Monthly Archives: September 2012

Myanmar moves closer to more press freedom

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Myanmar's Information Minister Aung Kyi said the government wants to work with the country's journalists to establish new press freedom laws.

Published: Sept. 12, 2012 at 6:30 AM

YANGON, Myanmar, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Myanmar's Information Minister Aung Kyi said the government wants to work with the country's journalists to establish new media freedom laws.

Aung Kyi, former labor minister and government liaison to pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, has been meeting with journalists in Yangon to discuss media issues, the Irrawaddy news website said.

The move comes after the government did away last month with the requirement of publications to submit their copy to a government censor before publishing them.

However, publishers must submit articles to the Information Ministry's Press Scrutiny and Registration Department after publication to determine if publishing laws have been broken.

Aung Kyi said the Information Ministry will put together a first draft and consult with Myanmar's journalist community before deciding on a version to be presented to Parliament.

He also said he wanted to work through the Myanmar Core Press Council that the government set up last month as its official media liaison and watchdog, the Irrawaddy report said.

"We now feel a sense of freedom," MCPC member Ko Ko told the Irrawaddy, run by expatriate Myanmar journalists operating in Thailand. "We must start working together to write a new law and confine the 1962 law to history."

Zaw Thet Htwe, a spokesman for the independent Committee for Freedom of the Press, said "we will need to wait and see to what extent our ideas are included."

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Myanmar moves closer to more press freedom

Coastal water woes wash away

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A swimming advisory sign warns visitors to Oak Island of high bacteria levels near the Oak Island Pier in 2010.

Southeastern North Carolina's beaches had just four water quality warnings during the 2012 tourist season, the area's lowest total in four summers, according to records from the state Division of Marine Fisheries.

From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, beaches in Brunswick County and New Hanover County each had one water quality alert and one advisory. Pender County beaches had no reported issues.

That total is the lowest since 2008, when area beaches notched three advisories in the same time period. Officials with the state's water quality testing program said the low numbers are a positive though the success or failure of a particular season is less about the quantity of issued warnings than protecting swimmers and beachgoers.

We don't really look at it that way, said J.D. Potts, the program's director. Our job is to protect public health, and we do whatever necessary to notify the public whenever we have conditions that don't meet the standards.

State workers routinely visit 240 coastal and estuarine sites up and down the shoreline, testing water samples for enterococci, a bacteria that indicates fecal contamination. Of those, 114 high-traffic sites, designated as tier 1, are tested more frequently; 45 are in the Cape Fear region, including Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach.

If a sample tests positive for the bacteria, officials submit a second sample for confirmation and issue a water quality alert. If the second sample returns the same result, the alert is upgraded to an advisory.

That means we've posted a sign at the location and issued a press release, both advising people not to swim, Potts said. But they still can. We don't have the authority to close beaches, but county and state health directors can do that.

Swimmers exposed to fecal contamination are at risk for staph infections, rashes and diarrhea, among other ailments. Still, beach closings are relatively rare, particularly in ocean-side locations, where conditions are much more variable, Potts said.

There are 24 hours between the time you collect the sample and the time it takes to have the analysis completed in the lab, he said. During that 24-hour time, you've had two high tides and two low tides. A lot of water has come and gone ... so we're posting swimming advisories on the conditions of the water 24 hours earlier.

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Coastal water woes wash away

Not enough sand, money to repair eroded beaches

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SAND KEY (FOX13) -

Tropical Storm Debby not only damaged Pinellas beaches by an estimated $25 million, she also threatens the current $34 million renourishment of Sand Key.

"We're keeping our fingers crossed that there's going to be enough sand in our borrow area to fill the whole project to the south end," county coastal manager Andy Squires said. "So there's a chance we could run short of sand."

He said rebuilding Sand Key is consuming more sand than expected because T.S. Debby increased the areas to be filled.

The Army Corps of Engineers says emergency repairs to beaches outside the current project area will not be possible until 2013 or later. Right after the storm, the goal was to piggyback the emergency work onto the Sand Key project to save money.

But Jackie Keiser, the Corps' dredging program manager, said there is neither enough money nor sand to pursue that option.

Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota and Lee counties all requested disaster relief for beach repairs. Keiser said it will take the rest of the year to review those requests, then the Corps will have to determine if money is available through the federal Flood Control and Coastal Emergency fund.

None of this is good news for tourism-centric beach towns.

"This is our economic life," said North Redington Beach mayor Bill Queen. His town is the last to be renourished in the current project, and therefore is at the most risk if the sand runs out early.

"This beach, this sand, is our economic life for all these communities up and down Pinellas County. We've got to have that sand here," Queen said.

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Not enough sand, money to repair eroded beaches

Strand Aerospace ties up with AKKA Tech

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Strand Aerospace Malaysia Sdn Bhd aims to become a premier provider of high-end engineering services in Asia-Pacific via its partnership with AKKA Technologies.

Its chief operating officer, Naguib Mohd Nor, said the partnership would allow the company to spread its wings into new engineering services including rail and automotive sectors.

"Right now we have already trained around 10 to 15 engineers and we expect to reach our target of 30 to 35 trained engineers by end of this year.

"AKKA is quite happy with the current level of quality engineers we produced, and our capability to continue to produce the right level of engineers is quite dependent on our relationship with AKKA," he said after signing a Priority Resourcing Agreement with AKKA here today.

He said the partnership is a testament to Strand Aerospace's capability in providing its services globally, and also the high level of confidence and trust that international businesses have in Malaysia.

"Today, much of the high-value design work in Malaysia is outsourced to countries such as Taiwan, Korea and India.

"By growing engineering services domestically, Malaysia can utilise domestic capabilities and manpower, moving the local aerospace industry up the value chain," he said.

AKKA is a multiple engineering services verticals provider, including aerospace, rail, automotive, electronics and maritime domains.

Its vice-president Stephane Woitok said through this agreement AKKA hopes to be able to further capitalise on the high quality of Malaysian engineering resources that Strand Aerospace is developing.

"Strand Aerospace present us with a unique opportunity to benefit from having a European standard resource in an Asian location," he added. Bernama

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Strand Aerospace ties up with AKKA Tech

Potential merger would create world's largest aerospace company

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The Eurofighter Typhoon, sporting the flags of the six nations that have ordered the aircraft, is a collaboration of BAE Systems and Airbus parent company European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. (Odd Andersen/AFP / September 7, 2012)

September 12, 2012, 12:11 p.m.

Airbus parent company European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. and BAE Systems, two European giants in the aerospace and defense business, have acknowledged they are in merger talks in a deal that would create the industry's largest company.

The two companies had combined revenues of more than $94 billion last year, which surpasses Boeing Co.s $68.7 billion in sales.

In a joint statement, the companies said that a potential combination would create a world-class international aerospace, defense and security group.

Under the possible deal, BAE Systems shareholders would control 40% of the combined group's stock and EADS shareholders would own 60%.

Both companies already have a large U.S. presence. In July, Toulouse, France-based Airbus announced it would build a commercial jet manufacturing facility in Mobile, Ala. The planes built there will compete directly with those made by Boeing.

Analysts say that the deal makes the most sense on the defense side of business, now that global defense revenues are on the decline.

EADS and BAE have a history of collaboration and currently work together as partners in a number of projects, including MBDA, a European company that develops and manufactures missiles, and the Eurofighter Typhoon, a modern combat aircraft used by various European militaries.

In accordance with British law, the companies said they have until Oct. 10 to announce either that a deal has been made or that they no longer intend to pursue a transaction.

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Potential merger would create world's largest aerospace company

EADS and BAE may create aerospace giant

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Published: Sept. 12, 2012 at 5:22 PM

PARIS, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Two aerospace giants in Europe, BAE Systems and European Aeronautic Defense & Space Co. have confirmed they are discussing a possible merger.

A "potential combination would create a world-class international aerospace, defense and security group with substantial centers of manufacturing and technology excellence in the U.K., USA, France, Germany and Spain as well as in Australia, India and Saudi Arabia," the companies said in a joint statement.

The companies have long been rivals of U.S. industrial giant Boeing Co. They also have a "long history of collaboration," the joint statement said.

Besides other collaborations, BAE and EADS are working together on the Eurofighter and MBDA joint ventures.

Any deal struck would have to be approved by both company boards, by shareholders of each company and by regulators, the statement said.

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EADS and BAE may create aerospace giant

BAE, EADS discuss creating aerospace giant

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LONDON/BERLIN (Reuters) - Britain's BAE Systems and Airbus-owner EADS plan to merge into a $48 billion aerospace and defense giant that would overtake rival Boeing in sales, and insulate the pair from U.S. and European defense budget cuts. In the biggest shake-up in Europe's aerospace and defense sector since a 2000 pan-European merger created EADS under joint French and German control, the pair ...

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BAE, EADS discuss creating aerospace giant

Ball Aerospace Names Tim Harris Vice President and General Manager for National Defense

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BOULDER, Colo., Sept. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has selected Tim Harris to lead its national defense strategic business unit. As vice president and general manager for national defense, Harris will oversee programs and direct all new defense-related business pursuits.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120912/LA72608)

Harris has more than 30 years of design, manufacturing, project and systems engineering and program management experience. Since joining Ball Aerospace in 1996, he has served as director of business development for defense programs, and program director for several demanding mission areas including the Space Based Space Surveillance program, a Ball satellite launched in 2010 to track space debris. He has been instrumental in establishing Ball as an industry leader in space missions, space-based sensors and high performance star trackers.

"Tim has been a major contributor to Ball's success in recent years," said Rob Strain, Ball Aerospace's chief operating officer. "He has developed significant new business opportunities, led strong program performance and enhanced customer relationships, proving that he's the right person to lead the company's national security space programs."

In 2011, Harris was recognized with the Gabe Award, the company's highest honor, to acknowledge his continuous outstanding professional service and successful ability to enhance competitiveness while producing an exemplary body of work. A former Ball Aerospace president, R.H. 'Gabe' Gablehouse is credited with spearheading the company's significant growth in the 1970s and 1980s.

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical missions for national agencies such as the Department of Defense, NASA, NOAA and other U.S. government and commercial entities. The company develops and manufactures spacecraft, advanced instruments and sensors, components, data exploitation systems and RF solutions for strategic, tactical and scientific applications. For more information visit http://www.ballaerospace.com.

Ball Corporation (BLL) is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2011 sales of more than $8.6 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit http://www.ball.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates, " "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at http://www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange rates or tax rates. Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management; the recent global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget and debt limit; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

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Ball Aerospace Names Tim Harris Vice President and General Manager for National Defense

Birth-defect mechanism found by BYU biochemists

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Public release date: 11-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Joe Hadfield joe_hadfield@byu.edu 801-422-9206 Brigham Young University

The cellular cause of birth defects like cleft palates, missing teeth and problems with fingers and toes has been a tricky puzzle for scientists.

Now Professor Emily Bates and her biochemistry students at Brigham Young University have placed an important piece of the developmental puzzle. They studied an ion channel that regulates the electrical charge of a cell. In a new study published by the journal Development, they show that blocking this channel disrupts the work of a protein that is supposed to carry marching orders to the nucleus.

Without those instructions, cells don't become what they were supposed to become be that part of a palate, a tooth or a finger. Though there are various disorders that lead to birth defects, this newly discovered mechanism may be what some syndromes have in common.

Bates and her graduate student, Giri Dahal, now want to apply the findings toward the prevention of birth defects particularly those caused by fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

"What we think might be the case is that this is the target for a few similar disorders," Bates said. "The big thing that we have right now is that this ion channel is required for protein signaling, which means that developmental signaling pathways can sense the charge of a cell. And that's exciting for a lot of different reasons."

For example, the new study might also have implications for the battle against cancer. With cancer, the problem is that cells are receiving a bad set of instructions that tells them to multiply and spread. If they can devise a way to block the ion channel, it may stop those cancerous instructions from getting through.

"This protein signaling pathway is the same one that tells cancer cells to metastasize," Bates said. "We're planning to test a therapy to specifically block this channel in just the cells that we want to stop."

Bates, who received her Ph.D. in genetics from Harvard, authored the study with several BYU students. The experience has already helped launch two students into prestigious graduate programs: Brandon Gassaway is at Yale for a Ph.D. in molecular biology and Ben Kwok is at Ohio State University for dental school.

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Birth-defect mechanism found by BYU biochemists

‘Mad Cow’ blood test now on the horizon

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Public release date: 11-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Associate Professor Andrew Hill a.hill@unimelb.edu.au 61-425-784-778 University of Melbourne

Using newly available genetic sequencing scientists discovered cells infected with prions (the infectious agent responsible for these diseases) release particles which contain easily recognized 'signature genes'.

Associate Professor Andrew Hill from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Bio21 Institute said these particles travel in the blood stream, making a diagnostic blood test a possibility.

"This might provide a way to screen people who have spent time in the UK, who currently face restrictions on their ability to donate blood," he said.

"With a simple blood test nurses could deem a prospective donor's blood as healthy, with the potential to significantly boost critical blood stocks."

Mad Cow disease was linked to the deaths of nearly 200 people in Great Britain who consumed meat from infected animals in the late 1980s.

Since 2000, the Australia Red Cross Blood Service has not accepted blood from anybody who lived in the UK for more than six months between 1980 and 1996, or who received a blood transfusion in the UK after 1980.

The research is published in this week's Oxford University Press Nucleic Acids Research journal http://nar.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/09/08/nar.gks832.full.

Lead author Dr Shayne Bellingham said the breakthrough might also help detect other human neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

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'Mad Cow' blood test now on the horizon

PASSINGS: Robert Morgan Fink, Gene Vollnogle, Dorothy McGuire Williamson

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Robert Morgan Fink

Biochemist at UCLA

Robert Morgan Fink, 96, a retired UCLA biochemistry professor whose groundbreaking research with his biochemist wife included developing a new technique in the late 1940s to study the thyroid, died Wednesday of natural causes at his Pacific Palisades home, said Suzanne Coppenrath, one of his two daughters.

He was a pioneer who "is remembered as a very good scientist who did important work," said Elizabeth Neufeld, former chairwoman of the department of biological chemistry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

At the University of Rochester, Fink met his future wife, Kathryn, a fellow graduate student. After marrying in 1941, they worked together at Rochester on the Manhattan Project, which would produce the atom bomb.

The head of the project at Rochester was Dr. Stafford Warren, who recruited the Finks to join the UCLA faculty after he was named the first dean of its school of medicine. When the couple came to UCLA in 1947, space for experiments was limited and at first they conducted research at hospitals in the San Fernando Valley and Long Beach.

The Finks were perhaps best known for a 1948 breakthrough in thyroid biochemistry called the "paper chromatography technique." They used radioactive "tracer" chemicals on small samples of the thyroid and other body tissues, which caused them to essentially photograph themselves and expose new and previously inconceivable detail.

The technique worked so well that the Finks were able to isolate and identify a dozen new biological compounds. The approach was later adapted to determine if chemotherapy was helping cancer patients.

In 1978, Robert Fink retired from UCLA as a biochemistry professor. His wife was assistant dean for student affairs at UCLA's medical school when she died at 72 in 1989.

Born Sept. 22, 1915, in Greenville, Ill., he was one of six children of a glove salesman who eventually owned the factory.

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PASSINGS: Robert Morgan Fink, Gene Vollnogle, Dorothy McGuire Williamson

Acceleron Founder Dr. Tom Maniatis To Receive The 2012 Lasker Award in Medical Science

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

Acceleron Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing protein therapeutics for cancer and orphan diseases, announced that Tom Maniatis, Ph.D., an Acceleron co-founder and Professor and Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, is to be honored with the 2012 Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science. The Albert and Mary Lasker foundation award is considered to be one of the most prestigious scientific prizes and the Special Achievement Award recognizes its recipients for exceptional leadership and citizenship in biomedical science. Dr. Maniatis will be presented with the Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science on September 21st in New York City.

Dr. Maniatis is a pioneer in the development of gene cloning technology, and he has published extensively in the field of eukaryotic gene regulation. In particular, he identified numerous genetic defects that underlie the inherited human illness -thalassemia. Dr. Maniatis is widely known for his seminal work developing gene cloning technologies and applying those methods to discovering the genetic bases of human diseases. His book, The Cloning Manual, has become a world-wide resource.

In addition to these scientific accomplishments, Dr. Maniatis has been instrumental in creating successful biotechnology companies. He was a co-founder of Genetics Institute, where he chaired the scientific board and served on the board of directors for more than 17 years. During this time, Genetic Institutes gained FDA approval for several protein-based drugs, including recombinant human erythropoietin, Factor VIII and Factor IX, as well as bone morphogenic proteins. Dr. Maniatis was also a co-founder of ProScript Inc., which discovered the drug Velcade (bortezomib). Dr. Maniatis is currently a member of the board of directors at Acceleron.

Mark Ptashne, Ph.D., the Ludwig Chair of Molecular Biology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, a co-founder of Genetics Institute and Acceleron, and a previous Lasker awardee said, Ive worked with Tom for many years in both basic science and biotechnology,he is simply the best.

Tom has had an enormous impact on the scientific community and an equally impressive contribution to the discovery and development of innovative medicines at several biotechnology companies, said John Knopf, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Acceleron. I have had the distinct pleasure of knowing and working with Tom since I joined Genetics Institute 30 years ago. I personally continue to benefit significantly from his involvement at Acceleron as does our entire team of world-class scientists.

About Acceleron

Acceleron is a privately-held biopharmaceutical company committed to discover, develop, manufacture and commercialize novel protein therapeutics for orphan diseases and cancer. Accelerons scientific approach takes advantage of its unique insight to discover first-in-class therapies based on the TGF- protein superfamily. Acceleron utilizes proven biotherapeutic technologies and capitalizes on the companys internal GMP manufacturing capability to advance its therapeutic programs rapidly and efficiently. The investors in Acceleron include Advanced Technology Ventures, Alkermes, Avalon Ventures, Bessemer Ventures, Celgene, Flagship Ventures, MPM BioEquities, OrbiMed Advisors, Polaris Ventures, QVT Financial, Sutter Hill Ventures and Venrock. For further information on Acceleron, please visit http://www.acceleronpharma.com.

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Acceleron Founder Dr. Tom Maniatis To Receive The 2012 Lasker Award in Medical Science

Proteonomix Retains Numoda Corporation to Provide Clinical Trial Services for Phase 1 Trial with UMK-121 in End-Stage …

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PARAMUS, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Proteonomix, Inc. (PROT), a biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics based upon the use of human cells and their derivatives, today announced that Numoda Corporation will provide a range of specific clinical trial services for a Proteonomix-sponsored Phase 1 clinical trial with its patent-pending mobilization technology UMK-121 in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD). Numoda is leading provider of clinical trial information and logistics services to life sciences companies.

Initiating this clinical trial represents a major milestone for Proteonomix and we are delighted to report additional progress toward this goal, said Proteonomix Chief Technology Officer Steven Byle. UMK-121 combines two existing FDA-approved drugs with the intention of mobilizing mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow to the peripheral circulation. This proprietary drug combination is designed to reduce inflammation and increase angiogenesis to restore liver function, potentially extending the life of ESLD patients awaiting liver transplant. We hope to begin this trial in the upcoming months.

Earlier this month, Proteonomix signed a master agreement with Numoda for clinical trial services. In August, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted Proteonomix permission to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial with UMK-121 in patients with ESLD.

About Proteonomix, Inc.

Proteonomix is a biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics based upon the use of human cells and their derivatives. The Proteonomix family of companies includes Proteoderm, StromaCel, PRTMI and THOR Biopharma. Proteoderm is a wholly owned subsidiary that has developed an anti-aging line of skin care products. StromaCel develops therapeutic modalities for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and plans to file an IND application for treatment of patients who have suffered post-myocardial infarction. Proteonomix Regenerative Translational Medicine Institute, Inc. (PRTMI) intends to focus on the translation of promising research in stem cell biology and cellular therapy to clinical applications of regenerative medicine. Additional information is available at http://www.proteonomix.com and http://www.proteoderm.com.

Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking statements" (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Proteonomix, Inc. cautions that statements made in this press release constitute forward-looking statements and makes no guarantee of future performance. Actual results or developments may differ materially from projections. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the time statements are made.

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Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa is Launching an Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Center to Open in Midtown Manhattan at 57 West …

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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Dr. Roxana Kerns the owner of Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa, a board certified anesthesiologist and licensed aesthetic physician, is also embarking on the scientifically proven path of anti-aging medicine. By practicing Anti-aging medicine in conjunction with Aesthetics, Dr. Kerns will not only address the wrinkles or sagging of the face but also the bodys functional regeneration like cognition or autoimmune diseases. From skin care to cellular regeneration a complete anti-aging package at Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa. Dr. Kerns is a certified physician in the science of telomerase (Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn was Awarded Nobel Prize in 2009) and an EXPERT Botox injector : From Botox to Nobel Prize depth, rest assured under the care of Dr. Roxana Kerns.

Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa is launching an Anti-aging center to open in Midtown Manhattan at 57 WEST 57 STREET in October 2012. The Center will feature aesthetic and cosmetic non-surgical face and body treatments under highly specialized anti-aging and regenerative medicine scrutiny. By practicing Anti-aging medicine in conjunction with Aesthetics, Dr. Kerns will address not only the vitality of the skin but also the functional regeneration of body cells eg. cognition or autoimmune diseases.

Since Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn earned the NOBEL PRIZE IN MEDICINE for identifying telomerase, an enzyme that keeps our telomeres from shortening, a new natural remedy that contains activated telomerase was developed by TA-Sciences. Dr. Roxana Kerns of Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa is a certified physician in the science of telomerase and a distributor for TA-65MD, a natural supplement (derived from astragalus root). Shortening of telomeres is associated with aging, disease states and death. Therefore TA-65MD, a concentrate of telomerase, by maintaining the telomeres (end divisions of our chromosomes) from getting too short, will prevent aging at structural and functional level.

At the opposite end, but extremely important for the busy New Yorker, Orchid Aesthetics, earlier this year, launched Dr. Kerns skin care line, which features medical strength natural products, tested and formulated in highly specialized pharmacies. Dr Kerns skin care was recently appreciated by customers as top of the line, since better skin means better health; it is based on botanical nutriceuticals, peptides and powerful anti-oxidants.

Dr. Roxana Kerns of Orchid Aesthetics Medical spa is committed to alleviate the aging pains of her clientele form the inside out. By combining science with innovative work Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa and Anti-aging center is a nest for the ever-young New Yorker. Not only you can get a quick shot of Botox, as most walk- in clinics provide, BUT you can choose to have a complete anti-aging evaluation and treatment plan. Orchid Aesthetics Spa provides a soothing environment under the drapes of science.

57 west 57 street, the Mecca of Manhattan, easy accessible by foot, subway or bus is inviting you on! Experience a new YOU in the hands of Dr. Roxana Kerns, a true artist, as quoted by a patient in a recent testimonial. The difference between regular walk-in Botox Medi Spas and Orchid Aesthetics rests in the depth of evaluation and anti-aging treatment.

Testimonials and audio/video: http://www.orchidaesthetics.com/medspa-videos.html

About Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa: opened in June 2008, features aesthetic and non-surgical cosmetic treatments like Botox/Dysport, Restylane, Fat Transfer and PRP, Laser skintight and hair removal, Sclerotherapy, Microdermabrasion, Chemical peels.

To learn more visit http://www.orchidaesthetics.com, http://ta-sciences.com/kerns/ta-65.html, http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2009/press.html.

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Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa is Launching an Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Center to Open in Midtown Manhattan at 57 West ...

Digital Solutions Inc Released the English Version of DS ANATOMY H&N Musculoskeletal Anatomical App

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HIROSHIMA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Digital Solutions Inc. announces the release of English version of DS ANATOMY Head & Neck musculoskeletal anatomical application for iPad. The original application was released in May, 2012 for the Japanese market, and there were huge requests for the English version of this product from the global market since then. The English version is now downloadable from the Apple App Store from Sep. 12, 2012.

This app is very user friendly and it is sure that a user can be impressed with the reality of 3D models. A user can view the musculoskeletal systems in detail by zooming, hiding and rotating the realistic 3D models. And each musculoskeletal system has not only the explanation of features and action, but also the detailed pictures which help understanding. This app provides two contents of < Head and Neck Musculoskeletal system Anatomical model > and < Basic Knowledge of Myology > . Medical care beginner also can understand the basic knowledge of Myology.

View the single system at any angle even if it is overlapped. (Medical illustrations on the text cannot be viewed) Model the CG obtained from the CT scanned data of the real skull. Develop the accurate 3D models of bone, muscle, ligament, joint, membrane, salivary gland, endocrine, amygdala in detail by observing the actual donor body at the university. URL:http://ds-anatomy.com/eng/

This app can display the full model of head and neck anatomical structures and the muscles. A user can view the model at any angle as he likes. The all structures are displayed in full color. A user can switch the model in full view and in a single structure view, thus easily understand the accurate positional relationship of the structure.

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Digital Solutions Inc Released the English Version of DS ANATOMY H&N Musculoskeletal Anatomical App

Prana Receives Recommendation to Proceed With Alzheimer's Clinical Trial From Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB)

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA--(Marketwire - Sep 12, 2012) - Prana Biotechnology ( NASDAQ : PRAN ) ( ASX : PBT ) today reported that it had received a recommendation from the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) that the IMAGINE trial for Alzheimer's disease should continue as planned based on the initial review of clinical data.The DSMB is an independent group of experts who review the accumulated safety data in ongoing clinical trials, in order to safeguard the interests and safety of participating and future patients. The DSMB considers study-specific data as well as relevant background knowledge about the disease, test agent, or patient population under study.

The IMAGINE trial is a double-blind placebo controlled trial enrolling 40 patients with prodromal or mild Alzheimer's disease at five sites in Melbourne, Australia. Brain Imaging is being used to measure PBT2's effect on amyloid deposits in the brain (using PiB-PET scanning) and effects on increasing brain activity (FDG PET). Cognition effects are being measured by the Neuropsychological Test Battery (NTB).

In the current IMAGINE trial:

In an earlier 12 week trial PBT2 both significantly changed amyloid levels in spinal fluid and improved the cognition of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The IMAGINE trial, with 12 months of treatment, aims to establish PBT2 as a safe and effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease. PBT2 has a unique therapeutic action that can benefit people suffering neurodegenerative disease because of its specialized ability to prevent the toxic relationship between disease proteins and the metals, zinc and copper, in the brain.

Prana is also conducting a 6 month trial in 100 patients with early to mid-stage Huntington disease and the company believes that PBT2 has the potential to bring real benefit to Huntington Disease patients who suffer from a range of motor, behavioural and cognitive symptoms. The trial objective is to demonstrate safety, motor and behavioural benefits and the same cognitive benefits for Huntington's patients that it has already demonstrated in Alzheimer's patients treated with PBT2.

About Prana Biotechnology Limited Prana Biotechnology was established to commercialize research into age-related neurodegenerative disorders. The Company was incorporated in 1997 and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in March 2000 and listed on NASDAQ in September 2002.Researchers at prominent international institutions including The University of Melbourne, The Mental Health Research Institute (Melbourne) and Massachusetts General Hospital, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, contributed to the discovery of Prana's technology.

For further information please visit the Company's web site at http://www.pranabio.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.The Company has tried to identify such forward-looking statements by use of such words as "expects," "intends," "hopes," "anticipates," "believes," "could," "may," "evidences" and "estimates," and other similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements.Such statements include, but are not limited to any statements relating to the Company's drug development program, including, but not limited to the initiation, progress and outcomes of clinical trials of the Company's drug development program, including, but not limited to, PBT2, and any other statements that are not historical facts.Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties relating to the difficulties or delays in financing, development, testing, regulatory approval, production and marketing of the Company's drug components, including, but not limited to, PBT2, the ability of the Company to procure additional future sources of financing, unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate therapeutic efficacy of the Company's drug compounds, including, but not limited to, PBT2, that could slow or prevent products coming to market, the uncertainty of patent protection for the Company's intellectual property or trade secrets, including, but not limited to, the intellectual property relating to PBT2, and otherrisks detailed from time to time in the filings the Company makes with Securities and Exchange Commission including its annual reports on Form 20-F and its reports on Form 6-K.Such statements are based on management's current expectations, but actual results may differ materially due to various factions including those risks and uncertainties mentioned or referred to in this press release.Accordingly, you should not rely on those forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual future results.

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Prana Receives Recommendation to Proceed With Alzheimer's Clinical Trial From Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB)

Acceleron Founder Dr. Tom Maniatis To Receive The 2012 Lasker Award in Medical Science

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

Acceleron Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing protein therapeutics for cancer and orphan diseases, announced that Tom Maniatis, Ph.D., an Acceleron co-founder and Professor and Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, is to be honored with the 2012 Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science. The Albert and Mary Lasker foundation award is considered to be one of the most prestigious scientific prizes and the Special Achievement Award recognizes its recipients for exceptional leadership and citizenship in biomedical science. Dr. Maniatis will be presented with the Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science on September 21st in New York City.

Dr. Maniatis is a pioneer in the development of gene cloning technology, and he has published extensively in the field of eukaryotic gene regulation. In particular, he identified numerous genetic defects that underlie the inherited human illness -thalassemia. Dr. Maniatis is widely known for his seminal work developing gene cloning technologies and applying those methods to discovering the genetic bases of human diseases. His book, The Cloning Manual, has become a world-wide resource.

In addition to these scientific accomplishments, Dr. Maniatis has been instrumental in creating successful biotechnology companies. He was a co-founder of Genetics Institute, where he chaired the scientific board and served on the board of directors for more than 17 years. During this time, Genetic Institutes gained FDA approval for several protein-based drugs, including recombinant human erythropoietin, Factor VIII and Factor IX, as well as bone morphogenic proteins. Dr. Maniatis was also a co-founder of ProScript Inc., which discovered the drug Velcade (bortezomib). Dr. Maniatis is currently a member of the board of directors at Acceleron.

Mark Ptashne, Ph.D., the Ludwig Chair of Molecular Biology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, a co-founder of Genetics Institute and Acceleron, and a previous Lasker awardee said, Ive worked with Tom for many years in both basic science and biotechnology,he is simply the best.

Tom has had an enormous impact on the scientific community and an equally impressive contribution to the discovery and development of innovative medicines at several biotechnology companies, said John Knopf, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Acceleron. I have had the distinct pleasure of knowing and working with Tom since I joined Genetics Institute 30 years ago. I personally continue to benefit significantly from his involvement at Acceleron as does our entire team of world-class scientists.

About Acceleron

Acceleron is a privately-held biopharmaceutical company committed to discover, develop, manufacture and commercialize novel protein therapeutics for orphan diseases and cancer. Accelerons scientific approach takes advantage of its unique insight to discover first-in-class therapies based on the TGF- protein superfamily. Acceleron utilizes proven biotherapeutic technologies and capitalizes on the companys internal GMP manufacturing capability to advance its therapeutic programs rapidly and efficiently. The investors in Acceleron include Advanced Technology Ventures, Alkermes, Avalon Ventures, Bessemer Ventures, Celgene, Flagship Ventures, MPM BioEquities, OrbiMed Advisors, Polaris Ventures, QVT Financial, Sutter Hill Ventures and Venrock. For further information on Acceleron, please visit http://www.acceleronpharma.com.

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Acceleron Founder Dr. Tom Maniatis To Receive The 2012 Lasker Award in Medical Science

Digital Solutions Inc Released the English Version of DS ANATOMY H&N Musculoskeletal Anatomical App

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HIROSHIMA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Digital Solutions Inc. announces the release of English version of DS ANATOMY Head & Neck musculoskeletal anatomical application for iPad. The original application was released in May, 2012 for the Japanese market, and there were huge requests for the English version of this product from the global market since then. The English version is now downloadable from the Apple App Store from Sep. 12, 2012.

This app is very user friendly and it is sure that a user can be impressed with the reality of 3D models. A user can view the musculoskeletal systems in detail by zooming, hiding and rotating the realistic 3D models. And each musculoskeletal system has not only the explanation of features and action, but also the detailed pictures which help understanding. This app provides two contents of < Head and Neck Musculoskeletal system Anatomical model > and < Basic Knowledge of Myology > . Medical care beginner also can understand the basic knowledge of Myology.

View the single system at any angle even if it is overlapped. (Medical illustrations on the text cannot be viewed) Model the CG obtained from the CT scanned data of the real skull. Develop the accurate 3D models of bone, muscle, ligament, joint, membrane, salivary gland, endocrine, amygdala in detail by observing the actual donor body at the university. URL:http://ds-anatomy.com/eng/

This app can display the full model of head and neck anatomical structures and the muscles. A user can view the model at any angle as he likes. The all structures are displayed in full color. A user can switch the model in full view and in a single structure view, thus easily understand the accurate positional relationship of the structure.

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Digital Solutions Inc Released the English Version of DS ANATOMY H&N Musculoskeletal Anatomical App

LSUHSC research finds ginkgo biloba doesnt improve cognitive function in MS

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Public release date: 11-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Leslie Capo lcapo@lsuhsc.edu 504-568-4806 Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

New Orleans, LA A research study conducted by Dr. Jesus Lovera, Assistant Professor of Neurology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, and colleagues has found that the herbal supplement Ginkgo biloba does not improve cognitive function in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS.) Cognitive impairment affects 40-60% of people with MS, most commonly affecting their processing speed, memory, and executive skills. The research findings were published online ahead of print in Neurology on September 5, 2012.

This study followed up on a promising earlier small study by Dr. Lovera and his colleagues that had shown improvement in cognitive function with Ginkgo biloba in people with MS. Some studies have also shown improvement after treatment with Ginkgo biloba in people with Alzheimer's disease.

"Ginkgo biloba supplements are frequently used by people with MS. Ginkgo appeared beneficial in a prior small pilot study we had done," said Dr. Jesus Lovera, a neurologist at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans who specializes in MS.

The researchers wanted to conduct a larger more robust study to determine the validity of the preliminary results. One hundred twenty people with MS were randomized to either the group treated with 120 mg of Ginkgo biloba twice a day, or to the group taking matching placebo tablets. Participants were treated for 12 weeks and then underwent a battery of cognitive tests. Participants and their families also answered standardized questionnaires about their cognitive function and social integration. The tests found that there were no statistically significant improvements in cognitive function between the two groups.

"Unfortunately we did not see any improvement with Ginkgo in this new study," notes Dr. Lovera. "Several drugs such as Namenda and Aricept that work for people with Alzheimer's have been tested without success in people with MS. Unfortunately now Ginkgo is added to the list of therapies thought to be effective in Alzheimer's disease that failed to improve cognitive performance in MS."

While the study provides solid evidence, the researchers noted several limitations. Participants were treated for only 12 weeks and perhaps that was not long enough to modify the disease. The median duration of MS was 20 years, and it is possible that Ginkgo may improve cognitive function earlier in the MS disease process. It is also possible that there could have been a positive effect in participants with more severe impairments than those in this study. Additional functional assessments that measure performance in real-life situations may also have detected an effect that was missed by limiting the outcome measures to cognitive tests and questionnaires.

According to the National Institutes of Health, Multiple Sclerosis is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system, that can range from relatively benign to somewhat disabling to devastating, as communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted. Many investigators believe MS to be an autoimmune disease -- one in which the body, through its immune system, launches a defensive attack against its own tissues. In the case of MS, it is the nerve-insulating myelin that comes under assault. Such assaults may be linked to an unknown environmental trigger, perhaps a virus.

According to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, MS is the most common neurological disorder diagnosed in young adults.

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LSUHSC research finds ginkgo biloba doesnt improve cognitive function in MS