Monthly Archives: October 2012

Katanga Mining Limited and Imperial Metals Corporatio Under Current Evaluation

Posted on by

Equedia.com and The Equedia Weekly Letter provides research on Canadian companies with a focus on mining and resource stocks. Equedia is continuing research and evaluation on the prospects of Katanga Mining Limited (TSX:KAT.TO - News) and Imperial Metals Corporation (TSX:III.TO - News). To be further notified of our updates on these companies and special report editions through the Equedia Weekly letter, please obtain your free subscription here:

http://equedia.com/equediaweekly

Many companies previously featured in our special report editions have hit new 52 week highs since the initiation of our coverage and man) y companies under evaluation have made strong gains since being placed under evaluation. To receive these reports, please make sure to subscribe for your complimentary subscription to Equedia Weekly here:

http://equedia.com/equediaweekly

Here is a brief excerpt from one of our latest weekly letter, "Watch the Throne":

September is over and we're now heading into a month where gold has traditionally not performed as well. We've seen gold and silver prices rise over the last few weeks, so it wouldn't shock me that we see a pullback. October is also generally a more volatile month for both gold and stocks.

Keep in mind that central bank buying, investor demand, and mine strikes in Africa could cause supply constraints and force gold higher, even in a month where gold has often been down.

Should gold prices follow historical trends for October along with stocks, it would represent a great buying opportunity. Over the past 40 years, November has generally been one of the best months for gold, second only to September. However, in the last decade

To continue reading and receive your next free edition of Equedia Weekly, please subscribe by going to http://equedia.com/equediaweekly/ and visit http://equedia.com/blog/view.php/Watch-the-Throne for a copy of this edition.

You should also visit http://www.equedia.com to gain access to insider information, analyst ratings, videos, corporate coverage, financials, and in-depth stock charts for the above mentioned companies. Shareholders are also asked to assist our staff by providing us more details on your knowledge of the above-mentioned companies as we put them under evaluation. By registering through http://www.equedia.com, you can upload your findings and attach them to the respective companies under their corporate landing page.

Follow this link:

Katanga Mining Limited and Imperial Metals Corporatio Under Current Evaluation

Engineers plan to upload bee brains to flying robots

Posted on by

Engineers from the universities of Sheffield and Sussex are planning on scanning the brains of bees and uploading them into autonomous flying robots that will then fly and act like the real thing.

Bionic bees -- or perhaps that should be "beeonic" -- could, it is hoped, be used for a range of situations where tiny thinking flying machines should be more useful than current technology, which might mean seeking out gas or chemical leaks, or people who are trapped in small spaces. They might even help pollinate plants in places where natural bee populations have fallen due to the still-mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder.

It's important to note that this won't be an entirely comprehensive model of a bee's brain -- it's only going to be the parts associated with its sense of smell and vision. These modules will be melded with other software to form what the team call a " Green Brain", one that can react to new situations and improvise rapidly just like a "real" animal or insect brain.

The project has been funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council with a 1m grant, with Nvidia providing some of its top-end graphics processors for the development team to work with. The aim is to get the "cybee" flying by 2015.

The head of project, Dr John Marshall, said: "Not only will this pave the way for many future advances in autonomous flying robots, but we also believe the computer modelling techniques we will be using will be widely useful to other brain modelling and computational neuroscience projects".

The prospect of a robotic animal that's as mentally capable as the thing it's trying to mimic might seem exciting, but bear in mind that swatting one of these away might prove a little trickier. That's especially pertinent as recent research has indicated that many insects, including bees, have personalities like vertebrates -- let's hope they upload a relatively laid-back bee's brain, lest it go rogue.

Image: Shutterstock

Read the original:

Engineers plan to upload bee brains to flying robots

Bionest Hosted Discussions at the Burrill Personalized Medicine Conference

Posted on by

NEW YORK & PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Bionest Partners, a strategy and management consulting firm for the life science industries, and a leader in personalized medicine (PM) strategy consulting, was invited to participate in the 8th Burrill Personalized Medicine Meeting, a key annual event in the world of PM held at San Francisco on September 13 and 14, 2012.

At the event, Dr. Sean X. Hu, Head of Bionest USA and Managing Partner, the invited speaker from Bionest, hosted a group of senior managers from leading molecular diagnostics (MDx) companies in a panel entitled First Generation PM Companies Where are they now? What can we learn? In addition, Dr. Hu served as an expert host during the Conversations with Experts Luncheon session and shared his expertise on how best to evaluate PM drug and diagnostic product strategies, and, optimize decision-making and implementation.

The panelists shared how their company strategies led to their success to-date, and discussed their views on the key trends and factors in the MDx industry that would impact their future success. Dr. Hu commented: The trend towards PM is inevitable yet remains highly challenging. A great deal of valuable learning emerged from our discussions at this Burrill conference.

For diagnostic companies, it is critical to leverage their core strengths and carefully place their bets by targeting specific unmet clinical needs before, at the time of, or after medical / drug intervention decisions. Depending on whether an MDx company develops a Laboratory-developed test (LDT) or an IVD kit, one must understand and effectively address specific challenges related to its business model, as well as regulatory, pricing, market access and other commercialization aspects across key geo markets.

Dr. Hu continued, For pharmaceutical companies, there is more to PM than simply knowing whether or not and how to incorporate patient stratification biomarkers (as companion diagnostics) into their drugs clinical development and commercialization strategies. Some cutting edge players have already begun to think beyond companion diagnostics and leverage other kinds of Dx products (e.g. disease diagnosis / definition, prognosis etc.) to enhance the value of their drug assets.

Bionest is a powerhouse in PM strategy consulting, serving the pharmaceutical, diagnostics, biotech and medical device industries. It is experienced in addressing a broad spectrum of challenges, from development and commercialization strategies for individual drug assets, diagnostics and other related products, to corporate level PM business models, commercialization capability building, R&D and commercialization business processes, and organizational structure.

Bionest has been driving thought leadership on PM, with many publications on the strategic, commercial and scientific aspects of PM. For more details, please visit http://www.bionest.com, and navigate to section Strategic/Practices/Personalized Medicine Strategy.

For further discussions with Dr. Hu and his Bionest team on PM strategies, please contact him at shu@bionest.com.

About Bionest Partners

Read more:

Bionest Hosted Discussions at the Burrill Personalized Medicine Conference

Accrediting agency OKs UC Riverside medical school

Posted on by

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) - A national accrediting agency has approved a University of California, Riverside, plan to open a full medical school.

It will be the sixth UC medical school.

The Los Angeles Times (lat.ms/VrHT3R) says preliminary accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education means UC Riverside can start enrolling future doctors next summer.

The accreditation agency rejected the medical school proposal last year because the state refused to fund the school and the plan looked too risky.

But university officials have since secured other public and private financing.

University leaders won about $100 million in donations and pledges to support the school for 10 years. The donors include the UC system itself, Riverside County, the Desert Healthcare District and affiliated hospitals.

Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Read this article:

Accrediting agency OKs UC Riverside medical school

Medical Academy Charter School in Catasauqua opens doors to first students

Posted on by

Medical charter school opens doors to first students

While jobs are in short supply in many industries, that's not the case in the medical field.

A new charter school in Lehigh County is now trying to address that need. The Medical Academy Charter School in Catasauqua is the first of its kind in the Lehigh Valley. It's goal is to better steer kids into the field of health care.

Between the algebra and history of the Jamestown settlement is an art class teaching students how drawing can turn to healing for the sick.

"This is an example of a Zen tangle art therapy method that psychotherapists may use to draw out emotions in patients," said teacher Carol Traynor.

The new school is using the promise of a career in health care to draw students in.

"This is where the jobs are going to be now and in the near future. It's ever growing," said Joanna Hughes, CEO and principal of the school, which opened in September to 9th and 10th graders.

The school, which will expand to 11th and 12th graders, infuses health care sciences into the general curriculum, Hughes said.

"We will provide the children with opportunities so that they can be an x-ray tech or a phlebotomist or someone who works in the office doing billing," Hughes said.

Taylor Fullin, who wants to be anesthesiologist, transferred from Northampton Area High School.

The rest is here:

Medical Academy Charter School in Catasauqua opens doors to first students

UC Riverside medical school approved

Posted on by

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) A national accrediting agency has approved a University of California, Riverside, plan to open a full medical school.

It will be the sixth UC medical school.

The Los Angeles Times says preliminary accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education means UC Riverside can start enrolling future doctors next summer.

The accreditation agency rejected the medical school proposal last year because the state refused to fund the school and the plan looked too risky.

But university officials have since secured other public and private financing.

University leaders won about $100 million in donations and pledges to support the school for 10 years. The donors include the UC system itself, Riverside County, the Desert Healthcare District and affiliated hospitals.

2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Follow this link:

UC Riverside medical school approved

QU's new medical school approved

Posted on by

HAMDEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- Quinnipiac University's new medical school has received it's accreditation, and will be ready for the next crop of students looking to become doctors.

The University will be recruiting its first class for the fall of 2013 after earning two important endorsements from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and the State Board of Education.

Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine is named in honor of the noted surgeon and prolific medical illustrator.

"Adding a medical school to Quinnipiac's existing schools of law, health sciences, nursing, communications, education, business and engineering and College of Arts and Sciences will continue Quinnipiac's transformation into a major national university," Quinnipiac President John. L Lahey said in a statement. "When the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine enrolls its first medical students in the Fall of 2013, Quinnipiac will join fewer than 100 universities in America that have both law and medical schools."

The medical school will become the third in Connecticut, making St. Vincent's Medical Center of Bridgeport their primary clinical partner. This collaboration will give the residents in the state's largest city more access to health care. The medical school is also affiliated with MidState Medical Center in Meriden and Middlesex Hospital in Middletown.

"Applicants to our school can be assured that they will receive a high quality medical education that will prepare them for the contemporary practice of medicine," said Dr. Bruce Koeppen, the founding dean of the medical school.

The first class at the medical school will have 60 students and is expected to grow to 125 students per class by 2017.

Read the original here:

QU's new medical school approved

Quinnipiac/St. Vincent's medical school wins approval

Posted on by

In a move that should help with the state's doctor shortage, Quinnipiac University soon will have a medical school.

And it will have significant ramifications in our backyard.

The new medical school, which will have St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport as its primary clinical partner, received unanimous approval from the state Board of Education on Wednesday. Coupled with the announcement that the school also received preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, Quinnipiac can start recruiting future doctors immediately.

Quinnipiac's Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine is expected to enroll a charter class of 60 students in August 2013 and grow to 275 students by 2017. Dr. Bruce Koeppen, founding dean of the new medical school, told the state board that the doctors that Quinnipiac will create won't bury themselves in research labs, but rather will be primary care physicians.

"Not only will it help address the current physician shortage, but it will provide long-term benefits to the state," said Elizabeth Beaudin, director of nursing and workforce initiatives for the Connecticut Hospital Association. "Because of health reform, more people will be receiving coverage. As such, we need more primary care physicians who will be involved in prevention and health promotion, as well as chronic disease management. This will ultimately result in healthier communities and fewer avoidable hospital visits."

Although clinical rotations are two years away, Koeppen said students would start getting clinical experiences at St. Vincent's in year one. "I expect eventually our medical students will set up free screening clinics for people in Bridgeport who don't have access to medical care or who can't afford it," said Koeppen.

Dr. Stuart G. Marcus, president of St. Vincent's Medical Center, said the alliance would change the culture of St. Vincent's and raise the bar for everybody. "Faculty members at St. Vincent's are looking forward to educating students in the clinical sciences and teaching them the principles of safe, reliable patient care of the highest quality," said Marcus.

In their third year of training, medical students will spend the majority of their time rotating through various departments at the hospital including surgery, medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry and family medicine. In year four, students will rotate through intensive care and the emergency department. The students will also have a presence in St. Vincent's outpatient sites as well as two secondary training sites: MidState Medical Center in Meriden and Middlesex Hospital in Middletown.

The school will be located on Quinnipiac's North Haven campus. Koeppen anticipates the charter class will be selected from a pool of 2,000 to 3,000 applicants. The university is nearing completion on a new medical school classroom building and has hired 19 of 20 new faculty members. So far, Quinnipiac has spent $100 million on the effort.

This is the first time St. Vincent's has taken a lead clinical role with a medical school. Koeppen said he visited 16 hospitals in the state and invited them to become clinical partners. Five applied. All submitted position papers to outline what their partnership would look like. That Bridgeport had a medically underserved population and didn't have a medical school affiliation attached to one of its hospitals played into the decision to select St. Vincent's, Koeppen said.

Go here to read the rest:

Quinnipiac/St. Vincent's medical school wins approval

Liberty House raises awareness on domestic violence

Posted on by

Liberty House raises awareness on domestic violence Liberty House raises awareness on domestic violence

Updated: Wednesday, October 3 2012 6:37 PM EDT2012-10-03 22:37:08 GMT

Updated: Wednesday, October 3 2012 6:19 PM EDT2012-10-03 22:19:12 GMT

Updated: Wednesday, October 3 2012 6:15 PM EDT2012-10-03 22:15:35 GMT

Updated: Wednesday, October 3 2012 6:12 PM EDT2012-10-03 22:12:15 GMT

Updated: Wednesday, October 3 2012 6:11 PM EDT2012-10-03 22:11:23 GMT

Georgia ranks sixth in the nation in deaths from domestic violence.

Wednesday in Albanythe Liberty House presented a program aimed at reducing the numbers.

Experts and victims talked about domestic violence then released butterflies to symbolize those who have been victims of domestic violence.

Liberty House has sheltered those victims for more than three decades.But it's much more than just a safe place to spend a few days.

See the rest here:

Liberty House raises awareness on domestic violence

Glenn Beck's extraordinary open letter to Muse

Posted on by

Glenn Beck. Photograph: Getty Images

In a bizarre story of unrequited love, American conservative political commentator Glenn Beck has written a heartfelt open letter to Muse frontman, Matt Bellamy.

The Fox News pundit, famous for his sharp tongue, was responding to recent comments made by the singer in an interview with the Observer on Sunday, in which Bellamy revealed that the band had repeatedly denied the use of the track Uprising for American political campaigns, calling its popularity among the farright weird.

In the US, the conspiracy theory subculture has been hijacked by the right to try to take down people like Obama and put forward rightwing libertarianism, he said, before going on to describe himself as a leftleaning libertarian.

Muse and Glenn Beck have a history: Beck previously endorsed Muses 2009 album The Resistance on his radio show and even likened their lyrical content to his own brand of republicanism, prompting drummer Dom Howard to label Beck a crazy rightwinger.

As uncomfortable as it might be for you, I will still play your songs loudly, the letter reads. To me your songs are anthems that beg for choruses of unity and pose the fundamental question facing the world today can man rule himself?

Beck then goes on (and on) to suggest that Bellamys own ideology isnt far off his own principles: in the Venn Diagram of American politics, where the circles of crimson and blue overlap, theres a place where you and I meet.

The rest of the letter then protractedly explains why he believes in Libertarianism before puzzlingly quoting lyrics from their fourth album and wishing them the best of luck on their new record.

Experience the madness, in full, below:

Dear Matthew, I read your comments in the Guardian via Rolling Stone last week and feel like with a little work we could better understand each other.

Read the original:

Glenn Beck's extraordinary open letter to Muse

Libertarian VP Candidate Jim Gray to speak at UNR debate viewing

Posted on by

RENO, Nev. (KRNV & MyNews4.com) -- The Vice Presidential candidate running on the Libertarian ticket will be fielding questions at a debate viewing event at UNR.

Libertarian Vice Presidential Candidate Judge Jim Gray will be in Reno answering questions at the end of the debates from the audience.

During commercial breaks, he will respond to the questions posed by the moderator from Denver for the audience to hear.

The event is from 6-8pm in the auditorium of the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center, on the UNR campus.

See the original post here:

Libertarian VP Candidate Jim Gray to speak at UNR debate viewing

Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson shut out of tonight's debate, claims 'system is rigged'

Posted on by

Tonight's presidential debate will have a global audience, high stakes and plenty of political drama as President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney square off for the first time.

What it won't have is a third candidate. The sponsor of tonight's showdown - the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates - ruled that Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson will not be allowed to participate.

The commission said Johnson failed to meet its threshold of receiving at least 15 percent of the vote in a major polls. Johnson filed a lawsuit to contest the decision, but won't be on stage at tonight's event in Denver.

That's drawn the protest of at least two of the debate's corporate sponsors, Philips Electronics and the YMCA, who said they were pulling their support because of Johnson's exclusion.

The last time an independent candidate was allowed to participate in a debate with nominees from the two major parties was in 1992, when Ross Perot joined the stage with President George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Johnson said today his campaign will provide live commentary during the debate via Twitter and other social media. But the former New Mexico governor made it clear that he's not happy to be shut out of tonight's event.

"Someone has to stand up and call this what it isa rigged system designed entirely to protect and perpetuate the two-party duopoly," Johnson spokesman Ron Nielson told US News and World Report. "That someone will be the Johnson campaign."

More here:

Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson shut out of tonight's debate, claims 'system is rigged'

China, Japan in war of words over disputed islands

Posted on by

Beijing/Tokyo, Oct 3 (IANS) A war of words erupted between China and Japan Wednesday after a group of Japanese right-wingers entered the disputed islands and Chinese surveillance ships also patrolled in the waters.

Japan claims it has occupied the islands since 1895, while China maintains the islands were recognised as Chinese as early as 1783.

On Wednesday, the Chinese foreign ministry said the country's marine surveillance ships will continue to patrol in the waters off the Diaoyu Islands.

The Chinese reaction came in response to a question related to a media report saying Japanese right-wingers entered waters off the Diaoyu Islands Wednesday. Chinese marine surveillance ships also entered the waters for a patrol, Xinhua reported.

Tokyo has lodged an official protest with Beijing over Chinese ships entering the territorial waters of disputed islands in the East China Sea, RIA Novosti reported Wednesday.

Four Chinese maritime surveillance ships were observed near the territorial waters of the Japanese held islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyus in China, Wednesday morning, according to Japan's NHK TV report.

Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Hong Lei said: "China is closely watching the development of the issue. Chinese marine surveillance ships will continue to patrol in the waters off the Diaoyu Islands."

China firmly opposes the Japanese right-wingers' illegal entrance to the waters off the islands, he said.

"What is the right-wingers' purpose in repeatedly provoking trouble on the Diaoyu Islands under the current situation, especially when China and Japan are busily consulting with each other on the dispute? Why is the Japanese government again indulging them," the spokesperson asked.

In recent years, it has been Japanese right-wingers that have sought to use the Diaoyu Islands issue and create provocation and cause tensions and conflicts between China and Japan, Hong said.

Link:

China, Japan in war of words over disputed islands

Op-ed: Designate a national monument in San Juan Islands

Posted on by

Originally published October 3, 2012 at 4:37 PM | Page modified October 3, 2012 at 4:37 PM

IN the San Juan Islands, momentum is growing behind a little-known but vital conservation issue, one with big impacts for our entire region.

A coalition of advocates 156 local businesses, hundreds of residents and political leaders from around the state is fighting to save 955 acres of beautiful undeveloped land, dozens of small islands, reefs and historical sites currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

The group is asking that these lands be declared a national monument. They include Lopez Islands Iceberg Point and Chadwick Hill, the Cattle Point Lighthouse on San Juan and the lighthouse on northern Patos Island. Their designation would forever keep them in public ownership with a strong local voice in their management.

Preserving the land would mean big things for the islands. Protecting this natural splendor also means protecting the quality of life for island residents, their kids and grandkids. It is about more than taking up an environmental cause and creating a natural legacy to be handed down for generations to come. Safeguarding these regional treasures is also about the islands local economy and making sure that it remains strong.

Hundreds of thousands of tourists flock here every year to enjoy the pristine beauty of the San Juan Islands. Kayakers paddle from island to island, children attend camps, and vacationers dine in restaurants, relax at inns and shop in local stores. The economy in the San Juan Islands depends on the tourism and recreation businesses fostered by the unique natural beauty here.

Why should you spend time thinking about this issue and consider lending your support to the folks in the states northwest corner? Because what is good for the San Juans tourism and recreation industry is beneficial for all of us. Hundreds of local and regional businesses also depend on the kayakers, sightseers, campers, sailors, boaters, fishermen and others who frequent shops and recreation businesses en route to the San Juan Islands.

Maintaining the beauty and accessibility of these lands is critical to our regional economy and to our entire regions way of life, just as it is for island residents. Furthermore, weve seen time and time again that national-monument designations, like national parks, attract visitors. Having a national monument in our region will increase our ability to attract outdoor enthusiasts and the jobs they support.

Outdoor recreation plays a major role in Washingtons, and our local and regional, economy. More than 100,000 Washington jobs depend on the continued preservation and protection of the lands and waters that make the industry possible. The Outdoor Industry Association estimates that recreation hunting, fishing, hiking, skiing contributes $730 billion to the U.S. economy and supports 6.5 million jobs.

In Washington state alone, outdoor recreation supports 115,000 jobs and contributes $11.7 billion to the state economy. Many of these jobs are local and our region depends on them.

Go here to see the original:

Op-ed: Designate a national monument in San Juan Islands

Study Says Genetics Of Intelligence Remains A Riddle, For Now

Posted on by

October 3, 2012

April Flowers for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Your intelligence like almost all other traits is a gift from your parents, at least in part. Scientists have known for a long time that intelligence is at least partially inherited through genetics. According to psychological scientist Christopher Chabris, however, it may be some time before researchers can identify the specific genetic roots of intelligence.

A new study from Union College shows that the genes long thought to be linked to intellectual prowess actually appear to have no bearing on ones IQ, complicating scientific endeavors to get to the root of the genetics of intelligence.

An international team of researchers including Harvard economist David Laibson used large data sets that included both intelligence testing and genetic data to examine a dozen genes. In almost every case, the team found that IQ could not be linked to the specific genes that were tested.

In all of our tests we only found one gene that appeared to be associated with intelligence, and it was a very small effect. This does not mean intelligence does not have a genetic component. It means its a lot harder to find the particular genes, or the particular genetic variants, that influence the differences in intelligence, said Chabris. The results of this new study were published online in the journal Psychological Science.

Previous studies of identical and fraternal twins informed and bolstered the notion that intelligence is a heritable trait. This new research validates that conclusion, yet the exact parameters of the genetics of intelligence remain a mystery. The team asserts that the older studies, which picked out specific genes, had flaws because of the technological limits of the time. Those limits prevented researchers from probing more than a few locations in the human genome to find genes that affected intelligence.

We want to emphasize that we are not saying the people who did earlier research in this area were foolish or wrong, Chabris said. They were using the best technology and information they had available. At the time, it was believed that individual genes would have a much larger effect they were expecting to find genes that might each account for several IQ points.

The team says that much more research is needed to determine the exact role that genes play in intelligence.

As is the case with other traits, like height, there are probably thousands of genes and their variants that are associated with intelligence, he said. And there may be other genetic effects beyond the single gene effects. There could be interactions among genes, or interactions between genes and the environment. Our results show that the way researchers have been looking for genes that may be related to intelligence the candidate gene method is fairly likely to result in false positives, so other methods should be used.

See the original post:

Study Says Genetics Of Intelligence Remains A Riddle, For Now

Myriad Genetics Sponsors Cancer Awareness Initiatives in Support of National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week

Posted on by

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 3, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myriad Genetics, Inc. (MYGN) today announced that, in support of National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) Week and National Previvor Day, it has launched an online quiz to help people assess their risk for hereditary cancers. The Hereditary Cancer Quiz is available online at http://www.hereditarycancerquiz.com. In addition, the company is providing financial support toward educational and awareness initiatives to three advocacy organizations-Bright Pink, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) and Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC).

HBOC Week marks the transition between National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and was established by U.S. Congressional resolution in 2010 to raise awareness about hereditary cancer. National Previvor Day raises awareness for those individuals who have a known gene mutation or a strong family history of cancer but have not yet developed cancer.

"Understanding their risk for hereditary cancers, such as breast and ovarian cancer, is critical to helping patients make informed decisions about treatment and prevention. Our hereditary cancer risk quiz empowers patients to understand their family history and provides a framework for an informative discussion with a healthcare professional," said Mark Capone, President, Myriad Genetic Laboratories. "In addition, organizations such as Bright Pink, NOCC and Living Beyond Breast Cancer offer hereditary cancer patients and their families vital support and information in their fight against these diseases, and we are proud to support their efforts."

"Funding from Myriad and our other partner companies assists our organization in offering better and more valuable resources to hereditary cancer patients and their families," said David Barley, Chief Executive Officer, National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. "We are proud to work with Myriad, as they play a major role in the understanding and diagnosis of a person's hereditary risk for cancer."

About Hereditary Cancer

Hereditary cancers, also called inherited cancers, are those caused by genetic mutations that are passed from parent to child. These mutations predispose people to developing a particular type of cancer. Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common cause of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers and can lead to male breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer and others. Women with a BRCA mutation are five times more likely to develop breast cancer than those without the mutation and more than ten times as likely to develop ovarian cancer1. Approximately 7%2 of breast cancer and approximately 14% 3,4,5 of invasive ovarian cancer result from inherited gene mutations.

DNA testing for BRCA mutations is done through a blood or saliva test and can indicate whether a person carries a BRCA gene mutation. Testing is recommended for people with certain personal and/or family history pattern, including:

Myriad Genetics is a pioneer in hereditary cancer testing and offers tests for a variety of hereditary cancer syndromes, including BRACAnalysis(R), which detects mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. This test has become the standard of care in identification of individuals with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Nearly one million patients have benefited from Myriad's hereditary cancer testing.

About Myriad Genetics

Myriad Genetics is a leading molecular diagnostic company dedicated to making a difference in patients' lives through the discovery and commercialization of transformative tests to assess a person's risk of developing disease, guide treatment decisions and assess risk of disease progression and recurrence. Myriad's portfolio of molecular diagnostic tests are based on an understanding of the role genes play in human disease and were developed with a commitment to improving an individual's decision making process for monitoring and treating disease. Myriad is focused on strategic directives to introduce new products, including companion diagnostics, as well as expanding internationally. For more information on how Myriad is making a difference, please visit the Company's website: http://www.myriad.com

Excerpt from:

Myriad Genetics Sponsors Cancer Awareness Initiatives in Support of National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week

Obama vs. Romney: Who has the advantage when debating health care? – Video

Posted on by

02-10-2012 21:12 Molly Ball, political correspondent for The Atlantic, and Dave Sirota, contributor and co-host of "The Rundown with Sirota & Brown," join "Viewpoint" host Eliot Spitzer to consider how President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will approach the subject of health care during the first presidential debate in Denver, Colo. Tune in Weeknights at 8e/5p on Current TV

Read this article:

Obama vs. Romney: Who has the advantage when debating health care? - Video

Kenya: Doctors strike over poor health care

Posted on by

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- Doctors in Kenya's public hospitals on Wednesday spent their 17th day on strike to protest the dilapidated state of public health care. Emergency rooms in some of Kenya's public hospitals frequently don't have gloves or medicine, and power outages sometimes force doctors to use the light from their phones to complete a procedure.

Kenya's government fired 1,000 of the 2,000 striking doctors last week despite a shortfall of skilled medical practitioners. The government had promised to implement reforms in health care last year after doctors walked off the job and held protests.

At least two patients have died due to lack of treatment since the strike started, union officials say, but the government claims health facilities are coping well without the striking workers.

Attempts to hold talks this week with officials from the Ministry for Medical Services failed, prompting the doctors to flood social media with tell-all stories about deplorable conditions in public hospitals.

"Tuberculosis patients meant to be isolated yet they are sharing beds in the corridors meant for walking which have been converted to wards," Dr. Stanely Aruyaru said in a Twitter posting.

"It is a pity for someone to survive an accident but die in hospital because there is no blood, no Intensive Care Unit, no cervical collar, no splints and now no doctor," said Dr. Allan Kochi from the Nyeri provincial hospital in the Central Kenya. Dr. Nelly Bosire, the union representative, confirmed that the postings were authentic.

Dr. Fredrick Oluga, told The Associated Press how in mid-August he was called in to help remove the placenta from a woman that was stuck after she had just given birth. Oluga said that that when he arrived there was no electricity at the Vihiga district hospital in western Kenya and the standby generator did not have fuel. And the hospital did not have gynecological gloves for the procedure, he said.

"The patient was bleeding profusely and I had to act quickly so the nurse pointed light from her phone for me to conduct the procedure," Oluga said. He said twice this year he had to use light from a mobile phone and that such incidents are fairly common across the country.

Health care has been in a deplorable state in Kenya for a long time, but the country's poor and many in Kenya think the state of health care is the norm, said Bosire, the Nairobi branch chairwoman of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacist and Dentist Union.

Bosire said middle class and rich Kenyans do not realize the problems in public health facilities until they are forced to seek treatment there when treatment in private hospitals becomes too expensive. Public hospitals charge far less than private hospitals, where politicians and top government officials seek treatment, Bosire said.

Originally posted here:

Kenya: Doctors strike over poor health care

Health Care Not Part of Romney’s $17,000 Tax Plan

Posted on by

By Damian Paletta and Sara Murray

The Romney campaign on Wednesday clarified that a proposal it floated earlier in the week that would put in place a new cap on tax deductions would not affect the pre-tax health care insurance premiums many Americans pay.

On Monday, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said he might pursue an overhaul of the tax code that lowered rates but capped the deductions middle-class Americans took at $17,000. Upper-income earners would have an even lower cap. Roughly 30% of tax filers itemize deductions, and on average they claim $26,000 in deductions.

Mr. Romney gave three examples of deductions that could be subject to the cap.

1) The mortgage-interest deduction

2) Charitable contributions

3) And health care.

He didnt go into more detail on what he meant by health care, but the single largest tax break is the exclusion of employers contributions for health care and health insurance premiums, according to the Congressional Budget Office. (On your paycheck, chances are the amount that is deducted for your health insurance premium isnt part of the portion you are taxed on). The Obama campaign quickly challenged the proposal, saying if the health care portion is included in the cap it would lead to a large tax increase on many people.

The Romney campaign assured Wednesday that the heath care portion wouldnt be subject to the cap. Heres why: the health care portion isnt really a tax deduction. Its a tax exclusion.

Its very clear that our tax code has an exclusion for employer-sponsored health care, one campaign staffer said. Thats separate and apart from tax deductions.

Follow this link:

Health Care Not Part of Romney’s $17,000 Tax Plan