Monthly Archives: June 2012

Amid rising costs, NASA scraps X-ray space telescope mission

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NASA is canceling work on a new space telescope that was running significantly over budget. The GEMS telescope was intended to study black holes and neutron stars.

NASA is canceling all work on a new space telescope designed to seek out black holes and other cosmic mysteries through X-ray light due to soaring development costs, the space agency announced today (June 7).

The mission, called Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Small Explorer (GEMS), was running significantly over budget, said Paul Hertz, director of NASA's Astrophysics Division, during a phone call to reporters today.

"TheGEMS projectwas initiated under a very well-defined cost cap," Hertz said. "As they approached their confirmation review, it was clear they would not be able to complete it within their cost cap. NASA made the very difficult decision not to confirm GEMS into the implementation phase."

The mission team had almost completed the design stage of the project and was nearing the point where hardware for the mission would begin to be built. No working instruments were yet constructed, Hertz said. [NASA's 2013 Budget: What Will It Buy?]

The project was selected as a "small explorer" class mission, with a firm cost limit of $105 million, not including the price of launching the spacecraft. NASA recently commissioned an independent review of GEMS' budget, and found that the ultimate price tag for the spacecraft was likely to be 20 to 30 percent over budget.

Because of the cost overrun, NASA decided to pull the plug on GEMS last month. On June 5, the GEMS team, led by principal investigator Jean Swank of the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., appealed the decision and submitted documents to show they had identified new areas of cost savings.

However, NASA was not swayed.

The space agency will now have to pay an estimated $13 million in close-out costs to cancel the mission, including contract cancelation fees toOrbital Sciences Corp. and other companies that were hired to built the spacecraft.

GEMS was to use three telescopes to capture the bent X-ray light from extremely dense objects such as black holes, neutron stars and stellar remnants. The mission would have launched no earlier than 2014 and lasted two years.

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Amid rising costs, NASA scraps X-ray space telescope mission

Research and Markets: European Molecular Diagnostics Markets

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Dublin - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7m2ls7/european_molecular) has announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan's new report "European Molecular Diagnostics Markets" to their offering.

This Frost & Sullivan research service titled European Molecular Diagnostics Markets provides a comprehensive analysis of key challenges, drivers, and restraints as well as recent venue forecasts. It also examines major trends and initiatives in the molecular diagnostics market. The research covers oncology, genetic diseases, infectious diseases and pharmacogenomics segments.

Market Overview

Automation to Play Important Role in Expansion of Molecular Diagnostics Markets

The potential for enhanced clinical efficiency and reduced costs is fuelling the interest of healthcare stakeholders in personalised and preventive medicine. Molecular diagnostics is a vital tool to support this trend. Available molecular diagnostics technologies can detect diseases at very early stages and help monitor the efficacy of therapies being used in disease treatment. Technology advances, paralleled by the decreasing cost of automated systems, will boost market prospects, notes the analyst of this research. Automation, in particular, will play an increasingly important role in market expansion.

Many molecular diagnostic methods were historically based on steps of manual pipetting. Automated devices are nowadays replacing them and offer numerous advantages. These include faster turn-around time (TAT), manipulation of smaller volumes of liquids as well as more accurate and quantifiable results, compared to manual methods. Automation is currently of interest mostly among large diagnostic laboratories, but it is expected that, over time, automated systems will also be available at smaller laboratories, remarks the analyst. In small and medium-sized laboratories, if automation is implemented at all, it is likely to be based on single function automated devices rather than fully automated, comprehensive systems. However, automation of molecular diagnostics is still considered to be insufficient. This is especially the case in sample preparation and nucleic acid extraction, where the majority of work is performed manually. This leads to prolonged TAT, which is a challenge, especially when immediate results are required.

Market Sectors

Expert Frost & Sullivan analysts thoroughly examine the following market segments in this research:

- Oncology

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Research and Markets: European Molecular Diagnostics Markets

Exciting Jobs in the Fastest-Growing Industries

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This decade's biggest business will take place on the Internet, in the yoga studio, or around the supermarket aisle. So says IBISWorld, the market research firm that releases an annual report of the fastest-growing industries, based on absolute revenue growth, established growth for the last 10 years, and expected performance for the next five years. The list of 10 industries serves as a good ...

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Exciting Jobs in the Fastest-Growing Industries

Foundation Medicine Enters Extensive Collaboration to Provide Genomic Information for Clinical Oncology Programs

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Foundation Medicine today announced a new agreement with Novartis to provide comprehensive genomic analysis in support of Novartis clinical oncology programs.

Novartis plans to use Foundation Medicines molecular information platform across many of Novartis Phase 1 and 2 oncology clinical programs. The pilot program established between Novartis and Foundation Medicine 18 months ago has generated very interesting data, and this type of tumor genomic profiling has become an essential component of Novartis clinical trials. The partnership consists of running Foundation Medicines comprehensive genomic profiling on most Phase 1 and 2 clinical trial enrollees over the next three years. The partnership aims to accelerate the development of Novartis broad portfolio of targeted cancer therapeutics and ultimately expand treatment options for patients.

The comprehensive molecular assessment of Novartis Oncology clinical trial samples is expected to help to bring potentially lifesaving therapies to the right patients more quickly, and we expect that the wealth of molecular information will help fundamentally improve the way cancer is understood and treated, said Michael J. Pellini, M.D., president and CEO, Foundation Medicine. We are pleased to see our collaboration mature into a significant relationship between Foundation Medicine and Novartis.

Foundation Medicine uses clinical-grade, next-generation sequencing to rapidly analyze hundreds of cancer-related genes from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor samples in a CLIA-certified environment. Novartis plans to use these capabilities in an effort to align clinical trial enrollment and outcome analysis with the genomic profile of individual patient tumors to drive development of new cancer treatments. Foundation Medicine also offers testing services to physicians and their patients through the companys commercial product, FoundationOne, which includes an interpretive report that matches detected genomic alterations with potential treatment options and clinical trials. The company may develop additional diagnostic products resulting from the Novartis collaboration.

About Foundation Medicine

Foundation Medicine is a molecular information company dedicated to a transformation in cancer care in which treatment is informed by a deep understanding of the genomic changes that contribute to each patients unique cancer. The companys initial clinical product, FoundationOne, is a fully informative genomic profile to identify a patients individual molecular alterations and match them with relevant targeted therapies and clinical trials. Foundation Medicines molecular information platform aims to improve day-to-day care for patients by serving the needs of clinicians, academic researchers and drug developers to help advance the science of molecular medicine in cancer. For more information, please visit http://www.foundationmedicine.com.

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Foundation Medicine Enters Extensive Collaboration to Provide Genomic Information for Clinical Oncology Programs

Monkey injured in new incident at Harvard Medical School research facility

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By Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff

A rhesus monkey escaped from its cage in late April at a Harvard Medical School animal research facility and injured a pig-tailed macaque while it roamed the room, according to a federal inspection report and a spokesman for the US Department of Agriculture.

The May 16 inspection report, posted online Thursday by the agency, cites the school for directly harming or endangering an animal and states that staff had not latched the cage properly.

The report says Harvard gave additional training to staff, and new procedures were put in place to prevent future problems. It said the injured monkey was recovering, but did not describe the extent of its injuries.

The incident occurred at a primate research facility in Boston. It is just the latest incident at a Harvard Medical School research facility. Over the last two years, four monkey deaths related to problems in animal care have been cited by the USDA at the New England Primate Research Center, the institutions Southborough research facility. The school was also cited for a primate death due to an overdose of anesthesia at the Boston research facility last year. Harvard Medical School has now been cited for a total of eight separate instances of directly endangering animals health or welfare in two years. In comparison, there were 25 such direct noncompliance incidents at research facilities nationwide in fiscal year 2011, according to David Sacks, a spokesman for the USDA.

The agency has been investigating other incidents at Harvard related to animal care, which could result in fines or warnings. Sacks said the agency plans to further investigate the new incident.

In a statement, Harvard Medical School said the incident was self-reported.

In keeping with our commitment to continuous quality improvement, we promptly conducted additional training of the laboratory staff and strengthened our procedures, the statement said.

In an e-mail, Jeanne McVey, a spokeswoman for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, said the direct noncompliance with animal welfare laws that Harvard was cited for was serious. She noted the inspection occurred weeks after the incident occurred, and at that time, according to the report, the monkey was responding well to treatment.

That probably means the injured monkey was still recovering after over three weeks, McVey wrote. It was likely a pretty serious injury.

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Monkey injured in new incident at Harvard Medical School research facility

Liberty Diversified International Promotes Zdon to President, COO

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MINNEAPOLIS, June 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Liberty Diversified International (LDI) has promoted Dan Zdon to President and Chief Operating Officer. Globally, LDI manufactures and markets products in several industries, including paper and packaging, office products, healthcare, building products and precision machining.

Zdon had been Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since 2009 and assumes the President title previously held by LDI's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mike Fiterman.

"Naming Dan Zdon President acknowledges his role in our family-owned company as a leader, a strategist and a valued executive," Fiterman said.

Zdon now has daily operating responsibility for each of LDI's businesses, and will also have management responsibility for the corporate "shared services" unit which provides legal, accounting, IT, human resources and other support to all business units. He has been an LDI employee since 2000 and spent the early part of his LDI career in the Safco Products unit, which markets a broad line of products to enhance office environments, including furniture and workplace organization products.

"Our businesses will continue to thrive with Dan in this expanded position," Fiterman said. "He's admired by all of LDI's key stakeholders customers, employees, shareholders, suppliers and leaders in the communities in which we operate," he said.

About LDI

Headquartered in New Hope, Minn., LDI is a privately-held family of companies with nearly 1,600 employees operating in the paper and packaging, office products, healthcare, building products and precision machining markets. With roots in the corrugated fiberboard business, the company was founded in 1918. To learn more, visit http://www.libertydiversified.com.

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Liberty Diversified International Promotes Zdon to President, COO

Liberty-Mystics Preview

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The New York Liberty appear to be getting on track after the worst start in franchise history. The Washington Mystics can't make that same claim.

New York goes for a third consecutive win while it looks to end a five-game road skid against the Mystics, who will be trying to avoid their second straight 1-5 start Friday night.

The Liberty were outscored by an average of 17.4 points in dropping their first five games before beating Indiana 87-72 on Sunday and Atlanta 79-74 on Tuesday.

Guard Cappie Pondexter led the way in both victories, scoring 25 points against the Fever and 26 versus the Dream after failing to reach the 20-point mark in any of the first five games.

"Being 0-5, I never experienced that before anywhere in any part of my career," Pondexter said. "It was awful. I knew we had to turn things around."

Pondexter scored nine of the Liberty's 18 points in the fourth quarter Tuesday.

"We had to refocus the last couple of days after we lost five in a row," she said. "It was just a case of me being aggressive. The important thing for us is to focus on what we need to do to win."

Guard Leilani Mitchell has totaled 31 points in the back-to-back wins after scoring a combined 19 during the winless start.

"Of course, we knew we were a better team than 0-5," Mitchell said. "But it's a long season and the league is so good. Any game could go either way. It was very frustrating to lose those five games, but we had to remain positive."

Washington is dealing with its own frustration after another poor start. The Mystics lost their third straight Sunday, 94-86 at Connecticut.

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Liberty-Mystics Preview

Liberty University Online Forms Partnership With StraighterLine to Provide Flexible, Affordable Higher Education

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LYNCHBURG, Va., June 7, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StraighterLine (www.straighterline.com) announced today that Liberty University Online (www.LUOnline.com) has joined their rapidly expanding network of partnering colleges, welcoming StraighterLine students to transfer credits for enrollment in one of Liberty's online degree programs.

StraighterLine provides a unique path for students to get the basic credits they need at an affordable rate. Through StraighterLine's unique structure and affordable pricing plan, students can complete freshman and introductory-level classes while saving thousands on their college degree.

As a StraighterLine partner institution, Liberty Online is able to offer flexible, affordable, accredited online degree programs, in over 100 programs of study, to StraighterLine students continuing to pursue their educational goals.

Liberty Online is coming alongside StraighterLine and those students seeking to fulfill their basic course requirements in this manner to help them continue to experience the flexibility and affordability they are seeking. With eight-week sub-terms continually offered throughout the year, Liberty's online program affords students the flexibility to complete course work when and where best suited to their needs, while accelerating their degree completion.

Through this partnership, Liberty Online is offering transfer credit to those students who have successfully completed StraighterLine's online college courses. With a wide assortment of course options, StraighterLine currently offers thirty-eight entry-level college courses online including English, math, humanities, business, college prep, and science. StraighterLine courses are evaluated and recommended by the American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT), ensuring a smooth transition to students wanting to take their education to the next level.

About Liberty University

Liberty University, located in Lynchburg, Va., is the world's largest Christian university. Offering courses on its 6,800-acre, residential campus and in online format, Liberty is home to nearly 100,000 students.

Liberty Online strives to meet the needs of students on all fronts. Liberty offers more than 100 fully-accredited online programs of study, from the associate to doctoral level, and embraces the opportunity to assist individuals in advancing their education.

Since 1971, the mission of Liberty University has been to develop Christ-centered men and women with the values, knowledge, and skills essential to impact tomorrow's world. With a unique heritage and an expanding future of influence, Liberty continues steadfast in its mission of Training Champions for Christ.

As part of the world's largest, non-profit, Christian university, Liberty Online is known for its high student satisfaction and retention rates. Liberty Online continues to focus on student success by providing exceptional resources, including an online library, Online Writing Center, a partnership with Tutor.com, Liberty Online Ministries, and knowledgeable Academic Advisors.

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Liberty University Online Forms Partnership With StraighterLine to Provide Flexible, Affordable Higher Education

Liberty Offers Unsecured Notes

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Liberty Property Limited Partnership, a subsidiary of Liberty Property Trust (LRY) a real estate investment trust (:REIT), has recently priced an offering of $400 million aggregate principal amount of 4.125% senior unsecured notes due June 15, 2022.

The 4.125% senior unsecured notes offering was priced to yield 4.149% with the offering expected to close on June 11, 2012.

The proceeds from the debt offering will be used to repay debt outstanding under the company's unsecured credit facility and for other general corporate purposes

Liberty Property reported first quarter 2012 FFO (fund from operations) of 68 cents per share compared with 65 cents in the year-earlier quarter. Fund from operations, a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs, is obtained after adding depreciation and amortization and other non-cash expenses to net income.

During the first quarter 2012, Liberty Property redeemed $32.5 million of its outstanding 6.65% Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units for $26.0 million and redeemed the entire $95.0 million of 7.45% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units at par. At the end of first quarter 2012, the company had $27.6 million of cash and cash equivalents.

Based in Pennsylvania, Liberty Property provides leasing, property management, development, construction management, design management, and related services for a portfolio of industrial and office properties. The company focuses primarily on prime suburban properties in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest.

The company possesses a conservative balance sheet and offers a steady dividend payout to the shareholders which augur well for the long-term growth of the company.

We currently have a Neutral recommendation on Liberty Property, which presently has a Zacks #3 Rank that translates into a short-term Hold rating. One of its competitors, Duke Realty Corp. (DRE) currently retains a Zacks #3 Rank.

Read the Full Research Report on LRY

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Liberty Offers Unsecured Notes

Liberty Mines Receives Government Approval of the Hart Mine Closure Plan

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- Liberty on track to start production at Hart in Q1 2014 -

TSX: LBE

TORONTO , June 7, 2012 /CNW/ - Liberty Mines Inc. ("Liberty" or the "Company") announced today that an important planning phase necessary for launching production at its Hart Mine has been approved and filed by the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines. The plan, which is a necessary requirement for mines operating in Ontario, provides details and financial assurance on the rehabilitation measures that Liberty will take during operations and after the life of the Hart Mine has been exhausted.

"With approval of the Hart Mine Closure Plan in place, we are one important step closer to launching production at our Hart Mine, which we expect in early 2014," said Chris Stewart , President and CEO of Liberty Mines. "Over the coming months, we will continue on our deep drilling program at Hart and advance towards completion of a feasibility study by year end."

The Hart Mine, which is located approximately 30 kilometres from Timmins, Ontario, is a nickel deposit currently consisting of 1.55 million tons of indicated resource with a grade of 1.40% nickel. Liberty expects production at Hart to start in Q1/2014 with an initial production of 250 tons per day, eventually ramping up to 750 tons per day.

All ore produced at the Hart Mine will feed Liberty's Redstone mill which has a design capacity of 2,000 tonnes per day and is currently permitted to operate at 1,500 tonnes per day. The Redstone mill is the only nickel mill and concentrator in the Shaw Dome Nickel region, and it is located approximately 6 kilometers away from the Hart Mine.

In January 2012 , Liberty announced that it restructured its net smelter royalty on the Hart Mine, reducing the amount to one percent (1.0%) through a lump sum payment of $1 million to Canadian Arrow Mines.

About Liberty Mines Inc. Liberty Mines Inc. is a mid-tier producer of nickel and is focused on the exploration, development and production of nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum group metals from its properties in Ontario, Canada . It owns and operates the only nickel concentrator in the Shaw Dome, a prospective nickel belt region near Timmins, Ontario. With a new management team in place, Liberty is focused on growth initiatives not only through a more aggressive exploration program on its current properties but also through potential acquisition or partnership opportunities beyond its core Timmins area projects.

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Liberty Mines Receives Government Approval of the Hart Mine Closure Plan

Ron Paul’s Cookbook Features ‘Libertarian’ Chicken Made With Doritos

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Ron Paul may have finally acknowledged that he wont win the GOP primary, but this uber libertarian cookbook gives us a freaky glimpse into what may have happened to our sexy, glamorous, celebrity chef-filled State Dinners at the White House.

First off: we had no idea that a cookbook could be libertarian at all. But trust Ron Pauls wife, Carol, to make Easy Oreo Truffles while wearing an apron emblazoned with End The Fed on it. Also, trust her to describe the recipes as libertarian with a small l. (Does that mean that all of her chickens read Atlas Shrugged before they willingly lay down their lives as inferior beings?)

The WSJ profile goes into the cookbook and its rather fanatical fans (We believe they were key to our historic finish in Iowa and New Hampshire, says a Paul spokesman; Are you kidding? we responded), but these quotes from what might happen to the White House kitchens in the world where Paul wins the presidency are priceless-slash-baffling:

In a Ron Paul administration, Americans might see the First Family sitting down to King Ranch Chicken, which is made with Doritos, or Cherry-Pineapple Dump Cake, canned fruit and pie filling topped with dry cake mix and baked.

For the traditional White House Super Bowl Party, what about Spicy Crackers? The cookbook says they are simple: Empty a box of saltine crackers into a jug, add 1 cups of oil, 3 tablespoons of crushed red pepper flakes and a package of dry Ranch dressing mix. Roll the jug around to mix the contents, allow the crackers to set for several hours and then, enjoy!

We would rather see Paula Deen cater a State Dinner than think about what the Pauls would do when hosting heads of state. Think about it. The White House Garden would be left to die. Manmohan Singh would be served the cheapest takeout curry in the DC Metropolitan area, because the invisible hand doesnt like flying in celebrity chefsto serve dinner.The entertainment would be provided by some random part-time gas attendant with bad covers of Bruce Springsteen and a wonky guitar.

Obama Administration, youve spoiled us for sexy state dinners; but doing this to our White House is pretty much like closing the Federal Reserve. Oh wait.

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Ron Paul’s Cookbook Features ‘Libertarian’ Chicken Made With Doritos

CT Libertarian Party breaks fundraising record, chairman says

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The Libertarian Party of Connecticut has raised $15,000 in the past few weeks, a record-breaking amount, according to Chairman Dan Reale, a Plainfield resident.

The party, known for its support of limited government, had never raised more than $10,000 in any single year, Reale said. Fundraising through an ongoing ballot access drive is expected to surpass $60,000, said Reale, who is also the partys candidate for Congress in Connecticuts 2nd District.

We needed to hire help for our treasurer and buy a credit card machine, the chairman wrote in an email.

The ballot drive is expected to finish around July 15, he said.

For more information, visit http://www.lpct.org.

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CT Libertarian Party breaks fundraising record, chairman says

'Economic blockade' on Falklands

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7 June 2012 Last updated at 15:16 ET

Argentina is trying to impose an "economic blockade" on the Falkland Islands, Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne says.

Mr Browne, who is visiting the islands next week, accused Buenos Aires of impeding the development of the tourism in the islands.

Argentina has been turning away cruise ships carrying the British flag.

It has also said oil exploration by five British companies off the islands was "illegal" and "clandestine".

This was a classification that, according to the Argentine government, paves the way for immediate criminal proceedings.

Argentina claims sovereignty over the islands it calls the Malvinas, and wants the UK to negotiate over its rule, but the British government says it will not discuss the issue without the agreement of the Falkland islanders.

Mr Browne said he was disappointed at the Argentine government's recent actions over cruise ships and British oil companies.

He said Argentina was a country "with a population of about 40 million people, seeking to put an economic blockade in place which will... impoverish an isolated community with about 3,000 people."

Mr Browne went on to say: "Which party in this arrangement are behaving in a domineering way and who are the vulnerable population who are having to make their way in the world, despite a much more powerful country going out of their way to make that harder for them?

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'Economic blockade' on Falklands

Many have problems with health care law

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(USA TODAY) - While President Obama, Mitt Romney and other politicians anxiously await the Supreme Court's health care ruling, other Americans are rendering their own judgments.

Many have problems with Obama's health care law.

According to a new CBS News/New York Times poll, 41% think the high court should completely overturn the law Obama signed in 2010.

An additional 27% say the justices should strike down only the law's key feature: The individual mandate, the requirement that nearly all Americans buy some form of health insurance. That provision is key to financing the health care plan.

The poll also shows 24% support upholding the health care law in its entirety.

The Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision later this month.

It is the most anticipated ruling in years, one that may well affect the presidential race between Obama and Romney.

If elected, Romney has vowed to repeal what he calls "Obamacare." Obama says the law will provide insurance to nearly all Americans, and reduce medical costs in the long run.

Not surprisingly, support and opposition to the health care law falls largely along party lines

USA TODAY

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Many have problems with health care law

State House OKs health-care proposal

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BOSTON (AP) -- The Massachusetts House of Representatives has passed a proposal that aims to reel in the state's spiraling health-care costs by $160 billion over the next 15 years. The House and Senate must now resolve their differences over the measure before it can go to Gov. Deval Patrick.

Lawmakers have been working on legislation that tries to lower the costs resulting from the 2006 landmark Massachusetts health-care legislation that mandates health insurance for nearly all state residents. The House passed its version of the bill 148-7 late Tuesday night.

This bill aims to contain health-care costs by evening out disparities in the prices of health services. It would require hospitals that charge more than 20 percent above the state median price for a service to pay a 10 percent surcharge.

It also focuses on workforce development, overhauls medical malpractice laws and adopts alternative payment methods, such as global and bundled payments for services.

A conference committee will now reconcile the House and Senate versions of the bill, which differ on certain provisions like the surcharge on hospitals and other health-care providers.

The Senate bill does not call for any surcharge.

Patrick, a Democrat, told reporters Wednesday that he is looking forward to the work of the committee.

"I'm confident we are going to get to a great and final bill," he said. "It will be a good bill for patients and for the industry as well."

During debate on the bill, Rep. Steven Walsh, D-Lynn, said health-care costs in Massachusetts have been rising from 6.7 percent to 8 percent annually, with the state spending $66 billion on health care last year

Signed by then-Gov. Mitt Romney, the 2006 law dramatically expanded access to health coverage in Massachusetts. But premiums and other health care costs have threatened to undermine the law's long-term fiscal stability.

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State House OKs health-care proposal