NASA Solicitation: Space Shuttle Landing and Research Aircraft Support Services

Posted on by

Synopsis - May 29, 2012

General Information

Solicitation Number: NND13435932R Posted Date: May 29, 2012 FedBizOpps Posted Date: May 29, 2012 Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No Original Response Date: Jun 13, 2012 Current Response Date: Jun 13, 2012 Classification Code: C -- Architect and engineering services NAICS Code: 541330

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Dryden Flight Research Center, Code A, P.O. Box 273, Edwards, CA 93523-0273

Description

NASA/DFRC has a requirement for continuation of Shuttle landing facilities and equipment transition and retirement (T&R). The contract originally required Lockheed Martin Services, Inc. (LMSI) to provide management and technical personnel to operate, maintain and repair Space Shuttle landing aids and communications equipment. This effort includes removing all shuttle assets from instrumented runways and accomplishing inventory, shipping and disposing of Space Shuttle equipment and facilities, operated/utilized and/or maintained by the contractor.

NASA/DFRC intends to extend the current fixed price/cost plus no fee contract (NND09AA02C) with LMSI for six (6) months, from October 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013, to perform the required services. The statutory authority for proceeding with this acquisition is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy Agency requirements.

Lockheed's history with the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) at NASA DFRC extends back over 30 years, since inception of space shuttle operations at the Center. This experience gives LMSI unique and intimate knowledge of the all Shuttle launch, on orbit, landing and turnaround support operations at the Edwards Air Force Base. This knowledge derives from Lockheed performing the following significant activities:

* Shuttle facilities operations, maintenance and repair, including operating and maintaining the mate/de-mate facility, hangar, hangar shops, warehouses, aircraft technical training facility, storage and support facilities.

Go here to see the original:

NASA Solicitation: Space Shuttle Landing and Research Aircraft Support Services

NASA Technology Transfer Opportunity: High Accurate Position Detection and Shape Sensing With Fiber Optics

Posted on by

Synopsis - May 29, 2012

General Information Solicitation Number: TTO1006 Posted Date: May 29, 2012 FedBizOpps Posted Date: May 29, 2012 Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No Original Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Current Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Classification Code: 99 -- Miscellaneous NAICS Code: 927110 Set-Aside Code:

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 12, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001

Description

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits interest from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use.

THE TECHNOLOGY:

NASA Langley Research Center has demonstrated a patented method and apparatus for determining the position, in three dimensions, of any point on an optical fiber. The new method uses low reflectance Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) strain sensors in a multi-core fiber to determine how any point along that fiber is positioned in space. The characteristics of optical fibers and the FBGs vary with curvature, and by sensing the relative change of FBGs in each of three or more fiber cores, the three-dimensional change in position can be determined. By using this method in monitoring applications where optical fibers can be deployed-- such as in structures, medical devices, or robotics--precise deflection, end position, and location can be determined in near real time even in fibers that may be experiencing external twisting. This innovative position detection method offers 10 times greater positional accuracy than comparable optical techniques.

To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to Sean Sullivan, Research Triangle International (RTI), at: NASA Langley Research Center, Strategic Relationships Office (SRSO), 17 West Taylor St., Mail Stop 218, Building 1212, Room 110 Hampton, Virginia, E-mail: Sean.D.Sullivan@NASA.gov, or phone: 757-864-5055. Please indicate the date and title of the FBO notice and include your company and contact information.

RTI is responsible for aggregating and acknowledging all responses. These responses are provided to members of NASA Langley's Innovative Partnerships Office within the SRO for the purpose of promoting public awareness of our technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. If direct licensing interest results from this posting, SRO will follow the formal licensing process of posting in the Federal Register as required. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.

More here:

NASA Technology Transfer Opportunity: High Accurate Position Detection and Shape Sensing With Fiber Optics

NASA Technology Transfer Opportunity: Lightweight Low Profile Transducer

Posted on by

Synopsis - May 29, 2012

General Information

Solicitation Number: TTO1007 Posted Date: May 29, 2012 FedBizOpps Posted Date: May 29, 2012 Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No Original Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Current Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Classification Code: 99 -- Miscellaneous NAICS Code: 927110 Set-Aside Code:

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 12, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001

Description

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits interest from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use.

THE TECHNOLOGY:

Researchers at NASA's Langley Research Center have developed a novel transducer design capable of generating a transverse point load and measuring transverse velocity. The technology was developed to work in conjunction with an accelerometer to eliminate sound propagation through aerospace vehicles, specifically airplane and helicopter windows. Studies on aircraft acoustics have shown that the primary source of internal noise is external acoustic sources that propagate through the windows. Sources include turbulence against the fuselage, pressure variations, and the engines. The transducer works by generating a point source interference pattern along the edges of the window, thereby canceling out the ambient sound wave traveling through the window. The transducer can be readily incorporated into existing technologies for improved performance. NASA is seeking market insights on commercialization of the lightweight low-profile transducer, and welcomes interest from potential producers, users, and licensees.

To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to Sean Sullivan, Research Triangle International (RTI), at: NASA Langley Research Center, Strategic Relationships Office (SRSO), 17 West Taylor St., Mail Stop 218, Building 1212, Room 110 Hampton, Virginia, E-mail: Sean.D.Sullivan@NASA.gov, or phone: 757-864-5055. Please indicate the date and title of the FBO notice and include your company and contact information.

View post:

NASA Technology Transfer Opportunity: Lightweight Low Profile Transducer

NASA Technology Transfer Opportunity: Advanced Over The Wing Nacelle Transport Configuration

Posted on by

Synopsis - May 29, 2012

General Information Solicitation Number: TTO1005 Posted Date: May 29, 2012 FedBizOpps Posted Date: May 29, 2012 Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No Original Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Current Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Classification Code: 99 -- Miscellaneous NAICS Code: 927110 Set-Aside Code:

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 12, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001

Description

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits interest from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use.

THE TECHNOLOGY:

NASA Langley has developed a new aircraft design with the engine nacelle over the wing, improving engine ground clearance and freeing landing gear design. While previous over-the-wing designs have produced unacceptably high drag conditions, the new NASA design reduces drag on the wing. By optimizing the nacelle design and the wing leading edge location, NASA's design confines the shock to the leading edge of the wing. Also, placing the exhaust nozzle over the wing reduces noise to the communities below.

To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to Sean Sullivan, Research Triangle International (RTI), at: NASA Langley Research Center, Strategic Relationships Office (SRSO), 17 West Taylor St., Mail Stop 218, Building 1212, Room 110 Hampton, Virginia, E-mail: Sean.D.Sullivan@NASA.gov, or phone: 757-864-5055. Please indicate the date and title of the FBO notice and include your company and contact information.

RTI is responsible for aggregating and acknowledging all responses. These responses are provided to members of NASA Langley's Innovative Partnerships Office within the SRO for the purpose of promoting public awareness of our technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. If direct licensing interest results from this posting, SRO will follow the formal licensing process of posting in the Federal Register as required. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.

Continue reading here:

NASA Technology Transfer Opportunity: Advanced Over The Wing Nacelle Transport Configuration

NASA Announces 2012 Aeronautics Scholarship Recipients

Posted on by

NASA has selected 25 students to receive the agency's Aeronautics Scholarship for the 2012-2013 school year.

This scholarship program, which is in its fifth year, is designed to aid undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in fields of study related to aeronautics and aviation. Recipients were selected from hundreds of applications to the program.

"These scholars represent the future aeronautical innovators who will be key players in enabling the advances in air transportation that will help us maintain the United States as a world leader in aviation," said Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate in Washington.

"We look forward to serving as their mentors and hearing their fresh perspective on solving the most pressing challenges facing the aeronautics community today," Shin said.

The students will have the opportunity to intern with NASA researchers and work on developing technologies for managing air traffic more efficiently; reducing aircraft noise, fuel consumption and emissions; and improving safety.

This year's recipients are enrolled at universities in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Texas. The 2012 scholarship recipients' names and their schools are depicted on an interactive map of the United States located at: http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/aeronautics_scholarships/index.html

Undergraduate scholarship winners will receive $15,000 per year to cover tuition costs for two years and a $10,000 stipend during a summer internship with NASA. Graduate scholarship winners will receive approximately $45,000 per year for as many as three years and $10,000 stipends for as many as two summer internships. To maintain their scholarship awards, all recipients must continue to meet the academic standards of the universities they attend.

The NASA Aeronautics Scholarship Program annually awards 20 two-year undergraduate scholarships plus summer internships, and five two- or three-year graduate scholarships plus summer internships. Acceptance of online applications for the 2013 school year will begin in September. Applicants must be citizens of the United States or its territories. The application requirements include information on the students' proposed area of study.

For more information about aeronautics research at NASA, visit: http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov

For information about NASA and its programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov

Read the original:

NASA Announces 2012 Aeronautics Scholarship Recipients

NASA scientists develop osteoporosis test that detects bone loss early

Posted on by

(CBS News) NASA scientists are turning their attention from deep space to the millions of adults facing osteoporosis. They've teamed up with researchers from Arizona State University to develop a new technique that can detect bone loss earlier than currently used X-ray methods.

The research could eventually change the way the disease is diagnosed, the scientists said.

Study links calcium pills to heart attacks How often do older women need bone scans? What study says Are your bones healthy? 14 surprising facts

"NASA conducts these studies because astronauts in microgravity experience skeletal unloading and suffer bone loss," study co-author Scott M. Smith, a NASA nutritionist, said in a written statement. "It's one of the major problems in human spaceflight, and we need to find better ways to monitor and counteract it. But the methods used to detect the effects of skeletal unloading in astronauts are also relevant to general medicine."

The test works by looking for traces of bone calcium in urine, called isotopes. Scientists tested the new method on 12 healthy subjects confined to bed rest for 30 days, because when a person lies down, less weight is placed on the legs and spine and bones start deteriorating. Extended periods of bed rest cause bone loss similar to that experienced by osteoporosis patients and astronauts, the scientists said.

The new technique was able to measure net bone loss in as little as one week after bed rest, long before changes in bone density are detectable by the commonly used DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) test. The findings are published in the May 28 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The isotopes can be found without any artificial dyes and without radiation exposure, so the researchers say it's safe. Next they want to test its accuracy in patients with bone-altering diseases. If successful, the test may pave the way for diagnosing not only osteoporosis but other diseases that result in isotope imbalances.

Anna Barker, director of Transformative Healthcare at Arizona State University, who previously was deputy director of the National Cancer Institute, said, "There is an opportunity to create an entirely new generation of diagnostics for cancer and other diseases."

Osteoporosis is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans, or 55 percent of those 50 years of age and older, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. In the U.S. today, 10 million individuals are estimated to already have the disease and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone density, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis and broken bones.

Follow this link:

NASA scientists develop osteoporosis test that detects bone loss early

Nansulate® Energy Saving Coatings by Industrial Nanotech, Inc. Featured in Sustainable Manufacturing Publications

Posted on by

NAPLES, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Industrial Nanotech, Inc. (Pink Sheets:INTK), an emerging global leader in nanotechnology based energy saving and sustainable solutions announced today that their patented Nansulate coatings for equipment and building energy efficiency have been featured in two recent green/sustainable manufacturing focused publications. The current May/June issue of Green Manufacturer Magazine contains a Nansulate customer case study for reduction of exterior oven surface temperature and improved safety, and their article about using nanocoatings to improve building envelope energy efficiency is published online at SustainablePlant.com. Both entities are focused on green and sustainable manufacturing and facility solutions.

Nansulate coatings continue to establish a solid reputation among both international and U.S. manufacturers for valuable and affordable energy saving and protective benefits, stated Francesca Crolley, V.P. Business Development for Industrial Nanotech, Inc. We are fortunate to be able to provide a unique and effective technology that pays for itself in a short period of time, helping corporations meet their sustainability objectives with a product that is also an excellent investment. The case study highlighted in Green Manufacturer Magazine is an excellent example of the combination of important benefits that our coatings provide. In addition to reducing the energy consumption of ovens used for heat block blasting, our coating also reduced the exterior surface temperature from 168F to between 100F-115F, which provided significant safety benefits. These articles featured in two well known publications with a commercial and manufacturing audience, focused on sustainability and reduction of energy consumption, are a good indicator that the track record of performance our coatings have built up since 2004 is taking a hold in multiple industries, and Industrial Nanotech and Nansulate are being looked at as a source for high quality, innovative energy saving products that provide short term payback for applications of all types.

About Nansulate

Nansulate is the Company's patented product line of award winning, specialty coatings containing a nanotechnology based material and which are well-documented to provide the combined performance qualities of thermal insulation, corrosion prevention, resistance to mold growth, fire resistance, chemical resistance and lead encapsulation in an environmentally safe, water-based, coating formulation. The Nansulate Product Line includes industrial, residential, agricultural and solar thermal insulation coatings. Additional information about the Company and its products can be found at their websites, (www.inanotk.com) and (www.nansulate.com). Blog: http://www.nansulate.com/nanoblog, Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NanoPioneer, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Nansulate.

About Industrial Nanotech Inc.

Industrial Nanotech Inc. is a global nanoscience solutions and research leader and member of the U.S. Green Building Council. The Company develops and commercializes new and innovative applications for sustainable nanotechnology which are sold worldwide.

Safe Harbor Statement

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic and business conditions, and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

View original post here:

Nansulate® Energy Saving Coatings by Industrial Nanotech, Inc. Featured in Sustainable Manufacturing Publications

DNA strands create tiniest Smileys

Posted on by

Harvard University scientists on Wednesday said they had created Smileys, Chinese characters and card-game symbols at scales of billionths of a metre using strands of DNA.

The feat marks the next step in "DNA origami" in which the molecule that provides the genetic code for life is used as a building block at the nanoscale, with potential outlets in engineering and medicine.

DNA is like a twisted ladder with double "rungs" of chemicals which interlock.

By unzipping the ladder and cutting it lengthwise, researchers can create a stretch with a set of single rungs that can partner up with a matching strand.

This is the characteristic harnessed by a team led by Peng Yin of Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inpired Engineering.

Reporting in the British journal Nature, the team showed off short lengths of DNA, each 42 "rungs" long, that interlocked with complementary stretches of the molecule.

Like Lego tiles, the strands could be programmed to assemble themselves into specific shapes.

To demonstrate the method, the team made a molecular picture featuring 107 designs, from emoticons, Chinese characters, numbers and letters from the Latin alphabet.

The canvas is a rectangle measuring 64 nanometres by 103 nanometres, with 310 pixels.

Scientists have been interested in nanoscale shapes for more than 20 years, and have progressively moved from two dimensional to three dimensional successes.

Read this article:

DNA strands create tiniest Smileys

Graphene quantum dots and nano-ribbons cleaved from graphene sheets

Posted on by

Technology News

May 18, 2012 // Julien Happich

Kansas State University researchers have come closer to solving an old challenge of producing graphene quantum dots of controlled shape and size at large densities, which could revolutionize electronics and optoelectronics.

Vikas Berry, William H. Honstead professor of chemical engineering, has developed a novel process that uses a diamond knife to cleave graphite into graphite nanoblocks, which are precursors for graphene quantum dots. These nanoblocks are then exfoliated to produce ultrasmall sheets of carbon atoms of controlled shape and size.

By controlling the size and shape, the researchers can control graphene's properties over a wide range for varied applications, such as solar cells, electronics, optical dyes, biomarkers, composites and particulate systems. "The process produces large quantities of graphene quantum dots of controlled shape and size and we have conducted studies on their structural and electrical properties," Berry said.

While other researchers have been able to make quantum dots, Berry's research team can make quantum dots with a controlled structure in large quantities, which may allow these optically active quantum dots to be used in solar cell and other optoelectronic applications.

"There will be a wide range of applications of these quantum dots," Berry said. "We expect that the field of graphene quantum dots will evolve as a result of this work since this new material has a great potential in several nanotechnologies."

It is known that because of the edge states and quantum confinement, the shape and size of graphene quantum dots dictate their electrical, optical, magnetic and chemical properties. This work also shows proof of the opening of a band-gap in graphene nanoribbon films with a reduction in width. Further, Berry's team shows through high-resolution transmission electron micrographs and simulations that the edges of the produces structures are straight and relatively smooth.

Visit the Kansas State University at http://www.k-state.edu

Go here to see the original:

Graphene quantum dots and nano-ribbons cleaved from graphene sheets

dZ Zyme’s "Funnies

Posted on by

29-05-2012 13:43 Thumbs up & Favorite for dZ Zyme! (Open Description for Info!) dZ Zyme: "Drop a like and comment if you want me to continue this series? Which was the best part? =D and wish me luck on spawn shots =(" dZ Zyme's Channel: dZ Zyme's Twitter: Note: Please keep in Mind that this is NOT MY Video, i got the Permission to Upload this. If you're the owner of this Video, and don't want it uploaded anymore, contact me and I'll remove it as soon as Possible. Thanks. Follow us on Twitter:

See the rest here:

dZ Zyme's "Funnies

Medicine And Law 'Shut Out' Poorer Students

Posted on by

Medical schools should widen the pool of talent from which doctors are recruited by making it easier for youngsters from poorer backgrounds to study medicine, a report has urged.

Labour's former health secretary Alan Milburn, the government's independent reviewer on social mobility, accused medicine and other professions of failing to make "any great galvanising effort" to open their doors to disadvantaged students.

His update on progress since an earlier report in 2009 will say that there should be more effort to give teenagers from state schools work experience in the professions, including one-year foundation courses at medical schools.

But representatives of the professions insisted they were already taking action to open up their ranks to a broader range of candidates.

Louis Armstrong, chairman of the organisation Professions for Good, said: "Professions are now much more aware of the need for, and value of, diversifying both their membership and their routes of entry.

"Many professions now have a range of ways to join and qualify, including non-graduate routes."

Milburn's report is expected to say that 83% of jobs created in the next decade will be in the professions, increasing the proportion of the working population in professional careers from 42% to 46% by 2020.

This ought to provide an opportunity for increased movement between the classes of the kind seen in the 1950s, as long as the doors to jobs are kept open for people from all backgrounds, the report is expected to say.

But Milburn told the Guardian: "We won't get a more mobile society unless we create more of a level playing field of opportunity.

"With medicine and with too many other professions, I see no great galvanising effort to change.

Link:

Medicine And Law 'Shut Out' Poorer Students

Leading Clinical Researcher Frank Vocci Joins Journal of Addiction Medicine

Posted on by

Research key to developing quality addiction care programs

Newswise Philadelphia, PA (May 30, 2012) Dr. Frank Vocci has been named as the third Co-Editor of Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). He joins Senior Editor Dr. George F. Koob and current Co-Editors Dr. Shannon C. Miller and Dr. Martha J. Wunsch. Dr. Vocci, PhD, is President and Senior Research Scientist of Friends Research Institute, Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Vocci previously served as Director, Division of Pharmacotherapies and Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and Chief, Drug Abuse Staff, Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He is President-Elect of The College on Problems of Drug Dependence.

Dr. Vocci joins Journal of Addiction Medicine at a critical time, with the journal experiencing such recent changes as inclusion in PubMed, a commitment to increase issue count from four issues to six issues a year, and an addition of electronic publication ahead of print.

We are excited to welcome a leader with such stature to our Journals editorial team. Dr. Voccis background in the development of medications and clinical trials as well as his interest in blending research with practice makes him ideal for this post, stated Dr. Lori D. Karan, Treasurer and Publications Council Chair, ASAM.

Dr. Vocci has worked on cutting edge clinical research in the areas of addiction disorders, substance abuse disorders, and the medical consequences of drug abuse. His clinical experience includes studying an implantable form of buprenorphine (PROBUPHINE), evaluating the effects of depot naltrexone (VIVITROL) on formerly opiate dependent prisoners before their release from prison and then for six months following release, and ensuring that the Friends Research Institutes Torrance clinic participates in multi-center trials evaluating treatments for methamphetamine and cocaine dependence.

He has received numerous awards for his contributions to the field of addiction medicine, including a Meritorious Executive award from President George Bush for his management of the NIDA medications development program, a Distinguished Service Award from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence for his work on the development of buprenorphine as a treatment for opiate dependence, and the Vernelle Fox Award from the California Society of Addiction Medicine. He also received the FeDerSerD (Italian Addiction Society) award.

Dr. Voccis research interests include developing medications for treating nicotine and stimulant dependence and evaluating best practices for treatment of opiate users with criminal justice involvement. He is beginning two new projects this year. The first is collaboration with UCLA to evaluate the effects of buspirone on the subjective effects and craving associated with methamphetamine. The second is a pharmacokinetics project with a new formulation of nicotine. The pharmacokinetics project with this new nicotine formulation presages a smoking cessation trial.

Dr. Vocci maintains a keen interest in improving the quality of clinical trials that evaluate treatments for substance abuse disorders. The use of adaptive clinical trial designs, improvements in medication adherence, and discovery of markers of sustained improvement that predict post-treatment outcomes are three areas he believes will become more prominent in clinical trials in substance abusing populations in the near future.

According to Drs. Koob, Miller, and Wunsch, bringing Dr. Vocci on board as a Co-Editor will be a wonderful new direction for the journal. Besides his prominence in the field of addiction medicine, his vast expertise in clinical trials will help strengthen the journals content, which is key to improving the quality of addiction care.

Journal of Addiction Medicine is the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. It is currently in its sixth year of publication and features peer-reviewed articles focused on developments in addiction medicine as well as on treatment innovations and ethical, economic, forensic, and social topics.

Read the rest here:

Leading Clinical Researcher Frank Vocci Joins Journal of Addiction Medicine

Morehouse School of Medicine Establishes Endowed Chair in Sexuality and Religion

Posted on by

ATLANTA, May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Morehouse School of Medicine today announced the creation of an endowed academic chair devoted to issues related to sexuality and religion. The Marta S. Weeks and David E. Richards Endowed Chair in Sexuality and Religion will develop innovative health and pastoral services as well as teaching, research and public leadership related to issues that bridge the topics of sexuality, religion and medicine.

"Through this unique chair, Morehouse School of Medicine will provide national and international leadership addressing the challenges of sexuality and sexual health in the worlds of medicine and religion," said David Satcher, M.D. Ph.D., 16th Surgeon General of the United States and founder of Morehouse School of Medicine's Satcher Health Leadership Institute and its Center of Excellence for Sexual Health.

The Marta S. Weeks and David E. Richards Endowed Chair in Sexuality and Religion is a major accomplishment of more than a decade of work by Satcher, who in 2001 released the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Promote Sexual Health and Responsible Sexual Behavior. That document outlined a framework of initiatives to strengthen the national dialogue on sexual health. It recognized that sexuality and religion are deeply connected in the United States and that public health would benefit from coordinated efforts of leaders in public health and religion as well as other major constituencies with deeply held beliefs relating to sexuality.

"While the chair will address sexual health issues in all communities, it will place a particular emphasis on underserved populations which is integral to Morehouse School of Medicine's mission," added Satcher. "The continuing disparities in access to quality health care services for minorities, poor people, and other disadvantaged groups results in a weakened public health infrastructure, which ultimately affects everyone."

The endowed chair will focus its efforts on:

For more information on Morehouse School of Medicine and the institution's latest endowed chair in sexuality and religion, please visit http://www.msm.edu.

About Morehouse School of MedicineMorehouse School of Medicine is one the nation's most widely recognized community-based medical schools, established to recruit and train minority and other students from disadvantaged backgrounds as physicians, biomedical scientists and public health practitioners. The institution's mission places special emphasis on primary care training; development of model community-based health services and the conduct of research and translation of discovery to benefit vulnerable populations and ultimately eliminate health inequities.

The School offers doctoral programs in medicine and biomedical research; and master of science degree programs in public health and clinical investigation. It also sponsors graduate training (residency) programs in family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, public health and preventive medicine, and general surgery.

Morehouse School of Medicine annually ranks as one of the top U.S. medical schools in the percentage of graduates practicing primary care specialties. The School ranks # 1 in the first-ever study of all U.S. medical schools in the area of social mission. Such recognition underscores the vital role that MSM plays in the nation's health care system.

Morehouse School of Medicine is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It is also a member of the Atlanta University Center Consortium, the world's oldest and largest association of historically black colleges and universities. For more information about Morehouse School of Medicine, visit us online at http://www.msm.edu.

More here:

Morehouse School of Medicine Establishes Endowed Chair in Sexuality and Religion

Foundation Medicine Launches FoundationOne™

Posted on by

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

Foundation Medicine announced today the commercial launch of FoundationOne, the first pan-cancer, fully informative genomic profile designed to help oncologists expand their patients treatment options. FoundationOne is optimized to fit current oncology practice. It uses clinical-grade, next-generation sequencing to interrogate hundreds of cancer-related genes from routine, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor samples. Test results are provided in a straightforward report that aligns detected genomic alterations with potential treatment options and clinical trials.

The launch of FoundationOne marks an important moment in the field of oncology, said Michael J. Pellini, M.D., Foundation Medicines chief executive officer. This first commercial product from Foundation Medicine is the result of a convergence of genomic sequencing, information technology and clinical practice that would not have been possible at any other point in history. Foundation Medicine is the first company with the ability to put these advances into everyday care, giving oncologists the molecular blueprint of each patient's cancer to help inform a more targeted treatment strategy.

FoundationOne interrogates all genes somatically altered in human solid tumors that are validated targets for therapy or drivers of oncogenesis based on current knowledge. It reveals all classes of genomic alterations, including base substitutions, insertions, deletions, copy number alterations and select rearrangements. Genomic profile results are reported to the physician for each individual patient along with targeted therapies and clinical trials that may be relevant based on the specific alterations identified in the patients tumor and the most recent scientific and medical evidence.

FoundationOne brings a best-in-class molecular diagnostic to all oncologists and pathologists, both in the community where most patients are treated and at major academic centers, said Vincent Miller, M.D., senior vice president of clinical development, Foundation Medicine. FoundationOne gives physicians a powerful new tool to help them incorporate the latest genomic findings into treatment decisions for each patient. The commercial availability of FoundationOne is perfectly timed to accelerate the clinical adoption of the burgeoning molecular information in oncology.

Early clinical studies with FoundationOne have demonstrated high accuracy and an ability to interrogate all classes of potentially actionable alterations to reveal clinically-relevant information1-2. Since receiving CLIA certification in October, 2011 and beginning pre-launch operations, Foundation Medicine has shown that FoundationOne reveals, on average, approximately three reportable alterations per patient sample and three times as many actionable alterations than the most comprehensive hot spot panels or tests currently available3. FoundationOne sequences hundreds of genes known to be clinically relevant in cancer and identifies any actionable alterations, whereas existing technologies are able to find only pre-determined alterations. Experience to-date shows that FoundationOne can identify previously undetectable, yet potentially actionable, alterations, and suggests that FoundationOne will profoundly increase the application of molecular information in clinical practice.

Foundation Medicine was founded in 2010 by world leaders in the fields of cancer genomics, cancer biology, clinical oncology, and information sciences from Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute. The company is funded by Third Rock Ventures, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Google Ventures.

About FoundationOne

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

About Foundation Medicine

The rest is here:

Foundation Medicine Launches FoundationOne™

Ross University School of Medicine Signs Affiliation Agreement to Enhance Clinical Education with Kern Medical Center

Posted on by

NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) and Kern Medical Center (KMC) in Bakersfield, Calif. today announced a 10-year affiliation agreement to allocate, on an annual basis, a significant number of core clinical rotation slots to RUSM students. The affiliation, which will allow RUSM students placed at KMC to complete all of their third-year clinical rotations there over 48 consecutive weeks, is the largest clinical affiliation arrangement in RUSMs history.

Kern Medical Center, established in 1867, is a 222-bed acute care teaching hospital owned and operated by the County of Kern. As the major healthcare provider serving a community of approximately 650,000 residents, KMC is an integral part of the local community. KMC provides care for more than 16,000 inpatients annually, and experiences 43,000 Emergency Room visits per year. In addition, KMCs three federally qualified health centers serve 100,000 outpatients per year.

This is a landmark development for Ross for many reasons, especially for the opportunity to work closely with an institution that shares our commitment to serving the local community, said Joseph Flaherty, MD, dean and chancellor of RUSM. RUSM students who complete their rotations at Kern will not only benefit from learning from Kerns great faculty and residents, but also gain an appreciation for the important role these community hospitals and their physicians play in the lives of local families.

All of KMCs core residency programsInternal Medicine, Family Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Psychiatryare accredited by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). KMCs affiliations with the University of California at Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine and University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine ensure a significant depth and breadth of teaching resources, in addition to KMCs 65 full-time faculty physicians.

Paul Hensler, FACHE, chief executive officer at KMC, said that RUSM is a partner that shares Kern Medical Centers academic vision. The affiliation, he said, is geared to looking after the long-term sustainability of the local physician workforce. California in general and the San Joaquin Valley in particular are medically underserved. We believe that building a robust working relationship with RUSM will enable us to provide a superior clinical rotation experience with the potential to attract physicians to our community, said Hensler.

Enrique Fernandez, MD, senior associate dean for clinical sciences at RUSM, said the new affiliation is great news for current students, seventeen percent of whom are from California. Many of our students have already set a goal of returning to their home communities to practice medicine. This partnership will enable many of them to complete their clinical clerkships in California as well, he said.

As part of the agreement, RUSM and KMC will offer scholarships to accepted RUSM students from Kern County, via the Kern Medical Center Foundation.

About Ross University School of Medicine

Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) was founded in 1978 and is a provider of medical education offering a Doctor of Medicine degree program. Students begin their foundational studies in Dominica, West Indies, and complete their clinical training in teaching hospitals throughout the United States. RUSM graduates obtain more US residencies than graduates of any other medical school in the world.

Read the original:

Ross University School of Medicine Signs Affiliation Agreement to Enhance Clinical Education with Kern Medical Center

Maybe medical school debt isn’t the problem

Posted on by

The high cost of medical school often gets tossed around as a key reason why doctors dont go into primary care jobs, instead choosing specialties such as radiology and surgery that prove more lucrative. When physicians graduate with an average of $161,290 in debt, its hard (Melissa Cannarozzi/The Washington Post) to see money not factoring into career decisions.

While this narrative makes sense, theres one major flaw: It doesnt seem to be true. Aaron Carroll flags a story in the San Francisco-area Bay Citizen, where a local health-care authority established a loan forgiveness program. If doctors committed to practicing primary care in the area, for at least four years, all of their loans would be forgiven.

The program has been around for a decade now and no one has signed up. Not a single doctor has volunteered for the opportunity to have all of their educational debt relieved. In San Mateo County, at least, debt didnt seem to be the big obstacle for doctors pursuing primary care careers.

This doesnt seem to be specific to one area of California. National data on medical student debt find that those with a high debt burden are actually more likely to go into the less lucrative primary care fields than doctors who hold no loans at all.

For private schools, odds of choosing primary care increases as debt increases, with those having no debt (and no scholarships) less likely to choose primary care, researchers at the Robert Graham Center concluded in a 2009 report.

Why do those with a higher-debt burden go into lower paying medical fields? Debt-free doctors, the thinking goes, come from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and tend to have higher expectations for their eventual salary.

For those who come from a less advantaged background, and do take out loans, the calculus might be a bit different. You have people who are willing to tolerate up to $200,000 in debt to become a doctor, Robert Phillips, director of the Robert Graham Center, said in a recent interview. To him, it suggests that doctors who have already made a huge financial commitment to becoming a physician arent as concerned with their eventual salary.

Read more:

Maybe medical school debt isn’t the problem

Liberty fourth-grader's artwork on display at aviation museum

Posted on by

Article posted: 5/30/2012 11:39 AM

An avid aviation fan from Liberty Elementary School in Community Unit Community Unit District 300 has some of his artwork on display in a museum.

Joey Hill, who just finished the fourth grade, has some of his drawings on display at the Future of Flight and Aviation Center and Boeing Tour near Seattle, Wash.

His mother, Tami Hill, had sent the pictures to Boeing. Joey would like to be an aeronautical engineer for the company one day, she says.

Joey has a passion for all kinds of airplanes, particularly Boeing models. He enjoys drawing pictures of real airplanes, as well as pictures of airplane designs he would like to see made, Tami Hill wrote in an email.

This winter, he decided hed like to become an aeronautical engineer so he can build some of those models himself in the future. He drew an entire set of diagrams showing the interior and exterior of his dream plane using existing Boeing models as a reference. He detailed out the planes overall size, passenger and cargo capacity, etc. and even tried to estimate the cost it would take to build it.

The submissions part of the i4innovation display that showcases artwork and designs from young aviation enthusiasts.

Joeys designs will be featured in the museum for a few weeks, and his family hopes to make the trip to Seattle to see his work on display.

Congrats: The Algonquin Lions Club has awarded Kristin Wodka with the Ted Spella Education Award. The Jacobs High School senior, who was expected to graduate last weekend, received a $2,000 check and the award for her outstanding academic achievements, dedication to the Jacobs music program and her community service.

Kristin will attend Olivet-Nazarene University in the fall, where she will major in psychology. The award is named after Ted Spella, a former village president and former president of the Lions Club.

Read more from the original source:

Liberty fourth-grader's artwork on display at aviation museum

Liberty Ross inspired by mother’s style

Posted on by

Liberty Ross mother is her ultimate style icon.

The model inherited her love of vintage clothes from her fashion-savvy parent, who used to hunt for unique items.

Having walked for the likes of Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Diane von Furstenberg, the brunette beauty has been spoilt for choice when it comes to designer items.

But the 33-year-old clothes horse loves nothing more than taking to the streets of London to shop in markets.

Ive always been into clothes. I grew up on Portobello Market so I was always there, picking up a bargain, she told the July issue of Elle magazine, before adding her mother still rifles the rails and picks out items for her. My mum is the coolest girl Ive ever meet.

Liberty isnt a clothes hoarder and regularly clears out her wardrobes.

The star, who is currently appearing in Snow White and the Huntsman, often sells unwanted garments on the internet.

I wish my dressing room was bigger, she said. I cant stand having too much of anything. I like clean spaces. So I regularly go through my wardrobe and pass things around my family or do a big eBay sweep.

The rest is here:

Liberty Ross inspired by mother’s style