo Preschool Academy, there are 32 spots but more than 12,000 applications.

For years, New York parents have been applying to preschools even before their youngsters are born. That's not new, but the approach one prestigious pre-school on the Upper West Side is.

At the Porsafillo Preschool Academy, all applicants must now submit a DNA analysis of their children.

The preschool is housed in a modern glass and steel building designed by IM Pei. It's situated in a leafy corner of the Upper West Side. On a recent afternoon, Headmaster Rebecca Unsinn showed off "Porsafillo Pre," as it's called.

"Over here, we have computer labs, C++ learning, which of course, as I'm sure you know, is a language of computers," she says. Wait, computer language? These preschoolers are learning C++?

"Oh, absolutely they are," Unsinn says. "And they're very good at it."

That's not the only language they're learning; all the children are also enrolled in a Mandarin Chinese immersion program.

More than 12,000 applications pour into Unsinn's office each fall. That's 12,000 hopefuls for just 32 spots a year. It makes Porsafillo Pre the most competitive preschool in the United States.

So in a bid to weed out the kids who have no chance, the school decided to require a DNA test for all applicants. Before she joined the school in 2009, Unsinn was a child neurologist. She was hired specifically to implement this new policy.

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N.Y. Preschool Starts DNA Testing For Admission

ScienceDaily (Apr. 1, 2012) Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are using powerful DNA sequencing technology not only to identify mutations at the root of a patient's tumor -- considered key to personalizing cancer treatment -- but to map the genetic evolution of disease and monitor response to treatment.

"We're finding clinically relevant information in the tumor samples we're sequencing for discovery-oriented research studies," says Elaine Mardis, PhD, co-director of The Genome Institute at the School of Medicine. "Genome analysis can play a role at multiple time points during a patient's treatment, to identify 'driver' mutations in the tumor genome and to determine whether cells carrying those mutations have been eliminated by treatment."

This work is helping to guide the design of future cancer clinical trials in which treatment decisions are based on results of sequencing, says Mardis, who is speaking April 1 at the opening plenary session of the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in Chicago. She also is affiliated with the Siteman Cancer Center at the School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

To date, Mardis and her colleagues have sequenced all the DNA -- the genome -- of tumor cells from more than 700 cancer patients. By comparing the genetic sequences in the tumor cells to healthy cells from the same patient, they can identify mutations underlying each patient's cancer.

Already, information gleaned through whole-genome sequencing is pushing researchers to reclassify tumors based on their genetic makeup rather than their location in the body. In patients with breast cancer, for example, Mardis and her colleagues have found numerous driver mutations in genes that have not previously been associated with breast tumors.

A number of these genes have been identified in prostate, colorectal, lung or skin cancer, as well as leukemia and other cancers. Drugs that target mutations in these genes, including imatinib, ruxolitinib and sunitinib, while not approved for breast cancer, are already on the market for other cancers.

"We are finding genetic mutations in multiple tumor types that could potentially be targeted with drugs that are already available," Mardis says.

She predicts, however, that it may require a paradigm change for oncologists to evaluate the potential benefits of individualized cancer therapy. While clinical trials typically involve randomly assigning patients to a particular treatment regimen, a personalized medicine approach calls for choosing drugs based on the underlying mutations in each patient's tumor.

"Having all treatment options available for every patient doesn't fit neatly into the confines of a carefully designed clinical trial," Mardis acknowledges. "We're going to need more flexibility."

When during the course of cancer mutations develop also is likely to be important in decisions about treatment. In a recent study, Mardis and her team mapped the genetic evolution of leukemia and found clues to suggest that targeted cancer drugs should be aimed at mutations that develop early in the course of the disease.

Excerpt from:
DNA sequencing lays foundation for personalized cancer treatment

STAMFORD -- As soon as 21-year-old Marie Andree Joseph was reported missing in December 1990, her family immediately suspected the worst.

Less than a year after the woman disappeared, a bullet-riddled skull attached to three vertebrae was found next to a Glenbrook business where the father of the woman's two children worked.

Police at the time figured vermin -- possibly a raccoon -- dragged the skull from a shallow grave and was stopped by a chain-link fence from moving it into a heap of 1,000 wooden loading pallets in a neighboring property. Police commissioned a nationally recognized forensic scientist to create a clay reconstruction of the skull -- presenting a best guess of what the face of the victim would have looked like -- and detectives presented it to stunned members of Joseph's family in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Using new DNA analysis technology, police determined last year that it was Joseph's skull and for the first time since the discovery, police are now publicly identifying Joseph as a murder victim and have closed her missing person's case.

The investigation into Joseph's murder remains active and police are asking for the public's help in solving the case. Police say they have a "person of interest" in the case, but since it's an ongoing investigation, they will not release their identity.

"The investigation is ongoing and has been resuscitated as a cold case," said Wayne "Mac" Macuirzynski, a detective with the Stamford Police Department's Special Victiim's Unit. "We are proceeding with it and we are finding additional information."

Following the discovery of the skull in August 1991, police focused their investigation on the father of Joseph's two children, Andre Lubin. Lubin, who was 40 at the time of Joseph's disappearance, adamantly denies any involvement with Joseph's murder and has never been charged.

The skull was found by workers near what was then Interprocess Inc., at 45 Research Drive, after brush was cleared from the area. At the time, Lubin worked in the shipping department and performed light building maintenance at Interprocess.

During an interview this week with The Advocate, the Haitian born Lubin, now 61, of Bridgeport, said after the skull was discovered his apartment was searched and police were following him all over town.

Lubin, who currently works as a Greenwich school bus driver, denied any involvement in Joseph's disappearance and has consistently told police and her family that she abandoned him and his two daughters and ran off to Canada.

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DNA revives 1991 mystery

WASHINGTON - Six years after D.C. police began looking for DNA in hundreds of backlogged sexual assault cases, the work is paying off.

Suspects have been identified through matches in the national DNA databank and arrests have been made.

Just this week police arrested a D.C. man for the 2006 rape of a teenage girl.

Without the DNA, the cases would likely have gone unsolved.

For much of the last decade, evidence in sexual assault cases sat untouched in storage in part because the district didn't have its own crime lab and the FBI was overwhelmed with cases related to terror.

A dilemma eventually solved with the help of grant money and several different labs.

Case in point.

Michael Anthony Davies, 31, was arrested Wednesday and charged with first degree sexual abuse--accused of raping a young girl inside a southwest Washington apartment building in April of 2006.

According to the charging document, detectives were unable to identify a suspect until Davies DNA profile matched the evidence in a "cold hit."

According to the charging document the 17-year-old said she had just returned from the store, it was just after eight o'clock at night and she was riding the elevator to the fifth floor in the apartment complex where she lived. She says as she got out of the elevator, a man who was in the elevator with her followed, he grabbed her by the arm said I want to get to know you better. She resisted, but he grabbed her by the waist and dragged her into a stairwell where she was raped.

Read the rest here:
DNA Matches Close Sexual Assault Cases

OTTAWA The University of Ottawa Heart Institute has developed the world's first bedside DNA test, designed to tell doctors about a patient's genes in minutes, instead of days.

Instead of sending blood to a lab and waiting for days, the nurse swabs a few cells inside the patient's mouth and sees results on the spot.

The focus so far is on one type of heart problem, but researchers say this is just the first step toward a future when a swab can tell all about your personal health.

"This one study opens the door," said Dr. Derek So, a cardiologist at the Heart Institute and co-investigator on the project.

"If there are other genes, in any area of medicine where there is a potential for diagnosis or treatment, that same technology could be applied to those genes," he said.

"It's quick and it's accurate."

Working with Spartan Bioscience, an Ottawa biotech company, they first built a design that gives results in one hour. They're now working to cut that to 30 or 45 minutes.

"That's what is revolutionary," So said.

"What they have to do (when using a genetics lab) is get a blood sample, FedEx the sample to a lab, get it to isolate the DNA, then use a machine to sequence the DNA and test it. Their turnaround time is anywhere from three to seven days at best."

That's not fast enough when a doctor has to make a decision about a patient who needs treatment now.

See more here:
Canadian-made bedside DNA test speeds treatment

ScienceDaily (Mar. 29, 2012) In the beginning ... but how do you begin? That question has long perplexed scientists in fields from cosmology to anthropology. Fortunately, researchers at the Office of Science's Brookhaven National Lab (Brookhaven Lab) are beginning to get at the answer on a small but important scale -- in biology.

Specifically, the researchers looked at how cells begin to duplicate their DNA, so they can then begin to replicate themselves. DNA is the essential stuff of beginnings. Its double strands -- which consist of chemical 'letters' or base pairs -- tell cells how to remake themselves; how to build the protein machines that keep them alive and make them distinct. So before they divide, cells have to duplicate their DNA.

This is a relatively straightforward affair for bacteria (and other simple cells, also called prokaryotes) since they typically only have a single loop of DNA, even though it can be millions of base pairs long. As a consequence, they have just a single point along the strand where the copying starts, called an origin of replication.

However, most of biology that can be seen with the naked eye -- animals and plants and even humble yeast -- is composed of more complicated cells called eukaryotes. Eukaryotes have much more DNA, which is tightly wound into distinct pieces, or spindles, called chromosomes, each of which may have many origins of replication. 'Top gun' cells, say those in humans, have a need for speed, since they have some 3.4 billion DNA base pairs, all of which have to be pulled apart and copied. So in order to finish in a reasonable amount of time, those cells have to begin copying their DNA simultaneously at tens of thousands of different points.

But how do they begin? Namely, how do protein machines find and bind to the right spots along the DNA strands, and then set them up for copying? That's what the team at Brookhaven Lab studied. They used an imaging method known as cryo-electron microscopy to take extremely high resolution images of how the right proteins come together at the right point on the DNA strands, forming a structure called an "origin recognition complex" (ORC). The lab's first-of-a-kind images (taken using yeast cells, which are also eukaryotes), showed how the shape of the complex changes as it sets the DNA up for duplication.

Scientists then gathered additional details about individual parts of the structure from previously made X-ray crystallography images, which showed the positions of many individual portions of the complex. Then they took all of their information and ran a detailed computer simulation, which gave scientists a good idea of how the whole process works.

That's important since beginnings can go bad, and uncontrolled cell division is the hallmark of many cancers. The new insights from Brookhaven Lab might lead to new ways to attack cancers at a basic level, one reason that the research was also supported by the National Institutes of Health.

But there's also a deeper reason to do basic research. Beginnings are one of the most precious opportunities of all, the chance to create, to discover. That's what happens with each new experiment run at National Laboratories supported by the Office of Science: Each day it's a new chance to begin againin the beginning.

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New insights into how cells duplicate their DNA

A second area of the investigation has also proved futile, the pre-inquest review heard. While police released sketches of a Mediterranean couple who allegedly let themselves into Mr Williams' flat, the coroner referred to the couple as a "red herring".

Gareth Williams' family believe an unknown third party, a "member of some agency specialising in the dark arts of the secret service," was either present when he died or entered the flat afterward to destroy or remove evidence, Anthony O'Toole, the family's lawyer, said.

Dr Fiona Wilcox, the London coroner investigating the bizarre death of the 31-year-old code breaker and maths genius, told the hearing at Westminster coroner's court that whether Mr Williams was alive inside the bag and locked it himself "was at the very heart of this inquiry". Experts say it is very unlikely he could have locked himseld inside the bag.

Speculation

Speculation and theories about the death have ranged from a solo sex game gone wrong to murder by foreign agents.

Police found Mr Williams' body in his Pimlico flat on 23 August 2010. The keys to the padlock were inside the bag and he is believed to have died a week before the discovery of his body.

The coroner also revealed a long witness list of about 30 people who will be called when the five-day hearing begins in April.

Among those testifying will be experts from Counter Terrorism Command, known as SO15, vetted to examine Mr Williams' computers and phones found at the scene.

A number of agents, listed only by an initial, will testify from MI6 and GCHQ, the government communications headquarters, where Mr Williams worked before his secondment to MI6.

Police have also revealed Mr Williams visited bondage websites months before his death and accessed sites were people were tied up. Tickets to a drag show and women's clothing valued at 15,000 were also found in the central London flat.

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DNA evidence contaminated in case of MI6 spy found in bag

30 March 2012 Last updated at 01:05 ET By John Henry BBC News, Wetherby

Scientists working at the Forensic Science Service laboratories in West Yorkshire led the world in DNA profiling, the senior scientist at the site said.

The 150-strong team of experts at the lab off Audby Lane handled crucial evidence from a number of high-profile cases for police forces across the globe.

But 35 years after it opened and began using the cutting-edge forensic techniques that were the stuff of television dramas, its doors have shut for the last time.

Principal Forensic Scientist Tim Clayton said the closure would "lead to the loss of 1,000 years' experience".

Forensic work has been distributed to police forces and private sector providers because the Home Office said the service was economically unviable and incurred "huge losses".

The union Prospect said it was "deeply disappointed" by the closure.

Mr Clayton said that during a "purple patch" of a decade from the early 1990s most of the major DNA investigations across the world went through the laboratory.

He said: "This lab had, by historical accident, developed DNA technology that developed into the [DNA] database.

"From 1993 this lab had a world-leading role despite its minor geographical significance, leading the whole of the UK and international excellence in the field of DNA.

Originally posted here:
Wetherby to Waco - DNA lab's demise

SAN DIEGO, March 28, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq:VICL - News) today announced that researchers at Ehime University in Japan and their collaborators have developed a Vaxfectin(R)-formulated DNA vaccine candidate with the potential to prevent transmission of malaria. Results of the initial testing, recently published in the journal Vaccine1, demonstrated that the malaria parasite life cycle was interrupted in mosquitoes fed with malaria-infected human red blood cells incubated with serum from vaccinated mice. Vical provided the DNA vaccine plasmid backbone and the adjuvant used in the research.

The malaria parasite advances through several life cycle stages in humans and through additional life cycle stages in mosquitoes. The transmission-blocking DNA vaccine candidate, formulated with Vical's Vaxfectin(R) adjuvant, expresses the Plasmodium vivax malaria parasite protein Pvs230, which is present in both human and mosquito stages of the parasite's life cycle. Anti-Pvs230 antibodies generated by vaccinated mice recognized the Pvs230 protein and interrupted the parasite's development in mosquitoes. The amino acid sequence of Pvs230 protein is also highly conserved among multiple field isolates of P. vivax, increasing the potential for a single vaccine to provide broad protection.

The mouse-generated Pvs230 antibodies, incubated with P. vivax-infected human red blood cells and then fed to mosquitoes, statistically reduced the number of parasites and the infection rate in mosquitoes. A Vaxfectin(R)-formulated malaria vaccine therefore has the potential to interfere with the transmission of P. vivax to humans through mosquitoes. This novel transmission-blocking approach may thereby protect the broader population from widespread malaria outbreaks. Further study of the vaccine candidate has been proposed by the authors.

About Vical

Vical researches and develops biopharmaceutical products based on its patented DNA delivery technologies for the prevention and treatment of serious or life-threatening diseases. Potential applications of the company's DNA delivery technology include DNA vaccines for infectious diseases or cancer, in which the expressed protein is an immunogen; cancer immunotherapeutics, in which the expressed protein is an immune system stimulant; and cardiovascular therapies, in which the expressed protein is an angiogenic growth factor. The company is developing certain infectious disease vaccines and cancer therapeutics internally. In addition, the company collaborates with major pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies that give it access to complementary technologies or greater resources. These strategic partnerships provide the company with mutually beneficial opportunities to expand its product pipeline and address significant unmet medical needs. Additional information on Vical is available at http://www.vical.com.

The Vical Incorporated logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=5768

This press release contains forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Risks and uncertainties include whether any further development of a Vaxfectin(R)-formulated DNA vaccine for malaria will continue; whether malaria vaccine or other results in animal studies can be duplicated in human clinical trials; whether the malaria vaccine will be effective in blocking transmission of malaria through mosquitoes to humans; whether Vical or its collaborative partners will seek or gain approval to market any product candidates; whether Vical or its collaborative partners will succeed in marketing any product candidates; and additional risks set forth in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent the company's judgment as of the date of this release. The company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

1Tachibana, M, et al. Plasmodium vivax gametocyte protein Pvs230 is a transmission-blocking vaccine candidate. Vaccine 30 (2012) 1807-1812; doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.01.003 .

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Novel Transmission-Blocking Malaria DNA Vaccine Candidate Uses Vical's Vaxfectin(R) Adjuvant

Murdered ... newsagent Min Lin and wife Lilly Lin. Source: The Daily Telegraph

NO DNA evidence has been found linking the man accused of the bashing murders of the Lin family to the crime, a court heard this morning.

The Supreme Court was told recent test results on items taken from the family's North Epping home had failed to provide any DNA connection to Robert Xie, 48, who was last year charged with the murders.

Xie has been accused of killing his brother-in-law, Epping newsagent Min Lin, his wife Yun Li "Lilly" Lin, two other family members and Lilly's sister Yun Bin "Irene" Lin.

The five family members were beaten to death inside their home on July 18, 2009.

Xie's barrister Graham Turnbull SC told a bail hearing this morning that none of his client's DNA had been found on any evidence found at the main crime scene.

"The deceased persons' DNA profile (also) hasn't been identified on any of the items belonging to (Xie) or as coming from his home address," he said.

Documents previously tendered in court revealed police found a bloody trail of footprints leading away from the crime scene.

Xie owned several pairs of ASICS runners that matched the footprints and he was later secretly filmed destroying boxes for the shoe, the prosecution said.

Police allege Xie acted alone in carrying out the killing.

Continue reading here:
No DNA linking man to Lin murders

March 28, 2012

A new genetic study confirms that modern domesticated cattle are descended from 80 domesticated wild oxen in the Near East over 10,500 years ago.

Scientists from CNRS, the National Museum of Natural History in France, the University of Mainz in Germany, and University College London (UCL) in the UK performed the study by extracting DNA from the bones of extracted domestic cattle found in Iran. These sites are believed to date back to the invention of farming and the area where cattle first became domesticated.

The international team of scientists found only small differences in the DNA from the Iranian excavation and modern day domestic cattle. What little difference there is, say the scientists, could come from different population histories. By analyzing the DNA with computer simulations, they believe the differences in DNA could only have arisen if a small number of animals were domesticated from the wild ox. They believe as few as 80 wild oxen are responsible for what we know now as modern, domestic cattle.

Results of this study are published in the current issue of the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.

In a press release announcing the results, Dr Ruth Bollongino of CNRS, France, and the University of Mainz, Germany; lead author of the study, said, Getting reliable DNA sequences from remains found in cold environments is routine. That is why mammoths were one of the first extinct species to have their DNA read. But getting reliable DNA from bones found in hot regions is much more difficult because temperature is so critical for DNA survival. This meant we had to be extremely careful that we did not end up reading contaminating DNA sequences from living, or only recently dead cattle.

According to the scientists, it is important to the archeological study of domestication to note the number of original animals.

Prof Mark Thomas, geneticist and an author of the study based at the UCL Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment: This is a surprisingly small number of cattle. We know from archaeological remains that the wild ancestors of modern-day cattle, known as aurochs, were common throughout Asia and Europe, so there would have been plenty of opportunities to capture and domesticate them.

Based at the University of Mainz, Germany, Professor Joachim Burger had this to say about the wild ox, Wild aurochs are very different beasts from modern domestic cattle. They were much bigger than modern cattle, and wouldnt have had the domestic traits we see today, such as docility. So capturing these animals in the first place would not have been easy, and even if some people did manage snare them alive, their continued management and breeding would still have presented considerable challenges until they had been bred for smaller size and more docile behavior.

Other archeological studies have shown other animals, not just cattle, were domesticated. Goats, sheep, and pigs have also been found to be domesticated in the Near East around the beginning of the farming age. It is much harder, however, to determine how many of these animals were domesticated. While traditional archeological techniques do not provide an entire picture as to how many animals were domesticated, genetic research helps to fill in these gaps.

Excerpt from:
DNA Traces Cattle Back To Ancient Times

DNA has confirmed that human remains found near a dry stream in Delta County earlier this month belong to Paige Birgfeld, a Grand Junction woman who went missing in June 2007.

Sgt. Matt Lewis said the DNA match last week was a formality because dental records all but confirmed the remains were those of 34-year-old Birgfeld, a mother of three young children who worked as an escort. Her charred car was found in a Grand Junction parking lot a few days after her disappearance.

Lewis said investigators are awaiting the results of tests by an forensic anthropologist this week or early next. The detailed study of the remains "could help our coroner determine a cause and manner of death, which at this point would be huge."

He said those results might not be made public, however, if releasing them would benefit whoever might be responsible for Birgfeld's death or otherwise jeopardize the investigation.

Frank Birgfeld of Centennial said the area around the dry creek bed where his daughter's remains were found March 7 had been searched thoroughly in 2007. Her checkbook and other items from her purse were found along U.S. 50 not far away after her disappearance.

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DNA confirms body found is Grand Junction mom missing since 2007

STONY BROOK, NY--(Marketwire -03/28/12)- Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (OTC.BB: APDN.OB - News), a provider of DNA-based security, anti-counterfeiting technology, law-enforcement and product-authentication solutions, and Holliston LLC, announced today they are working together to develop the next generation security platform for various product coatings, including passports and luxury packaging materials, with botanical SigNature DNA. As the nation's oldest and largest manufacturer of cloth coverings, Holliston has served the book cover material, packaging fabric, and industrial cloth markets since 1895. Holliston remains the U.S. Government's preferred supplier of high-security passport cover material.

Holliston's Chief Operating Officer, Keith Polak, stated: "We are excited about the prospect of incorporating the botanical SigNature DNA layer into a variety of products to stem the rising threat of forged passports and other identity documents. DNA, we believe, is the gold standard, and we are working toward providing our customers with the best security solution, whilst maintaining the highest quality products to which they are accustomed."

Applied DNA Sciences and Holliston are developing and testing DNA-coatings that essentially cannot be copied, and provide a means for customs and law enforcement groups to authenticate products in the field, and in the lab. The joint work has resulted in a feasibility study that successfully demonstrated the ability to incorporate botanical SigNature DNA onto passport covers. The next phase of the collaboration is to develop working prototypes, and move toward scaling up the process for commercial production.

Dr. James Hayward, APDN CEO and President, stated: "Passport authenticity governs secure entry into the United States for all citizens and visitors. We are pleased to be working with Holliston, the world's largest supplier of secure passport bindings. This effort extends our existing business to enhance government security."

About APDNAPDN is a provider of botanical-DNA based security and authentication solutions that can help protect products, brands and intellectual property of companies, governments and consumers from theft, counterfeiting, fraud and diversion. SigNature DNA and smartDNA, our principal anti-counterfeiting and product authentication solutions that essentially cannot be copied, provide a forensic chain of evidence and can be used to prosecute perpetrators.

The statements made by APDN may be forward-looking in nature. Forward-looking statements describe APDN's future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of APDN. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to our short operating history, limited financial resources, limited market acceptance, market competition and various other factors detailed from time to time in APDN's SEC reports and filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on December 8, 2011 and our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. APDN undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

About HollistonICG Holliston is the nation's oldest and largest manufacturer of cloth coatings. At Holliston, we combine innovation, sustainability, and more than a century of experience to produce the highest quality, best-performing cotton cloth in the industry. From book covers to packaging, passports and industrial coverings, Holliston cloth is both distinctive and environmentally friendly -- and, it's made to stand up to the test of time.

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Applied DNA Sciences and Holliston to Incorporate Botanical SigNature DNA as the Next Generation Security Platform for ...

Public release date: 27-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Clare Ryan clare.ryan@ucl.ac.uk 44-020-310-83846 University College London

All cattle are descended from as few as 80 animals that were domesticated from wild ox in the Near East some 10,500 years ago, according to a new genetic study.

An international team of scientists from the CNRS and National Museum of Natural History in France, the University of Mainz in Germany, and UCL in the UK were able to conduct the study by first extracting DNA from the bones of domestic cattle excavated in Iranian archaeological sites. These sites date to not long after the invention of farming and are in the region where cattle were first domesticated.

The team examined how small differences in the DNA sequences of those ancient cattle, as well as cattle living today, could have arisen given different population histories. Using computer simulations they found that the DNA differences could only have arisen if a small number of animals, approximately 80, were domesticated from wild ox (aurochs).

The study is published in the current issue of the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution. Dr Ruth Bollongino of CNRS, France, and the University of Mainz, Germany; lead author of the study, said: "Getting reliable DNA sequences from remains found in cold environments is routine.

"That is why mammoths were one of the first extinct species to have their DNA read. But getting reliable DNA from bones found in hot regions is much more difficult because temperature is so critical for DNA survival. This meant we had to be extremely careful that we did not end up reading contaminating DNA sequences from living, or only recently dead cattle."

The number of animals domesticated has important implications for the archaeological study of domestication.

Prof Mark Thomas, geneticist and an author of the study based at the UCL Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment: "This is a surprisingly small number of cattle. We know from archaeological remains that the wild ancestors of modern-day cattle, known as aurochs, were common throughout Asia and Europe, so there would have been plenty of opportunities to capture and domesticate them."

Prof Joachim Burger, an author of the study based at the University of Mainz, Germany, said: "Wild aurochs are very different beasts from modern domestic cattle.

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DNA traces cattle back to a small herd domesticated around 10,500 years ago

FARMINGTON, Conn., March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Global Information Inc. is pleased to announce a new market research report, "DNA Sequencing: Emerging Technologies and Applications" by BCC Research, as well as remaining available registration for the Sample Prep 2012 Conference in San Diego, CA.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120327/CG77328)

DNA Sequencing: Emerging Technologies and Applications

The value of the global market for sequencing products and services is forecast to more than double to a value of $6.6 billion by 2016, growing from nearly $3 billion in 2011 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.5% according to BCC Research's new market research report DNA Sequencing: Emerging Technologies and Applications.

The sequencing products market can be broken down into three segments: instruments and consumables, services, and workflow products. Instruments and consumables accounted for nearly $1.6 billion in 2011 will reach $2.2 billion in 2016. Services were valued at $987.6 million in 2011 and are expected to increase at a remarkable CAGR of 29% to reach $3.5 billion in 2016. Workflow products, worth nearly $410 million in 2011, should reach $883.6 million in 2016 at a CAGR of 16.6%.

Life science research tools suppliers will find this report particularly valuable, as will pharmaceutical, diagnostics, nanotechnology, bioinformatics, semiconductor, and biotechnology companies. Also, companies seeking to benefit from genome sequencing projects, microarray companies seeking an entry into the sequencing market, informatics companies who wish to expand their market reach, and in vitro diagnostics companies who want to add sequencing platforms to their portfolios will also find valuable insights in the full report.

An abstract and free sample for this report are available from Global Information, Inc: http://www.giiresearch.com/report/bc233598-dna-sequencing-emerging-technologies-applications.html

5th Annual Sample Prep International Conference 2012

Sample Prep 2012 is the fifth annual event in an internationally recognized series for experts in sample preparation for detection and identification of viruses, toxins and pathogens. This conference will address the major issues and current state-of-the-art in the technologies related to the important phases of real-world sample preparation such as sample collection, lysis, target extraction, and transfer to analytical modules.

New and novel robust sampling and bioforensic techniques will be discussed with in the contexts of to biodefense, field and point-of-care biomedical and clinical applications, food and water testing, and environmental and agricultural sampling. A panel of leading experts from government, academia and industry will also address topical issues and areas of focused technology development and implementation including sample prep with microfluidics; sample prep-on-a-chip; alternative sample prep technologies for viruses; toxins & pathogens; sample prep as separate vs. integrated module approach; nanotechnology challenges for sample preparation; robust sampling methodologies; food, water, air, and environmental sampling; novel methods of extraction from tough (non-filterable) matrices; single use sample concentration modules; advanced lateral flow assays for sample prep; nucleic acid or protein based sample prep for next generation sequencing; and sample prep technologies for detection/diagnostics vs. pharma.

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DNA Sequencing Market Expected to Double to $6.6 Billion by 2016