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Bombardier Aerospace’s Responsible Supply Chain Management – Video

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

25-07-2012 22:11 To achieve a high standard of corporate social responsibility, we strive to develop and sustain strong supplier relationships based on trust, transparency and open communication. That's why we work with suppliers that commit to our rigorous Supplier Code of Conduct. It's also why we go beyond the provisions of this code to actively engage our suppliers on a daily basis in responsible supply chain management. 'Supply Chain' is one of the pillars of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) approach -- you can check out the six pillars on our CSR dedicated website: http://www.csr.bombardier.com. About Bombardier Bombardier is the world's only manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation. Bombardier is headquartered in Montréal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, we posted revenues of 8.3 billion USD. News and information are available at or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

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Bombardier Aerospace's Responsible Supply Chain Management - Video

HC rejects ND Tiwari's plea to keep DNA results secret – NewsX – Video

Posted on July 27, 2012 by ev1

27-07-2012 03:27 The Delhi High Court has rejected ND Tiwari's plea to keep his DNA report confidential. The results of the DNA test will be announced at 2:30 pm today. The former Governor of Andhra Pradesh and veteran Congress leader was taken to court by a 32-year-old man, Rohit Shekhar, who claims that Mr Tiwari is his biological father. Mr Tiwari says he is not. The DNA test was ordered by the court to settle the matter. Yesterday, Mr Tiwari, who is 87 years old, moved both the High Court and the Supreme Court seeking to keep his DNA test report confidential till the conclusion of hearing in the paternity suit against him. He was appealing against a July 20 High Court order which said the DNA test results would be made public today. For more log on to

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HC rejects ND Tiwari's plea to keep DNA results secret - NewsX - Video

Sex with early mystery species of humans seen in DNA

Posted on July 27, 2012 by ev1

The human family tree just got another mysterious branch, an African "sister species" to the heavy-browed Neanderthals that once roamed Europe.

While no fossilized bones have been found from these enigmatic people, they did leave a calling card in present-day Africans: snippets of foreign DNA.

There's only one way that genetic material could have made it into modern human populations.

"Geneticists like euphemisms, but we're talking about sex," said Joshua Akey of the University of Washington, whose lab identified the foreign DNA in three groups of modern Africans.

These genetic leftovers do not resemble DNA from any modern humans. The foreign DNA also does not resemble Neanderthal DNA, which shows up in the DNA of some modern Europeans, Akey said. That means the newly identified DNA came from an unknown group.

"We're calling this a Neanderthal sibling species in Africa," Akey said. He added that the interbreeding likely occurred 20,000 to 50,000 years ago, long after some modern humans had walked out of Africa to colonize Asia and Europe, and about the same time Neanderthals were waning in Europe.

Akey said that present-day Europeans show no evidence of the foreign DNA, meaning the mystery people were likely confined to Africa.

The find offers more evidence that for thousands of years, modern-looking humans shared the Earth with evolutionary cousins that later died out. And whenever the groups met, they did what came naturally: They bred.

The once controversial idea that humans mated with other species is now widely accepted among scientists. In fact, hominid hanky-panky seems to have occurred wherever humans met others who looked kind of like them.

In 2010, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany announced finding Neanderthal DNA in the genomes of modern Europeans.

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Sex with early mystery species of humans seen in DNA

DNA and fossils tell differing tales of human origins

Posted on July 27, 2012 by ev1

After decades of digging, paleoanthropologists say modern humans arose in Africa some 200,000 years ago and all archaic species of humans then disappeared, surviving only outside Africa, as did the Neanderthals in Europe.

Geneticists studying DNA now say that, to the contrary, a previously unknown archaic species of human, a cousin of the Neanderthals, may have lingered in Africa until perhaps 25,000 years ago, coexisting with the modern humans and on occasion interbreeding with them.

The geneticists reached this conclusion, reported on Thursday, July 26, in the journal Cell, after decoding the entire genome of three isolated hunter-gatherer peoples in Africa, hoping to cast light on the origins of modern human evolution.

But the finding is regarded skeptically by some paleoanthropologists because of the absence in the fossil record of anything that would support the geneticists' statistical calculations.

The geneticists, led by Joseph Lachance and Sarah Tishkoff of the University of Pennsylvania, decoded the entire genomes of five men each from two Tanzanian tribes and the forest-dwelling pygmies of Cameroon. The genomes of the pygmies and the Tanzanians contained many short stretches of DNA with highly unusual sequences. Through mutation, the genomes of species that once had a common ancestor grow increasingly unlike one another.

Tishkoff's team interprets these divergent DNA sequences as genetic remnants of an interbreeding with an archaic species of

Richard Klein, a paleoanthropologist at Stanford University, said the new claim of archaic and modern human interbreeding "is a further example of the tendency for geneticists to ignore fossil and archaeological evidence, perhaps because they think it can always be molded to fit the genetics after the fact."

Tishkoff said she agreed on the need for caution in making statistical inferences, and that there are other events besides interbreeding that can make a single DNA sequence look ancient. "But when you see it at a genomewide level, it's harder to explain away," she said.

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DNA and fossils tell differing tales of human origins

DNA links humans, mystery species

Posted on July 27, 2012 by ev1

by Brian Vastag - Jul. 26, 2012 11:06 PM Washington Post

The human family tree just got another -- mysterious -- branch, an African "sister species" to the heavy-browed Neanderthals who once roamed Europe.

While no fossilized bones have been found from these enigmatic people, they did leave a calling card in present-day Africans: snippets of foreign DNA.

There's only way one that genetic material could have made it into modern human populations.

"Geneticists like euphemisms, but we're talking about sex," said Joshua Akey of the University of Washington in Seattle, whose lab identified the foreign DNA in three groups of modern Africans.

These genetic leftovers do not resemble DNA from any modern-day humans. The foreign DNA also does not resemble Neanderthal DNA, which shows up in the DNA of some modern-day Europeans, Akey said. That means the newly identified DNA came from an unknown group.

"We're calling this a Neanderthal sibling species in Africa," Akey said. He added that the interbreeding likely occurred 20,000 to 50,000 years ago, long after some modern humans had walked out of Africa to colonize Asia and Europe, and around the same time Neanderthals were waning in Europe.

Akey said that present-day Europeans show no evidence of the foreign DNA, meaning the mystery people were likely confined to Africa.

The find offers more evidence that for thousands of years, modern-looking humans shared the Earth with evolutionary cousins who later died out. And when the groups met, they did what came naturally -- they bred.

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DNA links humans, mystery species

Eric Dane's McSteamy To Exit Grey's Anatomy

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes has revealed that Eric Dane's McSteamy a.k.a. plastic surgeon Dr. Mark Sloan is checking out of the show.

Leaving

"We're a big family here at Grey's with a long history together and Eric will always remain part of our family," she said in a statement. "I wish him the best and I look forward to watching him as he continues to steam up the big and small screen."

Indeed, it was Eric's decision to leave the show after six years to pursue other opportunities.

How will McSteamy exit the show after making such a memorable entrance (um, he came out of the shower with just a strategically placed towel!)? Shonda did not spill the beans on the details but an insider dished that Eric will return for several episodes of the upcoming Season Nine to get a proper send-off.

For those keeping count, Eric is the latest to leave the show in the wake of the Season Eight cliffhanger finale. Chyler Leigh, who plays Dr. Lexie Grey and Kim Raver, who portrays Dr. Teddy Altman, will also not be returning to the show. The rest of the cast however are coming back for two more years.

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Eric Dane's McSteamy To Exit Grey's Anatomy

Eric Dane quits Grey's Anatomy

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

Actor Eric Dane has quit hit US medical drama Grey's Anatomy.

The star, who portrayed Dr Mark 'McSteamy' Sloan in creator Shonda Rhimes' show since 2006, has decided it's time to hang up his scrubs.

"I am extremely grateful to everyone at Grey's, (US network) ABC and Shondaland for the experience and memories I have had over the course of this run. It has been wonderful to work alongside and learn from a creative force such as Shonda Rhimes," he told TVLine.com.

Rhimes has branded Sloan "one of the most beloved characters on Grey's Anatomy" and adds, "(Dane) did not come to this decision lightly, but after much consideration and conversations, he and I have decided that this is the right time for his storyline to end.

"We're a big family here at Grey's with a long history together and Eric will always remain an important part of our family. I wish him the best and I look forward to watching him as he continues to steam up the big and small screen."

The ninth season of the show, which will be Dane's last, is set to debut in the US in September.

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Eric Dane quits Grey's Anatomy

Shocker! Eric Dane leaving 'Grey's Anatomy'

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

Grey's Anatomy fans will have to say goodbye to McSteamy! The infamous Mark Sloan, played by actor Eric Dane, is reportedly leaving the hit ABC series, much to the dismay of female fans everywhere.

We last saw Sloan in a hospital bed close to death at the end of season 8 and, although creator Shonda Rhimes hints that this isn't the last we are going to see of the dreamy doc, a statement from Dane himself proves otherwise.

"I am extremely grateful to everyone at Grey's , ABC and Shondaland for the experience and memories I have had over the course of this run. It has been wonderful to work alongside and learn from a creative force such as Shonda Rhimes," Dane says in a statement to TV Line.

At the end of season 8, Dane's character was clinging to life after a horrible plane crash that killed his love, Lexie (Chyler Leigh). E! Online spoke with Rhimes after the finale, who said, "They're still out there in the forest, and we don't know if they are going to be OK," she teased. "We left it open for a reason becauseI hate to say this, but just because you saw people alive at the end of the finale doesn't mean they're going to be alive when the season starts up. We are completely jumping off into the unknown next season."

Rhimes also claims that Dane's decision to leave the show was a tough one. As "one of the most beloved characters on the show," Dane had many conversations with Rhimes before they finally decided that it was time for McSteamy's story line to end.

The ninth season of Grey's Anatomy begins Sept. 27 on ABC. We can only imagine what will happen this season!

INFDaily

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Shocker! Eric Dane leaving 'Grey's Anatomy'

Next Space Station Crew to Try 'Fishy' Science

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

When the next Russian-built Soyuz capsule launches to the International Space Station in October, it will deliver three new crewmembers to the orbiting outpost. But the trio of spaceflyers will be sharing their ride with some special cargo: 32 small fish for a science experiment at the space lab.

NASA astronaut Kevin Ford and Russian cosmonauts Evgeny Tarelkin and Oleg Novitskiy are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station on Oct. 15 from the Baikonour Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Their Soyuz TMA-06M capsule will also be carrying 32 medaka fish a type of fish native to Southeast Asia to the orbiting complex.

"They'll be on our Soyuz with us 32 fish, plus the three of us," Ford told reporters in a news briefing Thursday (July 26).

The medakas will become part of an experiment carried out on the station to investigate the effects of microgravity on fish. The astronauts aboard the outpost will monitor changes in the fish as they live in orbit. [7 Everyday Things that Happen Strangely In Space]

"When we come onboard, one of the first items will be to get these fish transferred and into their habitat and get the experiment underway," Ford explained.

The fish will stay in a special aquatic habitat that is being delivered to the space station by a robotic Japanese cargo freighter. The Japanese unmanned H-2 Transfer Vehicle-3, or HTV-3, launched into orbit on July 20, and will arrive at the space station tomorrow (July 27).

Scientists are particularly interested in how the skeletal systems of fish change in the near weightless environment aboard the space station, said Julie Robinson, an International Space Station program scientist.

It has long been known that exposure to microgravity for extended periods of time can carry negative consequences, including loss of muscle and bone density. To prevent lasting harmful effects, space station astronauts adhere to rigorous exercise regimens, and doctors on the ground closely monitor their health.

But experiments such as the one with medaka fish do not hold potential benefits for only spaceflyers. The results of these types of studies can have far-reaching effects on Earth, too.

"It's an experiment, essentially, for osteoporosis," Ford explained.

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Next Space Station Crew to Try 'Fishy' Science

Sally still rides

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

With the nation's space shuttle fleet retired and humans of all races and genders permanently in space aboard the International Space Station, the thrill, novelty and danger of space flight has receded a bit from the public imagination.

The death this week of Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, offered a reminder of a time when each new flight was marked by great anticipation and milestones were marked not only by scientific advancement, but by human progress.

In the months leading to Ms. Ride's first flight, billboards across the land proclaimed the event with the famous line from "Mustang Sally" - "Ride, Sally Ride!"

That bravado hearkened to the earlier days of the program, when astronauts were converted test pilots and perceived as devil-may-care cowboys.

Ms. Ride was anything but. She was a scientist, the holder of four degrees from Stanford University, including a Ph.D. in physics.

Although her realm was science, she also embraced he role as a pioneer and used it to advance the cause of women in the sciences. She founded Sally Ride Science, a company dedicated to getting more women and girls involved in science study and enterprise.

Ms. Ride's death of pancreatic cancer is a loss to that cause and a reminder of what has been lost by the nation's diminished commitment to human space flight - the potential not just for scientific advancement bt for human greatness.

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Sally still rides

Sally Ride gave nation pride in human progress

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

In the months leading to Ride's first flight, billboards across the land proclaimed the event with the famous line from "Mustang Sally" - "Ride, Sally Ride!"

That bravado hearkened to the earlier days of the program, when astronauts were converted test pilots and perceived as devil-may-care cowboys.

Ride was anything but. She was a scientist, the holder of four degrees from Stanford University, including a Ph.D. in physics.

Ride's death to pancreatic cancer is a loss to that cause and a reminder of what has been lost by the nation's diminished commitment to human space flight -- the potential not just for scientific advancement bt for human greatness.

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Sally Ride gave nation pride in human progress

President of American College of Emergency Physicians to Keynote 10th Annual Advanced Emergency & Acute Care Medicine …

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

PARSIPPANY, NJ--(Marketwire -07/27/12)- David Seaberg, MD, FACEP, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), will be the keynote speaker at the 10th Annual Emergency and Acute Care Medicine Conference. The conference will be held Sept. 5-8, 2012, at the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J.

Dr. Seaberg is dean and professor at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Chattanooga, and attending emergency physician at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Erlanger Health System, Chattanooga, Tenn. His keynote address is titled, "Emergency Medicine in the Era of Healthcare Reform."

Featuring nationally known emergency medicine lecturers, the conference offers a variety of courses on critical emergency medicine topics, including stroke, sepsis, pediatrics, risk management and acute pain management. Separate educational tracks for physicians, mid-level providers, nurses and healthcare executives are being offered. Hands-on skills labs for advanced airway and ultrasound will be presented, as well as a 2012 Life Long Learning and Self-Assessment (LLSA) review course.

This year's nursing track will cover a variety of emergency medicine topics and features national lecturers, including Deena Brecher, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CEN, CPEN, president-elect of the Emergency Nurses Association.

A complimentary hospitalist track will be offered to Society of Hospitalist Medicine members in good standing.

The American College of Healthcare Executives track, co-sponsored by the New Jersey chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives and Emergency Medical Associates, will provide participants with six complimentary face-to-face category I credits.

All emergency medicine residents and fellows are provided complimentary admission as part of Emergency Medical Associates' commitment to education in the field of emergency medicine.

The deadline for online registration is Sept. 3. Visit http://www.bestemconference.com for more information or to register. Onsite registration is available each day of the conference. Follow BestEMConf on Twitter for up-to-the-minute conference information.

About Emergency Medical AssociatesEmergency Medical Associates (EMA) is a physician-led, physician-owned medical practice that specializes in emergency, hospitalist and urgent care medicine. Dedicated to providing exceptional solutions for the measurable success of our hospital partners, EMA is recognized for clinical excellence, quality service and sustained improved patient satisfaction. For more information, visit http://www.ema.net, http://www.facebook.com/EMANews or http://www.twitter.com/EMANews.

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President of American College of Emergency Physicians to Keynote 10th Annual Advanced Emergency & Acute Care Medicine ...

Sennen Responds to Liberty's "Open Letter"

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire -07/27/12)- Sennen Resources Ltd. (SN.V) (Sennen or the Company) notes Liberty Silver Corp.'s (Liberty) 'Open Letter to Sennen shareholders' (the Letter) issued on July 26th 2012. For clarity, this unsolicited and hostile offer by Liberty was initiated without any prior discussion with Sennen management, and consequently, without providing Sennen any prior opportunity to conduct meaningful due diligence on Liberty. Liberty's stated intention to remove the directors of Sennen and, subject to certain conditions, delist the Company's shares in order to access the Company's treasury contradicts their newly stated desire of "concluding a friendly deal with Sennen". Sennen shareholders are advised that Liberty's offer is a 'hostile' take-over attempt.

Sennen's Board of Directors, as is their fiduciary duty, is conducting, in conjunction with its advisors, a reasoned assessment of the Liberty offer in the interests of the Sennen shareholders. The Special Committee of the Board of Directors convened to review the Liberty offer, which is made up of three independent directors, expects to make its recommendation to Sennen's Board of Directors, who will in turn make its recommendation to shareholders, on or before July 31st 2012. This recommendation will be set out in a news release and contained in a Director's circular that will be mailed to all shareholders. This process, although expensive and time consuming, must be carried out to comply with applicable securities and corporate laws.

Sennen wishes to acknowledge the overwhelming response by way of unsolicited communications from many shareholders both prior and subsequent to the Letter, which to date has been one of unanimous rejection of Liberty's hostile offer for a myriad of corporate and technical reasons. Shareholders are urged to take no action whatsoever until the Board of Directors has made its recommendation.

Sennen has approximately $13.5M in the treasury and no debt. The Company's management and Board of Directors combined have over 125 years of relevant experience in the mining and mineral exploration industry. The Company continues to explore opportunities that are increasingly becoming available to cashed up companies such as Sennen, while dealing effectively with the unsolicited Liberty offer. In the current market environment, Sennen's good track record, experienced management and approach to creating and preserving cash has provided the Company with a significant advantage over most of its peers. The Company is not short of "cash, commitment or talent", and is now in a perfect situation to take advantage of the solvency crisis that many junior exploration companies find themselves in.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) has reviewed, nor do they accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of, this release.

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Sennen Responds to Liberty's "Open Letter"

Indian Islands Challenge Supreme Court: End "Human Safaris"

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

Survival International Press Release

July 24, 2012

Indian Islands Challenge Supreme Court Move To End Human Safaris A ruling by Indias Supreme Court which would have drastically curtailed the notorious human safaris in the Andaman Islands is being ignored by the islands authorities.

Earlier this month Indias Supreme Court imposed a 5-kilometer buffer zone around the Jarawa Reserve, to help reduce the exploitation of the tribe by tourists.

The ruling puts an end to tourist resorts near the Reserve, and closes other commercial attractions such as the Islands mud volcano and limestone caves. However, at the time of going to press, more than two weeks on, the volcano and caves remain open.

Activists have welcomed the ruling as, even though it did not close the Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) that runs through the Reserve, it would significantly reduce the amount of traffic using it.

At least 250 vehicles use the road through the Reserve on a daily basis, and many are tour operators, transporting visitors from the south of the islands. Officially they are travelling to see the volcano and caves, but for many their real reason for taking the trip is for the human safari en route. If enacted properly, the new buffer zone will significantly minimise the number of tourists on the road, as there will be little reason for tour operators to use the ATR.

However, the Andaman administration is refusing to close the volcano and cave sites, having appealed for the Supreme Court to exclude them from its recent order.

The Andaman administration has now filed a plea to the Supreme Court for an eight-week suspension period so it can submit plans for a new buffer zone. It is believed that these will not include the cave and volcano.

Survival Internationals Director Stephen Corry said today, The Supreme Court missed an opportunity by leaving the ATR open - the main artery to Indias human safaris. However the decision to close the caves and mud volcano is a positive step and would deny tour operators the chance to run human safaris by stealth. If the mud volcano and limestone caves remain open, hundreds of tourists will continue to drive through the reserve every day ogling at the Jarawa. The Andaman administration must demonstrate its commitment to ending these tours by closing the cave and volcano.

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Indian Islands Challenge Supreme Court: End "Human Safaris"

Health care law cuts funds used to treat illegal immigrants

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

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Health care law cuts funds used to treat illegal immigrants

Economix Blog: Uwe E. Reinhardt: Taiwan's Progress on Health Care

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

Taiwan not only has in place a national health care system, but it also takes advantage of information technology far more frequently than the United States does, an economist writes.

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Economix Blog: Uwe E. Reinhardt: Taiwan's Progress on Health Care

Coventry Health Care Reports Second Quarter Earnings

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Coventry Health Care, Inc. (CVH) today reported consolidated operating results for the quarter ended June 30, 2012. Operating revenues totaled $3.5 billion for the quarter, with net earnings of $91.7 million or earnings per diluted share (EPS) of $0.65. These results include a one-time $7.7 million, or $0.03 EPS, impairment charge resulting from the write down of intangible assets due to the non-renewal of the Companys Kansas Medicaid contract effective January 1, 2013.

Our second quarter results reflect strong performance in our Government Programs businesses including significant improvement in our Medicaid operations and sequential growth in our Medicare products, said Allen F. Wise, chairman and chief executive officer of Coventry. We remain on track for our full year consolidated 2012 EPS guidance and, although there remains a great deal of work to be done, I am encouraged by the financial and operational progress that we have made in our Kentucky Medicaid business.

Second Quarter 2012 Consolidated Highlights

Selected Second Quarter 2012 Highlights

2012 Full Year Guidance

Mr. Allen F. Wise, chairman and chief executive officer of Coventry, will host a conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, July 27, 2012. To listen to the call, dial toll-free at (888) 334-3001 or, for international callers, (719) 325-2460. Callers will be asked to identify themselves and their affiliations. The conference call will also be webcast from Coventrys Investor Relations site at http://www.coventryhealthcare.com. Coventry asks participants on both the call and webcast to review and be familiar with its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A replay of the call will be available for one week at (888) 203-1112 or, for international callers, (719) 457-0820. The access code is 4038961.

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are defined as statements that are not historical facts and include those statements relating to future events or future financial performance, including the guidance herein. Actual performance may be significantly impacted by certain risks and uncertainties including those described in Coventrys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, Coventrys Quarterly Report for the quarter ending March 31, 2012, and Coventrys subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among the risk factors that may materially affect Coventrys business, operations or financial condition are the ability to accurately estimate and control future health care costs; the ability to increase premiums to offset increases in the Companys health care costs; general economic conditions and disruptions in the financial markets; changes in legal requirements from recently enacted federal or state laws or regulations, court decisions, or government investigations or proceedings; guaranty fund assessments under state insurance guaranty association law; changes in government funding and various other risks associated with our participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs; our ability to effectively implement and manage our Kentucky Medicaid program, including the implementation of appropriate risk adjustment revenue and management of the associated medical cost and the effect on our MLR; a reduction in the number of members in the Companys health plans; the Companys ability to acquire additional managed care businesses and the Companys ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses into its operations; an ability to attract new members or to increase or maintain premium rates; the non-renewal or termination of the Companys government contracts, unsuccessful bids for business with government agencies or renewal of government contracts on less than favorable terms; failure of independent agents and brokers to continue to market the Companys products to employers; a failure to obtain cost-effective agreements with a sufficient number of providers that could result in higher medical costs and a decrease in membership; negative publicity regarding the managed health care industry generally or the Company in particular; a failure to effectively protect, maintain, and develop our information technology systems; compromises of the Companys data security; periodic reviews, audits and investigations under the Companys contracts with federal and state government agencies; litigation, including litigation based on new or evolving legal theories; volatility in the Companys stock price and trading volume; the Companys indebtedness, which imposes certain restrictions on its business and operations; an inability to generate sufficient cash to service the Companys indebtedness; the Companys ability to receive cash from its regulated subsidiaries; the Companys certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Delaware law, which could delay, discourage or prevent a change in control of the Company that its stockholders may consider favorable; and an impairment of the Companys intangible assets. Coventry undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Coventry Health Care (www.coventryhealthcare.com) is a diversified national managed health care company based in Bethesda, Maryland, dedicated to delivering high-quality health care solutions at an affordable price. Coventry provides a full portfolio of risk and fee-based products including Medicare and Medicaid programs, group and individual health insurance, workers compensation solutions, and network rental services. With a presence in every state in the nation, Coventrys products currently serve approximately 5 million individuals helping them receive the greatest possible value for their health care investment.

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Coventry Health Care Reports Second Quarter Earnings

AI and the ancient game of Go give new insight into expertise

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

Go is a game that has been played in China for over 2000 years.

Using a traditional Chinese board game and artificial intelligence, researchers at the University of Sydney and Charles Sturt University have gained new insight into how expertise develops.

The findings, published this month in Nature's scientific reports (PDF, 1.5MB), will improve our understanding of how we think and help to develop more flexible artificial intelligences.

"In a rare achievement we used artificial neural networks, made up of hundreds of thousands of neurons each, to model how an expert rapidly evaluates a situation and narrows their choices down to the best options," said lead author Dr Michael Harr from the University's School of Psychology.

"As a species we are specialists, we can become experts in the most remarkably abstract tasks, but it has proven to be incredibly difficult to reproduce this because we understand it so poorly. This research has taken a significant step in our understanding by replicating the unconscious mental processes of experts in an artificial neural network and applying it to one of the most complex games we play today."

The researchers used thousands of records of professional and amateur matches of Go, a game for two players which originated in China over 2000 years ago.

"Using the data from these matches we replayed the amateur and professional games using our artificial neural networks," said Dr Harr.

"What we were able to do is model the mental processes that experts develop by using simplified versions of biological networks. Critically the networks we modelled not only change the way players think about the game, but they can literally change the way players unconsciously 'see' the game."

This is the first time that these subtle changes in how experts perceive their environment have been modelled. They are critically important for experts to recognise and use but are overlooked by non-experts.

"Importantly and impressively it is all done unconsciously using 'templates'. This refers to the library of patterns an expert builds to swiftly and efficiently cross-match the information they are receiving to identify what is important - before they have any conscious awareness that they are making those decisions, let alone how they made them."

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AI and the ancient game of Go give new insight into expertise

Research and Markets: UK Aerospace Sector: Industry Profile

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Danzig

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/nxh93b/uk_aerospace_secto) has announced the addition of the "UK Aerospace Sector: Industry Profile" report to their offering.

This industry profile helps to gain an insight into the evolution of the industry and competitive dynamics prevalent in the market. It discusses the significant developments in the industry and analyzes the key trends and issues. The profile provides inputs in strategic business planning of industry professionals.

This profile is of immense help to management consultants, analysts, market research organizations and corporate advisors.

Key Topics Covered

Industry Snapshot

This section gives a holistic overview of the industry. It starts with defining the market and goes on to give historical and current market size figures. It also clearly illustrates the major segments of the market which would be discussed later on in the report.

Industry Analysis

It involves a comprehensive analysis of the industry and its market segments. This section discusses the key developments that have taken place in the industry. It also identifies and analyzes the driving factors and challenges of the industry. A description of the regulatory structure tells us about the major regulatory bodies, laws and government policies.

Country Analysis

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Research and Markets: UK Aerospace Sector: Industry Profile

Harvard gets $37M to develop ‘human-on-a-chip’ tech

Posted on July 27, 2012 by ev1

Courtesy Wyss Institute

Wyss Institute researchers and a multidisciplinary team of collaborators seek to build and link 10 human organs-on-chips to mimic whole body physiology. The system will incorporate the Institutes Human Gut-on-a-Chip (seen here).

Harvards Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University announced recently it will receive $37 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop technology that studies the human physiology.

The five-year project will be led by Wyss Founding Director, Donald Ingber, M.D., Ph.D. and Wyss faculty member, Kevin Kit Parker, Ph.D. in conjunction with Wyss researchers and a multidisciplinary team of collaborators, a statement reads.

The project will develop an automated instrument that integrates 10, organs-on-chips to study complex human physiology outside the body.

Serving as an alternative to traditional animal testing models that often fail to predict human responses, the automated instrument will be used to rapidly assess responses to new drug candidates, providing critical information on their safety and efficacy, according to the release.

Equal in size to a computer memory stick, each individual chip is composed of a clear flexible polymer that contains hollow microfluidic channels lined by living human cells.

Because of the translucency of the microdevices, researchers have a window into the inner-workings of human organs without having to invade a living body.

The goal is to shorten the time and cost it takes to develop drugs, and more importantly, to increase the likelihood of success when the drug finally is tested in humans currently it is less than 15 percent success, even after many years and hundreds of millions to billions investment, Ingber wrote in an email to Mass High Tech.

In a statement, Jesse Goodman, Food and Drug Administration chief scientist and deputy commissioner for science and public health, said the automated human-on-chip instrument being developed has the potential to be a better model for determining human adverse responses. FDA looks forward to working with the Wyss Institute in its development of this model that may ultimately be used in therapeutic development.

Originally posted here:
Harvard gets $37M to develop 'human-on-a-chip' tech

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