Their recommendations will be put to the G8 leaders during talks today and tomorrow. Among them are decisive actions required to make scientific research more open and more accessible.

In a statement released on June 13, the group note that: ‘Open enquiry is at the heart of scientific endeavour, and rapid technological change has profound implications for the way that science is both conducted and its results communicated’. They go on to state their support for a clear set of ...

Read more]]> As preparations were underway in Northern Ireland for the 39th G8 summit, science ministers from the G8 nations met with their national science academies to discuss the most pressing issues in research facing scientists across the globe.

Their recommendations will be put to the G8 leaders during talks today and tomorrow. Among them are decisive actions required to make scientific research more open and more accessible.

In a statement released on June 13, the group note that: ‘Open enquiry is at the heart of scientific endeavour, and rapid technological change has profound implications for the way that science is both conducted and its results communicated’. They go on to state their support for a clear set of principles for more open data, including that publicly funded research data should be made open, and that open data by definition should be easily discoverable, accessible and assessable.

Crucially, this set of principles acknowledges the need for open data to be written into government policy to ensure universal adoption, and for that policy to take into account the need for rewards and recognition for researchers opening up their data, and a digital infrastructure to support this data sharing. International collaboration will be essential to make this a global reality.

The G8 science ministers also made clear the importance of access to scientific research. This comes in the wake of steps taken in UK government policy (Universities Minister David Willets has mandated that all publicly funded research be published in gold or green open access venues) and wider lobbying from key figures in the research community. In the statement for G8 leaders, science ministers have outlined their main goals in relation to accessible research, highlighting the importance of peer review and the role of publishers and learned societies. The statement also reiterates the findings of the UK’s Finch Report of last year, namely that making publicly funded, peer-reviewed, published scientific research increasingly accessible will ‘accelerate research, drive innovation, and benefit the economy.’ The statement concludes that:

‘We share the intention, therefore, to continue our cooperative efforts and will consider how best to address the global promotion of increasing public access to the results of publicly funded published research including to peer-reviewed published research and research data.’

Access to research and data has risen to the top of science policy agendas in recent years. BioMed Central was an open access pioneer when founded in 2000, but over the last five years the number of open access publishers and journals has boomed. Our growing portfolio of journals has seen submissions increase year on year as more researchers seek to publish their results in open access journals, ensuring their work is not only widely seen but also has the potential to be built upon through further analysis and investigation.

To accommodate for the greater demand for data sharing alongside article publication we have developed a number of innovative journals and partnerships. From GigaScience, the big data genomics journal published in collaboration with the BGI, which hosts a database alongside the journal itself, to an agreement with LabArchives that allows BioMed Central authors up to 100 MB of free storage in an online ‘notebook’ for research associated data. A number of our journals, including our broad scope, inclusive journal BMC Research Notes, also provide a novel article type – a data note – that allows authors to submit data sets (either as associated files or via a link to an accessible deposition in a data repository) with a short accompanying report, separate to a full results article.

One area in particular that is receiving increasing attention, and loud calls for greater openness is clinical trial research. The AllTrials initiative was founded early in 2013, and, although UK based, has international scope and ambitions. The campaign calls on governments to demand that all clinical trial research be published, and clinical trial data made publicly available within the constraints of ensuring anonymity of sensitive medical information. The campaign is supported by a number of publishers, societies and institutions, including the BMJ (co-founders of the initiative), BioMed Central, the Wellcome Trust, and GalxoSmith Kline. The campaign also has support from the European Patients Forum, which comprises 61 member bodies and over 150 million members, signalling the strengthening call from the public for transparency and accountability in the reporting of scientific research, especially that funded by public money.

The statement from the G8 science ministers is a step toward recognising this shift in public opinion and research demands, and, depending on the outcomes of the G8 summit this week, could kick start an international movement in opening up research and sharing data.

As advances in technology, namely the ease with which genes can now be sequenced, cast gene patents in an ever more anomalous light, Genome Biology and our sister journal Genome Medicine tackled the issue from a number of angles. You might even say that we brought a myriad of views to the debate…

Do-it-yourself

Back in 2010, regular Genome Biology contributor Steven Salzberg published a

Read more]]> Many years of legal argument culminated this week in a landmark ruling by the US Supreme Court. In Association for Molecular Pathology vs Myriad Genetics, the SCOTUS judges ruled – unanimously – that isolated human genes are a product of nature and, as such, are not eligible for patent protection.

As advances in technology, namely the ease with which genes can now be sequenced, cast gene patents in an ever more anomalous light, Genome Biology and our sister journal Genome Medicine tackled the issue from a number of angles. You might even say that we brought a myriad of views to the debate…

Salzberg

Do-it-yourself

Back in 2010, regular Genome Biology contributor Steven Salzberg published a Correspondence laying out a method for DIY genetic testing of Myriad's patented BRCA genes. In some eyes, Salzberg's proposal skirted close to the fringes of what might pique the interest of Myriad's lawyers, or at least would have done if carried out for profit.

Science vs law

The following year, we reported from the 12th International Congress of Human Genetics (or, more familiarly, ASHG), where a debate on gene patents formed a key part of the program at what is the world's premier human genetics conference. Panel member Judge Sweet, who had ruled on one of the Myriad case’s many iterations, made clear that asking lawyers not trained in the sciences to rule on complex patent arguments is a far from ideal process.

Judge Sweet

Indeed, as Salzberg points out on his Forbes blog, the SCOTUS ruling is riddled with basic biological inaccuracies. Moreover, many scientists will be puzzled by the distinction the lawyers-cum-judges of SCOTUS make between 'isolated DNA' and cDNA. A separate, but concurring, Opinion by Justice Scalia was not only honest enough to admit his ignorance of genetics and molecular biology but even declared an open hostility to the very science on which he was ruling: "I am unable to affirm those details on my own knowledge or even my own belief."

When a Court decides matters on which it is – by its own admission – ignorant, one has to wonder if a better solution might be for Congress to pick up the slack with legislation. As put by Allison Dobson and Jim Evans in a Genome Biology Opinion (which dissects the issues surrounding gene patents): "History is full of examples in which existing law could not keep up with what was happening on the ground."

Open questions: cDNA and gene fragments

As touched upon above, one unresolved area that future courts or legislatures might seek to address is the question of cDNA patent eligibility. SCOTUS ruled that cDNA should be considered as a natural product for the purposes of patent law, although care was taken to express no opinion on patent eligibility on other grounds. Therefore, although Myriad's key patents on isolated BRCA genes have been struck down, its patents on BRCA cDNA still stand.

One of the claims within Myriad's cDNA patents, as with its isolated DNA patents and the gene patents filed by many other biotech companies, is that the protection extends not just to the sequence as a whole, but also to short fragments of a gene. Put simply, the patents cover any 15 base-pair sequence found within the thousands of base pairs that make up BRCA cDNA.

Our Twitter chat preempts SCOTUS

Chris Mason and Jeffrey Rosenfeld showed in a Genome Medicine Correspondence article that the 15 base-pair clause lays claim to sequences in many hundreds of genes; in fact, a similar claim for one particular bovine gene covers 85% of genes in the human genome. The many questions raised by the startling figures in Mason and Rosenfeld's article were the subject of a Twitter chat, with participants including Mason himself and 23andme co-founder Linda Avey.

A new era

To many observers, including Evans, the SCOTUS ruling of 'no' to isolated DNA and 'yes' to cDNA was entirely unsurprising. Indeed, many expert observers had publicly expected this verdict based on the discourse of the SCOTUS hearing (although fewer had predicted the unanimity of the judges). So why is the judgment a big deal?

Well, change is already happening. What was for years hypothetical arguments about baseball bats is suddenly real world impact. Within hours of SCOTUS holding that "a naturally occurring DNA segment is a product of nature and not patent eligible merely because it has been isolated", multiple competitors had announced cut-price genetic tests for BRCA genes.

We have transitioned to a new phase of personal genomics and moved on from lawyers entangling themselves with what might be construed as unhelpful, irrelevant and unsupported analogies about randomly selected inanimate objects.

In the words of Stanford Law Professor Hank Greely: "Price hemorrhaging begins!"

Keiko Herrick and colleagues at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have put forward a model of avian influenza virus (AIV) prediction in wild birds, published yesterday in Veterinary Research.

This is the first large-scale large ecological niche model for avian influenza in wild birds based on machine-learning algorithms. The authors mined surveillance data for 2005-2010 from the Influenza Research Database, which yielded a large set of georeferenced sample points, complete with AIV detection status, viral subtype and other related parameters.

The sampling data was then layered into ArcMap, along with 41 predictor layers – accounting for environmental and anthropogenic variables such as geographic elevation, adjusted mean temperatures and human population density  – ...

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Keiko Herrick and colleagues at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have put forward a model of avian influenza virus (AIV) prediction in wild birds, published yesterday in Veterinary Research.

This is the first large-scale large ecological niche model for avian influenza in wild birds based on machine-learning algorithms. The authors mined surveillance data for 2005-2010 from the Influenza Research Database, which yielded a large set of georeferenced sample points, complete with AIV detection status, viral subtype and other related parameters.

The sampling data was then layered into ArcMap, along with 41 predictor layers – accounting for environmental and anthropogenic variables such as geographic elevation, adjusted mean temperatures and human population density  – all obtained from open source projects.

In the next step, the data and variable layers were classified using the Random Forests machine-learning algorithm, resulting in a global ecological model of avian influenza prediction in wild birds. The model also predicted an AIV-positive niche in regions with low annual rainfall and low temperatures, primarily in northern regions with a continental climate such as Siberia and interior Alaska.

Colorized transmission electron micrograph of avian influenza A H5N1 (seen in gold) grown in MDCK cells (seen in green). Image from the CDC Public Health Image Library, in the public domain.

The model of avian influenza prediction reached by the authors, while not definitive, is a first accurate and global-scale predictive model. Additional statistical analysis, including a Receiver Operating Characteristic curve, indicated that the model was 79% accurate for training data, 76% for test data.

This is one of the few studies in the field to consider various wild bird populations and all available sub-types of avian influenza. Although public attention has been drawn to H5N1 outbreaks in poultry – linked to cases of infection in humans – the virus is considerably more prevalent in wild bird populations, to the extent that they form the main genetic reservoir of avian influenza.

Keiko Herrick describes the background of the study in more detail:

“The recent outbreaks of H7N9 in humans underscore the importance of including subtypes other than highly pathogenic H5N1 in avian influenza research.  A lot of excellent models of H5N1 transmission and risk factors have been constructed, so it was time to start looking at AIV in wild bird populations on a large scale.

Ensemble data-mining is a powerful way to define the ecological niche of AIV in wild birds. In addition, machine-learning methods are a new way to study the vast amounts of surveillance data that are being collected.

IRD is a very valuable resource for this kind of research because it combines spatial data in addition to genetic and disease data. This study is a preliminary model that correlates AIV-positivity with bioclimatic variables, so ideally, it would guide future surveillance and data collection, which would provide ground-truth for the model, strengthen the prediction, and begin to address the mechanisms underlying the correlation.”

The following map, presented in Robinson (sphere) projection, central meridian 145°, is a global representation of the predicted Relative Occurrence Index (ROI) of avian influenza virus in wild birds.

Locations where one or more AIV-positive samples were collected are shown as black dots, with locations where no positive samples were collected marked with white. Incorporating both AIV-positive and AIV-negative sampling data allows for a more robust predictive model of AIV prediction.

The map and underlying ROI data suggest that many northern regions may have the highest risk of avian influenza outbreak, relative to other locations. The model could guide future AIV surveillance and sampling efforts. For instance Siberia and Northern Canada were identified as areas of high relative risk in the model, but have hitherto had minimal surveillance for signs of AIV.

This research presents a novel proof-of-concept and was made available to all readers in an open access journal, in line with the authors’ objective to encourage greater cooperation and data sharing in the avian influenza virus research community.

Future collaborative sampling efforts will strengthen the model, its predictive value and our collective understanding of avian influenza virus ecology.

The full article is available at http://www.veterinaryresearch.org/content/44/1/42/.

Matt Landau
Journal Development Editor, Veterinary Research
@Matt_Landau

For more information about BioMed Central’s Animal and Plant Science journals, please follow us on Twitter.

Read more]]> In the past 30 years, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has been transformed from a devastating and poorly understood disease to a treatable and well-managed condition. Initially described as “a strange illness of unknown origin” by Jacques Leibovitch, the turning point occurred in 1983 when human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was first recognized as the retrovirus causing the disease. Thirty years on, AIDS can be successfully managed by antiretroviral treatment, which stops disease progression, helps prevent transmission, and substantially improves the quality of life of infected individuals. To mark the progress in HIV treatment over the last 30 years, BMC Medicine, together with BMC Biology and Retrovirology, has launched a new article collection, which covers the progress made towards eradicating the virus, along with the challenges that remain.

Despite the tremendous advances in treating HIV, there is still no cure for the disease, and there are many controversies in the field. One of the major debates is when to start antiretroviral therapy; although treating patients with various combinations of highly active drugs suppresses the virus and reduces inflammation, there are concerns over the long-term side effects of therapy, and experts are divided over whether or not treatment should be deferred until a patient’s CD4 cell count drops below a certain level. CD4 counts, which are indicative of damage to the immune system, fall over time in most patients, and those with levels below 200 are at risk of developing life-threatening illnesses.

The controversy surrounding when to start treatment is addressed in two debate articles published this week in BMC Medicine as part of our HIV collection. Ricardo Franco and Michael Saag from the University of Alabama at Birmingham argue that treatment should be started as soon as possible in HIV-infected individuals to prevent viral replication, reduce comorbidities and to help stop the spread of infection. By contrast, Jens Lundgren and colleagues from the University of Copenhagen recommend starting therapy only when CD4 counts drop below 350 in most patients. Lundgren and colleagues highlight the potential long-term toxicity associated with lifelong antiretroviral therapy, arguing that until we have evidence from well-conducted randomized trials, the risk: benefit ratio of early therapy is unknown, so we should adopt a more cautious approach.

The “when-to-start” question has been debated extensively at recent HIV therapy congresses. Lundgren and Saag presented their arguments at the Eleventh International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection, and at the British HIV Association (BHIVA) Spring meeting, Cal Cohen from Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates argued for an early start, whereas Caroline Sabin from University College London advocated waiting until later. Interestingly, international guidelines differ in their recommendations; in line with Lundgren and colleagues’ argument, the BHIVA guidelines advise starting therapy when CD4 counts drop below 350. On the other hand, the US guidelines suggest that therapy should be initiated as soon as possible, regardless of CD4 count.

Despite many years of debate, a consensus on when to start antiretroviral therapy has still not been reached. The Strategic Timing of Antiretroviral Therapy (START) trial has been designed to assess the benefits and harms of deferring treatment until CD4 counts drop below 350, and is currently recruiting participants. We eagerly await the results of this trial, and look forward to the results of further investigations with longer follow-up periods to ascertain which is the best long-term approach. Our HIV article collection remains open for submissions, and if you would like your research to be considered for publication in BMC Medicine as part of the collection, please send a pre-submission enquiry to bmcmedicineeditorial@biomedcentral.com.

Today Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice (JoPPP) transfers to publish with BioMed Central, and also marks a new chapter for the journal, which was started five years ago by The University of Auckland senior lecturer Dr. Zaheer-Ud-Din- Babar, supported by an expert International Advisory Board.

Formerly known as Southern Med Review, the journal has been unique in publishing the work of new researchers, documenting the pharmaceutical situation of low- and middle-income countries and debating pertinent pharmaceutical policy questions. Published studies have been instrumental in changing medicine policies in ...

Read more]]> A medical journal that started life as a one-man project from his Auckland home, has influenced pharmaceutical policy in nations around the world.

Today Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice (JoPPP) transfers to publish with BioMed Central, and also marks a new chapter for the journal, which was started five years ago by The University of Auckland senior lecturer Dr. Zaheer-Ud-Din- Babar, supported by an expert International Advisory Board.

Formerly known as Southern Med Review, the journal has been unique in publishing the work of new researchers, documenting the pharmaceutical situation of low- and middle-income countries and debating pertinent pharmaceutical policy questions. Published studies have been instrumental in changing medicine policies in some countries, such as Vietnam and Thailand, and have led to the journal being recognised by the WHO as fulfilling a global need. BioMed Central will support the continued growth and development of the re-launched journal.

Dr. Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar said of the move:

“The new journal will focus on the global agenda, including high income economies and will provide a platform for researchers to disseminate empirical research findings with the aim that people everywhere will have access to the medicines they need and use them rationally.”

JoPPP encompasses all aspects of pharmacy whether clinical, social, administrative or economic, and provides a platform to researchers, academics and practitioners from around the world to share new evidence, concerns and perspectives.

The journal’s inaugural articles include an assessment of the therapeutic value of new medicines marketed in Australia, a study evaluating patient perceptions of generic medicines in Jordan, and an article assessing the antimicrobial sensitivity patterns of microorganisms isolated from CSF to antibiotics commonly used in the empirical treatment of suspected bacterial meningitis in Namibia.

You can read all of the published articles, and find out more about JoPPP, via the journal’s website, where you can also submit a manuscript, and sign up for article alerts.

15 million people suffer from a stroke each year, according to the World Health Organisation. Of this number, 5 million people will die, and a further 5 million people are left with a permanent disability. With stroke having such a vast global impact, research into stroke prevention and treatment, as well as investigating ways that we can improve the quality of life of those who have had a stroke, is vital.

The European Stroke Conference is a key event which facilitates in advancing our knowledge and understanding of stroke, improving our ability to be able to prevent and treat it. Last month, I attended the 22nd European Stroke Conference (ESC), on behalf ...

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15 million people suffer from a stroke each year, according to the World Health Organisation. Of this number, 5 million people will die, and a further 5 million people are left with a permanent disability. With stroke having such a vast global impact, research into stroke prevention and treatment, as well as investigating ways that we can improve the quality of life of those who have had a stroke, is vital.

The European Stroke Conference is a key event which facilitates in advancing our knowledge and understanding of stroke, improving our ability to be able to prevent and treat it. Last month, I attended the 22nd European Stroke Conference (ESC), on behalf of Experimental & Translational Stroke Medicine, an open access journal dedicated to identifying and solving problems in translational stroke research. Attracting almost 4000 delegates across research and clinical practice, the conference served to stimulate discussion on a wide range of topics from experimental and translational stroke research, to clinical trials and post-stroke care.

On the opening day, the 4th International Congress of Clinical Neuromusicology took place in conjunction with the ESC, showcasing a range of fascinating insights into neurologic music therapy, and including talks on how music can be used to assist in retraining the brain and regaining motor control after a stroke.

The next day marked the start of the ESC’s topical symposiums and oral sessions, spanning three days and highlighting some of the field’s high quality research and innovative developments in such areas as acute stroke, rehabilitation and reorganisation, translational stroke research, and prevention.

Highlights throughout the week included the joint symposium of the ESC and Brain, during which speakers such as Prof Mhairi McCrae and Prof Ulrich Dirnagl considered advances in translational stroke research and how it can inform clinical development, as well as an oral session on rehabilitation and reorganisation after stroke, during which advances in post-stroke care were discussed. Prof Martin Denis of The University of Edinburgh presented results of the CLOTS Trial 3; an investigation into the use of inflatable leg wraps to improve blood flow through the legs of immobile stroke patients in order to reduce the formation of fatal blood clots. The presentation was both well-received and widely reported, including on the BBC News.

Overall, the meeting stimulated great discussion and debate, paving the way for future ideas and novel developments in this growing and fundamental field of research. The next European Stroke Conference will be held in 2014 from 6th-9th May in Nice, France.

Well, the findings suggest something’s amiss in Snowflake’s conception: a deep, dark secret ...

Read more]]> Snowflake, the albino gorilla, was certainly special. As you can see from this beautiful photo, his fur was white, his eyes were blue, and his skin was pink. Although Snowflake passed away in 2003, he left behind a big legacy and an even bigger fan base. Both in life and death, he extended his furry reach into the music industry, onto National Geographic’s cover, and into endangered species awareness campaigns. However, recently researchers have managed to delve into his genome, and with it, the secret of his heritage. But what exactly IS his heritage? What can we learn from his genetic make-up

Well, the findings suggest something’s amiss in Snowflake’s conception: a deep, dark secret that most humans would frown upon. He was a product of inbreeding, revealing that primate incest occurs in the wild. Cases of inbreeding in wild lowland gorillas are rare, due to their social structure. Females are known to move away from their natal groups to avoid the advances of their siblings. In fact, female lowland gorillas are often drifting from group to group.

Could this inbreeding be the reason for Snowflake’s white fur? Perhaps, say researchers.  It was found that approximately 12 % of Snowflake’s genome contained stretches of DNA where the two copies inherited from each parent were identical. Such large amounts of genomic overlap is usually a good indication that that the parents are closely related – which in the case of Snowflake, points to an illicit union between either an uncle and a niece, or an aunt and a nephew.

The reduction in genetic variation that comes about when these similar genomes combine often allows otherwise recessive traits to be expressed. In this case, Snowflake’s gene for albinism – known as SLC45A2—was the most striking product of this effect.

Inbreeding in human culture is stigmatized heavily, as the symptoms are often evident in offspring. An example of this might be King Carlos II of Spain. Eventually King Carlos II was deemed unfit to rule due to his physical and mental handicap. By then, the effect of inbreeding had rendered Carlos II impotent, and his wife died childless and depressed. It was too late for this bloodline now… The Spanish Hapsburgs had reached their end.

It could be said that inbreeding led to Snowflake’s end too. Snowflake had been struggling with an ongoing battle with skin cancer – and was euthanized on November 24^th 2003 to relieve his pain.  But researchers suggested Snowflake’s albinism and his skin cancer were most certainly linked: Snowflake’s lack of skin pigment increased the risk of UV damage. Inbreeding had been Snowflake’s downfall – not only had it led to his albinism & subsequent skin cancer, but his clan were massacred by hunters, who saw his unique white coat as an opportunity to make money.

Eventually, Barcelona Zoo had hoped to breed Snowflake to create many more little white gorillas, but maybe doing so would have resulted in the same tragic outcome. In the end, Snowflake was father to 22 young from 3 different females, yet no white gorillas were produced in the attempts. Perhaps it was for the best.

Although Snowflake’s tale of incest serves as a tragedy, it’s nice to remember him as more than just a white gorilla. He was well-loved by his owners and fans alike, who still remember him for his undeniable intelligence and bright personality.

Watch Snowflake as a child – (it's worth seeing!)

“We know very little about long-term recovery from alcohol and other drug use disorders” points out Dr Stephan Arndt, Editor-in-Chief of Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy in his guest blog Looking away from addiction and towards recovery.

This is one of a blog series highlighting the role research plays in helping people recover from addiction, and showcases the personal success story of one person in recovery, Bruce A. Campbell. Bruce is now the Clinical Director of Wellspring, Inc., a private non-profit corporation based in Maine, USA which provides residential and outpatient services that foster recovery for addiction, including those affected with co-occurring mental health disorders.

Bruce’s story:

As a person in long-term addiction recovery of 28 ...

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“We know very little about long-term recovery from alcohol and other drug use disorders” points out Dr Stephan Arndt, Editor-in-Chief of Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy in his guest blog Looking away from addiction and towards recovery.

This is one of a blog series highlighting the role research plays in helping people recover from addiction, and showcases the personal success story of one person in recovery, Bruce A. Campbell. Bruce is now the Clinical Director of Wellspring, Inc., a private non-profit corporation based in Maine, USA which provides residential and outpatient services that foster recovery for addiction, including those affected with co-occurring mental health disorders.

Bruce’s story:

As a person in long-term addiction recovery of 28 years, I was amazed when I first read Bonnie Benard’s article on Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Protective Factors in the Family, School, and Community in the early 1990’s. I immediately thought of its appropriateness to the addiction recovery community. The attributes of a resilient person (social competence, problem-solving skills, a sense of autonomy, and hope for the future) are the exact attributes of a person in recovery. And the precise environmental protective factors that foster resiliency foster recovery from addiction. High expectations, caring and support, and opportunities for meaningful participation are inherently imbedded within the recovery community.

From my own experience, I had to learn how to re-socialize without drugs and alcohol, an essential skill of early recovery. I had to learn how to think things through, and develop decision-making skills that support my recovery. My recovery leads me toward the highest level of autonomy of which I am capable. My recovery emerges from both hope and gratitude. I have re-built my life: I have remained married, raised a family, own my own home and have sent my children through college. While I hope my example may serve others, I need only reference my own life to re-energize my hope and possibilities for the future.

The recovery community has played a critical role in fostering my own resiliency. Maintaining abstinence one day at a time is an example of a high expectation packaged in an attainable goal, one that I practice on a daily basis. The recovery adage “Let us love you until you can love yourself” is a powerful example of the caring, support, and acceptance that I experience from my community. I accept my addiction and I am responsible for my recovery. My recovery is proportional to my willingness and opportunities for me to participate in the recovery process.

As efforts continue toward developing a recovery-oriented system of care, resiliency points to common ground between prevention specialists, treatment providers, and the recovering community. Perhaps its greatest power lies in its simplicity. While the prevention language of resiliency is now being applied to recovery, little effort has been directed to the science of resiliency and its application to treatment and recovery. There is a call for such study. I believe treatment and recovery outcomes can be powerfully influenced by the strength of environmental protective factors because it has done just that in my life.

Epigenetics could play an important role in the future of bird breeding and selection methods, according to a new review published in Genetics Selection Evolution today. There is hope that our increasing knowledge of epigenetic influence on development may help the future bird farming industry to meet the growing world food demand.  Frésard et al. discuss the existing research into epigenetic mechanisms in birds, and how this may affect development of various economically relevant traits in adult farmed birds. Previous research has confirmed that many different epigenetic phenomena cause phenotypic variation in mammals, and we now learn that many of these mechanisms may also be relevant to birds.

Reciprocal effects, involving different contributions of the sire and dam ...

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Epigenetics could play an important role in the future of bird breeding and selection methods, according to a new review published in Genetics Selection Evolution today. There is hope that our increasing knowledge of epigenetic influence on development may help the future bird farming industry to meet the growing world food demand.  Frésard et al. discuss the existing research into epigenetic mechanisms in birds, and how this may affect development of various economically relevant traits in adult farmed birds. Previous research has confirmed that many different epigenetic phenomena cause phenotypic variation in mammals, and we now learn that many of these mechanisms may also be relevant to birds.

Reciprocal effects, involving different contributions of the sire and dam in the offspring phenotype, are well known in farm birds. Studies have discovered that this phenomenon accounts for 15-20% of phenotypic variability in broiler chicken body weight and egg viability, and up to 47% in turkey egg production. These studies have been used to devise optimised mating schemes. Genomic imprinting may be one of the mechanisms leading to these reciprocal effects and to the detection of parent-of-origin quantitative trait loci. With the advent of new generation sequencing, the authors consider the possibility of providing answers to the question of the existence of genomic imprinting in birds. Another key feature of mammalian imprinting being investigated is DNA methylation patterns. DNA methylation is an epigenetic process which can change the regulation of gene expression. Specific methylation patterns can be inherited across generations in mammals, and studies on how this may affect various genes in birds are ongoing.

Image by Waugsberg (via Wikimedia Commons)

The authors review the influence of environmental factors on phenotypic development, such as exposure to toxins, stress or maternal nutrition. Studies show that environmental factors have a broader impact on the adult phenotype when the effects occur early in development. One post-hatch environmental influence is temperature; expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key thermotolerance regulator was found to vary between control birds and birds acclimated to heat early in post-hatch life due to varying epigenetic marks. Bird susceptibility to Salmonella entriditis and Marek disease could be influenced by epigenetic modifications, which opens the door for possible modulation of resistance and susceptibility to specific poultry diseases.

The effect of the environment during development in the egg, including changes to nutrients and hormones, also has a crucial impact on the later adult phenotype. Exposure of poultry embryos to different temperatures during the critical developmental period can enable the birds to adapt to varying climatic conditions in adulthood. Altering the diet of the mother, underfeeding and altering brood size also all result in significant effects on the offspring, likely due to stress-induced epigenetic mechanisms. It has also become apparent that epigenetic marks originating from ancestors’ environment may be transmitted across generations in mammals; however evidence of this happening in birds is yet to be discovered.

Frésard et al. have confirmed that epigenetic factors contribute largely to phenotypic variation in birds, but suggest that much more work must be done in this exciting area of research in order to exploit it for genetic selection. A primary poultry genetics organisation has recently suggested that this research represents a challenge for developing breeding applications.

Jennifer Franklin, Editorial Assistant (Biological Sciences)