Researchers in Spain have found that many of the individuals claiming to see the aura of people – traditionally called “healers” or “quacks” – actually present the neuropsychological phenomenon known as “synesthesia” (specifically, “emotional synesthesia”). This might be a scientific explanation of their alleged extrasensory abilities. In synesthetes, the brain regions responsible for the processing of each type of sensory stimuli are intensely interconnected. This way, synesthetes can see or taste a sound, feel a taste, or associate people with a particular color or thought.

The study was conducted by the University of Granada Department of Experimental Psychology and has been published in the prestigious journal Consciousness and Cognition. This is the first time that a scientific explanation is provided on the esoteric phenomenon of the aura, a supposed energy field of luminous radiation surrounding a person as a halo, which is imperceptible to most human beings.

In neurological terms, synesthesia is due to unusual cross-wiring in the brain of some people (synesthetes); in other words, synesthetes present more synaptic connections than “normal” people. These extra connections cause them to automatically establish associations between brain areas that are not normally interconnected. Many healers claiming to see the aura of people might have this condition.

The case of the “Santón de Baza”
The University of Granada researchers remark that “not all healers are synesthetes, but there is a higher prevalence of this phenomenon among them. The same occurs among painters and artists, for example”. To carry out this study, the researchers interviewed some synesthetes as the healer from Granada “Esteban Sánchez Casas”, known as “El Santón de Baza”.

Many people attribute “paranormal powers” to El Santón, such as his ability to see the aura of people “but, in fact, it is a clear case of synesthesia”, the researchers explain. El Santón presents face-color synesthesia (the brain region responsible for face recognition is associated with the color-processing region); touch-mirror synesthesia (when the synesthete observes a person who is being touched or is experiencing pain, s/he experiences the same); high empathy (the ability to feel what other person is feeling), and schizotypy (certain personality traits in healthy people involving slight paranoia and delusions). “These capacities make synesthetes have the ability to make people feel understood, and provide them with special emotion and pain reading skills”, the researchers explain.

In the light of the results obtained, the researchers remark the significant “placebo effect” that healers have on people, “though some healers really have the ability to see people’s auras and feel the pain in others due to synesthesia”. Some healers “have abilities and attitudes that make them believe in their ability to heal other people, but it is actually a case of self-deception, as synesthesia is not an extrasensory power, but a subjective and ‘adorned’ perception of reality”, the researchers state.

Green fundamentalists stupidly aim to destroy fields of genetically modified wheat.

At the end of this month, a group of protestors are planning to descend upon a field in Hertfordshire and, in their words, ‘decontaminate’ (i.e. destroy) a field of genetically modified wheat. The activists, from an organization called ‘Take the Flour Back’, claim to be saving Britain from a deadly environmental menace. But in reality, these self-appointed guardians of Gaia are threatening not only to undo hundreds of man-years of publicly-funded research but also helping to destroy one of the best hopes we have of avoiding catastrophic famines in the poorest parts of the world in future decades. It is eco-snobbery on a global scale.

This planned Hertfordshire protest is against a strain of wheat that has been genetically modified to create its own aphid repellent, a chemical that smells like mint. The scientists behind it, who work at the Rothamsted Research Institute, hope that the new wheat will require far less pesticide to grow than conventional varieties. If the technology works, they will not patent it and let the world’s poorest farmers have access to the new wheat at minimal cost. This is the type of science, with real-world benefits, that this government is so keen to encourage.

The genetically modified food debate has global implications, allowing the rich retard progressive farming technology needed to feed poor countries.

Those opposing transgenic technology have been given an easy ride by an often naive media for the last 20 years. But there is now growing anger among scientists and even some green activists that a technology that may represent our only real hope of feeding the extra three billion mouths expected on our planet is being stymied — in the name of ‘purity’. This is a nonsensical idea in a world which already depends on intensive, industrialized agriculture.

In Norwich, another group of scientists, at the John Innes Centre, is developing a strain of wheat resistant to a devastating new fungus which is sweeping across the Horn of Africa and into southwest Asia, a region which will be the engine of global population growth in the 21st Century. If the ‘Ug99’ stem-rust fungus reaches the Punjab, it is feared that 200 million may die. The scientists would love to be able to test this wheat in the field to see if the technology works, but there is little chance of that as nearly all African governments have forbidden transgenic plants to cross their borders.

So successful have these anti-Western campaigns been that a decade ago we witnessed the obscenity that was the refusal by the Zambian government to allow the donation of transgenic corn to feed nearly three million people hit by drought and famine.
It is an obscenity, too, that the greens are happy to see children lose their sight rather than consume the hated Genetically Modified (GM) foods. In Switzerland, a deeply humane and now extremely angry scientist called Ingo Potrykus, who in a sane world would be clutching a Nobel Prize, has devoted his life to the creation of a new variety of ‘golden rice’ that, unlike the natural variety, is rich in Vitamin A. Deficiency in this vitamin is thought to cause 400 million cases of malnutrition, 2 million deaths and 500,000 cases of child blindness every year. Thanks to the success of anti-GM campaigns the introduction of golden rice has been delayed by more than a decade.

Transgenic technology has not caused a single human to become ill, nor has there ever been a single case of environmental damage caused by this now-mature technology in three decades of trials and commercial farming. Opposition to GMOs has nothing to do with science and everything to do with a strain of green fundamentalism that is more akin to a religion than rationality. Myths abound that GM crops will cause allergies and sickness, that the genes will leap across to other species and create mutant monsters and unstoppable superweeds. All have been proven to be false.

In 1798, Thomas Malthus argued that mankind’s expansion would be halted by the planet’s finite resources, and the world population would be ‘kept equal to the means of subsistence, by misery and vice.’ Since then the world population has grown sevenfold, and global poverty levels have never been lower. What Malthus did not consider was mankind’s ingenuity in inventing ways to combat starvation. But we may have reached the limits of conventional farming technology to feed our burgeoning species. The United Nations projects that Africa’s population will treble over this century. The continent can barely feed itself now.

Transgenic farming technology is not a panacea, but nor is it a hazardous luxury. If we are to avoiding another humanitarian crisis, there is no alternative but to take that next step. The decadent opposition must stop.

New research proved that resveratrol, a chemical present in red wine, has anti-aging properties.

Resveratrol was always thought to have health benefits, but the exact mechanism of that effect was never clearly understood.

Understanding how resveratrol works would open a possibility of developing an anti-aging drug. Recently, scientists showed that mice lacking the longevity gene known as SIRT1, don’t seem to benefit from resveratrol.

SIRT1 is one of many genes activated by resveratrol and scientists struggled to find the principal gene that is responsible for increased life span. SITR1 knock-out mice didn’t survive, therefore Sinclair and his colleagues created conditional knockout of SITR1 and fed them with resveratrol. The scientists then proved that mice with normal SIRT1 gene lived as long as those with SITR1 deficiency.

The dosage of resveratrol seems to be the critical aspect, with high doses starting to activate other genes. Thus, it initially targets SIRT1, while at higher doses acting on other genes. Animals lacking that gene obtained no benefit.

The findings which are published in the May issue of the Cell Press journal Cell Metabolism offer the first definitive proof of the absolute link between the anti-aging properties of resveratrol and the SIRT1 gene. Researchers can now focus on small molecule compounds that act on the enzymatic activity of the SIRT1 gene. The promising new approach could produce many new drugs that combat aging, including diseases like dementia, Alzheimer’s, stroke and others.

Scientists have found a new method for producing genetically modified animals. Transgenic animals produced using this method can be used for scientific research and to produce new breeds of domestic animals. The method relies on recently created haploid embryonic stem cells (haESCs) instead of diploid ESCs. Such haploid stem cells are similar to haploid sperm cells. Researches can culture and manipulate haESCs in vitro as they do with regular diploid ES cells.

Not only will the technique make it easier to produce genetically modified mice and other animals, but it may also enable genetic modification of animals that can’t be modified by conventional techniques. The technique might even be used in assisted human reproduction for those couples affected by genetic disease.

The current procedure to generate genetically modified animals is tedious and very inefficient. Now scientists can generate haploid embryonic stem cells and produce heterozygote animals by simply injecting those in vitro manipulated haESCs into unfertilized oocytes. This approach eliminates excessive breeding and allows getting 100% of F1 animals carrying new genes in germ line cells.

Currently, genetically modified mice are made from diploid embryonic stem cells carrying two copies of every gene. These diploid embryonic cells can be cultured in vitro and genetically manipulated and then injected into blastocysts early in development to produce chimeras, animals whose tissues are made up of cells derived from both the blastocyst and from the modified ES cells. As the modified cells are randomly incorporated into the cells of blastocyst, there is a chance that they will give rise to egg and sperm cells carrying genetic modification that can be passed on to future generations. But it’s a slow and uncertain process.

Haploid embryonic stem cells (haESCs) can be produced by first removing the nucleus from immature eggs (oocytes) and then injecting them with sperm. These cells are amenable to gene manipulations and supporting transmission of genetic information to offspring. These haploid cells open new avenues for the generation of genetically modified animals. The next challenge is to improve the sperm-like features of the haESCs by optimizing their makeup without otherwise compromising them.

The new method might also lead to genetic modification of animals, such as monkeys or humans, that have been off limits because they don’t support the production of chimeras.

As for human reproduction, right now the haESCs are clearly not as good as sperm for the purposes of in vitro fertilization, but they could someday have advantages. A similar technique might be one day used to correct genetic disease in germ cells in humans to have a healthy baby for parents.

Hong Kong scientists have created a genetically modified sheep that expresses a roundworm fat gene that is also found in nuts, seeds, fish and leafy greens and helps reduce the risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease.
According to the scientists, who created the sheep, the baby-sheep is growing very well and looks healthy.
Scientists inserted the gene that is linked to the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids into a donor cell taken from the ear of a Chinese Merino sheep.
The nucleus of the cell was then inserted into denucleated unfertilized egg and implanted into the womb of a surrogate mother-sheep.
The gene that was inserted in the genome of sheep was derived from the roundworm C. elegans, has been shown to increase unsaturated fatty acids in worms and is considered “healthy” for human consumption.
Public concerns about the safety of genetically modified food are taken seriously in China and it will take some years before meat from such transgenic animals appear in Chinese food markets.
“The Chinese government encourages transgenic projects but we need to have better methods and results to prove that transgenic plants and animals are harmless and safe for consumption, that is crucial,” Du said.
The United States is a world leader in producing GM crops. Food and Drug Administration has already approved the sale of food from clones and their offspring, saying the products were indistinguishable from those of non-cloned animals.
U.S. biotech firm AquaBounty patented genetically modified Atlantic salmon is one of the most rapidly growing biotech companies in the USA. Genetically modified salmon is going to appear on the U.S. market as early as this summer.

Protein called cryptochrome is an ancient protein present in every animal species living on Earth including humans. The protein is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms and in the navigational skills of several species including migratory birds, monarch butterflies, and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Proteins homologous to cryptochrome are expressed also in bacteria and plants.

The exact molecular mechanism of animals’ navigational abilities still remains a mystery. Recent study published in Nature Communications showed that genetically modified flies lacking their light-sensitive protein cryptochrome lose their sense of magnetic field. Interestingly, replacing the protein with human homologous protein restored the ability. Although humans express cryptochrome in their eyes, no conclusive evidence exists that humans can sense the Earth’s magnetic field.

“I would be very surprised if we don’t have this [magnetic] sense… the issue is to figure out how we use it”- sais Steven Reppert, University of Massachusetts Medical School who has been studying the roles of this protein for a number of years.

“We developed a system to study the real mechanism of magnetosensing in fruit flies… we can put these proteins from other animals [including humans] into the fly and ask, ‘do these proteins in their different forms actually function as magnetoreceptors?’,” said Dr Reppert. “I would be very surprised if we don’t have this sense; it’s used in a variety of other animals. I think that the issue is to figure out how we use it. I think one of the things that put people off accepting the reality of human magnetoreception 20 years ago was the lack of an obvious receptor,” he told BBC News.

Some people may feel the magnetic waves better than the other. It is conceivable that people with extrasensory abilities can decode electromagnetic signals emitted by neurons of other people and read others’ minds.

Stroke survivors who like art have a significantly higher quality of life than those who do not, according to new research. Patients who appreciated music, painting and theatre recovered better from their stroke than patients who did not.

The research was presented at the 12th Annual Spring Meeting on Cardiovascular Nursing, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Stroke is the third cause of death in the western world and the first cause of disability in adults. More and more older people are having strokes and undergoing recovery. Identifying strategies to improve stroke recovery and patients’ quality of life represent a priority for the health care system and art exposure seems to be promising.

192 stroke survivors (average age 70 years) were asked if they liked or did not like art (music, painting, theatre). Quality of life was compared for patients interested in art (105) and patients not interested in art (87).

Patients interested in art had better general health, found it easier to walk, and had more energy. They were also happier, less anxious or depressed, and felt calmer. They had better memory and were superior communicators (speaking with other people, understanding what people said, naming people and objects correctly).

Dr Vellone says: “Stroke survivors who saw art as an integrated part of their former lifestyle, by expressing appreciation towards music, painting and theatre, showed better recovery skills than those who did not.”

“In our study the ‘art’ group of patients showed a comparable clinical picture to the ‘no art’ group,” he adds. “This is important because it means that patients belonging to the ‘art’ group had a better quality of life independently from the gravity of stroke.”

Other researchers have shown that listening to favorite music directly stimulates a feeling a pleasure by releasing dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is the starting point of the so-called gratification circuit that activates oxytocin (the hormone of love) and finally endorphins (the molecules of pleasurable emotions). “Dopamine improves quality of life each time it is released in the brain,” says Dr Vellone. “Further research is needed to see if other art forms stimulate dopamine release.”

He adds: “These results shed light on the importance of lifelong exposure to art for improving the recovery process after a stroke. Introducing art into nursing care after stroke could help improve stroke survivors’ quality of life.”

Many people take a low dose of aspirin every day to lower their risk of heart attack or stroke because of the effect it has on the clotting action of platelets in the bloodstream.

When we bleed, platelets in the blood build up at the site of the wound, forming a plug that stops further blood loss. But this clotting can also happen inside blood vessels, such as when a fatty deposit in a narrow artery bursts. At the site of the burst, blood platelets clump into a clot that can block the artery and stop blood flow to the brain or heart, resulting in a stroke or heart attack. Aspirin reduces the ability of the platelets to clump, thereby lowering the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Three studies published in The Lancet, have identified one more benefit of aspirin: prevention of cancer. Moreover, scientists propose that treatment with daily aspirin may also prevent an existing, localized cancer from spreading to other parts of the body, which is just as important.

It is known that taking daily aspirin increases the risk of internal bleeding. As aspirin reduces risk of cancer, stroke and heart attacks, which are much more likely to lead to disability or death then internal bleeding, more and more people, even those presently enjoying good health, ask the question: “Should I be taking aspirin every day?” and “Should health authorities consider recommending routine use of aspirin for cancer prevention?” The papers do not necessarily furnish a clear answer to these questions.

The critics of the paper say that there is not enough evidence and that they are not ready to recommend aspirin for cancer prevention. “They say that while the studies “provide compelling evidence, taking aspirin is not yet recommended to prevent cancer and people should not start taking it daily as a precautionary measure.” They also say the evidence for taking aspirin purely to prevent cancer or to treat it is “even less substantial than for blood thinning”, and urge “we cannot be sure that the potential benefits are not outweighed by the known risks”. It is known also that aspirin can cause serious harm through increased risk of stomach irritation and bleeding. And, ironically, while daily aspirin can help prevent a clot-related (ischemic) stroke, it may actually increase the risk of a bleeding (hemorrhagic) stroke. Risk of taking aspirin is different between men and women (and among women, it also depends on age), the risk of bleeding with daily aspirin is about the same in both sexes.

The risk of bleeding also tends to be higher in older people, those with a history of stomach ulcers, and people already taking medication or who have conditions that increase the risk of bleeding.

Daily aspirin use also increases the risk of developing a stomach ulcer. And, for anyone with a bleeding ulcer, taking aspirin will cause it to bleed more, perhaps to a life-threatening extent, say experts at the Mayo Clinic in the US.

People with asthma can also experience breathing problems with aspirin.

Other side effects of taking aspirin include nausea and indigestion, ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss. And some people can have an allergic reaction.

Many experts would also advise those thinking about taking daily aspirin as a way to cut cancer risk, to consider there are many other, less harmful lifestyle changes that can also make a difference: such as giving up smoking, following a healthy diet, limiting alcohol intake, keeping to a normal weight, and taking regular exercise.

Physicists have built a battery that draws energy from the thermal movement of ions in solution.

All particles such as atoms, ions and molecules perpetually and spontaneous move drugging energy from the outside heat. The motion is called Brownian movement. The temperature of a gas or any other matter is a function of speed of its particles, – the higher the speed of particles, the higher the temperature. The motion stops at thermodynamic zero point or absolute zero degrees. The velocity of ions in aqueous solution at room temperature is huge – hundreds of meters per second. And yet few people have studied this process or its potential use to generate energy.

Scientists at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University not only have studied this process but also created a working devise that converts energy of the Brownian motion of molecules into electric power. They have created a circuit consisting of an LED connected to a strip of graphene (allotrope of carbon) placed in a solution of copper chloride. Six of these graphene circuits in series generated electrical potential difference of 2V needed to make the LED light up. According to the authors, copper ions, which have a double positive charge, move through the solution at a rate of about 300 meters per second using the thermal energy of the solution at room temperature. When a copper ion smashes into the graphene strip, the collision generates enough energy to kick an electron out of the carbon atom of graphene. The electron then has two options: it can either leave the graphene strip and combine with the copper ion or it can travel through the graphene strip and into the circuit. It turns out that the mobility of electrons is much higher in graphene than it is through the solution, so the electron naturally prefers to travel across the graphene surface instead of going into the electrolyte solution.

So the energy generated by this device comes from ambient heat. These scientists were able to increase the current by heating the solution and also by accelerating the copper ions and increased the power of the battery with ultrasound. According to the authors, the graphene battery has run for 20 days on nothing but ambient heat.

The discovery raises the prospect of clean, green batteries powered by nothing but ambient heat.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Michael Paul
RURO, Inc.

888-881-7876

240-409-0449

sales@ruro.com

www.ruro.com

RURO Adds FreezerPro Basic to Its Flagship Brand

New FreezerPro allows small labs FreezerPro 2012 benefits without the cost

Frederick, MD – April 16, 2012 – RURO, Inc., a developer of research software and inventory solutions announces a ‘Basic’ version of FreezerPro 2012.

• Allows small laboratories to use the icon based system to handle sample storage without all of the expensive features needed to manage a larger lab.
• FreezerPro Basic is a robust inventory solution that utilizes flexible data entry, Excel integration and Linear/2D barcodes support.
• FreezerPro Basic offers small laboratories an affordable solution retailing at $1599.00. Government and academic pricing comes with a $300.00 discount.

For more information please visit http://www.ruro.com/freezerpro

“FreezerPro Basic is another product in the RURO portfolio designed to meet the needs of small laboratories. We have identified this market as an area of growth for our company and would like to provide smaller organizations an opportunity to use FreezerPro without breaking the bank. We look at this as a longterm strategic move for RURO. At the same time, we believe that we are providing the scientific research community with an affordable package that allows them to move their frozen inventory through their workflows more efficiently.” says Michael Paul, Marketing Director at RURO.

About RURO
Headquartered in the heart of Maryland’s biotechnology corridor RURO develops state of the art computer software and RFID solutions for research, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, healthcare and government (homeland security) laboratories in the US and worldwide.

For more information please visit RURO online at www.RURO.com
###

Administration of a single antibody targeted against CD47 protein caused tumors to shrink or disappear, according to a new study conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine. The study was done using nude mice transplanted with cancerous masses from human bladder, brain, breast, colon, liver, ovary, and prostate. Now researchers hope to reproduce the data in humans. The study was recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The antibody blocks a protein known as CD47 that is exposed on the cell surface and tells macrophages not to destroy the cell. The antibody binds to CD47 and makes it invisible to macrophages. Blocking this ‘don’t eat me’ signal inhibits the growth in mice of nearly every human cancer tested.

Mobilizing the immune system to attack solid tumors has been a longstanding goal of many cancer researchers for decades. Now scientists believe that CD47 is a legitimate and promising target for human cancer therapy.

CD47 is normally expressed on the surfaces of circulating blood stem cells as a way to stop them being attacked by macrophages, clean-up cells of the immune system that go around looking for rogue cells to eliminate. A CD47 signal prompts the macrophage to ignore the cell.

It was previously discovered that some types of cancer cells, such as leukemia and lymphoma, have found a way to express CD47 on their surfaces to send the “don’t eat me” signal and avoid being eaten by macrophages.

The researchers found that nearly every human cancer cell they investigated expressed CD47, on average, about three times as strongly as non-cancerous cells.

They also found that people whose cancer cells express a lot of CD47 tend not to live as long as those with similar cancers who express less CD47. The level of CD47 could be also a very useful tool to predict cancer outcome.

These results indicate that anti-CD47 antibodies can dramatically inhibit the growth of human solid tumors by blocking the ability of CD47 to transmit the ‘don’t eat me’ signal to macrophages.

If the tumor was highly aggressive, the CD47 antibody also blocked metastasis.

The innate immune system is the first line of defense against invading pathogens like viruses and bacteria. Its response is more generalized that the fine-tuned responses of the adaptive immune system that has antibodies and T cells able to recognize and attack specific molecules. It is becoming very clear that, in order for a cancer to survive in the body, it has to find some way to evade the cells of the innate immune system.

In some cases, however, the CD47 antibody treatment did not work. A group of mice transplanted with human breast cancer cells from one specific patient showed no response at all.

Scientists need to learn more about the relationship between macrophages and tumor cells and how to draw more macrophages to the tumors. Perhaps reducing tumor size with surgery or radiotherapy before the antibody treatment could help, or even use several different antibodies against CD47 and some other markers still to be discovered.

In the meantime, the researchers believe their findings are sufficient to show this single antibody holds promise, and sets the stage for advancing research.

A clothing store located in Barcelona, Spain is equipped with AdvanMirror system enabling customers to view themselves on a video screen as though they were wearing a specific garment of their choice. The images displayed on a flat screen are based on the reading of video camera and RFID tag affixed to that piece of clothing. The virtual mirror allows a shopper to sample garments before walking into a fitting room to physically try them on.

The technology is not only entertaining but also boosts sales. The salespeople can access the view from their personal iPads and assist shoppers in finding items similar to what they chose to try using the system, as well as locate complimentary garments or accessories and to offer them to a customer as she or he uses the virtual mirror.

The AdvanMirror is a standalone unit featuring built-in RFID readers and antennas. The software stores 3-D images of each item and corresponding unique ID number encoded in item’s RFID tag. When a shopper places clothing on one of the smart shelves, the reader interrogates the item’s tag ID and transmits that information to the built-in computer. The computer merges a garment’s image with that of the individual using the system in real time, providing the appearance that the shopper is wearing that garment.

For example, if a customer interested in a blouse raises her arm, the blouse’s sleeve will be raised in conjunction with that movement. If she turns to the side, the garment’s image will do the same, thereby providing a 3-D effect. The shopper can virtually try on several products simultaneously, such as a blouse, a jacket and slacks, all of which would then be displayed on her image as though she is wearing them. In addition, the system overlaps garment images appropriately, such as an open jacket over a blouse.

In addition, the software offers the user such functionality as selecting another item that might go well with the garment chosen, simply by using the touch screen.

We know little about the molecules that determine the differences in behavior among individuals. Scientists at the University of Illinois have discovered similar genes in human and bees that determine novelty-seeking behavior, which is assumed to have evolved separately in these lineages. The study is reported in Science.

The scientists studied behavior of honey bee scouts. Unlike many foragers, these bees (exclusively females) don’t wait to be told where to go. They initiate the quests of food on their own. They also look for new nest sites. When they find food, they fly back to the colony, and communicate the food location by “waggle dance” and fly off again on a new quest.

For this study, scientists looked at gene that express differently in scout bees versus foragers that do not scout.

They identified scout bees in a colony by placing a food source outside the hives and marking several bees that come first to the source of food. They placed food in alternative locations and repeated the experiment several times. Those bees that were marked with several spots were considered scouts and those that had no marks were considered foragers.

At the end of the experiment, the researchers captured the bees that visited the food sources and analyzed the genes expressed in their brains of scouts and non- scouts.

They found significant differences in gene expression in about 16% of the 7,500 genes.

They found similar genes in vertebrates and humans and looked at their function. Interestingly, genes specifically expressed in scout bees were linked to novelty-seeking in vertebrates. These included some for receptors of the neurotransmitters dopamine and glutamate, both of which exist in humans too.

When the researchers gave glutamate or chemical that activates the dopamine receptor to the non-scouting forager bees, they were more likely to search for food. Giving them a glutamate inhibitor at the same time stopped their searching behavior.

The researchers concluded that novelty-seeking behavior in vertebrates like humans, and insects like bees, have the same or similar genetic components.

These findings raise the possibility that the same group of genetic molecular components has produced similar behaviors at different points of evolution.

US researchers at Harvard Medical School have managed to isolate stem cells from the ovaries of reproductive age women and used them to make oocytes that appear to behave normally. The discovery published in Nature Medicine clearly shows that a woman’s ovaries contain stem cells capable of making new eggs.

In 2004, Nature published similar study on mouse oocyte precursor cells that challenged the traditional view that female mammals are born with a limited number of eggs that are used up by the time of menopause.

The work reported in the recent issue of ‘Cell’ demonstrated that now it is possible to clone primates.

Stem cell research is one of the most rapidly developing areas of biology because it holds the possibility of producing new nerve fibers, skin and many other tissues and organs for those who suffer from incurable diseases and injuries.
Cloning of mice and other animals became a routine technique in modern genetic laboratories. However, in order to move stem cell therapies to humans and from the lab to clinics, we need to experiment with primates.

Instead of using embryonic stem cells cultured in petri dishes, the researchers used early-stage stem cells taken directly from monkey four-cell embryos. The cells from male and female early stage embryos were mixed in vitro and then implanted in female monkeys.

Three cloned monkeys survived full term and are currently between four and six months old. They carry mixed DNA from six different genetic lineages. Genetically, it’s as if they had as many as six parents, which is impossible to achieve in nature.

More interestingly, although they have both male and female DNA, they are all developing as males, because masculine genes of Y chromosome have dominated the monkeys’ development.

A pilot study conducted at University of Colorado has discovered that the quality of dehydrated RNA samples stored at room temperature is comparable to those stored in traditional ultra-low-temperature freezers.

The benefits of dry storage include minimizing the hazards of handling and shipping biospecimens. Even small temperature fluctuations can compromise quality of frozen samples. Lowering energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with ultra-low temperature freezers is another advantage of dry storage that also removes the risk of a malfunctioning freezer, which can destroy the integrity of frozen samples.

Most of the low temperature freezers have an electronic monitoring system that triggers an alarm if power unexpectedly goes off or there is freezer failure that adds to the bill. Facilities also keep spare freezers across the research facilities for temporary use in the event of a freezer failure.

If researchers could store the samples at room temperature on the shelves in their lab, then they don’t have to worry about getting calls at 3 a.m. that the power is out or the freezer isn’t working. Research shows that a single ultra-low-temperature freezer may exhaust into atmosphere as much CO2 as six vehicles in a year’s time. Electricity used by freezers adds to the cost.

If dry storage at room temperature proves consistently effective it would be a great advance in biospecimen research. However, some questions remain to be answered, such as:

• At what temperature is it safest to store dry biospecimens,- at room temperature or refrigerated?
• Do different types of cancer tissue, such as breast cancer and melanoma samples or other cancerous tissues equally withstand drying and prolonged room temperature?
• How long can dehydrated samples be stored and still maintain their integrity?

The goal isn’t to eliminate freezers as to find a method of storage that might work better.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Michael Paul
RURO, Inc.

888-881-7876

301-801-0505

sales@ruro.com

www.ruro.com

RURO releases FreezerPro Add-On for Microsoft Excel

FreezerPro Add-On is compatible with Microsoft Excel 2007 and 2010.

Frederick, MD – February 23, 2012 – RURO, Inc., a developer of research software and inventory solutions announced today that it has successfully integrated its FreezerPro 2012 edition with Microsoft Excel. The Excel AddOn is provided to the user in a zip folder. It comes with on screen instructions and literally takes less than three minutes to install.

• With the Microsoft Excel (PC) AddOn software, a user can perform Import and Update of FreezerPro Samples, Sample Sources, and Sample Groups without leaving the familiar Excel environment.
• Data management has never been easier. The integrated Excel tab allows users to “data-dump” with a simple click of the mouse.
• Quick-start templates are provided.

For more information please visit http://www.ruro.com/support/knowledge-base/excel_plugin

“FreezerPro continues to lead the charge as the premier brand in our growing portfolio. We believe that consistent improvement and innovation are needed with all of our products. We want the FreezerPro brand to be recognized as the gold standard for frozen inventory solutions. I have charged our engineering team with the task of making our products more intuitive and efficient. Our innovation comes directly from customer feedback and the desire to become more user focused.” says RURO’s Systems Architect, Vlad Lebedev.

About RURO
Headquartered in the heart of Maryland’s biotechnology corridor RURO develops state of the art computer software and RFID solutions for research, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, healthcare and government (homeland security) laboratories in the US and worldwide.

For more information please visit RURO online at www.RURO.com

FreezerPro is a trademark of RURO, Inc. Excel is a trademark of Microsoft. Other product and service names might be trademarks of other companies.
###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Michael Paul
RURO, Inc.

888-881-7876

301-801-0505

sales@ruro.com

www.ruro.com

RURO Says SmartFreezer Ready for Distribution

RURO, Inc. is now taking orders for the Angelantoni SmartFreezer.

Frederick, MD – January 23, 2012 – RURO, Inc., a developer of research software and inventory solutions announced today that it has successfully integrated its FreezerPro 2012 edition with Angelantoni’s SmartFreezer. The SmartFreezer is capable of reading both RFID and 2D barcodes. The SmartFreezer with be shown at numerous shows throughout the US and Europe in 2012. The fully integrated unit will make its debut at the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) show in San Diego, February 6th and 7th.

Key features found in the Angelantoni Industrie SmartFreezer include:

• -80°C or -180°C automated robotic sample storage and retrieval
• Options for different vials, types, sizes and shapes
• Support for both 2D barcodes and RFID tags on vials
• FreezerPro touch-screen interface to load/request samples
• Seamlessly integrated with RURO FreezerPro Enterprise 2012 for sample management, security and reporting
• Full traceability with detailed audit logs
• Independently validated and certified to be fully compliant with the FDAs current GLP/GMP requirements
• For more product information and to see a video of SmartFreezer in action please visit www.RURO.com/SmartFreezer

“The SmartFreezer is the first solution in the marketplace that delivers both a virtual and a physical inventory that is retrieved utilizing touch screen technology. Research scientists will have peace of mind knowing that they have a -180°C solution that can safely find and retrieve samples without LN2 handling” says Michael Paul, RURO’s Marketing Director.

About RURO
Headquartered in the heart of Maryland’s biotechnology corridor, RURO develops state-of-the-art software that optimizes manageability and productivity for innovative academic, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, medical and government (homeland security) laboratories in the USA and throughout the world.

RURO is a company driven to innovate. The company is focused on relevant and novel software technologies that address the needs of research scientists. RURO strives to be the best at integrating world-class technologies and providing its customers with the best service in the business.

For more information please visit RURO online at www.RURO.com

Smart Freezer is a trademark of Angelantoni Industrie s.p.a., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. FreezerPro is a trademark of RURO, Inc. Other product and service names might be trademarks of other companies.
###

12/21/2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Vera Terekhina
RURO, Inc.
888-881-7876
301-639-5546
sales@ruro.com
www.ruro.com

RURO and Technical Communities sign government services partnership

Offering government users advanced laboratory computer software

FREDERICK, MD, DECEMBER 21, 2011 — RURO, Inc., an award winning developer of innovative scientific applications that facilitate asset management and increase productivity of various laboratories, today announced a new government services partnership agreement with Technical Communities, Inc., -one of the fastest growing suppliers of technical solutions to the US government.

FreezerPro® – allows scientists and managers of research laboratories, biobanks and pharmaceutical companies to inventory frozen samples, share reagents and information, and keep track of all activities associated with laboratory material. www.ruro.com/FreezerPro

ezColony® is a complete solution for managing transgenic animal facilities of any scale. www.ruro.com/ezColony

Sciency® ELN (Electronic Laboratory Notebook) creates professional, user-friendly environment for entering, managing and sharing data while protecting intellectual property and ensuring compliance with requirements of 21 CFR Part 11 regulations. www.ruro.com/Sciency

LIMS 24/7® is a complete Laboratory Information Management System that enables organizations of just about any size and field to enhance operational excellence. RURO’s Accelerated Implementation Method (AIM) leverages a combination of technology and industry know-how to enable the fastest deployment possible. www.ruro.com/LIMS247

SmartFreezer® is a fully automatic robotic storage for frozen samples – the next generation tool for life sciences that safely automate storing, retrieving, managing and securing frozen samples in -180 C environment. www.ruro.com/smartfreezer

“Our products have proven to be very successful in terms of sales and user satisfaction,” said Vera Terekhina, Vice President of Operations at RURO. “The hardest part of design, especially scientific software, is making it simple. Simplicity is in itself a product differentiator, and pursuing it is our way of innovation and success. We are happy to team up with Technical Communities, Inc. and expect that this partnership will further streamline the acquisition process and will allow government end-users to buy our products at the best price.”

“The addition of RURO to Technical Communities’ offering, broadens our portfolio of advanced laboratory software solutions to the federal government,” said Peter Ostrow, President and CEO of Technical Communities. “Technical Communities is excited about this partnership, and we are committed to bringing our support and expertise to help RURO achieve greater access to government organizations”.

RURO products will be offered to eligible entities under General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) managed by Technical Communities, which will provide RURO with sales support, demand generation, marketing and reporting services. RURO products are available for purchase through the GSA’s e-commerce web site, www.gsaadvantage.gov, and the company’s own online marketplaces www.gsamart.com and www.testmart.com.

About RURO
Headquartered in the heart of Maryland’s biotechnology corridor, RURO develops state-of-the-art software that optimizes manageability and productivity for innovative academic, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, medical and government (homeland security) laboratories in the USA and throughout the world.
RURO is a company born to innovate. With a fervent focus on relevant and novel software technologies that address needs of scientists, RURO strives to be the best at integrating world-class hardware and software technologies into products which have no analogs on the current software market. For more information, visit www.ruro.com.

About Technical Communities
Companies who sell to the government rely on Technical Communities for proven go-to-market solutions to grow sales, lower costs and reduce risks. With over ten years of public sector contract management, sales and marketing experience and with the largest proprietary database for government technical procurement, Technical Communities is one of the fastest growing suppliers of technical solutions to the US government. Technical Communities has offices in the California’s Silicon Valley and the Washington, DC area. The company is owner and operator of marketplaces www.gsamart.com, www.testmart.com, www.navicpmart.com, www.eurekaspot.com, and government business and procurement content network including www.govcontractsmagazine.com. For more information, visit www.technicalcommunities.com.
###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Larry Miller
RURO, Inc.
888-881-7876, ext: 1
sales@ruro.com
www.ruro.com

Headline
RURO Introduces FreezerPro® 2012 Product Line for Optimizing Frozen Sample Inventory and Lab Management

Company delivers updates for all FreezerPro 2012 versions, debuts a new LIMS Edition and offers customers a unique modular approach for adding advanced capabilities

Frederick, MD – October 17, 2011 – RURO, Inc., an innovative developer of life science research productivity solutions today announced the availability of FreezerPro 2012 for laboratories seeking to automate the management and security of frozen samples as well as lab operations.

“We are very pleased to see that our vision for FreezerPro has taken root and continues to flourish,” stated Kevin Hoisington, Marketing Director at RURO. “This next generation of FreezerPro continues to meet the needs of labs of just about any size while delivering a combination of enterprise-class features, performance, ease of use and overall value that are unmatched in our industry.”

FreezerPro 2012 users will benefit from a refined overall look and feel along with the following new capabilities in all versions:

• Redesigned report builder to customize report templates for both samples and vials
• Ability to generate and print box maps
• Simplified group editing to handle multiple samples at one time
• New API extensions enable integration with more third party applications and devices
• Support for ICO3 standard for clinical samples
• Enhanced compatibility with Brady IP300/600 printers including support for international fonts and printing barcodes and barcode labels in multiple languages
• Upgraded RFID support as well as the ability to utilize custom made identifiers
• And over 100 additional improvements

Debuting with this release is FreezerPro 2012 LIMS Edition. Designed for the most sophisticated enterprise customers including pharmaceutical companies and large bio-repositories, FreezerPro LIMS Edition boasts all the features of FreezerPro Enterprise along with the following standard modules that are optionally available in FreezerPro Enterprise and Standard editions:

• Communication module simplifies interaction with facility personnel typically for requesting samples and sample data. Users can create custom communication templates, attach various objects from FreezerPro (samples, vials, boxes full of samples), send them within the users or user groups in the system and receive automatic email notifications.
• Workflow module eases repetitive task management via a colorful interface that defines and tracks various states of samples or vials of samples along with their workflow status.
• Shipping module was created for customers such as bio-banks who are constantly shipping samples to other destinations. Module users can define new clients, gather vials for shipping and associate any type of data or metadata with both clients and shipments.

About RURO FreezerPro® 2012
FreezerPro 2012 is a class-leading frozen sample management solution that is indispensable to any modern scientific or pharmaceutical laboratory. FreezerPro is an intuitive, fast, reliable and secure Web-based application that has a visually appealing interface which enables users to know precisely where a frozen sample is located even before opening the freezer door. Popular features include automatic alerts of low number of sample aliquots, sample expiration date, sample volume or freeze-thaw count along with powerful reporting.

Independently validated and certified to be fully compliant with the FDAs current GLP/GMP requirements FreezerPro takes laboratory record management to the highest level of productivity!

Learn more about the FreezerPro 2012 by visiting www.ruro.com/products/freezerpro.html.

About RURO
Headquartered in the heart of Maryland’s biotechnology corridor, RURO develops state-of-the-art software that optimizes manageability and productivity for innovative academic, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, medical and government (homeland security) laboratories in the USA and throughout the world.

RURO is a company driven to innovate. With a fervent focus on relevant and novel software technologies that address needs of scientists, RURO strives to be the best at integrating world-class technologies and customer needs into products which have no analogs on the current software market.

For more information please visit RURO online at www.RURO.com.
# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Kevin Hoisington
RURO, Inc.
888-881-7876, ext: 1
sales@ruro.com
www.ruro.com

Headline
RURO Partners with Angelantoni Industrie s.p.a. to Develop Smart Freezer® Solutions for Ultra-low Temperature Applications

Companies team to deliver next generation tools for life sciences that safely automate storing, retrieving, managing and securing frozen samples in -80°C and -180°C environments

Frederick, MD – October 17, 2011 – RURO, Inc., a developer of research productivity and management solutions today announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with Angelantoni Industrie s.p.a. to integrate their Smart Freezer® line of ultra-low temperature robotic freezers with RURO FreezerPro ™ software, jointly producing the ultimate storage solution for research, government and medical laboratories that collect, manage and secure frozen samples requiring extremely low storage temperatures.

“Angelantoni and RURO is a very synergistic partnership that enables both companies to create new and exciting solutions for our respective customers,” stated Simone Ventura, marketing manager for Angelantoni Industrie. “In our first collaboration, RURO’s innovative FreezerPro software was seamlessly integrated with our SmartFreezer products to create a state-of-the-art robotic freezer that offers a level of safety, convenience, security, manageability and elegance that is unrivaled in the industry.”

Key features found in the Angelantoni Industrie Smart Freezer include:

• -80°C or -180°C automated robotic sample storage and retrieval
• Options for different vials, types, sizes and shapes
• Support for both 2D barcodes and RFID tags on vials
• FreezerPro touch-screen interface to load/request samples
• Seamlessly integrated with RURO FreezerPro Enterprise for sample management, security and reporting
• Full traceability with detailed audit logs
• Independently validated and certified to be fully compliant with the FDAs current GLP/GMP requirements
• For more product information and to see a video of Smart Freezer in action please visit www.ruro.com/smartfreezer

“By working closely with the product teams at Angelantoni we have been able to create some truly unique products including the world’s first fully automated -180°C robotic freezer,” stated RURO’s Systems Architect, Vlad Lebedev. “We look forward to growing our relationship with Angelantoni and continuing to innovate with their team.”

About Angelantoni Industrie s.p.a.
Founded in 1932, Angelantoni Industrie started its activity in the refrigeration sector, and over the years, became renowned in the industrial fields of testing, life sciences and renewable energy.

Today Angelantoni Industrie consists of 8 production units located in Italy, Germany, France, India, and China. With over 750 employees, the company has offices, representatives, and technical assistance centers in more than 70 countries around the world.

To learn more about Angelantoni Industrie please go to www.angelantoni.it

About RURO
Headquartered in the heart of Maryland’s biotechnology corridor, RURO develops state-of-the-art software that optimizes manageability and productivity for innovative academic, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, medical and government (homeland security) laboratories in the USA and throughout the world.

RURO is a company driven to innovate. With a fervent focus on relevant and novel software technologies that address needs of scientists, RURO strives to be the best at integrating world-class technologies and customer needs into products which have no analogs on the current software market.

For more information please visit RURO online at www.RURO.com.

Smart Freezer is a trademark of Angelantoni Industrie s.p.a., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. FreezerPro is a trademark of RURO, Inc. Other product and service names might be trademarks of other companies.
# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Larry Miller
RURO, Inc.
888-881-7876, ext: 1
sales@ruro.com
www.ruro.com

Headline

RURO Laboratory Management Solutions Receive Army Certificate of Networthiness

Accreditation ensures that the company’s solutions meet Army and Department of Defense (DoD) standards for security, compatibility, supportability and sustainability

Frederick, MD – June 23, 2011 – RURO, Inc., a developer of innovative research productivity and management solutions today announced that RURO US Army Laboratory Recon (USALR) 3.3, a suite of products used to help researchers better manage lab data, samples and resources, has been approved for an Enterprise Certificate of Networthiness (CoN) originally requested by the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), the Medical Command (MEDCOM) and the Medical Research and Material Command (MRMC).

The CoN is a requirement for all enterprise software products utilized in the Army Enterprise Infrastructure Network. The certification also applies to all DoD organizations that use the Army Enterprise Infrastructure Network including the National Guard and Army Reserve.

“Medical and research laboratories are essential to the Army’s overall mission,” stated Kevin Hoisington, marketing director at RURO. “This certification enables the Army to deploy our solutions where they need it, when they need it while being assured that our technology is secure, compatible and easy to support.”

About RURO US Army Laboratory Recon 3.3

The US Army Laboratory Recon (USALR) is a suite of software products used to increase researcher productivity and optimize the management of laboratory data, samples and resources. USALR is available in four modules that can be purchased and used together or separately including:

• Module A – Freezer Inventory (FreezerPro 4.1) is designed to secure and manage frozen biological samples and provide tracking utilizing RFID and barcode scanning
• Module B – Animal Breeding (ezColony 3.2) is utilized to track animals, including lines for transgenic studies
• Module C – Electronic Laboratory Notebook (Sciency 2.6) is used to ease data capture related tasks in the laboratory from instruments, the web or researchers notes
• Module D – Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS247 3.3), an enterprise-class, secure laboratory data, process and workflow management platform

USALR is hosted on a virtualized web server utilizing VMware and was evaluated on a Windows Server 2008 standard platform, but is compatible with Windows Server 2003, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 or later, and Mac OS X 10.4 or later. The browser-based client was evaluated on a Windows 7 trusted platform. Optional integration via a web server integrates USALR with other MEDCOM databases.

To learn more about RURO USALR 3.3 go to www.ruro.com/recon (Please contact us for login/password to access the protected pages)


About RURO

Headquartered in the heart of Maryland’s biotechnology corridor, RURO is an award winning developer of state-of-the-art software that optimizes manageability and productivity for academic, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, medical and government (homeland security) laboratories in the USA and throughout the world.

RURO is a company driven to innovate. With a fervent focus on relevant and novel software technologies that address needs of scientists, RURO strives to be the best at integrating world-class technologies and customer needs into products which have no analogs on the current software market.

For more information please visit RURO online at www.RURO.com

###

12/8/2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Doug Milliken
RURO, Inc.
888-881-7876

sales@ruro.com
www.ruro.com

Headline

RURO Introduces FreezerPro RFID Kit version 2.0 for Frozen Sample Inventory Automation and Security

Deploying radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is made simple by the company’s fully integrated FreezerPro software, hardware, media and services offering

Frederick, MD – December 8, 2010 – RURO, Inc., a leading innovator of research productivity and management solutions today introduced its next generation FreezerPro RFID Kit, a best-of-breed, fully integrated RFID solution for laboratories specializing in the collection and management of frozen samples.

Innovations include:

• Third generation RFID tags featuring a new label design with a longer broadcast range and ability to fit sample vials as small as 1.5 ml
• A smaller, lighter Zebra RFID label printer that is designed to support future RFID protocols
• Newly designed RFID tags for boxes and plates, that offer excellent range and flexibility
• Available wireless handheld RFID readers that offer connectivity via WiFi, Bluetooth and even cellular networks. New mobile FreezerPro client with “audit mode” for accelerating inventory reporting and an innovative
• “locator mode” to ease finding sample boxes/plates in storage
• Updated FreezerPro RFID Edition software with improved label designer, batch printing and tags reporting

“Working closely with leading RFID technology manufacturers such as ATID, Zebra and Impinj we have created a fully integrated, best-in-class RFID solution powered by FreezerPro that takes the guesswork out of what to purchase and integrate while delivering maximum value,” said Vlad Lebedev, Systems Architect, RURO. “Now samples inventory and audit related tasks can be completed quickly, safely and accurately and enhanced security can be enabled by laboratories of any size with just a few clicks of a mouse.”

About RURO FreezerPro RFID Kit 2.0
The FreezerPro RFID Kit 2.0 is a fully integrated, turnkey RFID solution for laboratories of just about any size that need to efficiently manage and secure frozen samples and inventory. Powered by the innovative FreezerPro Enterprise software, the kit includes proven, best-of-breed hardware, software, RFID tags and professional services designed to ease the introduction and rollout of RFID management technology.

Kit components include:

• FreezerPro Enterprise Edition RFID Software
• 1000 cryo safe RFID labels
• 1 Zebra RFID barcode printer/coder
• 1 Impinj Speedway Revolution RFID reader
• 2 RFID antennas
• RURO Support Services

Options include:

• 500 large box/plate RFID tags
• Wireless RFID handheld readers with FreezerPro mobile Client

Learn more about the FreezerPro RFID Kit 2.0 by visiting http://www.ruro.com/products/freezerpro/custom.html

About RURO
Headquartered in the heart of Maryland’s biotechnology corridor, RURO develops state-of-the-art software that optimizes manageability and productivity for innovative academic, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, medical and government (homeland security) laboratories in the USA and throughout the world.

RURO is a company driven to innovate. With a fervent focus on relevant and novel software technologies that address needs of scientists, RURO strives to be the best at integrating world-class technologies and customer needs into products which have no analogs on the current software market.

For more information please visit RURO online at www.RURO.com
###

5/20/2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Doug Milliken
RURO, Inc.
888-881-7876

sales@ruro.com
www.ruro.com

Headline

RURO Launches FreezerPro MultiSite.

Frederick, MD May 20, 2010 — RURO, Inc., a leading developer of innovative research productivity tools, announces the release of FreezerPro MultiSite, a new addition to FreezerPro product line. FreezerPro MultiSite is capable of running multiple, independent labs on a single instance of FreezerPro, facilitating IT resources, simplifying administration and providing a centralized repository of laboratory samples and associated data.

“FreezerPro MultiSite is an ideal solution for universities with multiple labs on campus, as well as biotechnological or pharmaceutical companies with different sites at different locations”, said Doug Milliken, Sales Director at RURO, “It is great for collaboration across multiple sites all while centralizing data storage and IT infrastructure”.

For more information about FreezerPro MultiSite please contact RURO at 888-881-7876 or http://www.ruro.com/freezerpro

About RURO
RURO Inc, headquartered in Frederick, Maryland, specializes in development and production of state of the art computer software to increase productivity for academic, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, medical and government (homeland security) laboratories in the USA and worldwide, while maintaining the highest level of security, versatility, and knowledge.

Products include: FreezerPro®, allowing scientists and managers in research laboratories and pharmaceutical companies to inventory and retrieve frozen laboratory samples; ezColony® – comprehensive, versatile, configurable and customizable solution for managing Transgenic Facilities of any scale; LIMS247® flexible scientific data and project management system; and Sciency® visual, multitasking ELN (Electronic Lab Notebook).
For more information please visit RURO online at www.RURO.com
###

2/3/2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Doug Milliken
RURO, Inc.
888-881-7876

sales@ruro.com
www.ruro.com

Headline

RURO and Brady Team to Deliver Solutions for Mid-market Laboratory Applications.

Frederick, MD February 3, 2010 — RURO, Inc., a leading developer of innovative research productivity tools today announced support for the newly available Brady BBP™11 Label Printer, a compact, budget friendly thermal label printer for laboratory and general industrial markets. With high quality 300 dpi print resolution, dual-walled construction and a breadth of high performance label materials, the BBP™11 printer is ideal for labs that need to create legible, identifiable and reliable labels for specimens and assets.

“Accurate, easy-to-read labels reduce identification errors, protect the safety of a lab’s patients, and improves productivity by easing inventory related tasks,” stated Christine A. Wolf, Marketing Product Manager, Brady. “Now even labs with limited budgets can benefit from a world-class solution and best practices to help them manage their facility.”

About RURO Products
The company features category leading solutions including:

FreezerPro – the next generation of software for managing and tracking frozen samples

ezColony – software that manages the entire infrastructure for transgenic animal facilities

Sciency ELN – More than just “going paperless”, Sciency gives you a scalable, integrated research environment for managing and sharing data within a robust framework that protects valuable intellectual property, streamline laboratory processes and supports 21 CFR Part 11 compliance

LIMS 247 – a complete data and project management solution for clinical and pre- clinical trials, pathology studies and any scientific research.

RURO software utilizes state-of-the art virtualization technology that enables compatibility with a variety of PC, Mac and Linux platforms and support both standalone and multi-user operation.

According to Kevin Hoisington, Marketing Director, RURO, “The combination of the BBP™11 and RURO’s lab management software is a winning combination that delivers superior value for customers around the world.”

About RURO
RURO Inc, headquartered in Frederick, Maryland, specializes in development and production of state of the art computer software to increase productivity for academic, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, medical and government (homeland security) laboratories in the USA and worldwide, while maintaining the highest level of security, versatility, and knowledge.

RURO is a company driven to innovate. With a fervent focus on relevant and novel software technologies that address needs of scientists, RURO strives to be the best at integrating world-class technologies and customer needs into products which have no analogs on the current software market.
For more information please visit RURO online at www.RURO.com

About Brady Corporation
Brady Corporation (NYSE: BRC) is an international manufacturer and marketer of complete solutions that identify and protect premises, products and people. Its products include high-performance labels and signs, safety devices, printing systems and software, and precision die-cut materials. Founded in 1914, the company has more than 500,000 customers in electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing, electrical, construction, education, medical and a variety of other industries. Brady is headquartered in Milwaukee and employs more than 7,000 people at operations in the Americas, Europe and Asia/Pacific. Brady’s fiscal 2009 sales were approximately $1.2 billion.

More information about Brady Corporation is available at www.bradycorp.com and to learn more about Brady’s complete line of products and offers visit www.bradyid.com. In Canada visit www.bradycanada.com.

###

12/09/2009
RURO Introduces RFID, Facilitating Frozen Sample Storage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Doug Milliken
RURO, Inc.
888-881-7876

sales@ruro.com
www.ruro.com

Headline

Frederick, MD, December 09, 2009 – RURO Inc., a leading developer of innovative research productivity tools, introduces RFID (radio-frequency identification) component for its FreezerPro® frozen sample management system. RFID-enabled FreezerPro creates transparent frozen sample storage with always up-to-date map and flexible search, ensures better sample preservation with samples never leaving freezers unless used, and makes access control management and storage audits inherently easy.

“Using radio-tags has a lot of advantages specifically for larger cryo-storage facilities: not only box contents are always well described and clearly mapped, but also operators’ mistakes can be immediately corrected without losing precious materials,” said Doug Milliken, Sales Director at RURO. “In smaller laboratories this system could also be useful for sample management over the years, especially if there is a quick turnover of personnel, which is a common occasion in academic environment. RFID-enabled FreezerPro is a brand-new tool to facilitate biomedical research”.

Modern RFID technology is miniaturized and cheap. It is applied to storage boxes and cryovials through self-adhesive cryo-safe labels that combine barcode and radio-tags for maximum safety and redundancy. Designed to remain in freezers for long term storage, those labels can be printed and applied also to previously frozen samples.

The package includes FreezerPro software, high-resolution barcode/RFID printer, self-adhesive labels with built-in RFID tags, Impinj RFID reader and antennas, ensuring easy setup and seamless user experience. For more information about FreezerPro and RFID, please contact RURO at 888-881-7876 or http://www.ruro.com

About RURO
RURO Inc, headquartered in Frederick, Maryland, specializes in development and production of state of the art computer software to increase productivity for academic, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, medical and government (homeland security) laboratories in the USA and worldwide, while maintaining the highest level of security, versatility, and knowledge.

RURO is a company driven to innovate. With a fervent focus on relevant and novel software technologies that address needs of scientists, RURO strives to be the best at integrating world-class technologies and customer needs into products which have no analogs on the current software market.

Products include: FreezerPro®, allowing scientists and managers in research laboratories and pharmaceutical companies to inventory and retrieve frozen laboratory samples; ezColony® – comprehensive, versatile, configurable and customizable solution for managing Transgenic Facilities of any scale; LIMS247® flexible scientific data and project management system; and Sciency® Integrated Research Environment.

###

9/21/2009
Announcing FreezerPro 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Doug Milliken
RURO, Inc.
888-881-7876

sales@ruro.com
www.ruro.com

Headline

FREDERICK, Maryland, Sept. 21, 2009 /PRNewswire/ — RURO Inc. today announced the release of FreezerPro 2010, Frozen sample inventory and information management system (FSIIMS). FreezerPro 2010 is the fastest, most reliable and secure professional solution to inventory Ultra-low Freezer and Liquid Nitrogen Tank samples and efficiently manage data of any kind associated with the samples.

RURO Inc. develops a unique set of scientific software indispensable to any modern pharmaceutical, biotech, or research laboratory. The highlights of RURO products are FreezerPro – a new generation of frozen samples tracking software, ezColony – transgenic animals software that manages the entire infrastructure of your animal facility, and LIMS 247 – a complete data and project management solution for scientific research, pre-clinical and clinical trials.

FreezerPro 2010 is the first commercially available frozen sample tracking product that combines web interface, multitasking, security, the most powerful business logic and analytics and user-friendly design that offers a broad range of customizations and makes sample management not only much easier but brings it up to the next level of usability.

FreezerPro 2010 features automatic alerts for samples expiration date, remaining number of aliquots, total volume of a given sample stored in several aliquots, number of freeze/thaw cycles of each vial, live search, customizable sample groups and sources, integration with freezer sensors, RFIDs, barcoding, attachment of sample related supporting documentation, images, web links, activity reports, audit trails, statistics and much more. Please check our web site for more information about FreezerPro at http://www.ruro.com/freezerpro

With FreezerPro 2010, frozen reagents do not get lost, mixed, exhausted, or expired.

FreezerPro 2010 and FreezerPro 2010 Enterprise are independently validated and certified to be fully compliant with the FDAs current GLP/GMP requirements (21 CFR Part 11, 21 CFR Part 58, 21 CFR Parts 210/211, 21 CFR Part 820). FreezerPro 2010 is also compliant with the Accessibility Guidelines (Section 508).

“I think that FreezerPro is a great repository tool for anyone storing/processing bioexperimentation samples. Software is user friendly and allows multiple customization options to fit your specific needs. There is also a track record that software keeps when changes are introduced. Great for any life scientist or medical professional doing bioexperimentation work or storing reagents or [biological] samples, MCB or WCB under well organized, controlled temperature environment,” – reports one of FreezerPro 2010 auditors.

###