BioMed Central Update

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		Wednesday 3rd August 2011

BioMed Central recently launched Open Access Africa, a collection of initiatives designed to increase the output and visibility of scientific research published by African learning institutes. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana, is the first African Foundation Member to participate in BioMed Central's free Membership scheme.

BioMed Central has partnered with KNUST to host the Open Access Africa 2011 conference, in conjunction with Computer Aid International, from 25–26 October during International Open Access Week. The conference is free to attend but registration is necessary.

For more information on becoming a Foundation Member, please visit our website or contact Calum Land, Head of Sales.

BMC Plant Biology will be attending the Plant Biology 2011 meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists in Minneapolis from 6–9 August, please come and visit us at booth 401. BMC Plant Biology is an open access journal publishing original, peer-reviewed research articles in all aspects of plant biology, including molecular, cellular, tissue, organ and whole organism research.

Clinical Sarcoma Research - sharing sarcoma knowledge worldwide

		Clinical Sarcoma Research has launched with BioMed Central. The journal will play a key role in the dissemination of high quality clinical sarcoma knowledge throughout the global sarcoma community. Submit to the journal and share your research.
		Read more

Stem Cell Research & Therapy now tracked for Impact Factor

Stem Cell Research & Therapy has been accepted for tracking by Thomson Reuters (ISI), and is set to receive its first Impact Factor in June 2012. Launched in March 2010, the decision to index the journal so quickly indicates it is well on the way to becoming the major forum for translational research into stem cell therapies. Congratulations to the Editors-in-Chief, Rocky Tuan and Timothy O'Brien, and the whole Editorial Board.

New supplements


		BMC Bioinformatics and BMC Genomics have published selected articles from the 2010 IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine Hong Kong. 18-21 December 2010 Bioinformatics supplement. Genomics supplement.

		BMC Bioinformatics has published a collection of articles from the First Annual RECOMB Satellite Workshop on Massively Parallel Sequencing (RECOMB-seq) Vancouver, Canada. 26-27 March 2011

		BMC Pharmacology has published the abstracts from the 5th International Conference on cGMP Generators, Effectors and Therapeutic Implications Halle, Germany. 24-26 June 2011

•The unfolded protein response to ER stress is activated by nonconventional splicing of the mRNAs encoding proteins that relieve the stress by the bifunctional kinase-RNase Ire1. Korennykh and colleagues propose a mechanism for the RNase that contradicts the current view, and in a related paper, show how ADP binding can tune the kinase.

•The malaria parasite P. falciparum has 60 variants of the gene encoding the major virulence factor PfEMP, variably expressed on the red blood cell surface so that it evades immune detection. Taylor Bright and Elizabeth Winzeler discuss a recent report in BMC Biology on a new family of long noncoding RNAs that may explain the selective suppression of these genes.

		Research article Structural and functional basis for RNA cleavage by Ire1 Alexei V Korennykh, Andrei A Korostelev, Pascal F Egea, Janet Finer-Moore, Robert M Stroud, Chao Zhang, Kevan M Shokat, Peter Walter BMC Biology 2011, 9:47 (6 July 2011)

		Commentary Noncoding RNA, antigenic variation, and the virulence genes of Plasmodium falciparum A Taylor Bright, Elizabeth A Winzeler BMC Biology 2011, 9:50 (19 July 2011)

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The mouse genetics toolkit: revealing function and mechanism
Louise van der Weyden, Jacqueline K White, David J Adams and Darren W Logan
Genome Biology 2011, 12:224

Recommend Genome Biology to your library

		Social networking in Asian elephants BMC Ecology 2011, 11:17 Contrary to popular belief, female Asian elephants can form strong associations with multiple companions in large groups, especially in dry seasons when resources are scarce. In contrast, individuals in smaller groups frequently change their day-to-day associations.

		Development of environmental tools for Anopheline larval control Parasites & Vectors 2011, 4:130 An integrated approach for mosquito vector control is the way forward for malaria and other waterborne diseases. Communities need cheap and easily accessible strategies that they can adopt.