Ellman International Highlights New Scientific Presentations at the 2012 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual …

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OCEANSIDE, N.Y., March 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Ellman International is pleased to announce that it will showcase its Pelleve Wrinkle Reduction System, Ellumine Fractional CO2 Skin Resurfacing System and full line of Surgitron radiofrequency systems at the 70th Annual AAD Meeting in San Diego March 16 20, 2012.

Located at BOOTH #337, some of the country's top dermatologists will be on hand to give presentations about the benefits of the Pelleve System in a dermatologist's practice. Pelleve is a proven, effective, safe and virtually painless cosmetic treatment that reduces wrinkles on the face using advanced radiofrequency technology. Ellman will also be highlighting the Ellumine System, a fully flexible CO2 laser for a versatile range of treatments from full factional skin resurfacing to light touch ups, for a more gentle treatment and minimal downtime. The program covering these two industry-leading, anti-aging systems includes four days of strategic presentations.Ellman invites AAD attendees to learn about the solutions offered by Ellman through any of the presentations listed below:

Friday, March 16:

Saturday, March 17:

Sunday, March 18:

Monday, March 19:

Beyond Aesthetic TreatmentsAn innovative multi-modality system, the Pelleve Wrinkle Reduction System offers physicians unmatched versatility in a compact design. Physicians can use the Pelleve system to deliver aesthetic treatments as well as perform surgical treatments using the same S5 platform. The Pelleve S5 System incorporates the proven Surgitron technology, providing maximum control in precision cutting with minimal thermal damage to surrounding tissues, plus more versatility than other energy-based technologies, including:

Only the Pelleve Generator offers such unprecedented value and versatility of both non-invasive skin tightening and precise cutting and control for aesthetic surgical procedures.

Find updates and news on the AAD meeting on Twitter @AADMtgs.

About Ellman International

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Ellman International Highlights New Scientific Presentations at the 2012 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual ...

Visiopharm’s New APPCenter Rapidly Expands Their APP Library and Introduces a Customer Contributor Program

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Visiopharm
Visiopharm’s rapidly expands the APPCenter and showcases over 30 APPs for cancer research, diabetes, neuroscience, respiratory, and much more. APPs are created and validated in collaboration between experts in the field and Visiopharm application scientists and programmers. Experts benefit from the collaboration through Visiopharm’s new customer Contributor Program. The Contributor Program offers customers of the APPCenter the ability to earn discounts. A 30% or 50% discount is offered, depending on the type of Contributor a customer become.

Visiopharm’s rapidly expands their Application Protocol Package (APP) library to over 30 APPs, available now in their patent pending APPCenter. The APPCenter provide customers with easy access to an extensive library of ready-to-run APPs for cancer research, diabetes, neuroscience, respiratory, and much more. Each APP includes detailed descriptions, references to scientific literature, illustrated examples, webinars, and more. There is no need to become an expert in image analysis; APPs are created and validated in collaboration between experts in the field and Visiopharm’s application scientists and programmers. Some of the new APPs featured in the APPCenter include:

Ki67+MART1, Double-IHC for Melanoma of Skin:1 This APP automatically detects and quantifies Ki67 positive cells within tumor regions. No manual outlining of the tumor is needed, since the tumor region is automatically identified based on the Ki67/MART1-IHC double staining. The protocol provides the number of positive nuclei within the tumor region as well as the ratio compared to the total number of nuclei within the tumor region.

CD56, IHC, uNK cells within Endometrium for Recurrent Miscarriage:1 Immunohistochemical analysis of endometrial tissue sections has demonstrated increased density of CD56+ CD16- uNK cells in the mid-luteal phase endometrium in women suffering from idiopathic recurrent miscarriage and recurrent implantation failure compared to fertile controls.2 This APP is designed to work on approx. 3 ?m sections of endometrial tissue immunostained with anti-CD56 monoclonal antibody and counterstained with Mayer’s haematoxylin. The APP measures the ratio of uNK cells among the stromal cells near the epithelial edge. Cells in the glands and in the epithelial edge itself do not contribute to the calculations. HER2, SISH for Breast Cancer: 1 The APP is based on the Visiopharm HER2 SISH algorithm, which by automated image analysis determines the HER2 amplification in brightfield digital images of breast cancer tissue sections stained by the INFORMTM HER2 Dual ISH assay from Ventana/Roche. This assay includes the HER2 Silver ISH (SISH) probe resulting in discrete or clustered small black signals, and the centromer 17 Fast Red ISH probe resulting in discrete red signals. The overall ratio of black to red signals constitutes the HER2 gene amplification.

Customers try an APP free of charge, before investing, to make sure that 1) the APP is working according to specifications, 2) the APP provides useful results, and 3) the APP can be understood and operated.

Become a Visiopharm Expert and Earn Discounts

Visiopharm’s new Contributor Program offers customers of the APPCenter the ability to earn discounts. A 30% or 50% discount is offered, depending on the type of Contributor a customer become. Our Contributor levels include:

  • Reference Contributor: When an already available public APP is purchased from the APPCenter, a discount of 30% is given when the customer agrees to become a reference for the APP. Specifically, the customer’s name and institution can be listed as a user of the APP.

  • Co-author Contributor: When a Custom APP is developed, a discount of 50 % is given if the APP can be made public in the APPCenter after the custom development is complete. Co-author Contributors would support the APP being made public by providing example images, and the information necessary to create the description of the APP.

    Michael Grunkin PhD, CEO of Visiopharm, stated “Quantitative digital pathology often is a new discipline to life-science researchers; many do not have any previous experience and exposure to this discipline. Our Contributor Program provides a platform where researchers can share their expert knowledge within their respective research fields and earn significant discounts. Contributors will help demonstrate and support how to answer important research questions, in a transparent way, using quantitative digital pathology. The program creates a simple, risk-free way in which other researchers can follow in their footsteps. Our Contributor program was designed to become a valuable resource to the research community, and to encourage and reward the sharing of knowledge, experiences, and visions.”

    APPs are purchased for a low fixed cost, are yours to keep, and will work with both Visiopharm’s Deployed Analysis and their new Cloud Analysis solutions. Custom APPs can be developed upon request, at a fixed known cost, and are also risk free with a complimentary trial. For more information on how to join the Contributor Program please visit Visiopharm’s new website at http://www.visiopharm.com or contact Visiopharm’s Professional Services department at proservices@visiopharm.com.

    About Visiopharm

    Over the past 10 years, Visiopharm image analysis and stereology software has become the preferred Quantitative Digital Pathology solution for leading biopharmaceutical companies, clinical researchers, and academic researchers all over the world. Visiopharm has more than 300 deployed systems worldwide and a large network of distribution and support partners, and is featured in over 400 scientific publications.

    1 For research use only
    2 Endometrial cell counts in recurrent miscarriage: a comparison of counting methods, Josephine A Drury, Helena Nik, Robbert H F van Oppenraaij, Ai-Wei Tang, Mark A Turner & Siobhan Quenby, Histopathology 2011, 59, 1156-1162, 4/2 - 2011

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An Entirely Automatic Method to Score Crypt Loss and Infiltration from Pathology Slides in a Mouse DSS Model of Colitis

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This is a presentation by Cleopatra Kozlowski of Genentech at the Definiens Symposium in 2011 about using image analysis to score a mouse model of colitis. Much work has been done in the field of cancer biology and tumorigenesis but I think image analysis will prove increasingly important in non-neoplastic conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and neurodegenerative conditions. 

This video illustrates use of image analysis in IBD:

 

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Eastday-Big stem cell breakthrough

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A NEW stem cell therapy treatment to develop new bones for patients with bone loss and new skin for recipients of plastic surgery has been developed, doctors from Shanghai No.9 People's Hospital announced yesterday.

In the procedure, medical staff use a special machine to collect stem cells from a patient's blood. The stem cells adhere to a base made of a special biological material.

The stem cells are then transplanted into the patient's body, where they grow into either new bones or skin tissue, while the base is absorbed by the human body.

"So far the practice has been successful in treating patients with bone and skin loss," said Dr Dai Kerong from Shanghai Jiao Tong University's translational medicine institute at Shanghai No.9 hospital. "The stem cell technology will be used to develop corneas for blind people as well as treating heart attack and stroke patients by developing new heart and cerebral tissue."

The technology is patented in China and abroad and will be licensed within one or two years, according to Dai.

China has established 51 translational medicine centers to boost the introduction of laboratory research into clinical use.

The complicated procedures and documentation required often prevent doctors from introducing lab success into clinical practice.

Dai said one reagent developed by No. 9 hospital's doctors for in vitro fertilization received a license in Europe within six months and has been used in clinical practice "while this would take at least five years in China."

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Eastday-Big stem cell breakthrough

Mead Johnson, SanCor establish pediatric nutrition JV

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DBR Staff Writer Published 16 March 2012

Mead Johnson Nutrition and Argentina-based diary producer SanCor Cooperativas Unidas have officially established a joint venture (JV) to expand the availability of pediatric nutrition products across the Southern Cone of South America.

Mead Johnson Nutrition chief operating officer Kasper Jakobsen and SanCor Cooperativas Unidas of Argentina chairman of board of administration Oscar Carreras met in Buenos Aires to establish the JV.

Mead Johnson will invest ARS850m ($196m) for an 80% ownership interest in the JV, which will develop, produce and market pediatric nutritional products under the SanCor Beb brand at existing facilities in Argentina.

The company will provide clinical research, proprietary formulas and product innovation, while SanCor will contribute its local market knowledge of Argentina and manufacturing capabilities.

Carreras said Mead Johnson strengthens its presence and growth potential in South America, while SanCor is able to better leverage its manufacturing base and continue exploration of business opportunities in other promising categories.

In 2011, SanCor's turnover in the infant formula and children's growing-up milk categories totaled nearly ARS300m ($69m).

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Mead Johnson, SanCor establish pediatric nutrition JV

Droid Razr Maxx's longevity tops Galaxy Note's stylus

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Two of the latest gadgets are cases in point. On paper, the Samsung Galaxy Note and the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx have very similar specs. But the two phones are quite distinct, thanks to some unusual features.

The Galaxy Note, available through AT&T, is Samsung's attempt to turn a smartphone into a digital notepad, replete with not only a jumbo 5.3-inch screen, but also a stylus and software that can translate handwritten notes into text.

The Droid Razr Maxx, available through Verizon Wireless, has a more subtle distinction - a battery that the company says will allow users to talk for up to 21 { hours. That's 70 percent longer than the promised talk time on the original Droid Razr, which Motorola released just three months ago and for which the new gadget is a dead ringer.

It's exciting to see smartphone manufacturers exploring new innovations. But in this case, I'd take the subtle over the splashy.

I've not been a fan of the trend toward bigger screens in smartphones. While the extra viewing space is nice, a big-screen device is harder to hold, talk on or fit in your pocket. The Galaxy Note takes this trend to the extreme. It's like the Hummer of smartphones. I felt ridiculous holding this clumsy device up to my ear and found it nearly impossible to use with one hand.

The point of the large screen is to enable the device to behave like a tablet - good for watching movies and composing documents, but in a more portable, than a regular, tablet.

The Galaxy Note's display is bright and crisp, great for viewing videos or reading e-books.

Samsung has included a few applications and built-in features for the device's stylus. You can take handwritten notes in S Memo, finely crop or enhance photos in the device's gallery and direct a ball to its goal by drawing and erasing lines in "Crayon Physics." The game and photo enhancement work OK.

But memo-taking - one of the express purposes of the Galaxy Note - was its most disappointing aspect.

As a reporter, I still often resort to a pen and paper when interviewing subjects or taking notes at conferences. I'd love to be able to replace that antiquated system with a digital notepad that would recognize my handwriting and allow me to take fully searchable notes.

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Droid Razr Maxx's longevity tops Galaxy Note's stylus

Biology students gather at Laurentian

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Select a Publication: N E W S P A P E R S ---------------------------------------------- ---Alberta--- Airdrie - Airdrie Echo Banff - Banff Crag and Canyon Beaumont - Beaumont News Calgary - The Calgary Sun Camrose - Camrose Canadian Canmore - Canmore Leader Central Alberta - County Market Cochrane - Cochrane Times Cold Lake - Cold Lake Sun Crowsnest Pass - Crowsnest Pass Promoter Devon - Dispatch News Drayton - Drayton Valley Western Review Edmonton - Edmonton Examiner Edmonton - The Edmonton Sun Edson - Edson Leader Fairview - Fairview Post Fort McMurray - Fort McMurray Today Fort Saskatchewan - Fort Saskatchewan Record Grande Prairie - Daily Herald Tribune Hanna - Hanna Herald High River - High River Times Hinton - Hinton Parklander Lacombe - Lacombe Globe Leduc - Leduc Representative Lloydminster - Meridian Booster Mayerthorpe - Mayerthorpe Freelancer Nanton - Nanton News Peace Country - Peace Country Sun Peace River - Peace River Record Gazette Pincher Creek - Pincher Creek Echo Sherwood Park - Sherwood Park News Spruce Grove - Spruce Grove Examiner Stony Plain - Stony Plain Reporter Strathmore - Strathmore Standard Vermilion - Vermilion Standard Vulcan - Vulcan Advocate Wetaskiwin - Wetaskiwin Times Whitecourt - Whitecourt Star ---Manitoba--- Altona - Alton Red River Valley Echo Beausejour - Beausejour Review Carman - Carman Valley Leader Gimli - Interlake Spectator Lac Du Bonnet - Lac Du Bonnet Leader Morden - Morden Times Portage la Prairie - Portage Daily Graphic Selkirk - Selkirk Journal Stonewall - Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times Winkler - Winkler Times Winnipeg - The Winnipeg Sun ---Ontario--- Amherstburg - Amherstburg Echo Bancroft - Bancroft this Week Barrie - Barrie Examiner Barry's Bay - Barry's Bay this Week Belleville - Intelligencer Bradford - Bradford Times Brantford - Expositor Brockville - The Recorder & Times Chatham - Chatham Daily News Chatham - Chatham This Week Chatham - Today's Farmer Clinton - Clinton News-Record Cobourg - Northumberland Today Cochrane - Cochrane Times Post Collingwood - Enterprise Bulletin Cornwall - Standard Freeholder Delhi - Delhi News-Record Dresden - Leader Spirit Dunnville - Dunnville Chronicle Elliot Lake - Standard Espanola - Mid-North Monitor Fort Erie - Times Gananoque - Gananoque Reporter Goderich - Goderich Signal-Star Grand Bend - Lakeshore Advance Haliburton - Haliburton Echo Hanover - The Post Ingersoll - Ingersoll Times Innisfil - Innisfil Examiner Kapuskasing - Kapuskasing Northern Times Kenora - Kenora Daily Miner and News Kenora - Lake of the Woods Enterprise Kincardine - Kincardine News Kingston - Frontenac This Week Kingston - Kingston This Week Kingston - Kingston Whig Standard Kirkland Lake - Northern News Leamington - Leamington Post Lindsay - The Lindsay Post London - The London Free Press London - The Londoner Lucknow - Lucknow Sentinel Midland - Free Press Minden - Minden Times Mitchell - Mitchell Advocate Napanee - Napanee Guide Niagara-on-the-Lake - Niagara Advance Niagara Falls - Review Niagara Falls - Niagara Shopping News Niagara Falls - W. Niagara Community Newspapers North Bay - North Bay Nugget Northumberland - Northumberland Today Norwich - Norwich Gazette Orillia - Packet and Times Ottawa - The Ottawa Sun Owen Sound - Sun Times Oxford - Oxford Review Paris - Paris Star Online Pelham - Pelham News Pembroke - Daily Observer Peterborough - Peterborough Examiner Petrolia - Petrolia Topic Picton - County Weekly News Port Colborne - Inport News Port Hope - Northumberland Today Port Elgin - Shoreline Beacon Sarnia - Observer Sarnia - Sarnia This Week Sault Ste Marie - Sault Star Sault Ste Marie - Sault This Week Seaforth - Seaforth Huron Expositor Simcoe - Simcoe Reformer St. Catharines - St. Catharines Shopping News St. Catharines - Standard St. Thomas - St. Thomas Times-Journal Stirling - Community Press Stratford - The Beacon Herald Strathroy - Strathroy Age Dispatch Sudbury - Sudbury Star Thorold - Thorold News Tillsonburg - Tillsonburg News Timmins - Daily Press Timmins - Timmins Times Toronto - The Toronto Sun Trenton - Trentonian Wallaceburg - Wallaceburg Courier Press Welland - Tribune Welland - Welland News West Lorne - The Chronicle Wiarton - Wiarton Echo Woodstock - Sentinel Review ---Saskatchewan--- Meadow Lake - Meadow Lake Progress Melfort - Melfort Journal Nipawin - Nipawin Journal MAGAZINES & SPECIALTY PUBLICATIONS --------- Biz Magazine Business London Cottage Home and Property Showcase Food and Wine Show Hamilton Halton Weddings Hamilton Magazine InterVin International Wine Awards Kingston Life London Citylife Muskoka Magazine Muskoka Trails Niagara Food and Wine Expo Niagara Magazine Ontario Farmer Ontario Golf Sault Good Life Simcoe Life Sudbury Bride Guide The Home Show Vines Magazine What's Up Muskoka

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Biology students gather at Laurentian

Students place in regional science fair

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Stuttgart School District students came back victorious from the Southeast Regional Science Fair at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

Stuttgart High School held its science fair back in December, and those students who earned first, second or third places moved on to the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Science Fair. The UAPB Science Fair was held Feb. 16 and students that place first, second or third went on to compete in the Regional Science Fair at Monticello on March 8.

Now those who have placed in the regional at Monticello have the opportunity to compete in the state science fair March 30 and 31, SHS teacher Kathy Prislovsky said.

In the Senior Division at Monticello Chris Hooks received first place in Behavioral Science. Lawrence Chamberlain received second place in Behavioral Science. Pearl Jangjiravat received second place in Chemistry. Shana Fruge received first place in Biochemistry. Cassidy George received second place in Cellular/Molecular Biology. Marlee Meier and Aston Coleman received second place in Team.

In the Junior Division Abbey Maynard received third place in Chemistry. Corbin Buerkle received first place in Microbiology. Ashley Hopson and Jaelyn Maddox received third place in Team.

Chamberlain was the overall winner of the science fair at UAPB receiving a four-year scholarship and the Sigma Xi Fraternity award with a $100 prize. Hooks was the winner of the science fair in Monticello and won a one-year scholarship at UAM.

Each year we try this same sequence local science fair, UAPB science fair, regional science fair, then state, Prislovsky said. Last year we had a couple students qualify for state, but couldnt attend.

You cant imagine how proud the science department and the high school are of these students.It is an honor, and I am excited that they wanted to continue on with their projects, she said.

It is important for the students to compete in these competitions because it helps them with the presentation skills and also their self-esteem, Prislovsky explained.

It also is wonderful that they enjoy doing science. STEM is where we are heading, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, she said. These students need to be prepared for college and the work force.

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Students place in regional science fair

Gov. Perry’s stem-cell firm draws FDA scrutiny

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received a complaint alleging the Houston company involved in Gov. Rick Perry's unregulated adult stem-cell operation is a potential danger to patients and not in compliance with federal law.

In an eight-page letter sent last month, University of Minnesota bioethicist Leigh Turner called on the FDA to investigate Celltex Therapeutics Corp., which banks people's stem cells for future reinjection in the event of disease or injury. Perry was the company's first customer last year.

"It appears their business plan involves injecting or infusing on a for-profit, commercial basis non-FDA-approved adult stem cells into paying customers," Turner wrote in the Feb. 21 letter. "This plan conflicts with FDA regulations governing human stem cells."

An FDA spokeswoman declined comment, but Turner said an agency official told him the matter has been assigned to an investigator and is being taken seriously.

Celltex co-founder David Eller said Tuesday night he is confident the company will "meet all FDA specifications." He emphasized that Celltex doesn't administer stem cells, but stores and processes them at the behest of doctors who later reinject them into patients.

Dr. Stanley Jones, a Houston orthopedic surgeon, injected Perry's stem cells during his back surgery in July.

The plan by Celltex and Perry to make Texas a leader in the therapy have been controversial since details about the governor's procedure became known last summer. The therapy, drawing on the ability of adult stem cells to replenish dying cells, is promising but thought by most medical researchers to need much more clinical study before it is commercialized.

Stem cells are a kind of medicine known as biologics, therapy involving living cells rather than chemicals. Most medical experts say that adult stem-cell therapy involves more than the "minimal manipulation" the agency allows without its oversight because the cells are isolated, cultured in a laboratory and stored for some period of time before being reinjected.

The FDA has recently stepped up enforcement of unregulated adult stem cell activity, though legal experts interviewed last fall by the Chronicle said it was unclear whether the agency would look into Perry's procedure because he seemed fully informed and unharmed by it.

The Texas Medical Board is currently considering a policy that would require providers of stem cells and other experimental drugs to use them only with the permission of independent review committees that assess trials for patient safety. The policy comes up for final approval in April.

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Gov. Perry's stem-cell firm draws FDA scrutiny

Poor dental hygiene puts congenital heart disease patients at risk of further heart damage

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Public release date: 16-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: ESC Press Office press@escardio.org 33-049-294-8627 European Society of Cardiology

Copenhagen, 16 March 2012: Poor dental hygiene behaviours in patients with congenital heart disease are increasing their risk of endocarditis. Teens with congenital heart disease floss, brush and visit the dentist less than their peers. But they have healthier behaviours when it comes to alcohol, cigarettes and illicit drugs. Adults with single ventricle physiology (a type of congenital heart disease) also have poorer dental hygiene practices than their peers despite having better health behaviours overall.

The findings were presented in two studies at the 12th Annual Spring Meeting on Cardiovascular Nursing, 16-17 March, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

"Patients with congenital heart disease are diagnosed and receive their initial treatment in childhood but this does not mean that they are cured," says the supervisor of both studies, Professor Philip Moons, professor in nursing science at the University of Leuven, Belgium, and guest professor at Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark. "They remain vulnerable for developing complications for instance we know that in patients with congenital heart disease, binge drinking can trigger life-threatening arrhythmias and good dental hygiene helps prevent endocarditis."

For the first study (FPN 34) 1, lifestyle information was collected from 429 adolescents with congenital heart disease aged 14-19 years from the longitudinal study i-DETACH (Information technology Devices and Education programme for Transitioning Adolescents with Congenital Heart disease). Of these, 401 were matched with a control of the same age and gender without congenital heart disease. All participants completed a questionnaire, developed by the research group of Professor Moons, which measures the use of alcohol, cigarettes and illicit drugs, dental care and physical activity. These behaviours are particularly important to the health of patients with congenital heart disease.

Using results from the questionnaire, the researchers calculated risk scores for 'substance use' (binge drinking; smoking; illicit drug use) and 'dental hygiene' (no dental visits; not brushing; not flossing) ranging from 0. An 'overall health risk score' (range 0) was calculated using the substance use risk score, dental hygiene risk score, and the absence of physical activity. The 3 risk scores were transformed to a scale ranging from 0 (no risk) to 100 (maximum risk). Scores were compared across different age groups.

In adolescents with congenital heart disease, substance use increased with age (p<0.001). Compared with matched controls, adolescents with congenital heart disease had significantly lower substance use (p<0.001) and health risk (p<0.001) scores, and significantly higher dental hygiene risk scores (p=0.04).

The results reveal that health risk behaviours are prevalent in adolescents with congenital heart disease and they increase with age. They also show that in general, the health behaviour of adolescents with congenital heart disease is better than their peers except for dental hygiene.

Professor Moons says: "The fact that adolescents with congenital heart disease have better health behaviour overall than the general population is understandable given the amount of input they have had from healthcare professionals over their lives. But we need to do more to understand why their dental hygiene is not as good as expected."

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Poor dental hygiene puts congenital heart disease patients at risk of further heart damage

Biopsy Sample Barcoding System Enhances Patient Safety at Beaumont

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ROYAL OAK Beaumont Health Systems Anatomic Pathology laboratory has installed a touch screen workflow system to barcode, track and re-confirm the identity of every biopsy sample through every step in the laboratory process.

The VentanaVantage workflow system, by Ventana Medical Systems Inc. in Tucson, Ariz., helps to improve patient safety in the Anatomic Pathology lab so the right biopsy results are provided to the right patient as quickly as possible.

Beaumont is the first health system in Michigan with multiple hospitals connected together in a network on the Vantage platform. Beaumonts three hospitals collectively process 102,898 biopsy samples a year.

This new system allows us to have an integrated, unbroken chain of custody for biopsy samples, says Mark Kolins, Beaumont Health System chair, pathology and laboratory medicine. It eliminates data re-entry and reduces labeling errors because patient information is entered into a computer only once and electronically transferred with barcodescanners throughout the process. It also allows us to locate any specimen or slide on any workstation or instrument, to eliminate misplaced patient samples. As part of the implementation, Beaumont Anatomic Pathology staff worked with Ventana to review and simplify workflow processes for faster turnaround times and greater efficiency.

The system also provides a lab performance dashboard to help lab leaders identify opportunities for improvement in quality, safety and efficiency.

Previously, samples were manually labeled multiple times throughout the laboratory process, with a higher chance of an error.

In the Anatomic Pathology laboratory, patient biopsy samples removed through surgery are transformed into a section of tissue on a glass slide. Through a series of steps, the tissue is transferred to different media. A physician specializing in anatomic pathology examines the tissue using a microscope to determine at a cellular level if cancer or another disease is present.

In addition to the Anatomic Pathology lab, Beaumont uses barcodingas a patient safety measure for blood specimens in its clinical laboratories. Barcodelabels are produced at the point of collection for the 5 million inpatient blood tests processed annually in Beaumonts clinical labs. Beaumonts outpatient blood draw sites also use barcoding.

Beaumont is in the process of implementing a barcoding system for inpatient medication administration.

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Biopsy Sample Barcoding System Enhances Patient Safety at Beaumont

How to cope with the ‘threat' of longevity

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You can't predict how long you'll live. Nonetheless, you still need to consider longevity as a key factor in creating and following a long-term investment strategy.

Your projected lifespan may be longer than you thought. Men who turned 65 in 2010 can expect to live another 18.6 years, while women who reached 65 then can anticipate another 20.7 years, according to the 2011 Social Security Trustees Report.

These figures are averages. Depending on your health and family history of longevity, you could well spend two or three decades in retirement.

Possibly because people are now realizing they may have to support themselves far longer than earlier generations did, they seem to be growing increasingly worried about running out of money in their later years.

A poll of people 44-75 years old, sponsored by Allianz Life Insurance, showed 61 percent said they fear depleting their assets more than they fear dying.

If you're worried about outliving your resources or if you think you may become one of those people what steps should you take now and during your retirement?

Here are a few ideas:

Keep investing. Put away as much money as you can afford for your retirement. Take advantage of tax-deferred accounts such as your 401(k) and traditional IRA, or tax-free accounts, such as a Roth IRA. Roth IRA earnings are tax-free if you've had your account at least five years and you don't start taking withdrawals until you're at least 59. Keep investing, year in, year out, despite inevitable market volatility you'll encounter along the way.

Reassess your retirement age. If you enjoy your work, you might consider staying at your job a few years later than first intended. Those extra years of income, not to mention extra contributions to your 401(k) and potentially bigger Social Security payouts, can make a big difference to your retirement lifestyle.

Delay taking Social Security. As laws stand, you can start taking Social Security as young as 62, but your monthly checks will be bigger when you reach your "full" retirement age. You'll get your biggest monthly Social Security checks if you wait until age 70, when they "max out," but many people feel waiting that long may not be worth it when weighing lost years of any payments against the unknown variable of life expectancy.

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How to cope with the ‘threat' of longevity

DNA links 3 rapes near Penn State campus to 1 man

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AP

DNA evidence has linked three rapes in State College to the same man, police said.

The crimes occurred between August 2010 and April 2011 near the Penn State campus.

In each case, police said a college-age woman walking alone on a street in the Highlands neighborhood was raped by a man she didn't know.

DNA evidence from each rape was sent to a state police lab for testing and police recently learned that all are from the same man, said Chief Tom King, State College Police Dept.

It's possible, King said, the man has left the area, but his DNA is now in a database.

Police think there could be additional victims and they hope they will come forward.

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

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DNA links 3 rapes near Penn State campus to 1 man

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DNA analysis of blood leads to conviction in Tumwater crime

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JEREMY PAWLOSKI | Staff writer Published March 15, 2012 Modified March 15, 2012

DNA analysis of fresh blood left at a Tumwater restaurant after it was burglarized last year led to a mans conviction and sentencing Thursday for second-degree burglary.

Thurston County Superior Court Judge Gary Tabor sentenced Damon Leroy Stevens to six and a half years in prison for the charge, a felony.

Stevens already is serving a prison sentence of five years and eight months on separate convictions that include an attempted burglary out of King County. The new sentence will run concurrent to Stevens sentence, meaning he will end up serving only an additional 10 months in prison.

Tabor pointed out during Stevens sentencing that Stevens has 12 prior felony convictions as an adult, including convictions for four other burglaries. Two of Stevens convictions involved a burglary of the Rusty Tractor Restaurant in Elma, and of Characters Corner, a bar in the Steamboat Island area, in 2010.

Stevens attorney, Alex Frix, said in court that most of Stevens burglary convictions occurred within a relatively short period as part of a spree attributed to Stevens former drug habit.

Tumwater Police Detective Jen Kolb asked the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab to analyze blood left at the Plaza Jalisco restaurant on Capitol Boulevard after a burglary there Feb. 7, 2011, court papers state. She said the blood was apparently left there after a suspect suffered a cut after breaking a plate-glass window to enter the restaurant after hours.

Kolb said she suspected that Stevens might be responsible because the methods were similar to those used in the robbery of the Rusty Tractor in Elma, which Stevens had been arrested on suspicion of committing.

The blood was compared to Stevens DNA profile, on record with the state Department of Corrections because of Stevens past convictions, court papers state. Analysis revealed a match.

(T)he estimated probability of selecting an unrelated individual at random from the U.S. population with a matching profile was 1 in 9.1 trillion, court papers state.

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DNA analysis of blood leads to conviction in Tumwater crime

Posted in DNA

DNA socking it to crime

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INCREASING DNA matches, including one from an sock, are helping police arrest more suspects.

The number of profiles held on the South Australian DNA database was almost 90,000 as of November 30 , up from 71,692 at June 30, 2010.

During 2010-11, DNA samples successfully contributed to 777 police investigations, up from 679 in 2009-10.

Police use a mouth swab to collect DNA samples from any person suspected of committing a serious offence - in accordance with the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Act - which can then be matched against DNA retrieved from crime scenes.

In the latest DNA match to assist an investigation, police arrested a man on Thursday in relation to a break-in and theft at a Melrose Park home in September He allegedly left a sock at the scene.

DNA found on the sock matched that of an 18-year-old man who was arrested and charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass and theft. It will be alleged the suspect broke into the house about 10.40pm on September 21 last year. He fled, leaving the sock behind, after the occupant of the house confronted him in the kitchen.

The man was remanded in custody to appear in the Holden Hill Magistrates Court in May.

A DNA match also led to the arrest of a man on Thursday in relation to a rape that occurred in Berri almost 25 years ago. Riverland Crime Investigation Branch detectives arrested the Berri man, 58, and charged him with one count of breaking into a premises and one count of rape, alleged to have occurred in 1988.

The arrest was the result of a re-examination of the cold case and forensic evidence, including DNA, police said.

SA Police DNA Management Unit officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Phil Hanley said a growing database of DNA profiles and improving technology was assisting the fight on crime.

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DNA socking it to crime

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DNA key to burglary charges

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A bail hearing has offered a glimpse into how police gather DNA evidence used to link suspects to specific crimes.

In this case, DNA was used to allegedly connect a single suspect to two dated burglaries.

The Crowns case, Id suggest, is strong given the DNA evidence, Crown attorney Garry Rainnie said in Brandon court recently as he described the investigations.

Rainnies courtroom account offers a little insight into how city police use DNA to solve crimes. Police generally decline to describe investigation techniques.

On Oct. 21, 2007, around 4:30 a.m., someone broke into a home on Buttercup Bay as the resident and a number of party guests slept.

As the burglar dismantled a light fixture outside the kitchen window, he cut himself and left blood on the light, window frame and backsplash in the kitchen.

From inside the home, the intruder swiped a number of items that included some cash, cigarettes and a jacket that had the keys to a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am in the pocket.

The burglar then entered the parked car and took some more cash, although he left a small amount of blood behind.

Police took blood samples from the light fixture glass, the window frame and the backsplash.

Those were sent to an RCMP lab and the resulting DNA profiles were stored in the national DNA databank.

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DNA key to burglary charges

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Bizarre Science: Sexually Frustrated Flies Are Driven to Drink

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When she says no, the bottle beckons more brightly for men and for fruit flies, according to a new study that found that male flies that had been repeatedly spurned by females were more likely to turn to alcohol to self-medicate their frustration.

As a topic of study, drunk fruit flies may seem trifling, but what the findings reveal about the neurochemistry that drives behaviors like sex and eating may point the way to new drugs to fight both addiction and obesity.

Researchers performed several clever experiments to determine the relationship between sexual frustration and drinking in male flies. Some lucky males were allowed four days of mating for six-hour sessions at a time (each bout of fruit fly copulation takes 20 minutes) with an abundance of sexually receptive females the female-to-male ratio was a satisfying 5-to-1. The male flies were housed either together or alone.

The unlucky experimental group was introduced to females that had already mated and had no desire to mate again. The females ran away, kicked and stuck out their egg-laying organ to fend males off. The male flies underwent this exercise in sexual frustration and rejection three times a day, for an hour at a time, over four days. Again, some of the males were kept in containers with other male flies, while others were isolated.

A third group of males was exposed to the sad sight of decapitated virgin females a situation that resulted in sexual frustration, but no active rejection.

MORE: Do Monkeys Pay for Sex?

After these experiences, the flies were given a choice of ordinary food (yeast and sugar) or food that had been spiked with the kick of 30-proof spirits (yeast, sugar and 15% alcohol). Not surprisingly, the sexually rejected flies boozed much more than the mated group with those males that had been spurned and alone hitting the sauce the hardest. The flies that had been sexually frustrated but not rejected also drank more than those that had been allowed to mate. However, when flies that had first been rejected were later given a chance to mate, their extra preference for alcohol disappeared.

So what was going on in the flies brains? Researchers found that a neurotransmitter called neuropeptide F, or NPF, which seems to be linked with fruit flies reward system, was strongly predictive of whether the flies drank. NPF was low in sexually frustrated flies lower in flies that had been isolated than in those that had company in their misery which appeared to drive them to drink.

Both mating and drinking alcohol increased NPF levels. Moreover, when NPF levels were artificially reduced in mated flies, they continued to show an extra preference for alcohol just as if they hadnt mated. These data suggest that activity of the NPF system is regulated by at least two rewarding experiences, mating and [alcohol] intoxication, the authors write.

The researchers also found that activating the NPF system was itself pleasurable to the flies, suggesting that it may create the feeling of satisfaction associated with drinking and sex.

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Bizarre Science: Sexually Frustrated Flies Are Driven to Drink

Stoughton police chief set to return after FBI training

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The towns police chief is headed home after an extended training session with the FBI.

Police Chief Paul Shastany wrapped up 21/2 months at the invitation-only FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va. He will be back on the job Monday.

Classes at the academy include law, behavioral science, forensic science, understanding terrorism/terrorist mind sets, leadership development, communication and health/fitness. The academy has existed since 1935.

Executive Officer Robert Devine, who has been serving as acting chief in Shastanys absence, called it a momentous day in an email.

This is a huge occasion for all of us, and we couldnt be prouder of him, Devine wrote.

Shastany has been writing periodic updates on the training, posted on the departments Facebook page.

I cannot tell you how great this experience has been. I have many new friends, he wrote in his most recent post. We have come together as a team and will leave as individuals.

Shastany said he was inspired by the fellow law enforcement professionals he met during the training, including a New Jersey state police captain and a colonel in the Egyptian police force.

This experience was not so much about academics but rather about the character and commitment of the people, he wrote. The world is a better place because of the type of people that come here and serve their communities.

Justin Graeber may be reached at jgraeber@enterprisenews.com or follow him on Twitter @justingraeber.

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Stoughton police chief set to return after FBI training

'Grey's Anatomy' Recap: Cristina Learns the Truth About Owen

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S8E17: I've said it before and I'll say it again: the problem with Grey's Anatomy is that it's overly repetitive. The same characters go through the same type of problems in the same type of storylines week after week after week. And while it can sometimes be good to go with what works, the show has drastically lost that unique edge it once had and segued into a realm of predictability.

And while the characters are each suffering through their own sets of personal baggage, nothing is ever really accomplished. Whatever was a problem last week, is a problem this week and the week after that. Whether Derek's arguing with Meredith or Cristina's marriage is crumbling, nothing ever significantly changes enough to help drive the plot forward. What happened to the quirky catch phrases, forbidden love scandals, and impressive wow-factors we all grew to love? If Grey's doesn't up the surprise element soon, the foundation of this once solid show could potentially crumble, leaving nothing but a massive pile of "boring" in its wake.

"We can create problems where none exist." - Meredith Derek, who is clearly suffering from a case of amnesia, suggests that Meredith go back to working with him in neurology. If you recall, Meredith was removed from Derek's service earlier in the season after she was caught tampering with his Alzheimer's clinical trial. But sure, giving it another try sounds like a great idea.

Meredith agrees to assist in Derek's next surgery, which involves removing a cyst from a patient's brain. However, in the middle of the procedure, Derek is called away, leaving Lexie and Meredith to perform the procedure themselves. Everything's fine until Lexie spots a small tumor in the patients brain. And while they know they should get Derek's approval before removing it, Meredith instructs Lexie to take it out anyway, to save the patient from needing an extra surgery in the future. Of course, Derek is furious when he finds out since it was done without his or the patient's consent, however, Meredith assures him there was no harm done and everything's going to be fine. But it turns out she couldn't be more wrong. When the patient wakes up, she's unable to speak. Lexie accidentally damaged something in the brain while removing the tumor and the damage is irreversible. And while this unfortunate tragedy doesn't unhinge Mer-Der's relationship, it does make Derek realize (once again) that working with Meredith isn't a good idea. So we're right back to where we started with these two.

"Should Karev really be hooking up with the intern mom?" - Callie Callie is convinced there's definitely something going on between Alex Karev and intern Morgan, whose preemie baby is still struggling to stay alive. And while Alex remains in complete denial about it, there's definitely an interest there, at least on Morgan's part. And it doesn't seem like Alex is all that opposed to the idea, despite his constant protests. We all know he can't help but fall for a woman in need. Let's just hope this time things won't end in such heartache.

Meanwhile, Avery develops a new potential love interest as well. With his mother, Catherine Avery, back for a visit, Avery gets introduced to her assistant, who insists on spending the entire day by his side. And though Avery initially shows no interest in showing her around, the two of them eventually hit it off and hook up for a steamy rendezvous in the on call room (finally, that room gets some attention again). Perhaps this will help him in his attempt to get over his feelings for Lexie.

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'Grey's Anatomy' Recap: Cristina Learns the Truth About Owen