Tag: economics
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Sensors, Computer Controls Reduce Building HVAC Energy
A computer engineer at University of California in San Diego (UCSD) looked no further than his own office building to conduct research on the use of sensors and computer algorithms to better control heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Yuvraj Agarwal and his colleagues at UCSD presented their findings yesterday at an Information Processing…
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Lab: Algae Can Produce Fuel Equivalent to 17 Pct of Imports
A study by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington estimates that growing algae for biofuel could realistically replace 17 percent of the nation’s imported oil for transportation. The research team from the lab, part of the U.S. Department of Energy, and other colleagues published its findings in the journal Water Resources Research…
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Business Council Releases Ecosystem Valuation Guide
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in Geneva, Switzerland released today its Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation (CEV), to help businesses better understand the benefits and value of ecosystem services like fresh water, food, fiber, and natural hazard protection. The CEV guide can be downloaded free of charge from the WBCSD Web site.…
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Field Test of New Clinical Trial Method Underway
A field test has begun of a new type of clinical trial at the Veterans Affairs Boston (Mass.) Healthcare System, which proponents say is less costly and can also guide doctors to switch to the best treatment before the trial is completed. The new approach — called a point-of-care clinical trial — is described in…
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Study Computes Cardiac Device Infection Mortality, Costs
A review of Medicare records shows that surgical infections associated with pacemakers and defibrillators led to longer hospital stays, higher mortalities, and increased hospitalization costs compared to implantations without infections. Results of the study, funded by medical device developer TYRX Inc. in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, were presented yesterday at a meeting of the American…
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Study: Food Scares and Product Recalls Increasing
Researchers at Queen’s University in Belfast, U.K. have completed the first analysis of all food recalls announced in the U.S., U.K., and Ireland over the last decade. The findings will be presented at the Food Integrity and Traceability Conference taking place at Queen’s University this week. The research by Antony Potter at the university’s Centre…
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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,…
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$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…
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U.S. Agencies to Fund Green Technology Start Up Challenge
The U.S. Commerce Department, with the Departments of Agriculture and Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Science Foundation, opened their $12 million i6 Green Challenge for business incubators that help green technology entrepreneurs get started. This year’s competition is the second round for the i6 Green Challenge that began last year. Commerce’s Economic Development Administration…
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Russian, U.S. Scientists Develop Online Agricultural Maps
A team of researchers from Russia and the U.S. have developed AgroAtlas, an online resource of agricultural and geographic data for Russia and surrounding countries. The publicly available collection, with downloadable tools to analyze the data, is a joint project of Russian universities and institutes, and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, with funding from the…