Understanding and prevention of side effects caused by drugs

Apr. 19, 2013 ? Yellow vision, pseudo-pulmonary obstruction, involuntary body movements, respiratory paralysis. These are some of the 1,600 known side effects (SEs) produced by drugs. Adverse effects are one of the main causes of hospital admission in the west. These effects are difficult to predict, and in practice specific assays are required to test the safety of agents in pre-clinical phases, thus these effects are often not discovered until the drug has been launched. A study published by scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) seeks to fill this information gap.

The objective of the study is to shed light on the molecular bases of SEs and provide medical chemists with the tools to design safer drugs and to predict their effects. The study collects and proposes molecular hypotheses for 1,162 side effects. This information, which is about to be tested experimentally, is now available to the scientific community through the most recent issue of the specialized journal Chemistry and Biology, part of the Cell group.

The researchers Miquel Duran and Patrick Aloy collated all the drugs that cause each known SE. Next, they studied the proteins with which they interact and their chemical structure. "For most of the side effects we have a biological hypothesis, and for many of these cases we also have chemical information about the drug, which may be useful to predict a specific secondary effect," explains ICREA researcher Patrick Aloy, head of the "Structural Bioinformatics and Network Biology" at IRB Barcelona. Of the 1,162 SEs for which they have found a molecular description, 446 can be explained solely on the basis of biology and 68 only on the basis of chemistry, while for 648 (56%) both biological and chemical considerations are required.

Some examples: Xanthopsia and Buccoglossal Syndrome

One of the SEs described is Buccoglossal Syndrome, a disorder involving involuntary movements of the body and caused by six different drugs. The researchers propose that drugs whose structures include a piperazine ring and, in addition, interact with the receptors 5-HT2A and/or DRD2 are more likely to cause this syndrome. "This is one of the examples where we need a biological and chemical explanation," says Miquel Duran, a chemist doing his PhD in Aloy's lab, and first author of the paper. "Another interesting case is Xanthopsia, a predominance of yellow in the vision, a condition supposedly experienced by Van Gogh," explain the researchers. "In this case we do not suspect any related protein but observe that there are chemical structures that can cause this disorder, which we have annotated in 12 drugs that include this condition as a possible side effect" .

"We are providing the scientific community with lists of proteins and the chemical features associated with SEs. We refer to these as "alerts": they can be used by drug design experts to try to avoid certain interactions and/or structures in order to develop safer drugs," says Aloy.

For these scientists, it is necessary to combine biology and chemistry in order to determine what may be causing a given SE. "In practice, and for each unwanted effect, there is a biological part that we know, but this part does not offer a complete picture of the mechanism and perhaps we will be able to fill this gap by "looking at" the chemical structure," upholds Duran. "The multidisciplinarity provided by IRB Barcelona allows us to start studies with these characteristics, which require the convergence of several fields to achieve a more complete understanding," says Dr. Aloy, an expert in systems biology.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Institute for Research in Biomedicine-IRB.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Miquel Duran-Frigola, Patrick Aloy. Analysis of Chemical and Biological Features Yields Mechanistic Insights into Drug Side Effects. Chemistry & Biology, 2013; 20 (4): 594 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2013.03.017

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/FmK0JDips-Q/130419075920.htm

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Uncle Maddio's Pizza Joint Takes the Florida ... - Franchising.com

First Florida location opens in Tallahassee early May with 18 more stores in development throughout the state.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) April 18, 2013 - The fastest-growing fast casual build-your-own pizza franchise, Uncle Maddio?s Pizza Joint, will explode into the Florida market in 2013, beginning with its first location in Tallahassee in May. Currently, there are 18 more Florida locations in development in Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Tampa. By the end of 2013, Uncle Maddio?s expects to add development plans in Orlando, Gainesville, Miami, and Southwest Florida markets.

?In the next eight years,? says Uncle Maddio?s Founder and Chief Pizza Maker, Matt Andrew, ?we will have 100 franchise locations open across Florida. It?s an aggressive statement, but it?s a testament to the popularity of our locations in Atlanta, Kentucky, and North and South Carolina. When we open a new restaurant, people are literally lined up outside the door.? A veteran in the restaurant franchising business, Andrew was co-owner of Moe?s Southwest Grill prior to launching Uncle Maddio?s.

Coined the ?Chipotle of pizza,? Uncle Maddio?s launched the fast casual pizza market four years ago with the opening of its first store in Atlanta, Georgia. By summer 2013, there will be 20 restaurant franchises open and 125 more in development throughout the Southeast. The Uncle Maddio?s model thrives because it feeds into the growing demand for more choices when eating out, including eating fresh, organic ingredients, as well as the need for gluten-free and allergy-friendly options. The innovative Uncle Maddio?s menu gives diners more than 3 million pizza combinations, in addition to freshly made salads and toasted paninis.

Uncle Maddios? grand opening events are known for attracting crowds of people from the community. Through solid, consistent marketing tactics, an impressive menu to satisfy nearly every dietary need, the branded ?Served with Love? customer experience, and a strong connection with local communities, Uncle Maddio?s has paved the way for success and future growth.

The Tallahassee Uncle Maddio?s Pizza Joint will be located in the new Mahan Village center at 3122 Mahan Drive, joining neighbors Publix and Academy Sports. The restaurant is scheduled to open in early May. Stay up-to-date with grand opening information and grab a free 9? pizza coupon by visiting the Uncle Maddio?s Mahan Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/UncleMaddiosMahan.

For pizza franchising information, contact Roger Wagerman at roger(at)unclemaddios(dot)com or visit http://www.unclemaddios.com/franchise-info.

About Uncle Maddio?s

For people who crave homemade pizza, Uncle Maddio?s Pizza Joint is the next generation pizza joint. Here?s why:

• Uncle Maddio?s gives customers more choices: three types of crusts, six sauces, and more than 47 fresh toppings, including gluten-free, vegan, organic, and hormone-free options
• We serve made-to-order, cooked-from-scratch pizza
• Customers talk directly to their pizza maker for a personalized meal that?s hot and ready in six minutes
• Homemade pizzas, toasted paninis, and gourmet salads are prepared with fresh ingredients and salad dressings that are made daily
• We offer fresh, flavorful, healthy toppings you won?t find anywhere else: hormone-free grilled chicken, Angus steak, whole wheat dough, gluten-free crust, vegan Daiya cheese, and local fresh veggies
• Meals are affordable ? $7 for an individual pizza with up to three toppings

Owning an Uncle Maddio?s?
Uncle Maddio?s leads the way in fast casual pizza restaurant franchising opportunities. You too can join the best pizza franchise. Here?s why:?

• Uncle Maddio?s was created by the founding member and former president of Moe?s Southwest Grill. Our executive management team has over 50 years experience in the restaurant industry.
• Uncle Maddio?s is a turn-key business that?s simple to own and operate ? no delivery and no drive-through
• Attractive food and labor costs, flexible store footprint, low investment, and no hidden costs
• Uncle Maddio?s is the fastest-growing fast casual pizza restaurant in the Southeast. By the end of summer 2013, there will be 20 Uncle Maddio?s restaurants open and 125 more in development throughout the Southeast.

To own an Uncle Maddio?s franchise business in your neighborhood, email Roger Wagerman at roger(at)unclemaddios(dot)com or visit http://www.unclemaddios.com.

Contacts:

Roger Wagerman
Uncle Maddio's Pizza Joint
http://unclemaddios.com/
(404) 929-6654

Cara Terreri
New Thought Marketing
http://www.newthoughtmarketing.com/
(678) 463-4557

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Source: http://www.franchising.com/news/20130418_uncle_maddiorsquos_pizza_joint_takes_the_florida_m.html

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Know When to Stop 529 Plan Contributions

Most parents haven't saved enough in their child's 529 plan, a tax-advantaged college investment account, to pay for four years of college tuition and fees. While 529 account sizes are growing, according to a recent report on paying for college from the College Savings Plans Network, the average amount of $17,000 invested at the end of 2012 was roughly equivalent to one year's tuition and fees at a public university.

But there are times when deposits need to be reduced or stopped, temporarily or permanently, says Jimmy Williams, a personal financial specialist. Reasons can range from changes in education plans to leftover funds from a sibling's account. The following are a few times when it may be best to stop funding a 529 plan account.

[Check out more ways to save for college.]

1. A family member has met contribution goals: Grandparents often try to give to their grandchildren evenly, Williams says. If the goal is to give $50,000 per grandchild, it's possible a grandparent may complete funding $50,000 for an older grandchild and then move on to donating to another grandchild's account, he says. This doesn't mean the parent would stop contributing, but it does mean the grandparent has, he says.

2. The student earns a full scholarship: If a parent's only child scores highly on a standardized test such as the ACT or SAT and receives a full ride to the university of his or her choice, then parents may not need to continue funding the child's 529 plan account, Williams says.

While full scholarships aren't available to everyone, some scholarship funding is relatively common. According to a study by Sallie Mae, 61 percent of families surveyed had a student receive either scholarships or grants for the 2011-2012 school year, and the average recipient got more than $7,000. This would reduce the amount parents trying to fund the full cost of university attendance would need to save in 529 plans.

[Get tips and advice about finding scholarships.]

However, the discontinuation of funds should be based on having enough in a 529 plan for other educational expenses and future education needs, he says. A laptop required by the university could be paid for out of 529 plan funds, he says, or the balance could be used for graduate school.

3. There is a change in education plans: At age 16, a teen could swear he or she is destined for law school and a parent saves accordingly, but then the student earns a 2.4 GPA in the first and second years of college. Since money not withdrawn for education could incur a tax penalty, it may be best to stop adding funds to pay for law school, Williams says.

4. Family income decreases: Certain life circumstances may require money in a more urgent manner, says Chadderdon O'Brien, a financial risk manager. For example, if the main income earner loses his or her job, eliminating 529 contributions may be necessary, he says. But 529 plan contributions can resume once the situation is resolved, he says.

[Discover how to pay cash for college.]

5. The family has met personal savings goals: "If the plan balance is high, parents and relatives may cease funding," O'Brien says. Parents should avoid putting too much into a 529 plan because of tax penalties on withdrawals and the need to fund retirement accounts. A high balance depends on the personal goals of the family, based on how many years of college and the particular colleges they're willing to pay for their child to attend, he says.

6. An older sibling has an overfunded plan: "Since the unused dollars in a 529 plan for an older sibling can be transferred to a younger sibling's plan, this may be a reason to stop 529 contributions for the younger child," O'Brien says.

For example, an older sibling has an account balance of $40,000 after completing college. The younger sibling has $10,000 and two years left at a university where the annual cost of attendance is $25,000. The younger sibling could use the older sibling's remaining account balance.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/know-stop-529-plan-contributions-184513024.html

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Weeding out ineffective biocontrol agents

Apr. 18, 2013 ? 'Keep it simple' is a good rule of thumb when designing biocontrol programs to combat weeds and invasive plants, according to a meta-analysis of studies by UBC biodiversity experts.

Biocontrol programs use an invasive plant's natural enemies (insects and pathogens) to reduce its population. Most biocontrol programs combine many different enemies -- typically about three different species, but sometimes as many as 25 -- with the hope that at least one will prove effective.

But more isn't necessarily better. Some combinations of enemy species can actually end up competing or interfering with each other, instead of attacking the weed.

"It's important to get the right combination of biocontrol agents, as testing species is costly and time-consuming, and no amount of testing can eliminate the risk that something unexpected will occur with the introduction of a new species," says Andrea Stephens, lead author on the paper published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B this week.

Until now, biocontrol managers have chosen weed enemies to release based on the individual effect of each species in isolation, with little thought to overall combinations.

"Our study suggests that this approach can lead to ineffective biocontrol, because the interactions between the released enemies can reduce the overall effectiveness of biocontrol," says Diane Srivastava, author on the paper and professor in UBC's Biodiversity Research Centre.

Of the 75 combinations the researchers investigated, about a quarter appeared to have a smaller combined impact than expected. The researchers suggest simple species combination rules could improve the effectiveness of biocontrol programs.

The study recommends avoiding combinations of species that attack the same part of the plant at the same time, as well as assessing the impact of species attacking reproductive structures.

"In most cases damage from different species of insects was independent," says Judith Myers, Professor Emerita and author on the paper. "But insect species feeding on the seeds of plants tend to compete and so multiple introductions can be detrimental."

One of the studies researchers analyzed focused on three agents (two species of weevils and a fly) that have been released in western North America to control two species of invasive plants, diffuse and spotted knapweed. The weevils consume the fly larvae, nullifying the effectiveness of the fly.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of British Columbia.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. A. E. A. Stephens, D. S. Srivastava, J. H. Myers. Strength in numbers? Effects of multiple natural enemy species on plant performance. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2013; 280 (1760): 20122756 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2756

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/P6bXWhyoU2g/130418154415.htm

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Backed By Greylock's Reid Hoffman, Recurious Launches As A Game Development Platform For Curious Kids

Recurious, a new game development platform that aims to help kids rediscover their curiosity, is announcing $1.5 million in funding led by Greylock Partners (Reid Hoffman).

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/nlxwjV1w9Nk/

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Virginia Tech research team creates potential food source from non-food plants

Public release date: 16-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Zeke Barlow
bzeke@vt.edu
540-231-5417
Virginia Tech

This new development opens the door to the potential that food could be created from any plant, reducing the need for crops to be grown on valuable land that requires fertilizers, pesticides, and large amounts of water

A team of Virginia Tech researchers has succeeded in transforming cellulose into starch, a process that has the potential to provide a previously untapped nutrient source from plants not traditionally thought of as food crops.

Y.H. Percival Zhang, an associate professor of biological systems engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Engineering, led a team of researchers in the project that could help feed a growing global population that is estimated to swell to 9 billion by 2050. Starch is one of the most important components of the human diet and provides 20-40 percent of our daily caloric intake.

The research was published this week in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

Cellulose is the supporting material in plant cell walls and is the most common carbohydrate on earth. This new development opens the door to the potential that food could be created from any plant, reducing the need for crops to be grown on valuable land that requires fertilizers, pesticides, and large amounts of water. The type of starch that Zhang's team produced is amylose, a linear resistant starch that is not broken down in the digestion process and acts as a good source of dietary fiber. It has been proven to decrease the risk of obesity and diabetes.

This discovery holds promise on many fronts beyond food systems.

"Besides serving as a food source, the starch can be used in the manufacture of edible, clear films for biodegradable food packaging," Zhang said. "It can even serve as a high-density hydrogen storage carrier that could solve problems related to hydrogen storage and distribution."

Zhang used a novel process involving cascading enzymes to transform cellulose into amylose starch.

"Cellulose and starch have the same chemical formula," Zhang said. "The difference is in their chemical linkages. Our idea is to use an enzyme cascade to break up the bonds in cellulose, enabling their reconfiguration as starch."

The new approach takes cellulose from non-food plant material, such as corn stover, converts about 30% to amylose, and hydrolyzes the remainder to glucose suitable for ethanol production. Corn stover consists of the stem, leaves, and husk of the corn plant remaining after ears of corn are harvested. However, the process works with cellulose from any plant.

This bioprocess called "simultaneous enzymatic biotransformation and microbial fermentation" is easy to scale up for commercial production. It is environmentally friendly because it does not require expensive equipment, heat, or chemical reagents, and does not generate any waste. The key enzymes immobilized on the magnetic nanoparticles can easily be recycled using a magnetic force.

Zhang designed the experiments and conceived the cellulose-to-starch concept. Zhang and Virginia Tech visiting scholar Hongge Chen are the inventors of the cellulose-to-starch biotransformation, which is covered under a provisional patent application. Chun You, a postdoctoral researcher from China at Virginia Tech, and Chen conducted most of the research work.

###

Support for the current research comes from the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. Additional resources were contributed by the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Biodesign and Bioprocessing Research Center, the Shell GameChanger Program, and the U.S. Department of Energy BioEnergy Science Center, along with the Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences, Office of Basic Energy Sciences of the Department of Energy. Chen was partially supported by the China Scholarship Council.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 16-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Zeke Barlow
bzeke@vt.edu
540-231-5417
Virginia Tech

This new development opens the door to the potential that food could be created from any plant, reducing the need for crops to be grown on valuable land that requires fertilizers, pesticides, and large amounts of water

A team of Virginia Tech researchers has succeeded in transforming cellulose into starch, a process that has the potential to provide a previously untapped nutrient source from plants not traditionally thought of as food crops.

Y.H. Percival Zhang, an associate professor of biological systems engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Engineering, led a team of researchers in the project that could help feed a growing global population that is estimated to swell to 9 billion by 2050. Starch is one of the most important components of the human diet and provides 20-40 percent of our daily caloric intake.

The research was published this week in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

Cellulose is the supporting material in plant cell walls and is the most common carbohydrate on earth. This new development opens the door to the potential that food could be created from any plant, reducing the need for crops to be grown on valuable land that requires fertilizers, pesticides, and large amounts of water. The type of starch that Zhang's team produced is amylose, a linear resistant starch that is not broken down in the digestion process and acts as a good source of dietary fiber. It has been proven to decrease the risk of obesity and diabetes.

This discovery holds promise on many fronts beyond food systems.

"Besides serving as a food source, the starch can be used in the manufacture of edible, clear films for biodegradable food packaging," Zhang said. "It can even serve as a high-density hydrogen storage carrier that could solve problems related to hydrogen storage and distribution."

Zhang used a novel process involving cascading enzymes to transform cellulose into amylose starch.

"Cellulose and starch have the same chemical formula," Zhang said. "The difference is in their chemical linkages. Our idea is to use an enzyme cascade to break up the bonds in cellulose, enabling their reconfiguration as starch."

The new approach takes cellulose from non-food plant material, such as corn stover, converts about 30% to amylose, and hydrolyzes the remainder to glucose suitable for ethanol production. Corn stover consists of the stem, leaves, and husk of the corn plant remaining after ears of corn are harvested. However, the process works with cellulose from any plant.

This bioprocess called "simultaneous enzymatic biotransformation and microbial fermentation" is easy to scale up for commercial production. It is environmentally friendly because it does not require expensive equipment, heat, or chemical reagents, and does not generate any waste. The key enzymes immobilized on the magnetic nanoparticles can easily be recycled using a magnetic force.

Zhang designed the experiments and conceived the cellulose-to-starch concept. Zhang and Virginia Tech visiting scholar Hongge Chen are the inventors of the cellulose-to-starch biotransformation, which is covered under a provisional patent application. Chun You, a postdoctoral researcher from China at Virginia Tech, and Chen conducted most of the research work.

###

Support for the current research comes from the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. Additional resources were contributed by the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Biodesign and Bioprocessing Research Center, the Shell GameChanger Program, and the U.S. Department of Energy BioEnergy Science Center, along with the Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences, Office of Basic Energy Sciences of the Department of Energy. Chen was partially supported by the China Scholarship Council.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/vt-vtr041513.php

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PFT: Cutler knows he needs to win to get paid

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Discount the Giants? chances in a big game and risk feeling foolish. However, assuming they are postseason locks has been similarly dangerous in recent seasons. In the last four campaigns, the Giants have one Super Bowl title and three playoff misses. Here?s our look as the draft needs of a talented but sometimes inconsistent group.

Defensive end: In recent years, the Giants have been most formidable when their defensive line is in top form. Their front four is still a real strength, even after Osi Umenyiora departed for Atlanta in free agency. However, adding a young rush end to bolster the depth now and to potentially take a bigger role later would be prudent. After all,?Justin Tuck is a free agent at season?s end. He turned 30 in March, as did Mathias Kiwanuka. Jason Pierre-Paul is signed for two more seasons but is slated to hit free agency at 26 and is not going to be inexpensive to re-sign.

Cornerback: There?s a little too much uncertainty at this position. Corey Webster, 31, is in the final year of his contract. Terrell Thomas has a history of knee injuries and is unsigned beyond this season. To their credit, the Giants have added youth to this position in recent years, drafting Prince Amukamara in 2011 and Jayron Hosley last April. Also, they brought back veteran Aaron Ross to bolster their depth. Nevertheless, the Giants could still stand to fortify their corner ranks for the present and future.

Linebacker: The Giants lack standouts at linebacker and could use more playmaking ability both inside and outside. The greater overall value of cornerbacks and edge rushers puts linebacker as the third priority on this list, but make no mistake ? the LB corps are a need.?The club hasn?t had a Pro Bowl linebacker since Antonio Pierce in 2006.

Offensive line: Right tackle David Diehl, an 11-season veteran, is on a one-year contract. Diehl, guards Kevin Boothe and Chris Snee and center David Baas will all be 30 or older at the start of the season. Boothe is on a one-year deal, and Snee is coming off hip surgery. The Giants signed left tackle William Beatty to an extension earlier this year, securing that all-important position. However, there?s work left to do upfront.

Running back:?With the Giants parting ways with Ahmad Bradshaw, the club?s RB depth behind David Wilson and Andre Brown could use improvement. Bradshaw was capable of carrying a starter?s workload for sustained stretches, and given the physicality of the position, the Giants might be wise to bring in one more rusher capable of carrying 8-10 times a game.

Improving a defense that finished 31st in yards per game and per play allowed in 2012 is a must for the Giants, who have eight draft picks ? their assigned selection in each round and a compensatory seventh-rounder. On offense, the line is the biggest need, with the skill-position spots other than quarterback next on the priority list.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/16/jay-cutler-you-have-to-win-games-to-get-big-contracts/related/

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