Prudential Financial and Fosun International commemorate launch of life insurance joint venture in China

Pramerica Fosun Life Insurance Company Ltd. (PFL), a 50/50 joint venture between Fosun International Limited and Prudential Financial, Inc., marked the start of its operations with a grand opening ceremony in Shanghai today.

In September, PFL received approval from the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) to launch operations. PFL, which has registered capital of RMB 500 million, is the first life insurance joint venture in China to receive approval from CIRC in the last three years.

During the ceremony, Fosun’s Chairman Guo Guangchang and Prudential’s Vice Chairman Mark Grier expressed their confidence in the new company.

Guo said, “Fosun believes financial services will be a high growth industry in China in the future. As a shareholder of PFL, Fosun will leverage its own advantages to provide the joint venture with abundant channel resources.”

Grier noted, “China’s emerging life insurance industry presents significant growth opportunities for the business. There is no better partner than Fosun to help us develop a strong presence in the Chinese life insurance industry. By combining our life insurance expertise with Fosun’s track record in China and the PFL team’s insights, we are confident that we will build a strong company known for providing competitive products and excellent customer service.”

In his welcoming remarks at the ceremony, Kenny Wu, PFL’s general manager and a 27-year veteran of the Chinese life insurance industry, said, “PFL has arrived at a critical time for the life insurance industry in China, as demand is growing for comprehensive protection for the livelihoods of families around the country. We are confident that this market will continue to grow over the long term, and we are implementing a differentiated strategy to meet the needs of our customers – one that always puts their needs first.”

Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU), a financial services leader with approximately $1.005 trillion of assets under management as of September 30, 2012, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit http://www.news.prudential.com/. Pramerica Financial is a trade name used by Prudential Financial, Inc. Prudential Financial, Inc. of the United States is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom.

Life Fitness Launches New Green to Go Certification Program

Life Fitness announced today that it will expand its "Green to Go" initiative with a new customer certification program, furthering its commitment to developing products and processes that respect the Earth's resources and create sustainable solutions. The new "Certified Green to Go with Life Fitness" program rewards customers who purchase energy-saving cardio products from Life Fitness.

"There is a growing audience of green-minded exercisers who are becoming more and more aware of their impact on the environment," said Dan Wille, vice president of global marketing and product development for Life Fitness. "Life Fitness' 'Certified Green to Go' program helps facilities that purchase energy-efficient products set their facilities apart."

As part of Life Fitness' ongoing pledge to lighten the company's carbon footprint, it recently introduced a hybrid energy-saving feature that works in conjunction with the Elevation Series Engage Cross-Trainers and Lifecycle® exercise bikes.  The products automatically switch from electric to self-generated power when a user reaches a certain intensity level, lowering the energy draw from the console by more than 75 percent. The green initiative extends to the LCD TVs seen on many of Life Fitness' products, which utilize power generated from a user's workout to operate.

Facilities that purchase these energy-efficient products and have a minimum of 90 percent of cardio products from Life Fitness qualify for certification proving the facility's green commitment. Qualified customers may complete a certification request to receive their plaque and display in their facility.

Ill. man gets life term for killing wife, kids

A suburban Chicago man was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday for killing his wife and three school-age children as they sat buckled into the family's SUV — allegedly so he could start a new life subsisting in the Canadian wilderness.

The sentencing of Christopher Vaughn, 37, came two months after jurors found him guilty of killing his 34-year-old wife, Kimberly, and their children on June 14, 2007. Each child was shot once in the chest and head.

The judge sentenced Vaughn to four consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole. Vaughn did not make a statement in court.

Kimberly Vaughn's twin sister, Susan Ledbetter, poignantly described her pain, telling the court how she occasionally walks by a mirror and sees her sister's image and how she hears her sister's laughter whenever she laughs.

"I silently wonder if my parents and older sister experience pain in my presence because Kim and I share not only our looks but also many of our personality traits," she said, weeping as she read her impact statement to the court.

Vaughn, who lived with his family in a spacious Oswego home, faced a mandatory life term for the killings. But the hearing in Joliet gave relatives a chance to confront him and to convey how much pain he caused.
The 2007 murders started out as a death penalty case, slowing the pace to trial. But Illinois has since abolished capital punishment, making life in prison the maximum penalty.

"There isn't a punishment that fits this crime," Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow told reporters outside the courtroom after the sentencing.

"What this guy did here was a diabolical atrocity, and he's a heartless, soulless, psychopath," Glasgow said.

Vaughn murdered his family members, prosecutors say, because he saw them as obstacles to his dream of a new life in Canada. He posted wistful Internet messages about building a cabin and settling in the Yukon cut off from the world.

According to prosecutors, Vaughn woke his family on the day of the killings promising a surprise trip to a water park. But shortly after 5 a.m., he pulled off the road, shot his wife, then killed 12-year-old Abigayle, 11-year-old Cassandra and Blake, 8.

Abigayle was found holding a stuffed animal; Blake's wounds indicated he had raised his arm to shield himself.

At trial, defense attorneys told jurors that Vaughn's wife was to blame, saying she was suicidal over marital strife. They suggested she shot her husband in the wrist and leg, then killed the children and herself.

Prosecutors balked at that theory, asking jurors whether it seems reasonable that a woman who disliked guns could have shot her husband twice, only grazing him each time, but fatally shot each of her children with a marksman's precision.

They said Vaughn shot himself to make it look like his wife carried out the attack. Prosecutors said Vaughn showed little emotion after the shootings and was more interested in his damaged clothing than the fate of his family.

Trailer Life Magazine Announces 2012 Readers' Choice Award Winners

The results of Trailer Life magazine's first-ever Readers' Choice Awards are in and this year's winners include many of North America's most popular RVs, campgrounds, RV products and services.

More than 220,000 Trailer Life readers were invited to choose from 100 brands and cast votes online at www.TrailerLife.com for their favorites in 25 categories such as Fifth-Wheel Trailer, Campground/Resort and Satellite Hardware. Among the winners are recognizable names such as Keystone, Camping World, Jayco, Banks Power, Pilot Flying J and Cracker Barrel.

As true RV enthusiasts, Trailer Life readers are the experts. The Readers' Choice Awards gave readers an opportunity to share their knowledge and recognize the companies that make their passion possible.

"We're excited to tap into the wealth of knowledge Trailer Life readers have gained during years of experience as RV owners and travelers," Trailer Life Chairman Marcus Lemonis said. "Trailer Life readers know what works best, and for the first time -- and moving forward on an annual basis -- we've asked them to rate their favorite RVs, campgrounds, products and ancillary services."

"The winners are the best of the best in the RV industry and we thank our loyal readers for participating in this valuable asset to the pages of Trailer Life magazine," Trailer Life Publisher Bob Livingston said. "Congratulations to all the winners for being at the top of their game."

Camacho taken off life support, dies

Former Boxing great Hector Camacho was taken off life support Saturday morning and died a few minutes later, according to the New York Times. He was 50.

Camacho, who was shot in the face on Tuesday night, had been on life support at Centro Medico trauma center in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He had a heart attack and died shortly after being taken off life support.

Dr. Ernesto Torres, the director of the trauma center, reported the death.

Camacho, known for his quickness and flamboyance, was a world champion in three different weight classes.
Maria Matias, Camacho's mother, told reporters Friday that she planned to remove her son from life support. She wanted to wait until Saturday so his three sons could say goodbye to him.

Doctors said Camacho was clinically brain dead from the shooting in his hometown of Bayamon.
Camacho won super lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight world titles in the 1980s. He had a career record of 79-6-3.

Camacho's mother says life support will end

Hector "Macho" Camacho will be taken off life support, his mother said Friday night, indicating she would have doctors do that Saturday. It was a decision the former championship boxer's eldest son opposed.

The boxer's mother, Maria Matias, told reporters outside the hospital where Camacho lay unconscious since being shot in the face that she had decided doctors should remove life support, but only after three of his sons arrived in Puerto Rico early Saturday and had a chance to see him a last time.

"I lost my son three days ago. He's alive only because of a machine," Matias said. "My son is not alive. My son is only alive for the people who love him," she added.

The three other sons were expected to arrive from the U.S. mainland around midnight Friday. "Until they arrive, we will not disconnect the machine," Matias said.

Another news conference was scheduled for Saturday morning at Centro Medico, the main trauma center for San Juan.

The former champion's mother has the final say in the matter, but his eldest son, Hector Jr., said he wants to keep his father alive.

"He's going to fight until the end. My father is a boxer," the son said.

Doctors have said Camacho is clinically brain dead from a shooting Tuesday night in his hometown of Bayamon. But relatives and friends told The Associated Press they were still wrestling with whether to remove him from life support.

"It is a very difficult decision, a very delicate decision," former pro boxer Victor "Luvi" Callejas, a longtime friend, said in a phone interview. "The last thing we lose is hope and faith. If there is still hope and faith, why not wait a little more?"

Aida Camacho, one of the boxer's aunts, said in an interview that the family could decide by late Friday whether to donate his organs.

As some relatives and friends continued to pray for a miracle, condolences kept coming in for Camacho's family and preparations began for memorials and a funeral Mass.

Gov. Luis Fortuno lamented what he called a sudden loss. "'Macho' will always be remembered for his spontaneity and charisma in and out of the ring," he said.

Also offering condolences was governor-elect Alejandro Garcia Padilla, who defeated Fortuno in November.
"The life of Macho Camacho, like other great athletes of ours, united the country," he said. "We celebrated his triumphs in the streets and we applauded him with noble sportsmanship when he didn't prevail."

Camacho was shot as he sat in a car with a friend, 49-year-old Adrian Mojica Moreno, who was killed in the attack. Police spokesman Alex Diaz said officers found nine small bags of cocaine in the friend's pocket and a 10th bag open inside the car.

Police reported no arrests and said investigators continued to interview potential witnesses. Capt. Rafael Rosa told reporters Friday that they are tracking down several leads, but added that very few witnesses were cooperating. He declined to say whether police had identified any suspects.

Hector Camacho Jr. lamented the violence that grips Puerto Rico, a U.S. island territory of nearly 4 million people that reported a record 1,117 homicides last year.

"Death, jail, drugs, killings," he said. "That's what the streets are now."
Camacho's sisters have said they would like to fly Camacho's body to New York and bury him there. Camacho grew up mostly in Harlem, earning the nickname the "Harlem Heckler."

He won super lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight world titles in the 1980s and fought high-profile bouts against Felix Trinidad, Julio Cesar Chavez and Sugar Ray Leonard. Camacho knocked out Leonard in 1997, ending the former champ's final comeback attempt. Camacho had a career record of 79-6-3.
Camacho battled drug, alcohol and other problems throughout his life. He was sentenced in 2007 to seven years in prison on burglary charges, but a judge eventually suspended all but one year of the sentence and gave Camacho probation. He wound up serving two weeks in jail, though, after violating that probation. A wife also filed domestic abuse complaints against him twice before their divorce.

Empire Life Launches eClaims for Group Customers

The Empire Life Insurance Company (Empire Life) has launched a new electronic claims service, making it fast and easy for group insurance customers to submit claims.

Plan members can submit healthcare claims online and be reimbursed within 24 hours. Features include real-time adjudication, coordination of benefits capability, and flexibility for employers to choose from different levels of robust audit controls based on their risk tolerance and benefits philosophy.

"Our new eClaims service gives our group customers choice, convenience and control," says Steve Pong, Senior Vice-President, Group Solutions. "We know how important it is for small and mid size businesses to focus on what matters most - their business. This service will reduce paperwork and free up time for business owners, helping them to do just that."

Smart screens walk group customers'' employees through questions only relevant to their claim, and provide help along the way. Receipts do not need to be submitted unless requested, and need to be kept for just one year.

"Our smart, simple solution makes submitting claims a breeze," says Janet Jackson, Vice-President, Group Marketing. "It''s intuitive and convenient for employees, which means employers spend less time answering questions and managing paper claim forms."

The Next Evolution of TDK Life on Record Wireless Speakers is Now Available

TDK Life on Record, a leading global brand with a rich audio legacy, today announced the retail availability for three new wireless speakers in the United States. Highly anticipated since debuting in September 2012 at the prestigious IFA trade show in Berlin, the new products successfully marry high fidelity audio and connectivity with sleek and modern design.

The new Wireless Boombox, Wireless Sound Cube and Wireless Weatherproof Speaker now integrate Bluetooth® technology to deliver a truly wireless audio experience. Acclaimed by industry experts, the new products recently won a 2012 silver "IDEA" design excellence award from the Industrial Designers Society of America
Alongside the full portfolio of TDK Life on Record products designed specifically to enhance audiophiles’ ever-evolving digital lifestyles, the new wireless speakers are available online at Amazon.com. Additional U.S. retail partners, both in store and online, include Best Buy, Urban Outfitters, Adorama, Marine Corps Exchange and PC Richard & Son.

Enterey Launches LTAC's Lean Six Sigma Program for the Life Sciences

Enterey Life Sciences Consulting teams up with Lean Training and Consulting, Inc (LTAC) to offer certified Lean Six Sigma courses for businesses and individuals in the life sciences.

Six Sigma is a system used to train individuals to solve business-related problems in a calculated way. Created in the 1980s by Motorola, its purpose was to drive creation of error-free products. Six Sigma has its origin in statistics and rests on the idea of DMAIC, which stands for define, measure, analyze, improve, and control.

Lean methodology evolved from the Toyota Production System (TPS) that embraces the Japanese idea of the seven wastes, which, in manufacturing, includes the wastes of transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overprocessing, overproduction, and defects. The idea is to eliminate waste in order to enhance profitability.

Combined, Lean Six Sigma is a problem-solving technology aimed at reducing waste while striving for quality and continuous improvement. It's a best-of-both-worlds methodology.

LTAC founder and Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Tom Lawless, implemented Lean Six Sigma while serving in the military. "I was an operations officer, and my job involved tracking anything that moved -- by air, truck, or rail. When I started, tracking was at about 10%, but we brought it up to around 97% using Lean Six Sigma to increase truckloads and track convoys."

Lawless also brought his knowledge of Lean Six Sigma to the business world and has been working with manufacturing companies to improve productivity for over 20 years. One case study illustrating his success is that of a private equity group who acquired a major automotive manufacturer and sought help bringing the business back to life after the acquisition.

"People called it 'Gotham City.' Not only was productivity low, but so was morale," Lawless says. "In three years, we created one of the best turnarounds I've seen over the course of my career using Lean Six Sigma." He explains, "We trained people, which is one of the key premises of Lean Six Sigma, and showed them what they need to do to be successful."

Lawless recommended a workflow change from two simultaneous eight-hour shifts to one 12-hour shift in order to reduce cost and increase efficiency. But, as Lawless describes, employees were not laid off: "Lean is not mean; we don't advocate firing people, but instead move them to positions where they can be more productive."

"We took the plant from making 60 units a day on one [manufacturing] line to 160, and each unit sold for about $1,200, so revenue was significantly increased," he adds.

In fact, Lawless stresses the utility of Lean Six Sigma for any company involved in manufacturing, particularly in the life sciences and biotech. "We can manufacture anything in the U.S. and North America at a more competitive price and with better quality than the rest of the world," he says.

With LTAC's accredited program, learning is online in a self-paced environment, allowing for more flexibility with demanding work schedules and eliminating classroom burnout. The program is enhanced with weekly webinars with Lawless, who guides learners through the material and helps them apply it to real-world problems.

According to Lawless, "All companies have their bad turns, but they come out of them a lot quicker by figuring out what went wrong and implementing change using Lean Six Sigma."

The Enterey/LTAC partnership can benefit manufacturing companies in the life sciences by providing them with the knowledge and tools necessary to create a culture of continuous improvement, creating the potential for consistent and increasing ROI.

Life Technologies Launches CE-IVD Marked QuantStudio Dx Real-Time PCR Instrument in Europe

Flagship qPCR instrument offers reliability, accuracy, ease of use and flexibility for IVD and lab-developed diagnostic tests

Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE) today announced the launch of its Applied Biosystems QuantStudio™ Dx Real-Time PCR Instrument designed to meet the specific needs of clinical diagnostic laboratories. The instrument is CE-IVD marked for use in Europe and represents a significant extension of Life Technologies' product offerings in the diagnostics arena.

"Molecular diagnostic tests based on real-time PCR have become indispensable to the clinical lab," said Ronnie Andrews , president of Medical Sciences at Life Technologies. "Molecular testing is the fastest-growing segment of the diagnostics market, and the QuantStudio™ Dx instrument has unique features that will allow us to capture that market growth."

The global IVD (in vitro diagnostic) market is approximately $52 billion and is expected to reach $70 billion by 2015. The current European IVD market is approximately $14 billion and expected to reach $17 billion by 2015.

The QuantStudio™ Dx Real-Time PCR Instrument can perform numerous diagnostic functions, including pathogen detection, gene expression analysis, SNP genotyping, copy number analysis, mutation detection, micro-RNA and other non-coding RNA analysis, and high-resolution melt analysis.

The instrument's touchscreen, reagent and sample tracking, and LIMS (Laboratory Information Management Systems) interface are specifically designed for ease of use. Flexibility is enabled through easily interchangeable thermal cycling blocks that accommodate 96- or 384-well plates and a proprietary qPCR microfluidics card, which can perform 48 tests on eight samples simultaneously without the need for liquid-handling robots. The card can also be used to design and implement custom tests. Life Technologies is currently developing diagnostic tests utilizing this format.

Two software options are available on the instrument. The QuantStudio™ Dx Software runs IVD (in vitro diagnostic) tests in a secure mode with pre-set run and analysis parameters, while the QuantStudio™ Test Development Software enables development of custom tests and supports clinical research projects.
"We recognize that clinical laboratories have multiple needs," said Andrews. "Accuracy and reliability are paramount when running diagnostic tests for physician reporting. In addition medical research labs need instrumentation that supports experimental work. The QuantStudio™ Dx instrument addresses both these needs."

The instrument is being released with CE-marked Quidel® Molecular Assay for C. difficile for detection of hospital-acquired infections, which Life Technologies distributes. Additional Quidel Molecular infectious disease applications are currently under development and will be available in 2013, including an influenza A + B Assay, a human metapneuomvirus (hMPV) + respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Assay, and a herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, and varicella zoster virus (chicken pox and shingles) Assay.

Life Technologies plans to submit the QuantStudio™ Dx Real-Time PCR Instrument for 510(k) clearance to the United States Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2012 .

The QuantStudio™ Dx Real-Time PCR Instrument is among a growing line of Life Technologies platforms for diagnostic use. The Applied Biosystems 3500 Dx Genetic Analyzer, a Sanger sequencing instrument, is currently CE-IVD marked. The company also offers the AcroMetrix® line of quality controls for molecular diagnostic assays.

"The Life Technologies Applied Biosystems brand has a 30-year heritage of leadership in the PCR market," said Andrews. "We also have a broad partnership base in the diagnostic and pharmaceutical space that will support content development across our Sanger and next generation sequencing instruments - platforms that we expect will play an increasingly important role in the clinic. In short, Life Technologies has the capability and the commitment to fully equip the diagnostic lab of the future."

Images rendered by Marine life painter will offer undersea experience

Marine life artist Wyland figured if his paintings were destined for a slot machine, the sea creatures should come to life in a three-dimensional setting that replicates an underwater experience.

His impression after viewing the new Wyland-themed machines inside International Game Technology's showroom on South Buffalo Drive last week?

"I'm really stoked. I think we put all our creative forces together and came up with one of the coolest games on the planet," said Wyland, 56, who dropped the use of his first name, Robert, many years ago.

How stoked?

Wyland not only high-fived all the IGT employees in the showroom, he hugged company Chief Executive Officer Patti Hart.

Wyland said the image of a giant sea turtle swimming up face-first on a 55-inch liquid crystal display screen atop two slot machines duplicates an encounter that divers hope to experience.

"You're really immersed in the underwater world and you don't even have to put on your scuba gear," said Wyland, who has been diving for more than 30 years and is a member of the International Diving Hall of Fame.

The Wyland slot machines were displayed in October at the Global Gaming Expo. The games, which are scheduled to be on casino floors nationwide by June, are part of IGT's MegaJackpots system.

IGT normally introduces about a dozen new slot machine titles annually.

The theme might seem odd for a slot machine industry that has been trying to break out after several years of diminished sales figures brought on by the recession.

But Wyland, who is a multifaceted artist, conservationist and educator, has a large following that IGT hopes to attract.

MegaJackpots Product Manager Joe Moore said slot machines featuring fish and other sea life are popular in casinos - and that's not a "fish story."

"It's twofold," Moore said. "Wyland fans can learn about our games and our players can learn about Wyland."

IGT receives royalties from casinos that use games within the MegaJackpot slot machine system. The manufacturer will donate a portion of the royalties generated by the Wyland machines to the Wyland Foundation, a nonprofit founded by the artist 19 years ago to educate children and families about the importance of healthy oceans and waterways.

Wyland said the programs have educated more than 1 million children through art and conservation messages.

"To me, this is the future of gaming," Wyland said. "You've put a cause behind the game. I love that IGT supports my nonprofit. They are truly a conservation partner in a unique way."

Hart said the manufacturer might consider a similar model for future game titles. The company said the idea allows the company to give money to a worthy cause through the gaming experience.

"During certain parts of the game, players can watch a video featuring Wyland explaining what the foundation does to support healthy oceans," Hart said. "Additionally, it creates opportunities for players to become more involved in the Wyland Foundation, if they choose."

Wyland came to Las Vegas last week for the annual Diving Equipment and Marketing Association convention at the Sands Expo and Convention Center. He also planned to take part in artist showings at his Las Vegas galleries Saturday at Planet Hollywood Resort's Miracle Mile Shops and today at The Venetian's Grand Canal Shoppes.

Wyland first came to artistic prominence by painting life-size whales on the sides of buildings in the 1980s. He is recognized for his colorful paintings, sculptures and photography.

Through his foundation, Wyland known in the environmental community. He hosted "Wyland's Ocean World" on the Discovery Channel's Animal Planet Network, "Wyland: A Brush With Giants" and "Wyland's Art Studio," for the Public Broadcasting Service.

His 100th marine life artwork was a 24,000-square-foot, half-mile-long series of canvas murals completed with student artists from 110 countries and was displayed in October 2008 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

In May 2010, the United Nations released six Wyland images for an international stamp issue celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.

Now, he'll have his own slot machine.

A designer at IGT is a friend of Wyland's brother. They proposed the slot machine idea to Wyland. The artist said his mother was the first to sign off on the concept.

"She loves Las Vegas and loves to play slot machines," Wyland said.

More than 100 sea life images created by Wyland were incorporated into the game and computer animated by IGT's designers. The sea life is colorful, three-dimensional and carries Wyland's approval.

"Everything from coral reefs to the sea life captures your imagination," Wyland said. "It's amazing to see the paintings come to life."

The slot machines contain several bonus jackpot features, including a "paint with Wyland" element and spinning wheel applications.

Moore said the game could have a longer shelf life on the casino floor because the images could be updated regularly. Wyland has created more than a 1,000 images of marine life.

IGT found renewed success in the licensed brand market with its "Sex and the City" game in 2010.

The manufacturer introduced several new slot machine concepts at G2E, including the "CSI" television dramas, county singer Dolly Parton, courtroom reality show "Judge Judy," and "The Family Guy" cartoon series. All will be released next year.

The Wyland-themed game carries the approach of a licensed product.

"Fans of Wyland's marine artwork will love how this game captures the artist's style and translates it throughout the many features," Hart said. "Slot fans will enjoy the entertaining game play on the base game and bonus rounds. This new title will deliver an engaging experience for players around the world."

A 'Life' changing film for the young actor of 'Pi

The only thing more unlikely than a movie about a boy adrift on a ship with a Bengali tiger is the tale of the film's star.

Teenager Suraj Sharma went along with his acting brother to a Delhi, India, audition of "Life of Pi" purely as a favor, motivated by the promise of a free meal.

"He said, 'Come with me because I don't want to go alone,'" Sharma recalled in an interview at Lincoln Center shortly before the film premiered at the New York Film Festival in September. "I said, 'Fine, as long as you buy me a sandwich afterwards.' That sandwich got me 'Pi.'"

For a film about the wonder of faith, Sharma's experience is one that stretches belief. Despite no prior acting experience or ambition, he managed to separate himself from 3,000 applicants and emerged through four rounds of auditions as the star in one of the most anticipated movies of the year.

For "Life of Pi" to work, Sharma — now 19, 17 when filming started — had to succeed. And many think the film, to be released Wednesday, not only works, but is a legitimate Oscar contender — a 3-D magic act from director Ang Lee that translates Yann Martel's 2001 best seller into a colorful cinematic language.
In it, Sharma plays Pi Patel, who, as a child, precociously combines Christianity, Buddhism and Islam into his own blend of religion. When his family is uprooted to Canada, the ship taking Pi, his family and many zoo animals, sinks in a storm, leaving Pi alone and clinging to life in a raft boat.

Making the film meant working with one of the most revered directors in movies. It meant spending months shooting in India and Taiwan, where a giant water tank was built for scenes at sea. It meant learning not only how to act, but literally how to swim.

"I can't put it in words," says Sharma, a bright and earnest kid who humbly recognizes his good fortune. "It's too much. It was emotionally and spiritually and physically exhausting. I would never be able to tell people what I went through exactly, but hopefully it will come through in some ways."

It was a journey Sharma's parents (both mathematicians, fittingly) had some reluctance about, as it would mean missing a year of school. Lee argued a year spent working on "Life of Pi" would be more rewarding than a year of school. Sharma's mother performed a ceremony that made Lee her son's guru — a new role for the director.

"I couldn't even tell a joke in front of him. I had to behave," Lee jokes. "I had to look after him. Normally when I work with actors, they move on and I move on. ... I can pretty much say he started at the top — getting this kind of reception and making a movie. So I want to make sure he's grounded and still getting his education — not only in school but in life. He should be OK if he doesn't get crushed by what's coming."

"He's a good boy," adds Lee. "It seems like he can take it."

In "Life of Pi," there's nowhere for a young actor to hide, either. For a long stretch of the film, Pi is alone in the skiff with only the tiger, which was digitally added. Sharma had the added pressure of acting extensively in front of a blue screen, with little to go on other than Lee's directions.

"Honestly, I still feel like I don't know how to act," says Sharma. "It was just him. I was just an instrument. He has this thing — suppose you're really nervous and stressed out and going crazy — he'll look you in the eye in a particular manner, and no matter who it is, you just go: whoosh! He's like a Zen master or something. He makes you so calm that you just let him mold you into whatever he wants to mold you into."

Sharma is now in his first year at Delhi University where he's concentrating his studies on philosophy.
"I'm pretty sure I want to end up in the film industry," he says. "I don't know if I want to act or not, but I do want to be part of making magic."

Allianz Life Hires Margaret Peck as Senior Director of Change Implementation

Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life®) hired Margaret Peck as senior director of change implementation for the Operations department. In this role, Peck will provide strategic leadership and direction around change management to improve administration of the business. She will ensure development and performance benchmarks are in place that are consistent with the strategic goals of the department. Peck reports to the Vice President of Customer Experience Management, Julie Feirtag.

“Peck has been recognized for her leadership in both developing teams and bringing divisions together to achieve results,” states Feirtag. “I’m confident her leadership, collaboration skills and her business acumen will be a great addition to Operations at Allianz Life.”

Peck comes to Allianz Life from St. Louis-based Express Scripts where she led application development and business analysis activities for the pharmacy benefit company. During her tenure, Peck managed the delivery of a $30 million HIPAA compliance project, implementing the first ever outsourced model for the company. Prior to her three years at Express Scripts, she spent three years consulting, both on her own and with the Willow Group out of Minneapolis. Peck consulted in the areas of Information Technology strategy development, project management and change management. Peck has also held a variety of leadership roles over her 19-year career at Ameriprise Financial Services in Minneapolis. She led insurance and annuity IT functions and client systems technologies, delivering results through significant mergers, infrastructure expansion, and business process reengineering.

Peck holds a Bachelor of Elected Studies degree from the University of Minnesota.

What if life was more like soccer? Actually, it kind of already is

For better and worse, soccer is the sport that most closely resembles life. The clock never stops, it counts up from zero and when the long campaign is over you're either promoted to a higher place or relegated to a lower one. There is, of course, a third alternative. Depending on your religious beliefs and transfer budget, you might be forced to repeat your past life, in the very same division.
Those of us who think soccer surpasses life -- though just by a shade, on goal differential -- might reverse the analogy, and extend it, and wish that life more closely resembled soccer.

If life were more like soccer, you'd get all the minutes you wasted returned to you at the very end. For most of us, those wasted moments would add up to a decade or more of "added time" appended to our Earthly existence. Who wouldn't want to see -- on his or her deathbed -- a fourth official raise an electronic signboard, lit up with a red "10" to indicate another 10 years' time tacked on, our Golden Years extended indefinitely by that greatest gift of all: Fergie Time.

In life as in soccer, we'd spend that bonus decade playing with greater urgency than we had in all the previous ones, desperately hoping to make it all come good before the final whistle.

If life were more like soccer, we'd still get nothing for a loss and three points for a win, as we do under the current system of earthly reward. But we'd also get one point for a draw, which is what most of life consists of, doesn't it -- a series of standoffs? There should be some small compensation for just making ends meet, for scrabbling along, for the silent triumph of failing to lose ground in the daily struggle.

Life, after all, isn't an everything-or-nothing, zero-sum game. Most of us fall short when grasping for the brass ring, or the sterling cup, or that golden bauble -- like a dictator's bath tap -- that is the FIFA World Cup Trophy. Which is why it's short-sighted to keep your eyes on just one prize rather than several. If you don't win the League, there's still the Champions League, and failing that, the domestic cup competition, and failing that, the other domestic cup competition, and failing that -- well -- there's always the Europa League. Five words to live by: There's always the Europa League.

If life were more like soccer, each of us would be endowed by our creator with a red card, which we'd remove from our shirt pocket and hold in the face of anyone who speaks ill of us or otherwise behaves badly. That person would -- after laying eyes on the scarlet square of shame -- instantly withdraw from public view.

We would then write that person's name down in a little notebook, a notebook filled with the names of all those who have similarly offended us. (When someone says, "You're going on my s--- list," this would be the list to which they're referring.)

Because life is already like soccer, in which players routinely get away with diving, humans are sometimes rewarded for their own laziness and duplicity. But if life were more like soccer, we'd almost always be caught in the act, if not by the referee then by the television eye in the sky, whose unblinking gaze ensures public scorn.

It's folly, of course, to think that the grass would be greener if life were more like soccer, though the grass undoubtedly would be greener -- significantly so, a brilliant green, striped and perfectly mown and sloped for drainage, and spotlit beneath heat lamps when not in use.

But yes, the metaphorical grass would not always be greener on this brave new size-5 planet, paneled in white hexagons and black pentagons. After all, the single greatest existential quandary that humans face in life also bedevils soccer: Once you leave the game, you are not allowed to return.

If life were more like soccer, the world would still be money-driven, and rife with racial tension and -- even more than it is now -- governed by corrupt buffoons. Russian oligarchs and United Arab Emirati billionaires and American sports tycoons would be even more powerful than they already are. Our planet would feature even more advertising than it does now, and worse haircuts, and our most popular songs would be written for the vuvuzela.

From time to time, each of us would be obliged to wince pre-emptively and cover our nether regions with both hands while someone kicked a large projectile directly at them from a point-blank distance of 10 yards.

But it's a small price to pay, and not really so different, broadly speaking, from what you endured at the office this morning.

Aptitude Life Launches New Health Drink Brand

Aptitude Life Ltd. (OTC Pinksheets: SUNB), a health and energy drink company based in the UK, is on track to ship 150,000 initial units of its new energy and health drink brand to the North American Market. The company hopes to meet the growing demand for nutritionally based energy beverages on a global basis and plans to distribute its products through its existing marketing and sales distribution channels.

The first product to be launched by the company is Aptitude Raspberry, which contains one of the world's most expensive food extracts: Raspberry ketone, which is a natural phenolic that has been reported as beneficial for weight control. Mother Nature blessed raspberries with Ketones that produce both a tantalizing aroma, and a natural phenolic compound. It has been reported by scientific studies in China conducted on rats, and with anecdotal testimony from celebrities on the Los Angeles based Dr. Oz Show that Ketone works well at burning fat. It also adds an attractive fruity smell to the drink and why the company developed a drink to include it.

According to the Chinese studies it is suggested that Ketone may keep you fit and trim by increasing the release of adiponectin in the body. When you increase levels of the protein hormone adiponectin, it lowers body fat because of the improved glucose regulation and other factors such as exercise and dieting that occur when adopting a weight loss regime. Ketone is also suggested in assisting with the controlling factors associated with the development of type 2 diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Aptitude Raspberry contains Ketones, Grape Seed Extract, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin B, Vitamin K, Acai, Taurine, Ginkgo Biloba, Guarana, and Ginseng.
According to the Beverage Industry's 2012 State of the Industry Report, "For the first time, energy drinks have outsold bottled water for the 52 weeks ending April 15 in the U.S.  During that period, energy drinks garnered more than $6.9 billion in sales for a 19.4% increase over the previous year; bottled water saw $6.7 billion in sales for a 3.4% increase."

Mr. David Foote, a spokesman for Aptitude commented, "Our goal is to build a company that produces healthy energy drinks, packed with vitamins and natural ingredients that taste great. We are encouraged by the initial market demand for our products and expect to continue increasing the number of units shipped in the coming months."

LISA's 18th Annual Fall Life Settlement Conference a Resounding Success

The Life Insurance Settlement Association's (LISA) 18th Annual Fall Conference in Orlando last week was a resounding success. Attendees from the U.S. and abroad heard presentations focused on the theme: "Mainstreaming Life Settlements from Consumers to Investors." Speakers and attendees participated in LISA's focus on re-energizing the organic life settlement market for policyholders and capital market investors. Reflecting renewed activity and innovation in the life settlement market, the conference boasted the largest attendance at any life settlement conference since 2009.

LISA kicked off the conference with an exciting presentation on the "boom" of the Baby Boom generation, followed by sessions on how social media and digital market innovations are generating greater awareness and activity among seniors and insurance and financial advisors.

Also at the conference, LISA announced the establishment of the Life Insurance Settlement Center for Education, which will be the leading authority on life settlement education offering CE and CLE accredited courses for seniors' financial advisors, attorneys, insurance producers and settlement brokers, as well as general education and outreach to seniors about life settlements.

Investors in attendance heard about new developments in underwriting, the ever-changing dynamics between brokers, providers and investors, and recent developments in law and regulation that will assist in attracting new capital to the life settlement market. Investors themselves served on several panels, discussing domestic and foreign opportunities for new capital and the attractive returns and advantages life settlement investments offer as an asset class.

Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens was featured on a panel discussing recent and future regulatory developments impacting life settlements. He reported that the life settlement market continues to offer tremendous value for consumers and high rates of compliance and consumer protection by licensed life settlement companies. The conference also featured a panel dedicated to the "emerging market" of seniors assigning their life insurance policies to obtain long-term care benefits.

LISA Chairman, Alan H. Buerger, CEO of Coventry First, said: "We wanted this conference to be different from anything we'd done in the past. We wanted to highlight how modern trends and techniques are already bringing the life settlement market forward again. Social media is a tremendously valuable and necessary component to educating the Baby Boom generation about life settlements. Unlocking the value of life insurance for more seniors is good for consumers and, in turn, will be good for institutional investors."
Darwin Bayston, LISA's President, said: "The goal of this conference was to demonstrate how the life settlement market has become more sophisticated and innovative and is recovering and moving forward from the downturn of the market and the global economy. Attendees confirmed that we achieved our goal and judged the conference as very valuable and the best conference in recent memory."

LISA announced that its 2013 Annual Spring Conference will be held in Las Vegas in May and that the 2013 Fall Conference will be back in Orlando.

Ohio teen sentenced to life over Craigslist plot

A remorseful teenager was sentenced Friday to life in prison with no chance for parole for his role in a deadly plot to lure men desperate for work with phony Craigslist job offers.

"I thought it was something horrible," a grim-faced Brogan Rafferty, 17, told Judge Lynne Callahan before he was sentenced.

If his life has been hell since the killings last year, "They must be living in it," said Rafferty, gesturing with his cuffed hands at victims' relatives who crowded the court. He said they also were victims of his crimes.

Rafferty told the judge, who will preside at the January trial of alleged triggerman Richard Beasley, 53, that his mentor is evil and deceitful and said he wished he had taken the opportunity to flee and stop the killings.

Presidential Life Corporation Announces Third Quarter 2012 Results

Presidential Life Corporation (“Presidential Life” or the “Company”) (PLFE) today announced results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2012. Presidential Life, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Presidential Life Insurance Company, is engaged in the sale of individual fixed deferred and immediate annuities, life insurance and accident and health insurance products.

Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 was $12.1 million or $0.41 per share, compared with net income of $24.2 million or $0.82 per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2011. Third quarter 2012 net income was $5.2 million or $0.18 per share, compared with net income of $2.9 million or $0.10 per share for the comparable quarter in 2011. Income before income taxes was $7.9 million and $4.4 million for the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $3.5 million. The growth in income before income taxes of $3.5 million is principally due to an increase in net realized gains of $2.1 million, a decrease in other-than-temporary-impairment losses (“OTTI”) of $2.8 million and a net decrease in liability for future policy benefits of $2.1 million, partially offset by an increase in general expenses of $2.1 million and a decrease in net investment spread of $1.4 million. Income taxes were $2.8 million and $1.5 million for the third quarter of 2012 and 2011, respectively, an increase of $1.3 million.

Total revenues in the third quarter of 2012 were $62.4 million, an increase of 14.1% or $7.7 million from $54.7 million in the third quarter 2011. Total revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 were $179.5 million, a decrease of 7.4% or $14.3 million from $193.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011. The increase in revenues of $7.7 million for the third quarter was principally attributable to the aforementioned increase in net realized investment gains of $2.1 million, lower OTTI losses of $2.8 million and higher annuity considerations.

“The Presidential Life management team remains focused on providing high quality service to its customers as the sale of the Company to Athene Holding Ltd. continues to progress,” said Donald Barnes, Vice Chairman of the Board, CEO and President.

Key Items for the Third Quarter Results
Our investment spread margin1 totaled 0.69% for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 compared to 0.91% for the nine months ended September 30, 2011. The decline primarily relates to the effect of lower market reinvestment yields on the company’s fixed income portfolio, partly offset by lower OTTI losses in the first nine months of 2012 relative to 2011. Net realized investment gains and OTTI losses tend to fluctuate from period-to-period as a result of changing economic conditions.

Total annuity sales2 were $13.8 million and $12.9 million in the third quarter 2012 and 2011, respectively, an increase of $0.9 million or 7.0% compared to 2011 levels as the low interest rate environment continues to challenge sales of fixed annuity products.

Deferred annuity surrenders were $28.4 million in the third quarter of 2012 compared to $24.2 million for the same period in 2011, a 17.4% increase, representing average surrender rates of 1.42% and 1.30% for the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Our statutory capital base remains strong at September 30, 2012 with our estimated Risk-Based Capital ratio3 at 571% compared with 556% at December 31, 2011.

Discussion of Third Quarter 2012 and Year-to-Date Financial and Operating Results
As previously discussed, total revenues were $62.4 million and $54.7 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $7.7 million or 14.1%, and were $179.5 million and $193.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a decrease of $14.3 million or 7.4%. The increase in the current quarter was largely attributable to an increase in net realized investment gains of $2.1 million, lower OTTI losses of $2.8 million and higher annuity considerations for the quarter. On a year to date basis, the decline of $14.3 million in total revenues is primarily the result of lower net realized capital gains of $15.4 million, largely driven by a gain from one hedge fund redemption of $10.6 million in the second quarter of 2011.

Total insurance revenues were $11.1 million and $7.0 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $4.1 million or 58.6%, and were $29.6 million and $22.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $7.4 million or 33.3%. Immediate annuity considerations with life contingencies were $5.7 million and $1.6 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $4.1 million or 256.3%, and were $14.2 million and $6.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $8.2 million or 136.7%. Life insurance and accident and health premiums were $4.6 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011 and were $12.9 million and $13.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period decrease of $0.6 million or 4.4%.

Sales of deferred annuities and immediate annuities without life contingencies were $8.2 million and $11.3 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period decrease of $3.1 million or 27.4%, and were $40.5 million and $40.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period decline of $0.3 million or 0.7%.

Net investment income was $45.8 million and $48.2 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period decrease of $2.4 million or 5.0%, and was $139.0 million and $146.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period decrease of $7.6 million or 5.2%. Excluding the return on the Company’s limited partnership investments and other realized gains, the investment yields for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011 were 5.62% and 5.90%, respectively.

Net realized investment gains, including OTTI, were $4.0 million and net realized losses were $0.9 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $4.9 million, and were $6.8 million and $20.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period decrease of $14.1 million. The year-to-date decrease in net realized gains was due to $13.3 million of decreases in net realized investment gains within our limited partnership portfolio, primarily due to a gain from one hedge fund redemption of $10.6 million in the second quarter of 2011, a decrease in net realized investment gains within our bond and stock portfolios of $5.7 million, offset by $1.3 million lower realized losses related to other-than-temporary impairments and a lesser decline in the fair value of payor swaptions of $3.6 million.

Interest credited and benefits paid and accrued to policyholders were $45.5 million and $43.8 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $1.7 million or 3.9%, and were $135.0 million and $131.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $3.2 million or 2.4%. The increases are principally due to the increase in liabilities for immediate annuities with life contingencies in 2012 compared to 2011 related to the increase in sales of this product in 2012.

Commissions to agents, net were $1.3 million and $0.7 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $0.6 million or 85.7%, and were $3.7 million and $3.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $0.6 million or 19.4%. Commission expense increased slightly in the third quarter 2012 relative to 2011 due to higher annuity sales compared to the previous year. The net expense from changes in the deferred policy acquisition costs was $1.1 million and $1.3 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period decrease of $0.2 million or 15.4%, and was $2.3 million and $4.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period decrease of $2.2 million or 48.9%, principally related to lower amortization of DAC on annuity sales due to lower realized gains. Deferred acquisition costs were reduced by $0.5 million for the first nine months of 2012 relative to 2011 primarily due to a reduction in deferred costs resulting from the prospective adoption of a new accounting principle in 2012 that reduced the scope of deferrable costs to those directly linked to successful sales efforts.

General expenses and taxes were $6.6 million and $4.5 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $2.1 million or 46.7%, and were $20.1 million and $17.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $2.5 million or 14.2%. The third quarter increase was primarily due to higher transaction costs incurred in connection with the sale of the Company and increased consulting fees associated with systems implementation projects.

The Company recorded income tax expenses of $2.8 million and $1.5 million in the third quarters of 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period increase of $1.3 million or 86.7%. Income tax expense was $6.3 million and $12.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a period-over-period decrease of $6.4 million or 50.4%. The decrease in income tax expense for 2012 relative to 2011 results mainly from lower pre-tax income. The effective tax rate was 34.1% and 34.5% for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, a decline of 0.4%.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, quotations from management, statements about our future plans and business strategy, and expected or anticipated future events or performance.

These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that are discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including economic, competitive, legal and other factors. Accordingly, there is no assurance that our plans, strategy and expectations will be realized. Actual future events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements.

Sun Life sticks with C$2 billion profit goal for 2015

Sun Life Financial is sticking with an admittedly "ambitious" target of C$2 billion ($2.00 billion) in operating profit by 2015, despite a difficult outlook for financial markets, the Canadian insurer's chief executive said Thursday.

Sun Life unveiled the profit target in March, one that depends on equity markets and bond yields rising from the levels of earlier this year. While stock markets have edged higher, bond yields have remained low and few economists project an imminent rebound.

"We're still very much focused on those 2015 targets. We described them back then as ambitious but achievable, and that's how we continue to view them," Dean Connor, the company's CEO, said in a interview.
His comments came as Sun Life's shares surged 4 percent, boosted by a stronger-than-expected third-quarter profit reported late on Wednesday. Those results spurred several investment houses - UBS, RBC and Canaccord Genuity among them - to raise their share-price targets for the insurer.

Persistently weak markets spurred Sun Life rival Manulife Financial earlier on Thursday to delay by a year its own 2015 objective of C$4 billion in profit.

Connor said the profit target was based on organic growth, but said Sun Life was not ruling out acquisitions.

"We're in the deal flow. These would tend to be smaller acquisitions, but things that extend our capabilities, or for example in Asia, give us broader geographic dispersion or broaden our product mix," he said.

He said any deals would likely be valued in the low hundred millions.

He would not comment on recent rumors that Sun Life has been looking to sell off it U.S. annuities business.

Sun Life's shares were up 98 Canadian cents at C$25.35 just after midday on Thursday.
The stock is up more than 34 percent so far this year, but is trading at less than half of its record high of C$56.50 hit in late 2007.

Life Technologies introduces Ion AmpliSeq Community Panels

Life Technologies Corporation (LIFE) today announced Ion AmpliSeq™ Community Panels, a community-driven solution to gene panel sequencing that leverages the expertise of scientific thought leaders and the Ion Community to create gene panels for conditions ranging from cancer to inherited diseases. Life Technologies also announced an upgrade to its Ion Reporter™ Software, which further simplifies sequencing data analysis and interpretation with an automated point-and-click workflow that makes informatics accessible to everyone.

Ion AmpliSeq™ Community Panels are built on the same breakthrough technology that powers the Ion AmpliSeq™ Ready-to-Use Panels and the Ion AmpliSeq™ Custom Panels. Since introduction just a year ago, Ion AmpliSeq™ Ready-to-Use Panels for over 40,000 reactions have been sold for cancer and inherited disease research. Additionally, in just seven months more than 900 scientists have designed their own Ion AmpliSeq™ Custom Panels online with Ion AmpliSeq™ Designer on ampliseq.com, a simple web-based assay design tool.

Ion AmpliSeq™ Community Panels are developed in collaboration with leading scientists who draw on their expertise in a specific disease area to select gene content for panels. These panels are then verified and made available to the entire Ion Community.  Users have the option of adding or removing gene content to precisely fit their research needs, providing the ultimate flexibility.

One of the first panels was developed by eight leading European researchers who worked together with Life Technologies scientists to develop a 22-gene Ion AmpliSeq™ Community Panel for lung and colon cancer. Click here to see a video interview with the OncoNetwork members. The panel analyzes more than 500 mutations in a single-tube assay that requires just 10 ng of DNA input per primer pool, about 25-fold less than alternative gene panel approaches. The Ion AmpliSeq™ workflow is a simple PCR reaction that takes just 3.5 hours turn-around time.

"Using classical methods to screen for mutations one at a time requires so much DNA sample, you often can't look at all the mutations you want," said Dr. Pierre Laurent-Puig, M.D., Ph.D., Professor at the Paris - Descartes University Medical School and a member of the OncoNetwork Consortium. "We have developed a tool that allows us to characterize tumors very easily, using only 10 ng of sample to screen more than 500 COSMIC mutations. Having these kits in our hands will accelerate throughput of the characterization of tumors and make personalized medicine a reality."

The research institutions that developed the panel – dubbed the OncoNetwork – include Centro Ricerche Oncologiche Mercogliano, Italy; Leiter Genetik / Molekularbiologie Viollier AG, Switzerland; University of Warwick, UK; Institut Gustave Roussy France; Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands; Universite Paris Descartes Centre, Universitaire des Saints-Peres, France; St James' Hospital, Dublin EIRE.

In addition to the OncoNetwork panel, Life Technologies is working with other leading researchers to develop new Ion AmpliSeq Community Panels: Ion AmpliSeq™ AML Panel, for acute myeloid Leukemia research; Ion AmpliSeq™ BRCA1/2 Panel, for breast and ovarian cancer research; Ion AmpliSeq™ Cardio Panel, for heart disease research; Ion AmpliSeq™ CFTR Panel, for cystic fibrosis research and the Ion AmpliSeq™ TP53 Panel, for cancer research.  Ion AmpliSeq™ Community Panels are verified by the same researchers who designed the gene content.  All of these designs are available today for review at ampliseq.com. Join the 13,500-member Ion Community today to find out more about the program or to contribute to creating Ion AmpliSeq Community Panels.

Sequencing for All:  Point and click bioinformatics solution drives to the biology
For many labs, the biggest hesitation in moving to Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) is analyzing and interpreting the flood of data that NGS can produce. Ion Torrent's new v1.2 of Ion Reporter Software radically simplifies NGS data analysis and interpretation with an automated point-and-click model that takes you from Ion semiconductor sequencing reads to an easy-to-understand annotated report, helping scientists understand the impact of genomic variants.

Ion Reporter™ v1.2 enables users to rapidly process genomic data using predefined workflows optimized for each specific sequencing panel and for the most popular experimental designs, such as an oncology tumor-normal workflow and an inherited disease workflow for finding genetic abnormalities and novel variants in trios. Additionally, Ion Reporter™ Software v1.2 includes a new collaborations feature that allows users to share samples, analyses, and results with trusted community members, as well as the latest in security protocols, e-signatures, and audit logs ensuring data security standards are met.

Ion Reporter™ v1.2 is also now integrated with the Ingenuity® Variant Analysis™ workflow to allow users to leverage the vast Ingenuity Knowledge Base® to identify biologically relevant variants. Both Ion Reporter™ Software 1.2 and the Ingenuity Variant Analysis workflow are available free of charge until the end of 2012. To learn more about how Ion Reporter™ Software and Ingenuity are simplifying bioinformatics, come the Ion Torrent User Group Meeting at ASHG in San Francisco on Thursday, Nov. 8.

Sequencing for All:  An unprecedented pace of innovation
Life Technologies has made tremendous progress on the products that it announced just eight weeks ago at the Ion World conference. The current and future products include the Ion Proton™ System and Avalanche™, a revolutionary 30-minute emulsion-free template preparation chemistry that will work on all Ion platforms and enable sample-to-answer workflow in under eight hours.  To learn more about this unprecedented pace of innovation, come to the Ion Torrent Workshop at ASHG on Nov. 7 and hear from Ion Torrent Founder and CEO Dr. Jonathan Rothberg, as well as other leaders in sequencing.

The Ion Torrent products discussed in this press release are for Research Use Only; not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Life Technologies Announces Next-Gen Digital PCR Instrument Designed for Widespread Adoption

Life Technologies Corporation (LIFE) today announces the QuantStudio™ 3D Digital PCR System, a scalable, chip-based instrument that is democratizing this technology for a rapidly growing market. Featuring a simple workflow with minimal hands-on time, the benchtop platform is disruptively priced at $30,000 -- enabling access to a broader community. The system is currently with early access customers and commercial shipments will begin in the first half of 2013.

Designed with a scalable architecture, the QuantStudio™ 3D Digital PCR System's first generation chips enable up to 20,000 data points in a single run -- coverage that satisfies the needs for most digital PCR applications today.  The capacity of future chips will increase exponentially to meet increasing demands of the research community. 

The new platform is the latest addition to a growing line of QuantStudio™ digital qPCR instruments from Life Technologies. It complements the QuantStudio™ 12K Flex Real-Time PCR System, which the company launched earlier this year and provides the highest throughput capability for digital PCR on the market. 
Considered until recently a niche segment, the digital PCR market is expected to grow to nearly $250 million globally by 2016. Researchers worldwide use real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to amplify and quantify nucleic acids. Digital PCR takes researchers beyond the limits of real-time PCR for applications that require absolute quantitation of targeted DNA molecules. Additionally, Life's simple workflow and chip-based platform reduce the risk of sample contamination and loss of DNA normally associated with droplet-based systems. The technology is ideal for accurately detecting rare mutations important in cancer or infectious diseases – the equivalent to finding a needle in a haystack. It is also increasingly used as a mechanism to perform quality control experiments on next generation sequencing libraries.

"The QuantStudio™ 3D Digital PCR System is the latest revolutionary platform from the team that has delivered every market-leading technology in qPCR," says Chris Linthwaite, Head of Genetic Analysis, Life Technologies. "By making this novel platform accessible to all labs, we are enabling the democratization of digital PCR and helping the scientific community expand the utilization of this technology in disease research and applications beyond."

Prior to commercial launch, Life Technologies is making the QuantStudio™ 3D Digital PCR System available to early access users through the Digital PCR Applications Grant Program, which will fund 20 research projects that demonstrate innovative applications for the instrument. Five grand prize winners chosen among the winning proposals will receive a QuantStudio™ 3D Digital PCR System. For details on submitting a proposal, visit www.lifetechnologies.com/dpcrgrant.

Life Technologies will host presentations and a poster session from early access users of the system on Nov. 8 at the American Society of Human Genetics conference (ASHG). For more information on these talks, visit Life's ASHG website. The system will be officially unveiled during Explore Art and Science with Life Technologies, a customer event that will showcase the company's latest solutions from the Ion Torrent and Genetic Analysis divisions at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art on Nov. 7 from 7-10:30 p.m. For invitations to the event or for more information, visit the Life Technologies booth (# 601) during ASGH.
The QuantStudio™ 3D Digital PCR System is For Research Use Only, not intended for diagnostic purposes.

Why Mars Life Hunt Targets Methane

The hunt for life on Mars took a new turn today (Nov. 2), with the news that NASA's Mars rover Curiosity detected no methane in its first few sniffs of Red Planet air.

The search for Red Planet life has long been intertwined with the search for methane, which is why so many scientists and laypeople alike were probably disappointed by the initial atmospheric readings from Curiosity's Sample Analysis at Mars instrument, or SAM.

"Everybody is excited about the possibility about methane from Mars, because life as we know it produces methane," SAM co-investigator Sushil Atreya, of the University of Michigan, told reporters today.
A possible biosignature

At least 90 percent of the methane in Earth's atmosphere is biologically derived, Atreya said. As a result, many researchers regard Martian methane as a possible indicator of Red Planet life.

Further, scientists think the gas disappears rapidly from the Martian atmosphere, meaning any methane swirling there today was likely produced in the recent past.

"The conventional destruction mechanism of methane is photochemistry, as on Earth, and that results in a several-hundred-year lifetime of methane on Mars," Atreya said, adding that some of the gas is probably absorbed by the Red Planet surface as well.

But detecting lots of methane on Mars would not be convincing evidence of life by any stretch. The gas can also be produced by abiotic processes, such as the degradation of interplanetary dust particles by ultraviolet light and interactions between water and rocks. Comet strikes may also deliver methane to Mars, Atreya said.

An evolving story
Other research teams using several different ground-based and space-based instruments have detected methane in Mars air. The observed concentrations have been very low, between 10 and 50 parts per billion or so.

SAM's initial readings don't necessarily invalidate these previous measurements, researchers say. But the rover's results do highlight the need to better understand the sources and sinks of Martian methane.
Toward that end, the Curiosity team plans to keep hunting for methane over the course of Curiosity's two-year mission, which aims to determine if the Red Planet could ever have supported microbial life.
"At least for now, the sinks seem to be winning over the sources," Atreya said. "But that also could change with time."

Life Technologies Acquires Advanced Microscopy Group

Life Technologies Corporation (LIFE) today announced the acquisition of Advanced Microscopy Group or AMG, a privately held developer of imaging systems for research microscopy incorporated as Westover Scientific, Inc.  The manufacturer of the FLoid® Cell Imaging Station currently sold by Life, AMG enables Life to expand its product line of cell imaging instrumentation, while leveraging its Molecular Probes® portfolio of fluorescent dyes and reagents.

The acquisition also provides new product development opportunities for both laboratory and portable imaging devices. Life Technologies' Molecular Probes® range of fluorescent dyes and probes are broadly used in the research market and constitute a natural complement to the EVOS® range of microscopes manufactured by AMG.

"Our acquisition of Advanced Microscopy Group brings together two leaders in the cell imaging field," said Peter Dansky, president of Molecular and Cell Biology at Life Technologies. "With AMG's demonstrated excellence in innovative microscopy instrumentation and the Molecular Probes line of market leading imaging reagents, we're now better able to serve our customers with a complete portfolio of integrated solutions for cell analysis optimized for performance and ease of use."

AMG has a portfolio of imaging instruments that spans basic to advanced microscopy. The EVOS® range of instruments improves ease of use by eliminating conventional eyepieces and replacing them with LCD screens. Two entry-level microscopes, EVOS® XL and EVOS® XL-Core, address the tissue culture market for routine monitoring of cell culture through measurements of cell density and morphology. The instruments are brightfield and phase contrast enabled and come with a range of magnification lens options. The EVOS®FL is a multi-color fluorescent microscope with brightfield/phase contrast capabilities and a range of objective options.

AMG also developed Life Technologies' FLoid® Cell Imaging Station, a platform that offers revolutionary ease of use for fluorescent microscopy. Introduced in late 2011, FLoid® was developed to be ideally suited for laboratories that are new to imaging or do not require the advanced features found in more expensive instruments. The addition of the EVOS® product line complements the FLoid® system by maintaining simplicity in the user experience, while providing advanced capabilities and automation that are necessary for some applications.

"We are excited that Life Technologies places high value on our EVOS line," said Steve Lytle, founder and president of AMG. "Ultimately, it is our customers who will benefit most from the breadth of the combined portfolios. It also uniquely positions Life in the cell imaging field and will serve as the foundation for the development of new applications and products."

The microscopy market size is estimated to be approximately $770 million. The acquisition of AMG is expected to be neutral to Life's 2012 earnings, accretive to 2013 earnings and accretive to the company's overall ROIC by 2015. The financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed. AMG's existing business will remain in Bothell, Washington, and will join Life Technologies' Flow Cytometry and Imaging business unit.