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It was 150 years ago today...

It was 150 years ago today...

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

My Dear Sir,-- The accompanying papers, which we have the honour of communicating to the Linnean Society, and which all relate to the same subject, viz. the Laws which affect the Production of Varieties, Races, and Species, contain the results of the investigations of two indefatigable naturalists, Mr. Charles Darwin and Mr. Alfred Wallace.

Thoughts of Encouragement on how to remove painful memories of the past.

Thoughts of Encouragement on how to remove painful memories of the past.

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

Thoughts of Encouragement are always helpful. I would like to tell you a story of hope. It’s really a simple story. It was a dark day in my life when my mother died and our father left us. I was four and my world had just shifted into what felt like a deep, dark pit. I would wake up shaking, wondering what horrible thing was going to happen next. Every day brought additional pain and sorrow. I went from a happy-go-lucky child to feeling like I was a freak. Isolation, embarrassment, and the painful sense of loss all seemed to consume me. My siblings and I were told no one wanted the three of us. Soon after our father left, my siblings were taken away, causing me to mourn for my sister and brother. All I wanted was to feel safe, loved, and wanted.
Giesecke & Devrient Halts Deliveries To The Reserve Bank Of Zimbabwe

Giesecke & Devrient Halts Deliveries To The Reserve Bank Of Zimbabwe

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

MUNICH, Germany, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Management Board of Giesecke & Devrient GmbH, Munich, today decided to cease delivering banknote paper to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe with immediate effect.

The company has taken this step in response to an official request from the German government and calls for international sanctions by the European Union and United Nations.

"Our decision is a reaction to the political tension in Zimbabwe, which is mounting significantly rather than easing as expected, and takes account of the critical evaluation by the international community, German government and general public," explains Dr. Karsten Ottenberg, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of Giesecke & Devrient GmbH.

In Time For Independence Day - Patriotic Lilacs

In Time For Independence Day - Patriotic Lilacs

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

Lilacs, though native to East Asia and Southeast Europe, were brought to North America by the first settlers and were sold in American nurseries as early as 1800. The oldest living lilacs in North America may be those at the Governor Wentworth estate in Portsmouth, N.H., believed to have been planted around 1750. In 1767, Thomas Jefferson recorded his method of planting lilacs in his garden book, and in 1785, George Washington noted that he had transplanted lilacs in his garden. Today, over two million lilacs are sold annually in the U.S., accounting for over $13 million in wholesale sales.

Lilacs are a part of U.S. history and in honor of that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently developed and introduced three new cultivars of lilacs. Honoring the patriotic role lilacs have played in U.S. history, the new shrubs have been dubbed 'Betsy Ross', 'Old Glory', and 'Declaration.'

Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute Reaches 1 Terabase, 300 Human Genomes In 6 Months

Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute Reaches 1 Terabase, 300 Human Genomes In 6 Months

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute has sequenced the equivalent of 300 human genomes in just over six months, reaching a staggering 1,000,000,000,000 letters of genetic code that will be read by researchers worldwide and aiding in the quest to understand the role of genes in health and disease.

The amount of data is remarkable: every two minutes, the Institute produces as much sequence as was deposited in the first five years of the international DNA sequence databases, which started in 1982.

The Institute has major roles in projects such as The 1000 Genomes Project, The International Cancer Genome Consortium and the second round of the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium, all of which will depend on DNA sequence to uncover genetics variants that are important for human disease. Next-generation sequencing is also enabling the Institute's own research portfolio.

Quotes about non-coding DNA.

Quotes about non-coding DNA.

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

I had a series of posts on Ye Olde Genomicron about what people actually said regarding "junk DNA" and non-function in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. I have been meaning to repackage this material for a revised and more synthetic series here, but I haven't gotten around to that as yet. For the moment, here are some quotes I came across while reading a few sources for a paper I am writing.

Remember, a significant number of creationists, science writers, and molecular biologists want us to believe that non-coding DNA was totally ignored after the term "junk DNA" was published in 1972, that the authors of the "junk DNA" and "selfish DNA" papers denied any possible functions for non-coding elements, and, in the case of creationists, that "Darwinism" is to blame for this oversight.  The latter of these is nonsensical as the very ideas of "junk DNA" and "selfish DNA" were postulated as antidotes to excessive adaptationist expectations based on too strong a focus on Darwinian natural selection at the organism level.

Green Elephants Choose Green Haulage Company For National Tour

Green Elephants Choose Green Haulage Company For National Tour

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, July 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- With Photo

- Life-Size Topiary Elephant Herd Transported by JPM Eco Logistics, the UK's Greenest Haulage Company

'Dragons' Den' stars Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis, along with their joint investment JPM Eco Logistics have made it possible for a herd of 13 life-size topiary elephants to tour the UK throughout the summer as part of 'The Survival Tour'. Designed to raise awareness of the plight of Asian elephants and the threat posed by man to their natural environment, the tour is a joint collaboration between the charity 'Elephant Family', The Royal Parks Foundation and the World Land Trust.

Endeavors Technologies Named A CRN Emerging Tech Vendor For Application Jukebox Virtualization And Streaming Software

Endeavors Technologies Named A CRN Emerging Tech Vendor For Application Jukebox Virtualization And Streaming Software

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

IRVINE, California and LONDON, July 1 /PRNewswire/ --

Endeavors Technologies, the pioneer in application streaming and virtualization technology today announced it has been selected by Everything Channel as a CRN Emerging Tech vendor for its Application Jukebox product. CRN's Emerging Tech list captures companies that are delivering high margins for solution providers with innovative and easy-to-use technology that undercuts industry giants.

The Loom has left the Sciblings.

The Loom has left the Sciblings.

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

Scientific wordsmith Carl Zimmer, most recently the author of the widely touted book Microcosm, has left Scienceblogs (the blog network by Seed Magazine) and taken up a new post as blogger and columnist with Discover Magazine. His new blog is located at The Loom.  Congratulations to Carl.  I think this is a much better fit.

 

MrTed Succesfully Completes Migration To Its New Data Center In Geneva

MrTed Succesfully Completes Migration To Its New Data Center In Geneva

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- MrTed Limited, the leading solution provider of Talent Acquisition Solutions, announced today the completion and successful migration of their primary data centre to Interoute in Geneva for MrTed's core solution, MrTedTalentLink(TM).

MrTed chose Interoute in Switzerland, Geneva because of their global infrastructure and its forward thinking approach to platform architecture, design and security. Interoute impressed MrTed with its optimisation approach towards operational efficiency, availability, security and its ability to react quickly as our business needs change. The technology and services delivered by its data centres meets MrTed's business requirements today and offers the scalability to grow as MrTed's business evolves rapidly.

TripAdvisor Acquires VirtualTourist And OneTime

TripAdvisor Acquires VirtualTourist And OneTime

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

NEWTON, Massachusetts and MANHATTAN BEACH, California, July 1 /PRNewswire/ --

TripAdvisor LLC, the world's largest travel community and an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE), today announced it has acquired VirtualTourist.com, Inc., a leader in user-generated travel content since 1999, and OneTime.com, Inc., a leader in travel booking comparison. Including VirtualTourist(TM) and OneTime(TM), the TripAdvisor(R) Media Network now attracts nearly 32 million unique monthly visitors.*

Senetek Announces Plan For Promotion, Sales And Distribution Of Pyratine-6(TM)

Senetek Announces Plan For Promotion, Sales And Distribution Of Pyratine-6(TM)

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

NAPA, California, July 1 /PRNewswire/ --

Senetek PLC (OTC Bulletin Board: SNKTY), a Life Sciences company engaged in the development of technologies that target the science of healthy aging, today announced that effective with the termination of its marketing agreement with Triax Aesthetics LLC for Pyratine-6(TM), all promotion, sales and distribution of Pyratine-6(TM) would be controlled and managed directly by the Company.

Manpower Software PLC Announces New Appointment To The Board Of Directors

Manpower Software PLC Announces New Appointment To The Board Of Directors

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Manpower Software plc, a leading provider of workforce optimisation solutions, is pleased to announce it has appointed Allen Swann to serve as Business Development Director and a member of the Board of Directors with immediate effect.

Allen Swann commented: "I am very pleased to be offered this opportunity to join the Board of Directors. My association with the company over the past 2.5 years has highlighted how important a role Manpower Software plc is playing in helping the UK Healthcare market more effectively utilise its staff, reduce costs, improve patient care and improve working lives. There is an immense opportunity for the company to continue to make a difference."

Microsoft Advances Volume Purchasing With Select Plus Offering

Microsoft Advances Volume Purchasing With Select Plus Offering

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

REDMOND, Washington, July 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- Built on customer criteria, Select Plus facilitates centralised and decentralised purchasing of Microsoft software and services with a single, organisationwide agreement.

The new Microsoft Select Plus Volume Licensing programme offers larger companies with multiple business units flexibility in purchasing, streamlined licence management, and reduced time and potential costs of renegotiating licensing agreements.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO)

Bad News To Bad Bugs: Northern Antibiotics Develops Novel Polymyxins With Reduced Toxicity

Bad News To Bad Bugs: Northern Antibiotics Develops Novel Polymyxins With Reduced Toxicity

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

HELSINKI, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The emergence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria has necessitated the use of polymyxins as the agents of last resort despite their known nephrotoxicity. Now Northern Antibiotics Ltd, a Finnish biotech company, has developed novel polymyxin derivatives which in early preclinical studies show signs of lower nephrotoxicity.

The derivatives contain three positive charges only, while polymyxin B and colistin have five. They bind to the isolated brush-border membrane of rat kidney at an affinity which is only 1/5-1/7 of that for polymyxin B. In vivo rat studies also show remarkable differences in parameters that are considered to indicate early kidney damage, such as serum urea nitrogen, albuminuria and cylindrouria.

Silence Therapeutics Announces Board Changes

Silence Therapeutics Announces Board Changes

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, July 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- Appoints Annette Clancy and Jerry Randall as non-executive directors

Silence Therapeutics plc (London AIM: SLN) ('the Company') today announced changes to its Board of Directors as part of the company's plan for growth.

Effective today, Silence has appointed Annette Clancy and Jerry Randall as non-executive directors and Iain Rugheimer has resigned as a director of the Company.

Atlantic Records UK Announces Innovative Album Offer With ITunes And Ticketmaster

Atlantic Records UK Announces Innovative Album Offer With ITunes And Ticketmaster

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- B-Unique, a division of Atlantic Records UK, today announced an innovative cross-platform marketing initiative with iTunes in the UK and Ticketmaster UK for Primal Scream's new album 'Beautiful Future' released on 21st July. Fans pre-ordering the album via the iTunes Store in the UK (http://www.apple.com/UK/iTunes) will be given an exclusive early option to buy tickets to the group's forthcoming tour.

From 1st July iTunes customers who pre-order a copy of Primal Scream's new album 'Beautiful Future' to be downloaded on 21st July when it is released will also receive exclusive access to a pre-sale at Ticketmaster.co.uk for the band's forthcoming UK tour.

EMEA Confirms Positive Benefit-Risk Balance With Raptiva(R) For The Treatment Of Psoriasis

EMEA Confirms Positive Benefit-Risk Balance With Raptiva(R) For The Treatment Of Psoriasis

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- European Commission Approved Product Information Update to Include Data on up to Three Years of Treatment With Raptiva(R), the Longest for any Approved Biological Therapy for Psoriasis

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 1 /PRNewswire/ --

Oil Refineries Signed An Agreement To Purchase 31.25% Of Mercury Israel, Supplier Of 50% Of The Refueling Services In Ben Gurion

Oil Refineries Signed An Agreement To Purchase 31.25% Of Mercury Israel, Supplier Of 50% Of The Refueling Services In Ben Gurion

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

HAIFA, Israel, July 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- Enters Into Partnership With Mercury Air Group, a US Based Aviation Refuelling Company

Oil Refineries Ltd. (TASE: ORL.TA) ("Oil Refineries" or the "Company") announced that on June 30, 2008 it signed an agreement for the purchase of 31.25% of Mercury Aviation (Israel) Ltd (hereafter "Mercury Israel") which engages in aviation refuelling services at Ben Gurion Airport, Israel's main international airport. The shares are purchased from a third party, unrelated to the Company or its shareholders and the price paid for the shares is NIS 2.7 million.

Leading Mobile Operators Collaborate To Enable Rich Mobile Web Services

Leading Mobile Operators Collaborate To Enable Rich Mobile Web Services

Jul 01 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- A leading group of mobile operators today unveiled a new initiative to create a blueprint and roadmap for opening up mobile functionality to encourage the development of exciting mobile applications without compromising customer security. The new initiative will be known as BONDI.

Supported by the OMTP members including 3 Group, AT&T, T-Mobile, Telenor, Telefonica, Telecom Italia and Vodafone, BONDI will provide a consistent and secure web services interface that can be used by all web developers across multiple device platforms. This will provide the opportunity for web developers to address a mass market of consumers and to drive the use of data services on mobile.