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Genetics

The Tragic Story Of Soviet Genetics Shows The Folly Of Political Meddling In Science – IFLScience (blog)

A few years ago, one of us (Ian) was lucky enough to be invited to visit the N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry in St Petersburg, Russia. Every plant breeder or geneticist knows of Nikolai Vavilov and his ceaseless energy in collecting important food crop varieties from all over the globe, and his application of genetics to plant improvement.

Nikolai Vavilov was pilloried because he wasnt a political favourite in Soviet Russia. Library of Congress. New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection

Vavilov championed the idea that there were Centres of Origin (or Diversity) for all plant species, and that the greatest variation was to be found in the place where the species evolved: wheat from the Middle East; coffee from Ethiopia; maize from Central America, and so on.

Hence the Centres of Origin (commonly known as the Vavilov Centres) are where you should start looking to find genotypes the set of genes responsible for a particular trait with disease resistance, stress tolerance or any other trait you are looking for. This notion applies to any species, which is why you can find more human genetic variation in some African countries than in the rest of the world combined.

By the late 1920s, as director of the Lenin All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Vavilov soon amassed the largest seed collection on the planet. He worked hard, he enjoyed himself, and drove other eager young scientists to work just as hard to make more food for the people of the Soviet Union.

However, things did not go well for Vavilov politically. How did this visionary geneticist, who aimed to find the means for food security, end up starving to death in a Soviet gulag in 1943?

Heroic science?

Enter the villain, Trofim Lysenko, ironically a protg of Vavilovs. The notorious Vavilov-Lysenko antagonism became one of the saddest textbook examples of a futile effort to resolve scientific debate using a political approach.

Lysenkos theories went against the latest science, but prevailed due to politics. Wikimedia

Lysenkos name leapt from the pages of history and into the news when Australias Chief Scientist, Alan Finkel, mentioned him during a speech at a meeting of chief scientists in Canberra this week.

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The Tragic Story Of Soviet Genetics Shows The Folly Of Political Meddling In Science - IFLScience (blog)

Genetics

Myriad Genetics: Fairly Valued? – Barron’s (blog)

By Ben Levisohn

When a stock has been beaten up as badly as Myriad Genetics (MYGN) hasits dropped 57% during the past 12 monthsit doesnt take much to move it higher. So it shouldnt come as too much of a surprise that shares of Myriad are soaring today after the genetic testing company beat earnings forecasts and offered upbeat guidance.

Myriad reported a profit of 26 cents a share, topping forecasts for 24 cents, on revenue of $196.5 million, beating the Street consensus for $190.1 million. Myriad also said it expects to earn between $1 and $1.05 in 2017, ahead of analyst forecasts of 98 cents.

So is the worst over? Maybe, but Cowens Doug Schenkel and team argue that Myriads shares are fairly valued. They explain why:

Myriad remains in a transformation phase and visibility on the revenue growth outlook continues to be limited. For example, there are several key decisions in the next 3 months that could affect Myriads outlook, including: (1) a CMS Editorial review board to review CPT coding for hereditary cancer panels (Feb. 10-11; link); (2) a final Vectra DA CMS reimbursement decision (LCD comment period ends March 23); (3) a final Prolaris LCD intermediate risk decision (comment period ends March 23); and (4) a UHC contract decision for hereditary cancer testing (current contract ends in May).

Although the share price continues to decline, we still believe shares are about fairly valued considering the number of uncertainties across business segments. Relative to peers Myriad still trades at a slight P/E premium, but at a ~30% EBITDA discount.

Shares of Myriad Genetics have jumped 10% to $16.99 at 10:38 a.m. today.

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Myriad Genetics: Fairly Valued? - Barron's (blog)

Cell Biology

IFT20 protein’s role in helping cancer cells to invade – Medical Xpress

February 9, 2017 The functions of Ror2 and IFT20 in invasive cancer cells. In healthy cells IFT20 regulates the formation and function of primary cilia. Many cancer cells lack cilia, and these cells induce and sustain the expression of IFT20 through the high expression of Ror2. IFT20 promotes the formation of Golgi-derived microtubules by binding with the GM130-AKAP450 complex in Golgi. By doing this it regulates the deployment of Golgi and transport of proteins within Golgi, both important parts of the formation of invadopodia. Credit: Kobe University

An international research team has discovered that the IFT20 protein helps some cancer cells to invade by facilitating the transportation of membranes and proteins within parts of the cell.

Primary cilia exist on the surface of almost all human cells, acting as "cell antenna" that receive information from outside the cell. IFT20 (intraflagellar transport 20) is a protein present in most human cells that plays an essential role in the formation and functions of these primary cilia. In healthy cells it acts as a "cargo adaptor" to transport proteins along microtubules within cilia, but many cells lose these cilia when they become cancerous. This research has shed light on the function of IFT20 in non-ciliated cancer cells for the first time. The discovery has potential applications for developing new cancer treatment methods that block invasive cancer cells by targeting IFT20. The findings were published on January 26 in the online edition of Scientific Reports.

This research was carried out by an international team including Associate Professor NISHITA Michiru (Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine Department of Physiology and Cell Biology), Professor MINAMI Yasuhiro (Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology), Professor Victor W. Hsu (Harvard Medical School) and Professor Gregory J. Pazour (University of Massachusetts Medical School). Most cancer-related deaths are said to be caused by cell invasion and the consequent spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body (metastasis). To counter this, scientists are searching for the mechanism that controls the invasive properties of cancer cells.

Researchers already knew that a cell membrane protein known as Ror2 expresses highly in various cancer cells, and it promotes cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Professor Nishita's team investigated various kinds of non-ciliated cancer cells and discovered that Ror2 promoted cancer cell invasiveness by inducing the expression of IFT20.

Many tumor cells break through the barrier of the extracellular matrix and infiltrate their surroundings by forming protruding structures known as invadopodia (see figure). The formation of invadopodia requires membranes and proteins supplied by the intracellular transport system, using the Golgi complex. The Golgi complex must be close to invadopodia to deploy these materials. The team's findings demonstrate that in tumor cells, IFT20 induces the Golgi complex to form microtubules by promoting interaction between the Golgi proteins GM130 and AKAP450. It also regulates the structure of the Golgi complex and transport of proteins within the complex. "This research has clarified a new molecular mechanism related to the formation of Golgi-derived microtubules, and its important role in invasive cancer cells," said Professor Nishita.

The relationship between loss of cilia and a cell's cancerous properties remains unclear. IFT20 is involved in the formation and function of cilia in healthy cells, but in non-ciliated cancer cells it is now clear that IFT20 is responsible for the formation of invadopodia. By continuing to analyze the relationship between IFT20 and the loss of cilia, this line of research could help shed light on the fundamental question of why many cancer cells lack cilia. Additionally, if the specific regulatory mechanism of IFT20 in cancer cells is revealed, this knowledge could be used to develop treatment that targets IFT20 to block invasive cancer cells.

Explore further: Study reveals gene's role in male infertility

More information: Michiru Nishita et al, Ror2 signaling regulates Golgi structure and transport through IFT20 for tumor invasiveness, Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-016-0028-x

Journal reference: Scientific Reports

Provided by: Kobe University

A Virginia Commonwealth University-led research team has opened a fresh direction in the field of male infertility with a new study that examines the role of a particular gene in the formation of sperm flagella, which is ...

A cellular component known as the Golgi apparatus may play a role in how lung cancer metastasizes, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center whose findings were reported in the Nov. 21 ...

A family of proteins called G proteins are a recognized component of the communication system the human body uses to sense hormones and other chemicals in the bloodstream and to send messages to cells. In work that further ...

Scientists at the Universities of York and Texas have found that a component of cancer cells, which acts like a 'cellular post office', could be the key to preventing the spread of lung cancer to other parts of the body.

The research, conducted at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), found that a slight regulation in the length of primary cilia, small hair-like projections found on most cells, prevented the production of fat cells from ...

(Medical Xpress)A team of researchers affiliated with multiple institutions in Korea has found that genetically altering a type of bacteria and injecting it into cancerous mice resulted in the disappearance of tumors in ...

A single blood test and basic information about a patient's medical status can indicate which patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are likely to benefit from a stem cell transplant, and the intensity of pre-transplant ...

A paradigm-changing Ludwig Cancer Research study reveals that short fragments of circular DNA that encode cancer genes are far more common in cancer cells than previously believed and probably play a central role in generating ...

Studies abound that point to a role for plain old aspirin in keeping deadly cancers at bay. While aspirin is not yet part of mainstream treatment for any cancer, it is recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force ...

Cancerous tumors are voracious. Once they have consumed all the oxygen and nutrients in the original tumor site, the cancer cells travel to other parts of the body (metastasize) to find more nourishment.

A QUT-driven project has identified the way in which melanoma cells spread, opening up new pathways to treatment via drugs to 'turn off' the invasive gene.

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IFT20 protein's role in helping cancer cells to invade - Medical Xpress

Genetics

Fulgent Genetics to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2016 Financial Results on February 27, 2017 – GlobeNewswire (press release)

February 08, 2017 08:00 ET | Source: Fulgent Genetics, Inc.

TEMPLE CITY, Calif., Feb. 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fulgent Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:FLGT) (Fulgent Genetics or thecompany) today announced that its fourth quarter and full year 2016 financial results will be released after market close on Monday, February 27, 2017 . The companys Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ming Hsieh, its Chief Science officer Dr. Harry Gao, and its Chief Financial Officer Paul Kim will host an investment community conference call the same day at 5:00 PM ET (2:00 PM PT) to discuss the results and answer questions.

The call can be accessed through a live audio webcast in the Investor section of the companys website, http://www.fulgentgenetics.com, and through a live conference call by calling 1-855-321-9535, passcode # 65226206. An audio replay will be available in the investors section of the companys website or by calling 1-855-859-2056 through March 6, 2017.

About Fulgent Genetics

Fulgent Genetics is a rapidly growing technology company with an initial focus on offering comprehensive genetic testing to provide physicians with clinically actionable diagnostic information they can use to improve the overall quality of patient care. The company has developed a proprietary technology platform that integrates sophisticated data comparison and suppression algorithms, adaptive learning software, advanced genetic diagnostics tools and integrated laboratory processes. This platform allows the company to offer a broad and flexible test menu while maintaining accessible pricing, high accuracy and competitive turnaround times. The company believes its current test menu, which includes more than 18,000 single-gene tests and more than 275 pre-established, multi-gene, disease-specific panels, offers more genes for testing than its competitors in todays market, which enables it to provide expansive options for test customization and clinically actionable results.

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Fulgent Genetics to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2016 Financial Results on February 27, 2017 - GlobeNewswire (press release)

Embryology

Center of Excellence for Poultry Science Hosts Open House for High School, Transfer Students – University of Arkansas Newswire

Photo by Sara Landis

Keith Bramwell, extension reproductive physiologist, assists a student during an embryology workshop at the Open House hosted by the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. The Center of Excellence for Poultry Science at the U of Arecently sponsored an Open House for high school juniors, seniorsand college transfer students. Fifty participating students came from Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois and Arkansas, and included prospective 3-plus-1 program transfer students from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Arkansas State University.

The 3-plus-1 Certificate of Poultry Science program allows for agriculture majors with an animal science option at UAPB to take poultry science classes at the University of Arkansas as seniors. Those courses are recognized by UAPB's School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences, and count toward degree requirements. At the same time, those students earn a Certificate of Poultry Science from the University of Arkansas. Completion of the certificate requires 26-28 hours of poultry science credit.

The Open House provided an opportunity for prospective students to meet poultry science faculty, tour poultry science facilities and learn about the many career opportunities available with a major in poultry science. There were three workshops students participated in: Cell and Molecular Biology, Embryologyand Food Product Technology.

"The Center of Excellence for Poultry Science Open House was a real eye opening experience for our UAPB students," said UAPB interim assistant dean for academic programs and extension livestock specialist David Fernandez. "Having the abilityto physically see the opportunities they would have as part of the UAF/UAPB 3-plus-1 Poultry Science Program generated a lot of excitement and discussion about their future plans."

Students participated in the Open House and afterwardattended the Arkansas-LSU basketball game.

Editor-selected comments will be published below. No abusive material, personal attacks, profanity, spam or material of a similar nature will be considered for publication.

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Center of Excellence for Poultry Science Hosts Open House for High School, Transfer Students - University of Arkansas Newswire

Embryology

Wilmington volunteer recognized with 4-H state award – Port City Daily

PortCityDaily.com is your source for free news and information in the Wilmington area.

WILMINGTON 4-H volunteers from across North Carolina gathered Feb. 4 to celebrate their accomplishments through the North Carolina 4-H State Awards Recognition program. The awards ceremony was held at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in Durham, N.C., and was attended by 4-H awards delegates, their families, 4-H staff members and volunteers, industry partners and sponsors.

Related reading:Communities In Schools: Changing lives one student at a time in Brunswick County

Melissa Hight of Wilmington, was recognized for outstanding service and commitment to the 4-H school enrichment program, Embryology in the Classroom. Melissa has made tremendous improvements to the program that brings fertilized chicken eggs to 2nd graders across New Hanover County. She also obtained funding from New Hanover County Farm Bureau to sponsor this program.

Melissa has brought embryology to several new schools, extending our reach to over 100 additional students this year. She also shares a lesson from the 4-H Embryology curriculum with students, going above and beyond by bringing props and energy with her. She leaves each classroom with a book about chickens and Im an EGG-cellent Kid! stickers.

These changes have taken a good program and made it great. Not only are students learning important facts about the life cycle of a chicken, they are also learning what 4-H is about and that it can be fun.

Leslie Dill serves as New Hanover Countys 4-H Agent. She received a B.A. in animal science from The Ohio State University and an M.A. in agriculture and extension education from N.C. State University. She can be reached at 910-798-7660 or leslie_dill@ncsu.edu.

4-H, the largest youth development organization in the world, is a community of seven million young people across the globe learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. To learn more about New Hanover County 4-H, visit newhanover.ces.ncsu.edu.

-Content provided by Leslie Dill, 4-H Youth Development

This content was provided by a community member via Local Shout, a new initiative at Port City Daily. Port City Daily cannot guarantee the accuracy of information presented in this story. If you have additional information or would like to submit a story, please contact shout@portcitydaily.com.

4-H, 4H, Local Shout, Melissa Hight

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Wilmington volunteer recognized with 4-H state award - Port City Daily

Anatomy

Ransomware 2.0: Anatomy of an emerging multibillion business – CSO Online

Technically speaking, almost all components of ransomware, such as spear phishing, watering hole attacks involving popular and trustworthy websites, antivirus evasion techniques or data encryption algorithms, are well-known and have been used separately by hackers since years. However, modern ransomware certainly merits a classification as one of the most evolving sectors of cybercrime in 2017.

Though it is quite difficult to calculate the overall damage caused by ransomware in 2016, some researchers state that cybercriminals received over $1 billion in ransom payments last year. Others mention a 3,500% increase in the criminal use of infrastructure that helps run ransomware campaigns. Carbon Black says that ransomware is the fastest growing malware across industries, up 50% in 2016. Technology (218%), utilities and energy (112%) and banking (93%) saw the highest year-on-year ransomware growth last year.

Due to an important lack of qualified technical personnel and other resources, law enforcement agencies are globally unprepared to detect, prevent and prosecute this type of digital crime. Moreover, more and more cases of ransom payment by the police have become public, while those police officers who dare to resist take a substantive risk. There is the Texas police who lost eight years of their investigative work and all of the evidence by refusing to pay cybercriminals. This sad statistic explains why the majority of despaired victims of cybercrime fail to report it to the law enforcement agencies.

Attackers can easily rent a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) infrastructure for as low as $39.99 per month, making up to $195,000 of monthly profit without much effort in comparison to other niches of digital fraud and crime. The business of ransomware has become so attractive that some cybercriminals dont even bother to actually encrypt the data, but just extort money from their victims with fake malware. The victims are so scared by media stories about ransomware, combined with law enforcement agencies inability to protect them or at least to punish the offenders, that they usually pay.

The new generation of ransomware attacks IoT and smart devices, locking not only mobiles and smart TVs, but also doors in hotels and air conditioning systems in luxury smart houses. Criminals switch from file encryption to database encryption and web applications, demonstrating a great scalability of ransomware tactics.

To increase their profits, hacking teams behind the ransomware campaigns now threaten to send the victims sensitive data to all of their contacts instead of just deleting it. Cryptocurrencies allow attackers to receive online payments almost without any risk of being traced and prosecuted. Despite the media hype around blockchains ability to reinvent and improve the world, so far only the cybercriminals have entirely leveraged the full potential of this emerging technology.

A simple business model, high profits, accessibility and affordability of resources to deploy large-scale attacking campaigns, and low risks in comparison to other sectors of (cyber)crime, assure the flourishing future of ransomware. All of this without mentioning the problem of global inequality actually causing the cybercrime, which I briefly described in Forbes recently.

Nonetheless, it does not mean that organizations should give up. The FBI confirms the skyrocketing problem of ransomware, but suggests relying on prevention rather than paying ransom to the criminals. PwC also suggests to plan and prepare the organization to this kind of incident in order to have internal capabilities to recover without suffering important financial losses.

Some cybersecurity vendors, like SentinelOne, contractually guarantee protection and provide a financial insurance for their clients. Others, like Kaspersky, offer free tools to decrypt data compromised by popular malware. Last, but not least, Europols No More Ransom public-private partnership with other law enforcement agencies and leading cybersecurity companies, provides a comprehensive collection of free tools to recover the data and clean the systems infected with ransomware.

Below are six essential steps that will help you avoid paying ransoms:

By following those rules, any company and organization can significantly reduce their risk of having to pay ransom. Attackers would rather target easy and unprepared victims, instead of spending their efforts on any particular organization. Properly implemented security standards, like ISO 27001, can also prevent the vast majority of costly ransomware incidents.

However, keep in mind that information security starts with factual security, not with a paper-based compliance. If your IT infrastructure is secure in practice, you will not only easily pass the majority of compliance and regulation requirements, but you will also defend your business from many vectors of cybercrime, including the growing monster of ransomware.

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Ransomware 2.0: Anatomy of an emerging multibillion business - CSO Online

Anatomy

The Woman Behind a Secret Grey’s Anatomy Experiment – WNYC

In 2006, editors from Newsweek magazine picked this picture for the front of an issue on the 25th anniversary of AIDS. The woman, Jennifer Jako, was HIV positive and 6 months pregnant. (Ethan Hill ) Feb 8, 2017 by Kenny Malone

About nine years ago, 17.5 million people tuned into an episode of Greys Anatomy that, on the surface, appeared like any other high-stakes surgery, high-drama love triangles. What those millions of Greys viewers didnt know was that they were guinea pigs for a massive, secret experiment.

That experiment was arguably a referendum about a single woman: Jennifer Jako, and her decision to become a mother.

In 1991, at the age of 18, Jako had a one night stand with a high-school friend. It was the only time shed ever had sex without a condom. She contracted HIV and spent years trying to debunk misconceptions: producing a documentary that aired on MTV, speaking at college campuses and on talk shows.

Over time, the countrys view of HIV evolved. As people started living longer, stigma decreased. People generally understood that the infection wasnt a death sentence any longer.

But there was one area people couldnt seem to understand: Pregnancy. Studies showed the general public simply didnt know or didnt believe that an HIV-positive woman, with the right treatment, had a tremendously low chance of passing the virusonto her baby less than 2-percent at the time.

Jennifer Jako got a cruel lesson in where the public stood when she appeared on the cover of Newsweek magazine, six months pregnant.

Later, as an experiment, the Kaiser Family Foundation decided to see if they could move the needle by trying something totally different: product placement of medical information in a Greys Anatomy episode.

In this episode of Only Human we tell the epic story of Jennifer Jako and how she managed to sneak into our livings rooms and, possibly, change public opinion forever.

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Only Human is a show about health that we all can relate to. Because every body has a story. Produced by WNYC Studios.

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The Woman Behind a Secret Grey's Anatomy Experiment - WNYC

Anatomy

The Anatomy of Washington Husky Quarterback Jake Browning … – FOXSports.com

Washington Husky Quarterback Jake Browning is recovering from surgery on his throwing shoulder. Heres why this is very good news

Quarterback Jake Browning led the Washington Huskies to the NCAA football playoffs. There, he ran into a tough Alabama defense and the team lost the game 24-7. But unknown to many, Browning was not up to 100%. In fact, he had injured his throwing shoulder early in the season in the home victory over Arizona State.

The following week, the Huskies would lose to the visiting USC Trojans 26-13. They would not lose another game until the playoffs.

In retrospect, his performance in the Arizona State and USC games were below average for the young hurler. With a season average rating of 167.5, his Arizona State win came in at 61.4 percent completion for 338 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for a rating of 131.8. The following week, he completed 37.5percent of his passes for 118yards twotouchdowns and zerointerceptions for a rating of 106.3. In the playoff game facing Alabama, he completed 52.6 percent of his passes for 150 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for a rating of 83.9. All efforts contributed to the two season losses.

But an injury to the throwing shoulder can lead to below average performances. While we do not know the exact nature of the injury, we do know these facts:

So in summary, the injury is relatively minor. But based on the evidence, what is the most likely injury?

Nov 12, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Jake Browning (3) lies on the turf following a 21-yard loss on a scramble against the USC Trojans during the fourth quarter at Husky Stadium. USC defeated Washington, 26-13. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

In summary, there are three types of soft tissues that could be mended with a minor surgical procedure: cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

While cartilage is the plastic-like tissue that covers the ends of bones, acting like lubricant and shock absorbers, ligaments are the soft connective tissue that holds the joint together. Secondly, tendons are the soft connective tissues that anchor muscles to bones and joints. In the case of a minor shoulder injury, any of the three tissues could be injured.

Healing any of these types of injuries are similar in arthroscopic surgery. So lets discuss the process:

Phase I : Post Operative recovery This is the period of time immediately following surgery. Browningwill need to keep the shoulder as immobile as possible and to keep hisarm in a sling. The use of the sling keeps the weight of hisarm off of thesoft tissues which assists in the healing process. (through Feb 2017)

Phase II: Passive Physical Therapy For the next six to eight weeks, Browning enters passive physical therapy. Now he will work with a physical therapist to perform gentle, assisted exercises to help regain movement and range of motion inhis shoulder. Because damaged tissues are still actively healing,his shoulder joint needs to be supported during movement. (Mid April 2017)

Phase III: Active Physical Therapy Now the therapy changes from motion to strength. Browning will be tasked with building his shoulder strength gradually to avoid reinjury, but at an intensive pace to meet the demands of the 2017 football season. While this period will progress quickly, the minimum is likely to be three months time. (End July 2017)

Oct 8, 2016; Eugene, OR, USA; The University of Washington Huskies football team takes the field before the start of a game against the University of Oregon at Autzen Stadium. The Huskies won 70-21. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Husky Spring Football game will be held on Saturday, April 22nd. Its highly unlikely Jake Browning will be playing in that game. The team will likely have Tony Rodriguez, Jeff Lindquist, Blake Gregory, Daniel Bridge-Gadd and K.J. Carta-Samuels active for the game. The team also has 2017 recruit QB Jake Haener in the mix for the 2017 season.

It is very unlikely that Jake Browning will suit up for this game.

The Huskies regular season begins on September 1st on a coast to coast road trip to Piscataway, New Jersey to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. As of now, Browning will very likely be suited up and ready to go for the season opener.

With his shoulder fully healed, Browning should be far more effective to close out this season. It was the Seattle Times Adam Jude who first reported the shoulder injury to quarterback Jake Browning in mid January. He followed up with a second article on February 1 to confirm that Brownings status was determined to be doing well by head coach Chris Petersen.

Weve already had a plan you know, Jake is one of those guys that just loves to throw and throw and throw, Petersen said. So from really when he got here, weve been trying to back him off (after) these long years, to make sure. And so he should be fine for spring ball, but also want to give these other (quarterbacks) some really good work in spring ball. Chris Petersen per Adam Judes interview

And so, there was a little ambiguity here. Yes, Jake Browning is right on track. Yes, He will be fine for spring ball. He may even be throwing by then. But dont panic when he isnt suiting up for the annual Spring Football game.

He will be good, but he wont be THAT good.

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The Anatomy of Washington Husky Quarterback Jake Browning ... - FOXSports.com

Genetics

Scientists Discover 83 Genetic Mutations That Help Determine Your Height – Huffington Post

Ever wonder how much of your height you inherited from your parents?

A large-scale genetic study published recently in the journal Natureis helping shed some light on the factors that determine whether a person grows to be 6-feet-1 or 5-feet-2.

While scientists already had a good idea of the most common genetic factors that contribute to height, the new findings uncover a number of rare genetic alterations that can play a surprisingly major role in human growth.

Using data from the Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits consortium (a group also known as GIANT), scientists from the Broad Instituteat MIT and Harvard analyzed genetic information from more than 700,000 people, discovering 83 DNA changes that play a part in determining a persons height.

In their previous work, the same research team identified nearly 700 common genetic factors linked with height. Now, theyve identified a number of rare genetic variants for human growth that have an even larger effect than most common factors. For some people, these rare DNA changes may account for height differences of up to a full inch.

Overall, common variants still contribute more to height than rare variants, Dr. Joel Hirschhorn, the studys lead author and a professor of pediatrics and genetics at Boston Childrens Hospital and Harvard Medical School, told The Huffington Post. But, for the person who happens to carry one of the rare variants, the impact can be much greater than for common variants. For the variants we looked at, this was up to almost an inch... as opposed to a millimeter or less for the common variants.

Using a new technology called the ExomeChip, the researchers were able to scan the genomes of large populations to find rare markers that correlated with a particular height. They identified 51 uncommon variants found in less than 5 percent of people, and 32 rare variants found in less than 0.5 percent of the population.

With the addition of these uncommon variants, geneticists can now account for 27 percent of the genetics determining height up from 20 percent based on earlier studies.

Heritability is by far the largest factor contributing to individual height.

Today, in places where most people get enough nutrition in childhood to grow to their potential, about 80 percent or more of the variability in height is due to genetic factors that we inherit from our parents, Hirschhorn explained.

According to the studys authors, this method of testing rare genetic variants could be used to investigate uncommon DNA changes involved in other aspects of human health.

Looking at rare variants in genes was helpful in understanding the biology of human growth, Hirschhorn said. With a big enough study, similar approaches could be valuable in understanding the biology of many diseases, which could help guide better treatments.

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Scientists Discover 83 Genetic Mutations That Help Determine Your Height - Huffington Post