Monthly Archives: September 2012

University General Health System Announces Agreement With Rice University Athletics

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HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwire - Sep 6, 2012) - University General Health System, Inc. ( OTCQB : UGHS ), a diversified, integrated multi-specialty health care delivery system, today announced the execution of an agreement between its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sybaris Group, Inc., and Rice University Athletics, whereby Sybaris has been selected as the official catering company for Rice Athletics.

"We are very pleased that our Support Services subsidiary, Sybaris Group, has been named the official caterer for the Athletics Department of such a respected and historic institution of higher learning as Rice University," stated Hassan Chahadeh, MD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of University General Health System, Inc. "Sybaris Group has been aggressively expanding its business model, and the outstanding food service provided by Sybaris is consistent with our commitment to the highest level of patient care throughout our expanding health care delivery system. Our relationship with Rice University will allow us to leverage the operating infrastructure that Sybaris has developed in the Houston metropolitan area."

About University General Health System, Inc.

University General Health System, Inc. is a diversified, integrated multi-specialty health care provider that delivers concierge physician and patient-oriented services by providing timely, innovative health solutions that are uniquely competitive, efficient, and adaptive in today's health care delivery environment. The Company currently operates one hospital, two ambulatory surgical centers, two diagnostic imaging centers, three physical therapy clinics, a sleep clinic, and a Hyperbaric Wound Care Center in the Houston area. Also, University General owns three senior living facilities, manages six senior living facilities, and owns a Support Services company that provides revenue cycle and luxury facilities management services.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon assumptions that in the future may prove not to have been accurate and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including statements related to the future financial performance of the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations or any of its forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, successful execution of growth strategies, product development and acceptance, the impact of competitive services and pricing, general economic conditions, and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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University General Health System Announces Agreement With Rice University Athletics

Roberta Herzberg Joins Aarches Community Health Care Board of Directors

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SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Aarches Community Health Care today announced that Roberta Herzberg, Department Head, Political Science, Utah State University, was elected to Aarches Community Health Care's Board of Directors. Roberta also serves as Vice-chair and Member, Health Advisory Committee, Utah Health Department.

"Roberta is an expert on health policy and economics in Utah and we look forward to benefiting from her insights and experience as a member of Aarches Community Health Care Board," said Linn Baker, Aarches Community Health Care CEO. "Roberta will be our 11th board member, and I think she will add a new dimension to our already lively board discussions."

"Aarches is clearly on the forefront of aligning members and providers of care around coordination of care delivery and payment reform," said Roberta Herzberg, Department Head, Political Science, Utah State University. "I feel privileged to join this exciting and dynamic team and look forward to working closely with Linn and the board during the next phase of healthcare reform and the launch of Aarches Community Health Care.

At Utah State University, Roberta is responsible for managing a $1M budget, personnel, faculty development, curriculum and advising 400+ students across three majors. She has developed new programs, including one minor and an expansion of offerings in China. Roberta also represents the Utah State University in other units and in the broader community. She was formerly Member, Utah Medical Education Council, appointed by then Governor Leavitt and Commissioner, Utah Health Policy Commission, also appointed by then Governor Leavitt. Additionally Roberta was Chair, Utah SCHIP Benefits Committee.

Roberta is well published through the Journal of Economic Organization and Behavior, American Journal of Managed Care, Journal of Politics, Journal of Conflict Resolution and Western Political Quarterly.

About Aarches Community Health Care

Aarches Community Health Care is a Utah 501c non-profit corporation that received start-up and solvency funding under the Affordable Care Act's Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) program (section 1322) to become a member-owned health plan covering all 29 counties of Utah. For more information, please visit http://www.AarchesHealth.org or call 866.207.8003.

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Roberta Herzberg Joins Aarches Community Health Care Board of Directors

Gov. Mead: Wyoming will miss health law deadline

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CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- Gov. Matt Mead announced Thursday that Wyoming won't meet a pending deadline under the federal health care reform law to specify whether the state intends to establish a health insurance exchange an online marketplace that would offer the public one-stop shopping for health insurance.

Mead told reporters at his regularly scheduled press conference that Wyoming can't decide the issue because he has yet to hear any response to a series of questions about the law he submitted to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in mid-July.

Among the questions Mead asked Sebelius was how long the federal government was committed to provide funding for the exchange. "If the federally facilitated exchange is not financially self-sustaining, what happens then?" he wrote.

"There are questions to be answered," Mead said Thursday. "And we haven't got answers to those questions. So if and until we get answers to those questions, I don't think it's reasonable for the federal government to say we've got to make very big decisions that can impact our state budget and impact the quality of our health delivery system in Wyoming."

The Affordable Care Act gives Wyoming and other states three possible choices on the insurance exchange issue: set up their own exchange, partner with other states, or let the federal government set up an exchange.

While the federal law gives states until January to specify how they will address the exchange issue, Mead said Wyoming likely won't make a decision until after the Legislature adjourns next year, likely in early March.

Mead, a longtime opponent of the Affordable Care Act, has said he's worried about the cost of increasing enrollment in the Medicaid program. Wyoming already has budgeted more than $500 million to cover its share of the Medicaid program in the two-year budget cycle that started in July. The federal government roughly matches that amount in the state to fund the program that provides health care for the poor.

There are now roughly 67,000 Wyoming residents on Medicaid. Mead has said he's concerned that the Affordable Care Act could expand the program to add as many as 30,000 more over coming years. He said he doesn't trust federal promises to pick up increased costs.

There are now roughly 67,000 Wyoming residents on Medicaid. Mead said the proposed federal expansion could add as many as 30,000 more over the next few years.

The Wyoming Department of Health on Thursday unveiled consultant reports estimating that the additional cost to Wyoming of expanding Medicaid to comply with the federal Affordable Care Act could range from $53 million to $310 million from 2014 to 2020.

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Gov. Mead: Wyoming will miss health law deadline

Non Profit CO-OP Seeks to Improve Health Insurance by Signing up Health Care Providers and Reducing Physician Stress

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SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Aarches Community Health Care is seeking like minded physicians who want to partner in providing value based care to their patients. This outreach is in response to a new study by Dr. Tait Shanafelt of the Mayo Clinic which reported nearly half of physicians showing signs of significant "burnout" and evidence of "depersonalization" leading these doctors to look at their patients as objects more than people. A clear problem leading to much needed reform in the health care plans for Utah.

Aarches Health's Medical Officer, Douglas Smith, MD, comments, "Our front line doctors in Utah are feeling the heavy weight placed on them by the broken Fee For Service reimbursement model of health care. Until we engage physicians and patients in a mutually beneficial relationship based on shared responsibility and robust non-volume based financial incentives we will continue down this insane path which is fracturing our front line health provider safety net."

This is where Aarches Health's plan for providing a Value Based Care model for Utah will help make a positive change to the Insurance and Health Care models currently in place.

"It's about aligning incentives between patient and doctor in search of the now elusive health care Win-Win partnership", notes Doug. Last September the Physician Wellness Services and Cejka Search conducted a survey reporting over 86% of US physicians were moderately to severely stressed or burned out on an average day with about two-thirds stating their stress had increased moderately to dramatically in the preceding three years with little organizational response to their plight. "We look to be a new health care model in the Utah market which will align incentives of the patient and physician which can empower physicians to practice the way they thought they would when leaving medical school."

Aarches welcomes engagement from all physicians, but especially primary care providers looking for a new model to care for their patients providing higher quality care, robust value based reimbursement, and heightened professional satisfaction. Aarches is currently in the process of finalizing their first list of providers.

Interested physicians and providers can email Dr. Smith for more information at ProviderRelations@aarcheshealth.org.

About Aarches Community Health CareAarches Community Health Care is a Utah 501c non-profit corporation that received start-up and solvency funding under the Affordable Care Act's Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) program (section 1322) to become a member-owned health plan covering all 29 counties of Utah. For more information, please visit http://www.AarchesHealth.org or call 866.207.8003.

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Non Profit CO-OP Seeks to Improve Health Insurance by Signing up Health Care Providers and Reducing Physician Stress

Largest Health Plan Survey Cites Key Trends for National and Massachusetts Employer Health Plans

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

In spite of the passage of health care reform legislation, health care costs will continue to increase for both plan sponsors and their employees, according to EBS Capstone, a Massachusetts based Member Firm of United Benefit Advisors (UBA), the nation's largest independent benefits advisory organization. Preliminary results released by UBA from its 2012 UBA Health Plan Survey with 17,905 plans from 11,711 employers -- and the only one of its kind to offer local benefits benchmarking capabilities -- show some startling trends in employer health plans.

One trend that stands out in this years survey shows that employer sponsored health plans experienced an increase of 5% compared to 8.2% last year. In addition, more PPO, Consumer Directed Health Plans (CDHP) and HMO plans required and/or increased employee deductibles in 2012. This trend towards cost shifting to employees continues.

Other key National and Massachusetts statistics from this years survey results:

As health care plan offerings and the federal regulatory environment become more complex, benchmarking data such as the 2012 UBA Health Plan Survey have become increasingly critical for employers looking to manage their health care benefit programs effectively.

The intent of the survey is to provide employers of all sizes with the data they need to manage their health care benefit programs effectively, says Tom McCormick, Senior Partner, EBS Capstone. Large employers will find the UBA Health Plan Survey provides more participants and data in their category than other industry survey. And for employers with fewer than 1,000 employees (which represents more than 99% of the employers in the U.S.) and for employers who have operations in multiple locations, this survey is the only source of reliable regional and in many cases, state health plan benchmarks by size and industry.

EBS Capstone can provide employers with a benchmarking report for their region, industry and size, so businesses can determine which types of plans are most popular in their area, which plans are being phased out, average employee costs and participation, and highly relevant pieces of information that can help them negotiate their rates and communicate their plan advantages to employees.

With more Member Firms located in virtually all US markets, UBA uniquely provides employers of all sizes the data they need to remain competitive in their local markets. The 2012 UBA Health Plan Survey wont be available to the public until Nov. 1. Employers can get inside access to the hundreds of thousands of pages of granular state, regional and industry data through a benchmarking report offered by EBS Capstone.

ABOUT THE 2012 UBA HEALTH PLAN SURVEY With responses from 17,905 health plans sponsored by 11,711 employers nationwide, the 2012 UBA Health Plan Survey is the nations largest and most comprehensive survey of plan design and plan cost benchmarks. As the largest survey of its kind, the UBA Health Plan Survey defines benchmarks by a greater number of specific industries, regions and employer size categories than is available from any other resource. The 2011 UBA Benefit Opinions Survey (which delineates employers' positions and opinions on Health Care Strategy, Health Benefits Philosophy and Opinion, Health Plan Management, Personal Health Management, Employee Communication, and Scope of Benefits Offered) serves as a companion piece to the 2012 UBA Health Plan Survey.

ABOUT EBS CAPSTONE EBS Capstone is a full-service insurance advisor, providing employee benefits, property & casualty and retirement planning solutions. Whether your company is emerging or established, we are committed to providing you with superior customer service, innovative solutions and strategic advice to help you achieve your business goals. What makes us different is our partner-driven approach, dedicated team of experts who focus on critical disciplines and service areas and continuous investment in resources and technology.

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Largest Health Plan Survey Cites Key Trends for National and Massachusetts Employer Health Plans

The nose knows: Gene therapy restores sense of smell in mice

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Public release date: 7-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Cathy Kolf ckolf@jhmi.edu 443-287-2251 Johns Hopkins Medicine

A team of scientists from Johns Hopkins and other institutions report that restoring tiny, hair-like structures to defective cells in the olfactory system of mice is enough to restore a lost sense of smell. The results of the experiments were published online this week in Nature Medicine, and are believed to represent the first successful application of gene therapy to restore this function in live mammals.

An expert in olfaction, Randall Reed, Ph.D., professor of molecular biology and genetics and co-director of the Center for Sensory Biology at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences, cautions that researchers are still years away from applying the same therapy in people, and that if and when it comes, it will likely be most effective for those who suffer from anosmia (lack of smell) due to inherited genetic disorders. "But our work has already contributed to a better understanding of the cellular factors involved in anosmia, and that will give us insights into other neurological disorders, as well," he says.

The mice used in the current study carried a genetic mutation that destroyed the production of a protein critical for the functioning of cilia in the cells responsible for smell, called olfactory sensory neurons. These specialized cells each display several of the protruding, hair-like structures that contain receptors for odorants. Without functional cilia, the cells become a broken link in the chain of events necessary for proper odor detection in the environment, the researchers explained.

Beginning with a common cold virus, which readily infects the cells of the nasal cavity, researchers replaced some of the viral genes with a corrected version of the defective cilia gene. They then infected smelling-impaired mice with the altered virus, delivering the corrected gene to the olfactory neural cells that needed it.

At the cellular level, scientists saw a restoration of proper chemical signaling between nerve cells after the treated mice were stimulated with various odorants. Perhaps even more indicative of their success, Reed says, was the 60 percent increase in body weight that the mice experienced once they could smell their meals, leading to increased appetite. Many people with anosmia lose weight because aromas play a significant part in creating appetite and food enjoyment.

Researchers are optimistic about the broader implications of this work, Reed notes, because cilia are not only important to olfactory cells, but also to cells all over the body, from the kidney to the eye. The fact that they were able to treat live mice with a therapy that restored cilia function in one sensory system suggests that similar techniques could be used to treat cilia disorders elsewhere.

"We also hope this stimulates the olfactory research community to look at anosmia caused by other factors, such as head trauma and degenerative diseases," says senior author Jeffrey Martens, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology at the University of Michigan. "We know a lot about how this system works now have to look at how to fix it when it malfunctions."

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The nose knows: Gene therapy restores sense of smell in mice

In Cuba, religious freedom remains a dream

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BY TEO A. BABUN JR.

Five nuns from Our Lady of the Good Shepherds congregation returned to Cuba on Aug. 28 with a small statue they had taken 50 years ago when they left after Cubas communist revolution. As recognition of the Cuban governments advances toward freedom of religion, the Episcopal Conference of Cuba noted that the religious act was another sign of the improved relations between the church and the government.

Interestingly, this past summer, during remarks on the State Departments annual report on International Religious Freedom, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, Freedom of religion is not just about religion. For Cubans, in particular, this is very true.

In Cuba, every aspect of life is controlled by the state. Freedoms in general and specifically freedom of religion are not fully available, and persecution of those who publicly profess a creed exists today. Freedom of religion is a right that every human being should be allowed to enjoy without restriction of any government or political entity.

Religion in Cuba must be presented in the context of its recent history, in a spirit of truth and justice, putting aside our personal interests or agendas with no other objective except the truth.

When we talk about Cubans and religion, we must begin with what the people in Cuba have experienced and are experiencing today.

From the 1960s until 1990, discrimination against Christians slowed the growth of churches. Christians suffered under Cuban communism. In the early years some pastors and priests were placed in re-education camps a type of concentration camp where they were forced to perform manual labor in agriculture in order to survive and where many met their death. These so-called camps were part of a rehabilitation program known as military units to help agricultural production or UMAP by its Cuban acronym.

Christians and their families could not receive a good education or good jobs. This pushed religious people to the lowest levels of society. Even by the mid-1980s, Cubas government declared Christians could still not hold jobs where they would influence other people, especially children. This means no Christian teachers, social workers, counselors, etc. The result of these restrictions was that very few people wanted to be associated with Christianity as it would lead to the loss of job or status, as well as other discrimination.

One of the hardest realities of this strategy is that children are shamed by their teachers and others to disown religious symbols and renounce religious practices.

In his last newsletter published only a few weeks before his death, Oswaldo Pay, a Catholic, wrote that it is shameful that a child must feel fear in her school because she attended a church service.

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In Cuba, religious freedom remains a dream

Coker: Strikeforce champ Rousey will want fight ahead of potential 'Cyborg' timetable

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by Matt Erickson on Sep 07, 2012 at 7:30 am ET

Strikeforce bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey (6-0 MMA, 4-0 SF) and former featherweight champ Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (10-1 MMA, 4-0 SF) is the fight most seem to want to see once Santos' current steroids suspension is lifted in December.

There are some well-known obstacles to be certain. But Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said if you're expecting "Cyborg" to be Rousey's next opponent, don't count on it.

"I'm sure Ronda would like to fight before that," Coker on Thursday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "She barely broke a sweat in her last fight. It's something where she's been dominant and she's going to want to fight, I think, before Cyborg can actually get back in the cage off the suspension."

Of course, once Santos is eligible to return, there's still the matter of whether she's willing to drop to bantamweight. Rousey has been plenty vocal about Santos needing to move down to 135 pounds if she wants a fight, not believing she, as the champ, should have to go back up in weight especially given Santos' suspension.

Rousey also is of the belief Santos isn't a clean fighter and has said publicly she believes she never has been.

But Coker thinks the fight is destined to take place. Rousey really has yet to be challenged, and certainly wasn't this past month when she dispatched former champ Sarah Kaufman with an armbar in just 54 seconds. A fight with Santos could be her best current bet a test.

"That fight, believe me, is something I think should happen," Coker said. "I think it's something that will happen. And when Cyborg gets off suspension, the conversation is going to get very, very real about putting that fight together because I think that's the fight everyone wants to see."

But in the meantime, what happens with Rousey? True, she is only three weeks removed from her last fight. But if Santos is not likely to be her next opponent, given Coker's belief she'll want back in before a "Cyborg" fight realistically could be made, then who?

Strikeforce recently signed unbeaten Sara McMann (6-0 MMA, 0-0 SF), who like Rousey is an Olympic medalist. McMann won silver in wrestling at the 2004 games; Rousey was a bronze winner in judo in '08. She may be on the short list, perhaps after her debut if she comes up a winner.

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Coker: Strikeforce champ Rousey will want fight ahead of potential 'Cyborg' timetable

Lake Mich. beaches: Best in the U.S.

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Stephen Sabotka said he's not surprised that CNN named Lake Michigan beaches the best in the nation.

The St. Clair man lounged on the Grand Haven State Park beach Thursday afternoon, reading a magazine with a cold drink by his side.

We love the beaches over here, said Sabotka, who is camping at the state park. That's why we travel from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. I love the view, love the sunsets and love the town of Grand Haven.

Sabotka said CNN made a good choice.

Lake Michigan has some of the best beaches in the U.S.," he said. "... We go to South Haven, here and all over. We've been coming to this side for years.

Joy Gaasch, president of the Chamber of Commerce Grand Haven-Spring Lake-Ferrysburg, said she's thrilled that the silky sands and stunning sunsets of Lake Michigan shoreline life were applauded by a national news organization.

When you think about who's in the competition in the United States, it's pretty awesome," she said. "When you think about beaches all the way up the shoreline Saugatuck, Ludington, Manistee, Sleeping Bear we're so blessed to have such wonderful natural resources available to us at a moment's notice.

The honor was part of CNN's 10 Best Lake Vacations rankings. Lake Superior won the best for fishing category.

The cable news network noted that with more than 1,600 miles of shoreline, Lake Michigan offers more beaches than any other lake in the country.

But it's not just quantity, according to CNN. There's a beach for nearly every taste.

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Lake Mich. beaches: Best in the U.S.

Several beaches above algae guidelines

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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 4:44 PM | Comments:

If you are headed to the lake this weekend, be careful around the water Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship reported algal blooms at a number of beaches this week, including some popular beaches on Lake Winnipeg.

Algae advisory signs can be seen at Hillside, Victoria, and West Grand beaches as well as at the lagoon of West Grand Beach.

Pelican Lake, which includes Ninette and Pleasant Valley beaches, has blue-green algal cells that are above the recreational water quality guideline, and the same can be said for the water Inverness Falls on Brereton Lake.The south pumphouse beach in that area, however, does not have algal cells that exceed the water quality guideline, and the concentration of the algal toxin microcystin is said to be safe.

On Lake Dauphin, Ochre Beach has blue-green algal cells that is above the guideline but the concentration of microcystin is safe here, too.

On Rock Lake and Killarney Lake beach, blue-green algal cells are said to be at a safe level and the concentration of microcystin is also said to be at a safe level.

Algae blooms are known to form and disperse quickly, which makes them difficult to predict. They also have the ability to last for several days or even weeks.

The reason for the high levels of algal cells is warm, calm weather combined with high nutrient loads in the water, as these are the perfect conditions for blue-green algae to develop, provincial officials said.

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Several beaches above algae guidelines

Thousands of fish wash up on Lake Erie beaches

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Ontario Ministry of Environment

These fish are among the tens of thousands found dead on 25 miles of Lake Erie beaches in Canada's Ontario Province.

By Miguel Llanos, NBC News

Tens of thousands of dead fish that washed up on Lake Erie beaches in Ontario, Canada -- and had locals wondering if something or someone had poisoned the water -- were likely killed by a lack of oxygen caused when lake sediment was stirred up, the province reported Friday.

Water samples "do not show evidence of a manure spill or anything unusual in terms of contaminants," Ministry of Environment spokeswoman Kate Jordan told NBC News.

Jordan said it wasn't known if the die-off was unprecedented, but that"it was a significant number -- tens of thousands."

The fish were found along 25 miles of beach, with locals first coming across them on Monday.

But three days earlier, residents had complained of a manure-like smell from the water, the Chatham Daily News reported.

"It was rank, so profoundly rank, that it was difficult to stay down there and the next morning we woke up to the smell," Neville Knowles said of his family's weekend trip to Rondeau Provincial Park.

Another park visitor,Frank van den Boorn, said he and his family were at the beach when he noticed the darkened water and smelled something wrong.

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Thousands of fish wash up on Lake Erie beaches

Meet Ms. Siri, Your New Teacher

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A London-based startup, Kuato Studios, is expected to come out later this year with a newgameto teach kids computer programming.

This isnt a lightly "gamified" platform like Khan Academy's new computer science offerings or Codecademy. Kuato Studios is building an immersive, richly illustrated third-person shooter that will have 11- to 15-year-old players "terraforming a virtual world through coding and science," created by developers from companies like Konami and Rockstar Games.

The game boasts a special secret sauce: the next generation of "virtual personal assistant" technology from SRI, the research institute that created the iPhones Siri. (Frank Meehan, Kuato Studios founder, sat on the board of Siri Inc.) According to reports elsewhere, the updated Siri, called "Lola," is better at remembering the context of specific conversations, understanding natural speech, and reasoning--all qualities that would be nice to have in a virtual teacher who can answer direct questions, drop hints when a learner gets stuck, and dole out encouragement when she succeeds.

As edtech newsletter Edsurge points out, IBM just announced its own mobile version of AI engine Watson, in a push to build a $16-billion business analytics business. Putting AI into educational apps may not be far behind.

Anya Kamenetz is a senior writer at Fast Company, where she writes the column Life In Beta about change. Shes the author of two books, Generation Debt ... Continued

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Meet Ms. Siri, Your New Teacher

Dr. Rashid A. Buttar Announces Advanced Medicine Seminars

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Cornelius, NC (PRWEB) September 07, 2012

In what could be a defining moment for the practice of integrative medicine across the country, Dr. Rashid A. Buttar announces the launch of the Advanced Medicine Seminars beginning September 21st - 22nd in Philadelphia, PA.

Dr. Buttar is the international best selling author of The 9 Steps to Keep the Doctor Away and is ranked as one of the top 50 doctors in the US since 2003. With patients from 73 different countries and throughout the United States, Dr. Buttar is launching a revolutionary forum to provide health care professionals with 2 days of intense and practical information they can immediately implement into their practices for the benefit of their patients.

Even more importantly, the Seminar series will provide the general public with an entire day of life changing information and solutions regarding major issues in the area of natural health and prevention including cancer, autism, health optimization and longevity. Other topics include information on toxicity, vaccines, effective detoxification and how to achieve health freedom and maintain autonomy.

The Advanced Medicine Seminars provide the first opportunity of a joint symposium for both health care providers and the general public. The first day is exclusively for health professionals and the second day is dedicated for the benefit of the general public.

Motivated by the experience of having many people asking questions impossible to answer during an hour lecture, Dr. Buttar decided on the concept for the Advanced Medicine Seminars (http://www.AdvancedMedicineSeminars.com) to provide an opportunity to learn crucial life changing information for all those who are interested without being confined to any time constraints. Millions of Americans are in need of this crucial, yet practical life-changing information which comes with no side effects. These seminars are to be held throughout the country bringing this essential message of effective detoxification and the various proven treatments universally applicable to reverse many chronic diseases to all areas of the country.

The agenda packed event will be divided into 4 major segments covering cancer, autism, longevity and health freedom, areas in which Dr. Buttar and his distinguished colleagues all have a tremendous amount of experience. The two-day powerful line-up includes some incredible allies such as the Health Ranger, Mike Adams (Natural News), Robert Scott Bell (Homeopath and nationally syndicated radio show host), Ty Bollinger (author of Cancer, Step Outside the Box), Dr. James Hawver (internationally recognized expert in EDS) and Dr. Sherri Tenpenny (internationally acclaimed author on vaccine shortcomings). You would be hard pressed to go to any one single conference and have such a distinguished group of health freedom champions assembled and available to you. For full details, visit http://www.AdvancedMedicineSeminars.com

Dr. Buttar has committed years of his life to what he believes and has fought the establishment resiliently when confronted to insure the rights of his patients. Many consider him a maverick because of his completely holistic approach to health and healing along with his fearlessness in being outspoken against the pharmaceutical industry and the medical establishment that indiscriminately supports the use of their drugs. But the results speak for themselves. An internationally sought-after speaker his audiences have ranged from lecture halls filled with more than 2,000 fellow physicians to the U.S. Congress, where he testified on the dangers of heavy metal toxicity and its link to autism.

He is the Medical Director of the Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research in Cornelius, NC, founded in 1996 with the purpose of giving those with untreatable conditions a chance to recover. After his last fight with the North Carolina Medical Board now behind him, Dr. Buttar has focused on getting the Advanced Medicine Seminars ready to launch. Its another step toward realizing his goal of making the change the world is waiting for, a motto inscribed in larger-than-life-sized letters on the walls of his clinic.

With the grace of Almighty God we have been blessed to be able to help many people, but there are countless more that need help all over the world, Dr. Buttar said. Until every doctor who desires to understand and learn what my colleagues and I do and how we achieve our results gets the training they desire to help us help others, my job will not be done.

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Dr. Rashid A. Buttar Announces Advanced Medicine Seminars

Moment in South Dakota History

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This historical marker about Glass that is located near Shadehill Reservoir in northwest South Dakota.(South Dakota Historical Society Foundation photo)

It is difficult to imagine a man dragging himself a mile through brush, across gullies and along the river breaks to safety. Hugh Glass not only dragged himself a mile, but hundreds. With each yard he put behind him, he came closer to civilization and immortality.

An historic marker that overlooks Shadehill Reservoir in northwestern South Dakota tells the saga of Glass.

Glass was a mountain man who was part of a fur trapping expedition led by Andrew Henry in 1823. The expedition was bound for the mouth of the Yellowstone River when it passed south of what is now Lemmon that fall. While hunting alone one morning, Glass was attacked by a female grizzly bear. He survived and made his way to Fort Kiowa, about 200 miles away.

Glass bout with a bear became well-known, and many fictional accounts are based on Glass story. According to Lord Grizzly by Frederick Manfred, Glass regained consciousness after the grizzly bears attack to the grim reality of being alone and unarmed in hostile Indian territory. His leg was broken; his scalp was almost torn off; his ribs were exposed where the flesh on his back had been ripped away; and his wounds were festering.

Glass set his broken leg and began crawling toward the Cheyenne River, about 100 miles away. His anger at being abandoned by his comrades and his desire to stay alive drove Glass as he crawled by night and rested by day.

Once he reached the Cheyenne River, Glass fashioned a dugout boat out of a cottonwood and used it to float down the Missouri River until he reached Fort Kiowa, about four miles north of present-day Chamberlain. The desire for revenge drove him on, to a new fur trading post on the Yellowstone and Big Horn rivers. There he found Jim Bridger, one of the men he believed had left him for dead. He confronted Bridger and forgave him. Bridger lived to become one of the foremost mountain men, trappers, scouts and guides in the Western United States.

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Moment in South Dakota History

Final 'Breaking Dawn' Trailer Debuts At The VMAs!

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That's no swan that's a vampire!

Fans caught a brand new look at Bella Swan's blood-sucking makeover on Thursday (September 6) when the final trailer for "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" premiered at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. The second half of director Bill Condon's adaptation of the Stephenie Meyer-penned vampire series' grand finale hits theaters on November 16, and based on this last trailer alone, the upcoming showdown between the Cullen clan and the Volturi looks to be nothing short of epic.

The trailer begins with a voiceover from Robert Pattinson's Edward over scenes of Bella as a freshly turned vampire stalking a mountain lion through the woods. "I have a bad habit of underestimating you," Edward tells his wife. "Every obstacle you've faced, I'd think you couldn't overcome it. But you just did."

As if Edward's words weren't enough proof of her new powers, Bella demonstrates the extent of her abilities by tackling the lion in midair. Not exactly a feat the old Ms. Swan would be capable of, to say the least, and Bella is the first person to admit it.

"My time as a human is over," she confesses, "but I've never felt more alive."

But even as Bella eases into life after death with her husband and their newborn child Renesmee, her existence has never been in greater jeopardy. The Volturi are coming to kill Renesmee based on a report that she's an immortal child, a highly volatile and dangerous form of vampire that must be stopped no matter the cost. The Cullens know that Renesmee is as far from a threat as inhumanly possible, leading them to seek out new allies in their impending struggle against the Volturi. Cue the likes of the Denali coven (chief among them Garrett, played by "Pushing Daisies" heartthrob Lee Pace) as well as Jacob Black and his werewolf companions, among others, to protect the newest member of the Cullen family from an undeserved fate.

Saving Renesmee's life won't be easy, however, as the final bits of the "Breaking Dawn -- Part 2" trailer show quite clearly. A hard battle is fought between both sides, with the promise of several casualties to come, including a sobbing Garrett holding what looks to be the wounded body of his mate Kate. Even Bella and Edward are forced to roll up their sleeves and get in on the action, as the veteran vampire boosts his wife into a trailer-closing roundhouse kick against their enemies.

"The epic finale that will live forever," are the closing words of the final "Twilight" trailer. By all accounts, it looks like they're not kidding around.

The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards were a blast! Stick with MTV for continued coverage of everything that happened onstage, backstage and behind-the-scenes.

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Final 'Breaking Dawn' Trailer Debuts At The VMAs!

Undergraduates Aid Millsaps College Chemists In Analysis Of 'Black Drink' Residue For Study Published In NAS Proceedings

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JACKSON, Miss., Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Researchers from across the United States, including Millsaps College Professor of Chemistry Timothy Ward, Ph.D., and Research Fellow Jiyan Gu, Ph.D., have analyzed chemical residues in prehistoric Native American ceramic vessels that are believed to offer the earliest known evidence for black drink consumption. Their findings were published in the on-line Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in August.

Black drink is a caffeinated tea-like beverage brewed from holly leaves and stems that was used during cleansing rituals and religious ceremonies. The ceramic vessels tested date to approximately 1050-1250 A.D. and are associated with the prehistoric Native American civilization of Cahokia, once located near present-day St. Louis.

Chemists at Millsaps College's W.M. Keck Center for Instrumental and Biochemical Comparative Archaeology in Jackson, Miss. designed and developed the methods to identify the chemical compounds found in residue from porous, unglazed mug-shaped ceramic containers excavated from sites in Missouri and Illinois. Ward and Gu led the development of the chemical methods and oversaw the chemical analysis and data generation. The chemists differentiated between the presences of several substances to identify a chemical signature, or bio-marker, for the holly species Ilex. The work was funded in part by the W.M. Keck Foundation.

A remarkable aspect of the research project is that undergraduate students from Millsaps College conducted the chemical analysis, working under the direction of Ward and Gu.

"At Millsaps, students in the sciences learn to operate sophisticated instruments and participate in research normally reserved for graduate students in the latter years of graduate study," Ward said. "Such notable experiences build the resumes of Millsaps graduates in ways that make our students sought after by graduate research programs and medical schools. Interestingly, the most often asked question of our students at the various national and international meetings where we present is always, 'Did you really do that work yourself?'"

Millsaps students, Syed Ali of Madison, Miss., Marlaina Berch of Sturgis, Miss., and Erin Redman of Carrboro, N. C., are acknowledged in the published article of the findings, "Ritual Black Drink consumption at Cahokia."

Since conducting the research, Berch and Redman graduated from Millsaps with bachelor's degrees in chemistry. Berch is a medical student in the Rural Physicians Program at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, and Redman is studying analytical chemistry at the graduate level at the University of North Carolina. Ali, a biochemistry major, is a junior at Millsaps College.

"One thing impressive and interesting about the Keck Center at Millsaps is that it is staffed with a diverse group of undergraduates with unique backgrounds," Gu said. "We have students born in America, Vietnam and Pakistan as well as international students that have come from China and Rwanda. Students not only work together in the lab, but they build friendships and learn from each other's unique perspectives, exchanging their favorite music, stories from their native country, ideologies and their dreams.

"The Keck Lab is a small reflection of Millsaps culture, a culture that will prepare students for a world full of diversity, a world in which the great things can only be achieved by working with people from different background and perspective."

Sociologists and chemists cited equally as authors in the study are Gu; Ward; University of New Mexico Distinguished Professor of Anthropology Patricia Crown, working with Thomas E. Emerson from the Illinois State Archeological Survey, Prairie Research Institute and University of Illinois, Champaign; W. Jeffrey Hurst at the Hershey Technical Center in Hershey, Penn.; and Timothy R. Pauketat from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana.

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Undergraduates Aid Millsaps College Chemists In Analysis Of 'Black Drink' Residue For Study Published In NAS Proceedings

Prana Scientists to Participate in Panel on Alzheimer's and Other Issues of Aging at Celebration of Science Conference

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA--(Marketwire - Sep 7, 2012) - Prana Biotechnology ( NASDAQ : PRAN ) ( ASX : PBT ) today announced thatChief Scientific Advisor, Rudy Tanzi, Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School; and Prana Chairman, R&D Board, Jeffrey Cummings, Director, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, will take part in a panel discussion entitled, 'Alzheimer's and Other Issues of Aging' on Sunday, September 9th at the Celebration of Science Conference in Washington, D.C.Freda Lewis-Hall, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Pfizer Inc. will moderate the panel and George Vradenburg, Chairman and co-founder, USAgainstAlzheimer's will also participate as a panelist.

The session will consider what are the most promising new technologies for fighting Alzheimer's which currently affects more than five million Americans.They will address innovative technologies and what is the best way forward for combating Alzheimer's and other age related diseases.The panel will also discuss what scientific advances will help us realize the potential of longevity.

The Celebration of Science will gather over 1,000 leaders from the scientific, government, industry, philanthropic and academic communities to honor the tremendous accomplishments of science so far and to reaffirm the commitmentto imagine what's possible for the future.

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 Scientists to Participate in Panel on Alzheimer's and Other Issues of Aging at Celebration of Science Conference