All posts by medical

Genetics

First genetic location found for anorexia nervosa – Medical News Today

Eating disorders affect millions of people in the United States, and anorexia nervosa is considered to have the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric conditions. For the first time, new research identifies a genetic location that helps to shed more light on the causes of this illness.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that affects both genders. However, the disorder is two and a half times more likely to occur among women, with almost 1 percent of U.S. women being affected.

Moreover, anorexia - along with other eating disorders - is reported to hit the transgender community relatively hard; around 16 percent of transgender college students reportedly have an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are a serious mental health issue caused by a variety of complex factors, from psychosocial to genetic and biological issues.

Anorexia can be a deadly disease. Of all mental health disorders, anorexia is linked with the highest mortality rate. Death can be a consequence of not receiving treatment, but 1 in 5 anorexia-related deaths are a result of suicide.

New research identifies, for the first time, a significant genetic location that underpins anorexia. Researchers from the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine in Chapel Hill conducted a genome-wide study in an effort to identify the genetic basis for this psychiatric condition.

The new research was carried out by the Psychiatric Genetics Consortium Eating Disorders Working Group - an international group of researchers from institutions all over the globe - and the team was led by Cynthia Bulik, Ph.D., founding director of the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders and a professor at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden.

The findings were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

The research consisted of a genome-wide association study examining the DNA of 3,495 people with anorexia nervosa and 10,982 people without.

In genetics, the word "association" refers to a situation in which specific genetic variations - or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) - are found more frequently in people with a certain disease.

Using standard association analysis, Bulik and team calculated the genetic correlations between anorexia nervosa and 159 psychiatric, education, and metabolic phenotypes. "Phenotypes" refer to the set of observable characteristics that are a result of the interaction between our genes and the environment.

Bulik defines genetic correlations as "the extent to which various traits and disorders are caused by the same genes."

Overall, the study looked at 10,641,224 SNPs.

The study revealed strong associations between anorexia and psychiatric as well as, surprisingly, metabolic conditions.

Bulik and colleagues uncovered a genetic locus on chromosome 12: rs4622308. This genetic area has previously been associated with type 1 diabetes and autoimmune disorders, report the authors.

"Anorexia nervosa was significantly genetically correlated with neuroticism and schizophrenia, supporting the idea that anorexia is indeed a psychiatric illness. But, unexpectedly, we also found strong genetic correlations with various metabolic features including body composition [...] and insulin-glucose metabolism. This finding encourages us to look more deeply at how metabolic factors increase the risk for anorexia nervosa."

Cynthia Bulik

Additionally, the study found positive genetic associations between anorexia and educational achievement, as well as high-density lipoprotein cholesterol - that is, the "good" kind of cholesterol. They also revealed negative correlations with the phenotypes for body mass index (BMI), insulin, blood sugar, and lipids.

The authors note that the large scale of the study enabled them to come up with "the first genome-wide significant locus" for the disease.

"In the era of team science, we brought over 220 scientists and clinicians together to achieve this large sample size. Without this collaboration we would never have been able to discover that anorexia has both psychiatric and metabolic roots," notes co-author Gerome Breen, Ph.D., of King's College London in the United Kingdom.

Learn how deep brain stimulation may be an effective treatment for anorexia.

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First genetic location found for anorexia nervosa - Medical News Today

Genetics

Breaking: Finnish report prompts petunia genetics investigation in the US – Greenhouse Management

The USDA is working with breeders to move forward after the discovery of potentially genetically engineered petunias.

Following the news that orange-colored petunia varieties in Europe had been found to be genetically engineered (GE), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched an investigation into potentially affected varieties imported, distributed and grown in the U.S. without appropriate authorization.

Petunia breeders have been in contact with the USDA, which circulated a document dated May 11, 2017, listing some of the potentially affected implicated varieties, and instructions for how to destroy the seed and plants. The following plants are listed:

Pegasus Orange Morn Pegasus Orange Pegasus Table Orange Potunia Plus Papaya Go!Tunia Orange Bonnie Orange known as Starlet Orange in North America African Sunset Sanguna Patio Salmon Sanguna Salmon Trilogy Red Trilogy Deep Purple Trilogy Formula Mix Trilogy Liberty Mix Ray Salmon Perfectunia Orange Perfectunia Mandarin Confetti Garden Tangerine Tango Confetti Garden Twist KwikKombo Color My Sunset KwikKombo Orange Twist

According to the document, USDA is currently conducting genetic tests on implicated varieties for which we have obtained samples. These tests will confirm whether these petunias are genetically engineered. As we obtain results from the genetic tests, we will provide updated lists of confirmed GE petunia varieties.

Evira, the Finnish Food Safety Authority, released a statement on April 27, 2017, regarding the discovery of genetically engineered orange petunias. Evira noted in the statement that while genetically engineered plants are not authorised for cultivation in the [European Union], The orange petunias do not cause any risk to people or the environment. Evira has decided to remove from sale seeds and planting stock of the ornamental plant petunia characterised by the orange colour of the flowers which has been produced by means of genetic engineering.

According to initial conversations with breeders who have been in discussions with the USDA, the implicated plants were not properly registered with the USDA as GE plants because no one seemed to know that they contained or were bred with GE plant material.

Since the news broke at the end of April in Europe, petunia breeders have been working to conduct their own tests to determine which plants are affected after it was discovered it was not just orange petunias that may have been bred with a genetically engineered plant.

We were completely shocked by the findings, says Mike Huggett, national sales manager for American Takii. American Takii's African Sunset was the orange petunia that prompted the investigation initially. We sent out the recall through our broker network and instructed the growers to stop sales [on African Sunset], and following that, we conducted some other trials internally, and confirmed Trilogy Red and Deep Purple had foreign DNA in them, so we initiated a recall on those as well.

American Takii only breeds using conventional means, Huggett says.

Takiis reaction was just to reclaim as much as we could because as far as the company is concerned, we dont do any genetically modified plant material, we dont practice in it, we dont want to, he says. Im not as much worried about the flowers as I am the perception about the vegetables. Thats when consumers get worried. Takii only does things the conventional way, even if it takes 10 to 15 years of work, you ultimately come out with something your customer can count on being non-GMO and the best breeding thats available on the market. The petunia loss hurts, but in the bigger scheme of things, I think its the perception of what the company is doing. You dont want to be associated with a GMO.

The silver linings for American Takii are that the GE plant is an ornamental, not an edible, and therefore not harmful to consumers, and their recently released Evening Scentsation petunia tested negative for the GE material, says Steve Wiley, COO and general manager.

"It's an ever-expanding list," Wiley said of the GE petunias implicated by the USDA. "Its one of those things where I think [the genetically engineered plant] sprang up during an age of innocence and perpetuated itself because no one even knew to look for it or fathomed that it was in the germplasm chain."

Huggett credits the USDA and the American Seed Trade Association for their quick work and helping us navigate through this.

You cant plan for this because it wasnt our intention, he says. We have to start picking up the pieces.

This is a developing story that we will continue to update as more information becomes available. The USDA did not immediately respond to calls and emails for comment and clarification.

Conner Howard, assistant editor of Garden Center magazine, and Chris Manning, assistant editor of Greenhouse Management magazine, contributed to this report.

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Breaking: Finnish report prompts petunia genetics investigation in the US - Greenhouse Management

Human Behavior

Humans’ sense of smell is keener than you think – CBS News

As you read this, take a whiff. What smells do you detect? How do these smells affect how you feel?

It's rare that people consciously take in the smells around them, but a new review argues that the humansense of smellis more powerful than it's usually given credit for, and that it plays a bigger role inhuman health and behaviorthan many medical experts realize.

"The fact is the sense of smell is just as good in humans as in other mammals, like rodents and dogs," John McGann, a neuroscientist at Rutgers University-New Brunswick in New Jersey and the author of the new review, said in astatement.

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People often think of dogs and rats as the superior sniffers in the animal kingdom, but humans also have an extremely keen sense of smell, McGann argued in the review, which was published Thursday in the journalScience. In fact, humans can discriminate amongone trillion different odors, McGann wrote, far more than a commonly cited claim that people can detect only about 10,000 different smells. [10 Things That Make Humans Special]

By overlooking humans' keen smelling abilities, medicine may be missing a key component of human health, McGann said. Smell influences human behavior, from stirring up memories to attracting sexual partners to influencing mood to shaping taste, he said. It's no coincidence that the French word for smell, "sentir," also means to feel; emotion and smell are often intricately linked.

When considering the senses, there's a reason smell is often shunted to third place behind sight and hearing, McGann wrote.

It started in the 19th century, when Paul Broca, a French brain surgeon and anthropologist, observed that humans have proportionately smaller olfactory, or smell-related, organs compared with other animals, according to the review. Broca also noted that people don't exhibit odor-driven behavior to the same degree that other mammals do.

This led Broca to hypothesize in his 1879 writings that smell had taken a backseat role to the other senses in humans in exchange for free will. Years later, Sigmund Freud piggybacked on the idea that human smell is inferior to other senses, suggesting that thesense of smellcould not dominate a rational person, according to the review.

McGann called these conclusions a "gross oversimplification," but they were then further supported by later research. For example, studies from the 20th century found that rats and mice have genes for about 1,000 different kinds ofreceptors that are activated by odors, compared with about 400 such receptors in humans.

It's true that humans have relatively smaller olfactory organs and fewer odor-detecting genes compared with other animals. However, the power ofthe human brainmore than makes up for this.

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"The truth is that 400 different receptors still offer a tremendous range. There are very few odors that humans can't smell despite having practically fewer receptors than rats, mice and dogs," McGann told Live Science. Part of the reason humans candetect so many odorsis thanks to their "much more complicated and powerful brain that's interpreting that information."

When a person smells something, odor molecules bind to receptors in the nose. These receptors send information about the molecules to the human olfactory bulb in the brain, which then sends signals to other areas of the brain to help identify scents. [Tip of the Tongue: The 7 (Other) Flavors Humans May Taste]

This is different from the way smell works in dogs, McGann said. Dogs have a "pump" in their noses that's designed to take in chemicals in liquid form (say, on the side of a fire hydrant) for identification, he said. Because the smelling mechanisms are so different, it's hard to compare humans to dogs, McGann said.

Many studies have linked the humans sense of smell to certain medical conditions.

Dr. Dolores Malaspina, a psychiatrist at New York University Langone Medical Center, agreed that smell can play an important role in medicine. Malaspina was not involved in the new review.

Malaspina has long used smell to help diagnose certain diseases, and her research has connected the human sense of smell with bothschizophreniaanddepression.

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"Smell among schizophrenia patients is often either distorted or decreased," she told Live Science.

Malaspina has also shown that a loss of smell can lead to depression. This may be linked to how odors trigger the growth of neurons, she said. [10 Things You Didn't Know About the Brain]

"There's evidence that these stimulations of the brain by odors may drive the making of new brain cells," she said.

Loss of smell has been linked to other health problems as well. A 2016studyshowed that a loss of the ability to detect scents was associated with early signs of Alzheimer's disease. And soberingresearchfrom 2014 found that a loss of smell may predict death within five years.

As people age, many gradually lose their sense of smell.Researchhas shown that 75 percent of people lose at least part of their sense of smell by age 80.

It's all the more reason, McGann said, to appreciate the power of human smell and its role in human health.

"When you lose your sense of smell, it's actually a big deal. It influences your ability to take pleasure in food and daily life," McGann said. "There's a significant impact of losing your sense of smell that's not yet fully understood."

Originally published onLive Science.

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Humans' sense of smell is keener than you think - CBS News

Genetics

Stock Concentration on Shares of Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (OTCPK:ILIU) – Lenox Ledger

Investorsmay be trackingfundamental and technical data for Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (OTCPK:ILIU). The company has a current Value Composite Score of 100. Using a scale from 0 to 100, a lower score would represent an undervalued company and a higher score would indicate an expensive or overvalued company. This ranking was developed by James OShaughnessy using six different valuation ratios including price to book value, price to sales, EBITDA to EV, price to cash flow, price to earnings, and shareholder yield.

Shifting the focus to some ROIC (Return on Invested Capital) numbers, Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (OTCPK:ILIU)s ROIC is -15.844075. The ROIC 5 year average is -8.915091 and the ROIC Quality ratio is -0.849448. ROIC is a profitability ratio that measures the return that an investment generates for those providing capital. ROIC helps show how efficient a company is at turning capital into profits. ROIC may be a good measure to view when examining whether or not a company is able to invest wisely. ROIC may also be an important metric for the value investor who is trying to determine the companys moat.

Traders may also be following some financial ratios for Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (OTCPK:ILIU). Currently, the firm has a Gross Margin (Marx) ratio of 0.191377. This number is based off of the research by University of Rochester professor Robert Novy-Marx. Marx believed that a high gross income ratio was a sign of a quality company. Looking further, Interleukin Genetics, Inc. has a Gross Margin score of 5. This score is based on the Gross Margin (Marx) metric using a scale from 1 to 100 where a 1 would be seen as positive, and a 100 would be regarded as negative. Investors may also be paying increased attention to the EV for Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (OTCPK:ILIU). The company currently has an EV or Enterprise Value of 19196. The EV helps show how the market assigns value to a company as a whole. EV is a modification of market cap, as it incorporates debt and cash for assessing a firms valuation. Watching a firms EV may be useful when comparing companies with different capital structures. EV can help investors gain a truer sense of whether a company is undervalued or not.Interested investors may be looking at the Magic Formula (MF Rank) on shares of Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (OTCPK:ILIU). Currently, the company has an MF Rank of 17026. Successful hedge fund manager Joel Greenblatt developed the Magic Formula which was introduced in his book The Little Book That Beats the Market. Greenblatt was focused on a method for identifying bargains when purchasing company shares. This included spotting companies that earn more relative to the stock price, or companies with a high earnings yield. The Magic Formula may help spot good, healthy companies. The MF is calculated using earnings yield and ROIC ratios. In general, investors may be searching for stocks with the lowest combined MF Rank.

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Stock Concentration on Shares of Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (OTCPK:ILIU) - Lenox Ledger

Embryology

Hopes are high Edinburgh Zoo panda Tian Tian will produce a cub after fifth conception attempt – Herald Scotland

EDINBURGH Zoo panda Tian Tian has been artificially inseminated after coming into season at the earliest time since arriving in Scotland.

As a result, zoo chiefs are now more confident than ever the giant panda will produce a cub the UKs first this summer.

The decision to go ahead with artificial insemination came after the zoo decided there was now no prospect of Tian Tian and Yang Guang ever mating naturally.

Panda experts at Edinburgh Zoo carried out the procedure in December after hormone monitoring revealed Tian Tian hit peak levels. It is the fifth time Tian Tian has been artificially inseminated.

Iain Valentine, director of giant pandas for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said it was important biologically for Tian Tian to breed and reproduce. Writing in his most recent blog last month, he revealed: We began hormone monitoring in December last year and as of 17/18 March Tian Tian hit peak oestrus, the earliest this has happened over the past six years and fully a month and a half earlier than last year.

As in previous years, behavioural observations made by our Chinese partners suggested that natural mating was not going to be possible, so artificial insemination was carried out using Yang Guangs sperm later on that weekend.

Tian Tian was given access outdoors a day after the AI procedure and both pandas are doing well, with Tian Tian splitting her time between her new nesting box and the wider enclosure over the past few weeks.

Whilst it is too early to say anything specific about breeding success and we will be careful in only updating you when we have concrete news we continue to believe it is important biologically for Tian Tian, a female in her prime, to breed and reproduce and add to a vital ex situ population outside of China.

He said the panda enclosure was reopened so visitors could view the pair.

The China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), Leibnitz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) and Roslin Embryology are believed to have assisted zoo staff during the procedure.

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Hopes are high Edinburgh Zoo panda Tian Tian will produce a cub after fifth conception attempt - Herald Scotland

Embryology

Illinois Bulletin Board – Agri News

May

Champaign County

May 31 Illinois Invasive Species Symposium: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Champaign County Extension office, 801 N Country Fair Drive, Champaign, Ill., 61821.

Kane County

May 22 Whats the Buzz? Promoting and Protecting Pollinators: 6:30 to 8 p.m., Kane County Extension office, 535 S. Randall Road, St. Charles, Ill., 60174.

Kankakee County

May 20 Bird Walk: 8:30 a.m., Aroma Land and Water Preserve, 1578 S. Hieland Road, St. Anne, Ill., 60964.

May 26 Butterflies and Straw Bales: 10 a.m., Shannon Bayou, 3301 Waldron Road, Aroma Park, Ill., 60910.

La Salle County

May 19 Native American Philosophy on Nature and Humans: 9 a.m. to noon, Visitors Center, Starved Rock State Park, 2668 East 873 Road, Oglesby, Ill., 61348.

Lake County

May 20 Master Gardener Plant Sale: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lake County Extension office, 100 S. Route 45, Grayslake, Ill., 60030.

May 24 Smart Phones, Apps: What Do I Do?: 10 a.m. to noon, Lake County Extension office, 100 S. Route 45, Grayslake, Ill., 60030.

Livingston County

May 22 Daves Supermarket Tour, Buying for Bone Health: 6 to 7 p.m., Dave's Supermarket, 120 S. 3rd St., Fairbury, Ill., 61739.

Macon County

May 20 Yes! You CAN: Preserving Practice, Tomatoes and Tomato Products: 9 a.m. to noon, Macon County Extension office, 3351 N. President Howard Brown Blvd., Decatur, Ill., 62521.

May 22 and 24 Food Service Sanitation Certificate Training and Exam: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Macon County Extension office, 3351 N. President Howard Brown Blvd., Decatur, Ill., 62521.

May 25 No Cook Meals: Your Diet, Your Kitchen, A Hands-on Approach for All: 5 to 7 p.m., Macon County Extension office, 3351 N. President Howard Brown Blvd., Decatur, Ill., 62521.

Macoupin County

May 19 4-H Pork Cookout: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Carlinville Square, Carlinville, Ill., 62626.

Madison County

May 20 Community Garden Workshop, Touring Local Gardens: 9 a.m. to noon, Madison County Extension office, 1 Regency Plaza Drive, Suite 200, Collinsville, Ill., 62234.

McHenry County

May 21 Master Gardener Plant Sale: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., McHenry County Extension office, 1102 McConnell Road, Woodstock, Ill. 60098.

Mercer County

May 20 Dig It, Move It, Plant It, Clean It Gardening Workshop: 8:30 a.m. to noon, Mercer County Fairgrounds,848 170th St., Aledo, Ill., 61231.

Tazewell County

May 19 Tazewell County Embryology in the Classroom Chick Exchange: 4:30 p.m., Tazewell County Extension office, 1505 Valle Vista Blvd., Pekin, Ill., 61554.

Union County

May 22 Illinois Extensions Southern Illinois Twilight Series Meeting: 6 to 8 p.m., Shawnee Hills Lavender, 480 Brown Section Road, Cobden, Ill., 62920.

Winnebago County

+5

May 20 Forestry Management - Trees, Wildlife, and Invasive Species: 9 a.m. to noon, Atwood Center, 2685 New Milford School Road, Rockford, Ill., 61109.

May 24 Freezing Your Summer Harvest: 1 to 3:30 p.m., Winnebago County Extension office, 1040 N. Second St., Rockford, Ill., 61107.

Woodford County

May 23 Its Tomato Time!: 6:30 p.m., Eureka Public Library, 202 S. Main St., Eureka, Ill., 61530.

June

Bureau County

June 29 Bureau and Lee County Farm Bureaus Gof Outing to Support Ag in the Classroom: 9 a.m., Chapel Hill Golf Course, 12927 Co Rd 26, Princeton, Ill., 61356.

Dekalb County

June 26 Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training workshop: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., DeKalb County Extension office, 1350 W. Prairie Dr., Sycamore, Ill., 60178.

Fulton County

June 23 Farm Safety Day Camp: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fulton County Fairgrounds, 1325 S. Main St., Lewistown, Ill., 61542.

Tazewell County

June 1 Tazewell County Master Gardener Plant Bingo: 6 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, 616 W. David St., Morton, Ill., 61550.

Illinois AgriNews welcomes listings of events that can be included in the Bulletin Board. Email notices to editorial@agrinews-pubs.com.

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Illinois Bulletin Board - Agri News

Cell Biology

UCI Prof Gets Alzheimer’s Funds – Orange County Business Journal

The Orange County Chapter of the Alzheimers Association will give UCI professor Matthew Inlay $150,000 over three years for research critical to developing more-effective strategies for understanding and treating the disease, the association said.

The local chapter of the Chicago-based national association is in Irvine; a separate Alzheimers organization not affiliated with either also has an OC presence.

The national Alzheimers Association is the largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimers research in the world, having awarded more than $385 million for more than 2,500 scientific investigations, according to the organization.

The research program is part of a global grant effort by the national group.

Alzheimers is the fifth leading cause of death in California and about 89,000 people in OC over age 65 will have the disease by 2030, the association said.

Inlay is an assistant professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center at University of California-Irvine.

He has degrees in molecular cell biology and biology from two UC System universities and did post-doctoral work at Stanford University, focusing on stem cell biology and development of the blood system.

He joined the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center as an assistant professor in 2013

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UCI Prof Gets Alzheimer's Funds - Orange County Business Journal

Cell Biology

The top 10 U.S. colleges for a major in biology – USA TODAY College

Biology is a popular major that provides students with a wide range of opportunities post-graduation. Students gain a broad understanding of life sciences along with the skills to perform research, which can lead to several advanced and specialized degrees.

A large number of biology majors end up doing post-graduate work in order to pursue a career in medicine.

Biology is the study of natural sciences, focusing specifically on structure and development of life and evolutionary processes. An important focus is the development of analytical and critical thinking skills, as well as learning to do research, collaborate with others, and present findings in a clear and understandable way.

This list of the top colleges for a major in general biologywas created by College Factual. Many of the best schools for a biology major have state of the art research facilities that attract faculty at the top of their field. Students have the opportunity to work closely with these professionals to assist with cutting edge research and prepare for successful careers of their own.

Salary data is provided byPayscale. College Factual uses a variety of public and private data sources to come up with their rankings.Read this article for a better understanding of itsmethodology.

MIT is a school well known for its STEM degrees and their major in general biology is no exception, as it is thebest ranked in the country! As a top research university with small class sizes, MIT offers a program that allows students to work closely with professors and their peers on variousresearch projects.

The general biology major typically prepares students for continuing education in research or medicine, with students taking classes in genetics, cell biology and chemistry along with elective courses in more specialized areas of the natural sciences. However, many students pursue work after graduation and achieve higher than average starting salaries of $62,000, and mid-career salaries of $83,000.

A degree in biology from Stanford University prepares students for numerous careers within the sciences. Students take classes in areas such as evolution, marine biology and ecology in order to further understand the living world. As the program advances, biology majors have the opportunity to choose elective courses that lead to an area they are most interested in.

Some students pursue medical, dental or veterinary schools, while others decide to focus on research in applied or life sciences. For those who choose not to pursue graduate work, average starting salaries are around $51,000.

A degree inbiologyfrom Stanford University prepares students for numerous careers within the sciences. Students take classes in areas such as evolution, marine biology and ecology in order to further understand the living world. As the program advances, biology majors have the opportunity to choose elective courses that lead to an area they are most interested in.

Some students pursue medical, dental or veterinary schools, while others decide to focus on research in applied or life sciences. For those who choose not to pursue graduate work,average starting salaries are around $51,000.

The Division of Biological Sciences at the University of California San Diego is a top choice for students who desire a high-quality education in the sciences. Itsgeneral biology majoris ideal for students who desire a broad and diverse education in a variety of subjects within biology. The specialized areas prepare graduates for careers within the biology field or for an advanced degree. Theaverage starting salary for a biology major from UC San Diego is $43,000, with an average mid-career salary of $87,000.

TheWake Forest University Department of Biologyhas a diverse team of faculty members and students that work together on research projects that investigate living organisms. The undergraduate biology major is interdisciplinary and relies on humanities and liberal arts courses to supplement the advanced science curriculum of evolution, physiology, genetics and molecular biology, and cellular biology.

WFU places a strong emphasis on research. Graduates of the program earn an average mid-career salary of $94,000, but that can increase with an advanced degree.

The undergraduate biology program at Emory University is designed to expose students to theories and practices currently used in the field. Students take diverse classes in genetics, neurobiology, evolutionary biology and ecology while working on critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Some biology students also pursue a minor inScience, Culture, and Society, which may lead to a position of leadership in public health and medicine. Emory University graduates have found top jobs following graduation in a variety of fields. Those with just an undergraduate degree reportaverage starting salaries of $40,000.

On top of being one of the best schools in the country for undergraduate biology majors, Notre Dame is also ranked tenth in the nation for overall best colleges. Graduates with a biology degree go on to make an average starting salary of $47,000.

Biology majors at Notre Dame have eight specialized tracks to choose from, including biomedical sciences, computational biology, evolution and genomics, and medical neurobiology. In each area, there are numerous opportunities for students, who can engage in research projects as early as their freshmen year.

Established in 1766, Rutgers is the eighth-oldest institutions of higher learning in the United States. Due to its high academic standards and reasonable price tag, Rutgers is a great value for your money. The university also boasts a high freshman retention rate and a low student loan default rate. The average starting salary for a degree holder in biology is $44,000.

The Division of Life Sciences offers courses in a number of specialized areas, such as molecular biology and genetics. In addition to the programs internal research opportunities, students may be interested in one of the joint programs available with medical, dental and physician assistant schools. These programs provide an accelerated path for earning a BA/MD, BA/DMD or BA/MS.

The University of Rochester is a top-tier research institution with a BA program in biology and a BS program in biological sciences. For the latter, students can choose to focus in one of seven specialties, such as biochemistry, molecular genetics or neuroscience. Upon graduating, students go on to careers with an average starting salary of $43,000.

The private research university is located on a beautiful campus adjacent to Bausch & Lomb Riverside Park and the historic Mount Hope Cemetery. UR is quite selective and about 60% of its students are from outside New York.

Established in 1856, University of Maryland is a public research university located about four miles from Washington, D.C. Biology is the most popular major at the school, and those who obtain a bachelors degree in the field earn an average starting salary of $41,000.

The Department of Biology at Maryland lets students choose between two specializations Physiology and Neurobiology (PHNB) and Ecology and Evolution (ECEV). Also, the department oversees the Biodiversity and Conservation Biology specialization that is part of the Environmental Science and Policy program.

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The top 10 U.S. colleges for a major in biology - USA TODAY College

Genetics

Cancer Genetics, Inc. Announces 15% Revenue Increase in First … – EconoTimes

Cancer Genetics, Inc. Announces 15% Revenue Increase in First Quarter of 2017 over 2016 on Strong Organic Growth While Continuing on Path to Profitability

RUTHERFORD, N.J. and LOS ANGELES, May 11, 2017 -- Cancer Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:CGIX), a leader in enabling precision medicine for oncology through molecular markers and diagnostics, announced today financial and operating results for the first quarterended March 31, 2017.

We are continuing to scale our revenue while making significant operational improvements as we execute on our vision to become the preeminent oncology diagnostics partner for biopharma companies, cancer centers and clinicians,said Panna Sharma, CEO and President of Cancer Genetics, Inc.We are growing market share in an industry undergoing a major transformation in its approach to oncology therapeutics development, clinical trials and patient monitoring. As the industry embraces precision medicine and individualized testing to drive higher standards of patient treatment and disease management, CGI is emerging as the diagnostic and testing partner of choice for biopharma companies, cancer centers and clinicians. Our team is actively working with 9 of the top 10 and 16 of the top 20 biopharma companies where we are providing critical molecular information and testing to help with clinical trials and in many cases developing innovative new tests and technologies to help improve patient diagnosis and monitoring.

The commitment we made to have the most comprehensive capabilities in oncology diagnostics continues with our launch into hereditary cancers with Focus::HERSite, further development into immuno-oncology through our Complete::IO panel, and the launch of our first liquid biopsy test, Liquid::Lung-cfDNA. Additionally, our partnerships to leverage artificial intelligence for clinical trial matching and drug development, is more evidence that we are building a leading and durable brand in precision oncology diagnostics. Our comprehensive, disease-focused oncology testing portfolio continues to grow, and covers 9 of the top 10 cancers, while we attract new clinical customers and deepen our relationships and projects with biopharma companies globally, continued Sharma.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE QUARTER

Our efforts to drive revenue growth while improving operating efficiencies continues to accelerate, commented Sharma. Total operating expenses were reduced another 14% sequentially when compared to Q4 2016, and our loss from operations declined 46% from compared to Q1 2016, moving us closer to profitability. While net loss on a GAAP basis increased year-over-year to due to certain accounting treatment, its important to note that $7.5 million of the loss is related to non-cash charges from the change in fair value of derivative instruments. Quarter to quarter, these non-cash charges related to changes in our stock price may fluctuate significantly and impact GAAP net income and earnings per share.

FIRST QUARTER AND RECENT BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS

The company reported total revenue of $7.0 million for the first quarter, compared to $6.1 million in Q1 2016, an increase of 15% year-over-year, driven by organic growth across all market categories: biopharma, clinical and discovery.

Revenue from biopharma partners and customers increased 11% to $3.7 million in the first quarter, compared to $3.4 million during Q1 2016. Additionally, the company increased the number of clinical studies and trials it is supporting to 140, up 12% from Q4 2016.

Clinical services revenue increased 20% in the first quarter of 2017 over the same period in 2016, from $2.5 million to $3.0 million. The growth was driven by an increase in clinical test volumes from 10,327 in Q1 2016 to 12,310 in the first quarter of 2017, an increase of 19%.

Discovery services contributed an additional $293 thousand in revenue for the first quarter of 2017, a 12% increase over Q1 2016, driven by significant demand for discovery solutions by research institutions where next-generation sequencing is combined with novel bioinformatics analysis. Discovery services, mostly performed in India, provides genomic and bioinformatics support for global discovery and pre-clinical initiatives.

Sharma continued, Our first quarter was marked by several important achievements and milestones. Were very pleased with the CLIA approval of our high performance next-generation immuno-oncology assay, Complete::IO, which meets the need for our customers to better monitor and stratify patient populations during immuno-oncology and immune therapy clinical trials, with the simultaneous detection of up to 10 markers on each cell. We also continue to gain traction on our solid tumor liquid biopsy testing platform with Liquid::Lung-cfDNA, which increases our ability to attract new customers and better service existing clients. The market for liquid biopsy solid tumor testing is expected to reach $20 billion by 2020. We are well positioned to capture market share. Given these market dynamics, we are confident that we are on the path to profitability.

Technologies and trends such as artificial intelligence, big-data, and combining genomic and immune-marker testing to improve patient outcomes and accelerate the discovery of new therapeutics are all areas that CGI is continuing to integrate into our business model and into our global business infrastructure. We believe our growing reach into the oncology ecosystem coupled with the strengthening of our operating fundamentals makes CGI a leader in developing and delivering oncology diagnostics from bench to bedside, concluded Sharma.

ABOUT CANCER GENETICS

Cancer Genetics, Inc. is an emerging leader in enabling precision medicine for oncology through the use of molecular markers and information. CGI is developing a global footprint with locations in the US, India and China. We have established strong clinical research collaborations with major cancer centers such as Memorial Sloan Kettering, The Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Keck School of Medicine at USC and the National Cancer Institute.

The Company offers a comprehensive range of laboratory services that provide critical genomic and biomarker information. Its state-of-the-art reference labs are CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited in the US and have licensure from several states including New York State.

For more information, please visit or follow us:

Internet:www.cancergenetics.com Twitter:@Cancer_Genetics Facebook:www.facebook.com/CancerGenetics

Forward Looking Statements:

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements pertaining to future financial and/or operating results, future growth in revenues, margins, research, technology, clinical development and potential opportunities for Cancer Genetics, Inc. tests and services, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements.

Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to, statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates") should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products, risks of cancellation of customer contracts or discontinuance of trials, risks that anticipated benefits from acquisitions will not be realized, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, maintenance of intellectual property rights and other risks discussed in the Cancer Genetics, Inc. Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 along with other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Cancer Genetics, Inc. disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Non-GAAP Financial Information

In addition to disclosing financial results in accordance with United States (U.S.) generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), this earnings release contains non-GAAP financial measures that we believe are helpful in understanding and comparing our past financial performance and our future results. The non-GAAP financial measures disclosed by the Company exclude the non- operating changes in the fair value of derivative instruments. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP, and the financial results calculated in accordance with GAAP and reconciliations from these results should be carefully evaluated. Management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information about the Company's core operating results and thus are appropriate to enhance the overall understanding of the Company's past financial performance and its prospects for the future. The non-GAAP financial measures in this press release include Adjusted Net (Loss) and the related adjusted basic and diluted per share amounts.

Reconciliation from GAAP to Non-GAAP Results (in thousands, except per share amounts):

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Genetics

Genetics determine how much coffee you can drink before it goes wrong – New York Post

The other day a patient came to see me concerned that every time he drank coffee, his heart seemed to twitch. Is this cardiac twitch a sign of heart disease? he asked. A doctor himself, he pointed to a study done in Zurich that suggested that drinking the equivalent of two cups of coffee reduced the bodys ability to boost blood flow to the heart muscle in response to exercise and that this caffeine effect was stronger at high altitudes. That got me a bit worried myself. Like many of us, I fancy myself an amateur barista. So how much should we be having?

When it comes down to it, the main active ingredient in coffee is caffeine. Caffeine is a plant alkaloid that occurs naturally in coffee, tea, guarana and kola nuts. Its considered the most widely used drug in the world. The good news is that caffeine improves lung function, helps glucose metabolism in the gut, aids athletic performance, and is used in medications for ailments like migraines. Many carbonated drinks also contain caffeine and when present, manufacturers automatically increase sugar content, as caffeine dulls sugar taste receptors. This increased sugar is what makes soda especially bad for you.

We metabolize caffeine at different speeds

It turns out that your cardiac twitch is related to your caffeine metabolism slow metabolizers of caffeine have a higher risk of heart attacks if they drink more than two cups of coffee per day; however, fast metabolizers have a reduced risk of a heart attack if they have at least a cup of coffee a day. I suggested that I run some genetic tests on my patient (and while I was at it, I thought Id test myself). Knowing your genetic type is important here, as when it comes to CYP1A2 and coffee, there are some interesting facts.

Those of us with the AA variant of the CYP1A2 gene are fast metabolizers, while those with the AC or CC subtypes of the gene are slow metabolizers. The risky ones are the GA or AA variants. My risk was not elevated, even if (in general) its best to limit caffeine to 300 to 400 milligrams each day. However, my patient had the GA variant, meaning that, if he drinks more than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day, his heart disease could end up being more than just a twitch.

The main varieties of coffee bean are Arabica or Robusta and the latter has twice the caffeine content. So how much caffeine does a cup of coffee have per cup? The results may surprise you:

Understanding your gene type and how much caffeine is in your favorite drink is important to make sure youre living your healthiest life especially if you love your coffee, as your genes may have other ideas for you.

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Genetics determine how much coffee you can drink before it goes wrong - New York Post