To save your heart, predict and prevent

On World Heart Day, September 29, an assessment of the cardiac health situation and the imperatives.

The heart is a pump. When that pump becomes weak, it is not able to pump enough blood and provide nutrition to various organs of the human body. This condition is commonly referred to as ‘heart failure.'

The incidence of heart failure is increasing by the day in the developing countries despite advances in health care. This is because of increased life expectancy with resultant increase in the size of the aged population, and also better awareness about the condition or ailment. Heart failure is the final pathway to cardiac diseases such as heart attacks, valvular heart diseases, hypertension (high blood pressure), and heart muscle diseases (Secondary to infections, the use of certain drugs, diabetes and also unknown causes.).

The incidence is one per 1,000 population a year. Above the age of 80 years the incidence becomes 10 per 1,000. The risk of death in untreated cases is 5 to 10 per cent annually. The common symptoms in the early stages are breathlessness and fatigue. In the advanced stages the urine output will be low, there will be extreme breathlessness, and swelling in the legs and face due to fluid accumulation. A majority of studies have shown that high blood pressure, when it remains undetected and untreated, can result in the gradual enlargement of the heart accompanied by the weakening of heart muscles, resulting in heart failure.

The treatment is oriented towards relieving the symptoms, improving the quality of life and reducing mortality and instances of repeated hospitalisation. Studies have shown that the readmission rate within one year is up to 30 per cent in such cases. This results in increased demand for hospital beds. The patient's finances are hit, and there is an impact on insurance companies and employers.

The management is either by means of drug therapy, devices such as pacemakers of a special type to improve the pumping capacity of the heart, or, finally, cardiac transplantation. Pacemakers are quite expensive and have only limited battery life. Cardiac transplantation has its limitations in terms of the availability of suitable donors. So early detection and prompt medical treatment are key to managing the rising number of cases.

In the developed countries there are special (heart failure) clinics for such patients. Many of them may need domiciliary care. These aspects of care are yet to come to India. Pacemaker devices and cardiac assist devices such as the artificial heart (which is a bridge to cardiac transplantation) are expensive. The cost may come down as more patients seek to undergo such therapy. Many of these patients suffer a psychological impact also and develop depression due to chronic illness, recurrent hospitalisation and the financial burden.

The number of cases of heart failure is bound to rise exponentially in the years to come. We should not wait till a surge happens. There is a need to predict, prevent, and be prepared in order to tackle the situation, before heart failure cases grow to such high levels.

(Dr. I. Sathyamurthy is an interventional cardiologist and director of the Department of Cardiology of Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. He received the Padma Shri in 2000, the Dr. B.C. Roy National Award in 2001 and a D.Sc (Honoris Causa) from the Dr. M.G.R Medical University in 2008.)

‘B' healthy with B-vitamins

Is fatigue, hair loss and a lack of appetite dogging your days? Then increase your intake of vitamin B, the veritable powerhouse of mind and body

Several generations ago, cooking in India was considered a fine art, one that took up the better part of the day. Women pounded their own spices, had access to pesticide-free produce, stored their own grains and prepared every meal with fresh ingredients. Family members ate together, and savoured every morsel.

Today, technology has transformed not just the way we do business, but our personal lives as well.

Preservation of food has indeed made some things simpler—it's now possible to throw together a meal in less than 15 minutes.

However, most packaged food that's ready to serve on supermarket shelves come at a cost that goes much beyond the price tag—these are laced with preservatives that strip our bodies of essential vitamin B.

Perils of processed foods: While providing you with a quick and tasty meal, fast foods and packaged products rank poorly in nutrition. In the long-term, this can take a toll on your health and wellbeing.

“Several studies have demonstrated that diets high in fat and low in nutrition place individuals at higher risk of vitamin B deficiency. The more processed the food, the lesser the vitamin B it will contain. Processes which include heating, radiation, prolonged exposure to atmosphere (oxidation), cooking with acids (such as vinegar etc) destroy most of the B1, B12 in the food.

Vitamin B12 and B6 deficiency is also common in strict vegetarians who do not drink milk or dairy products,” says Geeta Shenoy, a registered dietician based in Chembur, Mumbai. “‘B' vitamins are required by the body for production of energy, proper functioning of the nervous system, metabolism of fats and proteins, and formation of red blood cells. If you're experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, body aches, tingling of nerves, weakness, hair loss, lack of appetite, this could be related to a vitamin B deficiency.”

B 6--The Queen ‘B': Among the B vitamins, vitamin B6, experts say, is especially significant. ”Because of its key role in the formation of new cells, vitamin B6 is crucial to the healing of wounds and for the repairing of body tissues. Many skin disorders (like eczema) have been associated with this deficiency. Another critical role played by this vitamin is in the formation of red blood cells. So a B6 deficiency can also result in anaemia and fatigue,” says Seema Singh, head nutritionist at Alchemist Health Institute, a hospital in New Delhi.

Involved in over 100 chemical processes that take place every minute in our bodies, Vitamin B 6, Singh says, is a good vitamin to befriend. “It aids in weight loss, so it's important that you make sure you're getting enough. This vitamin facilitates the breakdown of glycogen (a form of starch) stored in our muscle cells and liver and helps in improving athletic performance.”

A recent study published in the Journal ‘Circulation', has linked low vitamin B6 levels with higher risk for stroke and heart attacks.

Since food is the only source for Vitamin B6 (as your body cannot produce it on its own), you must include it in your daily diet. “Excellent sources of vitamin B6 include spinach, bell peppers, turnip greens and Shiitake Mushrooms,” says Singh.

“Other good sources are garlic, tuna, cauliflower, mustard greens, banana, celery, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and watermelon.”

Keywords: Personal health, Nutrition, Health tips

Australian scientists develop 'needle-free' vaccination

Good news for the needle-phobic.

Australian scientists have developed a cheap and painless ’needle-free’ vaccination device that can be self-administered.

A team of 20 researchers led by Professor Mark Kendall, from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology at The University of Queensland, have developed the Nanopatch, a stamp-sized vaccine delivery device that could make vaccination programmes globally simpler and cheaper.

The Nanopatch, having 20,000 micro projections per square centimetre, is designed to directly place vaccine into the human skin, which is rich in immune cells.

And unlike the needle and syringe, which places vaccine into the muscle - which has very few immune cells - the Nanopatch puts it to our immune sweet spot.

“And by doing that we make vaccines work a lot better,” Kendall told PTI.

“The Nanopatch potential lies in it being cheap, painless, very effective being transported without refrigeration - and can be given without the need for extensive training,” Kendall said.

The removal of the need for refrigeration is achieved by dry-coating vaccine to the Nanopatch, which could have huge potential for developing countries like India, and many within Africa, he said.

The World Health Organisation estimates 50 per cent of vaccines in Africa do not work properly because the ’cold chain’ has been broken.

In a pandemic, the reduced dose would also make it easier for governments to supply sufficient vaccine to the public, he added.

The new device is simple as it does not need a trained practitioner to administer the vaccine.

The Nanopatch has to be worn to just 2 minutes or even less, thus giving a pain-free immunisation, he said.

The vaccine could hit markets in next 10 years, Kendall said.

The Nanopatch, described as a “vaccine utopia” was recently won Prof Kendall and his team the 2011 Eureka Prize for Excellence in Research by an Interdisciplinary Team.

The prize is part of the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.

Keywords: needle-free vaccination

Australian scientists develop 'needle-free' vaccination

Good news for the needle-phobic.

Australian scientists have developed a cheap and painless ’needle-free’ vaccination device that can be self-administered.

A team of 20 researchers led by Professor Mark Kendall, from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology at The University of Queensland, have developed the Nanopatch, a stamp-sized vaccine delivery device that could make vaccination programmes globally simpler and cheaper.

The Nanopatch, having 20,000 micro projections per square centimetre, is designed to directly place vaccine into the human skin, which is rich in immune cells.

And unlike the needle and syringe, which places vaccine into the muscle - which has very few immune cells - the Nanopatch puts it to our immune sweet spot.

“And by doing that we make vaccines work a lot better,” Kendall told PTI.

“The Nanopatch potential lies in it being cheap, painless, very effective being transported without refrigeration - and can be given without the need for extensive training,” Kendall said.

The removal of the need for refrigeration is achieved by dry-coating vaccine to the Nanopatch, which could have huge potential for developing countries like India, and many within Africa, he said.

The World Health Organisation estimates 50 per cent of vaccines in Africa do not work properly because the ’cold chain’ has been broken.

In a pandemic, the reduced dose would also make it easier for governments to supply sufficient vaccine to the public, he added.

The new device is simple as it does not need a trained practitioner to administer the vaccine.

The Nanopatch has to be worn to just 2 minutes or even less, thus giving a pain-free immunisation, he said.

The vaccine could hit markets in next 10 years, Kendall said.

The Nanopatch, described as a “vaccine utopia” was recently won Prof Kendall and his team the 2011 Eureka Prize for Excellence in Research by an Interdisciplinary Team.

The prize is part of the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.

Keywords: needle-free vaccination

Discover the World's Largest and Smelliest Flower

Rafflesias are a rare treat that can only be found at several locations in Malaysia and Borneo. Other than several pocket of growths in Peninsular such as in Belum, Perak, Rompin in Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak is the next best place to catch a glimpse of this stinky beauty. There exist several different species of the famed flower, the largest in the world, which range in size and patterns. The place to go to view them is Tambunan where the Rafflesia Center is located under the management of Sabah Parks. Viewing are dependent on season and luck and it would be better to give the headquarters a call and confirm if there are any in bloom lest you be dissappointed but don't miss the chance to view one if it presents itself, you'll never forget it. Also while you're there you can visit nearby destinations as well such as the tree house lodging at Gunung Emas, a highland destinatio with cool invigorating weather and rolling hills and valley or head off to the Mahua waterfalls nearby or even see the Paddy Fields in a sea of gold when nearing harvest season.

High coronary calcium levels up diabetics’ heart attack risk

A new study has suggested that notable levels of calcium accumulation in coronary arteries can be a sign of impending heart attacks and strokes in people with diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

The study led by UC Irvine’s Heart Disease Prevention Program, involved 6,600 people ages 45 to 84. The results showed that whereas 16 per cent were diabetic -- primarily type 2, another 25 per cent had metabolic syndrome, a combination of disorders that can lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

"Our study points out that there’s a wide range in risk for cardiovascular consequences seen in persons with metabolic syndrome and diabetes and that screening of coronary calcium by heart scans -- and, to a lesser extent, carotid arteries by ultrasound -- may be helpful in picking out those most vulnerable,” said Nathan Wong, UCI professor of medicine, director of the Heart Disease Prevention Program and senior author of the study.

"Our findings also suggest that individuals with significantly high levels of coronary calcium or carotid wall thickness should receive more aggressive monitoring and treatment for any associated risk factors,” added co-author Dr. Shaista Malik, a UCI cardiologist.

Keywords: diabetes, coronary calcium, heart attack

Vins Bioproducts Limited recruiting for Quality Control Analyst post

Vins Bioproducts Limited recruiting for Quality Control Analyst post :

• Job Description : Instrumentation Executive with BSC / MSC / B.Pharma with experience in analysis of Raw Material & Finished formulations using HPLC, UV Visible Spectrophotometer with experience of method development, validation calibration. The candidate should be familiar with various audits and should have experience in WHO-GMP / UK MHRA audits. 
• Desired Candidate Profile : Candidate with BSC / MSC / B.Pharma having 5-7 years of experience in analysis of Raw Material & Finished formulations using HPLC, UV Visible Spectrophotometer with experience of method development, validation calibration. The candidate should be familiar with various audits and should have experience in WHO-GMP / UK MHRA audits.
• Experience : 5 - 7 Years
• Location : Hyderabad / Secunderabad
• Compensation : Rupees 3,00,000 - 4,00,000
• Education : B.Sc - Life Science | M.Sc - Life Science

Contact DetailsVins Bioproducts Limited
Website : https://vinsbio.in
Executive Name : MR.SREENIVAS
Address : Vins Bioproducts Limited
Nagarjuna Hills, Panjagutta
Hyderabad
Hyderabad,Andhra Pradesh,India 500082
Email Address : sdaga@vinsbio.in,mrsprasad1970@gmail.com
Telephone : +91-40-23354550

Deadline : 24.10.2011

Seven opening for Freshers...Post : Research Associate...Company : Aurigene Discovery Technologies Ltd

Aurigene is a Bangalore based world-class drug discovery company with integrated capabilities for discovery and development of novel small molecule drugs.

Aurigene provides Drug Discovery Services for Lead Generation/ Lead Optimization. The Business Model involves collaborative Drug Discovery with partners, on a risk- and reward-sharing basis. Typical Aurigene projects involve starting with a partner's target protein and delivering an Optimized Lead, ready to go into clinical development.

Job Description : 

• Synthesis of complex peptides
• Expertise in solid phase/ solution peptide synthesis – Synthesis of long chain peptides, conformationally constrained peptides (bisulfides, lactams, and stapled peptides), lipidated and PEGylated derivatives. Good knowledge in synthetic organic chemistry will be an added advantage. The knowledge in handling automated peptide synthesiser is desirable
• Peptide purification and analytical characterization
• Hands-on experience with the purification and/or characterization of peptides, e.g. Capable of independently handling preparative HPLC purification and characterization of peptide using LCMS, MALDI, amino acid analysis and CD 
• Presenting experimental data at team meetings

Desired Candidate Profile : This position is in the Peptide chemistry within medicinal chemistry division, which is responsible for the synthesis, characterization, and optimization of peptide drugs. We are seeking motivated research associate/junior scientist/ lab leaders with an M.Sc (Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry) or PhD (specialized in peptide chemistry). The individual selected for this position will primarily be responsible for the design, develop the synthetic routes and purification for our peptide projects.
Experience : 0 - 5 Years
Location : Bengaluru/Bangalore
Compensation : As per Industry Standards
Education : B.Sc - Life Science | M.Sc - Life Science

Contact DetailsAurigene Discovery Technologies Ltd
Website : http://www.aurigene.com
Executive Name : Mr. Veerendra Patil
Address : Aurigene Discovery Technologies Ltd
39-40,KIADB Industrial Area Electronic City Phase
II Hosur Road
BANGALORE,Karnataka,India 560100
Email : careers@aurigene.com

Deadline : 24.10.2011

Biocon: opening for Product Specialist post in Oncology unit at Kolkata

Biocon is an integrated biotechnology enterprise focused on the development of biopharmaceuticals. With successful initiatives in drug discovery and development, bioprocessing, manufacturing and global marketing, Biocon delivers products and solutions to partners and customers in over 75 countries. 

Designation : Product Specialist - Oncology (Kolkata) - 2 Opening
Job Description :

1. Candidate should have good knowledge about Oncotherapeutics market sales
2. Candidate with good communication skills
3. Candidate must exhibit good scientific knowledge
4. Candidate should be oriented to the activities to be conducted to generate pharma sales
5. Must exhibit good inter personal skills

Desired Profile :

1. Candidate should have good knowledge about oncotherapeutics market sales
2. Candidate with good communication skills
3. Candidate must exhibit good scientific knowledge
4. Candidate should be oriented to the activities to be conducted to generate pharma sales
5. Must exhibit good inter personal skills

Experience : 4 - 6 Years
Education : B.Pharma - Pharmacy,B.Sc - Any Specialization, Biology | PG - Any Specialization
Location : Kolkata

Contact :Haider J 
Biocon Limited 
20th KM Hosur Road Electronic City 
Bangalore,Karnataka,India 560100
Telephone : 91-80-28087505
Website : http://www.biocon.com/
Email : careers@biocon.com

Deadline : 23.10.2011

JRF opening on adhoc basis for the DBT funded project at NIMHANS, Bangalore

Applications  are  invited  from the  eligible candidates for filling up of the following post on adhoc basis for theDBT funded project entitled “Neuroimmunogenetic & Functional MRI Correlates of Smooth Pursuit Eye Movement Deficits: An Imaging Genomics Study of a Novel Composite Biomarker for Schizophrenia.” – under Dr. G. Venkatasubramanian, Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Principal Investigator.  

Name of the Post : Junior Research Fellow 
No. of Post :  One  
Essential Qualification : 1) Masters in Neurosciences (with essential training in Neuroanatomy, Neurophysiology, Neurochemistry, Immunology & Molecular biology)  
2) Training in Brain Imaging Research     
3) Training in Molecular biological and biochemical assays
Maximum age limit : 30 Years  
Emoluments : Rs.16,000/- + 30% H.R.A 
Duration of the Post : 3 Years. Initial appointment will be made for a period of 6 months which will be extendable every 6 months for 3 years (or till the end of the project) depending upon the  performance of the candidate 

http://www.nimhans.kar.nic.in/employment/v20110926.pdf

Walk-in-interview for the ten posts with monthly salary of Rs 12000/- at M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation

M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Phulabad, Makaput, Jeypore-764002, Koraput (Phone: 06854- 231773) is conducting a walk-in-interview for the post of Field Project Technician at its office at 9.00AM on 30th September 2011.

Details look at below for job profile and prescribed essential qualifications. Candidates must bring original certificates to prove academic qualification and experience.

Project Title : "Alleviation of Poverty and Malnutrition in Agro-biodiversity Hotspots"

• Ref : MSSRF/IDRC-Mega-6/2011 ; Vacancy : Field Project Technicians – Ten post at Jeypore (Orissa)
• About the Project : This project is supported by the International Development Research of Canada and aims at conducting action research on improved small farm income generation and household nutrition through integrated and sustainable farm productivity and non-farm enterprises. The project implemented in collaboration with University of Alberta, Canada offers opportunity for exchange visit to Canada for the senior project staff
• Job Code : PA200FT5411
• Job Description : The Field Technicians will be required to assist the Senior Scientists and other project staff in all field-based project implementation activities and these activities will be done in many cases in farmer participatory mode and by organizing and involving SHGs and Farmers' Clubs. They will work in assigned villages and serve as important link between farmers and other project staff including those from University of Alberta in project implementation and building capacity of farmers in integrated farm productivity, resource management, all income generation activities, nutritional literacy and interventions and systematic data collection. Their will have good proficiency in local language and functional communication ability in English. Commitment to live and work in villages with farmers is important.

PhD position in Immunology : Erlangen, Germany

A PhD position will be available from 01.01.2012 at the Department of Infection Biology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen. Our group studies the interaction of innate and adaptive immunity in murine models of infection and allergic inflammation. We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with a strong background in cellular and molecular immunology. Appointments will be for about 3 years and salary will be according to the German TV-L system (about 25.000 Euro/year before taxes).

The Universitätsklinikum Erlangen is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Affirmative Action Employer and has an affirmative action policy for the disabled.

Please send applications with CV and letters of recommendation to:
Prof. David Voehringer
Department of Infection Biology
Universitätsklinikum Erlangen
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Wasserturmstrasse 3-5
D-91054 Erlangen
Germany
phone office: +49(0)9131-85-32735
phone lab: +49(0)9131-85-32734
fax: +49(0)9131-85-32733
email: david.voehringer@uk-erlangen.de
website: www.infektionsbiologie.uk-erlangen.de

Deadline : 01.11.2011

Do you know : First human gene implicated in regulating length of human sleep

Scientists have discovered the first gene involved in regulating the optimal length of human sleep, offering a window into a key aspect of slumber, an enigmatic phenomenon that is critical to human physical and mental health. The team, reporting in the Aug. 14, 2009 issue of Science, identified a mutated gene that allows two members of an extended family to thrive on six hours of sleep a day rather than the eight to eight-and-a-half hours that studies have shown humans need over time to maintain optimal health. Working from this discovery, the scientists genetically engineered mice and fruit flies to express the mutated gene and study its impact.

While most Americans obtain less than eight hours of sleep a night (the average on non-work days is 7.4 hours), and some may feel they succeed with less when engaged in exhilarating work, domestic life or recreation, scientific evidence indicates that, over time, the body suffers from this regimen, the researchers say."Short term and chronic disruptions in the length of optimal sleep can have serious consequences on cognition, mood and physical health, including cancer and endocrine function," says the senior author of the study, Ying-Hui Fu, PhD, UCSF professor of neurology. However, teasing out this impact can be challenging, she says, given access to such stimuli as coffee and chocolate.

The finding, she says, offers an opportunity to unravel the regulatory mechanism of sleep. While the mutation may be rare, it could offer a probe more generally into the regulatory mechanisms of sleep quality and quantity. Understanding these mechanisms could lead to interventions to alleviate pathologies associated with sleep disturbance.Sleep remains a relatively inscrutable biological phenomenon. Scientists know that it is regulated in large part by two processes: 1) circadian rhythms -- genetic, biochemical and physiological mechanisms that wax and wane during a 24 hour period to regulate the timing of sleep, 2) and homeostasis – unknown mechanisms that ensure that the body acquires over time the necessary amount of sleep, nudging it toward sleep when it has been deprived, prompting it out of sleep when it has received enough. This regulation of sleep intensity is measured in non rapid eye movement sleep and REM sleep. Interactions between the circadian rhythms and homeostatic mechanisms influence the timing, duration and quality of sleep and wakefulness.

But "the details in the process are really completely unknown," says Fu.In 2001, the team discovered a mutated gene that caused some members of several families to be "morning larks," awaking around 3:30 a.m. and going to bed around 7:30 p.m. The condition, which the researchers named "familial advanced sleep phase syndrome," is believed to be primarily a variant, or mutated, form of a gene involved in regulating circadian rhythms. The total daily sleep time in people with this condition is normal.

In the current study, the team identified a small extended family in which a mother and her adult daughter had life-long shorter daily sleep requirements than most individuals. Fu's lab then studied blood samples from these women and their extended family. They identified a mutation in a gene known as hDEC2, which is a transcription factor that represses expression of certain other genes and is implicated in the regulation of circadian rhythms. Next, the team genetically engineered mice and fruit flies to express the mutated human gene, and Ying He, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Fu lab, studied its impact on their behavior and sleep patterns. Mice slept less, as seen in the extent of their scampering about in the dark (mouse preference) over the course of 24 hours and in electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) measurements indicating reduced nonREM and REM sleep. While lacking a Lilliputian size EEG to monitor the fruit flies, He studied the miniscule creatures' activity and sleep patterns by tracking the frequency of their movements through infrared light.

Next, the team compared the response of the genetically engineered mice and normal mice to the consequence of six hours of sleep deprivation. The engineered mice needed to compensate for their lost sleep to a much lesser extent – as seen in nonREM and REM measures – than their normal counterparts."These changes in sleep homeostasis in the mutant mice could provide an explanation for why human subjects with the mutation are able to live unaffected by shorter amounts of sleep throughout their lives," says Fu.

The next step, she says, is determining the DEC2's precise role. "We know the gene encodes a protein that is a transcriptional repressor and we know it makes the repressor's activity weaker. But we don't know if the weaker repressor is directly related to the shorter amount of sleep, because proteins can have many functions. It could be the protein functions as part of a larger transcriptional machinery, not necessarily as a repressor." DEC2 could be involved in modulating "sleep quantity" alone, or it could be mediating both "sleep quantity" and "wakefulness-behavioral drive," according to Fu. The latter drive, she says, is critical for the procurement of food, shelter, and mates and could be more potent in individuals with this mutation.

"The mouse model also provides an opportunity to investigate whether there are other behaviors or physiological conditions associated with a short sleep syndrome," says Fu. She suspects there will be.

Source : University of California - San Francisco

Research reveals : Raising the alarm when DNA goes bad

Our genome is constantly under attack from things like UV light and toxins, which can damage or even break DNA strands and ultimately lead to cancer and other diseases. Scientists have known for a long time that when DNA is damaged, a key enzyme sets off a cellular 'alarm bell' to alert the cell to start the repair process, but until recently little was known about how the cell detects and responds to this alarm. In a study published today in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have identified a whole family of proteins capable of a direct response to the alarm signal.

Our genome is a huge repository of information guiding the construction and function of all the cells in our bodies. Cells sustain many hits to their DNA every day, which can lead tomutations, so they maintain a fleet of DNA repair machinery that can be rapidly mobilised and sent to damaged sites in an emergency. Because our DNA is so long and unwieldy, it needs to be packaged up with proteins and organised into a complex structure called chromatin. Scientists have known for 50 years that one component of chromatin, an enzyme known as PARP1, is activated by DNA damage and produces a molecular signal, called PAR, which raises the alarm at the site of the damage. In recent weeks, scientists have for the first time worked out how PAR is rapidly detected by the cell; in their Nature Structural and Molecular Biology paper, the group of Andreas Ladurner and their colleagues at EMBL have identified a whole family of proteins that respond to this signal by binding to it directly.

What these proteins share is a special region called a macrodomain. By using a laser to reproduce DNA damage in the lab, the scientists were able to follow fluorescently-labelled macrodomain proteins in cells and observed that they quickly move to the site of DNA damage. A high-resolution image, obtained by X-ray crystallography, shows how the macrodomain forms a 'pocket' fitting the PAR signal exactly. Among the members of the family the researchers found a protein called histone macroH2A1.1. "This was very surprising. Histones play a major role in assembling chromatin and keeping it together, but they don't usually have macrodomains," says Ladurner. "The finding is particularly relevant, because it turns out that cancer cells don't have macroH2A1.1. The fact that one member of the rapid response team that detects DNA damage is missing could contribute to the disease."

Because macroH2A1.1 is embedded in chromatin, when it recognises PAR at DNA damage sites, it drags the complex but highly-organised tangle of chromatin with it. As a result, macroH2A1.1 condenses the chromatin environment around the damaged area. The scientists are now trying to understand why this happens. One plausible explanation could be that by temporarily compacting the DNA, the broken ends of the DNA molecule are kept closer together. This should increase the chances of being able to repair it.

"With these findings we've opened up completely new perspectives to a fifty-year-old field of research," says Ladurner. "We're very excited of what lies ahead and hope that we'll soon be much closer in understanding how PARP1 and macrodomains together maintain a healthy genome."

Source : European Molecular Biology Laboratory

Academic Editor required in Life Sciences and Medicine at Cactus Communications Pvt.Ltd

Cactus Communications is a pioneering language services company serving more than 25,000 clients across 73 countries. In line with its mission—growth through effective communication, Cactus offers specialist academic editing, medical communications, publication support, transcription, and training services to individuals and corporations across sectors such as academia, publishing, and pharmaceuticals. 

Job Description :

• Correcting language errors and enhancing the overall English quality,
• Indentifying and fixing all logic flaws,
• Applying style and formatting conventions, and
• Preparing a ready-to-publish manuscript as the final product 

Desired Candidate Profile :

• Academic Editing : Considerable research activities are carried out in countries in which English is not the first language. The researchers in these countries often find it difficult to get their research published in high impact factor, well-known international journals because the language quality of their manuscripts is not suitable for publication. From this need arose the Academic Editing industry. The primary aim of an academic editor is to polish manuscripts and help researchers get their studies published. 
• Career Progression : Cactus has a well-defined career progression system with clear increases in responsibility and compensation based on an individual’s performance and skills. Because of the unique nature of our business, mid-level and higher posts are filled internally.
• Training : No prior editing experience required. Once hired, you will be put through our intensive training program that will give you the knowledge and confidence required to work on client assignments.

Experience : 0 - 5 Years
Location : Navi Mumbai
Education : B.Pharma - Pharmacy,B.Sc - Any Specialization, Botany, Environmental science, Microbiology, Zoology | M.Pharma,M.Sc - Anthropology, Bio-Chemistry, Biology, Botany, Environmental science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Zoology,M.Tech - Bio-Chemistry/Bio-Technology, Biomedical

Contact Details :Cactus Communications Pvt. Ltd.
Website : http://www.cactusglobal.com
Executive Name : Neha Khan
Telephone : 67147105

For Editing post APPLY here.

Deadline : 23.10.2011

BHU, Varanasi has an opening for Project Fellow in UGC sponsored project

Applications are invited for the post of one Project Fellow at Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

Sl No : 1

• Project title : "Toxicity of dyeing chemicals used in carpet industry on the skin and gills of certain freshwater teleosts" 
• Project sponsor : UGC
• Name of Post : Project Fellow
• No of Post : One
• Essential Qualification : The candidate should have second class master degree with a minimum of 55% marks in M.Sc. in Zoology/Life Sciences
• Salary : Rs 8000/- pm
• Duration : 3 years
• Age : Not exceeding (upper limit) 40 years, A relaxation of 5 years upper age limit will be given to SC/ST/Physically Handicapped/Female candidates.

Application on plain paper giving complete Bio-data along with qualification, research experience etc. supported by attested documents should reach, within 21 days of this advertisement, to Dr. Swati Mittal, Principal Investigator, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005

http://www.bhu.ac.in/Advetisment/SEPT2011/swati_mittal.pdf