�Together with colleagues from the Department of Dermatology and Allergy and the Center for Allergy and Environment (ZAUM) of the Technische Universitat Munchen, scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen suffer pinpointed a major factor for allergic diseases. The gene was localized using cutting edge technologies for examining the whole human genome at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen.
Schematic representation of the high affinity sense organ for IgE. Variants within the gene encoding the alpha chain are associated with increased levels of IgE antibodies
The newly discovered FCER1A factor encodes the alpha chain of high affinity IgE receptor, which plays a major part in controlling allergic responses. The team of scientists led by Dr. Stephan Weidinger from the Technische Universit�t M�nchen and Dr. Thomas Illig from the Helmholtz Zentrum M�nchen ground that certain variations of the FCER1A gene decisively influence the production of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. IgE antibodies are a particular type of antibody that is normally ill-used to protect against parasites. In Western lifestyle countries with less contact, however, elevated IgE levels ar associated with allergic disorders.
In genetically susceptible individuals the immune system becomes slanted and produces IgE antibodies against harmless agents such as pollen, dust mites or animate being hair. These IgE antibodies then work in conjunction with sealed cells to get free of the allergens, a process that gives lift to the symptoms of allergy such as sensitised rhinitis (hay fever), atopic dermatitis or asthma.
"Most people with allergies are atopic - substance they take a familial tendency to develop allergies. To detect the genetical factors we examined the genomes of more than 10,000 adults and children from the whole of Germany" explained Stephan Weidinger.
Most of the persons examined for the report come from the population studies of the KORA (co-operative wellness research in the Augsburg region) research platform, which is light-emitting diode by Prof. Dr. H.-Erich Wichmann, the Director of the Institute of Epidemiology at the Helmholtz Zentrum M�nchen. The allergological examinations were carried by the Department for Dermatology and Allergy of the Technische Universit�t M�nchen headed by Prof. Dr. Dr. Johannes Ring.
Although in its early stages, the new cognition on the regulation of IgE production does suffer the potential difference to guide the development of new drugs.
Publication:
Weidinger S, Gieger C, Rodriguez E, Baurecht H, Mempel M, et al. (2008) Genome-Wide Scan on Total Serum IgE Levels Identifies FCER1A as Novel Susceptibility Locus. PLoS Genet 4(8): e1000166. interior: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000166
http://www.plosgenetics.org/doi/pgen.1000166
Source: Heinz Joerg Haury
Helmholtz Zentrum M�nchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health
More information
Friday, 29 August 2008
Saturday, 9 August 2008
Nickel Creek
Artist: Nickel Creek
Genre(s):
Country
Discography:
Why Should The Fire Die?
Year:
Tracks: 14
This Side
Year:
Tracks: 13
Distinguished by their youth and eclecticist gustatory esthesis, Nickel Creek became a pipeline sense datum on the progressive bluegrass scene and in brief set up their appeal spreading beyond the genre's core audience. Guitarist Sean Watkins, fiddler Sara Watkins (his jr. sister), and mandolin/banjo/bouzouki musician Chris Thile number 1 started acting together in 1989, when all deuce-ace were preteens and taking medicine lessons in their native San Diego. They met spell observation the local band Bluegrass Etc., which put on weekly performances in a pizza sitting room. A bluegrass Region plugger liked the estimate of such a young band, and so Nickel Creek was formed, with Thile's fatherhood Scott connexion them on bass. Nickel Creek were regulars on the festival lap through most of the '90s, and during that time, Thile recorded iI solo albums, 1994's Leading Off... and 1997's Stealth Second. In 1998, with help from Alison Krauss, Nickel Creek landed a record conduct with the roots medical specialty label Sugar Hill. Krauss produced their self-titled debut album, which was released in 2000; with the kids ostensibly all right, Scott afterward retired from the ring. Though it was by all odds a bluegrass record, Atomic number 28 Creek boasted elements of classic, jazz, and rock 'n' roll & undulate both classical and alternative; naturally, the influence of progressive bluegrass Country figures like Krauss, Edgar Meyer, and Béla Fleck was overly apparent. Perhaps assisted by the success of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which brought traditional roots music to a george Ellery Hale new collegiate audience, Nickel Creek became a slow-building polish off; by other 2002, it had done for gold, climbed into the country Top 20, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album. Meanwhile, Sean released his solo debut, Allow It Fall, in 2001, and Thile followed suit with Not All Who Wander Are Lost. Nickel Creek released their sophomore mend, This Side, in 2002; it debuted in the Top 20 of the pop charts and went all the fashion to number iI on the area listings. Even more eclectic than its forerunner, the Krauss-produced album off indie rock'n'roll fans' heads with a cover of Pavement's "Spittle on a Stranger." This Side north Korean won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album in early 2003, subsequently which Sean issued his endorsement solo album, 26 Miles. In 2005, the chemical mathematical group worked with producers Tony Berg and Eric Valentine (the latter had worked with Smash Mouth and Queens of the Stone Age) to produce Why Should the Fire Die?, a dark and introspective accumulation of new material that ground the trinity steering even farther out from their bluegrass beginnings. In mid-2006, Nickel Creek announced it would be pickings an indefinite hiatus following a scheduled circuit of duty the conterminous year, so its members could centralize on solo ferment.
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Mraz plays it for real
JASON Mraz had been living the rock-star life for five years, after success with Remedy and Wordplay. But it was time, he says, to get back to reality.
It was time for Jason Mraz to get back to reality. He'd been living the rock-star life for a solid five years, playing songs including Remedy and Wordplay all around the world, and was ready to give real life a try. The California-based singer/songwriter had lost the ability to see things straight, through ‘‘lack of experience in life skills and getting caught up in the industry'', he says. ‘‘When I was in the middle of my second record, I decided everyone else must be right so I'll just do what they tell me to do: ‘Since everyone is suggesting all these things, their comments must be valid and that must be what's cool, so I'll do that'. ‘‘And by doing that, I lost myself. I was like, ‘Well, what do I like?' and ‘What would I do in this situation? Why do I have to do what other people tell me to do?' So I decided to take my life back.'' He began by saying ‘‘no''. ‘‘It turns out you get a lot more respect,'' he says, still a little surprised. ‘‘It turns out people really want you to speak up and be yourself, be your art and be the love that you dream of.'' But then what? Did Mraz's real life involve watching a lot of TV? ‘‘No, I don't even have a TV. It's been years since I've even pushed the power button on a television, except when I step into a hotel room, and have to turn it off because they're automatically on,'' he says. Instead, real life for Mraz ‘‘was a matter of just sitting and watching the garden grow, and listening to the wildlife creatures speak back and forth, and surfing every day''. ‘‘It was about going to the grocery store and buying whatever you want, then taking it home and being the creator and master of the dish. That's a great metaphor for life -- we're just trying to make the best sandwich we can make today, so I'm gonna make sure that everything I put in it is the most awesome ingredient, the most delicious dish.'' Unlike some cloistered pop stars, Mraz is in touch enough to know that his year off was a privilege. ‘‘I was in a great position because I could afford to take months and months and months off and have these experiences. A lot of people in corporate America are lucky if they get a week off a year,'' he says. ‘‘It's really hard to know what the planet is like and to know what being a human is about, because a lot of us have to work and work and work and work.'' During his year off, Mraz turned 30. ‘‘You know, there's a cosmic law that when you turn 30, you are officially an adult. Well, it doesn't really mean much, because you don't have any adult experience. So you've become the biggest of the little kids, but now the littlest of the big kids,'' he says. ‘‘It's a transformational time, so it's a great opportunity to get rid of some childish habits, throw away some old games you used to play, and brace yourself for the new ones ahead.'' With some adult experiences under his belt, Mraz finally cranked out a new album, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. It offers surprises on a few levels -- from the power of his amped-up soul to the bare-boned nature of some close-cutting ballads. Of the latter, Love for a Child is a stark moment. It's a child's-eye view of the fallout from divorce, and Mraz found the lyrics tough to share. ‘‘When I put it down with everyone, I tried to make an excuse to say, ‘These are just test lyrics. I may change these later','' he recalls. ‘‘But when I heard the playback, I thought, well, it just needs to be shared. It helps me to have a song like that, having grown up the way I did, so I thought every other one of my friends comes from a divorced family just about, so the song will remain.'' On the other end of the scale is The Dynamo of Volition, a crazy electronic number Mraz says was more ‘‘sound experiment than traditional song''. ‘‘We were trying to grab elements that made you feel as if you had been watching Tron after you drank way too much Kool-Aid. You were kinda high, but you kinda also had a stomach ache.'' We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things (Warner) out now. Jason Mraz, Forum, Aug 12-13. Second show on sale tomorrow from Ticketek.
It was time for Jason Mraz to get back to reality. He'd been living the rock-star life for a solid five years, playing songs including Remedy and Wordplay all around the world, and was ready to give real life a try. The California-based singer/songwriter had lost the ability to see things straight, through ‘‘lack of experience in life skills and getting caught up in the industry'', he says. ‘‘When I was in the middle of my second record, I decided everyone else must be right so I'll just do what they tell me to do: ‘Since everyone is suggesting all these things, their comments must be valid and that must be what's cool, so I'll do that'. ‘‘And by doing that, I lost myself. I was like, ‘Well, what do I like?' and ‘What would I do in this situation? Why do I have to do what other people tell me to do?' So I decided to take my life back.'' He began by saying ‘‘no''. ‘‘It turns out you get a lot more respect,'' he says, still a little surprised. ‘‘It turns out people really want you to speak up and be yourself, be your art and be the love that you dream of.'' But then what? Did Mraz's real life involve watching a lot of TV? ‘‘No, I don't even have a TV. It's been years since I've even pushed the power button on a television, except when I step into a hotel room, and have to turn it off because they're automatically on,'' he says. Instead, real life for Mraz ‘‘was a matter of just sitting and watching the garden grow, and listening to the wildlife creatures speak back and forth, and surfing every day''. ‘‘It was about going to the grocery store and buying whatever you want, then taking it home and being the creator and master of the dish. That's a great metaphor for life -- we're just trying to make the best sandwich we can make today, so I'm gonna make sure that everything I put in it is the most awesome ingredient, the most delicious dish.'' Unlike some cloistered pop stars, Mraz is in touch enough to know that his year off was a privilege. ‘‘I was in a great position because I could afford to take months and months and months off and have these experiences. A lot of people in corporate America are lucky if they get a week off a year,'' he says. ‘‘It's really hard to know what the planet is like and to know what being a human is about, because a lot of us have to work and work and work and work.'' During his year off, Mraz turned 30. ‘‘You know, there's a cosmic law that when you turn 30, you are officially an adult. Well, it doesn't really mean much, because you don't have any adult experience. So you've become the biggest of the little kids, but now the littlest of the big kids,'' he says. ‘‘It's a transformational time, so it's a great opportunity to get rid of some childish habits, throw away some old games you used to play, and brace yourself for the new ones ahead.'' With some adult experiences under his belt, Mraz finally cranked out a new album, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. It offers surprises on a few levels -- from the power of his amped-up soul to the bare-boned nature of some close-cutting ballads. Of the latter, Love for a Child is a stark moment. It's a child's-eye view of the fallout from divorce, and Mraz found the lyrics tough to share. ‘‘When I put it down with everyone, I tried to make an excuse to say, ‘These are just test lyrics. I may change these later','' he recalls. ‘‘But when I heard the playback, I thought, well, it just needs to be shared. It helps me to have a song like that, having grown up the way I did, so I thought every other one of my friends comes from a divorced family just about, so the song will remain.'' On the other end of the scale is The Dynamo of Volition, a crazy electronic number Mraz says was more ‘‘sound experiment than traditional song''. ‘‘We were trying to grab elements that made you feel as if you had been watching Tron after you drank way too much Kool-Aid. You were kinda high, but you kinda also had a stomach ache.'' We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things (Warner) out now. Jason Mraz, Forum, Aug 12-13. Second show on sale tomorrow from Ticketek.
Monday, 30 June 2008
Color By Numbers
Artist: Color By Numbers
Genre(s):
Industrial
Discography:
The Transitions
Year: 2004
Tracks: 9
Whoopi for India.Arie's Broadway Debut
Jalal Zolfonun
Artist: Jalal Zolfonun
Genre(s):
Ethnic
Discography:
Kord Bayat
Year: 1995
Tracks: 12
Jalal Zolfonun was born in Abadeh, Iran, in 1937. He studied the fiddle at the Tehran School of Art. His record album Kord Bayat, released on the Music of the World label, features Zolfonun playing the setar (a four-string long-necked luting).
Lionell Hampton
Artist: Lionell Hampton
Genre(s):
Blues
Discography:
Collection (Boogie Woogie)
Year:
Tracks: 6
Ron Wood and Ronnie Lane
Mark Ronson Paid '1 Million Pounds For 45 Minute Show'
Producer Mark Ronson was paid a reported £1million for a 45 minute performance at a private birthday party, it's been claimed.
Ronson was a surprise guest at the Cotswolds party, held to mark the 21st birthday Freya Dawson, the daughter of haulage millionaire Peter Dawson.
According to the Mirror newspaper, Ronson sang happy birthday to a “shocked” Ms Dawson before performing with his band.
Ronson's set included his cover of The Zutons 'Valerie', which he often performs with Amy Winehouse.
The party is said to have cost Mr Dawson £4million and was described by one guest as “the type of thing reserved for royalty.”
A spokesperson for the Dawson family paper said he was unavailable for comment because “they are extremely busy still clearing up after the party."
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Amy Winehouse - Winehouses Husband Admits Attacking Pub Landlord
Blake Fielder-Civil, the husband of singer Amy Winehouse, has admitted charges of attacking a pub landlord.
James King, 36, required medical treatment after an incident at the Macbeth pub in Hoxton, east London in June 2006, allegedly involving Fielder-Civil and another man, after which Fielder-Civil is accused of attempting to bribe Mr King to withdraw a statement made in relation to the grievous bodily harm case.
He had previously pleaded not guilty to attacking Mr King but has owned up to inflicting grievous bodily harm and also to perverting the course of justice, it has been revealed.
The revelation comes after Judge David Radford lifted a court order banning the reporting of the guilty pleas entered by Fielder-Civil, 25, and his co-defendants.
Ruling at Snaresbrook crown court on Monday, the judge also permitted the reporting of an allegation that Mr King may have been subjected to intimidation or duress.
Fielder-Civil, of Camden, north London, along with Anthony Kelly, 25, from Chalk Farm, north-west London and Michael Brown, 25, from Holloway, north London, is accused of offering Mr King money to withdraw the allegation of GBH and to leave the country.
09/06/2008 13:19:58
See Also
Ekova
Artist: Ekova
Genre(s):
Ethnic
Discography:
Space Lullabies And Other Fa..
Year: 2001
Tracks: 14
The globally inspired triple Ekova got its name from a parole coined by singer/songwriter Dierdre Dubois when she combined the dustup "echo" and "ova." The Paris-based mathematical group consists of Dubois, a transplanted Californian; Iranian percussionist Arach Khalatbari; Algerian guitarist/oud player Mehdi Haddab; and French keyboardist Cyrille Dufay, wHO was actually enlisted only if to modernise the profound on portions of the group's debut album. That album, Heaven's Dust, combined forward-looking textures and arrangements with African, Celtic, Indian, and Near Eastern elements and Dubois' unequalled, self-created language. The album was released in France in 1998 and found a U.S. release in 2000 on Six Degrees Records, as did a 1999 remix album coroneted Easy Breeze & Tsunami Breaks. Outer space Lullabies and Other Fantasmagore followed in early 2001.
Oprah Winfrey - Oprah Winfrey Tops Forbes Power List
US talkshow host Oprah Winfrey has been declared the world's most powerful celebrity for the second year running in a new survey by Forbes magazine.
The ranking is based on large range of factors including income, internet references, press clippings, broadcast mentions and magazine covers.
Winfrey, 54, topped the list ahead of golfer Tiger Woods and actress Angelina Jolie who were placed second and third respectively.
US singer and some-time actress Beyonce Knowles was fourth and England footballer and LA Galaxy star David Beckham completed the top five most powerful celebrities.
The rest of the top ten is made up of a mixture of actors, musicians and authors.
Jolie's partner, Brad Pitt, for example, was declared the tenth most powerful celebrity in the world.
While US rapper and Glastonbury headliner Jay-Z was placed seventh in the list ahead of recently reformed British band the Police.
Forbes declared Harry Potter author JK Rowling to still be influential despite the wizard series coming to an end; placing her placed ninth in this year's survey.
Her position may in some way be related to the fact she was the biggest earner on the list over the last 12 months.
12/06/2008 09:07:21
See Also
Ellen & Portia Set a Wedding Date!
It looks like wedding plans are moving forward for Ellen DeGeneres and her fiance Portia de Rossi!
DeGeneres, who won Best Talk Show Host at the Daytime Emmys on Friday, told reporters backstage that she and Portia have indeed set a date.
"Yes, we have set a wedding date," she confessed. "Portia has a ring. It's a Neil Lane ring."
Ellen, who also revealed she plans to fly Portia's mom in from Australia for the ceremony, was eager to talk about her upcoming nuptials admitting that , "planning a wedding is stressful."
She also joked about the size of the guest list, joking that her many Emmys "will be on top of the cake," and that the wedding is now so big "my gardener is invited."
"We have incredible people singing" at the wedding, Ellen said. "It's very exciting."
By: Carole Glines
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