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Satellite Measures Show Ozone Reducing Soybean Yields
Researchers from NASA, Department of Agriculture, and several universities have used satellite measurements to show that ozone levels above 50 parts per billion along the ground could reduce soybean yields by about 10 percent. Their findings were published recently in the journal Atmospheric Environment (paid subscription required). The five-year study surveyed widespread ozone damage to…
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Trials Show Potential Benefits of Remote ICD Monitoring
Two clinical trials in France suggest that remote monitoring of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) — which use electrical pulses to control irregular heartbeats — is a safe alternative to regular doctors’ office visits. Results of the trials were presented at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology now underway in Paris. ECOST trial Salem…
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University of Utah Spins-Off 23 Companies in 2010-2011
The University of Utah in Salt Lake City, named the top institution for creating start-up companies, says the school spun-off 23 new companies in its 2010-2011 fiscal year, most of which are based on scientific or engineering discoveries. The new figures were released in the annual report of the university’s Technology Venture Development office. In…
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Cancer Monitor Chip Implant in Development
Biomedical engineers at Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) in Germany are developing an electronic sensor chip capable of monitoring tumors that are difficult to remove with surgery or growing slowly. The chip operates by determining the oxygen content in a patient’s tissue fluid. A team headed by Bernhard Wolf, professor of medical electronics at TUM, have…
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Small Business Grant Funds University Biodiesel Start-Up
NextCAT Inc., a Wayne State University start-up company in Detroit, has received a Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) of nearly $500,000. The company commercializes catalysts for the production of biodiesel developed at the National Biofuels Energy Laboratory at Wayne State. NextCAT plans to bring to market…
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Trial Finds New Drug Better Than Common Blood Thinner
A clinical trial found that apixaban, an anticoagulant drug made by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer, does better in preventing stroke and blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation, compared to the common drug warfarin. The results were presented today at the European Society of Cardiology in Paris, and published online in the New England Journal…
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FDA Approves Opioid Analgesic for Chronic Pain
Janssen Pharmaceuticals in Raritan, New Jersey says the Food and Drug Administration has approved its drug Nucynta ER for the management of moderate to severe chronic pain in adults. The company is a division of drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson. Nucynta ER is an oral analgesic taken twice daily, and prescribed when a continuous, around-the-clock…
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Bacterial Process Converts Recycled Newspapers to Biofuel
Biologists at Tulane University in New Orleans have found a bacterial strain that produces bio-based butanol directly from cellulose in plants and plant byproducts, including old newspapers. The strain of bacteria, called TU-103, is being tested in the lab of Tulane molecular biologist David Mullin, and a patent is pending on the process. Mullin’s lab…
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Chili Pepper Ingredient Can Help Ease Sinus Problems
A study led by a University of Cincinnati allergy researcher has found that a nasal spray containing an ingredient derived from hot chili peppers (Capsicum annum) may help relieve certain types of sinus inflammation. The findings by Jonathan Bernstein of the UC medical school and colleagues appear in the August issue of the journal Annals…
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Small Business Grant Awarded for Blood Vessel Drug Database
HemoShear LLC, a biotechnology company in Charlottesville, Virginia has been awarded a Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant award from National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant of up to $4.3 million will fund profiles of the effects of 50 known drugs on the human blood vessel system. The database will help predict…