Liberty Twp. fire department advances three to lieutenant

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LIBERTY TWP.

Theres new leadership at the Liberty Twp. Fire Department after three firefighters moved up the ladder to become lieutenants.

Fire Chief Paul Stumpf, along with township trustees and families, pinned on new badges during a promotional ceremony Sept. 4 for firefighter/paramedics Chad Canupp, Cathleen Marksteiner and Matthew Owen, all of Liberty Twp.

Stumpf said there are about 98 members on the fire department roster, and the latest promotions bring the number of lieutenants to nine.

Well have one (lieutenant) on each shift at each station, Stumpf said, a long-time goal of the fire department. So theres no question of leadership. They are responsible for that unit and make sure reports are completed in a timely fashion.

Along with the extra duties, the three new fire lieutenants will receive a 7.5 percent increase to their hourly wage from $22.77 to $24.48 per hour, according to the township.

The promotional process includes a written test, an assessment center evaluation by regional chief officers and an oral interview by a local committee, according to Stumpf.

The lieutenants have a combined 36 years of service to Liberty Twp., and all have been serving in the full-time capacity of firefighter/paramedic since 2005.

Canupp has helped develop the departments SWAT Medic Program, which places tactically-trained medics on calls with the Butler County SWAT Team, according to Liberty Twp. officials.

Canupp is a member of the Butler County Technical Rescue Team, and also responds to large-scale national disasters as part of the Ohio Task Force One Urban Search and Rescue Team.

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Liberty Twp. fire department advances three to lieutenant

Boston-based Liberty Mutual ups charitable giving

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BOSTONInsurer Liberty Mutual Group Inc., already one of the largest supporters of nonprofits and community groups in the Boston area, has announced it will significantly increase its charitable giving in Massachusetts this year.

The only Fortune 100 company based in Boston says it will increase local donations by about 20 percent to $17 million from $14.2 million last year.

Several other companies with a large presence in Massachusetts, including Bank of America and John Hancock Financial Services, said they will keep local charitable giving at about the same levels as 2011.

Melissa MacDonnell, director of Liberty Mutual's philanthropy programs, tells The Boston Globe ( http://b.globe.com/R7q8GG) that the company "cares deeply" about the community.

Liberty Mutual just renewed its sponsorship of the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular with a three-year, $8 million deal.

Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/globe

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

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Synopsys' Open-Source Liberty Format to Incorporate On-Chip Variation Extensions

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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Highlights:

Synopsys, Inc. (SNPS), a world leader in software and IP used in the design, verification and manufacture of electronic components and systems, today announced it intends to incorporate on-chip variation (OCV) extensions in its open-source Liberty library format, the de-facto modeling standard for integrated circuit (IC) implementation and signoff. The new extensions will help standardize usage of the popular stage-based Advanced OCV (AOCV) modeling approach for 40- and 28-nm processes nodes. The final format extensions and ratification as part of the Liberty standard will be completed with the guidance and assistance of the Liberty Technical Advisory Board.

The Liberty library format is the semiconductor industry's most widely adopted library standard used by virtually all EDA implementation, analysis and library characterization tools as the library model exchange for timing, noise, power and test behavior. In May 2006, an industry-wide Liberty Technical Advisory Board was formed to facilitate the evolution of the Liberty library modeling standard. The Liberty Technical Advisory Board functions under the auspices of the IEEE Industry Standards and Technology Organization (IEEE-ISTO). Its 14 member companies represent the broad semiconductor industry including the design community, EDA companies, silicon foundries, and semiconductor intellectual property (IP) companies. A complete list of members can be found at http://opensourceliberty.org/liberty_techadvisory.html. Liberty is available for download to the entire semiconductor design community under standard open-source terms. The latest Liberty syntax specifications and tools can be found at http://www.opensourceliberty.org.

"Standardizing the Liberty format extensions through the Liberty Technical Advisory Board allows the design community and EDA tool suppliers an opportunity to contribute and participate in the standardization process," said Rich Goldman, vice president of corporate marketing and strategic alliances, Synopsys. "In the past 2 years, the Liberty Technical Advisory Board has helped guide the ratification of over 10 new additions to Liberty to improve design for low-power flows."

The standardization of on-chip variation extensions via the Liberty Technical Advisory Board will benefit the semiconductor industry by:

AvailabilityThe Liberty Technical Advisory Board is expected to finalize and ratify the OCV extensions to Liberty in November 2012, making it available to open-source licensees shortly thereafter.

About SynopsysSynopsys, Inc. (SNPS) is a world leader in electronic design automation (EDA), supplying the global electronics market with the software, intellectual property (IP) and services used in semiconductor design, verification and manufacturing. Synopsys' comprehensive, integrated portfolio of implementation, verification, IP, manufacturing and field-programmable gate array (FPGA) solutions helps address the key challenges designers and manufacturers face today, such as power and yield management, system-to-silicon verification and time-to-results. These technology-leading solutions help give Synopsys customers a competitive edge in bringing the best products to market quickly while reducing costs and schedule risk. Synopsys is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and has approximately 70 offices located throughout North America, Europe, Japan, Asia and India. Visit Synopsys online at http://www.synopsys.com/.

Forward Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements regarding the expected incorporation of the OCV extensions into the Liberty library format and the expected finalization and ratification of the OCV extensions by the Liberty Technical Advisory Board. These statements are based on current expectations and beliefs. Actual results could differ materially from those described by these statements due to risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, unforeseen production delays, failure to perform as expected, errors or defects and other risks detailed in Synopsys' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of Synopsys' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2012.

Editorial Contacts:Sheryl Gulizia Synopsys, Inc. 650-584-8635 sgulizia@synopsys.com

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Libertarian ballot fight may span 2 Pa. cities

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A state judge overseeing a Republican-backed challenge to Libertarian Party candidates on Pennsylvania's ballot is making contingency plans to spread out the work among judges in two cities.

Commonwealth Court Senior Judge James Gardner Colins issued an order Wednesday assigning responsibility for a time-consuming, line-by-line review of about 13,000 contested petition signatures gathered from voters in Philadelphia.

Colins ordered that two Commonwealth Court judges in Philadelphia begin the review on Sept. 17. If more time is needed, he ordered that a third judge in Harrisburg be added starting Sept. 25.

Lawyers for both sides agree the Libertarians have accrued about 15,500 valid signatures of the 20,601 they need to keep their presidential nominee, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, and other statewide candidates on the ballot.

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

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Libertarian ballot fight may span 2 Pa. cities

Libertarians' ballot fight moves to Pa. capital

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HARRISBURG, Pa. - The fight over whether the Libertarian Party's presidential ticket remains on the state ballot will move to the capital Wednesday for a final round of signature reviews that will set the stage for a hearing before a Commonwealth Court panel.

Representatives of the Libertarian Party and three Republican Party-backed voters who challenged the petition spent the last two weeks in Philadelphia, reviewing the signatures of about 38,000 city voters that were challenged.

The two sides are to reconvene at the Pennsylvania Judicial Center in Harrisburg to begin reviewing the more than 2,000 signatures from voters who live in other counties.

As of Tuesday, the Libertarian Party had accrued about 15,500 valid signatures of the 20,601 it needs to keep its presidential nominee, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, and other statewide candidates on the ballot, according to lawyers for both sides.

The challengers have succeeded in striking about 17,000 signatures. About 13,000 signatures remain contested.

"It's an arduous and tedious process," Larry Otter, a veteran election lawyer and member of the legal team representing the challengers, said when asked about the time-consuming review.

A three-judge Commonwealth Court panel will hear legal arguments in the case Sept. 12 in Harrisburg and could rule for one side or the other.

Marakay Rogers, a member of the Libertarian legal team and the party's nominee for state attorney general, said she is "cautiously" optimistic that the party will prevail on enough of the contested signatures to overcome the challenge.

Rogers, a York County lawyer, was the party's nominee for governor in 2010 but joined Libertarian candidates for lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate in withdrawing their candidacies amid a petition challenge filed by a group of Republican voters.

The 20,601 signatures that third-party candidates need to qualify for this year's statewide ballot represent 2 percent of the total ballots cast for the highest vote-getter in last year's statewide elections.

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Libertarians' ballot fight moves to Pa. capital

Japan to buy disputed East China Sea islands: media

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TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan has agreed to buy disputed East China Sea islets, claimed by both Tokyo and Beijing, from their private Japanese owners, Japanese media said on Wednesday, a move likely to fuel tensions between Asia's two largest economies. The uninhabited islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, have long been a source of friction. Japan and China have competing ...

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Japan to buy disputed East China Sea islands: media

New York’s Thousand Islands Region’s Best 5 Summer Hiking Spots

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New York's Thousand Islands Region is home to amazing scenery and an abundance of summer hiking trails. If you are planning a vacation there this year, you may want to consider visiting a few of my favorite hiking spots. Here's a quick look at five of them:

Southwick Beach State Park

Southwick Beach State Park is located in Jefferson County. It features slightly over 2 miles of summer hiking trails. In my opinion, the 1.2 mile long Big Oak Trail and the 0.6 mile long Big Dead Maple Trail are ideal for the casual hiker. Trail highlights include a boardwalk that provides excellent views of the dunes, Lakeview Pond and Lakeview Marsh. I should also mention that the dunes are often full of poison ivy. Therefore, I would suggest that hikers remain on the designated trails.

Robert G. Wehle State Park

Robert G. Wehle State Park is located in Jefferson County. It features over 12 miles of hiking trails. I would suggest that summer hikers consider exploring either the 4.90 mile long Snakefoot Trail or the 1.87 mile long Dancing Gypsy Trail. Trail highlights include remnants of WWII military action, multiple picnic locations and incredible views of Lake Ontario.

Wellesley Island State Park

Wellesley Island State Park is located in Jefferson County. It features over 8 miles of summer hiking trails. I'd suggest that hikers consider taking the 1.1 mile long Eel Bay Trail to the Narrows Trail. It connects to several other trails that may be used to make a loop back to the Eel Bay Trailhead. Trail highlights include a butterfly house, berry bushes and great views of the water.

Point Au Roche State Park

Point Au Roche State Park is located in Clinton County. It features over 10 miles of hiking trails. I would suggest that summer hikers consider taking the 2.3 mile long Treadwell Bay Trail or the 4.1 mile long Long Point Trail. The Treadwell Bay Trail has a comfort station. Trail highlights include sweeping views of Lake Champlain, bird watching opportunities, ample shady spots and sandy beaches. Birds to look for include owls and osprey.

Higley Flow State Park

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New York’s Thousand Islands Region’s Best 5 Summer Hiking Spots

Tensions simmering between U.S., China over uninhabited islands’ ownership

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Japans move to buy several nearby uninhabited islands Wednesday was intended to maintain relative peace with China, which also claims ownership of the islands.

But the decision is likely to inflame China-Japan relations further, as disputes between the two countries over the territories have escalated in recent months.

Timeline: Disputes in the South China Sea

Now, the United States has been drawn into the debate, as Chinese Premier Wen Jiabaowarned Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Wednesday that, the United States should respect Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity.

By sovereignty, Wen was referring to territorial disputesthat have become major flash points between China and its neighbors. The United States has been increasingly vocal in supporting a less belligerent, collaborative negotiation process, the Washington Posts William Wan reported.

The U.S. has so far avoided taking an official stance on the islands ownership, although diplomats have been asked to take sides. A Chinese reporter gained fame on Chinese social networks last week after pressing U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on whether the U.S. considers the islands to be Chinese or Japanese.

Reporter Ran Wei from Chinas state Xinhua News Agency began by asking Nuland for the official U.S. name for the uninhabited islands, which are known as the Senkaku islands in Japan and the Diaoyu islands in China:

RW: What is the official name for the Senkaku Islands for the United States? Is it the Diaoyu Islands or the Senkaku Islands? Or both are okay?

VN: Im going to my special little rocks cheat sheet here because, this is getting quite complicated with different things here.

RW: Yes, do you have one?

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Tensions simmering between U.S., China over uninhabited islands’ ownership

Voices of ENCODE [Video]

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ENCODE's lead coordinator, Ewan Birney, and Nature editor Magdalena Skipper talk about the challenges of managing a colossal genetics project and what we've learnt about the human genome.

By Nature magazine

Ewan Birney, ENCODE lead coordinator Image: Nature

Showcasing more than fifty of the most provocative, original, and significant online essays from 2011, The Best Science Writing Online 2012 will change the way...

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ENCODE, the Encyclopaedia of DNA Elements, is the most ambitious human genetics project to date. It takes the 3 billion letters described by the Human Genome Project in 2000, and tries to explain them. Remarkably, ENCODE scientists have managed to assign a biochemical function to 80% of the genome, including the genes and the parts of the genome that tell those genes what to do. This information is helping us understand how genomes are interpreted to make different types of cells and different people - and crucially, how mistakes can lead to disease. In this video, ENCODE's lead coordinator, Ewan Birney, and Nature editor Magdalena Skipper talk about the challenges of managing this colossal project and what we've learnt about our genomes.

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Watch HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Talk President Obama and Health Care – Video

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04-09-2012 20:30 Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius addressed the Democratic National Convention Tuesday night, speaking about health care reform and how President Obama's views differ from Mitt Romney's and Paul Ryan's. "What's missing from the "Romney-Ryan health care plan is Medicare."

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Another LSU System health care leader replaced

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MELINDA DESLATTE Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Another top leader of LSU's health care system is being replaced, as Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration pushes the university-run network of hospitals and clinics to change its approach to providing services amid significant budget cuts.

Roxane Townsend will no longer work as CEO of the LSU Health Care Services Division, which runs seven of the 10 public hospitals overseen by the university system, including the largest facility in New Orleans.

LSU announced the leadership change Wednesday by naming Townsend's replacement, without explanation.

The move comes fewer than two weeks after the LSU System's top health care leader, Fred Cerise, was ousted from his job. Cerise clashed with the Jindal administration about deep budget cuts the administration made to the hospitals that care for Louisiana's poor and uninsured and that train many of the state's medical professionals.

Townsend was a close ally of Cerise, who was replaced Aug. 24 by Frank Opelka.

Townsend wouldn't say whether she was asked to leave or expected to be removed as Opelka assembled his own leadership team. But she said the LSU board, packed with nearly all Jindal appointees, was shifting from the public-hospital model championed by Townsend and Cerise.

"With Dr. Opelka, it's clear that the system is going in a different direction and he needs to have people surrounding him that he trusts and that the board and the governor's office will trust," she said.

Opelka said Townsend chose to leave the LSU HCSD job and that no one spoke with him about removing Townsend. He said Townsend "really wanted to take some personal time away," and he praised her work for the university.

While saying he didn't force Townsend out of the leadership position, Opelka acknowledged that Townsend "had been building something in a certain direction, but the direction is changing."

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Another LSU System health care leader replaced

Vanguard Health-Care Fund Manager Edward Owens to Retire

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By Charles Stein - 2012-09-05T17:18:09Z

Edward P. Owens, whose $22.4 billion Vanguard Health Care Fund (VGHCX) has outperformed every U.S. equity mutual fund since it was created in 1984, will retire at the end of the year.

The fund returned 16 percent a year since May 1984, better than any other stock fund, according to data from Chicago-based Morningstar Inc. (MORN) The Standard & Poors 500 Index gained 11 percent annually over the same stretch.

He has made people a ton of money, Daniel Weiner, editor of the New York-based newsletter Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors, said in a telephone interview. The guy is a legend.

Owens, 65, is a senior vice president and partner at Boston-based Wellington Management Company LP, which manages about $234 billion for Vanguard across 20 funds, the Valley Forge, Pennsylvania-based firm said today in a statement. Jean M. Hynes, a Wellington senior vice president and partner, will take over the fund, Vanguard said. She has worked on the funds team for almost 20 years, and will continue to manage it in a similar style, Hynes said today in a telephone interview.

Eds long-term track record of excellent returns puts him in very select company in the investment management business, Vanguard CEO F. William McNabb said in the statement. Owens is Vanguards longest-serving outside manager.

Owens, in a telephone interview, said he had an advantage over peers because he was a value investor in a growth industry.

During the industrys high-growth years, small disappointments created huge declines in stocks prices, he said. We were frequently able to come in afterwards and buy good companies.

In 1993, Owens bought shares in Immunex Corp., a biotechnology firm, after the failure of one of its drugs caused the stock to plummet. Amgen Inc., (AMGN) a Thousand Oaks, California company, agreed to buy Immunex in 2001 for $16 billion, a deal that gave shareholders in Owens fund an estimated gain of about $1 billion, he said.

A billion dollars is something, Owens said.

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Vanguard Health-Care Fund Manager Edward Owens to Retire

Long-Time Manager of Vanguard Health Care Fund to Retire at Year End

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VALLEY FORGE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Vanguard announced today that Edward P. Owens, CFA, portfolio manager of Vanguard Health Care Fund, plans to retire on December 31, 2012.

Mr. Owens, a senior vice president and partner of Wellington Management Company LLP, has managed the Health Care Fund since its inception in 1984 and is Vanguards longest-tenured external portfolio manager. The fund is the largest fund in the global health/biotech category with $22.4 billion in assets and the second largest sector fund in the mutual fund industry behind the $27.3 billion Vanguard REIT Index Fund (source:Lipper Inc.).

Associate portfolio manager Jean M. Hynes, CFA, will assume managerial responsibility of the fund upon Mr. Owens retirement. Ms. Hynes, senior vice president and partner at Wellington Management, joined the firm in 1991 and has served on the Health Care Fund management team for nearly 20 years. She was named associate portfolio manager in 2008.

Eds long-term track record of excellent returns puts him in very select company in the investment management business. We are indebted to him for his decades of distinguished service to our clients, said Vanguard CEO Bill McNabb. Eds long-time colleague, Jean Hynes, is a well-qualified successor and speaks to the deep and talented team of investment professionals at the Wellington organization.

The performance of the funds Investor Shares is compared with its peer group average, benchmark, and the U.S. stock market in the accompanying table (Source:Vanguard and Lipper Inc.).

Average Annual Total Returns

(As of June 30, 2012)

Vanguard Health Care Fund*

Lipper Global Health/Biotech Funds Avg.

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Long-Time Manager of Vanguard Health Care Fund to Retire at Year End

Health Care Group Serving Some of World’s Poorest in Global Contest for Funds

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Nyaya Health nominated to compete in Chase Community Giving grant contest to bring medical care to remotest region of Nepal.Boston, MA (PRWEB) September 05, 2012 Beginning tomorrow, Sept. 6 and continuing through Sept. 19, Nyaya Health will compete in the annual Chase Community Giving program, an online contest where supporters’ votes could translate into expanded health care for people living ...

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Health Care Group Serving Some of World’s Poorest in Global Contest for Funds

Aetna and NovaHealth Work Together to Reduce Hospitalizations, Lower Costs for Medicare Advantage Members

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HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

As groups throughout the health care system begin to create Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), Aetna (NYSE: AET) today announced results of a collaborative relationship with NovaHealth, the independent physician association founded by InterMed, based in Portland, Maine. The September edition of Health Affairs, which focuses on payment reform in the health care system, features the results.

Since 2008, NovaHealth doctors participating in Aetnas Medicare Provider Collaboration program haveprovided care to approximately750 Aetna Medicare Advantage members. Through the program, Aetna and NovaHealth have achieved two main goals of ACOs: improving quality of care and lowering health care costs. The most recent results from 2011 show that:

We are working more effectively and efficiently with outstanding health care providers like NovaHealth. Now, we have demonstrated that we can help improve the coordination and quality of care and reduce health care costs, said Randall Krakauer, MD, FACP, FACR, Aetnas national Medicare medical director. Aetna believes patient-centered collaboratives are a stepping stone to Accountable Care Organizations, which further align financial incentives with high quality, more efficient care.

Coordinated Care Helps Improve Health Outcomes

Aetnas Provider Collaboration program has also demonstrated positive results with population health management. Through the Provider Collaboration program, NovaHealth has met a number of clinical quality metrics agreed upon by both sides, including:

Aetna provides NovaHealth with reports showing quality and efficiency measures at the individual member and population level.

By aligning our clinical goals and sharing data, we can help improve health outcomes for the patients that we serve, said Thomas Claffey, M.D., the medical director of NovaHealth. Working together, we can help confirm that our patients are receiving the right care at the right time and support them as they try to be as healthy as possible.

Program Improves Member Experience

The role of the Aetna nurse case manager is a major component of the collaborative relationship with NovaHealth. This nurse case manager is embedded with NovaHealth, serving as a single point of contact and working directly with NovaHealths clinical staff to help coordinate care for Aetna Medicare Advantage members.

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Aetna and NovaHealth Work Together to Reduce Hospitalizations, Lower Costs for Medicare Advantage Members

Why does Alzheimer's disease affect twice as many women as men?

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Public release date: 5-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Cathia Falvey cfalvey@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, September 5, 2012A group of experts has developed consensus recommendations for future research directions to determine why nearly two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are women. The recommendations are published in a Roundtable discussion in Journal of Women's Health, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Journal of Women's Health website at http://www.liebertpub.com/jwh.

An estimated 5.4 million Americans are affected by AD and related dementias, and that number will likely rise to 11-16 million people by the year 2050 if no effective cures or preventive measures are developed. The main risk factors for AD are age and sex, with affected women outnumbering men 2 to 1. This may be due at least in part to the fact that women tend to live longer.

An interdisciplinary roundtable of experts convened by the Society for Women's Health Research (Washington, DC) led to a set of recommendations to help guide future AD research and make the evaluation of sex and gender differences a component of future studies. The consensus recommendations encompass seven themes, including the need to assess the link between sex and AD incidence, raise awareness of sex differences among the research community, and to take into account sex-based differences in the experimental design and data analysis of studies on disease risk, early diagnosis, and drug discovery.

"There are still major gaps in our knowledge of the role of sex and gender in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease, and these recommendations will provide a useful guide for future research in this area," says Susan G. Kornstein, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Women's Health, Executive Director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Women's Health, Richmond, VA, and President of the Academy of Women's Health.

###

About the Journal

Journal of Women's Health, published monthly, is a core multidisciplinary journal dedicated to the diseases and conditions that hold greater risk for or are more prevalent among women, as well as diseases that present differently in women. The Journal covers the latest advances and clinical applications of new diagnostic procedures and therapeutic protocols for the prevention and management of women's healthcare issues. Tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Journal of Women's Health website at http://www.liebertpub.com/jwh. Journal of Women's Health is the Official Journal of the Academy of Women's Health.

About the Academy

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Why does Alzheimer's disease affect twice as many women as men?

Can videogaming benefit young people with autism spectrum disorder?

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Public release date: 5-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 x2156 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, September 5, 2012According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 88 children in the U.S. has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a broad group of neurodevelopmental disorders. Children and adolescents with ASD are typically fascinated by screen-based technology such as videogames and these can be used for educational and treatment purposes as described in an insightful Roundtable Discussion published in Games for Health Journal: Research Development, and Clinical Applications, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.. The article is available free on the Games for Health Journal website.

Individuals with ASD have difficulty with communication and social interaction, but they often have particularly good visual perceptual skills and respond well to visual stimuli. Videogames offer opportunities for successful learning, motivation to improve skills such as planning, organization, and self-monitoring, and reinforcement of desired behaviors without the need for direct human-to-human interaction.

Autism is a growing area of interest for the gamification community, and Games for Health Journal continues to explore various aspects of how videogame technology can be beneficial in treating this complex spectrum of disorders. In a previous issue of the Journal, the article "Comparing Energy Expenditure in Adolescents with and without Autism while Playing Nintendo Wii Games" described how gaming might help individuals with ASD increase their daily physical activity to prevent obesity.

"Children and young adults with ASD have unique opportunities to capitalize on their interest and aptitude in videogames as a resource to develop desired social behaviors and life skills and to increase their physical activity," says Games for Health Journal Editor-in-Chief Bill Ferguson, PhD, who moderated the Roundtable.

###

About the Journal

Games for Health Journal (http://www.liebertpub.com/g4h) breaks new ground as the first journal to address this emerging and increasingly important area of health care. The Journal provides a bimonthly forum in print and online for academic and clinical researchers, game designers and developers, health care providers, insurers, and information technology leaders. Articles explore the use of game technology in a variety of clinical applications. These include disease prevention and monitoring, nutrition, weight management, and medication adherence. Gaming can play an important role in the care of patients with diabetes, post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and cognitive, mental, emotional, and behavioral health disorders.

About the Publisher

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Can gene therapy cure fatal diseases in children?

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ScienceDaily (Sep. 5, 2012) That low bone density causes osteoporosis and a risk of fracture is common knowledge. But an excessively high bone density is also harmful. The most serious form of excessively high bone density is a rare, hereditary disease which can lead to the patient's death by the age of only five. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden are now trying to develop gene therapy against this disease.

In order for the body to function, a balance is necessary between the cells that build up the bones in our skeletons and the cells that break them down. In the disease malignant infantile osteopetrosis, MIOP, the cells that break down the bone tissue do not function as they should, resulting in the skeleton not having sufficient cavities for bone-marrow and nerves.

"Optic and auditory nerves are compressed, causing blindness and deafness in these children. Finally the bone marrow ceases to function and, without treatment, the child dies of anemia and infections," explains Carmen Flores Bjurstrm. She has just completed a thesis which presents some of the research at the division for Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy in Lund.

The researchers' work focuses on finding alternatives to the only treatment currently available against MIOP, namely a bone-marrow transplant. This treatment can be effective, but it is both risky and dependent on finding a suitable donor.

Gene therapy requires no donor, as stem cells are taken from the patients themselves. Once the cells' non-functioning gene has been replaced with a healthy copy of itself, the stem cells are put back into the patient.

Great hopes have been placed on gene therapy as a treatment method but the work has proven to be more difficult than expected. The method is used today for certain immunodeficiency diseases, and has also been applied to a blood disorder called thalassemia.

"So far, the method is not risk-free. Since it is impossible to control where the introduced gene ends up, there is a certain risk of it ending up in the wrong place and giving rise to leukemia. This is why gene therapy is only used for serious diseases for which there is no good treatment," says Carmen Flores Bjurstrm.

The Lund researchers have conducted experiments with gene therapy in both patient cells and laboratory animals. The next step is to conduct trials on patients. The trials will probably take place at the hospital in Ulm, Germany, which currently treats the majority of children in Europe suffering from MIOP.

MIOP is a rare disease: in Sweden a child is born with the condition approximately once every three years. Worldwide, the incidence of the disease is one case for every 300 000 births. It is, however, more common in Costa Rica where 3-4 children per 100 000 births have the disease.

"But there are several other genetic mutations that lead to other osteopetrosis diseases. If we manage to treat MIOP, it may become possible to treat these other conditions as well," hopes Carmen Flores Bjurstrm along with her supervisor, Professor Johan Richter.

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Can gene therapy cure fatal diseases in children?