By: Marketwire
ANTIGUA and NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 04/30/09 -- The American University of Antigua (AUA), a major U.S. modeled medical and nursing school in the Caribbean listed by the World Health Organization, has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court against the Arkansas State Medical Board (ASMB) and its individual members for unfairly discriminating against graduates of medical schools located in the Caribbean who seek license to practice medicine in Arkansas, especially Americans who attend and graduate from those schools.
"There is a critical shortage of doctors in Arkansas and only one medical school, yet motivated and accomplished US citizens and Arkansas residents with medical degrees are being prohibiting from practicing medicine in their home state as a result of the AAMC, AMA and Arkansas State Medical Board's short sightedness and indolent approval practices," said Neal Simon, AUA Founder and President.
A recent report from the United States Department of Health and Human Services identified more than 225 areas in which there is a shortage of medical health care professionals in the State of Arkansas.
The AUA Complaint asks the Court to restrain the ASMB from including AUA on its list of disapproved medical school without proper investigation under, or adherence to, Regulation No. 3 of the Arkansas State Medical Board.
The AUA Complaint, filed jointly with two current AUA students and two AUA graduates, alleges that the ASMB -- in collusion with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and its two sponsoring bodies, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) -- is unlawfully, willfully and intentionally denying AUA students the right to apply for and to obtain licenses to practice medicine in Arkansas without due process of law and without equal protection of law, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Rather than institute its own standardized process to evaluate and approve individual applicants and medical schools, the ASMB improperly claims to defer to the California State Medical Board's list of approved and disapproved schools. However, even though AUA is not on California's list of disapproved schools, ASMB added AUA to its disapproved list. It did so without conducting a site visit, examining the school's curriculum or considering information compiled by the medical board of any state. By comparison, the State of New York granted AUA's application for approval of its clinical studies program based upon a thorough and detailed investigation of AUA, its curriculum, its faculty, its facilities and the quality of the medical education it offers.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
When gamers become gamblers
A new study suggests that video games are highly addictive, with game addicts showing more than half of the same traits as those addicted to gambling.
Researchers at Iowa State University and the National Institute on Media and the Family studied 1,178 American children and teenagers, aged 8 to 18, and found that addicted gamers played video games 24 hours a week, twice as much as casual gamers.
On a positive note, if kids 8 to 18 are spending so much time playing games, then there are big opportunities to make games more educational, or to make educational games more interesting.
One thing that is becoming very clear is that video games are the new TV.
Some gamers have shown similar symptoms to those suffering from gambling addiction, including:
* Lying to family and friends about how much they play games
* Using the games to escape their problems
* Becoming restless or irritable when they stop playing
Researchers at Iowa State University and the National Institute on Media and the Family studied 1,178 American children and teenagers, aged 8 to 18, and found that addicted gamers played video games 24 hours a week, twice as much as casual gamers.
On a positive note, if kids 8 to 18 are spending so much time playing games, then there are big opportunities to make games more educational, or to make educational games more interesting.
One thing that is becoming very clear is that video games are the new TV.
Some gamers have shown similar symptoms to those suffering from gambling addiction, including:
* Lying to family and friends about how much they play games
* Using the games to escape their problems
* Becoming restless or irritable when they stop playing
Thursday, April 16, 2009
American University Confers Honorary Degree On Ellen
Monrovia — Furman University in South Carolina, the United States, has conferred on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, an honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities.
In a citation, supporting the conferral, the President of the University, David Shi, described the Liberian leader as a leading promoter of peace, justice and democratic processes, who has worked tirelessly to bring about progressive changes in Liberia.
According to an Executive Mansion dispatch from Greenville, the Furman University President spoke of the Liberian leader’s courageous efforts over many years, resulting in imprisonment and threats on her life.
The risks, Dr. Shi noted, did not deter the Liberian President from continuing to work to free her country and remain a true champion of the rule of law.
“Her relentless efforts have helped Liberia’s transition from a long period of abusive, chaotic and horrific dictatorships to a stable democratic government, working to improve the lives of all its citizens,” Dr. Shi pointed out in the citation.
The Furman University President described the President’s personal courage and unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice and peace, as an inspiration to people around the world.
Addressing students and faculty earlier during the forum, the President spoke of the progress Liberia has made over the last three years.
She cited among other developments, the restoration of electricity and safe drinking water to some parts on Monrovia and its environs; the opening of schools throughout the country, leading to increased enrollment; and efforts to cancel the staggering US$4.7-billion debt Liberia owes multilateral financial institutions.
Most importantly, the Liberian leader said, the country’s once battered image has been restored and the children of Liberia are now smiling again.
“It brings me the greatest satisfaction that hope has been restored, and our children now have a right to education and clean drinking water, where everyone has an opportunity to reach his/her potential with equal opportunity for all,” the Liberian leading told an capacity crowd Monday at the McAlister Auditorium in Greenville.
Despite the moderate progress, the President said, domestic violence against women and rape continue to pose a problem, in spite of the passage of a strong legislation, making rape a non-billable offense.
Unemployment, the President pointed out, also continues to undermine the gains the country has made.
The global financial crisis, the Liberian leader indicated, is also threatening the economic gains the country has made since her ascendency to the presidency of the country.
The forum was presented by the Riley Institute at Furman, a non-partisan organization affiliated with the Department of Political Science at Furman University.
Named for former Governor of South Carolina and United States Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, and inaugurated in 1999, the institute engages students and citizens across South Carolina in the arenas of politics, public policy and leadership.
It brought together a cross section of residents of South Carolina, including students, faculty, politicians, among them Mr. Richard W. Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education and former Governor of South Carolina, as well as Liberians residing in South Carolina and other neighboring states including North Carolina and Georgia.
The President reiterated her call on American and other investors to visit Liberia and explore the investment opportunities Liberia offers. She cited the successful conclusion of the recent International Women’s Colloquium held in Liberia as another indicator that the country is opened for business.
Turning to students, the President admonished those aspiring for leadership to set their goals and start to work towards those goals. “Determine what you want to be; work towards it and pursue your dream, standing up with courage and motivation and above all, demonstrating a spirit of care for the people,” the President advised.
In a citation, supporting the conferral, the President of the University, David Shi, described the Liberian leader as a leading promoter of peace, justice and democratic processes, who has worked tirelessly to bring about progressive changes in Liberia.
According to an Executive Mansion dispatch from Greenville, the Furman University President spoke of the Liberian leader’s courageous efforts over many years, resulting in imprisonment and threats on her life.
The risks, Dr. Shi noted, did not deter the Liberian President from continuing to work to free her country and remain a true champion of the rule of law.
“Her relentless efforts have helped Liberia’s transition from a long period of abusive, chaotic and horrific dictatorships to a stable democratic government, working to improve the lives of all its citizens,” Dr. Shi pointed out in the citation.
The Furman University President described the President’s personal courage and unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice and peace, as an inspiration to people around the world.
Addressing students and faculty earlier during the forum, the President spoke of the progress Liberia has made over the last three years.
She cited among other developments, the restoration of electricity and safe drinking water to some parts on Monrovia and its environs; the opening of schools throughout the country, leading to increased enrollment; and efforts to cancel the staggering US$4.7-billion debt Liberia owes multilateral financial institutions.
Most importantly, the Liberian leader said, the country’s once battered image has been restored and the children of Liberia are now smiling again.
“It brings me the greatest satisfaction that hope has been restored, and our children now have a right to education and clean drinking water, where everyone has an opportunity to reach his/her potential with equal opportunity for all,” the Liberian leading told an capacity crowd Monday at the McAlister Auditorium in Greenville.
Despite the moderate progress, the President said, domestic violence against women and rape continue to pose a problem, in spite of the passage of a strong legislation, making rape a non-billable offense.
Unemployment, the President pointed out, also continues to undermine the gains the country has made.
The global financial crisis, the Liberian leader indicated, is also threatening the economic gains the country has made since her ascendency to the presidency of the country.
The forum was presented by the Riley Institute at Furman, a non-partisan organization affiliated with the Department of Political Science at Furman University.
Named for former Governor of South Carolina and United States Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, and inaugurated in 1999, the institute engages students and citizens across South Carolina in the arenas of politics, public policy and leadership.
It brought together a cross section of residents of South Carolina, including students, faculty, politicians, among them Mr. Richard W. Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education and former Governor of South Carolina, as well as Liberians residing in South Carolina and other neighboring states including North Carolina and Georgia.
The President reiterated her call on American and other investors to visit Liberia and explore the investment opportunities Liberia offers. She cited the successful conclusion of the recent International Women’s Colloquium held in Liberia as another indicator that the country is opened for business.
Turning to students, the President admonished those aspiring for leadership to set their goals and start to work towards those goals. “Determine what you want to be; work towards it and pursue your dream, standing up with courage and motivation and above all, demonstrating a spirit of care for the people,” the President advised.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Brown University Kills 'Columbus Day' for 'Fall Weekend'
The faculty of the Ivy League university voted at a meeting Tuesday to establish a new academic and administrative holiday in October called "Fall Weekend" that coincides with Columbus Day, but that doesn't bear the name of the explorer.
Hundreds of Brown students had asked the Providence, R.I. school to stop observing Columbus Day, saying Christopher Columbus's violent treatment of Native Americans he encountered was inconsistent with Brown's values.
"I'm very pleased," Reiko Koyama, a sophomore who led the effort, told the student newspaper, the Brown Daily Herald. "It's been a long time coming."
The change will take effect this fall.
Although the students had asked the school to take another day off instead, Brown will remain closed on Columbus Day, in part to avoid inconveniencing staff whose children might have the holiday off, the Daily Herald reported.
Many other colleges are open on Columbus Day but give students short breaks later in the semester.
Last month a Brown Daily Herald poll found two-thirds of the students supported changing the holiday's name to Fall Weekend, the newspaper reported.
Hundreds of Brown students had asked the Providence, R.I. school to stop observing Columbus Day, saying Christopher Columbus's violent treatment of Native Americans he encountered was inconsistent with Brown's values.
"I'm very pleased," Reiko Koyama, a sophomore who led the effort, told the student newspaper, the Brown Daily Herald. "It's been a long time coming."
The change will take effect this fall.
Although the students had asked the school to take another day off instead, Brown will remain closed on Columbus Day, in part to avoid inconveniencing staff whose children might have the holiday off, the Daily Herald reported.
Many other colleges are open on Columbus Day but give students short breaks later in the semester.
Last month a Brown Daily Herald poll found two-thirds of the students supported changing the holiday's name to Fall Weekend, the newspaper reported.
Friday, April 3, 2009
American University Launches New Web Site Via Huge
Tanya Irwin
American University has launched a new site designed and developed by Brooklyn-based interactive agency Huge. The new site features interactive multimedia capabilities that provide user-generated content with Web 2.0 communication.
Huge began by reorienting the site's architecture, linking content, unifying visual design, and establishing relationships so that user movement is flexible and cross-navigational.
The traditional academic marketing model consists of guided visits, alumni magazines, and glossy brochures. That doesn't translate so well online, where people want authentic input from a variety of sources. The new American.edu puts people at the center of the experience, as opposed to individual schools or institutions. The site showcases user-generated content through a wiki system called AUpedia -- three parts blog, social application and discussion forum.
American University has launched a new site designed and developed by Brooklyn-based interactive agency Huge. The new site features interactive multimedia capabilities that provide user-generated content with Web 2.0 communication.
Huge began by reorienting the site's architecture, linking content, unifying visual design, and establishing relationships so that user movement is flexible and cross-navigational.
The traditional academic marketing model consists of guided visits, alumni magazines, and glossy brochures. That doesn't translate so well online, where people want authentic input from a variety of sources. The new American.edu puts people at the center of the experience, as opposed to individual schools or institutions. The site showcases user-generated content through a wiki system called AUpedia -- three parts blog, social application and discussion forum.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Jury Gets Case of Fired Professor
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
After a four-week trial, a jury in Denver is deliberating the case of Ward L. Churchill, a former University of Colorado professor who says he was fired because of an essay he wrote in which he called victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks “little Eichmanns.”
The university says Mr. Churchill plagiarized and falsified parts of his academic research, particularly on American Indians, and cited this as grounds for his dismissal in July 2007. Mr. Churchill brought a wrongful termination suit against the university, seeking monetary damages for lost wages and harm to his reputation. He also wants to be reinstated to his job teaching ethnic studies.
The case is seen as a struggle between freedom of speech and academic integrity, and it has revived the longstanding debate about whether hate speech deserves protection by the First Amendment.
“If we win,” said David Lane, Mr. Churchill’s lawyer, “the symbolic First Amendment moment of Ward Churchill’s walking back into a classroom will be overwhelmingly positive.”
Ken McConnellogue, a spokesman for the university, said the university’s case was “nuanced” and “perhaps doesn’t translate as well as a sound-bite case.” Still, he said, “We believe we’ve put on a compelling case” that officials fired Mr. Churchill for inferior scholarship, not his 9/11 essay.
Mr. Churchill, 61, had been a tenured faculty member at the university’s campus in Boulder since 1991, and chairman of the ethnic studies department.
On Sept. 12, 2001, he wrote an essay in which he argued that many of those working in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 were not innocent bystanders but a “technocratic corps” of “little Eichmanns,” a reference to Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi who has been called the architect of the Holocaust.
His suggestion was that their participation in the global financial system made them complicit in the terrorist attacks, just as Eichmann, who had said he was only following orders, was responsible for the extermination of the Jews.
The essay garnered little notice at the time but gradually seeped through the Internet, coming to light in 2005, and then creating an uproar.
At the time, the university defended his essay as free speech. But accusations began to emerge that in some of his other academic writings, especially about the persecution of American Indians, he had plagiarized other scholars and set forth false information.
The university said this scholarship — not the 9/11 essay — prompted a faculty investigation. And in May 2006, a faculty committee found that his work — including his theory that Capt. John Smith intentionally introduced smallpox among the Wampanoag Indians in the 17th century — was seriously flawed and had no basis in fact. In July of that year, the university’s Board of Regents voted 8 to 1 to fire him.
His lawyer, Mr. Lane, accused the university of conducting a McCarthy-era style “witch hunt” against Mr. Churchill, saying officials trumped up the charges of academic fraud as a pretext for getting rid of him. On the witness stand last week, Mr. Churchill, a somewhat flamboyant figure wearing his long hair in a ponytail, said he understood that his essay had been hurtful to the families of those who were killed on 9/11. But he also said he wanted the United States to take more responsibility for how it treated others around the world.
“If you make a practice of killing other people’s babies for personal gain, they will eventually give you a taste of the same thing,” he said.
Throughout the trial, the university maintained that it fired Mr. Churchill solely “for his research misconduct, for taking other people’s work and making it his own, for fabricating research, for falsifying research,” as Steven K. Bosley, a university regent, told the court.
“It was not one time, not even one time on purpose,” Mr. Bosley added. “It was a pattern of misconduct.”
The jury got the case Wednesday afternoon, after hearing closing arguments. If the jury sides with Mr. Churchill, it will set the damages, although the judge, Larry J. Naves, can modify the amount. Judge Naves will decide whether Mr. Churchill should be reinstated.
After a four-week trial, a jury in Denver is deliberating the case of Ward L. Churchill, a former University of Colorado professor who says he was fired because of an essay he wrote in which he called victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks “little Eichmanns.”
The university says Mr. Churchill plagiarized and falsified parts of his academic research, particularly on American Indians, and cited this as grounds for his dismissal in July 2007. Mr. Churchill brought a wrongful termination suit against the university, seeking monetary damages for lost wages and harm to his reputation. He also wants to be reinstated to his job teaching ethnic studies.
The case is seen as a struggle between freedom of speech and academic integrity, and it has revived the longstanding debate about whether hate speech deserves protection by the First Amendment.
“If we win,” said David Lane, Mr. Churchill’s lawyer, “the symbolic First Amendment moment of Ward Churchill’s walking back into a classroom will be overwhelmingly positive.”
Ken McConnellogue, a spokesman for the university, said the university’s case was “nuanced” and “perhaps doesn’t translate as well as a sound-bite case.” Still, he said, “We believe we’ve put on a compelling case” that officials fired Mr. Churchill for inferior scholarship, not his 9/11 essay.
Mr. Churchill, 61, had been a tenured faculty member at the university’s campus in Boulder since 1991, and chairman of the ethnic studies department.
On Sept. 12, 2001, he wrote an essay in which he argued that many of those working in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 were not innocent bystanders but a “technocratic corps” of “little Eichmanns,” a reference to Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi who has been called the architect of the Holocaust.
His suggestion was that their participation in the global financial system made them complicit in the terrorist attacks, just as Eichmann, who had said he was only following orders, was responsible for the extermination of the Jews.
The essay garnered little notice at the time but gradually seeped through the Internet, coming to light in 2005, and then creating an uproar.
At the time, the university defended his essay as free speech. But accusations began to emerge that in some of his other academic writings, especially about the persecution of American Indians, he had plagiarized other scholars and set forth false information.
The university said this scholarship — not the 9/11 essay — prompted a faculty investigation. And in May 2006, a faculty committee found that his work — including his theory that Capt. John Smith intentionally introduced smallpox among the Wampanoag Indians in the 17th century — was seriously flawed and had no basis in fact. In July of that year, the university’s Board of Regents voted 8 to 1 to fire him.
His lawyer, Mr. Lane, accused the university of conducting a McCarthy-era style “witch hunt” against Mr. Churchill, saying officials trumped up the charges of academic fraud as a pretext for getting rid of him. On the witness stand last week, Mr. Churchill, a somewhat flamboyant figure wearing his long hair in a ponytail, said he understood that his essay had been hurtful to the families of those who were killed on 9/11. But he also said he wanted the United States to take more responsibility for how it treated others around the world.
“If you make a practice of killing other people’s babies for personal gain, they will eventually give you a taste of the same thing,” he said.
Throughout the trial, the university maintained that it fired Mr. Churchill solely “for his research misconduct, for taking other people’s work and making it his own, for fabricating research, for falsifying research,” as Steven K. Bosley, a university regent, told the court.
“It was not one time, not even one time on purpose,” Mr. Bosley added. “It was a pattern of misconduct.”
The jury got the case Wednesday afternoon, after hearing closing arguments. If the jury sides with Mr. Churchill, it will set the damages, although the judge, Larry J. Naves, can modify the amount. Judge Naves will decide whether Mr. Churchill should be reinstated.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
American University launches new website
This afternoon faculty, students, and staff gathered in the Katzen Arts Center for the launching of American University’s new website. After three years of hard work, the team is finally able to show off all of their hard work. According to Maralee Csellar, from AU’s Media Relations Office, AU’s new grasp on technology would leave all but the tech savvy behind.
Many great features other people will see on this site, this is made for all and the will benefit lots of things from it. Just wait till it get live.
The new site is geared at prospective and current students alike. It allows students to post what their views are on the new AUpedia- AU’s version of wikipedia- and edit or comment on others works. There are also visual tours for prospective students that are designed to give that student the entire view of American, from a 3-D map to what students have to say. According to David Taylor, President’s Chief of Staff, the site is expected to compliment actually visiting the campus, in order to get the entire experience.
Also, AU now has a master calendar available on the site. This will allow students and faculty to plan events and be able to see what is going on the same day. This calendar will have all the events on and off campus that American University is involved in. When you click on a date, it will show everything going on that day!
Companies such as HUGE, Real View TV, Paper Thin, and Northhighland were American’s partners in this venture. HUGE, of New York, wanted the website to contain what students and parents were looking for, not necessarily what the school wanted them to know. Likewise, Real View TV, of Atlanta, recorded videos of students and their life at AU.
Everything is so well coordinated that each school has a global header and footer. So, check out American University’s new website! You might learn something new.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
American University Launches Web 2.0 Site
WASHINGTON, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- American University has launched a new, redesigned Web site at www.american.edu featuring interactive, multimedia capabilities that provide dynamic content with state-of-the-art Web 2.0 communication.
The site features tagged and linked content including news, success stories and profiles, site-wide global navigation, a virtual campus tour, user-generated content through a wiki system called AUpedia, and a university master calendar. Each component is implemented with a consistent integrated design, look, and feel for an enhanced user experience.
"Our new site represents the promise of a new way of reaching many audiences, particularly prospective students," said Terry Flannery, executive director of communications and marketing at AU. "It will be the front door of our university for those coming to us for the first time and allow people to access the university from points near and far."
DiscoverAU with its "Virtual Campus Experience," produced and streamed by Realview TV, is the site's cornerstone and pushes the boundaries of innovation for college videos and virtual tours. An interactive 3-D map, "My Five Faves" videos, and an InsideAU view enable the university to connect to its audience through a medium that all students crave -- online video.
This Web 2.0 development is the result of a two-year campus-wide collaborative process, led by an expert group of leaders from the university's information technology and marketing communication areas. Assisted by more than 125 people in 20 departments across the university, AU's team spent 25,000 hours to create and redesign the 7,500 pages migrated for launch.
The university turned to the New York-based firm HUGE to analyze the current site and produce a new vision based on the user's experience and not the institution's organizational chart. HUGE produced a complete visual and structural redesign that incorporated the university's brand and sub brands and provided the shared tools needed for consistent delivery.
"From day one, HUGE shared AU's commitment to raise the bar for higher education Web sites by developing an authentic, transparent online experience that truly surfaces the student voice. We focused on developing a template, modular system for AU which gives the school the flexibility to communicate with its audience in a very direct, open way," says Aaron Shapiro, partner at HUGE.
To create the site's functionality, AU turned to content management company PaperThin, Inc. and Web technology consultant firm, North Highland. PaperThin's content management product, CommonSpot(TM), makes creating and sharing content and site management easier. North Highland assisted with the mapping and planning of content to be used across departments within the university.
In a first for AU, and rare among other universities, the site was tested pre-launch under a simulated load of thousands of concurrent users to optimize performance of the site before going live. In addition, AU's Office of Information Technology upgraded bandwidth in anticipation of increased demand coming from the multimedia and dynamic content components.
They release a very great site, which may make them more popular and known for all. Just one question, how does this help if they make it beta?
The site features tagged and linked content including news, success stories and profiles, site-wide global navigation, a virtual campus tour, user-generated content through a wiki system called AUpedia, and a university master calendar. Each component is implemented with a consistent integrated design, look, and feel for an enhanced user experience.
"Our new site represents the promise of a new way of reaching many audiences, particularly prospective students," said Terry Flannery, executive director of communications and marketing at AU. "It will be the front door of our university for those coming to us for the first time and allow people to access the university from points near and far."
DiscoverAU with its "Virtual Campus Experience," produced and streamed by Realview TV, is the site's cornerstone and pushes the boundaries of innovation for college videos and virtual tours. An interactive 3-D map, "My Five Faves" videos, and an InsideAU view enable the university to connect to its audience through a medium that all students crave -- online video.
This Web 2.0 development is the result of a two-year campus-wide collaborative process, led by an expert group of leaders from the university's information technology and marketing communication areas. Assisted by more than 125 people in 20 departments across the university, AU's team spent 25,000 hours to create and redesign the 7,500 pages migrated for launch.
The university turned to the New York-based firm HUGE to analyze the current site and produce a new vision based on the user's experience and not the institution's organizational chart. HUGE produced a complete visual and structural redesign that incorporated the university's brand and sub brands and provided the shared tools needed for consistent delivery.
"From day one, HUGE shared AU's commitment to raise the bar for higher education Web sites by developing an authentic, transparent online experience that truly surfaces the student voice. We focused on developing a template, modular system for AU which gives the school the flexibility to communicate with its audience in a very direct, open way," says Aaron Shapiro, partner at HUGE.
To create the site's functionality, AU turned to content management company PaperThin, Inc. and Web technology consultant firm, North Highland. PaperThin's content management product, CommonSpot(TM), makes creating and sharing content and site management easier. North Highland assisted with the mapping and planning of content to be used across departments within the university.
In a first for AU, and rare among other universities, the site was tested pre-launch under a simulated load of thousands of concurrent users to optimize performance of the site before going live. In addition, AU's Office of Information Technology upgraded bandwidth in anticipation of increased demand coming from the multimedia and dynamic content components.
They release a very great site, which may make them more popular and known for all. Just one question, how does this help if they make it beta?
Monday, March 30, 2009
No Increase in Clots With Drug-Eluting Stents
By Steven Reinberg
Despite initial concerns that stent thrombosis, a blood clot inside a stent, is more common with the drug-eluting device, there appears to be no difference in the clot risk for either drug-eluting or bare metal stents, a large new study found.
After a heart attack, many patients undergo a treatment called angioplasty, which opens the blocked coronary artery that caused the attack. With many of these procedures, the stent, a metallic mesh tube that props open the narrowed artery, is also inserted and left in place.
"We had a thrombosis rate of 3.3 percent over a year, which sounds high, but these are patients with acute [heart attacks] getting a stent," lead researcher Dr. George Dangas, an associate professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, said during a Sunday morning teleconference at the American College of Cardiology's annual scientific sessions in Orlando, Fla. "So it's not that high after all."
"With any type of bare metal stent or drug-eluting stent, there was no difference after one year," Dangas added.
Bare metal stents -- as the name implies -- are bare tubes of metal mesh. Drug-eluting stents, in addition to keeping the artery open, slowly release a medication to prevent the build-up of scar tissue inside the stent.
A stent thrombosis can block blood flow through the stent and cause another heart attack or even death. Concerns have been raised that stent thrombosis might be more common in drug-eluting stents than bare-metal ones.
Dangas and his colleagues looked at data on 3,202 patients who participated in the HORIZONS-AMI trial; these patients received either bare metal stents or drug-eluting stents.
During the year after treatment, 107 patients (3 percent) developed stent thrombosis. The rate of stent thrombosis was the same for those treated with bare metal and those with drug-eluting stents, the researchers found.
Also, there was no difference in the rate of patients developing stent thrombosis whether they were taking the blood thinner Angiomax (bivalirudin) or heparin plus glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, which also help prevent clots from forming.
Although patients treated with Angiomax had a higher rate of acute stent thrombosis, both groups had equal rates of stent thrombosis after a month, the researchers reported.
Dangas's group also collected information on factors that could lead to stent thrombosis, such as smoking, insulin-treated diabetes, implanting several stents, treatment of ulcerated lesions and complete blockage of the artery responsible for the heart attack.
For these patients, high doses of the anti-clotting drug Plavix (clopidogrel) protected against stent thrombosis.
A related presentation Saturday at the cardiology conference found that patients with coated stents had fewer cases of serious complications. The study -- the largest one ever to evaluate "real-world" stent patients -- included 217,675 patients over age 65 with coated stents and 45,025 patients with bare-metal devices, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The study found that patients with coated stents were significantly less susceptible to non-fatal heart attacks or death. And there were slightly fewer cases of repeat procedures with coated stent patients, while stroke rates were about the same in both groups of patients, the newspaper said.
Despite initial concerns that stent thrombosis, a blood clot inside a stent, is more common with the drug-eluting device, there appears to be no difference in the clot risk for either drug-eluting or bare metal stents, a large new study found.
After a heart attack, many patients undergo a treatment called angioplasty, which opens the blocked coronary artery that caused the attack. With many of these procedures, the stent, a metallic mesh tube that props open the narrowed artery, is also inserted and left in place.
"We had a thrombosis rate of 3.3 percent over a year, which sounds high, but these are patients with acute [heart attacks] getting a stent," lead researcher Dr. George Dangas, an associate professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, said during a Sunday morning teleconference at the American College of Cardiology's annual scientific sessions in Orlando, Fla. "So it's not that high after all."
"With any type of bare metal stent or drug-eluting stent, there was no difference after one year," Dangas added.
Bare metal stents -- as the name implies -- are bare tubes of metal mesh. Drug-eluting stents, in addition to keeping the artery open, slowly release a medication to prevent the build-up of scar tissue inside the stent.
A stent thrombosis can block blood flow through the stent and cause another heart attack or even death. Concerns have been raised that stent thrombosis might be more common in drug-eluting stents than bare-metal ones.
Dangas and his colleagues looked at data on 3,202 patients who participated in the HORIZONS-AMI trial; these patients received either bare metal stents or drug-eluting stents.
During the year after treatment, 107 patients (3 percent) developed stent thrombosis. The rate of stent thrombosis was the same for those treated with bare metal and those with drug-eluting stents, the researchers found.
Also, there was no difference in the rate of patients developing stent thrombosis whether they were taking the blood thinner Angiomax (bivalirudin) or heparin plus glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, which also help prevent clots from forming.
Although patients treated with Angiomax had a higher rate of acute stent thrombosis, both groups had equal rates of stent thrombosis after a month, the researchers reported.
Dangas's group also collected information on factors that could lead to stent thrombosis, such as smoking, insulin-treated diabetes, implanting several stents, treatment of ulcerated lesions and complete blockage of the artery responsible for the heart attack.
For these patients, high doses of the anti-clotting drug Plavix (clopidogrel) protected against stent thrombosis.
A related presentation Saturday at the cardiology conference found that patients with coated stents had fewer cases of serious complications. The study -- the largest one ever to evaluate "real-world" stent patients -- included 217,675 patients over age 65 with coated stents and 45,025 patients with bare-metal devices, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The study found that patients with coated stents were significantly less susceptible to non-fatal heart attacks or death. And there were slightly fewer cases of repeat procedures with coated stent patients, while stroke rates were about the same in both groups of patients, the newspaper said.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Yale University Press faces setbacks
By: Katie Falloon
In the face of nationwide drops in book sales, the Yale University Press is contemplating changes to its business model.
As university presses struggle to combat a downturn brought on by the economic recession, the Yale University Press has also seen its revenues fall, but by slightly less than the industry average of 10 percent. Yale University Press Director John Donatich said the press — which experienced a 7 to 8 percent decline in revenue this past year — is considering cutting back on some publishing runs and will ramp up its e-book program.
The press may have been able to stay slightly ahead of the curve this year with two successful book releases — a history book for children, “A Little History of the World,” and the business and psychology book “Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness,” Donatich said.
The sales of both books have benefited from being published both in the United States and by the press’s London branch, Donatich said — an advantage the press, the only American university press with a full-scale publishing program in Europe, has over its competition. The branch, which publishes 35 percent of the press’ books, is having its best year ever, Donatich said.
Even so, the effects of the recession are undeniable.
“Our books are working,” Donatich said. “But the marketplace is very soft.”
To accommodate this softer market, the press is considering publishing fewer copies of each title, he said. And while the press already has a digital presence, with close to 1,000 books available through the Amazon Kindle, an electronic book reader, the press is working to create an expanded digital platform for its works.
Representatives at the four other university presses interviewed also identified the ongoing recession as the primary factor behind falling sales, though some said digital piracy has been an issue as well.
“The retail sector is hurting in publishing as in book-selling as in everything, and we’re feeling the response to that,” said Eric Halpern, director of the University of Pennsylvania Press, which has seen revenue decline around 10 percent.
Halpern explained that while new books are being sold in the expected quantities, older books are instead being returned to the press from wholesalers and bookstores.
The Cornell University Press has seen slower sales across the board, and it may be that more students are turning to libraries rather than buying new course books, said Mahinder Kingra, the press’ marketing manager.
So far, university presses across the country have seen an average of a 10 percent drop in both net unit sales and net dollar sales in the July to December 2008 period, compared to the same period in 2007, according to a January survey of 62 university presses conducted by the American Association of University Presses.
“I don’t think anyone in the book publishing industry has any clear idea about whether we have or haven’t reached the bottom of this yet,” Brenna McLaughlin, electronic and strategic initiatives director at the American Association of University Presses, said.
The Yale University Press, which celebrated its centennial last year, is currently the largest books-only university press in the United States.
In the face of nationwide drops in book sales, the Yale University Press is contemplating changes to its business model.
As university presses struggle to combat a downturn brought on by the economic recession, the Yale University Press has also seen its revenues fall, but by slightly less than the industry average of 10 percent. Yale University Press Director John Donatich said the press — which experienced a 7 to 8 percent decline in revenue this past year — is considering cutting back on some publishing runs and will ramp up its e-book program.
The press may have been able to stay slightly ahead of the curve this year with two successful book releases — a history book for children, “A Little History of the World,” and the business and psychology book “Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness,” Donatich said.
The sales of both books have benefited from being published both in the United States and by the press’s London branch, Donatich said — an advantage the press, the only American university press with a full-scale publishing program in Europe, has over its competition. The branch, which publishes 35 percent of the press’ books, is having its best year ever, Donatich said.
Even so, the effects of the recession are undeniable.
“Our books are working,” Donatich said. “But the marketplace is very soft.”
To accommodate this softer market, the press is considering publishing fewer copies of each title, he said. And while the press already has a digital presence, with close to 1,000 books available through the Amazon Kindle, an electronic book reader, the press is working to create an expanded digital platform for its works.
Representatives at the four other university presses interviewed also identified the ongoing recession as the primary factor behind falling sales, though some said digital piracy has been an issue as well.
“The retail sector is hurting in publishing as in book-selling as in everything, and we’re feeling the response to that,” said Eric Halpern, director of the University of Pennsylvania Press, which has seen revenue decline around 10 percent.
Halpern explained that while new books are being sold in the expected quantities, older books are instead being returned to the press from wholesalers and bookstores.
The Cornell University Press has seen slower sales across the board, and it may be that more students are turning to libraries rather than buying new course books, said Mahinder Kingra, the press’ marketing manager.
So far, university presses across the country have seen an average of a 10 percent drop in both net unit sales and net dollar sales in the July to December 2008 period, compared to the same period in 2007, according to a January survey of 62 university presses conducted by the American Association of University Presses.
“I don’t think anyone in the book publishing industry has any clear idea about whether we have or haven’t reached the bottom of this yet,” Brenna McLaughlin, electronic and strategic initiatives director at the American Association of University Presses, said.
The Yale University Press, which celebrated its centennial last year, is currently the largest books-only university press in the United States.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Should Obama speak at Notre Dame?
Some Fighting Irish are fighting mad about the prospect of an American president addressing graduates at the spring commencement. Should Roman Catholic colleges and universities roll out the red carpet for a sitting president if he doesn’t agree with the church’s stance regarding abortion?
Rev. Robert Barron, a seminary professor in Mundelein and one of the Chicago Archdiocese’s most respected homilists, says no way. A college freshman at the University of Notre Dame before entering college seminary in the late 1970s, Barron has paid close attention to the controversy swirling around the university’s invitation to Barack Obama to deliver the commencement speech in South Bend and receive an honorary law degree.
"President Obama is, obviously, a man of many virtues and accomplishments, and a decent human being. But he holds to a public position—legal protection for practically unlimited access to abortion—that is directly repugnant to Catholic moral teaching and anthropology," Barron said. "To make matters worse, President Obama’s advocacy of the Freedom of Choice Act makes him the most radically pro-abortion president in our history."
"The critics mistake this for ‘one issue’ politics. It is, in fact, taking a stand against a fundamental ethical indifferentism," Barron said. "And this is why I join a swelling chorus of those who say someone who holds to the pro-choice position as fully and enthusiastically as the president does should not be given a platform at a university that claims a Catholic heritage and identity."
About 65,000 people agree with Barron. They have signed a petition protesting Obama’s anticipated May 17 commencement speech at the University of Notre Dame, saying the president’s views on abortion and stem cell research "directly contradict" Roman Catholic teachings.
But Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Woodstock Theological Center, says ho-hum.
"Controversy over commencement speakers at Catholic universities pops up every spring along with the tulips," he wrote. He also points to at least one cardinal who honored Obama as well as other speakers in favor of abortion rights.
"This is absurd. If Cardinal Edward Egan of New York can invite Obama to speak at the Al Smith dinner in October of 2008 when he was only a presidential candidate, then there is certainly nothing wrong with Notre Dame having the president speak at a commencement," Reese said. "What is OK for a cardinal archbishop is certainly OK for a university."
"People need to recognize that Catholic universities have to be places where freedom of speech and discussion is recognized and valued," Reese added. "Not to allow a diversity of speakers on campus is to put Catholic universities into a ghetto."
Barron calls this approach hypocritical.
"Anyone even vaguely associated with the secular academy knows that it is governed by a fairly strict ideological orthodoxy and marked by many forms of censorship, both explicit and implicit," Barron said.
He might have a point. Remember when Pope Benedict XVI tried to speak at Sapienza University in Rome last year? Students and professors protested the pontiff’s planned visit to the university to mark its opening day for the 2008 academic year because of previous remarks rationalizing the church’s trial and conviction of Galileo. The pope canceled his appearance.
Now the tables are turned. But would disinviting an American president smack of bad manners and un-Christ-like behavior? What do you think?
Story Source:http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/religion_theseeker/2009/03/notre-dame-scandal-.html
Rev. Robert Barron, a seminary professor in Mundelein and one of the Chicago Archdiocese’s most respected homilists, says no way. A college freshman at the University of Notre Dame before entering college seminary in the late 1970s, Barron has paid close attention to the controversy swirling around the university’s invitation to Barack Obama to deliver the commencement speech in South Bend and receive an honorary law degree.
"President Obama is, obviously, a man of many virtues and accomplishments, and a decent human being. But he holds to a public position—legal protection for practically unlimited access to abortion—that is directly repugnant to Catholic moral teaching and anthropology," Barron said. "To make matters worse, President Obama’s advocacy of the Freedom of Choice Act makes him the most radically pro-abortion president in our history."
"The critics mistake this for ‘one issue’ politics. It is, in fact, taking a stand against a fundamental ethical indifferentism," Barron said. "And this is why I join a swelling chorus of those who say someone who holds to the pro-choice position as fully and enthusiastically as the president does should not be given a platform at a university that claims a Catholic heritage and identity."
About 65,000 people agree with Barron. They have signed a petition protesting Obama’s anticipated May 17 commencement speech at the University of Notre Dame, saying the president’s views on abortion and stem cell research "directly contradict" Roman Catholic teachings.
But Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Woodstock Theological Center, says ho-hum.
"Controversy over commencement speakers at Catholic universities pops up every spring along with the tulips," he wrote. He also points to at least one cardinal who honored Obama as well as other speakers in favor of abortion rights.
"This is absurd. If Cardinal Edward Egan of New York can invite Obama to speak at the Al Smith dinner in October of 2008 when he was only a presidential candidate, then there is certainly nothing wrong with Notre Dame having the president speak at a commencement," Reese said. "What is OK for a cardinal archbishop is certainly OK for a university."
"People need to recognize that Catholic universities have to be places where freedom of speech and discussion is recognized and valued," Reese added. "Not to allow a diversity of speakers on campus is to put Catholic universities into a ghetto."
Barron calls this approach hypocritical.
"Anyone even vaguely associated with the secular academy knows that it is governed by a fairly strict ideological orthodoxy and marked by many forms of censorship, both explicit and implicit," Barron said.
He might have a point. Remember when Pope Benedict XVI tried to speak at Sapienza University in Rome last year? Students and professors protested the pontiff’s planned visit to the university to mark its opening day for the 2008 academic year because of previous remarks rationalizing the church’s trial and conviction of Galileo. The pope canceled his appearance.
Now the tables are turned. But would disinviting an American president smack of bad manners and un-Christ-like behavior? What do you think?
Story Source:http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/religion_theseeker/2009/03/notre-dame-scandal-.html
Monday, March 23, 2009
American University in Blagoevgrad set for major construction projects
By: Nick Iliev
The American University in Bulgaria has launched a tender for an ambitious concept design that envisages the construction of a new large multifunctional sports facility, a project called the Students' Centre, which will be attached to the Skaptopara university campus.
The pool consists of a total of 18 Bulgarian construction companies who have submitted their application forms and have bought the appropriate documentation required for participation in the design tender which had a deadline of March 12 for the submission of all bids.
The second phase envisions the applications and the concept design bids, and these should be submitted by April 28.
The new multifunctional sports facility will be incorporated within the student's complex.
The construction company, which will be selected at the end of the competition, will be allocated the contract for the overall technical design. The future students' centre will expand on a parcel of 2700 sq m, deemed a large enough area to accommodate all the sports facilities inside, including ample capacity for spectators, but it will be a low-rise building, not exceeding 15m in height.
The American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) is behind the project. A university spokesman said that they expected the scheme to be successful and popular.
Currently, within the University campus there are two student hostels along with dormitories (a third is currently under construction) plus a new academic building and a library. The sports complex will accommodate basketball, volleyball and other sports as well as a spacious modern fitness centre. The Bulgarian company, Tilev Architects, built one of the university hostel a few years ago after won an international tender.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
American University (24-7) vs. Villanova (26-7)
By Sports Network
GAME NOTES: The third-seeded Villanova Wildcats have the advantage of opening the 2009 NCAA Tournament in front of a friendly Philadelphia crowd and against the 14th-seeded American University Eagles in East Region action.
Villanova plays some of its home games at the Wachovia Center, so the team knows the arena quite well. The winner will move on to the second round to take on either sixth-seeded UCLA or 11th-seeded Virginia Commonwealth.
American is making its second consecutive appearance in the "Big Dance" after winning the Patriot League regular season and tournament titles this season. The Eagles are riding the nation's second-longest active win streak with 13 consecutive victories, and they have won 19 of their last 20 outings. Their 24 overall wins are tied for the most in program history, and the team's 11 road wins are tops in the NCAA.
As for Villanova, it is making its fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament under the guidance of head coach Jay Wright. The Wildcats, who are 26-7 overall, went 13-5 versus Big East competition during the regular season. Villanova, which won its only national title back in 1985, has more wins as an underdog seed (13) in the NCAA Tournament than any other program, but the club will be playing the role of a heavy favorite tonight.
Villanova has won all eight previous meetings with American, and the most recent bout took place in 1993.
While American enters this game as a huge underdog, there is enough talent on the roster for the team to be competitive. Patriot League Player of the Year Derrick Mercer is a steady performer who averages 11.5 ppg and 4.4 apg. Mercer is the only player in league history to record 1,200 points and 500 assists and is the school's all-time leader in games played. The top scorer for the Eagles is Garrison Carr, who is netting 17.8 ppg on the strength of 108 three- pointers. Brian Gilmore contributes 12.4 ppg and 5.4 rpg to bring balance to the floor. Strong defense has been an obvious key to AU's success this season, as the team is limiting opponents to 58.4 ppg on 39.4 percent shooting from the field. Offensively, the Eagles are scoring a modest 64.5 ppg.
Villanova is undoubtedly battle-tested, as the team played top-notch competition most nights during the Big East season. The Wildcats have a number of key contributors in the fold, and forward Dante Cunningham has been the team's most consistent player this season. Shooting 52.9 percent from the floor, Cunningham is averaging 16.0 ppg to go along with 7.2 rpg and 41 blocked shots. He can score on the interior and has a tremendous mid-range jumper. Scottie Reynolds is an explosive guard who is netting 15.5 ppg in addition to handing out 118 assists and coming up with 53 steals. Reynolds is a streaky player who can dominate a game when he is on track. Corey Fisher is the third and final double-digit scorer on the roster, as he brings 10.8 ppg to the mix. Villanova is generating 76.5 ppg while allowing just 67.0 ppg.
Story source:http://www.kansascity.com/472/story/1095159.html
GAME NOTES: The third-seeded Villanova Wildcats have the advantage of opening the 2009 NCAA Tournament in front of a friendly Philadelphia crowd and against the 14th-seeded American University Eagles in East Region action.
Villanova plays some of its home games at the Wachovia Center, so the team knows the arena quite well. The winner will move on to the second round to take on either sixth-seeded UCLA or 11th-seeded Virginia Commonwealth.
American is making its second consecutive appearance in the "Big Dance" after winning the Patriot League regular season and tournament titles this season. The Eagles are riding the nation's second-longest active win streak with 13 consecutive victories, and they have won 19 of their last 20 outings. Their 24 overall wins are tied for the most in program history, and the team's 11 road wins are tops in the NCAA.
As for Villanova, it is making its fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament under the guidance of head coach Jay Wright. The Wildcats, who are 26-7 overall, went 13-5 versus Big East competition during the regular season. Villanova, which won its only national title back in 1985, has more wins as an underdog seed (13) in the NCAA Tournament than any other program, but the club will be playing the role of a heavy favorite tonight.
Villanova has won all eight previous meetings with American, and the most recent bout took place in 1993.
While American enters this game as a huge underdog, there is enough talent on the roster for the team to be competitive. Patriot League Player of the Year Derrick Mercer is a steady performer who averages 11.5 ppg and 4.4 apg. Mercer is the only player in league history to record 1,200 points and 500 assists and is the school's all-time leader in games played. The top scorer for the Eagles is Garrison Carr, who is netting 17.8 ppg on the strength of 108 three- pointers. Brian Gilmore contributes 12.4 ppg and 5.4 rpg to bring balance to the floor. Strong defense has been an obvious key to AU's success this season, as the team is limiting opponents to 58.4 ppg on 39.4 percent shooting from the field. Offensively, the Eagles are scoring a modest 64.5 ppg.
Villanova is undoubtedly battle-tested, as the team played top-notch competition most nights during the Big East season. The Wildcats have a number of key contributors in the fold, and forward Dante Cunningham has been the team's most consistent player this season. Shooting 52.9 percent from the floor, Cunningham is averaging 16.0 ppg to go along with 7.2 rpg and 41 blocked shots. He can score on the interior and has a tremendous mid-range jumper. Scottie Reynolds is an explosive guard who is netting 15.5 ppg in addition to handing out 118 assists and coming up with 53 steals. Reynolds is a streaky player who can dominate a game when he is on track. Corey Fisher is the third and final double-digit scorer on the roster, as he brings 10.8 ppg to the mix. Villanova is generating 76.5 ppg while allowing just 67.0 ppg.
Story source:http://www.kansascity.com/472/story/1095159.html
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