Category Archives: DNA

The United States of America, land of the free, is home to 5 percent of the world's population but 25 percent of its prisoners. The cost of having so many people in the penal system adds up to $80 billion per year, more than three times the budget for NASA. This massive system exploded in size relatively recently, with the prison population increasing by six-fold in the last four decades.

Ten percent of these prisoners are kept in private prisons, which are owned and operated for the sake of profit by contractors. In theory, these operations cost less than public prisons and jails, and states can save money by contracting them to incarcerate people. They have a long history in the United States and are used in many other countries as well.

However, despite the pervasiveness of private contractors in the American prison system, there is not much research into how well they live up to their promise to provide similar services at a lower cost to the state. The little research that is available often encounters difficulties in trying to compare the costs and benefits of facilities with vastly different operations and occasionally produces results suggesting there are few benefits to privatization.

A new study by Dr. Anita Mukherjee and published in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy joins the debate with a robust consideration of the costs and benefits of private prisons. Its findings suggest that some private prisons keep people incarcerated longer and save less money than advertised.

The study focuses on prisons in Mississippi. Despite its comparatively high rate of incarceration, Mississippi's prison system is very similar to that of other states that also use private prisons. Demographically, its system is representative of the rest of the U.S. prison system, and its inmates are sentenced for similar amounts of time.

The state attempts to get the most out of its privatization efforts, as a 1994 law requires all contracts for private prisons in Mississippi to provide at least a 10 percent cost savings over public prisons while providing similar services. As a result, the state seeks to maximize its savings by sending prisoners to private institutions first if space if available.

While public and private prisons in Mississippi are quite similar, there are a few differences that allow for the possibility of cost savings by private operators not the least of which is that the guards are paid 30 percent less and have fewer benefits than their publicly employed counterparts.

The graph depicts the likelihood of release for public (dotted line) vs. private (solid line) prison inmates. At every level of time served, public prisoners were more likely to be released than private prisoners.Dr. Anita Mukherjee

The study relied on administrative records of the Mississippi prison system between 1996 and 2013. The data included information on prisoner demographics, the crimes committed, sentence lengths, time served, infractions while incarcerated, and prisoner relocation while in the system, including between public and private jails. For this study, the sample examined was limited to those serving between one and six years and those who served at least a quarter of their sentence. This created a primary sample of 26,563 bookings.

Analysis revealed that prisoners in private prisons were behind bars for four to seven percent longer than those in public prisons, which translates to roughly 85 to 90 extra days per prisoner. This is, in part, because those in private prison serve a greater portion of their sentences (73 percent) than those in public institutions (70 percent).

This in turn might be due to the much higher infraction rate in private prisons compared to public ones. While only 18 percent of prisoners in a public prison commit an infraction, such as disobeying a guard or possessing contraband, the number jumps to 46 percent in a private prison. Infractions can reduce the probability of early release or cause time to be added to a sentence.

It's unclear why there are so many more infractions in private prisons. Dr. Mukherjee suggests it could be the result of "harsher prison conditions in private prisons," better monitoring techniques, incentives to report more of them to the state before contract renewals, or even a lackadaisical attitude on the part of public prison employees.

The extra time served eats 48 percent of the cost savings of keeping prisoners in a private facility. For example, it costs about $135,000 to house a prisoner in a private prison for three years and $150,000 in the public system. But longer stays in private prisons reduce the savings from $15,000 to only $7,800.

As Dr. Mukherjee remarks, this cost is also just the finance. Some things are a little harder to measure:

"There are, of course, other costs that are difficult to quantify e.g., the cost of injustice to society (if private prison inmates systematically serve more time), the inmate's individual value of freedom, and impacts of the additional incarceration on future employment. Abrams and Rohlfs (2011) estimates a prisoner's value of freedom for 90 days at about $1,100 using experimental variation in bail setting. Mueller-Smith (2017) estimates that 90 days of marginal incarceration costs about $15,000 in reduced wages and increased reliance on welfare. If these social costs were to exceed $7,800 in the example stated, private prisons would no longer offer a bargain in terms of welfare-adjusted cost savings."

It is possible that the extra time in jail provides benefits that counter these costs, such as a reduced recidivism rate, but this proved difficult to determine. Though it was not statistically significant, there was some evidence that the added time actually increased the rate of recidivism. If that's true, then private prisons could be counterproductive.

Read more:
Want to live 100+ years? You may need unusually good DNA repair - Big Think

Shawn H. Lin 22

Shawn H. Lin 22 is the recipient of a 2021 poster award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biologys 25th Annual Undergraduate Poster Competition. Lins poster took the prize in Category 3: DNA, Chromosomes and Gene Regulation.

This is the second poster award Lin has won this year. In March, he was honored with the Biophysical Societys Undergraduate Poster Award for his work titled Elucidation of Interactions Between Integration Host Factor and a DNA Four-Way Junction.

Lin is a Freeman Asian Scholar from Taiwan and is majoring in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (MB&B). Lin also works in the labs of his advisors, Ishita Mukerji, Fisk Professor of Natural Science and professor of molecular biology and biochemistry,and Candice Etson, assistant professor of physics.

Lin, along with four other students, has recently been inducted into the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Honor Society.

Tags:biochemistry Class of 2022 student achievements

Go here to see the original:
Lin '22 Wins Poster Award for Work on DNA, Chromosomes, and Gene Regulation - Wesleyan Connection

Researchers have shown that topoisomerase TOP2A eliminates negative supercoiling, causing an increase in the number of turns of DNA strands and impacting gene expression.

Researchers have shown that the supercoiling characteristic of DNAs structure controls gene expression, rather than being a collateral damage to be solved as had been thought to date. The study was conducted at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), in collaboration with other researchers.

According to the researchers, the two metres of (stretched) DNA contained in human cells are continuously twisting and untwisting to give access to genetic information. When a gene is expressed to generate a protein, the two strands of DNA are separated to give access to all the machinery necessary for this expression, resulting in an excessive accumulation of coiling that needs to be resolved later.

These results are a first step towards understanding supercoiling as an important regulator of the genome and not only as a problem associated with the metabolism of DNA, said lead researcher Felipe Corts.

The team say that this regulation occurs mainly on specific genes, namely those that are induced very quickly hundreds of times in only a few minutes such as the genes that respond to stress, cell proliferation signals, hormones or those involved in neuronal stimulation.

Topoisomerases are proteins that act on DNA, relaxing this topological stress by eliminating both an excess (positive supercoiling) and a defect (negative supercoiling) in the number of turns of the double helix compared to its normal relaxed structure.

The researchers demonstrated in this study that topoisomerase TOP2A eliminates negative supercoiling at gene promoters, thereby causing an increase in the number of turns of DNA strands in these regions. This hinders the opening of the double helix, preventing the RNA polymerase from advancing and leaving it ready to quickly trigger gene activation when required by the cell.

Topoisomerases are considered gene activation facilitators, although here we demonstrate that topoisomerase TOP2A acts in the promoter regions of genes such as c-FOS [cell proliferation regulator] to keep them repressed, but creating a particular topological context that allows them to be activated quickly in order to provide an immediate response to stimuli, said Corts.

The researchers also suggest the possibility of other functions of DNA supercoiling, such as facilitating a three-dimensional (3D) conformation of the genome favouring interactions between regulatory elements for gene expression.

This new form of genomic regulation through supercoiling highlights its potential involvement in processes that are fundamental to cell function and that require profound changes in gene expression programmes, such as cell differentiation or reprogramming, as well as in tumour transformation and progression.

The paper also opens up the possibility of using topoisomerase inhibitors to modulate these processes and cellular responses and perhaps even as possible antitumour therapies, concluded Corts.

The results are published in Cell Reports.

Go here to read the rest:
Structure of DNA actively involved in genome regulation, study shows - Drug Target Review

Battle Ground resident Lee Cutbirth added some love and long lost family members to his life this year.

Born in Torrance, Calif. in October of 1957, Cutbirth spent the first few years of his life thinking he had no biological brothers and sisters. Until he was adopted by Norm Cutbirth at the age of nine, Cutbirth and his cousin, Michael Heiller lived with a few different family members in southern California.

Mike and I lived with my (biological) mother and (biological) father for just a short time, Cutbirth said. Mike was still a baby when we were given to my grandparents.

Now 63, Cutbirth lives in Battle Ground with his wife, Allison. In 2007, Cutbirth was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare hereditary disease that causes the eyes and vision to degenerate, resulting in vision loss and impairment. Cutbirth has been legally blind since 2016. He retired after nearly 40 years in the food industry.

Due to his condition, Cutbirth learned he was eligible for a study at the Oregon Health and Science University, barring one unique exception.

Part of the requirement for the study is that you have to have DNA available for both sides of the family, Cutbirth said. I didnt have that.

At the urging of his wife, Cutbirth looked into DNA testing companies. After reading the privacy statements of several, he decided to give 23andMe a shot.

I also wanted to see if I could find any relatives on my fathers side, he said. Good news is, I found my relatives. Bad news is, the family story of my biological father is rather awful.

After sending in his DNA sample, Cutbirth was contacted through the 23andMe website by Joan Singleton, a first cousin he had never met.

Finding out about new family members wasnt a completely new experience for Cutbirth. When he was in his 30s, he and Heiller learned they werent cousins. Rather, the duo shared a biological mother and likely the same biological father, John Edward (Jack) Lawless.

My biological father wasnt a peach, Cutbirth said. He was a womanizer.

Singleton is the daughter of Jack Lawless brother, Walter, and reached out to Cutbirth in an attempt to connect with her newly found cousin. In an email from Singleton, Cutbirth learned he had a few family members he had never known about, including his half-sister, Geraldine Gerry Piper.

Everything was a bit overwhelming at first, Cutbirth said about finding his long lost family members. Its really nice to find family and its a hell of a story. Out of everything I learned, the positive is Gerry, who had a much rougher life than I had.

According to Cutbirth, Piper was born at the same hospital as him in Torrance, Calif., just a few months later in January of 1958.

Adopted at birth, his half-sister Piper has been on a quest her whole life to find her biological family. According to Cutbirth, once California changed some laws regarding adoption records in the early 2000s, Piper was able to obtain a copy of her birth certificate.

They didnt even give her a name, Cutbirth said about Pipers biological mother and father.

In March, Singleton connected Cutbirth and Piper over email and the duo immediately hit it off.

Gerry and I have really only known each other for two months and the connection was amazing, Cutbirth said. There really is something to be said about biology. The connection was instantaneous.

Cutbirth said he and his new-found half-sister spend a few hours each week talking to each other over the phone. Despite only knowing each other for a few months, Cutbirth said the two have a lot in common. They have very similar tastes in food, enjoy the outdoors and have a knack for adrenaline.

She has it on her bucket list to do tandem skydiving. When she comes over here were going over to Depoe Bay in a Zodiac, he said.

Piper said learning about her long lost brother was surprising and exciting. It felt like she had fulfilled a life-long dream, she said.

I basically spent 59 years of my life not knowing any biological family at all except for my only daughter, she said. I immediately told (Cutbirth) to reach out anytime. He called me later that day and it was a dream come true.

Piper expressed resentment over adoption laws mandating sealed records in the country and believes that adoptees should be entitled to their birthright when they become of legal age. While she felt some of her childhood and experiences with Cutbirth were denied due to sealed record laws, Piper said shes grateful for DNA technology, which will allow her to meet her half-brother.

I am beyond grateful that he did 23andMe and we were able to connect that way and find each other, she said. Its sad to think of the adventures we couldve been on but that doesnt mean we still cant have some.

Piper echoed Cutbirths expression about hitting it off immediately. She has plans to fly into Portland International Airport on Wednesday, May 12 for a week of fun-filled events with Lee and Allison Cutbirth. They plan to go whale watching at Depoe Bay, ziplining at Skamania Lodge and will visit Multnomah Falls. Cutbirth expressed joy about finally meeting Piper in-person and said he cherishes the relationship. He wants to travel to Florida someday to see Pipers neck of the woods.

It is emotionally indescribable, Piper said about connecting with Cutbirth. Its exciting that we get to share these experiences together as siblings for the very first time. My excitement is beyond words.

Read the original:
Battle Ground man discovers relatives through DNA testing - The Reflector

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Recombinant DNA Technology - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Recombinant DNA Technology estimated at US$609.8 Million in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$841.3 Million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% over the period 2020-2027.

Medical, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record 5.2% CAGR and reach US$631.4 Million by the end of the analysis period. After an early analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Non-Medical segment is readjusted to a revised 3.4% CAGR for the next 7-year period.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $179.7 Million, While China is Forecast to Grow at 4.4% CAGR

The Recombinant DNA Technology market in the U.S. is estimated at US$179.7 Million in the year 2020. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$148.5 Million by the year 2027 trailing a CAGR of 4.4% over the analysis period 2020 to 2027. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 4.5% and 3.7% respectively over the 2020-2027 period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 3.9% CAGR.

Select Competitors (Total 32 Featured):

Key Topics Covered:

I. METHODOLOGY

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. MARKET OVERVIEW

2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS

3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE

III. MARKET ANALYSIS

IV. COMPETITION

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/d4621s

Read the original here:
$609.8 Million Worldwide Recombinant DNA Technology Industry to 2027 - Impact of COVID-19 on the Market - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

Another day, another set of new dino gear in Jurassic Park at Universals Islands of Adventure. Were starting to think this new line of merchandise is as long as Mr. DNAs namesake. Lets take a look at todays finds!

This tan tee features the mighty T-Rex and a warning to Keep Your Distance.

The shirt is also branded with Universal Studios.

If you like coordinating your accessories, theres a gray backpack to match the t-shirt above. It has the same T-Rex image and Keep Your Distance text.

There is one zippered pocket on the front of the bag.

The Let Em Live, Let Em Roam logo stamp of the fictional Rural Dinosaur Conservationists of the United States of America returns, this time on a gray sweatshirt.

Various dinosaur footprints make their way up the sleeves.

This bright orange youth t-shirt bears a reminder of Camp Cretaceous #1 Rule: Dont Get Eaten. The Camp Cretaceous logo and a Velociraptor head are also featured.

Another piece of Mr. DNA merchandise has arrived! This sleek black mug showcases Mr. DNA and his new retro-style logo on one side and the Jurassic World logo on the other.

You can match your kids socks to their shirt with these Camp Cretaceous socks featuring the same friendly reminder to avoid becoming dino-chow.

The other side of the socks has a whole flock of velociraptors and the Camp Cretaceous logo.

Mr. DNA, we meet again. These stylish socks star the strand of DNA plus a guide on How to make a dinosaur.

Everything (except the socks) was found at Jurassic Outfitters. The socks were found in the Dino Store, adjacent to Burger Digs.

While we were shopping, we noticed a lot of the VelociCoaster merchandise had been removed from the main stores. A new Jurassic World Tribute Store is coming soon to Universal Studios Florida, so likely the merchandise has been moved there.

Stay tuned to UPNT for more Jurassic Park and VelociCoaster news.

Related

Originally posted here:
Even More Jurassic World, Camp Cretaceous, and Mr. DNA Merchandise Roams Into Universal's Islands of Adventure - wdwnt.com

In-Person and Virtual Science Camps in New York

The DNALC is the world's first science center devoted entirely to genetics education. We offer fun and challenging camps for science enthusiasts entering 6th12th grades. Guided by experienced instructors, students use sophisticated laboratory and computer equipment to perform experiments several grade levels ahead of their peers.

While our centers closed temporarily to the public in March 2020, the DNALC has continued to offer academic summer camps virtually. Now, we are welcoming back students in-person and virtually to join the fun while engaging in a high-level scientific lab experience. For more details, be sure to review our Camp Info.

In-person summer programs at our new facility in Brooklyn New York include hands-on labs that give learners the opportunity to use modern molecular biology techniques and tools. Students can join camps like Fun with DNA or Genome Science.

Wherever you attend, we have taken necessary precautions to ensure classmates and educators stay safe as we continue offering our in-person camps and courses throughout the summer (See our COVID-19 Safety Net).

Our virtual camps are offered two ways: live instruction, where students attend camp from home alongside a class of students, and On-Demand with pre-recorded daily lessons and materials so students can complete the curriculum at their own pace. These virtual science camps can be taken by middle or high school students anywhere, including outside of the NYC and Long Island areas.

To replicate the same hands-on science and enrichment learning, students attending virtually will also receive kits that contain any needed lab materials, camp-specific workbooks, and learning protocols. Students will also have access to a DNALC educator so they can share their lab results, ask questions, or troubleshoot labs.

Whether students attend an in-person science camp in New York or join virtually, they'll be able to take advantage of benefits such as:

From forensics to DNA barcoding to the world of enzymes, we have a variety of STEM summer camps planned for this summer. During the year, we invite students to learn and immerse themselves in the world of biology and genetics through an on-site visit to our DNA Learning Center or in one of our virtual camps.

Ready to get your students involved in hands-on science activities at a world-class lab? Get registered for our science summer camps in NYC or on Long Island today or request more information about our field trips.

Originally posted here:
Science Camps | CSHL DNA Learning Center

Our Paternity Tests

With a paternity test you can clear all your doubts. Paternity testing is a sensitive issue with all of our clients, and we ensure that we keep this process smooth and simple. The accuracy of our tests will make it possible for you to rest assured in knowing that you have received an accurate result. Additionally, we also offer a range of paternity tests. Our home paternity test is the first step that we suggest discrete, quick and anonymous; this test is the first test to take should you wish to clear any doubt that you may have about the paternity of the child in question. We also offer legal testing and DNA profiles for those clients who may be involved in more complex legal scenarios; for instance, find themselves in court over issues of child custody, changing the name of the birth certificate of the child, child support, and other such legal issues. easyDNA also offers a cutting edge non-invasive prenatal paternity test which is 100% safe, meaning there are no risks whatsoever for the mother and child.

Should you have any type of relationship query, no matter how complex, we can help. Our portfolio of relationship tests is complete; we also offer testing between brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles with their nieces or nephews, and so on. Our tests include relationship tests, twin DNA testing, forensic DNA testing, ancestry test, genetic predisposition test and gender prediction testing. Our advanced DNA testing technology even means that we can recreate the profile of the missing, untested alleged father. We just need to know the information that you would like to know, and we will recommend to you the best test that you can carry out. Although most of our clients send us oral swab samples, you can actually send us a whole range of samples including but not limited to blood samples, hairs, and toothbrushes this means that you can carry out testing in a more discrete way using the sample that is most convenient for you. Tell us which samples you will use when you order your kit.

Our tests are performed in our internationally accredited laboratory to guarantee accurate results. Additionally, we follow internationally endorsed standards and must adhere to a formal process for ongoing evaluation. Laboratories must show consistency at every stage and with every test we carry out yours is no exception. We are also well aware of just how stressful opting to take a DNA testing can be so we ensure that you will receive your results in the shortest time possible. Usually, within 3-5 working days from the receipt of the DNA samples at our office, you will receive your results through your e-mail address. If 3-5 working days seem too long of a wait, we have an express testing option for you which offers results in only two working days. Convenience is the key to our service so to increase ease of accessibility, you will also be able to use our online result pick up system just input your unique code on our website at any time and receive updates regarding the status of your results. Results will also be sent by e-mail; alternatively, with a small, additional charge, you may request that a hard copy be mailed to you. Note that we also offer DNA art a new approach to art through which you become the creator of your own unique art based upon your DNA.

Every case is different, and we appreciate that you may have different needs and requirements; this is why we aim to provide a personalised service through our friendly and professional staff which will be happy and ready to answer any questions that you have. Our aim is to constantly achieve the highest levels of customer satisfaction because we value your perception of us and every aspect of our service. easyDNA will go beyond your expectationsIrrespective of where you may live, easyDNA can service and provide kits anywhere within Canada, including the cities of Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal. Our DNA test kits can be sent by courier or express post, thus enabling quick delivery of your kit. You can also collect your paternity testing kit in person from the Vancouver and Toronto offices. We have created the kit with your needs in mind, knowing that our clients need to get things done quickly, simply and efficiently. Simply follow the instructions that you will find inside your kit which contains everything that you need to collect your samples in just a few easy steps.

Original post:
DNA Testing and Paternity Testing Specialist Provider in Canada

One major question for the human mind is how life continues. One of the most important mechanisms for all life cells to give offsprings is undoubtedly the DNA Replication. DNA Replication answers to the question: "When a cell divides, where the extra DNA comes from?". What "DNA Replication" is? It is the process that can duplicate the DNA of a cell. The next step is the cell to duplicate!Every cell (of eukaryotes or prokaryotes) has one or more DNA (or RNA) polymer molecules that need to duplicate in order the cell duplication to take place. This is what DNA Replication -aka DNA Synthesis- succeeds.

In the eukaryotes (organisms with cell that have nucleus) the DNA is formed in two strands, each composed of units called Nucleotides. The two strands look like two chains that form the DNA Double Helix. The DNA Replication Process is capable of opening the Double Helix and separating the two strands. Then the two strands are copied. As a result two new DNA molecules are created. The next step is the cell division. After that a daughter cell is created. In its nucleus lies a copy of the parental DNA.

Follow the links in the left menu in order to find more info about the DNA Replication Process.

Follow this link:
DNA Replication

At least 5 trillion cell divisions are required for a fertilized egg to develop into an adult human, resulting in the production of more than 20 trillion meters of DNA! And yet, with only two exceptions, the genome is replicated once and only once each time a cell divides. How is this feat accomplished? What happens when errors occur? This book addresses these questions by presenting a thorough analysis of the proteins and sequence of events that govern DNA replication in all eukaryotic cells and by revealing linkages between DNA replication, cell proliferation, human disease, and targeted therapeutics. For example, at least 160 different proteins are involved in replicating the human genome, and 80 genetic diseases result either from mutations in these proteins or from errors in DNA replication or repair. In addition, more than 40 diseases result from replication of DNA viruses, and at least 14 therapeutic drugs are targeted to DNA replication proteins. Not only will this book provide a rich source of information for researchers, medical doctors, and teachers, but it will also stimulate thinking about the relevance of DNA replication to human diseases.

For additional information on this subject, chapters from the out of print CSHL Press monograph DNA Replication in Eukaryotic Cells can be downloaded here.

Melvin L. DePamphilis, National Institutes of Health, MarylandMore

Since 1933, the publication of books and other media by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press has assisted the Laboratory's purpose of furthering the advance and spread of scientific knowledge.

CSHL Press publishes monographs, technical manuals, handbooks, review volumes, conference proceedings, scholarly journals, and videotapes. These examine important topics in molecular biology, genetics, development, virology, neurobiology, immunology, and cancer biology. Manuscripts for books and for journal publication are invited from scientists worldwide.

Revenue from sales of CSHL Press publications is used solely in support of research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Read the original post:
DNA Replication and Human Disease