Monthly Archives: January 2013

Australian nanotechnology is revolutionary

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AUSTRALIAN researchers have made a new material that could revolutionise the electronics market with thinner, faster and lighter gadgets.

Others are using nano-inspired technology to detect cancers, deliver drugs into the bloodstream, explore for oil and gas in an environmentally friendly way, enhance security, purify water and make prosthetics.

Who knows what they could do next?

Australian researchers want to remain among the world leaders of innovation and to snare a hefty share of the global nanotechnology product market that's tipped to be worth $3 trillion by 2020.

Nanotechnology has become a priority area for development and funding in many nations, including China.

And the sector appears to offer endless opportunities for different fields to team up to exploit the fact that seemingly stable materials develop weird and wonderful properties in the nano form.

Gold, for example, has scientists excited and not for its more than $US1600 an ounce price tag.

RMIT University's Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) Suresh Bhargava says for centuries gold has been defined as a noble metal, or a stable one that's resistant to corrosion and oxidisation.

"But the same metal, when it comes to nano forms, is full of fantastic properties," Professor Bhargava says.

Nano sizes can be easier to comprehend when people realise a human hair is about 80,000 times bigger than a nano particle, the molecular biologist says.

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Australian nanotechnology is revolutionary

Oakton Community College to Launch First Hands-On Nanotechnology Course in January 2013

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SKOKIE, IL--(Marketwire - Jan 2, 2013) - Oakton Community College will launch its first hands-on nanotechnology course in January 2013. "Fundamentals of Nanotechnology" introduces the world of nanotechnology to students, including topics in nanophysics, nanochemistry, and nanobiology. Students can apply to Oakton and register for the course, which begins on Monday, January 14, at Oakton's Web site, http://www.oakton.edu.

"The Fundamentals of Nanotechnology class will provide students with a foundation of nano-focused knowledge and skill, and will help prepare them for exciting jobs in the fast growing field of nanotechnology," said Bob Sompolski, Ph.D., Dean of Mathematics and Technologies at Oakton. "We are thrilled to be launching this new course for our students and the Oakton community."

"The nanotechnology course at Oakton launches the Nanotechnology Employment, Education, and Economic Development Initiative (NE3I), a collaborative effort with Oakton, the Village of Skokie, the Illinois Science + Technology Park (IS+TP), and the North Suburban Educational Region for Vocational Education (NSERVE) to bring nanotechnology education to Oakton and area high schools," said Michael S. Rosen, Senior Vice President of New Business Development at Forest City Science + Technology Group, which manages the IS+TP. "This represents an important step for the state of Illinois in creating a nanotech workforce."

According to the 2012 Illinois Nanotechnology Report published in the December 2012 issue of IEEE Nanotechnology, "... the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition identified 74 businesses in Illinois that are directly involved in the nanotechnology industry either through their work on the nanoscale or through their use of nanoenabled products." Many of the companies noted within the report are located in the greater-Chicago area, including geography served by Oakton.

Students can register for Fundamentals of Nanotechnology online at Oakton's Web site, http://www.oakton.edu. The class is listed as PHY 140 050 [CRN 12232]. Students can also register in person at either campus Monday - Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Students with a current application on file may register at https://my.oakton.edu. Prerequisites are MAT 070 or placement into MAT 110, one year of high school biology, and one year of high school chemistry. Starting on Monday, January 14, the class will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. On Mondays, students will meet at the Illinois Science + Technology Park (IS+TP), 4901 Searle Parkway in Skokie, for lab work. Lectures will be held on Wednesdays at Oakton's Skokie campus, 7701 North Lincoln Avenue.

Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at dimensions between approximately one and 100 nanometers (nm), where unique phenomena enable novel applications which are not feasible when working with bulk materials. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at the nanoscale. A study funded by the National Science Foundation projects that 6 million nanotechnology workers will be needed worldwide by 2020, with 2 million of those jobs in the United States. However, as of 2008, there were only 400,000 estimated workers worldwide in the field of nanotechnology, with an estimated 150,000 of those in the United States.

About Oakton Community CollegeEstablished in 1969 and accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, Oakton Community College offers more than 80 associate's degree and career certificate programs. At its campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie, the College serves residents and businesses of Illinois Community College District 535, which incorporates Skokie and 16 other suburbs on Chicago's North Shore.

Oakton students choose from more than 2,500 courses, studying everything from accounting, fine arts, and modern languages to nursing, marketing, engineering, computer science, and dozens of other subjects. They can transfer to more than 600 four-year institutions -- or gain the skills they need to find the job of their dreams. Campus resources include two libraries, more than 40 student clubs, athletics, state-of-the-art science and health careers facilities, child care centers, and more.

The College also offers continuing education through its Alliance for Lifelong Learning and Emeritus Program, and a wealth of cultural and educational events open to the general public. Its free Koehnline Museum of Art mounts thought-provoking exhibitions and the Performing Arts Center features a full range of theatrical and musical performances. Nationally- and locally-known speakers, experts, and authors often give free lectures and presentations on campus.

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Oakton Community College to Launch First Hands-On Nanotechnology Course in January 2013

Medicine Chest continues surge up oldtimer standings

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After spending the first half of the season in the oldtimer hockey cellar, Medicine Chest has gone on a recent run, surging past the spiraling Tim Hortons squad 6-4 Sunday at Takhini Arena.

Mike Jim had two goals in the win, while Ron Billingsley had a goal and two assists to lead Medicine Chest to victory.

Gord Peterson and Erik von Flotow each had a goal and a helper in the win, while Blaine Demchuk rounded out the scoring.

Peter Johnston and league scoring leader Blayne Monahan each had a goal and assist to pace Tim Hortons. Lyle Dinn and Dave Bakica rounded out the scoring.

With the win, Medicine Chest now sits fifth with 22 points and a 9-10-4 record. Tim Hortons falls to sixth with 19 points and a 8-11-3 record.

AON Flames 5, Kilrich 3

Shawn Kinsella and Adam Green each scored twice, and Rick Smith had four assists as current cellar-dwelling AON Flames bested third-place Kilrich 5-3.

Gregor Gabb added a goal and assist, while both Marcel Barrault and Mark Pike added two assists.

Scoring for Kilrich were Gary Boyd, Bruce Williams and Mike Knutson. Tim Turner Davis had two assists.

Air North 9, Firth Rangers 4

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Medicine Chest continues surge up oldtimer standings

U.S. HealthWorks Acquires Advanced Occupational Medicine Specialists’ Three Chicago Centers

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CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

U.S. HealthWorks, one of the largest operators of occupational healthcare centers in the United States, today announced it has acquired the three Advanced Occupational Medicine Specialists (AOMS) healthcare centers in the Chicago area.

The centers, the first in Illinois for U.S. HealthWorks, are located in downtown Chicago and two nearby suburbs, Bellwood and Schiller Park. The acquisitions bring the total number of U.S. HealthWorks medical and worksite clinics to 182 nationwide in 17 states.

The downtown Chicago center is located at 614 West Monroe Street. The Bellwood center is at 2615 West Harrison. The Schiller Park center is located at 4200 North Mannheim Road, five miles from Chicagos O'Hare International Airport.

Terms of the transaction, effective January 1, 2013, were not disclosed.

The facilities will continue to offer a wide range of occupational healthcare services, including diagnosis and treatment for injury and illness, preventive services, pre-employment and post-offer exams and screening, and return-to-work rehabilitative care. The centers feature state-of-the-art facilities and also provide sports medicine expertise.

The Bellwood center is open from 7 a.m. until midnight on Monday through Friday. The downtown facility has weekday hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., while the Schiller Park centers weekday hours are 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. All three centers are open Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.

As a provider of occupational medicine in Chicago for many years, we recognize the innovation and resources U.S. HealthWorks will bring to our patients, said Dr. Raj Khanna, medical director of Advanced Occupational Medicine Specialists. U.S. HealthWorks national network of physicians and health centers are a great match for us. Were excited about becoming an integral part of the U.S. HealthWorks team.

Dr. Khanna and his team have tremendous medical experience and have developed a great reputation in Chicago. We welcome these strong additions to the U.S. HealthWorks family, said Gregory Marotta, senior vice president of national operations for U.S. HealthWorks. The Illinois centers build U.S. HealthWorks presence in the Midwest, joining three centers in Indiana and six each in Ohio and Wisconsin.

About U.S. HealthWorks

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U.S. HealthWorks Acquires Advanced Occupational Medicine Specialists’ Three Chicago Centers

Recognition validates pain medicine

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Dr David Jones

''Recognition is the first step in legitimisation. There's still other specialists around who say: `Oh, there's no need for that, we look after pain ourselves'.''

Resources for chronic pain - Dr Jones prefers the term persistent - are limited, doctors lack knowledge, and patients often get wrong or contradictory advice.

Awareness of chronic pain had been emerging on the radar of health administrators as the indirect costs of pain were being recognised.

It was a ''long road'' to acceptance by the Medical Council.

''They put us through a fairly tight hoop. There's not been any mateship, I can tell you.

''However, they have a role to protect the public, so they were especially interested that we had adequate processes to ensure maintenance of professional standards for our fellows, an area in which we can all lift our game.''

He hoped recognition was another step on the way to increasing resources for pain medicine.

A key task was educating doctors, both those in practice and those in training.

Pain medicine was given ''one afternoon'' in fifth-year clinical medicine and, for some, a little bit of on-the-job work with anaesthetists.

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Recognition validates pain medicine

BG Medicine Announces Obtaining CE Mark and Launching of Automated BGM Galectin-3 Test

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WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 2, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BG Medicine, Inc. (BGMD), a company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular diagnostics, announced today that the first automated version of the BGM Galectin-3(R) blood test has obtained a CE Mark, an important step in the company's commercial strategy.

The BGM Galectin-3 test will be distributed through bioMerieux's VIDAS(R) immunoassay platform which includes about 27,000 installed instruments worldwide. bioMerieux is one of four diagnostic instrument manufacturers partnering with BG Medicine to commercialize automated versions of the BGM Galectin-3 test, and the first to obtain a CE Mark. bioMerieux is preparing a phased launch of the test in Europe and in certain other territories that recognize the CE Mark.

"The BGM Galectin-3 test has the potential to play a major role in improving the management of heart failure," said Eric Bouvier, President and Chief Executive Officer of BG Medicine. "The launch of the first automated version of our test is a watershed and exciting moment for our company. Through its broad CE-marked installed base, bioMerieux is in a position to drive the adoption of the test in Europe. Offering an automated version of the galectin-3 assay is critical for us to obtain broad-based and rapid global adoption. Partnering with bioMerieux, as well as Abbott, Alere and Siemens provides BG Medicine tremendous international coverage to drive commercial adoption over the next several years."

The CE Mark for bioMerieux's automated version of the BGM Galectin-3 test is the latest in a series of steps designed to further BG Medicine's three-pillared business model for the test, which is focused on rapid commercial adoption driven by sales through automated partners, specialized labs and the targeting of US hospitals with high readmissions rates. Recent developments in this commercial strategy have included:

"2013 is poised to be a year of great progress in our commercial strategy for the manual and automated versions of the BGM Galectin-3 test and we are pleased to begin the year with this important development in the execution of this strategy," continued Mr. Bouvier.

About Galectin-3 and Heart Failure

Galectin-3 is a unique carbohydrate-binding lectin, or protein, that binds to carbohydrates called beta-galactosides. Galectin-3 has been implicated in a variety of biological processes important in the development and progression of heart failure, and is believed to be a primary mediator of progressive cardiac fibrosis (abnormal thickening and stiffening of the heart muscle) and adverse remodeling (changes in the structure of the heart). Higher levels of galectin-3 are associated with a more aggressive form of heart failure and 30% or more of mild to moderate heart failure patients will have elevated levels of galectin-3. Heart failure affects an estimated 5.8 million Americans, with approximately 670,000 new cases occurring each year. The direct and indirect cost of heart failure in the United States for 2010 is estimated to be $39.2 billion.

About BG Medicine, Inc.

BG Medicine, Inc. (BGMD) is a diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular tests to address significant unmet medical needs, improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. The Company has two products: the BGM Galectin-3(R) test for use in patients with chronic heart failure is available in the United States and Europe; and the CardioSCORE(TM) test for the risk prediction of major cardiovascular events will be launched in Europe in the first half of 2013. For additional information about BG Medicine, heart failure and galectin-3 testing, please visit http://www.bg-medicine.com and http://www.galectin-3.com.

The BG Medicine Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10352

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BG Medicine Announces Obtaining CE Mark and Launching of Automated BGM Galectin-3 Test

Foundation Medicine to Present at the 31st Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

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

Foundation Medicine, Inc., a molecular information company that brings comprehensive cancer genomic analysis to routine clinical care, today announced that Michael J. Pellini, M.D., president and chief executive officer, will present an overview of the company at the 31st Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco on Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 7:30 a.m. PT.

Dr. Pellini will provide an update on the recent commercial launch of Foundation Medicines first clinical product, FoundationOne, a pan-cancer, fully informative genomic profile designed to help oncologists expand their patients treatment options.

About FoundationOneTM

FoundationOne is a fully informative genomic profile that complements traditional cancer decision tools and often expands treatment options by matching each patient with targeted therapies that may be relevant to the molecular changes in their tumor. Using next-generation sequencing, FoundationOne interrogates all genes somatically altered in human cancers that are validated targets for therapy or unambiguous drivers of oncogenesis based on current knowledge. It reveals all classes of genomic alterations including base substitutions, insertions, deletions, copy number alterations and select rearrangements. Each patients genomic profile is reported to the physician matched with targeted therapies and clinical trials that may be relevant based on the molecular blueprint of their tumor. Results are supported by the latest scientific and medical evidence. FoundationOne has been optimized to fit easily into the clinical workflow of a practicing oncologist. It is available for all solid tumors and clinical grade results can be obtained from as little as 50ng of DNA obtained from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissue samples. FoundationOne is a laboratory-developed test performed at Foundation Medicines CLIA-certified facility and is currently available for all solid tumor types. Please visit http://www.foundationone.com for more information.

About Foundation Medicine

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

Foundation Medicine is a registered trademark, and FoundationOneTM is a trademark of Foundation Medicine, Inc.

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Foundation Medicine to Present at the 31st Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

Yale doctors: ‘Bystander effect’ in medicine hinders patient care

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By Chelsea Conaboy, Globe Staff

The patient in intensive care had kidney, liver, and lung failure, plus a rash. Nine specialty groups were called in to consult. During 11 days on the unit, at least 40 doctors were part of the mans care. But none pinned down a diagnosis.

In a perspective piece in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, two Yale doctors involved in the mans care cited the case as an example of the bystander effect in medicine. Just as strangers who witness a crime may do nothing, willing to dismiss the incident as someone elses problem, doctors without ownership in a patients care may not act, write Drs. Robert Stavert and Jason Lott, residents in dermatology at Yale School of Medicine. They write:

The case wasnt unique, they said in an interview. They had seen such an effect before, they said, and friends and colleagues they spoke with said they had experienced similar things at other institutions. Increased specialization among doctors plus new rules limiting how many hours residents can work have led to a greater number of doctors being involved in a single patients care, they said, but there has not been of a response to ensure that doctors know each other and have the skills to work as a team.

Getting everyone together can be challenging if theres not systems in place that can make that happen, Stavert said.

Some medical schools have begun investing time in team-building and communications. Brown Universitys Alpert Medical School last year introduced a transitional program for students between their second and third years, before they begin working on hospital wards.

The students spend time getting to know the culture of certain specialties, including surgery and pediatrics, and go through training on how to communicate with specialists about patient needs and to ensure proper follow-up.

Dr. Paul George, a family physician and a course leader for the clerkship, said its a start, but more such training is needed. He echoed a theme the Yale physicians wrote about: The growth of accountable care organizations, in which doctors are rewarded for collaborating with each other to keep their patients healthy, could help.

Im now getting more notes from specialists than ever before, George said.

Hospital programs aimed at helping doctors get to know one another, such as interdisciplinary grand rounds, also could improve communication, the authors said.

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How Allergies Develop – One Minute Medical School – Video

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How Allergies Develop - One Minute Medical School
Learn the two steps in allergy formation including the role of antigen-presenting cells, T-cells, B-cells, and mast cells. Vocabulary below the fold. Antigen - a protein capable of triggering an immune response (synonyms: allergen, immunogen) Interleukin - a signalling protein secreted in the body which carries a message from one cell to another chemically. The immune system is highly dependent on 17 known types of interleukins, most created and secreted by T-cells.

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How Allergies Develop - One Minute Medical School - Video

IDA approves PILOT at Horton campus for medical school site

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No taxes till 2015

Lawyers for Tony Danza's development group are reviewing the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement approved by the City of Middletown. Danza talks at a conference in 2009 about plans for a medical school at the Horton site.TOM BUSHEY/Times Herald-Record

Published: 2:00 AM - 01/04/13 Last updated: 7:53 AM - 01/04/13

MIDDLETOWN Middletown's Industrial Development Agency has approved a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement for the planned medical college at the former Horton Hospital complex.

The owners would pay no property taxes in 2014. In 2015, they would pay $59,379. The payment would go up by about $60,000 a year, to $831,300 in 2028; after that, it would be taxed at its full assessed value.

Lawyers for the city and for the Danza Leser Group, which owns the property, are reviewing the PILOT agreement now, Mayor Joe DeStefano said. The Danza Group plans to convert the property, which was a hospital from 1929 until it closed in 2011, into an osteopathic medical school that would be run by Touro College and would, when it is done, bring hundreds of medical students to Middletown who would train at area hospitals. There would be other, associated uses there too an assisted living facility, medical offices and dormitory housing for students and faculty. The PILOT only applies to the proposed use, DeStefano said if the college isn't built or the property is used for something else, the PILOT wouldn't apply, and if the property were to be sub-divided, the PILOT would only apply to these medical/educational uses.

The money would be divided between the city, school district, Orange County and the Middletown Thrall Library.

The hospital was tax-exempt, DeStefano said, so this would be the first time the property has paid taxes in many decades. DeStefano said he is more focused on the benefits of the project it is expected to generate hundreds of jobs and will, its backers hope, draw more doctors to an area that doesn't have enough of them.

"It'll change the character of the community, I believe, and health-care delivery for the whole region," he said. "There are so many benefits to it. ... The money was the least of our concerns."

nbrown@th-record.com

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IDA approves PILOT at Horton campus for medical school site

Mass. Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School Ophthalmologist Receives Research to Prevent Blindness Senior Scientific …

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Newswise Boston (Jan. 4, 2013) Reza Dana, M.D., M.P.H., M.Sc. of Mass. Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School, was awarded the Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) Senior Scientific Investigator Award in the amount of $150,000 to support research into the causes, treatment and prevention of blinding diseases.

The RPB Senior Scientific Investigator Award supports nationally recognized scientists conducting eye research at medical institutions in the United States. Since the award was established in 1987, Dr. Dana is one of 184 scientists at 59 institutions to receive this highly sought-after, flexible research grant.

"I am delighted to have received this support from RPB, which will aid us tremendously in our investigations of ocular surface inflammation in eyes deemed at high risk of corneal transplant rejection, said Dr. Dana. With this support, we will be able to examine further how modulating inflammation and angiogenesis can promote transplant survival."

According to Joan W. Miller, M.D., FARVO, Chief and Chair of Ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School (HMS), Dr. Dana leads one of the largest and most advanced corneal and ocular inflammation programs in the world, and his investigations have greatly clarified the cellular and molecular mechanisms of ocular surface biology. This award is a reflection of his extensive expertise and substantial achievements thus far and an investment in future advancements in the field of corneal immunology. We are very grateful to RPB for their continuing support of our departments research endeavors and this very significant award.

In addition to his position as Director of the Cornea and Refractive Surgery Service at Mass. Eye and Ear, Dr. Dana is the HMS Department of Ophthalmology Vice Chair for Academic Programs, the Claes H. Dohlman Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Director of the HMS Cornea Center of Excellence, and the W. Clement Stone Scholar and Senior Scientist at the Schepens Eye Research Institute/Mass. Eye and Ear.

About Mass. Eye and Ear Founded in 1824, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is an independent specialty hospital providing patient care for disorders of the eye, ear, nose, throat, head and neck. Mass. Eye and Ear is an international leader in Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology research and a teaching partner of Harvard Medical School. Under the direction of Mass. Eye and Ears board of directors, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Schepens Eye Research Institute recently formed the worlds largest and most robust private basic and clinical ophthalmology research enterprise. For more information, call 617-523-7900 or visit http://www.masseyeandear.org.

About RPB RPB is the worlds leading voluntary organization supporting eye research. Since it was founded in 1960, RPB has channeled hundreds of millions of dollars to medical institutions for research into the causes, treatment and prevention of binding eye diseases. For information on RPB, RPB-funded research, eye disorders and the RPB Grants Program, go to http://www.rpbusa.org.

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CMU's medical school gets residency accreditation

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Readmore: Local, Health, Business, News, Education, Central Michigan, Central Michigan University, Central Michigan Medical School, Central Michigan Med School, CMU Med School, Med School Residency Accreditation, Medical School, College of Medicine, Central Michigan College of Medicine

MOUNT PLEASANT (AP) -- Central Michigan University says it has received additional accreditation as it prepares to open its medical school in summer 2013.

The university says the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has granted five-year institutional accreditation to the new medical school's residency programs associated with Covenant HealthCare and St. Mary's of Michigan.

Residency is the clinical portion in a medical specialty following graduation from medical school and prepares physicians for the independent practice of medicine.

The College of Medicinesays it got 2,765 applications for its inaugural class by the Dec. 15 deadline. Sixty students will be accepted for the first class.

Last February, Central Michigan announced that it had received preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education to open the school.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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CMU's medical school gets residency accreditation

No. 2 executive at UM medical school stepping down

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Amid roiling faculty anger over drastic budget cuts, the University of Miami announced that the No. 2 executive at the Miller School of Medicine, Jack Lord, is stepping down.

The change, announced by Dean Pascal Goldschmidt, comes as a petition circulates among tenured medical school faculty expressing no confidence in both Goldschmidt and Lord.

In a statement Thursday, Goldschmidt defended his administrations performance: Last year we had many challenging issues to fix, as do many medical schools in the U.S. Thanks to Jack Lords leadership and hard work by everyone at the Miller School, we have met those challenges and turned things around financially.The announcement comes after a tumultuous year in which the medical school suffered a severe financial crisis and its leaders responded with a major overhaul that included the layoffs last spring of over 900 full-time and part-time employees moves that angered many professors.

In a letter to faculty sent on Wednesday, Goldschmidt insisted the problems have been fixed.Goldschmidt credited Lord for helping improve the medical schools finances, which showed a surplus of about $9 million for the first six months of this fiscal year compared to a $24 million loss for the first six months of the previous fiscal year.

Lord, a physician who had been an executive at Humana, became chief operating officer last March, as the restructuring plans started. He will be temporarily replaced by Joe Natoli, UMs chief financial officer. The shakeup continued on Thursday when the medical school also announced that Sheri Keitz, the chief human resources officer during the layoff decisions, was being assigned to other duties.

Many faculty members, who had spent decades at the medical school without seeing mass layoffs, were angry that the cuts were made without consulting them. A report by a faculty senate committee said medical school professors described the layoffs as unprofessional, graceless and heartless.

The report contended that the internal turmoil had prompted some faculty members to consider leaving and that fear is widespread. It also cited instances of employees suffering retribution for criticizing the administration.

UM did not respond to a request for comment about the report on Thursday. Last May, President Donna Shalala, a veteran administrator at several universities, said tradition-bound faculty often complained when tough changes needed to be made.

Associate Professor Sam Terilli, head of the committee that wrote the interim report in late August, said last week that a follow-up report is being prepared, but said it was too soon to offer details of what it would say.

Meanwhile, several sources sent The Herald a copy of a petition being circulated among school faculty members who wish to express, in the strongest possible terms, the concern we feel for the future for our school of medicine. The petition blamed the failed leadership of Pascal Goldschmidt and Jack Lord. ... We want to make clear that the faculty has lost confidence in the ability of these men to lead the school.

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No. 2 executive at UM medical school stepping down

Last Voice For Liberty Network 1-4-13 – Video

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Last Voice For Liberty Network 1-4-13
Fiscal cliff avoided? Or a band-aid on a bullet hole? Audio Copyright 2012 AlbinoRaccoon420 We do not own any music used in this program All images,sound clips, and music are used for educational purposes only FAIR USE NOTICE: This material is made available for the purpose of advancing understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. This constitutes a #39;fair use #39; of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 USC Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who are interested in studying such information for research and educational purposes.

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Last Voice For Liberty Network 1-4-13 - Video

Liberty Media Corporation Announces FCC Approval of Application for De Jure Control of SiriusXM

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Liberty Media Corporation (Nasdaq: LMCA, LMCB) (Liberty) today announced that it has received approval from the Federal Communications Commission for the transfer of de jure control of SiriusXM to Liberty. Liberty expects to complete the transfer of control of SiriusXM within 60 days.

About Liberty Media Corporation

Liberty Media (Nasdaq: LMCA, LMCB) owns interests in a broad range of media, communications and entertainment businesses, including its subsidiaries Atlanta National League Baseball Club, Inc. and TruePosition, Inc., its interests in Starz, LLC, SiriusXM, Live Nation Entertainment and Barnes & Noble, and minority equity investments in Time Warner Inc. and Viacom.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about our intention to acquire control of SiriusXM, and other matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements involve many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including our ability to acquire control of SiriusXM. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Liberty Media expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Liberty Media's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Please refer to the publicly filed documents of Liberty Media, including the most recent Forms 10-Q and 10-K, for additional information about Liberty Media and about the risks and uncertainties related to Liberty Media's business which may affect the statements made in this press release.

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Liberty Media Corporation Announces FCC Approval of Application for De Jure Control of SiriusXM

Liberty Media gets nod from FCC to take control of Sirius XM

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(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission gave Liberty Media Corp the green light to take control of satellite radio company, Sirius XM Radio Inc, Liberty said on Thursday.

The company said it expects to complete the transfer of control within 60 days.

Liberty, which is Sirius' largest shareholder, filed with the FCC in August requesting control.

The company has effectively been acting as Sirius' owner over the past several months, choosing new interim Chief Executive Jim Meyer and initiating a stock buy back program and special dividend.

Liberty wanted control of Sirius because it believed Mel Karmazin, who left as CEO of Sirius in December, did not adapt quickly enough to changing technologies.

Currently Liberty holds a 49.8 percent stake in Sirius.

Liberty acquired its initial share in Sirius in 2009 as part of deal in which it loaned the satellite radio service $530 million.

While it has been increasing its ownership of Sirius, the bulk of its stake is in the preferred shares it acquired in the 2009 transaction.

Liberty plans to convert the preferred shares into common stock, but was waiting for FCC approval before making the move that would push its ownership above 50 percent.

(Reporting By Jennifer Saba in New York; editing by Carol Bishopric)

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Liberty Media gets nod from FCC to take control of Sirius XM