Science and Enterprise

Month: March 2011

  • Green Rust Can Protect Groundwater Against Radioactive Waste

    Researchers in Denmark have found a naturally occurring substance called green rust can help protect groundwater against radioactive contamination from stored reactor waste. Bo Christiansen’s findings are published in the March issue of the journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta (paid subscription required). Christiansen (pictured left) is a geochemist at the University of Copenhagen who has…

  • Drug in Development Targeting Nicotine Metabolism

    Research underway at the Academy of Finland in Helsinki is developing a new type of drug that could help smokers quit the habit. The new drug would slow down the metabolism of nicotine, which would help reduce the addictive power of their smoking. Nicotine is absorbed quickly through the lungs and the lining of the…

  • E. Coli Engineered to Produce High-Volume Biofuel

    Researchers at University of California in Los Angeles have engineered the bacteria E. coli to produce butanol, a type of alcohol that can substitute directly for gasoline in today’s car motors, and in greater quantities than before. The team published its findings earlier this month in the online edition of the journal Applied and Environmental…

  • Novartis to Close U.K. Plant, Consolidate R&D Sites

    The pharmaceutical company Novartis, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, says it has begun talks to close its factory in Horsham, U.K. and consolidate its R&D facilities in Europe. According to the Financial Times, Novartis will continue its other U.K. plants in Grimsby, Liverpool, and Dundee. Closing the Horsham plant will mean the loss of 550 jobs,…

  • FDA Approves Improved Laser Eye Surgery Technology

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an enhanced technology for refractive (laser) eye surgery, based on research conducted at University of Rochester in New York. The Rochester Nomogram, as the technology is called, is licensed to Technolas Perfect Vision, a cataract and refractive laser company formed through a joint venture of lens manufacturer Bausch…

  • Behavioral Program App for Children and Adults Released

    Researchers at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas have developed diagnostic and training aids to better understand disruptive behavior, packaged as an iPhone app. Behavior Breakthroughs, as the application is called, is an interactive training simulation to help parents and caregivers of children and adults learn to effectively implement behavioral strategies and…

  • CDC Awards Grants to Reduce Health Care Infections

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded $10 million for new research to five academic medical centers to develop and test new ways to reduce infections in health care settings. CDC estimates that 1 out of 20 hospitalized patients will acquire an infection, including drug-resistant infections, while receiving health care treatment for…

  • Technology in Development to Ease Diabetes Glucose Testing

    A team of engineers and clinicians in Arizona are developing a new device for diabetics that can make glucose testing easier and less painful. The technology involves taking samples of tear fluid rather than blood, and results from a joint project of engineering faculty from Arizona State University in Tempe and clinicians at the Mayo…

  • Old Type of Forage Grass Rediscovered for Dairy Farmers

    A farmer’s report about an unusual forage grass for dairy cattle led a geneticist at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to rediscover a forgotten type of grass with advantages for today’s farms. The grass, known as meadow fescue (Schedonorus pratensis), has been found in parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. Charles Opitz found the…

  • $4 Generics Could Save the U.S. $6 Billion

    Researchers from University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) calculated the savings from using common discounted generic drug programs instead of full-priced generics or brand-name drugs. The team estimated those savings at nearly $6 billion. Their findings appear in the current issue of  Archives of Internal Medicine (paid subscription required). The study covered…