NASA's Curiosity rover has transmitted its first color photo and a low-resolution video showing the last 2 1/2 minutes of its white-knuckle dive through the Martian atmosphere, giving earthlings a sneak peek of a spacecraft landing on another world.
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NASA's Curiosity rover has beamed back its first color photo from the ancient crater where it landed on Mars and a video showing the last 2 1/2 minutes of its white-knuckle dive through the Martian atmosphere, a sneak peek of a spacecraft landing on another world.
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Biotechnology, nanotechnology and other high-tech industries could reverse decades of manufacturing job losses in New England but only if the region increases workforce development and attracts more startup businesses, members of Congress from Rhode Island and Connecticut said Tuesday.
U.S. Reps. David Cicilline and Jim Langevin from Rhode Island and Joe Courtney and John Larson from Connecticut attended a forum on manufacturing Tuesday at the Rhode Island School of Design.
"This has to be a key part of our economic development strategy for rebuilding our economies," said Cicilline, a Democrat.
Emerging fields such as nanotechnology and three-dimensional printing offer the region an opportunity to create thousands of well-paid, highly skilled manufacturing jobs, according to Michael Molnar, chief manufacturing officer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. But Molnar said universities, governments and business leaders need to do a better job of working together to ensure ideas dreamed up here aren't turned into reality in a foreign factory.
"A paper is written and it goes on a shelf," he said. "Let's take it and make new industries."
Speakers said onerous regulations and uncompetitive tax policies hurt the region's attractiveness to manufacturers as much as labor costs. Langevin, a Democrat, said the region must also get better at educating and training future workers. "We need to make sure our schools and training centers understand where the jobs will be," he said.
Defense manufacturing must also play a role in the region's economic future, Larson said. He highlighted legislation that has passed the House that would fund the continued production of two Virginia-class submarines per year. Electric Boat makes the submarines in New Groton, Conn., and Quonset Point, R.I., and employs 10,000 people at the two facilities.
"Our second submarine is vital ly important to Connecticut, Rhode Island and the security of our nation," said the Democrat.
The forum was sponsored by the New England Council and attracted several dozen small business owners and officials from economic development agencies and higher education.
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Rhode Island, Connecticut leaders: manufacturing key to growth
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Biotechnology, nanotechnology and other high-tech industries could reverse decades of manufacturing job losses in New England but only if the region increases workforce development and attracts more startup businesses, members of Congress from Rhode Island and Connecticut said Tuesday.
U.S. Reps. David Cicilline and Jim Langevin from Rhode Island and Joe Courtney and John Larson from Connecticut attended a forum on manufacturing Tuesday at the Rhode Island School of Design.
"This has to be a key part of our economic development strategy for rebuilding our economies," said Cicilline, a Democrat.
Emerging fields such as nanotechnology and three-dimensional printing offer the region an opportunity to create thousands of well-paid, highly skilled manufacturing jobs, according to Michael Molnar, chief manufacturing officer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. But Molnar said universities, governments and business leaders need to do a better job of working together to ensure ideas dreamed up here aren't turned into reality in a foreign factory.
"A paper is written and it goes on a shelf," he said. "Let's take it and make new industries."
Speakers said onerous regulations and uncompetitive tax policies hurt the region's attractiveness to manufacturers as much as labor costs. Langevin, a Democrat, said the region must also get better at educating and training future workers. "We need to make sure our schools and training centers understand where the jobs will be," he said.
Defense manufacturing must also play a role in the region's economic future, Larson said. He highlighted legislation that has passed the House that would fund the continued production of two Virginia-class submarines per year. Electric Boat makes the submarines in New Groton, Conn., and Quonset Point, R.I., and employs 10,000 people at the two facilities.
"Our second submarine is vitally important to Connecticut, Rhode Island and the security of our nation," said the Democrat.
The forum was sponsored by the New England Council and attracted several dozen small business owners and officials from economic development agencies and higher education.
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Public release date: 7-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Lorinda Klein lorindaann.klein@nyumc.org 212-404-3533 NYU Langone Medical Center / New York University School of Medicine
New York (August 7, 2012) A new clinical trial designed to study how worm eggs may relieve symptoms of ulcerative colitis (UC) will begin enrolling patients at NYU School of Medicine's Clinical and Translational Science Institute. This unusual therapy has been used in previous clinical trials on patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, but the mechanism of action is unclear.
"The goal of this study is to understand the mechanisms that may explain why worm eggs can improve the symptoms of UC." says the study's Principal Investigator, P'ng Loke, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology. "Understanding these mechanisms may lead to new treatment strategies and also help identify people that are most likely to respond to treatment with worm eggs."
UC is a chronic disease that is characterized by open sores or ulcers in the lining of the colon. According to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, the disease is estimated to affect 700,000 Americans. Symptoms include abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. While the cause is unknown, studies suggest that a defective response against commensal (normal microflora) gut bacteria could be responsible.
Colitis is common in North America and Northern Europe, where helminth (parasitic worm) infections are rare. Conversely, the disease is rare in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where helminth infections are endemic, leading researchers to hypothesize that the worms offer protection against this inflammatory bowel disease. In animal models of autoimmunity these worms have suppressed inflammation, and clinical trials indicate that helminth therapy can be beneficial in relieving symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases.
In 2005, Dr. Joel Weinstock and colleagues at the University of Iowa published a series of human studies showing that eggs from the pig whipworm Trichuris suis (TSO) had positive effects in both Crohn's disease as well as ulcerative colitis patients, which are two different types of inflammatory bowel diseases. Several large studies on TSO are underway for a number of different immune disorders.
In 2010, Dr. Loke and his colleagues reported a detailed study of a man with UC who ingested Trichuris trichiura eggs to relieve his own symptoms. Based on the samples that were analyzed from this man, the researchers hypothesized that the immune response activated to expel the parasites through increased cell turnover in the intestinal lining and increased mucus production may have improved his symptoms. They followed up these observations with a study on monkeys that showed that this response also changed the type of bacteria and reduced the amount of bacteria attached to the intestinal lining.
"We think that by altering the lining of the intestine, the worms may change the quantity and type of bacteria that are attached to the intestinal wall." says Dr. Loke. "We are now ready to test this idea in a human clinical trial."
###
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NYU School of Medicine announces new clinical trial for ulcerative colitis
NEW YORK, Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:
The Japanese market for orthopedic soft tissue repair and sports medicine exceeded
$1 billion in 2011.
The orthopedic soft tissue repair and sports medicine market includes shoulder repair(rotator cuff and shoulder labrum repair), knee repair (anterior and posterior cruciateligament fixation products and meniscal repair devices) and hyaluronic acidviscosupplementation. None of these segments were affected by the financial crisis in 2011;instead, the market was more hindered by the Great East Japan Earthquake and appreciationof the Japanese yen. Nonetheless, there was a spike in growth in 2011 due to the introductionof a three-injection cycle hyaluronic acid viscosupplementation product in late 2010
This report includes information about:
Japanese Shoulder Repair MarketJapanese Knee Repair MarketJapanese Hyaluronic Acid Viscosupplementation Market
This report provides a comprehensive and detailed analysis of market revenues by device type, market forecasts through 2018, unit sales, average selling prices, market drivers and limiters and a detailed competitive analysis, including manufacturer market shares and product portfolios.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . 11.1 JAPANESE MARKET FOR ORTHOPEDIC SOFT TISSUE REPAIR & SPORTS MEDICINE..... 11.2 SHOULDER REPAIR PROCEDURES .... 21.3 ACL/PCL FIXATION DEVICE MARKET ... 31.4MENISCAL REPAIR MARKET ..... 41.5 HYALURONIC ACID VISCOSUPPLEMENTATION MARKET ... 51.6 COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS ... 6RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ..... 72.1 RESEARCH SCOPE 72.2 IDATA'S 9-STEP METHODOLOGY .... 7Step 1: Project Initiation & Team Selection ..... 8Step 2: Prepare Data Systems and Perform Secondary Research ..... 10Step 3: Preparation for Interviews & Questionnaire Design ..... 11Step 4: Performing Primary Research ..... 12Step 5: Research Analysis: Establishing Baseline Estimates ..... 14Step 6: Market Forecast and Analysis ..... 15Step 7: Identify Strategic Opportunities .. 17Step 8: Final Review and Market Release ...... 18Step 9: Customer Feedback and Market Monitoring .... 19JAPANESE SOFT TISSUE REPAIR & SPORTS MEDICINE MARKETOVERVIEW . 203.1 INTRODUCTION .. 203.1.1 Shoulder Soft Tissue Repair ..... 203.1.2 Knee Soft Tissue Repair .... 213.1.3 Hyaluronic Acid Viscosupplementation . 213.2 CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE . 223.3MARKET OVERVIEW . 233.4 TREND ANALYSIS ..... 283.5MARKET DRIVERS AND LIMITERS . 313.5.1 Market Drivers .... 313.5.2 Market Limiters ... 333.6 COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS . 343.6.1 Leading Competitors .. 343.7MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS 41JAPANESE SHOULDER REPAIR MARKET . 424.1 INTRODUCTION .. 424.1.1 Rotator Cuff Repair ... 424.1.2 Shoulder Labrum Repair .. 444.2 PROCEDURES ...... 454.3MARKET OVERVIEW . 464.4MARKET ANALYSIS & FORECAST . 514.5MARKET DRIVERS AND LIMITERS . 604.5.1 Market Drivers .... 604.5.2 Market Limiters ... 604.6 COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS . 62JAPANESE KNEE REPAIR MARKET ..... 665.1 INTRODUCTION .. 665.1.1 ACL/PCL Repair . 665.1.2 Meniscal Repair .. 675.2 PROCEDURES ...... 685.3MARKET OVERVIEW . 695.4MARKET ANALYSIS & FORECAST . 745.4.1 ACL/PCL Repair Market .. 745.4.1.1 Tibial Fixation Market by Segment .....795.4.1.2 Femoral Fixation Market ......885.4.2 Meniscal Repair Market by Segment ..... 975.5MARKET DRIVERS AND LIMITERS ...... 1065.5.1 Market Drivers .. 1065.5.2 Market Limiters . 1075.6 COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS ...... 108JAPANESE HYALURONIC ACID VISCOSUPPLEMENTATION MARKET . 1146.1 INTRODUCTION 1146.1.1.1 Single-Injection Products ....1156.1.1.2 Three-Injection Cycle Products ..1156.1.1.3 Five-Injection Cycle Products ....1156.2MARKET ANALYSIS & FORECAST ...... 1166.3MARKET DRIVERS AND LIMITERS ...... 1236.3.1 Market Drivers .. 1236.3.2 Market Limiters . 1246.4 COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS ...... 125ABBREVIATIONS ... 128
MoreMarket Research Report
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Japanese Market for Orthopedic Soft Tissue Repair & Sports Medicine
LAS VEGAS, Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --First Liberty Power Corp. (FLPC) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has launched a new communication program with the goal of ensuring much more effective and timely sharing of information with our shareholders.
First Liberty Power is entering into an exciting period of expansion and growth. The Company has been working diligently and remains focused on its commitment to keep shareholders up to date with corporate events. It is with great pride that we announces the installation of a new communications department which will open up the lines of communication and ensure the timely distribution of Company news while responding effectively to shareholder inquiries.
The Company's Investor Relations direct number is (800) 709-1196, and the direct email contact point is IR@firstlibertypower.com. To achieve an enhanced dialogue, the Company will unveil its new corporate website later this month, which will be supported with various social media platforms. You will be able to find a great deal of updated and current content on this new site, including company reports and industry news, along with the day-to-day insight and communication with other valued shareholders.
CEO Don Nicholson reinforced the importance of this department by stating that since becoming a part of the Company, he has placed great importance in having an open and transparent organization. Mr. Nicholson further stated, "As our Company expands, it is vitally important to increase the level of communication with our current valued shareholders and future investors. Improved communications and transparency are one of the main focal points for the Board of Directors and me. This will ensure that news is delivered efficiently and that there is an open dialogue with shareholders. We hold this as a core company value and pledge to effectively execute our plan as we enter into this high growth phase at First Liberty."
About UsFirst Liberty Power Corp. is a Nevada based mineral exploration company with a primary focus on lithium exploration and development in the United States. The Company is positioned to capitalize on the anticipated increase in demand for lithium carbonate that is projected to result from the acceleration of the adoption and use of clean renewable energy products that utilize lithium-ion batteries.
ContactFirst Liberty Power Corp. http://www.firstlibertypower.com ir@firstlibertypower.com Investor Relations Telephone: (800) 709-1196
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsThis current report contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future, including but not limited to, the final outcome Lida Valley and Smokey Valley exploration / work programs, the specific nature and extent of the next phase of our exploration program, our ability to raise the necessary capital to complete our exploration program, and any mineralization, exploration and development of our mineral properties, specifically in regards to Lithium.
Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with mineral exploration and difficulties associated with obtaining financing on acceptable terms. We are not in control of metals prices and these could vary to make development uneconomic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our most recent annual report for our last fiscal year, our quarterly reports, and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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First Liberty Power Corp. Announces Implementation of New Communication Program
PHOENIX, Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Liberty Gold Corp. (OTCBB: LBGO; "Liberty Gold" and/or "the Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has staked 19 additional Alaska State mineral claims to increase the size of its McCord Creek Property to 33 claims (4,620 acres). The Company has also approved proceeding with an approximate US$190,000 exploration program in 2012 for its McCord Creek Property gold project in central Alaska's Tolovana Mining District. The 2012 agreed program includes additional power auger assisted soil sampling, rock sampling, possible trenching and geophysics, with the objective of defining drill targets for the 2013 field season. Crews have now been mobilized and have commenced the sampling program. Endurance Gold Corporation (EGC) is managing the 2012 exploration program and Liberty Gold is funding the 2012 activities on the McCord property. The Company has an option to earn 60% joint venture interest in the McCord Creek Property.
In 2011, a program of grid-based, power auger assisted soil sampling and rock sampling was completed on the McCord Creek Property, which is located in the eastern extension of the Livengood gold district. The 2011 work program resulted in the discovery of 5 gold-in-soil anomalous zones with the maximum soil value exceeding 100 parts per billion ('ppb') gold. The two largest soil anomalies, exceeding 10 ppb gold, are 850 by 250 metres and 650 by 200 metres in size respectively. All of the soil anomalies lie within the same sedimentary and volcanic package of rocks that host International Tower Hill's (ITH) Money Knob deposit located on ITH's Livengood Property, which immediately adjoins the western side of Liberty Gold's McCord Creek Property. The Money Knob deposit on ITH's Livengood Property represents a resource estimate of 16.5 Moz Measured & Indicated at 0.22 grams per tonne cut-off (see ITH website for complete disclosure), making it one of the largest gold deposits discovered in 20 years.
The recently added claims and the existing anomalous zones on Liberty Gold's McCord Creek Property warrant additional exploration to pursue a deposit of similar nature to the Money Knob deposit. Reporting and assessment filings will be completed in the fall of 2012.
Lynn Harrison, Liberty Gold's President and CEO, commented: "Our 2012 exploration program for the McCord Creek Property will expand on the knowledge already gained through the 2011 soil sampling program and expand on those targets. Once program results are compiled in the fall, we anticipate identifying optimal targets that can be drilled in 2013. As well, the significantly expanded property further expands our presence and potential in the target area."
In order to earn a 60% joint venture interest, Liberty Gold must complete US$600,000 in exploration expenditures and make US$85,000 in cash payments over three years. Endurance Gold Corporation ("Endurance") is the current property owner and will operate the 2012 program on behalf of the Company. As part of the agreement, Liberty Gold has agreed to incur a minimum of US$150,000 in exploration expenditures in 2012 and has advanced sufficient funds to Endurance to undertake the 2012 field program.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To learn more about the McCord Creek Gold Property, and to read more about the Company and its latest news, visit Liberty Gold's website at http://www.libertygoldcorp.com.
ABOUT LIBERTY GOLD CORP.
Liberty Gold Corp. is a publicly traded (LBGO) gold and precious metals exploration company focused on emerging as an industry leader while effectively growing America's reserves of gold. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Liberty Gold is committed to the responsible exploration and production of the nation's rich precious metals resources. The Company's stable of major gold projects is well established, and thanks to an active approach to property acquisitions, Liberty Gold's portfolio of significant assets continues to grow. For more information on the Company and its activities, visit Liberty Gold's website at http://www.libertygoldcorp.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
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BEVERLY A Beverly man will challenge Democrat U.S. Rep. John Tierney and Republican candidate Richard Tisei for the Sixth Congressional seat this fall after he received enough signatures to appear on the ballot as a Libertarian.
Daniel Fishman is a Beverly native and first-time candidate, according to his website, Fishman For Congress. He announced his candidacy for the Sixth Congressional District in an email Monday night.
The district, which stretches from Lynn, Saugus and Nahant north to Amesbury and west to Billerica, is one of the most closely contested races in Massachusetts this fall, with polls showing Tierney and Tisei mostly even.
View a map of the Sixth Congressional District, and read Wednesday's Daily Item for more about how this news will affect the race.
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Gary Johnson, triathlete, business owner, self-professed handyman and two-term governor of New Mexico doesn't mince words when talking about his candidacy for U.S. president.
"Gut it," the Libertarian Party candidate told Citydesk. "Gut the whole federal tax code."
Johnson insists that eliminating every conceivable federal tax would be the biggest job-creating engine the nation would ever see.
"We need to immediately strip down to a consumption tax," said Johnson, pointing a tall latte at a BODO coffee shop Monday night.
"For instance, take that cup of coffee. Whatever you paid for it, well that price is bundled with all kinds of taxes on the ingredients and services that made up the price tag," said Johnson. "So, eliminate all those taxes and that instantly brings down the price of practically everything. Then you let the people who are consuming pay for the goods they buy. And all of this would be budget neutral."
Simply put, that means wholesale cuts to federal services, departments and agencies. And yes, that includes the biggest, such as the Pentagon.
"You bet, I would cut the Pentagon's budget by 40 percent in my first year of office," said Johnson.
But when pressed, he hedged on veterans' benefits.
"No, I wouldn't cut veterans benefits. That's a promise that we made that we have to keep," said Johnson.
The candidate, who abandoned his Republican Party roots to seek and secure the Libertarian nomination, begins most weekdays at 6 a.m., usually flying to a city to spread his message. Johnson spent Monday evening courting votes and donations in downtown Boise. But he was back on a plane at the Boise airport this morning at 6.
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Libertarian Presidential Hopeful Gary Johnson: Gut Federal Taxes
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) -- The Cayman Islands is scrapping a plan to impose a direct income tax on thousands of expatriates working in the British Caribbean territory that is famed as a no-tax financial center.
Premier McKeeva Bush issued a terse statement late Monday saying that his proposed tax was "off the table and will not be implemented." He did not say what alternative revenues will replace it, however.
The islands' leader said only that his administration was "satisfied that many of the commitments from the private sector" will meet his demands for revenue that would not hurt the poorest citizens of the islands.
Zero direct taxation, friendly regulations and the global money they lured has transformed the tiny island territory into the world's sixth largest financial center, with $1.6 trillion officially booked international assets.
Bush announced in July that he planned to impose a direct tax on expatriates to bail the territory out of a financial hole and to meet British government demands that the territory diversify its sources of revenue beyond the work permit fees, duties and other fees it now relies on.
He later said the income threshold would be $36,000, which would affect about 5,870 expatriates.
The abrupt proposal outraged many on the islands, who said the tax would be discriminatory and could destroy the islands' economic anchor.
On Tuesday, many expatriates were still left guessing about what the new revenue measures would include.
"The only reaction is confusion as the uncertainty continues. At least, he has removed this one tax that would have been our death sentence," said Grand Cayman real estate broker Kim Lund.
He said several real estate sales fell through after Bush announced the tax plan and some wealthy expatriates said they planned to leave Grand Cayman, where accountants, lawyers and other skilled professionals work in coastal offices looking out on clear, blue seas.
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CEBU, Philippines - Islands Souvenirs, a subsidiary of the Islands Group of Companies, supports Quota International of Metro Cebu (QIMC) in its drive to promote equality and understanding of children with disability.
QIMC partnered with Islands Souvenirs to stage the Olympics for Special Children carrying the theme, Continuing to Move Beyond the Challenge as part of the Disability Month celebration held at the San Nicholas Multi-Purpose Hall on July 28.
QIMC President Cheryl Arnan-Ligutom said of the cause: We continue to aim towards the objective that the children will develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and experience joy and sharing. We are likewise hoping that this event will promote a better understanding of the children with disability in an environment of equality, respect and acceptance in the community.
She added that, partnering with Islands Souvenirs is significant because of its catchy statement on I heart. Clearly expresses our feelings Quota International of Metro Cebu hearts SPED kids.
This is the 3rd SPED Olympicsaimed at harnessing love for life through sports despite physical limitations. QIMC and Islands Souvenirs believe in the importance of accepting SPED children and disadvantaged women in our society, understanding their limitations and supporting their needs.
The Olympics was participated in by six SPED public schools in Cebu City namelyZapatera, Barrio Luz, San Nicholas, Labangon, Bulacao and Don Vicente Rama SPED Center. (FREEMAN)
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PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 7, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Independence Blue Cross (IBC) announces the launch of six new health care plans specifically designed to help lower overall health care costs for employers with two to 99 employees. The enhanced products are available now for coverage effective October 1, and offer employers at no added cost wellness value-added programs, such as Healthy LifestylesSM Rewards and Blue Bucks, which reward employees for participating in wellness activities to improve their health.
The six new plans -- three for Blue Solutions(R) and three for Blue Solutions(R) Plus -- feature deductible levels ranging from $1,500 to $4,500 and are designed to be offered in coordination with Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs). HRAs allow an employer to set aside funds to reimburse medical expenses paid by participating employees, and they provide the employer with flexible, affordable ways to offer quality health coverage. This type of health plan helps to drive down employers' overall health care costs and allows employers to share premium savings with employees.
"For nearly 75 years, Independence Blue Cross has been a trusted leader in the region, continually developing innovative health and wellness solutions, and exceeding the expectations of our customers," said Daniel J. Hilferty, IBC president and CEO. "Now, by offering the only small group health plans in our market that feature wellness solutions, we are demonstrating our commitment to the health and well-being of our customers -- no matter how many employees they have. It's just one more way that we're changing the game to benefit our customers."
Added Brett Mayfield, IBC vice president of sales: "These strategic additions to our existing Blue Solutions and Blue Solutions Plus portfolios add three key elements to better serve our customers: we fill a void in the small- to mid-size group product marketplace; we reward our members who improve their health; and we do both without adding any additional costs to employers. By pairing our Blue Solutions high deductible plans with Healthy Lifestyles Rewards, we also provide employers with an incentive program that engages their employees in health and wellness activities."
The new health plans are already generating interest among area brokers who serve small to mid-sized employers.
"There is no other small group product in our market offering the wellness benefits that Independence Blue Cross has built into its product portfolio," said Ed Chorzelewski, president at Brown & Brown Consulting. "The enhancements to the Blue Solutions product line are appealing because they offer employers the best of both worlds. The HRA component allows them to incent healthy behavior in employees with Healthy LifestylesSM Rewards points. And the employees themselves are being provided with the tools they need to make healthy choices, which ultimately leads to a healthier workforce. The bonus is that the product comes from IBC -- a known and respected company."
Healthy LifestylesSM Rewards
For the first time, the Healthy LifestylesSM Rewards value-added program will be available to all IBC small group customer accounts. This innovative, incentive-based, online wellness program must be paired with an HRA, Health Savings Account (HSA), or any high-deductible health plan, and is offered with no administrative fees to the employer or the employee. Through Healthy LifestylesSM Rewards, employees engage in a variety of wellness activities to earn HealthPoints, including:
HealthPoints ultimately equate to dollars that employers deposit into an HRA or HSA spending account to offset employee deductibles. Every month, employers receive a monthly earnings report that lets them know how many HealthPoints their employees earned.
Spending Blue Bucks on Worksite Wellness
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New Market-Leading Health Plans From Independence Blue Cross Offer More for Your Money
Focus on latest medication management and dispensing technologies highlights importance of patient safety and cost reduction to Asia Pacific health care providers
ROLLE, Switzerland, Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- CareFusion, a leading global medical technology company, will kick off a global exhibition tour as it focuses on expanding its patient safety technologies to health care providers in the Asia Pacific region.
"Just like in nearly every corner of the globe, hospitals across the Asia Pacific region are looking for innovative products and services that measurably help improve the safety and quality of care, with a keen focus on reducing the cost of care," said Prasanna Parthasarathy, vice president of Medical Systems International at CareFusion. "These critical needs align with CareFusion's mission, and we are committed to serving and growing our presence in the Asia Pacific region."
Beginning at HIMSS AsiaPac 2012, being held 17-19 September in the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore, CareFusion will showcase products that help improve patient safety and clinician workflow through enhanced medication management, safe infusion technology and supply dispensing automation in booth 505.
During HIMSS AsiaPac 2012, a multi-national CareFusion team from the USA, Germany, Hong Kong and Singapore will present medication management systems, carry out product demonstrations and take visitors on individual information tours of the products on display. CareFusion technologies and products in the conference and exhibition venue include:
-- Pyxis MedStation(TM) ES system( http://www.carefusion.com/medical
-products/medication-management/medication-technologies/pyxis-med
station-es-system ) -- enterprise wide automation of the medication
management process
-- Rowa Vmax( http://www.rowa.de/Rowa-Vmax.862.0.html?&L=1 )(R) -- the
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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican governors who've balked at creating new private insurance markets under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul may end up getting stuck with the very thing they're trying to avoid.
Unless Mitt Romney wins in November, states that haven't set up the required markets could find Washington calling the shots on some insurance issues the states traditionally manage, from handling consumer complaints to regulating plans that will serve many citizens.
It could turn into a political debacle for those who dug in to fight what they decry as "Obamacare."
"You're kind of rolling the dice if you think (Obama's health care law) will go away," said Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, a Republican. If Romney can't make good on his vow to repeal the overhaul, "you are just giving up a lot of authority."
The law envisioned that states would run the new markets, called exchanges, with federal control as a fallback only. But the fallback now looks as if it will become the standard option in about half the states -- at least initially.
It would happen through something called the federal exchange, humming along largely under the radar on a tight development schedule overseen by the Health and Human Services Department in Washington.
Exchanges are new online markets in which individual consumers and small businesses will shop for health insurance among competing private plans. The Supreme Court's health care decision left both
The exchanges are supposed to demystify the process of buying health insurance, allowing consumers to make apples-to-apples comparisons. Consumers will also be able to find out if they're eligible for new federal subsidies to help pay premiums, or if they qualify for expanded Medicaid.
It's all supposed to work in real time, or close to it, like online travel services. Open enrollment would start a little over a year from now, on Oct. 1, 2013, with coverage kicking in the following Jan. 1.
Eventually more than 25 million people are expected to get coverage through exchanges, including many who were previously uninsured. As exchanges get more customers, competition among insurance plans could help keep costs in check.
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Perhaps youve had a mammogram recently, or taken a child for an immunization or consulted with a specialist about a weight problem. Since late 2010, those visits to health care providers have carried an additional benefit: Theyre free. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law 28 months ago and upheld in June by the Supreme Court, its illegal for insurers to charge consumers a co-payment for a long list of health care services designed to prevent disease.
In fact, while they have been largely overshadowed by the furor over the requirement that everyone carry health insurance, there are many provisions in the law designed to encourage wellness, fitness and prevention. Its an effort to improve health and reduce the ever-escalating cost of health care.
(ANNA PARINI/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST)
Some measures have been in effect for nearly two years and escaped cancellation when the Supreme Court preserved the law. Others are on the way. Just last week, the controversial regulations on free contraceptives and other preventive care for women took effect.
A large portion of health-care costs are attributable to preventable disease. Federal statistics show, for example, that more than one-third of American adults are obese a condition that carries all manner of health risks, such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. The health-care law tilts heavily toward preventive services and developing new prevention policies.
When you remove cost barriers, people are much more likely to use services and thats been demonstrated for many, many years, said Karen Pollitz, a senior fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation who specializes in health-care reform and private insurance.
The benefits kick in when your health insurance plan changes or is updated. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 54 million people have received free services under the law that previously would have cost them at least a co-payment.
Workplace benefits
Most people will receive the greatest tangible impact of the new law where they work. That only makes sense. Its where most of us get our health insurance, and employers increasingly have been turning to wellness programs to cut costs anyway.
A 2010 study by Harvard University researchers, published in the journal Health Affairs, concluded that medical costs fall by about $3.27 for every dollar spent on wellness programs and that absenteeism costs fall by about $2.73 for every dollar spent. It remains difficult, however, to pinpoint which wellness programs produce the greatest bang for employers buck.
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Obama’s health-care law: The fitness and wellness provisions you may have missed
Public release date: 7-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jennifer Quigley jquigley@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
New Rochelle, NY, August 7, 2012The body's natural reaction to reject replacement proteins represents a major obstacle to the successful use of gene therapy to cure a range of life-threatening diseases. A novel method that uses the body's own immune cells to induce tolerance to a specific protein was shown to suppress the rejection response, as described in an article in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (http://www.liebertpub.com). The article is available free online at the Human Gene Therapy (http://www.liebertpub.com/hum) website.
"A major limitation of protein and gene therapeutics is the associated immune responses which can cause toxicity and diminish efficacy," says James M. Wilson, MD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief, and Director of the Gene Therapy Program, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia. "This clever use of immune modulators may prevent these untoward immune responses from happening."
Exposing a type of immune cell called dendritic cells to a specific therapeutic protein in the presence of immune-stimulating chemicals called cytokines leads to the creation of tolerogenic dendritic cells. These cells, when introduced into mice that are then given gene therapy designed to deliver the therapeutic protein of interest, allow the mice to tolerate, and not reject, the therapeutic protein.
Current approaches to induce partial or full tolerance to proteins replaced via gene therapy are expensive and are unsuccessful in as many as 40% of cases. The method described in this article by Gautam Sule and colleagues from Baylor College of Medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Houston, TX, offers advantages to support the long-term success of gene therapies. The authors report their findings in "Cytokine-Conditioned Dendritic Cells Induce Humoral Tolerance to Protein Therapy in Mice."
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(http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/hum.2011.225)
About the Journal
Human Gene Therapy (http://www.liebertpub.com/hum), the Official Journal of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, British Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, French Society of Cell and Gene Therapy, German Society of Gene Therapy, and five other gene therapy societies is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly in print and online that presents reports on the transfer and expression of genes in mammals, including humans. Related topics include improvements in vector development, delivery systems, and animal models, particularly in the areas of cancer, heart disease, viral disease, genetic disease, and neurological disease, as well as ethical, legal, and regulatory issues related to the gene transfer in humans. Tables of contents and a free sample issue may be viewed online at the Human Gene Therapy (http://www.liebertpub.com/hum) website.
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Method to prevent rejection of disease-fighting proteins described in Human Gene Therapy journal
Public release date: 7-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: John Sterling jsterling@genengnews.com 914-740-2196 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
New Rochelle, NY, August 6, 2012Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (http://www.genengnews.com) (GEN) has launched a unique microsite called Biotech Boulevard (http://www.genengnews.com/biotechblvr). Biotech Boulevard features entrepreneurial biotechnology firms that are already making their mark on the global bioindustry. Many of these promising young companies are engaged in the discovery of novel therapeutics; others are developing new tools and technologies to support biotech activities ranging from early-stage R&D to biomanufacturing.
Each Biotech Boulevard listing includes a company name, website, logo, and short description of the company's field of focus. "Biotech Boulevard allows our website visitors to discover, invest, and collaborate," said John Sterling, Editor-in-Chief, GEN. "Company listings will be updated regularly."
"Biotech Boulevard is another GEN innovation that enables business growth in biotech," added Mary Ann Liebert, GEN publisher and president and CEO of Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. "And we are the best at that."
If you would like your company to be considered for possible inclusion in Biotech Boulevard, please email your company name and website to jsterling@genengnews.com
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Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (http://www.genengnews.com), which is published 21 times a year by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (http://www.liebertpub.com), is the most widely read biotechnology news magazine worldwide. It includes articles on Drug Discovery, Bioprocessing, OMICS, Biobusiness, and Translational Medicine.
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News unveils 'Biotech Boulevard'
* Animal experiments show gene therapy can boost performance
* Gene doping likely to be dangerous and risky in humans
* Tests can't detect it, so status of gene doping unclear
LONDON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - There have been "marathon mice",
"Schwarzenegger mice" and dogs whose wasted muscles were
repaired with injected substances that switch off key genes. It
may not be long before we get the first genetically modified
athlete.
Some fear the use of gene therapy to improve athleticism is
already a reality. But since sports authorities' drug testing
Link:
FEATURE-Testers fear reality of genetically modified Olympians
Viet Nams government must halt its ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, Amnesty International said today after mass arrests during a peaceful protest in the capital Ha Noi.
On 5 August, authorities in the capital arrested and detained around 30 people who were peacefully protesting against Chinas territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea, known in Viet Nam as the East Sea.
Anti-corruption activist Le Hien Duc, 81, was among those rounded up, along with students and bloggers. They were held at local police stations and a so-called rehabilitation centre. All of those detained have now been released.
This is the latest blow to freedom of expression in Viet Nam, with the authorities using short term arrests as a way of intimidating those who seek to protest peacefully, said Rupert Abbott, Amnesty Internationals Researcher on Viet Nam.
The ongoing crackdown has put bloggers, writers, lawyers, labour activists, members of religious groups, farmers, business people and democracy activists behind bars, he said.
Detention of prominent bloggers
The mass arrests in Ha Noi followed news that there has been a further postponement in the trial of three well-known bloggers accused of anti-state propaganda.
The three bloggers are Nguyen Van Hai, known as Dieu Cay (the peasants pipe); former policewoman Ta Phong Tan, whose blog is called Justice and Truth; and Phan Thanh Hai, known as AnhBaSG. They are all founding members of the Free Vietnamese Journalists Club and used their blogs to promote human rights.
They are accused of conducting anti-state propaganda under Article 88 of Viet Nams Criminal Code, and face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
The three bloggers are prisoners of conscience, detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression through their online writings, said Abbott.
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