Science and Enterprise

Month: July 2013

  • Eye-Tracking Shown Feasible as Alternative to Passwords

    Engineers at University of Washington in Seattle and Texas State University in San Marcos found eye-tracking can be an acceptable alternative to passwords for computer authentication if it can be made easy for users. The research team led by Washington’s Cecilia Aragon presented its findings last month at a meeting of the International Association for Pattern…

  • Cell Therapy Technique Tested to Regenerate Back Discs

    Biomedical engineers at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina developed a new biomaterial to deliver cells that repair the cushions between spinal discs and relieve the pain when that material degenerates. The team led by biomedical engineering professor Lori Setton — with colleagues from Duke, Singapore, and Taiwan — published their proof-of-concept findings last week…

  • Health IT Group Documenting Medical Automation Results

    HIMSS, an organization in Chicago promoting information technology in health care, is collecting case studies of automation to show its impact on medical practice and health care outcomes. The group unveiled the program, named the Health IT Value Suite, today at a press conference in Washington, D.C., although the collection is not yet available to…

  • Cancer Genetic Variations Database Generated for Therapies

    Researchers at National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of National Institutes of Health, cataloged the genetic variations of nine leading types of cancers, and are making the data available to the cancer research community. The team led by pharmacologist Yves Pommier and geneticist Paul Meltzer posted its findings today online in the journal Cancer Research (paid…

  • Food Industry Establishes Traceability Research Center

    The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) in Chicago unveiled its Global Food Traceability Center to conduct research and develop best practices to identify sources of health problems related to food products. The organization says there currently is no single group that brings together all industry stakeholders to collaborate on finding solutions to these problems. The…

  • Roche Advanced Skin Cancer Drug Approved in Europe

    The global pharmaceutical company Roche says its drug vismodegib, marketed under the name Erivedge, received conditional approval in Europe as a treatment for adults with advanced cases of basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. Approval for the the drug, taken once a day in capsule form, is limited to cases of basal cell carcinoma that metastasize,…

  • Early Trial Shows Safety, Action of RNA Scar Treatment

    RXi Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company in Westborough, Massacusetts reports an early-stage clinical trial of its treatment for skin scarring shows the therapy is safe and generates the desired chemical response in the body. The trial is testing RXI-109, the company’s therapy based on RNA to treat hypertrophic scarring and keloids associated with skin trauma. RXi’s…

  • Crowdsourcing Can Aid Health Research, but Guidelines Needed

    Researchers from the medical and business schools at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia evaluated crowdsourcing as a research tool in health care, and found it has potential to improve quality and lower costs of studies, but ground rules are needed for the technique. Findings from the team led by Penn emergency medicine professor Raina Merchant…

  • Foundation Funds Study of Glass Formation Processes

    A research team at University of Akron in Ohio is studying the formation of glass materials, processes that cover much more than materials found in windows. The team led by Akron polymer engineering professor David Simmons is funded by a $1 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation. Simmons is joined in the project by…

  • System Analyzes Baby Cries to Detect Development Disorders

    Engineers and clinicians at Brown University and Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island in Providence designed a system that can analyze a baby’s cry for signs of developmental problems or disorders. The findings of the Brown team are scheduled for publication in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research. The…