All around you, individuals are getting deep off property, ordering at the perfect time plus reselling at high values or with tenant lease money to pay back an existing lending. Are investment properties a wise decision? Or is the marketplace inside a downward control?
As with anything, there is one-size-fits-all solution, however, getting info is the initial step to examining whether or not investment qualities is incorporated a supplemental pension plan.
Pros of owning investment qualities are apparent. Hypothetically speaking, imagine owning a six-plex inside a slow-changing, however successful part of Atlanta where you charged every tenant $1,000. The monthly lending for the building could be $3,000 however, youll nevertheless have that additional $3,000 cushion every month.
Another benefit of home investments is the generous taxation kickback you may receive. Should you enjoy getting your swelling sum taxation return towards the end of the year, then possibly investing plus offering qualities whenever you need that quick bit of money is appropriate for you.
Also, there is penalty for opting away early or age rules regarding whenever start making use of your income. You dont need to be deep or super organization savvy to add home ownership into a pension planning schedule. Its been named ?the equal chance money creator.?
Cons of investment qualities include the no guarantee danger. Its moreover not a feasible choice for everyone due to excellent transaction prices. Not everyone has 1000s of dollars saved to make a significant down payment.
Vacancies, bad tenants, maintenance costs plus home oversupply are some of the disadvantages. Like any investment, there are lots of factors past a control that may affect a income. For better ensures, 401ks or IRAs could be incorporated a financial pension planning.
Your achievement inside property investment qualities can rely greatly about whenever plus where you buy. Money Magazine revealed the most growth inside Panama City, Florida plus Washington say ? cities like Olympia, Spokane plus Mount Vernon.
Slow-changing however, profitable stores exist inside Atlanta, Providence plus Albuquerque. First time investors need to avoid ex-boomtowns like Los Angeles, Santa Barbara plus Las Vegas, where exorbitantly excellent prices boost the risk for marketplace unsustainable.
While downtown property is profitable, its not advised for individuals who are simply just pension planning certain supplemental income.
Since the average American moves each 5 to six years, plus twelve billion homes are available every year, why not capitalize about this trend whenever pension planning? It doesnt really take a deep person to invest plus income.
If youre looking to downsize a house following your loved ones moves away plus earn certain additional spending money, investment qualities is the appropriate supplemental pension plan for you!
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[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]
A different game system graded E could possibly be the Xbox and Xbox 360 game having a built-in parental manage. The Xbox has about 270 obtainable video games for children although Xbox 360 has about 12 games and increasing along with other popular releases. Although, a great number of games may well not try to be offered in regards to the Xbox but also, get offers for to GameCube and PS2 or the three computer game systems stated. In like, the Video games with E score like Gastropod and Feeding Frenzy may have crossover titles many publishers also have introduced and built easy to other advised gaming system. For instance, scored E games like Eidos Interactive LEGO Alien are available to GameCube, PS2 plus Xbox whereas other rated E10+ will also be open to other game systems, while other video games for children much like the ranked EC Worldwide Star Software's Dora the Explorer are mainly for Xbox and PS2 only.?
?Selecting the greatest game system to deal with is important particularly if parents are very concerned inside their kid's choice in computer game playing. The abovementioned gaming system can assist mothers and fathers recognize like video games for children system offered to kids when assisting mothers and fathers in discovering the maximum game system to deliver in their mind.?
Father and mother should maintain in your mind that computer game systems because of their kids should have parental manage alternatives on the sport system to lock functions or set limits on the sort of games or titles authorized for enjoying or viewing. Through the?above mentioned?Xbox360 video games for children systems, just about the most suited to father and mother to get may be the Xbox and Xbox 360 simply because it arrives developing a built-in parental control.
Made-in-Singapore H5N1 diagnostic kit -- detects all known strains of H5N1 virus with a single testPublic release date: 29-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Dr. Sarah Chang chang_kai_chen@a-star.edu.sg 65-682-66442 Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
License agreement signed between local SME, AITbiotech and A*STAR to market the test kit will directly benefit public healthcare sector in the fight against infectious diseases
The close collaboration between scientists from the Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC) under the Agency for Science and Technology Research (A*STAR) and clinicians from Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has enabled the successful development of the most comprehensive and rapid H5N1 bird flu test kit available to date. With this highly advanced kit, doctors can now rapidly detect all existing strains of the H5N1 viruses in a single test with almost 100% accuracy, within a few hours. This is a big boost to public healthcare system and a great stride forward in pandemic preparedness against this highly infectious disease worldwide.
The bird flu virus, scientifically termed as the Avian Influenza [1] virus, is usually lethal to the birds and normally does not transmit to humans. However, highly lethal and contagious strains like H5N1 Avian Influenza A virus that can 'jump' from birds to human have been reported to cause serious infections and even death rates as high as 60% in infected patients [2]. Although anti-viral treatment is available, the potential for H5N1 bird flu virus to spark a pandemic remains a serious threat to public health as most humans do not have immunity to the H5N1 virus. Therefore, to successfully curb the spread of the disease during an outbreak, accuracy and speed of detection on the type of H5N1 virus is of essence for effective infection control intervention and patient management.
The current gold standard for H5N1 detection recommended by the World Health Organization [3] (WHO) is only able to detect three out of the 10 distinct genetic groups (clades 1, 2 and 3). To detect all existing strains of H5N1 with the WHO detection method would not be possible. The made-in-Singapore H5N1 test kit, which is more accurately known as the H5N1 real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) assay, is the only detection kit currently available on the market that can accurately and rapidly detect all known strains of the H5N1 Avian Influenza A virus in a single test within a matter of hours.
Co-developed by Dr Masafumi Inoue, a Senior Research Scientist and Project Director of Technology Development from ETC and Dr Timothy Barkham, a senior consultant of Laboratory Medicine from TTSH, this newly launched H5N1 test kit has been clinically validated by several hospitals in Southeast Asia.
"We are excited to be able to contribute to the fight against H5N1 virus with our expertise and know-how. Our technology has greatly simplified and accelerated the process of detection and identification of new H5N1 variants. Such information is especially critical when the virus mutates to become more dangerous, such as in drug resistance." said Dr Inoue. (Watch video release on interview with Dr Inoue at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY_DDU2RwEY)
To enhance its usability, this new H5N1 test kit is also purposefully designed to be compatible with the previously launched "4-plex" Influenza diagnostic kit [5]. The latter is already adopted for use by several regional hospitals in Thailand. Using such multiplex assays enables simultaneous detection and differentiation of the different types of influenza infection [6] in a single test, which will save hospital labs and clinicians significant time and cost.
"While there have not been any reported H5N1 cases in Singapore, this mutating subtype of influenza virus type A continues to be a concern. The ability to detect and characterise influenza strains remains important in the management of the disease. With this latest H5N1 assay, we can easily combine it with our previous 4-plex Influenza kit to differentiate which strain of Influenza is present with one test, giving a definite diagnosis and faster turnaround for our patients and our colleagues in infection control and public health," said Dr Barkham.
Local Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), AITbiotech Pte Ltd, a regional provider of genomic services and molecular diagnostics kits, has recently signed a licence agreement with Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (ETPL), the technology transfer arm of A*STAR, to market this H5N1 kit regionally.
"The new H5N1 test kit from A*STAR is a significant addition to AITbiotech's existing portfolio of products for Influenza virus screening and surveillance. In light of the recent H5N1 outbreak in this region, we believe that this test can play a vital role for governments and public health institutions to effectively fight and control the outspread of any H5N1 virus", said Mr Alex Thian, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AITbiotech.
Previously, AITbiotech has acquired several other molecular diagnostic licenses from ETPL for swine flu mutation surveillance and for multiple pathogens detection, including Dengue, Chikungunya and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
"Licensing these highly sophisticated assays from A*STAR has given AITbiotech a springboard into the highly competitive market of Molecular Diagnostics. With our expanded capabilities, we are now able to provide a comprehensive suite of diagnostic services for a range of infectious diseases to the research, healthcare and biomedical industries in Singapore and Asia," added Mr Thian.
"This collaboration between A*STAR, TTSH and AITbiotech is a great example of how public and private sectors can partner to drive impact in Singapore's healthcare and biomedical industries. We remain committed in our role to transfer A*STAR technologies to help SMEs like AITbiotech stay competitive by delivering products with direct societal benefits," said Philip Lim, CEO of ETPL.
###
Footnote
[1] Avian influenza (AI) is a highly contagious viral disease of birds that often does not cause apparent signs of illness in infected animals. AI viruses can sometimes spread to domestic poultry and cause large-scale outbreaks of serious disease. The highly pathogenic H5N1 virus first infected humans in 1997 during a poultry outbreak in Hong Kong SAR, China. Since its widespread re-emergence in 2003 and 2004, it has spread from Asia to Europe and Africa and has become entrenched in poultry in some countries, resulting in millions of poultry infections, several hundred human cases, and many human deaths. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/avian_influenza/en/
[4] There are more than 40 sub-clades or distinct strains of the H5N1 virus currently identified by WHO (http://www.who.int/influenza/resources/documents/2011_09_h5_h9_vaccinevirusupdate.pdf, http://are.berkeley.edu/~dwrh/Docs/Vet_Journal110123.pdf)
[6] Together, the new H5N1 kit and the 4-plex Influenza kit will allow detection and sub-typing of 2009H1N1, H3N2, H5N1, Flu A and Flu B viruses in a single test.
Enclosed:
Annex A - Photos
Figure 1. H5N1 diagnostic kit,
Figure 2. Scientist from A*STAR's ETC and clinician from TTSH who co-developed the kit
Figure 3. CEO of AITbiotech who acquired the molecular diagnostic license
Video interview with Dr Masafumi Inoue http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY_DDU2RwEY
For media enquiries, please contact:
Dr. Sarah Chang
Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
Corporate Communications
DID: (65) 6826 6442
Email: chang_kai_chen@a-star.edu.sg
Ms Amanda Lee
Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (Technology Transfer arm of A*STAR)
Corporate Communications
DID: (65) 6478 8443
Mobile: (65) 9776 4218
Email: amandalee@exploit-tech.com
Mr Farren Fernandez
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Assistant Director, Corporate Marketing and Communications
DID: (65) 6357 8415
Email: farren_fernandez@ttsh.com.sg
Ms Shirley Tan
AITbiotech Pte Ltd
Mobile: (65) 8323 6002
Email: shirley@AITbiotech.com
About Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (ETPL)
Exploit Technologies is the technology transfer arm of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Its mission is to support A*STAR in transforming the economy through commercialising R&D. Exploit Technologies enhances the research output of A*STAR scientists by translating their inventions into marketable products or processes.
Through licensing deals with industry partners and spin-offs, Exploit Technologies is a key driver of technology transfer in Singapore. It actively engages industry leaders and players to commercialise A*STAR's technologies and capabilities, bridging the gap from Mind to Market. Exploit Technologies' charter is to identify, protect and exploit promising intellectual property (IP) created by A*STAR's research institutes.
For more information, please visit www.exploit-tech.com.
About the Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC)
ETC was set up in 2006 to play an increasingly important role in translating early stage scientific discoveries into practical applications. From engaging in early stage drug discovery and development to developing innovative research tools for clinical analysis, as well as setting up public-private partnerships to facilitate the advancement of drug candidates, ETC augments Singapore's capabilities and resources in the drug discovery process. ETC's capabilities and resources are currently focused on oncology and infectious diseases. It also incubates new technologies for commercialisation and mentors young scientists for careers in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry.
For more information about ETC, visit www.etc.a-star.edu.sg.
About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
A*STAR is the lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation-driven Singapore. A*STAR oversees 14 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research institutes, and six consortia and centres, located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis as well as their immediate vicinity.
A*STAR supports Singapore's key economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry. It also supports extramural research in universities, hospitals, research centres, and with other local and international partners.
For more information about A*STAR, visit www.a-star.edu.sg.
About Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH)
TTSH is one of Singapore's largest multi-disciplinary hospitals with more than 160 years of pioneering medical care and development. The hospital has 36 clinical and allied health departments, 15 specialist centres and is powered by more than 6,000 healthcare staff. TTSH sees over 2,000 patients at its specialist clinics and some 460 patients at its emergency department every day. TTSH is part of the National Healthcare Group, providing holistic and integrated patient care.
With a strong quality culture steeped in patient safety, TTSH constantly challenges itself to provide faster, better, cheaper and safer care for patients. To achieve this, the hospital keeps abreast and believes in investing in its staff, facilities, medical technology and system improvements. In recognition of its commitment to excellent patient care and its comprehensive range of quality healthcare services, TTSH has been awarded the ISO 9001 certification and the prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation.
For more information, please visit www.ttsh.com.sg.
Follow us at TTSH.fbadd.me.
About AITBIOTECH Pte Ltd
AITBIOTECH is leading Genomic Services and MDx company based in Singapore. Founded by Alex Thian in 2006, it has a core services and R&D laboratory in Singapore managed by a team of experienced biotechnologists. It provides a complete suite of Genomic Services including DNA Synthesis, Next Generation Sequencing Services, CE DNA Sequencing Services, Bioinformatics Services, PCR and Plasmid Prep Services, MDx PCR Assays and Kits to the research, healthcare and biomedical industries in Singapore and Asia.
For more information, please visit www.AITBiotech.com.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Made-in-Singapore H5N1 diagnostic kit -- detects all known strains of H5N1 virus with a single testPublic release date: 29-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Dr. Sarah Chang chang_kai_chen@a-star.edu.sg 65-682-66442 Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
License agreement signed between local SME, AITbiotech and A*STAR to market the test kit will directly benefit public healthcare sector in the fight against infectious diseases
The close collaboration between scientists from the Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC) under the Agency for Science and Technology Research (A*STAR) and clinicians from Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has enabled the successful development of the most comprehensive and rapid H5N1 bird flu test kit available to date. With this highly advanced kit, doctors can now rapidly detect all existing strains of the H5N1 viruses in a single test with almost 100% accuracy, within a few hours. This is a big boost to public healthcare system and a great stride forward in pandemic preparedness against this highly infectious disease worldwide.
The bird flu virus, scientifically termed as the Avian Influenza [1] virus, is usually lethal to the birds and normally does not transmit to humans. However, highly lethal and contagious strains like H5N1 Avian Influenza A virus that can 'jump' from birds to human have been reported to cause serious infections and even death rates as high as 60% in infected patients [2]. Although anti-viral treatment is available, the potential for H5N1 bird flu virus to spark a pandemic remains a serious threat to public health as most humans do not have immunity to the H5N1 virus. Therefore, to successfully curb the spread of the disease during an outbreak, accuracy and speed of detection on the type of H5N1 virus is of essence for effective infection control intervention and patient management.
The current gold standard for H5N1 detection recommended by the World Health Organization [3] (WHO) is only able to detect three out of the 10 distinct genetic groups (clades 1, 2 and 3). To detect all existing strains of H5N1 with the WHO detection method would not be possible. The made-in-Singapore H5N1 test kit, which is more accurately known as the H5N1 real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) assay, is the only detection kit currently available on the market that can accurately and rapidly detect all known strains of the H5N1 Avian Influenza A virus in a single test within a matter of hours.
Co-developed by Dr Masafumi Inoue, a Senior Research Scientist and Project Director of Technology Development from ETC and Dr Timothy Barkham, a senior consultant of Laboratory Medicine from TTSH, this newly launched H5N1 test kit has been clinically validated by several hospitals in Southeast Asia.
"We are excited to be able to contribute to the fight against H5N1 virus with our expertise and know-how. Our technology has greatly simplified and accelerated the process of detection and identification of new H5N1 variants. Such information is especially critical when the virus mutates to become more dangerous, such as in drug resistance." said Dr Inoue. (Watch video release on interview with Dr Inoue at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY_DDU2RwEY)
To enhance its usability, this new H5N1 test kit is also purposefully designed to be compatible with the previously launched "4-plex" Influenza diagnostic kit [5]. The latter is already adopted for use by several regional hospitals in Thailand. Using such multiplex assays enables simultaneous detection and differentiation of the different types of influenza infection [6] in a single test, which will save hospital labs and clinicians significant time and cost.
"While there have not been any reported H5N1 cases in Singapore, this mutating subtype of influenza virus type A continues to be a concern. The ability to detect and characterise influenza strains remains important in the management of the disease. With this latest H5N1 assay, we can easily combine it with our previous 4-plex Influenza kit to differentiate which strain of Influenza is present with one test, giving a definite diagnosis and faster turnaround for our patients and our colleagues in infection control and public health," said Dr Barkham.
Local Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), AITbiotech Pte Ltd, a regional provider of genomic services and molecular diagnostics kits, has recently signed a licence agreement with Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (ETPL), the technology transfer arm of A*STAR, to market this H5N1 kit regionally.
"The new H5N1 test kit from A*STAR is a significant addition to AITbiotech's existing portfolio of products for Influenza virus screening and surveillance. In light of the recent H5N1 outbreak in this region, we believe that this test can play a vital role for governments and public health institutions to effectively fight and control the outspread of any H5N1 virus", said Mr Alex Thian, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AITbiotech.
Previously, AITbiotech has acquired several other molecular diagnostic licenses from ETPL for swine flu mutation surveillance and for multiple pathogens detection, including Dengue, Chikungunya and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
"Licensing these highly sophisticated assays from A*STAR has given AITbiotech a springboard into the highly competitive market of Molecular Diagnostics. With our expanded capabilities, we are now able to provide a comprehensive suite of diagnostic services for a range of infectious diseases to the research, healthcare and biomedical industries in Singapore and Asia," added Mr Thian.
"This collaboration between A*STAR, TTSH and AITbiotech is a great example of how public and private sectors can partner to drive impact in Singapore's healthcare and biomedical industries. We remain committed in our role to transfer A*STAR technologies to help SMEs like AITbiotech stay competitive by delivering products with direct societal benefits," said Philip Lim, CEO of ETPL.
###
Footnote
[1] Avian influenza (AI) is a highly contagious viral disease of birds that often does not cause apparent signs of illness in infected animals. AI viruses can sometimes spread to domestic poultry and cause large-scale outbreaks of serious disease. The highly pathogenic H5N1 virus first infected humans in 1997 during a poultry outbreak in Hong Kong SAR, China. Since its widespread re-emergence in 2003 and 2004, it has spread from Asia to Europe and Africa and has become entrenched in poultry in some countries, resulting in millions of poultry infections, several hundred human cases, and many human deaths. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/avian_influenza/en/
[4] There are more than 40 sub-clades or distinct strains of the H5N1 virus currently identified by WHO (http://www.who.int/influenza/resources/documents/2011_09_h5_h9_vaccinevirusupdate.pdf, http://are.berkeley.edu/~dwrh/Docs/Vet_Journal110123.pdf)
[6] Together, the new H5N1 kit and the 4-plex Influenza kit will allow detection and sub-typing of 2009H1N1, H3N2, H5N1, Flu A and Flu B viruses in a single test.
Enclosed:
Annex A - Photos
Figure 1. H5N1 diagnostic kit,
Figure 2. Scientist from A*STAR's ETC and clinician from TTSH who co-developed the kit
Figure 3. CEO of AITbiotech who acquired the molecular diagnostic license
Video interview with Dr Masafumi Inoue http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY_DDU2RwEY
For media enquiries, please contact:
Dr. Sarah Chang
Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
Corporate Communications
DID: (65) 6826 6442
Email: chang_kai_chen@a-star.edu.sg
Ms Amanda Lee
Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (Technology Transfer arm of A*STAR)
Corporate Communications
DID: (65) 6478 8443
Mobile: (65) 9776 4218
Email: amandalee@exploit-tech.com
Mr Farren Fernandez
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Assistant Director, Corporate Marketing and Communications
DID: (65) 6357 8415
Email: farren_fernandez@ttsh.com.sg
Ms Shirley Tan
AITbiotech Pte Ltd
Mobile: (65) 8323 6002
Email: shirley@AITbiotech.com
About Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (ETPL)
Exploit Technologies is the technology transfer arm of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Its mission is to support A*STAR in transforming the economy through commercialising R&D. Exploit Technologies enhances the research output of A*STAR scientists by translating their inventions into marketable products or processes.
Through licensing deals with industry partners and spin-offs, Exploit Technologies is a key driver of technology transfer in Singapore. It actively engages industry leaders and players to commercialise A*STAR's technologies and capabilities, bridging the gap from Mind to Market. Exploit Technologies' charter is to identify, protect and exploit promising intellectual property (IP) created by A*STAR's research institutes.
For more information, please visit www.exploit-tech.com.
About the Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC)
ETC was set up in 2006 to play an increasingly important role in translating early stage scientific discoveries into practical applications. From engaging in early stage drug discovery and development to developing innovative research tools for clinical analysis, as well as setting up public-private partnerships to facilitate the advancement of drug candidates, ETC augments Singapore's capabilities and resources in the drug discovery process. ETC's capabilities and resources are currently focused on oncology and infectious diseases. It also incubates new technologies for commercialisation and mentors young scientists for careers in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry.
For more information about ETC, visit www.etc.a-star.edu.sg.
About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
A*STAR is the lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation-driven Singapore. A*STAR oversees 14 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research institutes, and six consortia and centres, located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis as well as their immediate vicinity.
A*STAR supports Singapore's key economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry. It also supports extramural research in universities, hospitals, research centres, and with other local and international partners.
For more information about A*STAR, visit www.a-star.edu.sg.
About Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH)
TTSH is one of Singapore's largest multi-disciplinary hospitals with more than 160 years of pioneering medical care and development. The hospital has 36 clinical and allied health departments, 15 specialist centres and is powered by more than 6,000 healthcare staff. TTSH sees over 2,000 patients at its specialist clinics and some 460 patients at its emergency department every day. TTSH is part of the National Healthcare Group, providing holistic and integrated patient care.
With a strong quality culture steeped in patient safety, TTSH constantly challenges itself to provide faster, better, cheaper and safer care for patients. To achieve this, the hospital keeps abreast and believes in investing in its staff, facilities, medical technology and system improvements. In recognition of its commitment to excellent patient care and its comprehensive range of quality healthcare services, TTSH has been awarded the ISO 9001 certification and the prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation.
For more information, please visit www.ttsh.com.sg.
Follow us at TTSH.fbadd.me.
About AITBIOTECH Pte Ltd
AITBIOTECH is leading Genomic Services and MDx company based in Singapore. Founded by Alex Thian in 2006, it has a core services and R&D laboratory in Singapore managed by a team of experienced biotechnologists. It provides a complete suite of Genomic Services including DNA Synthesis, Next Generation Sequencing Services, CE DNA Sequencing Services, Bioinformatics Services, PCR and Plasmid Prep Services, MDx PCR Assays and Kits to the research, healthcare and biomedical industries in Singapore and Asia.
For more information, please visit www.AITBiotech.com.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
An Egyptian man casts his ballot inside a polling station in Cairo on May 23, 2012, during the country's historic presidential election, the first since a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI/AFP/GettyImages)
This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding Living Will. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about Living Will.
A living will is a legal document where you authorize doctors to do and do not do certain medical procedures in you in case you become incapacitated or medically unconscious to make decisions or even speak. Many people are now including organ donation in their living will. This is a noble and admirable practice. Imagine how many people your organs could save when you die. That is like living your life to the fullest. Even in death, you could be sure you are contributing well to humanity.
You could always specify in your living will your desire to have any of your organs removed and donated to other people who need transplants. Some people still are not aware of this. You could even donate your body to medical schools that are always in need of corpses for medical and scientific studies. This way, you could make sure you could still help in the advancement of human knowledge on medicine and treatment. Your family might not fully agree with this notion, but it is something you have to clearly and patiently explain to them. Who knows, they might join you on your advocacy and decide to also donate their organs when they die.
Those of you not familiar with the latest on Living Will now have at least a basic understanding. But there?s more to come.
How do you include organ donation in your living will? The process could be as simple as getting a living will. First, you should check out any state or national legislations that may cover the process. Some states may have specific laws regarding such advance directives. You could consult your lawyer in this aspect. There are also several forms to fill out. Once the forms and the living will are done, produce several copies. Give a copy each to your doctor, your healthcare agent, and your family. You should also keep your own copy and keep it safe, but in a place where the household could easily find in case of emergency.
You do not need to be old to come out with your living will and to decide to donate your organs if you die. It is advisable that both living will and organ donation be decided and finalized the moment you reach 18 years old. There is no age limit as well. Even 70-year old and 80-year old individuals could opt to donate organs and include such a provision in their living will. You should always read your directives as often as possible. You could always opt to change or revise any term or provision depending on your choice. To make changes on your organ donation options in your living will, you could start the process all over again, as you did when you got the living will written.
You also need to register in your state?s donor registry. For convenience, you could have your organ donation option indicated in your driver?s license every year you renew it. You could also sign and always carry a donor card so that the procedure could go on any time something happens. Your living will should also clearly indicate that choice you make.
Now you can be a confident expert on Living Will. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on Living Will.
About the Author By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.
What seems more futuristic: flying cars or self-driving cars? They both sound a bit like science fiction, but they're both getting closer to becoming a reality. In the latest chapter of Google's efforts to develop a car that uses video cameras, radar sensors and lasers to navigate through traffic, the state of Nevada just granted Google the world's first license for a computer-controlled, driverless Toyota Prius. Meanwhile, this week we also checked in on the PAL-V (which stands for "Personal Air and Land Vehicle"), a two-seat hybrid car and gyroplane that runs on gas, biodiesel or bio-ethanol. In other transportation news, the Texas Central Railroad floated a plan to build a $10-billion bullet train that would run between Houston and Fort Worth, and Toyota officially unveiled its second-generation 2012 RAV4 EV, which features a Tesla powertrain.
We also saw green technology cropping up in unexpected places this week, like the $1-billion ghost town that will be built on virgin desert land in Lea County, New Mexico to test emerging green technologies. Construction on the ghost town is set to begin in late June. Milwaukee native Bryan Cera invented Glove One, a 3D-printed glove that doubles as a cell phone. And in Tokyo, participants heaved 100,000 LED lights into the Sumida River as part of the 2012 Tokyo Hotaru Festival. Although it certainly looked cool, that's a lot of LED bulbs to literally dump in the river, and it raises some questions about e-waste. GE found a more practical use for LEDs, unveiling a new LED light bulb to replace the 100-watt incandescent.
Some people thought that featuring the bizarre history of vibrators was in poor taste for Mother's Day. Poor babies. No worries, here are ten ultra-cute, sugar-coma-inducing bear cubs dancing the conga. Happy Mother's Day! More »
The last we heard, Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 was in pre-order limbo at Office Depot. Now we have official word that the slate will launch at that outlet -- and also at Amazon, Best Buy, Tiger Direct and others -- on May 13th. As expected, the 16GB WiFi version will go for $400, and if you've followed our coverage, you'll know it's a solid dual-core slate that nonetheless doesn't make huge spec improvements over the original Tab 10.1 (barring that Ice Cream Sandwich OS, of course). The Galaxy Player 4.2 will also make its debut this Sunday, for an asking price of $200. Android-loving moms: rejoice.
Here's something fun for HTC One X owners with a knack for Instagram photography. Recently discovered by ePriceon YouTube, the phone apparently features a remote shutter for its camera that's activated with some Bluetooth headsets. As Droid Life mentions, it can take a certain button combinations to get it working, but it's certainly intriguing for anyone wanting to rig this svelte slab of Ice Cream Sandwich to a tripod. You'll find a video demo after the break, but hey, if you've got a headset lying around it might be worth a shot. Let us know your results in the comments!
Kristen Stewart, Lily Collins and Alexis Bledel are fan favorites to play the lead in the big-screen adaptation of E L James' novel. By Christina Garibaldi
"Fifty Shades of Grey" book cover Photo: The Writer's Coffee Shop
As the debate rages on between fans over who will play Christian Grey in the upcoming film adaption of E L James' best-selling erotic novel, "Fifty Shades of Grey," many are also contemplating who should take on the role of the female lead, Anastasia Steele.
The book, which began as "Twilight" fan fiction, describes Ana as "a pale, brown haired girl with blue eyes too big for her face." Fans are looking for someone that not only represents her physically, but can also balance her purity with her newfound sensual side.
"The trickiest part of all may be staying true to the book and finding an actress who can convey youth and innocence, as well as the depth of experience necessary to grow with the character," Lisa Parker from Fiftyshadesfilm.com told MTV News. "We're looking forward to someone submitting (pun intended) their name for consideration of the pivotal role of Ana. Maybe an 'it' girl like Jennifer Lawrence; a probable next 'it' girl like Allison Williams; or someone wanting to take a career leap like Felicity Jones, Emilia Clarke or Katie Cassidy."
"Lily Collins is one who I don't think has been mentioned too much" Mags Vazquez from Latersbaby.net said. "I look at the innocent part, she can probably pull that off really well, and she has the features that would go well."
With the novel's connection to the "Twilight" trilogy and with Robert Pattinson being rumored for the role as Christian, it is only natural that Kristen Stewart's name comes to mind.
"Kristen would be great," Alison Genet of Twifans.com said. "After all, it was written with her in mind. Isn't the author always right? I think it's also time for her to another edgy flick."
Yet, others feel until the role of Christian is filled, it may be hard to picture who would be able to take on Anastasia.
"The debate over who will play Christian is definitely a heated one," Parker said. "It just may be that it's too hard to think about casting Ana until she has her Fifty. We conducted a quick Twitter poll for this article, and their top three choices were Emmy Rossum, Alexis Bledel and going with an unknown."
But in the end, it will have to be up to the studio and James to cast the role of Anastasia, but according to fans, they trust that they will ultimately make the right decision.
"Author E L James gave Ana her voice in the trilogy," Parker said. "No one understands her better than she does, which is why we know she will make sure an actress with the right combination of 'inner goddess' and 'subconscious' is cast."
Who do you think should play Anastasia Steele in "Fifty Shades of Grey"? Cast your vote in the comments!
While Sony was busy launching its HX8 TVs over in the UK, it let slip another nugget of televisual goodness. That extra BBC Sport coverage that's planned for summer, and available as a TiVo app, will also be coming to UK owners of Bravia TVs (2011 and onwards,) PS3s, and even some Blu-ray players (at a later date). Those 24 channels of HD Olympic action will be translated into live streams, and there will be the usual array of catch-up options too. It's not just the Olympics, either, with most of the Beeb's sports coverage set to be available through the app, along with much of the additional content that was previously dealt with by the Red Button. Sony claims it has worked with the BBC to develop the app, and should be the first to launch it direct on TVs just in time for Wimbledon. It will likely find its way to other Smart TVs too, but no details on which at this time.
I read an article this morning that was very interesting and something everyone should know about Commercial Real Estate in Louisville and around the country.?
Our legal system permits every type of property owner a way to decrease their mortgages, with one exception; home owners.? They are given no way to reduce excess mortgages.
Consequently, four years after the crash of real estate, homeowners are still buried in debt. This really is why consumer demand has not recovered and a big cause of why the recovery has been so weak. We have had many prior cycles, in which real estate prices soared, tempting property owners to take on high mortgages, and then prices crashed, leaving owners ?underwater? with real estate worth much less than the debt held against it.? When this happens to commercial property owners, our law gives them an escape route. They are able to file a Chapter 11 reorganization. While Chapter 11 filings are costly,? Chapter 11 provides commercial property owners the power of strip down: They are able to decrease the principal of their mortgages to the present fair market value.
The rest of the mortgage, the quantity by which the mortgage exceeds the value of the property, can be stripped down under Bankruptcy Code Section 506, or transformed into unsecured debt, which can be wiped away. Attorneys make money but the property owners remove the debt burden. Strip down gives underwater commercial property owners an affordable opportunity to decrease their debts, and to return to profitability. This is one reason there will most likely never be a commercial real estate crisis.
Since 2007, residential real estate prices have fallen nationally by over 30%. Tens of millions of property owners have homes worth much less than the mortgages against them. Strip down could solve the problems of those underwater property owners. I know this because I see homes for sale in Louisville every day that are under water.
Middle class people can file Chapter 13 or Chapter 11 reorganizations, not strip down. If they could strip down their mortgages, they could decrease their debts to a reasonable level. Consumer bankruptcies always involve substantial dangers; the worst, by far, is the long term credit damage.
If homeowners, in general, had the possibility of filing bankruptcy, and utilizing strip down, this would give banks an enormous incentive to negotiate voluntarily with homeowners to decrease their mortgages, even if they didn?t file bankruptcy. But homeowners cannot use strip down. Under bankruptcy law, the only mortgages that can?t be stripped down are those against the principal residences of people or households. Donald Trump can use strip down to decrease multi million-dollar mortgages against his casinos. A middle-class family, however, cannot use strip-down to save their home from foreclosure.
What the middle-class has been provided, instead, are shallow loan-modification programs. Beneath the hype, these programs are nothing but an organized way for the middle-class to beg for charity. Because banks aren?t charities, it should surprise nobody that lenders place applicants for loan modifications through the ringer and end up modifying VERY few loans. Testimonials by applicants attest to this. This law is very one -sided. Real Estate laws regarding bankruptcy should be exactly the same for everybody. It?s unfair and one of the factors of why the recovery has been so weak.
The recession technically ended in June 2009, almost three years ago. What?s slowing this recovery?
The principal driver of the economic climate is consumer demand. Much of the middle class has not begun spending simply because a lot of property owners have excessively high mortgages and no way to restructure them.
With a lot of the middle class buried in debt, consumer demand has remained weak. Discrimination (because of the power of banks) against homeowners
Everyone knows that the best ring bearer is a darling little child, or, if possible, a wiener dog in a tiny dog tuxedo. Barring that, a Dragon Runner sentry and bomb disposal robot will do the trick. Tiny robo tux! More »
I was in a meeting with a?group of leaders the other day and after being prompted by a question most of them said that they had many acquaintances but very few friends.? It was clear they weren?t particularly happy by this fact, but felt their busy life didn?t leave them much of a choice.? I find it?paradoxical that in a day and age where we have so many more ways to stay connected with other people, every study I read says that people feel lonelier and?more disconnected than ever before.? This is especially troubling for people in leadership positions because they feel naturally isolated to begin with.
My own anecdotal experience is that women are better at starting and maintaining close relationships than men.? It is just how they are hardwired.? However, even women are now struggling to stay connected with each other under the pressures of busy work weeks, long commutes and family commitments.?? Sometimes it can feel like there is just too much to get done and not enough hours in the day.? When you find yourself in this space it?s hard to reach out and make friendships a priority.? However, cultivating meaningful relationship outside of your spouse/significant other and family is a critical part of a happy life.?
There need to be people in your life who don?t primarily see you as husband or wife or parent or grandparent or son or sibling or extended family or colleague or boss.? You need to be able to step out from behind a given role and just be you.? Good friends actually allow you to be an individual without any predetermined agenda besides enjoying each other?s company and finding common bonds.? You can relax and let ?let your hair down? and just offer each other support or have fun.? You can be ?real? without worrying about the consequences of how that might affect the formal relationship.? Friendship is almost always a matter of choice rather than obligation.
If we continually narrow our relationship circles as we get older we run the risk of smothering the remaining?people who are left.???We also increase our probability of ending up feeling lonely and ultimately alone.? There is nothing sadder to me when I attend a funeral and hardly anyone attends or when someone in a hospital or nursing home gets minimal visitors.?? In the end,?our happiness is directly correlated with the quality of relationships we form with other people.??Acquaintances come and go and are?usually insignificant in the big picture of life.? However, going through life building and maintaining good friendships will make the journey less arduous and more meaningful.? Don?t get me wrong. Family should always be a priority and is the most important thing, but it isn?t everything.
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'In general, we have always been a state that takes responsible steps and this is an example ... of the state taking a very irresponsible step,' says Aiken of the ban. By Gil Kaufman
Clay Aiken Photo: Bruce Glikas/ FilmMagic
The entertainment industry reaction to North Carolina's constitutional ban on gay marriage was swift, with everyone from President Obama to "The Ides of March" actress Evan Rachel Wood and season two "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken speaking out against the vote.
"The thing that affects everyone, whether it's same-sex couples or opposite-sex couples who have children, is unless they are married opposite-sex couples who are living together or who have children run the risk of losing health insurance for the child if they are not married," Aiken, who is the openly gay father of a young son, told CNN on Tuesday as the vote was taking place.
Aiken said the thing that is "deceptive" about the amendment is that it restricts domestic partnerships and civil unions (for straight couples as well), despite polls that show that the majority of North Carolinians support those kind of unions; gay marriage was already banned in the state before Tuesday's vote.
"North Carolina ... has a history of being a state that takes deliberate steps," he said, noting that it was the last Southern state to secede from the Union during the Civil War. "In general, we have always been a state that takes responsible steps and this is an example, the only example in my lifetime, of the state taking a very irresponsible step."
The new amendment states that, "Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state." Voters approved the amendment by a 61-39 percent margin, making North Carolina the 31st state to vote in favor of a constitutional amendment seeking to defend the traditional definition of marriage as a heterosexual union.
Aiken noted that the constitutional amendment is redundant, since the state already bans gay marriage and noted that even the Republican leader of the North Carolina general assembly believes it won't stand. Supporters pushed for the amendment because they thought it was necessary to fight off any future legal challenges.
The singer also said he continues to be frustrated to hear President Obama say that his stance on gay marriage is "evolving," but that he was excited to recently hear Vice President Joe Biden come out in support of gay marriage. Following the vote, Obama said he was "disappointed" by the results, with a spokesman saying it was discriminatory against gays and lesbians.
Evan Rachel Wood posted a series of tweets on Tuesday decrying the action. "Just bent over on set and cried over this outcome," the openly bisexual actresswrote. "I hope my children see a more peaceful and tolerant world. I hope we will be heard ... If you choose to stay in the dark ages you will never grow, never fully love, and never live your life to its full potential. I will never give up my right to love. Not for any religion. Not for any god. To give that up means giving away our soul. And your soul was a gift from God."
Also weighing in against the action were comedians Patton Oswalt and Sarah Silverman, as well as Scissor Sisters singer Jake Shears and actress Roseanne Barr, who urged movie studios to "withdraw your productions from NC!"
HTC has announced that it'll be showcasing the One V at CTIA this week, but also, more importantly, that the final piece of the One family puzzle will arrive on "a variety of US partners later this summer." Nothing more concrete than that at the moment, although we reckon a handful of regional carriers might be tempted to stock the hardy Legend tribute smartphone.
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Public release date: 29-May-2012
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