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Based on a comprehensive analysis of the scientific evidence, as required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), the FDA has determined that AquAdvantage Salmon meets the statutory requirements for safety and effectiveness under the FD&C Act. The salmon are safe to eat, the introduced DNA is safe for the fish itself, and the salmon meet the sponsor's claim about faster growth. Because the sponsor has met these requirements, the FDA must approve the application. The FDA has also analyzed the potential environmental impact that an approval of the AquAdvantage Salmon application would have on the quality of the human environment in the United States and has issued its final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact.

Since 2003, the H5N1 influenza virus, more commonly known as the bird flu, has been responsible for the deaths of millions of chickens and ducks and has infected more than 650 people, leading to a 60 percent mortality rate for the latter. Luckily, this virus has yet to achieve human-to-human transmission, but a small number of mutations could change that, resulting in a pandemic. Now a team of investigators from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, and MacroGenics have developed an antibody which has proven 100 percent protective against the virus in two species of animal models.

In this interrupted case study, students will help Dr. Gupta investigate and assess complications arising in one of her long-term patients, Jorge Alvarez. Jorge was diagnosed with Type II diabetes mellitus 10 years ago as documented in "Living the Sweet Life," an optional prequel case study also in the NCCSTS collection. Jorge has been working with Dr. Gupta to manage his condition, but this year he has come under additional stress, both emotionally and financially, and his health has deteriorated. Jorge now presents with several new signs and symptoms, including numbness, tingling and burning sensations, and a foot sore that just won't heal. Students will review the nervous system and assess Jorge's symptoms, vitals, and blood tests to determine if his diabetes has worsened. Students will also learn about tests used to diagnose types of neuropathy and consider which of them would be most beneficial for Jorge. In addition to a non-majors anatomy and physiology course, this case study may be appropriate for an introductory biology, nutrition/dietetics, or a sensory and perception course.

Over the past few decades, genetic research has revealed two deep truths about people. The first is that all humans are closely related-more closely related than all chimps, even though there are many more humans around today. Everyone has the same collection of genes, but with the exception of identical twins, everyone has slightly different versions of some of them. Studies of this genetic diversity have allowed scientists to reconstruct a kind of family tree of human populations. That has revealed the second deep truth: In a very real sense, all people alive today are Africans.

The threat of antibiotic resistance has become so dire that the United Nations General Assembly is holding a meeting to discuss it this month in New York City. Although WHO has been sounding the alarm on antibiotic resistance for years, this month's high-level U.N. meeting represents only the fourth time in the international body's history that its General Assembly-a global deliberative body that primarily grapples with issues like war and economics-has held a meeting to tackle a health topic.

And as the El Nino weather system has been storming across the Pacific this season, it has stirred up ocean waters enough to cool down the original Blob off of Alaska, but at the same time helped give birth to what has been nicknamed the "Son of Blob" off the coast of Southern California. The still-warmer Alaskan waters, and Son of Blob sector are expected to continue to magnify the El Nino effect for months to come, according to Weather Underground's "Blob Watch" blog.

Ebola is an infectious disease, which has become a pandemic crisis causing around 5000 deaths in 2014, with a 50% mortality rate among those who have contracted the virus. The outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March 2014, and every natural case of Ebola has been in Sub-Saharan Africa with Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea at the epicentre of the crisis. This key stage 3-5 resource, produced by GA Consultant and Secondary Phase Committee Co-Chair Stephen Schwab, includes classroom activities and teaching ideas, and explores geographical facts, concepts and the impact the virus has had on the communities affected.

In a unique twist on human genomics studies that seek to identify genetic variants linked to human disease, researchers have combined whole-exome sequencing of 50,726 adults with the individuals' long-term electronic health record (EHR) data. The effort, by researchers at the Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania and Regeneron Genetics Center, a subsidiary of New York-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, has yielded novel disease-linked variants, including loss-of-function alleles. The team behind the project, called DiscovEHR, has also found that about one in 30 of the individuals harbors a deleterious genetic variant for which a screen or treatment already exists. The group's analysis is described in two papers published today (December 22) in Science.

Lauren is an Environmental Studies graduate from NYU and former Sustainability Manager at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, and the amount of trash that she has produced over the past three years can fit inside of a 16 oz. mason jar. Lauren Singer is author of the Zero Waste blog, Trash is for Tossers and founder of organic cleaning product company, The Simply Co. Through her blog, she has empowered millions of readers to produce less waste by shopping package-free, making their own products and refusing plastic and single-use items.

The Ethics Primer provides engaging, interactive, and classroom-friendly lesson ideas for integrating ethical issues into a science classroom. It also provides basic background on ethics as a discipline, with straightforward descriptions of major ethical theories. Several decision-making frameworks are included to help students apply reasoned analysis to ethical issues. Although the Primer is designed for secondary school science classrooms, it has been used by teachers in a variety of classes and grade levels. It is particularly suited to social studies and integrated/interdisciplinary classrooms. It has also been used with adults. The Primer is not designed to be used cover to cover. Teachers should review materials and select lessons that fit their needs. The Primer is also intended to be used as a general resource, with a wide variety of topics.

Science denial has real, societal consequences. Denial of the link between HIV and AIDS led to more than 330,000 premature deaths in South Africa. Denial of the link between smoking and cancer has caused millions of premature deaths. Thanks to vaccination denial, preventable diseases are making a comeback.

Calorie restriction has long been studied as a way to extend lifespan in animals. It has been associated with the ability to reduce the risks of cardiovascular and other diseases and to improve overall health. Now, researchers at Chang Gung University in Taiwan have found that calorie restriction can ...

Like many newborn mammals, baby mice cry to get their mother's attention. But the mother doesn't instinctively recognize these calls; she must learn the sounds of her offspring-just as human parents must learn the cries of their infants. Now, a team of researchers has discovered that the hormone oxytocin, which has been tied to trust and maternal bonding, holds the key to how this learning occurs. Only after oxytocin  tweaks the brain of a female mouse does she respond with a mother's concern and attentiveness to crying pups.

At first glance, the research of Bonnie Bassler and Baldomero "Toto" Olivera might not appear to be medical at all. Dr. Bassler works on marine bacteria that glow in the dark, while Dr. Olivera studies venomous snails that hunt by harpooning fish. Yet their findings show what science has revealed time and again-knowledge that can be used to unlock medical secrets is often hidden in unlikely places. Nature has much to teach us, as long as we know where to look and what to look for. Join us for a four-lecture series as Bonnie and Toto guide us through intriguing slices of the natural world revealing how a deeper understanding of nature and biodiversity informs their research into new medicines.

This case study details the historical discovery of the structure of DNA. Images of this key molecule are as iconic as those of the Mona Lisa, and identifying its structure has proven to be as intriguing a mystery for scientists as the reason behind Mona Lisa's smile has been for art historians. The case is woven together by a series of fictional diary entries that detail the history of the discovery of DNA's structure, the major players involved, their ethical dilemmas, and the role of women in science. The case is designed for a high school course or introductory undergraduate genetics/ biochemistry courses. It can also be used as an interdisciplinary case study bridging genetics, bioethics, art, and the status of women in science. Designed as an interrupted case, it may be used in its entirety or in parts that pertain to a particular topic or discipline. No prior knowledge of genetics is required.

Sheep ranching has destroyed habitat and decimated species in many areas of the world, but in Patagonia declining wool prices provide an opportunity to turn the tide. This case study places students in the role of advisor to an international NGO that has funds to advance conservation goals. A PowerPoint slideshow is used to present the Patagonian landscape, species, and variables that should be considered in conservation decisions.  After the presentation, students are given two maps: the first shows park boundaries, topography, roads, and major land forms; the second includes land prices overlaid on the first. Student groups are assigned a budget, and with the help of a set of guiding questions, students identify and defend a potential land purchase to develop as a protected area. The case is intended for use in an undergraduate class in conservation biology, environmental science or ecology, and presupposes another case in our collection, "The Great Patagonia Land Grab" by C.E. Quinn and J.E. Quinn

Around one in every 500-700 newborns has a condition that can be detected through newborn screening.  Site has screening resources

The 18-year-olds from Gloucester, U.K. are two of the five children born to their Caucasian father and "half-Jamaican" mother, World Wide Features reports. While their other siblings have a blend of features from their parents, Lucy and Maria are opposites: Lucy has fair skin and red hair, while Maria has caramel skin and dark hair.

NSDL is the nation's online portal for education and research on learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The National Science Digital Library has a wealth of high quality digital resources to teach almost any topic in K-12 math and science. NSDL has constructed the following collections of "resource packs" for teaching to particular K12 subject areas, drawing resources from NSDL Pathways and other NSDL projects, and gathering these topical resource sets into a single location. (Author: Laura Moin) Atomic Structures Energy Evolution Mathematics Water Quality

Over the last decade, as DNA-sequencing technology has grown ever faster and cheaper, our understanding of the human genome has increased accordingly. Yet scientists have until recently remained largely ham-fisted when they've tried to directly modify genes in a living cell. Take sickle-cell anemia, for example. A debilitating and often deadly disease, it is caused by a mutation in just one of a patient's three billion DNA base pairs. Even though this genetic error is simple and well studied, researchers are helpless to correct it and halt its devastating effects.