Monthly Archives: September 2012

DNA Dynamics Update on Sports Title

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LEAMINGTON SPA, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - Sep 25, 2012) - DNA Dynamics, Inc. ( PINKSHEETS : DNAD ), a global developer and publisher of mobile video games and applications, announces today that it is to unveil the first of its new Sports Game at GDC Online in Austin in October.

The Company recently announced that it had hired Kevin Corti to head up studio operations. Kevin took responsibility on day one for reworking Warheads Battle to turn the 100,000 users into a more profitable part of the DNA Games business. Moreover, Kevin was given the task of developing the two exciting social mobile games that DNA is working on right now.One of these games, a Sports Based Social Mobile Game, is to be announced at GDC Online in Austin, TX this October.

This comes hot on the back of the decision to close down one of its subsidiaries, DNA Interactive Limited, the company responsible for the Naked Gun: ICUP license, as the game just failed to hit the numbers expected.

Talking of the experience of the Naked Gun game, CEO Ed Blincoe had this to say, "We learnt a lot of lessons working with the Naked Gun license, more than we had wanted to. After DNA initially being mis-sold the Naked Gun license by GameCentric Media and a widespread, but misplaced, belief that DNA had received AppBackr funds, the game itself just missed the mark. We were always frustrated when AppBackr's Backers thought we had received their funds -- we didn't receive a dime from AppBackr, though we understand that GameCentric Media may have received some of the pledged funds."

When talking about the quality of the game, Blincoe says: "In industry reviews as well as user reviews, the game was a real hit with an average rating of 4/5 stars in the AppStore.It just didn't gain enough traction to be a commercial success. Finally, we took the decision to cut the spending and have begun to pull the game. We believe this is in the interest of the business and its shareholders, we make tough decisions here, but ultimately we believe they are the best decisions."

Blincoe continued, "It's a difficult decision to close down a part of the business which isn't performing, but with the new impetus behind the social mobile execution of our business plan, we believe that DNA Dynamics, operating through DNA Games, has a fantastic future. We are very much alive, kicking and looking forward to a successful future."

About DNA Dynamics, Inc. Headquartered in Leamington Spa in the United Kingdom, DNA Dynamics is a worldwide developer and publisher of graphically rich, interactive entertainment currently delivered on iOS, Android, Apple Mac and PC.Through its operating subsidiaries, the Company has created, acquired or licensed a portfolio of highly recognizable or emerging brands that broadly appeal to its consumer demographics, ranging from children to adults and casual gamers to serious enthusiasts.For more information, please go to http://www.dnadynamics.net. You can also follow the Company on Facebook and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including information about management's view of DNA Dynamics, Inc.'s future expectations, plans and prospects. In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," or "may," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any statements made in this news release other than those of historical fact, about an action, event or development, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the results of DNA Dynamics, its subsidiaries and concepts to be materially different than those expressed or implied in such statements. Unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on DNA Dynamics' future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. DNA Dynamics cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Finally, DNA Dynamics undertakes no obligation to update these statements after the date of this release, except as required by law, and also takes no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by DNA Dynamics.

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DNA Dynamics Update on Sports Title

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Treatment for 'untreatable' progeria has roots in untargeted basic cell research

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Public release date: 25-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: John Fleischman jfleischman@ascb.org 513-706-0212 American Society for Cell Biology

BETHESDA, MD, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012---The good news widely reported this morning of positive results from a clinical drug trial at Boston Children's Hospital for the previously "untreatable" rapid aging disorder in children known as progeria has its scientific roots in basic biology discoveries made in recent years.

A paper published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) reports that the use of farnesyl transferase inhibitors (FTI) significantly slows the progress of progeria, a rare and until now "untreatable" lethal genetic disorder. Also known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), progeria has been described as out-of-control rapid aging in children. A ""normal"" baby born with HGPS will stop growing by 16-18 months and quickly develop signs of old age including hair loss, thin skin, osteoporosis and, most dangerously, progressive arteriosclerosis. By 10 years of age progeria children appear to be 80. The PNAS paper apparently shows a significant slowing of bone loss and blood vessel blockage.

This clinical trial grew out of the identification of the defective progeria gene, LMNA, in 2003 through the Human Genome Project and the laboratory of current NIH Director Francis Collins. But the link to defective proteins called lamins that make up the envelope surrounding the cell nucleus came about through "untargeted" basic cell biology research. Veteran lamin researchers remember having their grant applications dismissed by review panels as "boring" and irrelevant. But basic work by Robert Goldman of the Northwestern University School of Medicine and other nuclear lamin researchers around the world revealed that a greasy tag molecule called farnesyl accumulates on defective Lamin A proteins, eventually warping the structure of the entire nuclear envelope and disrupting the orderly production of genetic messages in the nucleus that direct normal growth.

The identification of the defective LMNA gene transformed progeria into a "laminopathy," a now growing class of diseases caused by problems with the once-irrelevant nuclear lamins. "Normal" aging is thought to involve many of the same processes as laminopathies and gives this new clinical trial implications beyond progeria. With the discovery of the lamin link, clinical researchers were suddenly looking for farnesyl transferase inhibitors (FTI) for progeria treatment. They zeroed in on Lonafarnib, an FTI drug developed by Merck that had been extensively tested and found safe for use in adults and children but ineffective against its brain cancer targets. In the two and a half year clinical trial, physicians at Boston Children's gave Lonafarnib to 26 children with progeria.

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The American Society for Cell Biology has been reporting on progeria since 2006. In 2008, the ASCB Newsletter published a report on the proposed clinical drug trial. The ASCB has pulled together a file of these earlier reports for reporters and the general public interested in the deeper scientific background of progeria at: http://www.ascb.org/progeria-background.html

The PNAS paper was published online before print September 24, 2012, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1202529109 PNAS September 24, 2012 Gordon, Leslie B. et al, Clinical trial of a farnesyltransferase inhibitor in children with HutchinsonGilford progeria syndrome

Reporters: For further information, contact ASCB Science Writer John Fleischman, jfleischman@ascb.org or 513-706-0212.

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Treatment for 'untreatable' progeria has roots in untargeted basic cell research

Researchers looking to exploit bacterial immune system for medicine and industry

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Rebecca and Michael Terns are seen in their lab at the University of Georgia. Rebecca Terns is asenior research scientist in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in UGAs Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Michael Terns isa distinguished research professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and genetics.

Bacteria and archaea are among the smallest forms of life on the planet, but don't let their size fool you. These simple creatures have persevered for billions of years, thanks in part to a recently discovered immune-like defense system that protects them from marauding infectious agents like viruses and plasmids.

University of Georgia researchers Michael and Rebecca Terns were some of the first to describe how the bacterial immune system works in a 2009 paper published in Cell. Now, thanks in part to two grants from the National Institutes of Health totaling more than $2.4 million, the Terns lab hopes to find ways of manipulating this bacterial immunity that could have far-reaching implications for a variety of biotechnological and biomedical industries.

"Bacteria, from the pathogens that you hear about on the news to the microbes that normally live in and on our bodies, play a whole range of diverse and important roles in human lives," said Rebecca Terns, senior research scientist in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in UGA's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. "What we're studying is a defense system that protects bacteria from viruses."

The fact that bacteria are vulnerable to viruses is a double-edged sword, because bacteria are both powerful enemies and essential allies. On one hand, pathogenic bacteria cause serious and debilitating diseases in humans. On the other hand, many bacteria serve protective functions, or are used in industries to clean wastewater, make food, produce medicine and make plastics.

Once they have a better understanding of the various mechanisms involved in bacterial immunity, the Terns lab hopes to develop methods to protect helpful bacteria and destroy those that make people sick.

"We're trying to bolster this immune system in the good bacteria that we exploit to make foods, pharmaceuticals and biofuels," said Michael Terns, UGA distinguished research professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and genetics. "At the same time, we're trying to find ways to turn this immune system on itself and kill pathogenic bacteria."

When a bacterium encounters an invader like a virus, it recognizes the viral DNA, chops it up into pieces and incorporates a segment of the viral DNA into its own genome. As the bacteria experiences more threats from viruses, it accumulates a memory bank of past infections in a special part of its genetic code commonly known as CRISPRs, short for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats.

After this initial step, the bacteria then create special CRISPR-associated proteins that ultimately recognize and destroy the virus if it tries to invade again.

"If we take a bacterium and challenge it with a virus in the lab, overnight most of the bacteria will be killed, but there will be a few survivors that have found a piece of the virus and incorporated it into their own genome," Michael Terns said. "And the resulting immunity is heritable, because when these survivors reproduce, all new cells exposed to the same virus will survive."

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Researchers looking to exploit bacterial immune system for medicine and industry

Events in the life of Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi

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By The Associated Press

Aung San Suu Kyi's life has been marked by family tragedy, world travel and a political mission that prompted her to choose Myanmar's democracy struggle over her children, whom she left behind in England.

Here are the key events in Suu Kyi's life that aides and biographers say shaped the stoic, pragmatic, eloquent woman whose sacrifices and struggles have earned her a Nobel prize and international acclaim.

- FAMILY LIFE

- June 19, 1945: Born in Yangon, then called Rangoon. She is the third child and only daughter of national independence hero Gen. Aung San and Daw Khin Kyi, also a prominent public figure.

- July 1947: Aung San and six members of his interim government are assassinated by rivals. Suu Kyi is 2.

- 1952: Suu Kyi's favorite brother, Aung San Lin, drowns in a pond inside the family's compound.

- 1960: After finishing high school, Suu Kyi leaves for further study in New Delhi, where her mother is Burma's ambassador.

- 1964-1967. Suu Kyi studies philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University's St. Hugh's College, where she meets future husband and Himalayan scholar Michael Aris.

- 1969-1971: Suu Kyi moves to New York for postgraduate studies at New York University but postpones academic career when a family friend helps get her a job at the United Nations.

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Events in the life of Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi

New Book Examines Role of Spirituality in the Workplace

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Authors explain the connection between spirituality and performance

Follow University of Arkansas research on Twitter @UArkResearch

Newswise FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. Judi Neals new book explores the importance of higher moments, those times when members of a team experience a strong sense of meaning and purpose connected to the shared vision and successful implementation of a project. These experiences, Neal says, enable teams and the individuals who comprise them to reach a higher level of performance. They can even propel individuals far beyond what they thought was possible.

Effective teams have a great espirit de corps, which can have a powerful and extremely positive impact on performance, says Neal, director of the Tyson Center for Faith and Spirituality in the Workplace in the Sam M. Walton College of Business. This experience often takes them to a spiritual place those moments when one feels the presence of a higher power, something greater than themselves. When this happens, people bring their best to the project and often find themselves soaring to new places, places they never dreamed were possible.

Neals book, The Spirit of Project Management, written with Alan Harpham, examines the role of spirituality in project management. The book is set up as a guide to help project managers be values-centered and willing to act with integrity. But that is only the beginning. The integration of spirituality the authors provide a popular definition of spirituality simply as that which gives meaning and purpose in life into the workplace inspires team members.

With a greater understanding of the role of spirituality in project management, project managers will be able to engage their team members passion and purpose, Neal says. Stated plainly, a sense of spirituality unleashes team members creativity and helps them solve difficult problems.

The authors first provide a context for spirituality and project management and then explore the history of major projects that have included a spirituality component, including the ancient pyramids of Egypt and South America, the Xian burial site in China, the Great Mosque in Damascus, Syria, the great cathedrals of Europe and the Taj Mahal in India. Citing these examples, Neal and Harpham contend that spirituality has always been interwoven into the work of project management, although this has seldom been explicit.

With special attention to the individual, project teams and the organization as a whole, the second half of the book discusses how spirituality can be integrated into the workplace. These chapters focus on aligning the vision and meaning for projects, spiritual leadership, communication, creativity and the spirit of the group. There are also sections devoted to technology, systems change, appreciative inquiry and organization orientations.

Years ago, Neal became interested in the topic of spirituality in the workplace when she discovered that the organization she worked for was breaking the law and endangering its employees. She became a whistleblower, which put her life in danger.

That crisis helped me understand that spirituality and a trust in something greater than ourselves are at the core of life and cannot be treated peripherally, Neal said. By this, I mean we cannot lead a spiritual life only outside of work. If life is to have meaning and purpose, we must live spiritually all the time.

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New Space Station Crew Approved

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A Russian state commission on Tuesday approved the main and backup crews of a new expedition to the International Space Station (ISS) ahead of the launch on October 23.

The new crew comprises Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Yevgeny Tarelkin, and NASA astronaut Kevin Ford, while the backup crew includes Russian cosmonauts Pavel Vinogradov and Alexander Misurkin, and NASA astronaut Christopher Cassidy.

It will be the first space mission for Novitsky and Tarelkin. Ford spent 14 days in space when he traveled to the ISS as the Shuttle Discovery pilot in 2009.

The crew has chosen "Kazbek" as their call-sign after one of the highest peaks in the Caucasus Mountains, and a tiny behemoth toy as their talisman and Zero-gravity indicator.

The launch of the Soyuz TMA-06M manned spacecraft was earlier moved from October 15 to October 23 due to a technical problem detected during a preflight checkup.

Expedition 33 is expected to spend 148 days on board the orbital station. The crew will carry out a series of scientific experiments, and receive four Russian Progress space freighters and a European ATV-4 cargo spacecraft.

No spacewalks have been scheduled for this mission.

The crew is also planning to keep a space blog, recording their daily life on board the ISS.

Our work will certainly be a priority, but I hope we will have time to keep the space blog, Yevgeny Tarelkin told reporters on Tuesday. We really want to do it because we need to promote space exploration.

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New Space Station Crew Approved

First mirrors for space telescope arrive

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Technicians and scientists check out one of the Webb telescope's first two flight mirrors in the clean room at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn

Published: Sept. 24, 2012 at 10:00 PM

GREENBELT, Md., Sept. 24 (UPI) -- NASA says the first two of the 18 primary mirrors for its James Webb Space Telescope arrived at its Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

After inspection they will be stored in the Goddard clean room until engineers are ready to assemble them onto the telescope's structure that will support them, a NASA release said Monday.

The mirrors where shipped from Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colo., which under contract to Northrop Grumman is responsible for the Webb's optical technology and lightweight mirror system.

The remaining 16 mirrors will make their way from Ball Aerospace to Goddard over the next 12 months as they await telescope installation in the space telescope in 2015.

"These first two completed flight mirror assemblies arriving at Goddard are an important first step leading towards the integration of the mirrors onto the flight structure," said Lee Feinberg, NASA optical telescope element manager for the telescope. "These delivered flight mirrors meet their requirements, which is great news for Webb telescope being able to fulfill its scientific potential."

Each of the 18 hexagonal-shaped mirror assemblies are 4.2 feet across and when assembled will create the telescope's 21-foot primary mirror.

To meet one of the Webb's science goals of looking back through time to when galaxies were young, a large mirror is necessary to see far-off and faint objects, astronomers said.

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First mirrors for space telescope arrive

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Game of the Week

No. 3 Mission Hills (3-1) at No. 1 Oceanside (3-1) Friday 7 p.m.

For the second straight week, the Red Zone heads to North County for a showdown involving top-ranked Oceanside. The Pirates solidified their spot atop the rankings last week with a 23-13 win at Poway, a victory fueled by a stout defense and a playmaking offense featuring senior quarterback Tofi Paopao. Oceanside hosts Mission Hills, who jumped No. 3 after a decisive win over Valley Center. The Grizzlies came into the season highly touted, and havent lost to a section opponent this season led by a strong core of returning players. A name familiar to Oceansides program quarterbacks Mission Hills junior Connor Wynn, brother of former Pirates quarterback Jordan Wynn (2007-08). Until last season Oceanside had won every meeting between these two teams, including a pair of victories in the Division II finals. In 2011, that streak ended with a 10-10 tie at Mission Hills.

Best of the Rest

No. 7 Poway (2-2) at No. 10 Valley Center (3-1) Friday 7 p.m.

In a matchup of defending section champions looking to rebound from losses to quality opponents, Poway heads north to take on Valley Center. Poway started slow last week against Oceanside and fell for the second time in three weeks. A stellar defense featuring a pair of Division I-bound seniors defensive back Derek Babiash (Arizona) and linebacker Alec Moreno (Nevada) leads the Titans, but their offense has struggled in both defeats. Valley Center suffered its first loss of the season last week at Mission Hills, ending a 15-game winning streak dating back to September 2011. The Jaguars get a chance at a bigger school for the second consecutive week, and will need big plays from the senior duo of quarterback Ryan Kleiman and receiver Michael McInerny to upend Poway. The winner of this game gets back on track, while the loser likely drops out of the Top 10.

No. 6 Eastlake (3-1) vs. No. 9 St. Augustine (3-1) Friday 7 p.m. at Mesa College

Since its season-opening loss, Eastlake has been on a tear offensively. The Titans have rolled up an average of 51 points in three straight blowout wins behind an offense loaded with senior speedsters Aaron Baltazar, Jalen Mondane and Tavarus Green. Sixth-ranked Eastlake heads north to face ninth-ranked St. Augustine, who suffered more than just its first loss of the season against Otay Ranch last week. In the Saints two-point loss to the Mustangs they also lost leading rusher, junior running back Tyler Herburger (86 carries, 504 yards), to a fractured right leg. St. Augustines offense is limping into the game, and its defense will need a solid performance to slow down Eastlake. These two teams met last season in a thriller that St. Augustine won 21-20.

Imperial (3-1) at Francis Parker (3-1) Friday 7 p.m.

Francis Parker has won two games in a row, including a come-from-behind win last week that knocked defending Christian from the unbeaten ranks. If the Lancers want to make it three in a row, they will have to slow down one of the sections most prolific and least known running backs. Imperial is making the two-hour trip west to play the Lancers, and the Tigers feature junior running back Royce Freeman. A 2,000-yard rusher as a sophomore, Freeman has 833 yards and nine touchdowns so far this season, and this game offers the last chance for locals to see Freeman in action during the regular season. Imperial beat Francis Parker 63-31 last season, and this years matchup could have just as many points.

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NASA Wants To Send Astronauts Beyond The Moon

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WASHINGTON Top NASA officials have picked a leading candidate for the agency's next major mission: construction of a new outpost that would send astronauts farther from Earth than at any time in history.

The so-called "gateway spacecraft" would hover in orbit on the far side of the moon, support a small astronaut crew and function as a staging area for future missions to the moon and Mars.

At 277,000 miles from Earth, the outpost would be far more remote than the current space station, which orbits a little more than 200 miles above Earth. The distance raises complex questions of how to protect astronauts from the radiation of deep space and rescue them if something goes wrong.

NASA Chief Charlie Bolden briefed the White House earlier this month on details of the proposal, but it's unclear whether it has the administration's support. Of critical importance is the price tag, which would certainly run into the billions of dollars.

Documents obtained by the Orlando Sentinel show that NASA wants to build a small outpost likely with parts left over from the $100 billion International Space Station at what's known as the Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 2, a spot about 38,000 miles from the moon and 277,000 miles from Earth.

At that location, the combined gravities of the Earth and moon reach equilibrium, making it possible to "stick" an outpost there with minimal power required to keep it in place.

To get there, NASA would use the massive rocket and space capsule that it is developing as a successor to the retired space shuttle. A first flight of that rocket is planned for 2017, and construction of the outpost would begin two years later, according to NASA planning documents.

Potential missions include the study of nearby asteroids or dispatching robotic trips to the moon that would gather moon rocks and bring them back to astronauts at the outpost. The outpost also would lay the groundwork for more-ambitious trips to Mars' moons and even Mars itself, about 140 million miles away on average.

Placing a "spacecraft at the Earth-Moon Lagrange point beyond the moon as a test area for human access to deep space is the best near-term option to develop required flight experience and mitigate risk," concluded the NASA report.

From NASA's perspective, the outpost solves several problems.

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From Bench to Bedside – How Translational Medicine is Generating Insights From Patient Data to Improve Healthcare

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LONDON, September 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

- PA Consulting Group and 4D Biomedical launch annual translational medicine foresighting report

Translational medicine, integrating clinical data and insight into the biomedical development process at an earlier stage, is finally delivering on its promise of facilitating the creation and development of effective medicines that lead to better outcomes for patients, according to a new report launched by PA Consulting Group and 4D Biomedical (4D). The report is based on the views of experts from government, clinical academic and private sector organisations who attended PA and 4D's annual translational medicine foresighting event.

The benefits of translational medicine have so far been constrained due to limited access to clinical data, the technology to interrogate this data and outdated business models. According to PA's report, these challenges are now being addressed.

Access to clinical data

According to the PA and 4D report, the creation of the new Clinical Practice Research Datalink and a commitment to 'making all patient data available' for approved research, combined with a change in mind-set to a NHS focused on innovation, has cleared the path for technology companies at all levels to unlock the value of health data in the UK.

Realising the value of the NHS is crucial to the success of translational medicine. Attendee of the PA and 4D event, Peter Knight from the NHS Department of Health, explains: "Research which had been undertaken showed that less than 1 per cent of patients would opt out of having their data used where identifiers flow to a safe haven to support life sciences research. Most people are philanthropic: they know their data could help future generations and particularly their own families."

Enhanced technology

Technological developments to enable the combination of data from multiple sources are critical for successful translational medicine. According to PA's report, organisations are making real progress on local, regional and national levels.

At a local level, clinical academic organisations such as King's College London are integrating data from multiple hospitals, allowing clinicians to make better decisions about treatments and patient management.

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From Bench to Bedside - How Translational Medicine is Generating Insights From Patient Data to Improve Healthcare

Medicine Information/Dispensing System has wall-mount design.

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The system features a 32" touch screen display that gives consumers the product information they need to make informed health decisions. AVT's system also provides real-time reports on product interest and sampling.

They system is flexible and can be developed with customized graphics, and programed to deliver product information, samples, or both.

The AVT Automated Medicine Information and Dispensing System is manufactured with the highest quality galvanized steel and is tamper-proof. It is designed to hold up to 300 items and also features the latest technology and security devices, including a web camera, drop sensors, intelligent control to manage product expiration, continuous auto-testing of all operations, and photosensor position controls.

"Giving pharmaceutical companies and physicians the ability to deliver product information and samples through a self-service system will improve consumer awareness and knowledge about important medicines," stated Shannon Illingworth, Founder and Chairman of AVT. "With the AVT system, product information is readily available on an LED screen, and samples can be dispensed when authorized - helping empower consumers and enabling them to work with their doctor in developing a customized health plan."

For more information on AVT, please contact the Investor Relations Department at 877.424.3663 or visit AVT's website at http://www.autoretail.com.

About AVT:

AVT, Inc. is a low price, high quality leader offering technology solutions at 50% less than the best-known competitor. The company employs patented, state-of-the-art computer technology and highly advanced, patented software programs in their automated retailing systems, which can dispense a wide variety of items - from health products and cosmetics, to swimsuits, sunglasses and smart phones.

AVT, Inc. is a leading developer of automated and self-service retailing systems. AVT is able to work with any size company to design a custom automated retailing solution that drives traffic, increases sales, improves security, and lowers overhead. With an in-house design team, software developers, mechanical engineers and on-site manufacturing, AVT can take projects from concept to completion with speed, economy and ingenuity.

AVT's stock is traded through the OTC Bulletin Board Markets, Ticker Symbol: AVTC.OB.

For more information on AVT, custom vending, or the Automated Retailing Industry, visit http://www.autoretail.com.

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Medicine Information/Dispensing System has wall-mount design.

Mallinckrodt Joins The Partnership at Drugfree.org to Launch The Medicine Abuse Project

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ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Mallinckrodt, the pharmaceuticals business of Covidien (COV), today joined The Partnership at Drugfree.org in launching The Medicine Abuse Project, a multi-year effort to raise awareness and curb the abuse of prescription medicine by teens and young adults. Beginning this week, the campaign aims to prevent half a million teens from abusing such medications over the next five years.

The abuse of prescription medications is a serious problem and requires strong partnerships and innovative approaches to combat it, said Mark Trudeau, President, Mallinckrodt. As an advocate for awareness and education, we are proud to have been one of the first partners to team up with The Partnership at Drugfree.org to help bring attention to this vital issue.

Medicine abuse affects one in six teens in the United States, according to The Partnership at Drugfree.org. The Medicine Abuse Project calls on parents, healthcare providers and others to take the pledge to learn about medicine abuse, safeguard medicines and educate teens about the issue.

The majority of teens who abuse medicines get them from family and friends, said Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org. We need to change that. With the support of partners like Mallinckrodt, physicians, parents and teens themselves will be more aware of the dangers of medicine abuse.

In sponsoring the Medicine Abuse Project, Mallinckrodt continues to build on its dedication to ensuring patient safety. In 2010, Mallinckrodt launched the C.A.R.E.S. (Collaborating and Acting Responsibly to Ensure Safety) AllianceSM. This coalition of patient, provider and community organizations provides tools and resources to support the responsible prescribing, and safe and appropriate use, of prescription pain medications.

ABOUT COVIDIEN

Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence. Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a diverse range of industry-leading product lines in three segments: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies. With 2011 revenue of $11.6 billion, Covidien has 43,000 employees worldwide in more than 65 countries, and its products are sold in over 140 countries. Please visit http://www.covidien.com to learn more about our business.

Mallinckrodt, the pharmaceuticals business of Covidien, is a vertically integrated leader in providing products used in diagnostic procedures and in the treatment of pain and related conditions. The company is the largest US supplier, by prescription, of opioid pain medications and a leading manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients. It is also the largest US supplier of the medical isotope technetium-99m and an industry leader in radiopharmaceuticals and contrast media and delivery systems. Sales in 2011 were $2.0 billion. Please visit http://www.mallinckrodt.com to learn more about our business.

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Mallinckrodt Joins The Partnership at Drugfree.org to Launch The Medicine Abuse Project

Medicine drop-off box installed at Paramus Police Department

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State and local officials announced the installation of a secure medicine drop-off receptacle in the Paramus Police Department on Sept. 20, fulfilling a promise this April to put similar units in every county.

KAREN SUDOL/THE RECORD

New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa is joined by Paramus Police Chief Christopher Brock (right) as he speaks about 'Project Medicine Drop.'

Part of a statewide initiative called "Project Medicine Drop," the mailbox-like container is housed inside the entrance to the department. The public is invited to drop off any expired or unwanted medicines 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said.

From there, deposited medicine is collected and safely stored by the department, then transported to a facility in Morristown where it is destroyed, Chiesa said. The incineration of the medicine, along with various recyclable materials, is used to generate electricity.

Covanta Energy has disposed of 250 pounds of medication free of charge and will continue doing so, according to Chiesa. The heat from combusting the medicine and recyclables is used to power a turbine, generating electricity that is sold by the organization. Incineration takes place in a controlled chamber designed to prevent air pollution from escaping.

"This disposes of thousands of pounds, and saves us thousands of dollars a year in costs that we would otherwise have to incur to dispose of the medicine ourselves," Chiesa said.

Paramus received one of 20 new units installed last week, bringing the statewide total to 27, with at least one container in each of New Jersey's 21 counties, according to Chiesa. The original seven units have gathered more than 2,000 pounds of unused medication since the project's inception in November 2011.

"This week we are quadrupling the size of Project Medicine Drop by installing 20 new boxes," Chiesa said.

More than 70 percent of people who abuse prescription medicine obtain it from friends and relatives, according to Chiesa. By dropping off unwanted and expired medication at a police station, residents can prevent it from reaching the wrong hands. Prescription drug abuse has been rising in recent years, especially among youth, he said.

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Medicine drop-off box installed at Paramus Police Department

Some reject $200,000 primary care physician pay

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Published: Sept. 25, 2012 at 1:20 AM

NEW YORK, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Thirty percent at a U.S. medical school intending to become a primary care physician switched to a high-paying specialty by graduation, U.S. researchers say.

Lead author Dr. Martha Grayson, senior associate dean of medical education at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, was at the New York Medical College at the time of the study. Grayson and colleagues surveyed more than 2,500 medical students attending either New York Medical College or the Brody School of Medicine.

Over an 18-year period -- from 1992 to 2010 -- the medical school students were surveyed in their first and fourth years about the area of medicine they planned to enter, their anticipated debt upon graduation, the annual income they anticipated five years after completing residency and the importance they placed on income in general, Grayson explained.

A 2010 Medical Group Management Association income survey found primary care physicians earned nearly $200,000 per year and those in 12 high-paying specialties selected by the researchers earned double -- with an average of just under $400,000 per year. Medical school students have an average $158,000 in student loan debt.

The study, published online in Medical Education, found medical students who anticipated high levels of debt upon graduation and placed a premium on high income were more likely to enter a high-paying medical specialty such as radiology, anesthesiology or dermatology than to enter primary care.

"The income gap between primary care and specialty physicians started growing in earnest in 1979, and now we're seeing the consequences of that ongoing trend," Grayson said in a statement.

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Some reject $200,000 primary care physician pay

Liberty Property Trust Ex-Dividend Reminder

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Looking at the universe of stocks we cover at Dividend Channel, on 9/27/12, Liberty Property Trust (NYSE: LRY) will trade ex-dividend, for its quarterly dividend of $0.475, payable on 10/15/12. As a percentage of LRY's recent stock price of $37.73, this dividend works out to approximately 1.26%. Click here to find out which 9 other stocks going ex-dividend you should know about, at ...

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Liberty Property Trust Ex-Dividend Reminder

Libertarian vice presidential candidate visits USM

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Posted on September 24, 2012 in News By Kirsten Sylvain

Libertarian Vice Presidential candidate, Jim Gray, and Libertarian Maine senate candidate, Ian Dodge, spoke about their partys platforms at the Wishcamper Center last Friday.

Gray is the running mate of Libertarian presidential candidate and two-time Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson. Gray is a Navy veteran, a former federal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorneys office in Los Angeles and an Orange County Superior Court judge.

Gray and Johnson are running to win, as the candidates for the U.S.s third largest political party. Gray, who described Maine as a one-party state, as almost third-world in that regard, outlined what he called a revolution in the making. He even compared the state of the U.S. to the Roman Empire before it collapsed.

Rome was over extended and it collapsed. We are Greece. We want to balance the budget for 2013.

For Gray and Johnson, the primary idea behind their strategy is cutting government programs and a laissez-faire attitude towards business. They want to infuse the economy with competition. Planning to audit the federal government like any other private corporation and dismantle the departments of Education, Energy and Commerce, as well as the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the IRS,they would also attempt to repeal the 16th amendment, which gives the government the right to tax income. Instead, Gray proposed a consumption tax. They would also, in effect, cut most forms of government funded financial aid for college students, expecting students to fund their education through private loans.

If a student has no credit by the time theyre in college, then theyve probably done something wrong, Gray said in a private interview with the Free Press. He maintains that if all students loans were privatized, tuition rates and loan interest rates would go down significantly, taking some of the pressure off students. Students would safely be able to obtain private loans in order to fund their own educations, according to Gray.

Grays answer for Afghanistan is to bring troops home immediately, and in the future, keep troops at home until absolutely necessary. He and Johnson would also bring most military personnel stationed abroad home, closing many of the 900 to 1,000 bases overseas.

Gray also proposed completely halting government funding for Planned Parenthood and a complete repeal of the Affordable Care Act. The health care act would be replaced with a system of government-funded clinics for those who cannot afford to take care of themselves, and for everyone else, he suggested a catastrophic insurance plan with a $4,000 deductible.

Dodge started off the event with plans for his potential senate position, talking about voter laws. For him such laws are the active disenfranchisement of an entire group of voters who are unable to comply with the strict regulations of the laws.

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Libertarian vice presidential candidate visits USM

5 weird examples of tensions over the Japanese/Chinese islands

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Its only seven square kilometers of uninhabited, rocky land, but China and Japan both see a series of remote islands lying between the two countries as symbols of national pride.

Ever since the Japanese government bought an uninhabited, disputed chain of islands in the East China Sea, the tension between Japan and China over the islands has played out in ever more bizarre ways. Here are five recent examples:

A giant water-gun fight:

More than 40 Taiwanese fishing boats traded water cannon fire with Japanese coast guard ships Tuesday after Taiwan for the first time ventured into the disputed waters. China has previously sent patrol ships to the island chain, which is called the Senkaku in Japan and the Diayo in China, saying they wanted to deal a blow to Japans swagger.

Fewer Japanese books:

Bookstores in Beijing are removing books by Japanese authors, the Guardian reports.

The popularWangfujing bookstorehas pulled Chinese versions ofHaruki Murakami's bestseller 1Q84, as well as other Japanese authors' titles,said the Japan Times. "We don't sell Japanese books," said a shop clerk, adding, I don't know much about the reason, but perhaps it is because China-Japan relations are not good, the Guardian writes.

A new aircraft carrier:

China entered its first aircraft carrier into service Tuesday, and although the ship wont be ready for combat anytime soon, the move was in part meant as a show of national strength.

Writing in the China Daily newspaper, retired rear admiral Yang Yihinted that the new vessel might make certain forces think twice about messing with China.

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5 weird examples of tensions over the Japanese/Chinese islands