Medical Quack

Copyright Algorithms–Video Copyright Censoring Bots Wired In To Video Infrastructure Could Stand to Threaten The Future of Live Streaming–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 43

This is not my usual Killer Algorithm story whereby I talk about<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="104" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KBecvlSn3cU/UEwx_4qH9vI/AAAAAAAA9iU/mVxPvNhQg70/image%25255B10%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="116" /> how companies pass judgment with flawed data or create algorithms with SQL parameters to deny service, insurance claims, etc.  This article here talks about the automation process of copyrights and the use of algorithms to police it on auto pilot.  Sounds like fun stuff, well not really.  If you read the entire article you can see where the robots are going to make plenty of errors with this and it was already shown with Michelle Obama’s speech at the DNC and a few more places like the Hugo Awards and NASA, so we are in for a lot of fun here and a bunch of interrupted video streams.  Come on let’s face it if NASA, the White House and others are already caught up in this mess, what does that say for the rest of us?  Should we go back to “elevator music” <grin>.  This is just one more area where the algorithms are taking over and there’s software companies out there of course trying to perfect this.  Here’s the image below from the full story at <a href="http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/09/streaming-videos-robotic-overlords-algorithmic-copyright-cops/all/">WIRED.</a>  <img alt="image" border="0" height="363" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SkeIzTeGBfM/UEwyADPmiFI/AAAAAAAA9ic/Tc15NytqLXI/image%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="400" /> Ok so someone gives you permission to use copyrighted material, is the algorithm going to know, probably not so here we go again with machines and humans needing to work together as someone will have to alter the structured query language that calls that copyright violation when videos stream.  When you think about this enforcement effort, look at the big money these software folks want to make doing this too, and it’s big.  Now let me say this, the work it will take to have folks changing and allowing parameters on queries to be changed all the time to allow folks who DO have permission to use copyrighted material will be huge and gee this sounds like it will create a few jobs maybe?  How is this going to evolve to work?  If it is not changed for selected material to be used, well guess what, the Killer Algorithms strike again!  The article goes on to say that Ustream has more traffic per second than YouTube so we are talking a lot streaming here.  At the Hugo awards they used the “free” Ustream service and were unaware that this would happen and Ustream was not contacted before the show and the software is called Vobie and is used by many movie studios, record labels, etc. and was developed in China.  The Hugo awards were cut off and apparently not able to get it back online as they could not over ride the algorithmic bots that process the information looking for copyright violations.  Now to continue on the Feds could shut you down for copyright violations too if they get in on the act and they have made some errors here too.  This quote from Twitter says it all!  I added my 2 cents and retweeted it as we have that in healthcare and in the financial world as our government can’t keep up with all of this and we have a Congress dumber than rocks when it comes to algorithmic processes and creating laws to work with those algos.  They sit there in denial and still think they are creating definitive laws when in fact they are not as the next day after a law is passed, companies, banks, etc. are right out there creating duping algorithms that will stretch the imagination and find every loop hole and create new loop holes for whatever gets passed so we do need some algorithmic centric laws soon.  <img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MdcQ51oZRKs/UDz9pcW4fBI/AAAAAAAA9PM/5H-RdgxYtf8/image%25255B11%25255D.png?imgmax=800" /> If you want to read the other 40 some chapters on Killer Algorithms, here’s the link to the links… <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html">Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Digest & Links for All Chapters–on How Math and Crafty Formulas Today Running on Servers 24/7 Make Life Impacting Decisions About You</a></h4> As far as Algo Duping, here’s a post from a few days ago that explains how we get sucked in with marketing and how the government is oblivious as to how the processes worth with math and formulas.  It’s happening out there and those naïve enough to think that algorithms alone can solve problems have another thought coming, and one that comes to mind is the re-admissions to hospitals.  And what did I suggest over 3 years ago?  Next link below <grin>.  People that write code see a bit of future as we can surmise how the next of code will work, especially when there’s money to be made.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/08/department-of-algorithms-do-we-need-one.html">“Department of Algorithms – Do We Need One of These to Regulate Upcoming Laws?</a></h4> Sure information is helpful and can guide us to some great solutions but there’s no “Gold Algorithm” out there that’s a one stop shop and due to digital ignorance in government the darn things become law and the machine and those with enough money to pay geeks good money to write them keep getting richer.  BD  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-rise-and-need-for-human-computer.html">The Rise (And Need) for Human – Computer Cooperation- A Good Thing and a Challenge for a Society, Governments and Companies That Have Been “Algo Duped” for Way Too Long (Video)</a> <hr /></h4> <h4></h4> As live streaming video surges in popularity, so are copyright “bots” — automated systems that match content against a database of reference files of copyrighted material. These systems can block streaming video in real time, while it is still being broadcast, leading to potentially worrying implications for freedom of speech. On Tuesday, some visitors trying to get to the livestream of Michelle Obama’s widely lauded speech at the Democratic National Convention were met with <a href="https://contextly.com/redirect/?id=hH0PybEfaR&click=inbody">a bizarre notice on YouTube, which said that the speech had been blocked on copyright grounds</a>. On Sunday, a <a href="https://contextly.com/redirect/?id=BhuIMudaAi&click=inbody">livestream of the Hugo Awards</a> — the sci-fi and fantasy version of the Oscars — was blocked on <a href="https://contextly.com/redirect/?id=3a9AlX95Jy&click=inbody">Ustream</a>, moments before Neil Gaiman’s highly anticipated acceptance speech. Apparently, Ustream’s service detected that the awards were showing copyrighted film clips, and had no way to know that the awards ceremony had gotten permission to use them. Last month, <a href="https://contextly.com/redirect/?id=a3w6pLEMYf&click=inbody">footage from NASA’s triumphant Curiosity rover landing</a> was blocked numerous times on YouTube, despite being in the public domain, because several companies — such as Scripps Local News — claimed copyright on the material. Google is still dealing with a lawsuit filed by <a href="https://contextly.com/redirect/?id=ok78wOUcPb&click=inbody">Viacom against YouTube</a>. Grooveshark, an online music site, is itself being sued and has been repeatedly kicked out of Google’s Android app store (so much for brothers-in-arms). <a href="http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/09/streaming-videos-robotic-overlords-algorithmic-copyright-cops/all/">http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/09/streaming-videos-robotic-overlords-algorithmic-copyright-cops/all/</a>

Copyright Algorithms–Video Copyright Censoring Bots Wired In To Video Infrastructure Could Stand to Threaten The Future of Live Streaming–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 43

This is not my usual Killer Algorithm story whereby I talk about how companies pass judgment with flawed data or create algorithms with SQL...

Saturday, September 08, 2012

Aren’t These Health Insurance Contracts a Bitch! Aetna Suing City of Jacksonville Over Decision to Award Contract to Florida Blue- Battle of the Algorithms

Ok every time I turn around there seems to be yet another one of these types of stories out on the web. Is is because nobody can determine a winner any more, or is is because we have sore losers, or both? <img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1gBe9PsNo6Y/T3vxA7eI-2I/AAAAAAAA6MQ/2u0vKPNtPxg/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" />I think the real reason here is due to complexities with contracts today and you know this opens up some discussions for subsidiary talk. You would have to be living under a rock today and not ready news to miss the fact that big insurance conglomerates are buying up other companies. Is Aetna taking the same route United did with winning the Tri-Care contract? I don’t know if that was exactly the case but it is known they they hired the former HHS executive credited with writing the healthcare reform law as a VP and a few months before this recent event they hired the former US Assistant Attorney General from Minnesota as general counsel, so odd timing maybe or business models are changing or a bit of both. Steve Larsen left HHS, who was the administrator directing the enactment of US insurance regulations is now Executive Vice President of Optum’s (United subsidiary) Health Unit.   One other interesting tidbit here he worked for Amerigroup, which is being purchased by WellPoint before taking his government role.  You can bet the lobbyists all had his number.  This first link is a post from a few weeks ago and has a ton of information on how this contract played out.  <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/07/tri-west-wont-challenge-tri-care.html"> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/07/tri-west-wont-challenge-tri-care.html">Tri-West Won’t Challenge Tri-Care Military Contract Loss To United Health - Legal Decisions & Contract Awards Allow Machines To Move Money for Profit As Company Will Likely Close Down-Subsidiary Watch</a></h4> </a> <h4></h4> Again with all the subsidiary action taking place do think some of this is happening in the day of selling mining data between divisions? <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/08/subsidiary-watch-corporate-conglomerate.html">Subsidiary Watch-Corporate Conglomerate Insurers Reduce Compensation Contracts Using One Subsidiary Then Market Same MDs With Another Subsidiary in Health IT</a></h4> Not too long ago Aetna sent letters out in Texas to many MDs letting them know they are going to be dropped so I guess the contract over here in Florida looks better?  They also sent a bunch of letters out to doctors in California but those were a mistake Aetna stated..oh those rogue algorithms doing their work in the mail room again… <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/04/aetna-notifies-130-texas-doctors-that.html">Aetna Notifies 130 Texas Doctors That It Will Terminate Their Contracts on July 1 – E & M Codes Primary Levels 4 and 5 Billing Analytics For Peer Comparison Used To Substantiate the Decision - Video</a></h4> <h5></h5> Here’s a couple more examples and there’s more of these including a battle in Kansas over insurance contracts too.  These are mostly government entity battles, cities, states, counties and so on. <hr />  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/03/blue-cross-protesting-award-of-texas.html">Blue Cross Protesting Award of Texas Employee Retirement Health Plan to United Healthcare–Price Cut by $25 Million With Little or No Out of Network Coverage for Members</a></h4> <h4></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/blue-cross-and-united-healthcare-duking.html">Blue Cross and United Healthcare Duking It Out In Nebraska Over State Health Insurance Contract–We Have More Subsidiaries My Cost Algorithms Are Better Than Yours?</a> </h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/state-of-louisiana-rejects-united.html">State of Louisiana Rejects United Healthcare’s Protest Over Awarding Blue Cross/Blue Shield Contract To Manage State Employee Health Insurance–Battle of the Insurance Algorithms Continues..</a> <hr /></h4> <h4></h4> <h4> </h4> Yes folks it’s all coming down to money and makes it hard to get care sometimes and how long do we have to wait on some of this, good question.  What ends up happening at the end of the food chain is this, doctors going broke and then insurers come back and try to figure out how to pay family practice doctors more, that is after they initially cut the compensation.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/01/doctors-going-brokeyou-cant-even-give.html">Doctors Going Broke–You Can’t Even Give a Practice Away–Only Folks Buying Them Are Hospitals and Insurance Companies As It Relates to Reimbursement and/or Profits</a> </h4> <h6></h6> Over at Wellpoint the battle has become so bad with shareholders wanting to know where the money is that the long time CEO said adios, let somebody else deal with those illiterate shareholders that invest and don’t understand how health insurance revolves around risk <img align="right" height="97" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TLZdsFwnFqI/AAAAAAAAiIY/NIhj9oaZrLo/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="70" />assessment algorithms…shareholders making it rough out there and of course few of them do any research to see where their money goes for the most part, they just want it.  This is the deal right off Twitter from someone a lot smarter than me but I agree with him 100% that all these algorithms out there are essentially becoming law or darn close to it.    I call it <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-rise-and-need-for-human-computer.html">Algo Duping</a> and you can search out that topic here at the Medical Quack as that’s deep subject of it’s own.    Here’s a link to a bunch of posts that talk about the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html">Attacks of the Killer Algorithms</a> too and I am surprised now that people are actually search this term but they are there for a reason, to help educate how algorithms affect you and I in real life, just show you how to look for them.  <img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MdcQ51oZRKs/UDz9pcW4fBI/AAAAAAAA9PM/5H-RdgxYtf8/image%25255B11%25255D.png?imgmax=800" /> In the meantime, aren’t these health insurance contracts a bitch?  BD <hr /> Aetna Life Insurance Co. is suing Jacksonville over the city’s decision to have Florida Blue provide its health insurance, a job Aetna had been doing since 1999.  In its lawsuit, filed last week, Aetna says that meetings to pick an insurance firm were not noticed in accordance with state open-meeting laws, and that the city did not follow its own procurement procedures in making the selection.  The company decries the selection process <img align="right" height="162" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TdYNiZF0RQI/AAAAAAAAxks/UEJVJ2qMb7Y/image%5B8%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="134" />as “clearly erroneous, contrary to competition, and arbitrary and capricious.“ Aetna didn’t get points for providing a two-year rate guarantee to the city, for example, it says, while Florida Blue only guaranteed its rates for one year. Florida Blue’s rates were $6 million lower than Aetna’s, the city said, although price is not the only reason the company was picked. The formal choice of a company will take place during a Thursday meeting of the Professional Service Evaluation Committee, whose decision will be forwarded to Mayor Alvin Brown for the final call. Aetna asked for a hearing before that meeting happens, but Fourth Circuit Court Judge W. Gregg McCaulie, who is hearing the case, was not available. <a href="http://jacksonville.com/news/health-and-fitness/2012-09-05/story/aetna-sues-jacksonville-says-citys-health-insurance">http://jacksonville.com/news/health-and-fitness/2012-09-05/story/aetna-sues-jacksonville-says-citys-health-insurance</a>

Aren’t These Health Insurance Contracts a Bitch! Aetna Suing City of Jacksonville Over Decision to Award Contract to Florida Blue- Battle of the Algorithms

Ok every time I turn around there seems to be yet another one of these types of stories out on the web. Is is because nobody can determine a...

Friday, September 07, 2012

The Rise (And Need) for Human – Computer Cooperation- A Good Thing and a Challenge for a Society, Governments and Companies That Have Been “Algo Duped” for Way Too Long (Video)

Algo Duping, you only read about it here for the most part using that terminology and for sure it’s out there.  We have executives <img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TLZdsFwnFqI/AAAAAAAAiIY/NIhj9oaZrLo/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" />heading up key government departments that think “an algorithm is the answer for all” and wrong they are and are members of the “Algo Duped” society that lives out there, infected with high levels of “flawed data” that marketers so badly want you to buy in on.  Why?  It makes money for them with selling data.  This is a good TED video that talks about a lot of this.  Maybe I’m out there a bit but three years ago I called for the creation of a Department of Algorithms or something along that line.  You see folks that write code and structured query language are very smart and what they do is under the surface that you don’t see.  How do you think the entire mortgage scam took place?  It could not have occurred without some algorithmic code, but problem was they didn’t do their data trails very well in the need for speed to get that money and we all know the results of what happened there. <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/08/department-of-algorithms-do-we-need-one.html">“Department of Algorithms – Do We Need One of These to Regulate Upcoming Laws?</a></h4> <h4></h4> Algorithms make us smarter and give us knowledge but it’s human participation is needed.  I have to laugh when I see contests like this big carrot out there supported by former HHS Secretary Leavitt about finding that magic algorithmic formula for re-admissions.  It’s human input, ethics and knowledge.  See what I mean by folks being “Algo Duped”?  Too much faith in the algorithms for an answer to make black and white decisions.  See how they get “duped”?  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/07/big-data-flawed-data-business.html">Big Data, Flawed Data, Business Intelligence, Where’s The Future and What Has Been Our Past…A World With ”Algo Duping” of Society and Consumers</a></h4> ”Hey dude let’s crunch some numbers and see if we can come up with some analytics to sell” This is why I keep calling for chiefs of staff that have “some” IT in their background so they can think on their feet, as<img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TdYNiO2NHwI/AAAAAAAAxko/n3hlhI_0Z9M/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" /> if you have no hands one somewhere along the line, somebody has to take hours and educate them and there’s a lot of that that is necessary but when you can’t find a high level Congressman, Executive, etc. without even so much as a cell phone in hand…well you get that picture..just one more figurehead that can open mouth and maybe give a good speech but knows little about the entire processes they speak of.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/complexities-in-data-systems-growing.html">Complexities in Data Systems Growing Beyond Control –“Algo Duping” Society Combined With A World of Rogue Algorithms & Flawed Data Continues In Markets As Seen With Knight Capital This Week-Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 36</a></h4> <h4></h4> Now going the opposite direction look at what good work and algorithms do for us…we need more of this and of course Bill Gates and the Foundation invested in this type of technology a few years ago with computer simulation relative to creating drugs and treatments.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/aids-experts-at-johns-hopkins-and.html">AIDS Experts at Johns Hopkins and Harvard Develop the First Accurate Computer Simulation to Explain Drug Effects and Viral Mutations With HIV</a> </h5> I thought I was the only one talking about this but recently was contacted by the <a href="http://nisla05.niss.org/indexnew.html">National Institute of Statistical Sciences</a> that told me to keep blowing the horn and that someone will eventually listen.  It’s all about the math, algorithms, data, and “flawed data” that creates markets sometimes where they don’t belong. <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html">Check out the link to all the Chapters on the Killer Algorithms here.</a> <a href="http://nisla05.niss.org/indexnew.html"><img alt="image" border="0" height="128" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8sYwYV7MzSY/T9DaREuTt1I/AAAAAAAA7VE/jMI6k8dj4kk/image%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" title="image" width="383" /></a> Now on with the video… <object height="374" width="426"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param><param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talk/stream/2012G/Blank/ShyamSankar_2012G-320k.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/ShyamSankar_2012G-embed.jpg&vw=512&vh=288&ap=0&ti=1556⟨=en&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=shyam_sankar_the_rise_of_human_computer_cooperation;year=2012;theme=the_rise_of_collaboration;event=TEDGlobal+2012;tag=AI;tag=algorithm;tag=computers;tag=data;tag=engineering;tag=intelligence;tag=security;tag=technology;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=412x288;" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="426" height="374" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talk/stream/2012G/Blank/ShyamSankar_2012G-320k.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/ShyamSankar_2012G-embed.jpg&vw=412&vh=288&ap=0&ti=1556&lang=en&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=shyam_sankar_the_rise_of_human_computer_cooperation;year=2012;theme=the_rise_of_collaboration;event=TEDGlobal+2012;tag=AI;tag=algorithm;tag=computers;tag=data;tag=engineering;tag=intelligence;tag=security;tag=technology;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;"></embed></object> So all you big data folks out there keep this in mind that <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="131" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lIDhjxX0eRc/UEjvJQ5LwlI/AAAAAAAA9hk/Jpp5aIe9V8A/image%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="241" />the technology is good and it depends on who writes the code an how much profit they want to get out of it sometimes.  The old garbage in and garbage out has not changed so again human collaboration with machines is needed and ethically sustained by all means as computer duped societies make decisions that hurt others due to what they see on the screens today and it could very well be a “spun”SQL statement or one of those that generate profit, and we don’t always know and that’s how we get duped, over and over and over.  BD <hr /> Brute computing force alone can’t solve the world’s problems. Data mining innovator Shyam Sankar explains why solving big problems (like catching terrorists or identifying huge hidden trends) is not a question of finding the right algorithm, but rather the right symbiotic relationship between computation and human creativity. <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/shyam_sankar_the_rise_of_human_computer_cooperation.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TEDTalks_video+%28TEDTalks+Main+%28SD%29+-+Site%29">http://www.ted.com/talks/shyam_sankar_the_rise_of_human_computer_cooperation.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TEDTalks_video+%28TEDTalks+Main+%28SD%29+-+Site%29</a>

The Rise (And Need) for Human – Computer Cooperation- A Good Thing and a Challenge for a Society, Governments and Companies That Have Been “Algo Duped” for Way Too Long (Video)

Algo Duping, you only read about it here for the most part using that terminology and for sure it’s out there. We have executives heading u...

Thursday, September 06, 2012

Ascension Health, Largest Catholic and Non Profit Health System in the US to Buy Marian Health System

Here we go with more mergers and acquisitions.<img align="right" height="57" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TWyVjt3QNWI/AAAAAAAAse0/oVcqHIFrGcY/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="136" />   Ascension was in the news of late related to the Accretive Healthcare situation in Minnesota as they are also clients of theirs and recently signed a new agreement with the company.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/ascension-health-renews-its-5-year.html">Ascension Health Renews Its 5 Year Contract with Accretive With Caution as Agreement Includes Provisions to Cancel Should Any Type of Abuse Occur</a> </h4> <h4></h4> Now with the acquisition with Marian Health they pick up 36 more hospitals and 150 clinics to add to their 80 hospitals they have now.  It has to be reviewed for any anti-trust issues yet, standard operating procedures there.  A while back they partnered with a private equity firm to do just this, buy other hospital systems and according to this article Ascension has  $20 billion in assets.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/02/ascension-health-and-private-equity.html">Ascension Health and Private Equity Firm Oak Hill Capital Form Joint Venture To Buy Catholic Hospitals and Health Systems</a> </h4> In addition, earlier this year Ascension signed a partner agreement with Dr. Shetty in the Cayman Islands as that hospital begins construction and Oak Hill was right in there as well, so some day perhaps they will be in the medical tourism business too.  Will the Catholic religious affiliation remain, I guess that’s a good question right now and time will tell.  The Cayman Islands too are a big off shore “reinsurance” location which is hard for the US to govern as many insurers, to include Aetna have something going there.  The reinsurance deal unless it has grown that Aetna has is small though. Marian Health System is the parent company of Ministry Health Care so the daisy chain of ownership grows, as Ministry took over Affinity Health systems in February.  BD <hr /> Ascension Health Alliance, the parent organization of Ascension Health, announced an agreement today to acquire Tulsa, Okla.-based Marian Health System, which operates 36 hospitals and 150 clinics in the Midwest. Marian Health would continue to lead three regional health systems in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Kansas that would become part of Ascension Health, according to a spokesman for the Edmundson-based health system. “It’s a merger. They will become part of Ascension Health,” said Ascension Health spokesman Steve LeResche. “The specific terms are confidential.” Ascension Health, the nation’s largest Catholic and nonprofit health system, operates about 80 U.S. hospitals with more than 17,000 patients, and reported nearly $20 billion in assets and about $16 billion <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="58" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Q9yNAGYgMHg/UEfgPJsLy9I/AAAAAAAA9g0/gkOPlfTuJ80/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="132" />in revenue in fiscal year 2011.  The acquisition is also certain to be reviewed by antitrust regulators. Hospitals systems must submit details about a planned merger or acquisition to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission if the transaction value is at least $68.2 million. <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ascension-health-announces-agreement-to-buy--hospital-system/article_4d709c9c-f77e-11e1-a64a-0019bb30f31a.html">http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ascension-health-announces-agreement-to-buy--hospital-system/article_4d709c9c-f77e-11e1-a64a-0019bb30f31a.html</a>

Ascension Health, Largest Catholic and Non Profit Health System in the US to Buy Marian Health System

Here we go with more mergers and acquisitions. Ascension was in the news of late related to the Accretive Healthcare situation in Minneso...

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

NIH And Milken Institute Announce “Celebration of Science Day” Saturday September 8, 2012 Recognizing Research and Development & Making a Difference - NFL Donates $30 Million to the NIH For Brain Injury Research

This is actually a <a href="http://www.celebrationofscience.org/program/">3 day event</a> beginning Friday the 7th <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="73" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uU41P2pqP70/UEeUte-L_hI/AAAAAAAA9fk/pouA2eoSeJc/image14.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="154" />and ends on Sunday the 9th.  The celebration is to honor accomplishments made in the break throughs of drugs, research and more.  The NIH needs the money provided by Congress to keep the movement going and recognition sometimes for accomplishments are not always credited or maybe made visible enough to where individuals who work hard and diligent for the sake of mankind get recognition.  You can take a look at the <a href="http://www.celebrationofscience.org/participants/">listing of participants</a> and there’s quite a listing of who’s who to include members of Congress to all types of companies and government executives who will be present.  In addition there’s a page that <a href="http://www.celebrationofscience.org/organizations/">lists the organizations</a> involved with either attending or the activities of the program itself.  The big award evening will be Saturday evening at the Kennedy Center. When you look at the events listed for each day you can see a number of topics that include HIV, Imaging in healthcare, care for wounded soldiers, incentives for bioscience, the importance of philanthropy and more.  Some discussions and issues include financing defining targets an area to which the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation works with all the time with where best to spend their money.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/bill-and-melinda-gatestalk-to-al.html">Bill and Melinda Gates–Talk to Al Jazeera On How They Are Trying To Help People Around the World With the Foundation and Themselves</a></h5> Of course you could not have a celebration like this without the mention of the tremendous break throughs in the field of Oncology and the drugs and treatments for cancer.  When you look back 20 years ago what we have today via research and funding is astonishing and people are living longer and becoming “cancer survivors”.   On the second part of the headlines the NFL today is making a $30 million dollar donation to <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="92" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-o0EeIj7SDrk/UEeUttD-hmI/AAAAAAAA9fs/lfVO2rXTtQ8/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="78" />the NIH to be used to research brain injuries and this is logical of course to their cause as how many football players suffer from from this during their career or have injuries surface later after retirement.  When you think about this donation for brain injuries and the research it would also serve to state that our US soldiers could benefit here as well with this research as too many of them return from battle with such injuries who didn’t have a career in football.  BD  <iframe style="width: 441px; height: 254px" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pmwOLDpCWEw?rel=0" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <a href="http://www.celebrationofscience.org/about/">From the website:</a> ”The Celebration of Science, September 7-9 in Washington, DC, will be an intensive three days focused on jumpstarting a new era of scientific discovery. We'll highlight the economic and social benefits of scientific research and how it improves lives around the world. <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="111" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bWS4ySUxVJw/UEeUuNFMUhI/AAAAAAAA9f0/6uaCOjtZWug/image3.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="158" /> The weekend will include panels and brief presentations, a full day of activities on the campus of the National Institutes of Health and a FasterCures working meeting on accelerating innovation in the biosciences. On Saturday we'll host a special evening at the Kennedy Center to honor several individuals who have made outsized contributions to science, including performances by popular entertainers. Participants will include about 1,000 current and former elected officials, heads of government agencies, major philanthropists, leaders of academic research centers, patient advocacy groups, distinguished scientists and industry CEOs”. <table style="text-align: left; line-height: normal"><tbody> <tr> <th style="padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px" class="bold textLeft" valign="top" align="center">What:</th> <td style="padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px" valign="top">The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Milken Institute/FasterCures host A Celebration of Science with panels about the NIH impact on health and the economy and short talks by national leaders in government, industry, university research, and patients. </td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px" class="bold textLeft" valign="top" align="center">Who:</th> <td style="padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px" valign="top">NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Milken Institute Chairman Michael Milken, congressional members, researchers, patients, and caregivers will share their personal and scientific insights on the power of biomedical research. </td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px" class="bold textLeft" valign="top" align="center">When:</th> <td style="padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px" valign="top">Saturday, September 8, 2012, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. ET </td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px" class="bold textLeft" valign="top" align="center">Where:</th> <td style="padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px" valign="top">Natcher Auditorium on the NIH Campus, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD. NIH Visitor’s Map: <a href="http://www.nih.gov/about/visitor/">http://www.nih.gov/about/visitor/</a></td> </tr> </tbody></table> A Celebration of Science: NIH Day Event is jointly sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Milken Institute and is part of a three-day Milken Institute Celebration of Science Event: <a href="http://www.celebrationofscience.org/">http://www.celebrationofscience.org/</a>. <h4>About FasterCures</h4> FasterCures, the Milken Institute's Center for Accelerating Medical Solutions, is a nonprofit think tank and catalyst for action that <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="47" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rmRIHDc-MEU/UEeUuuEFSdI/AAAAAAAA9f8/q2vM1mkxqWg/image6.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="109" />works across sectors and diseases to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the medical research enterprise - so that we can speed up the time it takes to get important new medicines from discovery to patients. Our name is our mission. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.fastercures.org">www.fastercures.org</a>. <h4>About Milken Institute</h4> A nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank, the Milken Institute believes<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="57" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vm6Wbw-mgwk/UEeUuwyvbJI/AAAAAAAA9gE/ArKEW6LJiG0/image10.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="118" /> in the power of capital markets to solve urgent social and economic challenges. Its mission is to improve lives around the world by advancing innovative economic and policy solutions that create jobs, widen access to capital and enhance health. <a href="http://www.milkeninstitute.org">www.milkeninstitute.org</a>. <a href="http://www.celebrationofscience.org/">http://www.celebrationofscience.org/</a>

NIH And Milken Institute Announce “Celebration of Science Day” Saturday September 8, 2012 Recognizing Research and Development & Making a Difference - NFL Donates $30 Million to the NIH For Brain Injury Research

This is actually a 3 day event beginning Friday the 7th and ends on Sunday the 9th. The celebration is to honor accomplishments ma...

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Surescripts Buys Software HIT Company Kryptiq

Surescripts if you go back to 2010 has already been <img align="right" height="75" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRqaPmuc5fI/AAAAAAAAmk4/nIn-daNNyO4/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="155" />involved in this area to where they announced their own secure exchange for the sharing of medical records.  Surescripts already had an investment in the company so perhaps with their secure exchange some of the technologies of Kryptiq may already be present?  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/10/surescripts-announces-new-secure.html">SureScripts Announces New Secure Exchange Network for Sharing of Medical Records</a> </h5> Also going back SureScripts also had the ability to certify certain EHR modules for use but not an entire medical records system.  You can read the backlinks below and see where some of the connectivity with SureScripts has been.  The second CDC grant was to help hospitals connect to public reporting agencies and the project is a little over a year into the use and development.  BD <h5> </h5> <h4></h4> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/onc-gives-surescripts-ability-to.html">ONC Gives SureScripts the Ability to Certify EHR Modules But Not Complete EHRS</a> </h5> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/02/cdc-awards-grant-to-connect-hospital.html">CDC Awards Grant to Connect Hospital Labs to Exchange Test Results and Patient Information Using SureScripts Direct</a> <hr /></h5> <h4></h4> Kryptiq is one of the “middleware” companies that helps integrate doctor’s offices with hospitals to communicate and share patient data. They provide a personal health record for the patient along with a portal to make it easy for patients to pay bills, that is if they have the money to pay.  Medical records software developer Kryptiq Corp. on Friday said it has been acquired by Surescripts LLC, the nation's largest health information network. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/search/results?q=Luis%20Machuca">Luis Machuca</a>, CEO of the Hillsboro-based company, said little will change other than Surecripts' ownership stake. The Arlington, Va.-based company had previously held 21 percent before taking full ownership after filing paperwork Friday morning. Founded by Machuca, a former <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/profiles/company/us/ca/santa_clara/intel_corp/15671/">Intel Corp.</a> executive,<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="50" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tM30FN6DixA/UEeJIzy44LI/AAAAAAAA9e0/630adG5sJGY/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="157" /> Kryptiq has been on a growth tear. Its sales last year jumped by 60 percent, with its workforce growing from 90 to 120. Though it doesn't release sales figures, <a href="http://www.bizjournals.comportland/print-edition/2012/04/13/kryptiq-finds-acceptance.html?page=all">Machuca in April said</a> Kryptiq's revenue is now between $15 million and $30 million and could again grow by as much as 50 percent. Kryptiq’s software is middleware that can be integrated within a clinic or hospital’s front-end system to allow physicians and other health care practitioners to securely communicate and share patient data with other physicians. Over the years, its services have expanded to enable online bill payments, a patient portal to access personal health records, and a system to allow health care organizations to automate regular patient messaging. <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2012/08/31/hillsboros-kryptiq-acquired-by.html?page=all">http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2012/08/31/hillsboros-kryptiq-acquired-by.html?page=all</a>

Surescripts Buys Software HIT Company Kryptiq

Surescripts if you go back to 2010 has already been involved in this area to where they announced their own secure exchange for the sharing ...

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Bill and Melinda Gates–Talk to Al Jazeera On How They Are Trying To Help People Around the World With the Foundation and Themselves

Melinda and Bill Gates talk about their mission and accomplishments <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="175" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Sd-i39kDkSE/UEZoV-kKVwI/AAAAAAAA9eE/V8w9uu-ZzDE/image%25255B9%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="164" />so far with their investments and trips around the world.  Very early on the Foundation gave a grant to the X Prize company to help organize a program for breakthroughs with TB diagnostics.  We are seeing more and more of the Gates in the news and now both are taking time to speak more with the press.  In addition to vaccines and contraception, toilets have entered into their realm.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/07/gates-foundation-on-reinventing-toilet.html">The Gates Foundation on Reinventing the Toilet-Let’s Get Our “Crap” Together and Do It (Video)</a></h5> <h4></h4> Also Melinda does her thing with Stephen Colbert on the Steven and Melinda Foundation which is a little different from his normal show but there’s humor and good points are made.  <h4></h4> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/06/melinda-gates-talks-about-family.html"> Melinda Gates Talks About Family Planning– Steven & Melinda Foundation” Returns (Video)</a> </h5> <h4></h4> in this video they talk about partnering with private enterprise for solutions as well as their grants for governments.  It’s a balance.  The link below I posted today talks about their investments with companies that simulate drug effects and you can see the Gates have been active in this area for quite a while.  Melinda addresses contraception in a very good way when it comes to interacting with religion in the fact that both can live together.  Women are dying over childbirth when they don’t have access to care.  Bill talks vaccines and Melinda talks contraception and where “husbands” are getting educated with contraception too. <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/aids-experts-at-johns-hopkins-and.html">AIDS Experts at Johns Hopkins and Harvard Develop the First Accurate Computer Simulation to Explain Drug Effects and Viral Mutations With HIV </a></h4> In the US, education is a big focus and Melinda talks about how hard “change” is with schools in the US but they are plodding ahead and expect criticism and that how it can help in many ways too.  The Gates also spend time reaching out to other philanthropists to bring their message forward.  This is a very good interview.  BD  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/aids-experts-at-johns-hopkins-and.html"> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="267" id="flashObj" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=1817195227001&playerID=1513015402001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAmtVJIFk~,TVGOQ5ZTwJYzP5l-b5uZA0wXezQXHPxp&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1817195227001&playerID=1513015402001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAmtVJIFk~,TVGOQ5ZTwJYzP5l-b5uZA0wXezQXHPxp&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="420" height="267" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object> </a> <hr /></h5> <h4></h4> The foundation concentrates its efforts in health, education and agriculture in both the developing and the developed world. Inevitably it draws criticism because of what it does and how it does it - yet each year it spends billions of dollars trying to live up to its mission to help all people lead healthy and productive lives. Melinda Gates says that despite criticisms from the church, she still feels obligated to bring safe contraceptives to the developing world:" We shouldn't shy away, as a world, from doing things because we have made them difficult. Yes, contraceptives have had some sticky times in the past - absolutely - some not great things happened in Peru, our own country and in India and other places. But it means that we stepped back from it as a world and yet we are letting women die because they can't space their children." On Talk to Al Jazeera, Bill and Melinda Gates respond to criticism and explain how they are trying to help people around the world. <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2012/08/2012830123030716320.html">http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2012/08/2012830123030716320.html</a>

Bill and Melinda Gates–Talk to Al Jazeera On How They Are Trying To Help People Around the World With the Foundation and Themselves

Melinda and Bill Gates talk about their mission and accomplishments so far with their investments and trips around the world. Very early on...

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Nine New Challenge Awards from the Prostate Cancer Foundation Given to Accelerate Research and Treatment for Cancer Patients.

There’s quite a bit in the news of late as relates to prostate cancer.  Just last week another drug was approved by the FDA that extends the life of prostate cancer patients which was a very quick review process, an interesting read.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/fda-approves-new-life-prolonging-drug.html"> FDA Approves New Life Prolonging Drug For Men With Late Stage Prostate Cancer - Xtandi</a> </h5> In addition back on track this related article<img align="right" height="118" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RGCpHX5Vmo4/UEQ0skvfQ2I/AAAAAAAA9W0/FlYKJ9iBhr0/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="199" /> about a research project from Johns Hopkins talks about the use of synthetic collagen to better help identify the location of tumors.  You can see with the picture of the mouse that the locations of prostate and pancreatic cells are lit up as cancer cells attack collagen cells and thus with this methodology the tumors are easier to locate as some of course are not visible to the human eye or with other methodologies of finding them.  <h4></h4> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/collagen-seeking-synthetic-protein.html">Collagen-Seeking Synthetic Protein Could Lead Doctors to Locate Tumor Locations– Research Funded by NIH, DOD, Process Patented Via Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer Office</a> </h5> You can read the <a href="http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120904006423/en/Prostate-Cancer-Foundation-Announces-Challenge-Awards?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter">entire press release</a> to see where the awards were given for research and the interesting origin of of the funds for two of the grants by using unclaimed class action lawsuit settlement funds in Massachusetts.  That is a good solution instead of letting the money sit and go nowhere.  Grants in this area are important as they pick up where the government grants and funds leave off and are not available to continue to promote research to lead to better treatments and hopefully on day a cure.  BD <hr /> SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/">BUSINESS WIRE</a>)--The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) today announced that it has funded nine new PCF Challenge Awards in an effort to accelerate scientific discovery and new treatments for prostate cancer patients. These nine awards represent a $9 million investment over a two-year period and were chosen from a pool of 96 applications received from researchers in 10 countries. Prostate Cancer Foundation Challenge Awards are designed<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="107" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SvNY8swqHTQ/UEZXWMEi3sI/AAAAAAAA9dU/iAlnxaXmQXU/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="113" /> to support cross-disciplinary teams of investigators in strategic areas of prostate cancer research and highly-innovative research projects with potential near-term patient benefits. These awards are given to projects not yet funded by any government or foundation program. The awards were announced after an extensive peer review process. These projects represent a range of focus and expertise that will address the most challenging problems in basic or translational research in prostate cancer. “More than 28,000 men will lose their life to advanced prostate cancer in 2012, highlighting the immediate need to fund innovative, collaborative research projects,” said Howard Soule, PhD, executive vice president and chief science officer of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. “These nine Challenge Awards bridge the gap of reductions in federal funding for prostate cancer research, allowing the most promising research ideas to still be funded, with a goal of changing clinical practice and improving outcomes for patients with advanced disease. The Foundation is extremely grateful for the state of Massachusetts, Movember and individual donors who made these awards possible.” <a href="http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120904006423/en/Prostate-Cancer-Foundation-Announces-Challenge-Awards?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter">http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120904006423/en/Prostate-Cancer-Foundation-Announces-Challenge-Awards?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter</a>

Nine New Challenge Awards from the Prostate Cancer Foundation Given to Accelerate Research and Treatment for Cancer Patients.

There’s quite a bit in the news of late as relates to prostate cancer. Just last week another drug was approved by the FDA that extends the...

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

AIDS Experts at Johns Hopkins and Harvard Develop the First Accurate Computer Simulation to Explain Drug Effects and Viral Mutations With HIV

This research has been going on for a while now and it looks<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="152" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FSzUt4IU298/UEYnyvLbgRI/AAAAAAAA9cc/QLD36RLCyNU/image%25255B18%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="169" /> as if the AIDS/HIV model is coming to fruition and here’s a couple links to past efforts from the Gates Foundation as they have been investing in this area for quite a while and when you scroll down to see the rest of the list, it’s pretty astounding to include the NIH and the and <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/howard-hughes-medical-institute-and.html">Howard Hughes Medical Institute</a> (the nation’s 2nd largest charity)  also on the list, so this was a team effort of investments to bring this forward.  Nimbus is located in Massachusetts and works in the area of cancer and metabolic diseases such as obesity.   <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/06/nimbus-seeded-by-bill-gates-raises-24.html"> <h5> Nimbus, Seeded by Bill Gates Raises $24 Million From Gates and Lilly Ventures</h5> </a> In 2010 Bill Gates began with the Schrodinger project which again is simulation and that company has an investment in Nimbus.  We all know it’s a lot less expensive to simulate with computers today before ever thinking about setting up a wet lab so again it’s all about the algorithms that perform this functionality for us, a good use this time and not for profit but for better cures and treatments.  <h5> </h5> <h4></h4> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/04/bill-gates-invests-in-software-company.html">Bill Gates Invests In Software Company That Predicts and Helps Generate Creating New Drugs</a> </h5> <h4></h4> Bill Gates also states that economics is not as good as measuring innovation and just read current news for that end of the story.  He states we are spending money insanely today and all you need to do is look at Wall Street and their quest for speed while research items for quality of life get put on the back seat.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/08/bill-gates-on-reinventing.html">Bill Gates on Reinventing Capitalism–Building A Better Disease Model - Biased Individuals (Politicians) are Depressing and Kill Innovation-Techonomy Conference 2010</a></h5> <h4></h4> Back on track here with simulation the degrees <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="127" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-x1jzhAWKrD4/UEYny7B5aDI/AAAAAAAA9ck/ZuL2OQJzrl4/image%25255B11%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="164" />of what level of viral suppression is achieved and how the “replicated” treatment will impact.  By using simulation a lot of the “trial and error” methodologies will eventually go by the wayside.  This will help a lot with clinical trials common sense tells me and can lead to accelerated efforts to work with drug resistant strains of AIDS.  Data was pooled from thousands of tests of more than 20 used anti-HIV drugs.  It’s all about the math and the algorithms to lead us to cures and treatments.  Also in a related Johns Hopkins story this research also emerged in the cancer area with locating tumors with synthetic collagen. <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/collagen-seeking-synthetic-protein.html">Collagen-Seeking Synthetic Protein Could Lead Doctors to Locate Tumor Locations– Research Funded by NIH, DOD, Process Patented Via Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer Office</a></h5> We live in exciting times indeed if we can only keep the dumber than rocks politicians from spoiling for all of us at times.  BD <hr /> Newswise — Pooling data from thousands of tests of the antiviral activity of more than 20 commonly used anti-HIV drugs, AIDS experts at Johns Hopkins and Harvard universities have developed what they say is the first accurate computer simulation to explain drug effects. Already, the model clarifies how and why some treatment regimens fail in some patients who lack evidence of drug resistance. Researchers say their model is based on specific drugs, precise doses prescribed, and on “real-world variation” in how well patients follow prescribing instructions. “With the help of our simulation, we can now tell with a fair degree of certainty what level of viral suppression is being achieved – how hard it is for the virus to grow and replicate – for a particular drug combination, at a specific dosage and drug concentration in the blood, even when a dose is missed,” says Siliciano, a professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. This information, he predicts, will remove “a lot of the current trial and error, or guesswork, involved in testing new drug combination therapies.” Researchers next plan to expand their modeling beyond blood levels of virus to other parts of the body, such as the brain, where antiretroviral drug concentrations can be different from those measured in the blood. They also plan to expand their analysis to include multiple-drug-resistant strains of HIV. Funding support for this study, which took two years to complete, was provided by the National Institutes of Health, with corresponding grant numbers R01-MH54907, R01-AI081600, R01-GM078986; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; the Cancer Research Institute; the National Science Foundation; the Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the John Templeton Foundation; and J. Epstein. <a href="http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/593160/?sc=rsla&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NewswiseLatestNews+%28Newswise%3A+Latest+News%29">http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/593160/?sc=rsla&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NewswiseLatestNews+%28Newswise%3A+Latest+News%29</a>

AIDS Experts at Johns Hopkins and Harvard Develop the First Accurate Computer Simulation to Explain Drug Effects and Viral Mutations With HIV

This research has been going on for a while now and it looks as if the AIDS/HIV model is coming to fruition and here’s a couple links to pa...

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Tufts Medical Center Gets $88 Million Loan From the Feds to “Try” New Standard for Insurance Coverage, Will It Work Nobody Knows But Tax Payers are Footing the Bill for the Experiment

This is an interesting opinion article and I tend to agree with<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="111" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sHAkmbzYXpI/UEWf1D3WEBI/AAAAAAAA9bk/f-ANPVTu6Kk/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="107" /> some of this especially with the $88 million being forked out with tax payer money to make this work?  Yes it is a gamble even in the words of the folks from Tufts.  A good point is made here as to why taxpayers are footing this bill.  With technology insurance carriers have been eating the US government’s lunch for a long time and that’s no big secret for sure.  It does not begin until 2014 and so far 17 doctors and facilities have opted in.  Basically this is what is occurring due to the lack of a “public option” being included in the reform which the GOP and insurers fought tooth and nails.  Again the big challenge here is getting enough doctors and facilities to join in and I guess that will all shake out as time moves forward.  Specialists may be more likely to join than primary care doctors as most of them can’t reduce their payments much more in most parts of the US.  Let’s keep in mind too that part of the $88 million will go for the IT or HIT infrastructure to run this as nothing works without one of those these days. Basically the sides are drawing further apart with cost and it’s really almost time for the President to do a “Roosevelt” and take over the insurance business, get them off the stock market and turn each one into a big HMO. Subsidiaries would be a divesture issue.  That way they all keep the IT infrastructure and can operate back like a non profit again. Other non profits such as Kaiser Permanente operate very well and are gaining in the areas of patient satisfaction, there’s no<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="140" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DgWOuBMhv9E/UEWf1klhK-I/AAAAAAAA9bs/t_phnFNhOvQ/image%25255B9%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="133" /> shareholders to report to and they do make money but have obligations to re-invest as a non profit.  Maybe this $80 million would have been better spent with an effort as such?  Tax those data sellers and let’s get some revenue back into the government and healthcare instead of this nonsense.  I think of that every time I have to pay an excise tax on a tire I need for my car so time for big business to chip in and pay excise quarter taxes and licenses for selling tax payer data and lets get some jobs back that create tangibles.  More on that topic at the links below.  BD <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/07/cook-medical-cancels-plans-for-factory.html">Cook Medical Cancels Plans for Factory Expansions–We Need Companies That Create Tangible Products As They Create Jobs–Tax The Data Sellers/Brokers Who Make Billions With Data Mining “Killer Algorithms” And Give the Device Companies a Break</a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/04/devaluate-algorithm-and-tax-data.html">“Devaluate the Algorithm” And “Tax the Data Sellers”–A Cure for Both Healthcare and an Economy Based Heavily on Intangibles–We’ve Lost Our Balance</a></h4> <hr />  If you thought “Big Brother” was just a figure head, think again. Tufts Medical Center received $88.5 million from the Federal Government to “try” an innovative idea that might just become the standard in the healthcare industry, should it work: Consumer controlled health insurance. This "model" will likely become the new standard for coverage. Doesn't sound so bad, does it? Empower the people to control their own health care and you have a win-win situation, right?  Wrong. Here's why: First, it must be funded by tax dollars (as if we're not already taxed enough). In the case of Tufts Medical Center's pilot program, we're the banker through government low interest loans. Why are we paying for it when the insurance industry is overwhelming wealthy? The Obama Administration knew that unless they “pony-up” some big support the health insurance companies wouldn’t be able to keep their end of the bargain to insure everyone. Thus they were promised practically free money in exchange for their compliance. “We don’t have anything on the market like this” in Massachusetts, said John McDonough, a Harvard health policy professor who had a hand in drafting the federal law. Depending on how it is implemented and received by consumers in the state, McDonough said, the program could become “a belly flop” or “a disruptive innovation worth watching.”  The premise of the program rests on one theory: Doctors and hospitals must be willing to work for less compensation. In this case, less does not equal more. Healthcare providers, who are in business to make money, would never willing take less compensation in exchange for providing more accessible health care services. The math doesn’t add up and the outcome isn’t realistic. In a nutshell, here’s what the government did to help fund the Tufts Medical Center health insurance plan: * Awarded $88.5 million loan to create that state’s only member-owned health insurance plan, offering coverage in Eastern and Central Massachusetts, start January 2014 *The pilot program is focused on lowering premiums through barely complying with the Federal Government requirements *Insurance products are directly sold to individuals and small businesses through insurance brokers and the Massachusetts Health Connector <a href="http://hamptonroads.com/2012/09/affordable-care-act-climbs-bed-health-insurance-industry-using-885-million-taxpayers-dollars">http://hamptonroads.com/2012/09/affordable-care-act-climbs-bed-health-insurance-industry-using-885-million-taxpayers-dollars</a>

Tufts Medical Center Gets $88 Million Loan From the Feds to “Try” New Standard for Insurance Coverage, Will It Work Nobody Knows But Tax Payers are Footing the Bill for the Experiment

This is an interesting opinion article and I tend to agree with some of this especially with the $88 million being forked out with tax paye...

Monday, September 03, 2012

Texas Man Sues Sexual Enhancement Supplement Company for Causing His Penis to Fracture And Spurt Blood

The man has to go to the ER room to get it fixed and this means he’s <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="85" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0mCUtLzlb88/UEVgY3vJxqI/AAAAAAAA9a0/ZLImWlj8KhM/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="136" />not able to have sex or create children so I hope the memory was good.  The FDA does not regulate food supplements but there have been cases of recalls to where some were found to have the same ingredients as Viagra in some amounts, but no mention of that here.  I’m with the urologists on their call on this one with the “rough sex” theory.  I guess he may have to wait until the technology is there to grow him a new one at Wake Forest as they did for this rabbit back in 2009.  BD  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/11/regenerative-medicine-news-fully.html">Regenerative Medicine News – Fully Functional Rabbit Penis Created That Works</a> <hr /></h5> <h4></h4> HOUSTON (CBS HOUSTON) – A Texas man has sued a sexual enhancement supplement company for allegedly causing his penis to fracture in a disturbing incident at a Houston motel. Adrian Carter, 29, blames the supplement VirilisPro he bought last year, but urologists have told ABC News that penile fractures are most often the result of rough sex.  According to the lawsuit, Carter purchased the supplement in the “early morning hours” at a Chevron gas station on his way to the Scottish Inn. There, he engaged in sexual intercourse with his “paramour.” The drug manufacturers Haute Health Limited Liability Company, Carney & Carney Financial Services, Solid Rock Worship Company and individuals Michael Heilig and Tyra Carney have all been named in the lawsuit. All are located in New Jersey. <a href="http://houston.cbslocal.com/2012/09/02/man-sues-sexual-supplement-company-for-genital-damage/">http://houston.cbslocal.com/2012/09/02/man-sues-sexual-supplement-company-for-genital-damage/</a>

Texas Man Sues Sexual Enhancement Supplement Company for Causing His Penis to Fracture And Spurt Blood

The man has to go to the ER room to get it fixed and this means he’s not able to have sex or create children so I hope the memory was good. ...

Monday, September 03, 2012

Cook Medical Device Plant Opens in Canton, Illinois–Companies That Create Jobs for the US–Tangibles - Excise Tax the Data Sellers to Balance the Incentives For More Companies to Build Factories & Add Jobs

If you read here often enough the excise tax on medical device companies is something that I am not in favor of and very little of the time I agree with the GOP but on this one I do and it’s not because of any<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="113" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jr_xWguOLDM/UETrJap0E5I/AAAAAAAA9Z8/OCu11pkRp8Q/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="181" /> brilliance I don’t think for the most part as most of their activity revolves around repealing healthcare reform which is ridiculous as there’s no budget big enough to handle the reshuffling of the IT infrastructure needed to do something like this.  In the past I have a few interviews on this blog with folks from Cook and they have been very informative and plus they are private company so they are not traded and I kind of like that these days.  You can read below the comments I made on the cancellation of further expansion with Cook due to the device excise tax that is due to come on board next year.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/07/cook-medical-cancels-plans-for-factory.html">Cook Medical Cancels Plans for Factory Expansions–We Need Companies That Create Tangible Products As They Create Jobs–Tax The Data Sellers/Brokers Who Make Billions With Data Mining “Killer Algorithms” And Give the Device Companies a Break</a> </h4> When the healthcare reform law was created things were different and money was in different pots before the crafted algorithms of Wall Street started moving the money around as there are queries and algorithms created for “accurate” results and those that are more in favor of “desired” results and when the 2 are not the same, “Houston we have a problem”.  In creating the healthcare reform law again things were different so now a couple years later let’s review and fix it, and get the funding “where the money is”, the data sellers for taxes.  If Walgreens in 2010 made just under $800 million in “selling data only” how big is that pot? Huge<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="143" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7l-vJkey2lE/UETrJ03sDVI/AAAAAAAA9aE/4a7cW321wJ8/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="151" /> when you bring in banks, social networks, companies, you name it.  Sure device companies may sell some data but an excise tax paid by all would include them but not as such a huge chunk and they would not be one industry singled out.  We have folks sadly in Washington that are “dumber” than rocks when it comes to math and formulas and I think we might need to start electing folks that have some computer science in their background and this applied to the White House too as Sebelius and Shapiro have about run their course and now with the additional learning they have to do, they can’t think on their feet and it wastes time, time that companies and banks gobble up for profit.  It is what it is.  <h4></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/07/congress-to-investigate-data-sellers.html"> Congress To Investigate the Data Sellers - Need To Create a Law to Tax Them As The Algorithms Used For This Business Generate Billions of Dollars, Partly Why Corporate Profits Are So High - Remove the Medical Device Tax as They Produce Needed Jobs/Tangibles</a> </h4> Yes this a regular topic around he because it’s the truth and folks in denial or who don’t want to understand run for the hills much of the time, but again we have to make some kind of move and why would companies built plants and hire folks when they can mine and sell data with little exposure and risk?  Ask yourself that question all the time.  If you can’t ask <img align="right" height="100" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sr-ieKo8EyI/AAAAAAAAaKA/Z3kqdyisG1I/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="136" />yourself that question they maybe some of what I say here might flying a little high for comprehension but again it is what it is.  With taxes on the data sellers along with buying a license it would give law enforcement a leg to stand on and no license, a fine or shut them down.  We would also need a federal website for disclosure on what type of data they sell and to who.  Consumers have been wanting this forever, especially now that we are all “data chasers” fixing the flawed data out there floating around about us and that’s a chapter in the Killer Algorithm series as that’s what does all of this.  Wake up. Learn to like or at least understand and tolerate math and computer formulas.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/04/devaluate-algorithm-and-tax-data.html">“Devaluate the Algorithm” And “Tax the Data Sellers”–A Cure for Both Healthcare and an Economy Based Heavily on Intangibles–We’ve Lost Our Balance</a> </h4> Anyway, nice work on the part of Cook Medical in bringing some real “tangible” jobs to the US instead of raking in data and selling algorithms.  Algorithms can be good too as they are used in the technology that helps this factory run, it’s just the data mining crap that we are all so tired of and that is out of hand and we need someone who is not “dumber than rocks” to address this and come out of denial.  Us tech folks all see it but politicians and many others are still just sitting in denial or are just flat out “dumb”.  BD  <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="264" id="bimvidplayer0" width="420"> <param value="true" name="allowfullscreen" /> <param value="always" name="allowscriptaccess" /> <param value="high" name="quality" /> <param value="true" name="cachebusting" /> <param value="#000000" name="bgcolor" /> <param name="movie" value="http://swfs.bimvid.com/bimvid_player-3_2_7.swf?x-bim-callletters=WEEK" /> <param value="config=http://www.cinewsnow.com/?j=168220386&ref=http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/local/Canton-opens-new-manufacturing-building-168220386.html" name="flashvars" /> <embed src="http://swfs.bimvid.com/bimvid_player-3_2_7.swf?x-bim-callletters=WEEK" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="264" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" cachebusting="true" flashvars="config=http://www.cinewsnow.com/?j=168220386&ref=http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/local/Canton-opens-new-manufacturing-building-168220386.html" bgcolor="#000000" quality="true"> </embed> </object> CANTON — As politicians and officials gathered Friday to dedicate the $19 million Cook Polymer Technology plant, Clifton Randall seemed to be feeling a bit of deja vu. "I figured on retiring from this spot," the 57-year-old Lewistown resident said. "Here I am, figuring to retire here again." Three decades ago, Randall had three years in at International Harvester and figured he was set for life. But Harvester pulled out, leaving him and thousands of others without jobs in 1983 - not to mention a devastating environmental mess exacerbated by a fire at the abandoned plant. <a href="http://www.pjstar.com/news/x326766164/Canton-dedicates-medical-device-facility-that-brings-back-jobs">http://www.pjstar.com/news/x326766164/Canton-dedicates-medical-device-facility-that-brings-back-jobs</a>

Cook Medical Device Plant Opens in Canton, Illinois–Companies That Create Jobs for the US–Tangibles - Excise Tax the Data Sellers to Balance the Incentives For More Companies to Build Factories & Add Jobs

If you read here often enough the excise tax on medical device companies is something that I am not in favor of and very little of the time ...

Monday, September 03, 2012

Charges of Fraud Filed Against Radiology Practice In New York for $30 Million In Billing to Medicare and Medicaid–Exams That Were Never Performed During a 2 Year Period

The alleged false exams were performed over a 2 year period and for $30 million, that’s a ton of billing for sure.  The new owner bought the radiology firm and then went to work billing it sounds like and used the names of the radiologist without his knowledge or consent.<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="146" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DyK7SZDHnug/UETPDzB66KI/AAAAAAAA9ZM/yZXA-zpOnXU/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="168" />  This will be interesting to see how this plays out as for one they would really have to work hard to completely keep the radiologist out of the picture with seeing some of this but with a second set of books, anything is possible though as it said the billing was done from the new owner’s home and the fact that the name used was the former owner who is a radiologist.  These are the types of fraud cases that should be worked and not some of the erroneous billing cases to where less than a million dollars are involved and where cases go back 5 to 10 years like the defibrillator case with hospitals.  (see link below).  I would guess that analytics played a part here with identifying this case of fraud with some query parameters established.  BD <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/hospitals-to-get-e-mails-from.html">Hospitals To Get E-Mails From Department of Justice To Examine Questionable Defibrillator Surgeries With Medicare Patients–What A Waste As DOJ Time Is Better Spent With Analytics For Wall Street/Banker Crimes</a> <hr /></h4> <h4></h4> August 31, 2012 -- The owner of a radiology practice in New York City has been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with fraudulent billing of more than $30 million in radiology services provided to Medicare and Medicaid patients that allegedly were never performed. Ting Huan Tai, also known as Warren Tai, was formally charged in a complaint filed on August 30 with false claims of billing for radiology exams between May 2010 and May 2012 for radiological services that were never performed.  The complaint alleges that Tai purchased United Medical Diagnosis (UMD) after the practice's former owner left the firm. Tai and others billed Medicare and Medicaid for $30 million in radiology services that were not performed, using the identity of the radiologist without the doctor's knowledge or consent.  Federal investigators have issued a seizure warrant seeking Tai's allegedly "ill-gotten" gains, which included a Lamborghini automobile. A search warrant also has been executed at Tai's Manhattan residence. <a href="http://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=imc&pag=dis&itemid=100438&wf=5063">http://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=imc&pag=dis&itemid=100438&wf=5063</a>

Charges of Fraud Filed Against Radiology Practice In New York for $30 Million In Billing to Medicare and Medicaid–Exams That Were Never Performed During a 2 Year Period

The alleged false exams were performed over a 2 year period and for $30 million, that’s a ton of billing for sure. The new owner bought...

Monday, September 03, 2012

FDA Approves New Life Prolonging Drug For Men With Late Stage Prostate Cancer - Xtandi

There are already a couple of other drugs in this group and the FDA only took 3 months to review it.  Zytiga from Johnson and Johnson<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="109" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JLmAboCUg9M/UERMiJaT-9I/AAAAAAAA9Yc/bKS_kAEio8s/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="117" /> will be the big competitor here although they have not been compared to each other and this drug does not require the steroid drug to be given at the same time for treatment.  The cost is up there though with being over $7000.00 a month and it is approved for use once Docetaxel has been tried.  Instead of stopping the production of the hormone testosterone, it blocks the actions.  BD The <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/f/food_and_drug_administration/index.html?inline=nyt-org">Food and Drug Administration</a> approved a new life-prolonging drug for men with late-stage <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/prostate-cancer/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier">prostate cancer</a> on Friday, adding to an increasingly crowded field. In clinical trials, men who received the drug, which was previously known as MDV3100, lived a median of 18.4 months, nearly five months longer than the median of 13.6 months for those who received a placebo. While the approval was not a surprise, its timing was. The <a href="http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm317838.htm">F.D.A. approved the drug</a> after only a three-month review, three months ahead of the deadline in late November. This is fairly rare, although a number of other <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/cancer/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier">cancer</a> drugs have been approved at least a month ahead of deadline in recent years. Xtandi and Zytiga have not been compared head-to-head in a clinical trial. But some analysts say Xtandi would have an edge because it does not have to be given with prednisone, a <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/steroids/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier">steroid</a>, to minimize side effects, as Zytiga does. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/01/business/fda-approves-prostate-cancer-drug.html?partner=rss&emc=rss">http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/01/business/fda-approves-prostate-cancer-drug.html?partner=rss&emc=rss</a>

FDA Approves New Life Prolonging Drug For Men With Late Stage Prostate Cancer - Xtandi

There are already a couple of other drugs in this group and the FDA only took 3 months to review it. Zytiga from Johnson and Johnson will ...

Sunday, September 02, 2012

Man Steals Doctor’s ID and Saw 500 Patients Pretending To Be An MD for a Year

The man has no medical license and had all the paperwork needed show that he was a doctor.  The real doctor was out of the country for a<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="115" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GINppotOR_s/UERJ9jtRrTI/AAAAAAAA9YU/43njqecJqOk/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="123" /> year and what nice surprise to find when he came back and it was a friend of his doing the impersonating.  One nurse was a bit suspicious when he used ask.com to locate treatment plans.  Now they are going through medical records to see if any harm came from the patients he saw.  He did it for the money and investigators found other fake IDs and information at his home.  He wrote prescriptions and some for himself while he was at it.  Remember back in 2010, there was even a pilot who had the AMA fooled.  BD <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/pilot-at-united-airlines-claimed-to-be.html">Pilot At United Airlines Claimed to be an MD and Duped Many, Including the AMA With Phony MD Credentials</a> <hr /></h4> <h4></h4> COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A man stole a physician’s identity and pretended to be a doctor for a year in South Carolina, and now investigators are combing through medical records to see whether he harmed any of the hundreds of patients he treated, authorities said. Ernest Addo of Austell, Ga., is charged with unlawful practice of medicine and obtaining goods under false pretense, authorities said. Addo doesn’t have a medical license in the U.S. But he assumed a doctor friend’s identity, getting a driver’s license and presenting the massive amount of paperwork needed to prove he was a doctor. The documents were given to him by the friend in hopes they could open a medical clinic together when the real doctor returned from a yearlong trip to Ghana, Lexington County Sheriff James Metts said. <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/nation/2012/08/31/sheriff-man-stole-doctor-saw-patients/9MSIW4IKy7p3mjMsYuXh2O/story.html">http://www.boston.com/news/nation/2012/08/31/sheriff-man-stole-doctor-saw-patients/9MSIW4IKy7p3mjMsYuXh2O/story.html</a>

Man Steals Doctor’s ID and Saw 500 Patients Pretending To Be An MD for a Year

The man has no medical license and had all the paperwork needed show that he was a doctor. The real doctor was out of the country for a ye...

Sunday, September 02, 2012

FDA Approves Drug for Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome And Constipation

The big plus with this drug is the pain relief and there’s no restriction on how long a patient can use the drug.  Most common side effect is diarrhea the side effect for treating constipation, nothing new there.  The drug will go on sale in the 4th quarter.  BD <hr /><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/IRWD:US"> Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IRWD)</a> and <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/FRX:US">Forest Laboratories Inc. (FRX)</a> won U.S. regulatory approval of their linaclotide treatment for irritable<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="102" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0kWOi5mJePc/UEQ_X9RXbrI/AAAAAAAA9Xk/ZV4Gg27xSs0/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="112" /> bowel syndrome with constipation. The therapy was also approved for chronic constipation, the <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/food-and-drug-administration/">Food and Drug Administration</a> said today in a <a href="http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm317505.htm?source=govdelivery">statement</a>. As many as 11 million Americans have irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, a disorder that causes abdominal pain, according to Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Ironwood. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-30/ironwood-forest-irritable-bowel-therapy-wins-fda-approval.html">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-30/ironwood-forest-irritable-bowel-therapy-wins-fda-approval.html</a>

FDA Approves Drug for Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome And Constipation

The big plus with this drug is the pain relief and there’s no restriction on how long a patient can use the drug. Most common side ...

Sunday, September 02, 2012

Collagen-Seeking Synthetic Protein Could Lead Doctors to Locate Tumor Locations– Research Funded by NIH, DOD, Process Patented Via Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer Office

<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="57" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L-ja5MGQpv0/UEQ0sfsA3PI/AAAAAAAA9Ws/wTS7GgXK-6s/image%25255B18%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="150" />The Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer Office  is the intellectual property  administration that serves research and inventors as a  liaison to those interested with working with JHU research for both academic and corporate interests.   The center can offer a team effort for the creation of new drugs and treatments and help bring them to market or again as in this case bring new research technologies to the forefront for fighting and identifying disease.  Biotech start up companies can benefit here as well and they say the door is open and just come knock.  BD <hr />Johns Hopkins researchers have created a synthetic protein that, when activated by ultraviolet light, can guide doctors to places within the body where cancer, arthritis and other serious medical disorders can be detected. The technique could lead to a new type of diagnostic imaging technology and may someday serve as a way to move medications to parts of the body where signs of disease have been found. In a study published in the Aug. 27-31 Online Early Edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers reported success in using the synthetic protein in mouse models to locate prostate and pancreatic cancers, as well as to detect abnormal bone growth activity associated with Marfan syndrome. Pictured is an optical image of mouse that was injected with a fluorescently tagged peptide that binds to degraded collagen (seen as red) <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="178" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RGCpHX5Vmo4/UEQ0skvfQ2I/AAAAAAAA9W0/FlYKJ9iBhr0/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="318" />and a commercially available imaging agent that binds to the calcium in bones (seen as green). Areas where both compounds are present appear as yellow. The purpose of these tests was to show that the peptides can target bone and cartilage of living animals by binding to degraded collagen. The peptide could someday deliver imaging agents and medications to combat various human disorders such as cancers, arthritis and fibrosis, which are associated with excess collagen degradation. Picture taken by Catherine Foss and Yang Li The synthetic protein developed by the Johns Hopkins team does not zero in directly on the diseased cells. Instead, it binds to nearby collagen that has been degraded by various health disorders. Collagen, the body’s most abundant protein, provides structure and creates a sturdy framework upon which cells build nerves, bone and skin. Some buildup and degradation of collagen is normal, but disease cells such as cancer can send out enzymes that break down collagen at an accelerated pace. It is this excessive damage, caused by disease, that the new synthetic protein can detect, the researchers said. <iframe style="width: 430px; height: 273px" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oezq2zIOzOM?rel=0" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> “These disease cells are like burglars who break into a house and do lots of damage but who are not there when the police arrive,” said S. <a href="http://materials.jhu.edu/index.php/people/detail/michael-s.-yu/faculty">Michael Yu</a>, a faculty member in the Whiting School of Engineering’s <a href="http://materials.jhu.edu/">Department of Materials Science and Engineering</a>. “Instead of looking for the burglars, our synthetic protein is reacting to evidence left at the scene of the crime,” said Yu, who was principal investigator in the study. A key collaborator was <a href="http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/pharmacology_molecular_sciences/faculty/bios/pomper.html">Martin Pomper</a>, a School of Medicine professor of radiology and co-principal investigator of the Johns Hopkins Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence. Pomper and Yu met as fellow affiliates of the <a href="http://inbt.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology</a>. “A major unmet medical need is for a better non-invasive characterization of disrupted collagen, which occurs in a wide variety of disorders,” Pomper said. “Michael has found what could be a very elegant and practical solution, which we are converting into a suite of imaging and potential agents for diagnosis and treatment. ” The synthetic proteins used in the study are called collagen mimetic peptides or CMPs. These tiny bits of protein are attracted to and physically bind to degraded strands of collagen, particularly those damaged by disease. Fluorescent tags are placed on each CMP so that it will show up when doctors scan tissue with fluorescent imaging equipment. The glowing areas indicate the location of damaged collagen that is likely to be associated with disease. In developing the technique, the researchers faced a challenge because CMPs tend to bind with one another and form their own structures, similar to DNA, in a way that would cause them to ignore the disease-linked collagen targeted by the researchers. To remedy this, the study’s lead author, Yang Li, synthesized CMPs that possess a chemical “cage” to keep the proteins from binding with one another. Just prior to entering the bloodstream to search for damaged collagen, a powerful ultraviolet light is used to “unlock” the cage and allow the CMPs to initiate their disease-tracking mission. Li is a doctoral student from the Department of Chemistry in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins. Yu, who holds a joint appointment in that department, is his doctoral adviser. Yu’s team tested Li’s fluorescently tagged and caged peptides by injecting them into lab mice that possessed both prostate and pancreatic human cancer cells. Through a series of fluorescent images taken over four days, researchers tracked single strands of the synthetic protein spreading throughout the tumor sites via blood vessels and binding to collagen that had been damaged by cancer. Funding for the research was provided by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. The synthetic protein process used in this research is protected by patents obtained through the Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer Office <a href="http://releases.jhu.edu/2012/08/29/collagen-seeking-synthetic-protein-could-lead-doctors-to-tumor-locations/">http://releases.jhu.edu/2012/08/29/collagen-seeking-synthetic-protein-could-lead-doctors-to-tumor-locations/</a>

Collagen-Seeking Synthetic Protein Could Lead Doctors to Locate Tumor Locations– Research Funded by NIH, DOD, Process Patented Via Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer Office

The Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer Office is the intellectual property administration that serves research and inventors as a liaison ...

Sunday, September 02, 2012

“Cookie” Anatomy–Scientifically Decorated Cookies To Snack On, Vanilla Flavored Lungs, Brains, Intestines, and More…

These are just so interesting and they almost look too good, artistically, that is to eat!  The cookies are all vanilla and you can choose between a heart, liver, reproductive system and more:)  They are called Macarons and are to be on sale at the <a href="https://evilcakes.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/anatomical-macarons-must-see/">Evil Bake Shop,</a> although these look to be far from evil, some of the other munchies on the page reflect more of a Halloween theme.  Whether it’s a brain cookie or an intestine, or chowing down on one of the larger cookies entailing an entire reproductive system with prostate glands, ovaries, the flavor’s all the same, for the cookies that is.   BD  <img alt="image" border="0" height="441" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PBr7bfQzec8/UEP_ffsla-I/AAAAAAAA9V8/BrzbFbLlVN8/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="366" /> <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/babymantis/learn-anatomy-with-macarons-1opu">http://www.buzzfeed.com/babymantis/learn-anatomy-with-macarons-1opu</a>

“Cookie” Anatomy–Scientifically Decorated Cookies To Snack On, Vanilla Flavored Lungs, Brains, Intestines, and More…

These are just so interesting and they almost look too good, artistically, that is to eat! The cookies are all vanilla and you can choose b...

Sunday, September 02, 2012

DARPA To Enlist Fold It Crowd Sourcing Game to Help Identify Proteins To Help Identify More Information About Sepsis And Develop Better Treatments

The concept is quite simple at the gaming point of view where you try to make the protein fold in the best way possible with points being given for <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="137" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CzxYiwd7tmE/UELrJSaSrZI/AAAAAAAA9VM/CO3R3mqSBqo/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="162" />stability via hydrogen bonding, compacting, hydrophobic and hydrophilic positioning of lateral protein chains, etc. The “better” you fold your protein, the more points you  achieve.  The link below goes back to 2008 when the program started and was given a grant of $20 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation when it began.  So now Sepsis is being added to the protein folding game in the hopes to find better treatments and faster recognition processes as it moves quite fast is is basically your body and organs just shutting down due to infection.  I even had the chance on a Surface table to try out FoldIt just for fun without submitting any information with a practice run and yes that’s my hand in the image above.   <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/05/fold-it-game-with-serious-impact-and-we.html"> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/05/fold-it-game-with-serious-impact-and-we.html">Fold It - A Game with a Serious Impact and We Can all contribute by "Folding Proteins" from our Home Computers...</a> </h4> </a> Sepsis is a blood infection attacks over a million people a year and many die.  Quick recognition and treatment with antibiotics are key.  Vanderbilt University created a technology solution to identify and notify clinicians at the onset of Sepsis a few years ago and the software went on to be incorporated into Microsoft Healthcare solutions.  BD  <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="350" id="flashObj" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=1816854529001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2F2012%2F09%2F01%2Fcrowdsourcing-blood-infections%2F&playerID=1275216913001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAABBzUwv1E~,xP-xFHVUstjFMsS-3Kb8-iZB6sJ0hUm_&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1816854529001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2F2012%2F09%2F01%2Fcrowdsourcing-blood-infections%2F&playerID=1275216913001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAABBzUwv1E~,xP-xFHVUstjFMsS-3Kb8-iZB6sJ0hUm_&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="420" height="350" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object> Here’s a flash back to the FoldIt Program as it began on how it works with some additional detailed information.  BD <iframe style="width: 436px; height: 272px" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lGYJyur4FUA?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" width="640" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <hr />The creators of mobile game Foldit are bringing scientists together to cure sepsis, also known as “blood poisoning.” The condition causes one’s entire body to be inflamed as a result of an infection. It is the immune system’s response to bacteria in various tissues and fluids throughout the body. Sepsis occurs upwards of 100 million times a year and can be fatal. <a href="http://mashable.com/2012/09/01/crowdsourcing-blood-infections/">http://mashable.com/2012/09/01/crowdsourcing-blood-infections/</a>

DARPA To Enlist Fold It Crowd Sourcing Game to Help Identify Proteins To Help Identify More Information About Sepsis And Develop Better Treatments

The concept is quite simple at the gaming point of view where you try to make the protein fold in the best way possible with points being...

Saturday, September 01, 2012

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Copyright Algorithms–Video Copyright Censoring Bots Wired In To Video Infrastructure Could Stand to Threaten The Future of Live Streaming–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 43

Aren’t These Health Insurance Contracts a Bitch! Aetna Suing City of Jacksonville Over Decision to Award Contract to Florida Blue- Battle of the Algorithms

The Rise (And Need) for Human – Computer Cooperation- A Good Thing and a Challenge for a Society, Governments and Companies That Have Been “Algo Duped” for Way Too Long (Video)

Ascension Health, Largest Catholic and Non Profit Health System in the US to Buy Marian Health System

NIH And Milken Institute Announce “Celebration of Science Day” Saturday September 8, 2012 Recognizing Research and Development & Making a Difference - NFL Donates $30 Million to the NIH For Brain Injury Research

Surescripts Buys Software HIT Company Kryptiq

Bill and Melinda Gates–Talk to Al Jazeera On How They Are Trying To Help People Around the World With the Foundation and Themselves

Nine New Challenge Awards from the Prostate Cancer Foundation Given to Accelerate Research and Treatment for Cancer Patients.

AIDS Experts at Johns Hopkins and Harvard Develop the First Accurate Computer Simulation to Explain Drug Effects and Viral Mutations With HIV

Tufts Medical Center Gets $88 Million Loan From the Feds to “Try” New Standard for Insurance Coverage, Will It Work Nobody Knows But Tax Payers are Footing the Bill for the Experiment

Texas Man Sues Sexual Enhancement Supplement Company for Causing His Penis to Fracture And Spurt Blood

Cook Medical Device Plant Opens in Canton, Illinois–Companies That Create Jobs for the US–Tangibles - Excise Tax the Data Sellers to Balance the Incentives For More Companies to Build Factories & Add Jobs

Charges of Fraud Filed Against Radiology Practice In New York for $30 Million In Billing to Medicare and Medicaid–Exams That Were Never Performed During a 2 Year Period

FDA Approves New Life Prolonging Drug For Men With Late Stage Prostate Cancer - Xtandi

Man Steals Doctor’s ID and Saw 500 Patients Pretending To Be An MD for a Year

FDA Approves Drug for Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome And Constipation

Collagen-Seeking Synthetic Protein Could Lead Doctors to Locate Tumor Locations– Research Funded by NIH, DOD, Process Patented Via Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer Office

“Cookie” Anatomy–Scientifically Decorated Cookies To Snack On, Vanilla Flavored Lungs, Brains, Intestines, and More…

DARPA To Enlist Fold It Crowd Sourcing Game to Help Identify Proteins To Help Identify More Information About Sepsis And Develop Better Treatments

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