UC researchers in world-first nanotechnology research

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UC researchers using hoki eye protein in world-first nanotechnology research

September 14, 2012

University of Canterbury (UC) scientists have started using cutting edge nanotechnology to turn protein from fish eye lenses into tiny components for use in devices to help doctors detect various illnesses such as cancer.

UC this week received more than $1 million to launch the project which will be breaking new barriers of scientific research.

They will be testing hoki fish eye lens protein nanofibres that are up to 10,000 times smaller than a strand of human hair and not visible to the naked eye. Every year more than 110,000 tonnes of hoki is fished in NZ waters and Christchurchs based Independent Fisheries Ltd company are supplying UC researchers with all the hoki eyes they need.

``They can only be seen using big electron microscopes. Eye lenses contain approximately 90 percent proteins, so it is an easily accessible source to extract proteins for research, project leader and UC scientist Dr Madhu Vasudevamurthy said today.

``By spending hours, days and weeks researching and analysing we have mastered a method of protein nanofibre manufacture using hoki eye lenses, a source unique to New Zealand. Through this research funding we want to produce results that could help in the detection of such illnesses as diabetes and cancer, he said.

For the past two and half years, Dr Vasudevamurthy has been working in collaboration with Professor Juliet Gerrard, a world leading bionanotechnology expert at the UCs state of the art Biomolecular Interaction Centre.

Bionanotechnology - nanotechnology developed using biological molecules - is still a growing area of science. UC has developed bionanotechnology expertise over the last eight years and they are now poised to focus on pioneering research.

``To our knowledge, we are currently the only group in the world with an ability to manufacture protein nanofibres on a large scale which will be hugely helpful in DIAGNOSING illnesses along with many other potential applications.

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PMitchell D. Schnall Named Chair of Penn Medicine Department of Radiology

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PHILADELPHIA Mitchell D. Schnall, MD, PhD, has been named Chair of the Department of Radiology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, Dr. Schnall is the Matthew J. Wilson Professor of Research Radiology and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Radiology.

Schnall completed his medical training as a radiology resident at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was chief resident in 1989.He was appointed as an assistant professor in 1991, an associate professor in 1994, and professor in 2002. For seven years, he was Chief of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and has served as the departments Vice Chair for Research since 1997.

Dr. Schnall is an international leader in translational biomedical imaging research, and his work has led to fundamental changes in imaging approaches for breast and prostate cancer, said J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, dean of the Perelman School of the Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and executive vice president for the Health System. We are confident that his combination of research excellence and constant focus on clinical applications will lead our thriving Department of Radiology to even greater achievements.

His academic background reflects Penns dedication to interdisciplinary education. As a University Scholar, Schnall was able to pursue a customized curriculum integrating physics and medicine culminating in an undergraduate degree in physics, a medical degree and a PhD in biophysics from the University of Pennsylvania.

He currently serves as the Principal Investigator of the American College of Radiology Imaging Network, an NCI funded cooperative group that has made several seminal contributions to cancer imaging including the NLST trial that demonstrated the effectiveness of CT lung cancer screening to reduce lung cancer mortality.He is also a principal investigator for the recently funded Penn Center for Innovation in Personalized Breast Screening, and was also a co-principal investigator of a five-year, $10 million grant to study the progression of breast cancer using state-of-the-art imaging techniques and animal models, with the goal of developing more effective therapies. With that grant, the Perelman School of Medicine was named a Breast Cancer Center of Excellence by the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program.

Schnall also serves on multiple editorial boards and scientific advisory committees including the National Cancer Institutes Clinical Trials and Translational Research Advisory Committee. He is a member of the Radiology Society of North America and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and was elected as a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and the Association of American Physicians.

The Perelman School of Medicine is currently ranked #2 in U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $479.3 million awarded in the 2011 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; and Pennsylvania Hospital the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Penn Medicine also includes additional patient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2011, Penn Medicine provided $854 million to benefit our community.

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PMitchell D. Schnall Named Chair of Penn Medicine Department of Radiology

U of T's Faculty of Medicine Launches Historic Campaign

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TORONTO, Sept. 13, 2012 /CNW/ - Today, the University of Toronto's Faculty of Medicine launched a $500-million fundraising effort aimed at improving health in Canada and around the world.

As a cornerstone of the University's overall $2-billion Boundless campaign, the Faculty of Medicine aims to transform health care by training future health care leaders and putting scientific discovery into action. The campaign's promise centres on the Faculty's unique role as an integrator and catalyst for collaboration - across university disciplines, within the Greater Toronto Area's unparalleled academic health sciences network and globally.

Dean Catharine Whiteside announced the campaign - the largest-ever fundraising initiative for a medical school in Canadian history - at an event in the Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research that drew more than 300 supporters and members of the medical community. To date, the Faculty has already raised $252 million towards its goal.

"The complexity of the health challenges we face today requires solutions that can only emerge through innovation that is collaborative and cross-disciplinary," said Whiteside. "The Faculty of Medicine's integrating role uniquely positions us to spark the discoveries and drive the changes that will transform health globally in the 21st century, with the help of our supporters."

The Faculty of Medicine's academic network is vast. In partnership with nine fully affiliated health institutions and 18 community affiliates, the Faculty's 6,800 academic and clinical faculty members educate more than 8,600 trainees annually, including MD students, graduate and doctoral students, health sciences professionals, residents and fellows. To ensure these trainees have continued access to world-class opportunities, the Faculty will seek to raise $100 million for student programming and financial aid.

"Students in the Faculty of Medicine will become the next generation of health professionals and leaders. They inspire me to be confident in the future of health care in Canada and around the world," said Dr. Terrence Donnelly, a generous supporter of the faculty and chair of recruitment for the campaign.

Research in the Faculty of Medicine boasts a critical mass of expertise in four areas, reflected in the campaign's strategic priorities; human development, global health, neuroscience and brain health, and complex diseases. To provide the Faculty's scientists with leading-edge research technology, the campaign will seek to raise $200 million for research programs and infrastructure.

Recruiting and retaining world-leading faculty is also a top priority for the campaign, which aims to raise $200 million to support faculty. "Our campaign will enable us to continue to attract and retain the best academic talent in the world," said Whiteside.

For more information about the Faculty of Medicine's campaign, please visit: http://www.medicine.utoronto.ca or http://boundless.utoronto.ca/medicine.

SOURCE: University of Toronto

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400 doctors say they support a tax increase for medical school services in Austin

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By Mary Ann Roser

More than 400 Austin-area doctors are backing a Nov. 6 ballot proposition for a big increase in Travis County property taxes to support services for a planned medical school and other programs, a political action committee said Wednesday.

"I think Proposition 1 is about health care for families, and doctors are interested in that," said Lynda Rife, a spokeswoman for the Keep Austin Healthy PAC.

She said her release of the doctors' names was the culmination of a grass-roots effort that took about a week with doctors contacting each other and expressing support for the proposition.

Central Health, which oversees health care services for indigent residents of Travis County, is asking voters to approve a 63 percent increase in property taxes from 7.89 cents per $100 of assessed value to 12.9 cents. The money raised, estimated at $54 million, would pay for health services provided by medical school faculty, residents and students, as well as help pay for a teaching hospital site and other health care programs.

"Our doctors understand how this initiative will help raise funds that will be used to further enhance care, improve the efficiency of care, and provide greater access to care for patients in our community," Dr. Norman Chenven, founder of Austin Regional Clinic, said in a statement.

Michael Rotman, a retired Austin cardiologist, said he fears duplicating services and driving up costs.

Contact Mary Ann Roser at 445-3619

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400 doctors say they support a tax increase for medical school services in Austin

Sennen Resources Ltd.: Liberty Silver's Hostile Bid Expires

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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 13, 2012) - Sennen Resources Ltd. (SN.V) ("Sennen" and/or "the Company") reports that the hostile take-over bid offer (the "Offer") by Liberty Silver Corp. ("Liberty") to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company expired at 9:00 p.m. (EST) on Monday, September 10, 2012.

Pursuant to applicable securities legislation, Liberty is required to promptly issue a press release announcing either:

(i) that all terms and conditions of the Offer have been met or waived, together with the approximate number of shares deposited and the number of shares that will be taken up, or alternatively,

(ii) that it will not take up the deposited shares.

As of 11:00AM EST Thursday, September 13, Liberty has not yet issued such a press release.

Sennen Shareholders are reminded that they can withdraw Sennen shares previously tendered to the Offer:

(a) at any time before their Sennen shares have been taken up by Liberty pursuant to the Offer, or

(b) if their Sennen shares have not been paid for by Liberty within 3 business days after having been taken up by Liberty.

Sennen's Board of Directors recommends that any Sennen Shareholder who has tendered their Sennen shares to the Offer to withdraw those Sennen shares from the Offer. To withdraw Sennen shares previously tendered to the Offer, registered Sennen Shareholders simply need to complete and sign a Notice of Withdrawal, a copy of which has been mailed to each Sennen Shareholder together with the Company's Directors' Circular dated July 30, 2012 (the "Directors' Circular"), both of which are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com. The Sennen Shareholder must then deliver, mail or fax the completed Notice of Withdrawal to Liberty's depositary, Kingsdale Shareholder Services Inc., at the address set forth in the Notice of Withdrawal. Alternatively, Sennen Shareholders who hold Sennen shares through a brokerage firm should contact their broker to withdraw Sennen shares tendered on their behalf and request that their nominee effect the withdrawal. For more information, please see the Directors' Circular and the Notice of Withdrawal or contact our Information Agent, Georgeson Shareholder Communications Canada Inc., per contact information below.

Stated Ian Rozier, President and CEO of Sennen, "With respect to reporting and disclosure, it is quite apparent that Liberty's management show the same contempt for the regulators as they do for Sennen Shareholders, but in the absence of the issuance of a relevant press release by Liberty, I can assure our shareholders that the Liberty Offer was very firmly rejected."

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Sennen Resources Ltd.: Liberty Silver's Hostile Bid Expires

Liberty Media Corporation to Present at Goldman Sachs 21st Annual Communacopia Conference

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

Liberty Media Corporation (Nasdaq: LMCA, LMCB) announced that Greg Maffei, President and CEO of Liberty Media, will be presenting at the Goldman Sachs 21st Annual Communacopia Conference, on September 20th at 9:40 a.m., Eastern Time at the Conrad Hotel in New York City, NY. During his presentation, Mr. Maffei may make observations regarding the company's financial performance and outlook.

The presentation will be broadcast live via the Internet. All interested persons should visit the Liberty Media Corporation website at http://www.libertymedia.com/events to register for the webcast. An archive of the webcast will also be available on this website for 30 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.

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Liberty Media Corporation to Present at Goldman Sachs 21st Annual Communacopia Conference

Liberty Interactive Corporation to Present at Goldman Sachs 21st Annual Communacopia Conference

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

Liberty Interactive Corporation (Nasdaq: LINTA, LINTB, LVNTA, LVNTB) announced that Greg Maffei, President and CEO of Liberty Interactive, will be presenting at the Goldman Sachs 21st Annual Communacopia Conference, on September 20th at 9:40 a.m., Eastern Time at the Conrad Hotel in New York City, NY. During his presentation, Mr. Maffei may make observations regarding the company's financial performance and outlook.

The presentation will be broadcast live via the Internet. All interested persons should visit the Liberty Interactive Corporation website at http://www.libertyinteractive.com/events to register for the webcast. An archive of the webcast will also be available on this website for 30 days.

About Liberty Interactive Corporation

Liberty Interactive Corporation operates and owns interests in a broad range of digital commerce businesses. Those interests are currently attributed to two tracking stock groups: Liberty Interactive Group and Liberty Ventures Group. The Liberty Interactive Group (Nasdaq: LINTA, LINTB) is primarily focused on digital commerce and consists of Liberty Interactive Corporations subsidiaries Backcountry.com, Bodybuilding.com, Celebrate Interactive (including Evite and Liberty Advertising), CommerceHub, MotoSport, Provide Commerce, QVC, Right Start, and Liberty Interactive Corporations interests in HSN and Lockerz. The Liberty Ventures Group (Nasdaq: LVNTA, LVNTB) consists of Liberty Interactive Corporations non-consolidated assets, including interests in AOL, Expedia, Interval Leisure Group, Time Warner, Time Warner Cable, Tree.com (Lending Tree), TripAdvisor and various green energy investments.

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Judges to rule on Libertarian Party's inclusion on November ballot

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Published On:Sep 12 2012 08:00:00 PM EDT Updated On:Sep 13 2012 06:45:54 PM EDT

State judges to rule on Libertarian

Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Court is hearing arguments about the Libertarian Party's spot on the ballot.

Republicans are challenging the validity of some 13,000 petition signatures and the Libertarians are still $2,000 signatures short of qualifying for the ballot.

The Libertarians' presidential nominee is the former Republican Governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson.

The Constitution Party gave up putting nominee Virgil Goode on the Pennsylvania ballot after a GOP challenge.

Green Party candidate Jill Stein hasn't been challenged.

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

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Judges to rule on Libertarian Party's inclusion on November ballot

Libertarian candidate running – literally – in all 100 N.C. counties

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By: Larry Clark | Hickory Daily Record Published: September 13, 2012 Updated: September 13, 2012 - 7:02 AM

Barbara Howe really is running for governor.

The Libertarian candidate is running a solo 5-kilometer race in all 100 North Carolina counties to call attention to her candidacy and the Libertarian political philosophy. Wednesday morning, she ran in Taylorsville. That evening, she put on her running shoes in Newton. The Newton 5K was her 81st since her campaign began.

Howe, from Wingate, knows winning the governors mansion is the longest of shots, but shes determined to keep the message of liberty out there.

Libertarians endorse minimal government. The Republicans and the Democrats have their differences, but they still stand for big government, Howe said. They are variations of the same flavor.

Most of the time, Howe runs alone. Sometimes, somebody shes met will join her. She had company when she ran in Lenoir on Tuesday. But she meets people during her jaunts and chats with local folks afterward.

I always go to a caf or a restaurant in each county. I listen and I talk. But mostly I listen, she said.

Im learning that people in North Carolina are basically the same. They want to work, enjoy their free time and be left alone. That as in be left alone by government on all levels. This country was founded on freedom, responsibility and self-reliance, Howe said. We Libertarians dont want to tell people how to run their lives.

As one that advocates the government that governs least governs best, she has strong opinions on government entitlements and other programs. For example, Howe says everyone who has paid into Social Security should get their benefits as promised.

We should fulfill our obligations, she said emphatically as she prepared for her run through Newton. But we should fix a cutoff date and say no more (beneficiaries) in the Social Security program. Everyone would be responsible for their own retirement funding, however they want to arrange it. They would keep all their money.

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Libertarian candidate running – literally – in all 100 N.C. counties

Falkland Islands census delivers blow to Argentina

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She has repeatedly said that she wants to hold talks with Britain over the sovereignty of the islands, but has never recognised the Falkland Islands local government itself.

The Port Stanley government announced in June that the Falklands would be holding a referendum on its sovereignty early next year in response to Mrs Kirchner taking the Argentine case to the UN.

I dont know if they (Argentina) are deluding themselves or trying to delude others. They seem to refuse to recognise that there are people here who are Falkland Islanders, said Mrs Cheek.

The census showed that the average annual income of Falkland Islanders was 20,000, which is significantly higher than that of the average Argentine adult at 6,000.

It is thought the islands average salary would increase significantly should oil exploration take off.

The islands population has not grown since the last survey was done in 2006, while the population is ageing rapidly, too, with the ranks of people older than 65 increasing by 14 per cent in the last six years.

If the Falklands is to progress we need to increase our population, said Les Harris, a 73-year-old retired power station manager who was born in Chile.

The census showed unemployment at just one per cent, with one-fifth of all workers having multiple jobs. The largest employer by far is the government, at 28 per cent, followed by agriculture and hospitality and tourism, both on 11 per cent.

Offshore oil and gas development could bring sudden wealth to the islands, but the effort currently employs just 26 islanders. Texas-based Noble Energy last month became the first US firm to sign an exploration deal in the disputed territories.

However, immigration had slowed due to one of the worlds most restrictive policies. Newcomers are not allowed to apply for islander status, giving them voting rights among other things, until they have completed seven years of residency. That can be done only by repeatedly renewing temporary labour contracts. Even then, only 40 people can apply each year, and not all are accepted.

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Falkland Islands census delivers blow to Argentina

ATF special agent cleared in Virgin Islands shooting death

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By Jim Barnett, CNN

updated 7:10 PM EDT, Thu September 13, 2012

ATF Special Agent William G. Clark was cleared of charges Thursday.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- A Virgin Islands jury has found a veteran Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agent not guilty of using excessive force when he intervened and fatally shot a man during a domestic argument in 2008.

ATF Special Agent William G. Clark was cleared of charges Thursday in a case that enraged many federal law enforcement officers who said Clark was heroically coming to the defense of a battered woman.

"ATF has been steadfast in its support of Special Agent Clark and wholeheartedly agrees with the jury's verdict," said Thomas Brandon, ATF deputy director, in a written statement.

ATF officials said Clark was confronted by Marcus Sukow on September 7, 2008, and "took immediate action to defend himself and others by discharging his firearm to stop the attack."

The incident occurred outside a St. Thomas condominium where all of the main participants were neighbors.

While the broad outline of the shooting is undisputed, two government investigations came to starkly different conclusions.

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ATF special agent cleared in Virgin Islands shooting death

Parsing the Census Numbers on Income, Poverty and Insurance – Video

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12-09-2012 19:41 Newly released census data paints a mixed picture of America's economy. The poverty rate remained stagnant. Wage gains have fallen below the level of inflation. And income inequality is at its highest in decades. Margaret Warner talks to New York Times' David Leonhardt to parse the numbers on income, poverty, and health care.

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A Mission to Modernize Mental Health Care

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A staggering 68 million Americas have a mental illness, but only about four million get adequate care. A California startup called Breakthrough is using the Internet to address the problem.

The mental health care field is facing a huge problem right now. A staggering 68 million American adults and children are facing a mental illness, but far fewer get adequate care, according to statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health.

Whether it's the stigma associated with having a mental illness, the high cost of care, or the challenge of finding a provider, many people simply do not get help. But a California startup called Breakthrough is on a mission to leverage the power of the Internet to help people get the treatment they need to recover. The site lets users find a mental health provider, and talk confidentially online through a secure video chat platform, all from the comfort of home.

"We want to help people connect with a therapist or psychiatrist from anywhere, at any time to help them find the best mental health provider for them," says Breakthrough founder and CEO Mark Goldenson.

Launched in 2009, Breakthrough quickly gained the support of psychiatrists, with 25 providers currently in network and another 1,200 on a waiting list. While the company doesn't share patient numbers, there is evidence that the approach is resonating with people. Breakthrough says the average patient has five sessions, and 55 percent of patients have repeat sessions.

With patients and providers on-board, the company over the past year has been working hard to get buy-in from insurance companies. After signing two major players covering a total of two million Californians, Breakthrough is now looking to expand to other states.

We talked with Goldenson to find out how the site got started, the benefits of video therapy, and what's next for the company.

PCMag: How did you come up with the idea for Breakthrough?

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A Mission to Modernize Mental Health Care

Value

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For a race that encapsulates Texas' raging health care debates, look no further thanSenate District 10in Fort Worth --the matchup between incumbent DemocratWendy Davisand her challenger, Republican state Rep.Mark Shelton.

Shelton, a pediatric infectious disease specialist atCook Children's Hospital, wants to repeal federal health reform ("this is about government-run health care versus patient-centered health care"), prevent aMedicaidexpansion ("it affects access to care") and keepPlanned Parenthoodfar away from state-subsidized women's health care.

"Everyone is for women's health," Shelton said. Planned Parenthood "is about taxpayer funding of abortions and late-term abortions. Wendy is for taxpayer-funded abortions, and I am not."

Davis wants to restore legislative funding that has been cut from women's health ("women of Texas have lost access to health care"), give more low-income patients access to Medicaid ("the community wants us to leave politics at the door") and protect Planned Parenthood as a major provider of cancer screenings and preventive care in Texas.

"They're being held hostage for political purposes," she said of Planned Parenthood, calling Shelton an "ideologue." "We know and he knows that those funds are prohibited from use for abortions."

The two are engaged in a fierce battle for the swing seat, one of the most-watched and most fought-over on the November general election ballot. If Shelton wins, he gets Texas Republicans within one vote of the two-thirds majority they need to render Democrats virtually obsolete in the upper chamber. Democrats, who see Davis as a rising star in the party, want to hold fast to that 12th Senate seat; they've got a better chance since the courts tossed out a Republican-drawn redistricting map that would've changed the district's boundaries.

The candidates have a lot to fight over; health care is just one area where their messages diverge. But their race has drawn a lot of attention from the state's medical and social services groups, who see the matchup as a referendum on many of Texas' biggest health care issues and have weighed in with competing endorsements.

TheTexas Academy of Family Physicians, which generally works hard to add doctors to the ranks of the Legislature, endorsed Davis over Shelton. Tom Banning, the group's executive director, said his organization followed the "friendly incumbent" rule -- endorsing an incumbent whose votes closely aligned with his organization.

"Wendy's record on the issues we care about, that our patients care about, is unassailable," Banning said. "When it came to managed care reform, graduate medical education, scope of practice, even tort reform, she had a perfect voting record."

Banning said that if Shelton were running for re-election in the House, the group would have endorsed him --but that to go against Davis would have sent a bad message to incumbents whom family doctors have asked to make hard votes in the past.

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Castlight Health Bolsters Health Care Management Suite With Minnesota Community Measurement Quality Data

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SAN FRANCISCO & MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Castlight Health, the leading provider of health care transparency solutions for employers and payers, and Minnesota (MN) Community Measurement announced that Castlight has incorporated MN Community Measurement quality performance metrics into its health care management suite. With MN Community Measurements rich dataset of provider quality information, Castlight users can make more informed decisions based on personalized information to drive higher-quality, better-value care.

Our goal is to improve health outcomes by imparting greater transparency in the health care system, said Jim Chase, president of MN Community Measurement. In partnering with Castlight, we are able to get our powerful quality and service data into the hands of more individuals empowering them to take control of their health care.

MN Community Measurement works with medical groups, clinics, physicians, hospitals, health plans, employers, consumer representatives and quality improvement organizations to report health care quality measures. MNCM developed MNHealthScores, a comprehensive site for quality and patient experience of care metrics on clinics, hospitals and medical groups. The information is based on nationally endorsed standards, to support preventative care and treatment of chronic conditions for consumers in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Carlson, a global hospitality and travel company with headquarters in Minneapolis, recently selected Castlights health care management suite to help its employees take control of their health care spending and wellness. Shawn Leavitt, vice president of global compensation and benefits, said that Castlight combines accurate cost and trusted quality information to help our employees improve their wellness, lowering costs both for themselves and Carlson. We believe the addition of MN Community Measurement quality data will make the Castlight suite even more valuable for our Minnesota-area employees, as well as the company.

Consumers are under pressure to manage the rising cost of health care, but have lacked the tools and data they need to manage their care and costs, said Cathie Markow, senior director clinical quality, Castlight Health. Our collaboration with MN Community Measurement is a prime example of how we are partnering with organizations across the health care industry to deliver transparency and change into a traditionally closed-off market.

About MN Community Measurement

MN Community Measurement, (MNCM) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of health care in Minnesota by working with physicians, hospitals, health plans, employers, state government and consumers to collect, validate and publicly report performance data.

Through MNCM, the Minnesota health care community has pioneered collaborative health care quality reporting since 2004: building 76 measures that are widely accepted by payers and providers; establishing a process that allows efficient collection of data from hospitals, medical groups and health plans; and reporting results on more than 672 sites of care. MNCM measures have received national endorsement from the National Quality Forum, and Medicare now uses its measures nationwide for its value-based purchasing initiatives. See http://www.mnhealthscores.org for more.

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In Lung Cancer, Smokers Have 10 Times More Genetic Damage Than Never-Smokers

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Newswise Lung cancer patients with a history of smoking have 10 times more genetic mutations in their tumors than those with the disease who have never smoked, according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

None of us were surprised that the genomes of smokers had more mutations than the genomes of never-smokers with lung cancer, says senior author Richard K. Wilson, PhD, director of The Genome Institute at Washington University. But it was surprising to see 10-fold more mutations. It does reinforce the old message dont smoke.

The study appears online Sept. 13 in Cell.

Overall, the analysis identified about 3,700 mutations across all 17 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the most common type. Twelve patients had a history of smoking and five did not. In each patient who never smoked, the researchers found at least one mutated gene that can be targeted with drugs currently on the market for other diseases or available through clinical trials. Across all patients, they identified 54 mutated genes already associated with existing drugs.

Whether these drugs will actually work in patients with these DNA alterations still needs to be studied, says first author Ramaswamy Govindan, MD, an oncologist who treats patients at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University. But papers like this open up the landscape to understand whats happening. Now we need to drill deeper and do studies to understand how these mutations cause and promote cancer, and how they can be targeted for therapy.

Lung cancer is divided into two types small cell and non-small cell, the latter accounting for about 85 percent of all cases. Within non-small cell lung cancer are three further classifications. This current analysis included two of them. Sixteen patients had adenocarcinoma and one had large-cell carcinoma.

Govindan and Wilson also were involved in a larger genomic study of 178 patients with the third type, squamous cell carcinoma, recently reported in Nature. That study was part of The Cancer Genome Atlas project, a national effort to describe the genetics of common cancers.

Over the next year or so, we will have studied nearly 1,000 genomes of patients with lung cancer, as part of The Cancer Genome Atlas, says Govindan, who serves as a national co-chair of the lung cancer group. So we are moving in the right direction toward future clinical trials that will focus on the specific molecular biology of the patients cancer.

Indeed, based on the emerging body of genetic research demonstrating common mutations across disparate cancer types, Wilson speculates that the field may reach a point where doctors can label and treat a tumor based on the genes that are mutated rather than the affected organ. Instead of lung cancer, for example, they might call it EGFR cancer, after the mutated gene driving tumor growth. Mutations in EGFR have been found in multiple cancers, including lung, colon and breast.

This labeling is relevant, Wilson says, because today targeted therapies are approved based on the diseased organ or tissue. Herceptin, for example, is essentially a breast cancer drug. But he has seen lung cancer patients with mutations in the same gene that Herceptin targets.

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In Lung Cancer, Smokers Have 10 Times More Genetic Damage Than Never-Smokers