R & D articles from July 2005

R & D archives from July 2005

Are we outsourcing our biotech future?(Editorial)
July 1, 2005... Its public controversy rages, its research-funding support vacillates from hot to cold, and the legislation attempting to control it continues to be fiercely debated at the highest levels in government. But, at the end of the day, stem cell...

Virtual SEM for every classroom.(MICROSCOPY)(interactive scanning electron microscope a web based software platform for school education)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Educators and researchers have recently unveiled a new tool for classroom science with iSEM. The iSEM or interactive scanning electron microscope is a CD-ROM and Web-based software platform intended to generate the capabilities and teaching...

Drug patent ruling supports big pharma.(BULLETIN)
July 1, 2005... The U.S. Supreme Court recently gave drug companies increased latitude to freely use/experiment with already patented drugs or compounds in the testing phase for new medicines. In the unanimous decision, the court ruled that drug companies are...

NIF progress stifled.(LASERS & OPTICS)(National Ignition Facility construction grants stopped)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... In mid-June, the Senate Water and Energy Appropriations Committee recommended (and the full Senate agreed) to cease funding construction on the world's largest laser-the National Ignition Facility project at Lawrence Livermore National...

Navigating online life science research.(LABORATORY EQUIPMENT)(Life Science Research Center web research tool)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Los Angeles-based Infotrieve, Inc. has released its new web-based information research tool, Life Science Research Center (LSRC). "LSRC was designed by scientists for scientists and R&D managers," says Wes Crews, president and CEO of...

AMUSE challenges ESI.(ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS)(Arrayed Micromachined Ultra Sonic Electrospray)(electrospray ionization)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... A group of researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, have devised a possible alternative to conventional electrospray ionization (ESI) technology for protein analysis. Headed by Andrei Fedorov, AMUSE or Arrayed Micromachined...

Faster sequences.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)(ScalaBLAST software tool for genome sequencing)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... A team from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Wash., has announced the creation of a new software tool for genome sequencing, dubbed ScalaBLAST. According to PNNL, the software allows genome sequencing to occur hundreds of...

Drug discovery & technology in August.(Upcoming: Conferences & Events)(Calendar)
July 1, 2005... IBC Life Science's annual Drug Discovery Technology and Development World Congress will be held August 8-11 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Mass. Keynote panel discussions featuring Lester Crawford, Acting FDA Commissioner; John...

Laboratory design conference fall 2005.(Calendar)
July 1, 2005... Monday, September 19 2:00-3:00 pm Pre-conference Workshop-European Lab Design Trends Jeff Salocks, Elkus/Manfredi 3:00-5:30 pm Lab Tour A: AstraZeneca Boston (R&D's 2001 Lab of the Year) 6:00-7:00 pm Cocktail Reception ...

Stop supersizing your lab systems!(Keynote Speaker)(John "Jay" Martin speeches)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... John "Jay" Martin, PE Vice President, Syska Hennessy Group San Diego, CA The HVAC equipment and piped utilities of almost all lab buildings are designed using rules of thumb that inevitably lead to oversized systems, pumping up both first...

Military-grade biosensor debuts.(LIFE SCIENCE)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Air Force personnel are testing a new prototype biosensor created by the Air Force Research Lab and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Wash., intended to alert military personnel "within minutes" if they or their equipment...

New progress on diamond semiconductors.(VACUUM/THIN FILMS)(National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... With the use of a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, researchers at Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) have been able to synthesize an n-type semiconducting 001-oriented...

Not your standard medical school.(LABORATORY DESIGN)(Institute of Cell and Molecular Science new building)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Officials at Queen Mary College, part of the Univ. of London, recently opened the doors to its new $82 million Institute of Cell and Molecular Science. The facility, designed by Alsop Architects, London, consists of a single, 353 [m.sup.2] open...

Sandia showcases new "surfactant material".(MATERIALS)(Sandia National Laboratories surfactant innovation)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Research efforts at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M., have led to the creation of a new, easily separated surface active agent (or "surfactant"). When used in small qualities, surfactants can reduce surface tension in a fluid or...

Outlining the future of productive nanosystems.(MICRO/NANO TECHNOLOGY)(Foresight Nanotech Institute services)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Menlo-Park, Calif.-based think tank, the Foresight Nanotech Institute, in partnership with Battelle, Columbus, Ohio, has set out to launch a Technology Roadmap for Productive Nanosystems. Productive Nanosystems are defined as molecular...

GSK begins HIV initiative.(GlaxoSmithKline PLC research agreements for AIDS vaccine development)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Middlesex, UK, has formally announced plans to collaborate with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) in the hopes of developing an AIDS vaccine. According to GSK, "The collaboration--the first-ever in AIDS...

Visual mix opens virtual window.(3-D virtual environment made with software)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Computer scientists at the Univ. of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, have unveiled a technique that dynamically constructs a 3-D virtual environment out of live video streams. Reality Flythrough mixes images and video feeds from mobile...

Friendly approach zaps spam.(Email filtering software developed)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Increasingly annoying and harmful to productivity, spam email constitutes more than two-thirds of all email. In recent years, spam has become more threatening with the advent of "phishing," which involves the use of false email to deceive...

Flourishing fuel cell market.(Data Management & Analysis)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Although commercial demand for fuel cells is currently limited, a number of viable markets for these cells is expected to develop over the next ten years. These emerging markets, high petroleum prices, and environmental concerns will increase...

Informatics demand grows.(Data Management & Analysis)(global bioinformatics market share keep increasing)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The global bioinformatics market, which consists of content, analysis software and services, and IT infrastructure, is expected to rise at a 15.8% AAGR (average annual growth rate), reaching $3 billion by 2010. Projected to be the fastest...

China telecom becoming global.(R&D ASIA)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... A number of U.S., Japanese, and European communications companies have been competing for the lucrative wireless telecom market in China, estimated to be about $60 billion in equipment for 2005, growing to about 14%/yr through 2007. The Chinese...

India to outpace China electronics.(R&D ASIA)(electronics market size )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... A recent report "India Electronics Manufacturing: Can It Catch China," from In-Stat, the Phoenix, Ariz.-based market research firm (a Reed Business Information division), reveals that the electronics market in India, estimated at $11.5 billion...

India semiconductor lab.(R&D ASIA)(Birla Institute of Technology and Science's semiconductor research center)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... India's Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani, will partner with N.Y.-based Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) to set up an applied semiconductor research center in Bangalore by this summer. The BITS-RIT Apex will offer...

Harvard Dean honored.(R&D ASIA)(David Ellwood honorary professor of Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... David Ellwood, Dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard Univ., Cambridge, Mass., has been made an honorary professor at the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (GSCAS) at a ceremony in June. GSCAS is the...

BEA doubles India R&D.(R&D ASIA)(BEA Systems)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... BEA Systems, San Jose, Calif.-based developer of Java middleware, has indicated that it will double its R&D staff in Bangalore, India from the current 180 staffers to more than 350 over the next year. BEA's Bangalore center is involved in the...

How to calibrate a computer-based data acquisition device.(Data Management)
July 1, 2005... With computer-based data acquisition devices, engineers and scientists can easily take transducer and signal measurements using common desktop computers or computing platforms, such as PXI, that are designed for measurement and automation....

How to have IDL working in-line with NI LabVIEW.(Data Management)(interface definition language)(National Instruments)
July 1, 2005... As applications for acquiring larger data sets continue to grow, users in science and engineering fields are facing a growing need for visualization and analysis tools. Seamlessly integrating IDL functionality with National Instruments (NI)...

How to maximize results for Six Sigma.(Data Management)(JMP softwaref for statistical analysis)
July 1, 2005... JMP software combines comprehensive statistical analysis with unique graphical interactivity and scripting capabilities that enable everyone in an organization to contribute to the productivity gains promised by Six Sigma. Graphical...

How to deal with data that didn't come front a book.(Data Management)
July 1, 2005... STATGRAPHICS[R] Centurion XV is a powerful and intuitive statistics package designed to handle real-world data. With over 150 procedures, it combines tabular and graphical output in a format that encourages users to take a close look at their...

How to select an isolator for variable-condition studies.(Lab Equipment)
July 1, 2005... What do rodent inhalation studies and circuit board solderability testing have in common? Both require a well-designed, multiplexed isolation chamber that offers the flexibility of running concurrent exposure tests under a carefully controlled...

How to engineer thermal system solutions.(Single Iteration thermal insulation services)
July 1, 2005... Single Iteration is an engineering services organization that focuses on one thing--helping customers develop innovative solutions to managing heat. We bring thermal expertise to your staff enabling you to get your product to market quicker....

How to use FIB-SEM data for 3-D reconstruction.(Microscopy)
July 1, 2005... The ability to acquire, display and interrogate three-dimensional volumes of image data has been well-established through various scientific disciplines. The medical field, in particular, has exposed the public to tomographic methods through...

How to gauge sensor noise in closed-loop AFMs.(Atomic Force Microscopy)
July 1, 2005... Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a key tool in nanotechnology, providing unprecedented high resolution images and allowing site specific measurements at the nanoscale. The "motors" that almost all AFMs use to create the nanometer-scale motions...

How to avoid errors in a stereo microscope measurement system.(Microscopy)
July 1, 2005... Stereo microscopy is a widely used low magnification optical technique for sample inspection, manipulation, measurement and documentation in many industrial applications. Many such microscopes provide continuous zoom magnification over a large...

How to select a full-service MEMS foundry.(Micro/Nano)
July 1, 2005... For MEMS companies, finding and establishing a partnership with a full-service MEMS foundry is critical to successful device development and to reaching high-volume production. The selection process must include foundries that have the...

How to turn science into products.(Test & Measurement)
July 1, 2005... In 2004, Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL's) John Ramsey had a problem. His team had used up its appropriated federal funding to explore the science of a next generation fuel cell stack, but the funding wasn't there to build a prototype....

How to monitor fluid dynamics in two locations.(Test & Measurement)(portable measuring instruments)
July 1, 2005... A university had several fluid dynamics labs set up in two different wings of its engineering facility. The professor in charge of the labs was searching for the most cost-effective way to monitor the test parameters in each location. ...

How to measure modulus with a Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer.(Test & Measurement)
July 1, 2005... I often receive questions from users on how to get the most accurate modulus value from a Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA). You will see that the results are often more dependent on sample preparation and measurement than on the calibration of...

Proteomics' growing role in biodefense: fueled by large government grants, researchers are honing techniques that will help defend against bio-terror attacks and the spread of infectious diseases.
July 1, 2005... Of all of the challenges faced by researchers who work to develop systems that can detect and analyze the spread of infectious agents, the one that seems the most peculiar is "field" testing a system. Testing the system almost can require an...

Breaking through the barrier: recent optical design advances in transmission electron microscopy have resulted in significant improvements in aberration correction and resolution.
July 1, 2005... The resolution of a transmission electron microscope (TEM) is mainly determined by the properties of the objective lens similar to that in an optical microscope. However, lenses are never perfect and exhibit a variety of defects. One defect,...

Photonic crystals surge forward: researchers in industry and academia make significant strides in photonic crystal research.
July 1, 2005... In the 1940s, vacuum tubes were in everything from radios to digital computers. But progress in computing was hampered by the harsh realities of tubes: they're large, hot, and power-hungry. The invention of the transistor at Bell Labs in 1947...

Standards orgs launch Asian ties.(Consortium for Standards and Conformity Assessment members collaboration)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Long-established U.S. standard organizations are shaking off old habits and looking to the future by developing ties in Asian countries. Recently, the Consortium for Standards and Conformity Assessment (CSCA)--whose members include the...

Promoting biomarker research.(research grants)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded $11 million in funding over the next five years for the Early Detection Research Network (EDRN). EDRN brings together dozens of institutions to help...

Cost of safe drinking water.(Safe Drinking Water Act demands infrastructure investment)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... To continue to ensure safe drinking water in the U.S., water utilities will need to make an estimated $277 billion in investments over the next 20 years, according to the EPA's third Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment....

New authentication code.(Regulatory Update)(digital data authentication algorithm)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is recommending a new algorithm--CMAC (cipher-based message authentication code)--for authenticating digital data for federal agencies. CMAC can authenticate the source of digital data...

NCI cancer trials revamped.(National Cancer Institute clinical trials management)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Due to advances in molecular medicine, the National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has accepted 22 strategic proposals for revamping the NCI's cancer clinical trials system. One initiative is to create a...

Doubling up a photon source.(Emerging Technologies)(synchrotron beamlines dedicated for national laboratory)
July 1, 2005... A small group of government officials dedicated three new synchrotron beamlines at Argonne (Ill.) National Laboratory's (ANL's) Advanced Photon Source (APS) this past June. By itself this was not groundbreaking news, seeing that the APS...

Color-dependent sensing.(Emerging Technologies)(laser sytem innovations)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Scott Sanders, a mechanical engineering assistant professor at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, has developed a laser system that rapidly delivers a pulsed rainbow of colors. The laser builds on the supercontinuum generation phenomenon, which...

Virtual neurorehabilitation.(Emerging Technologies)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... A research team led by Margaret McLaughlin and Thomas McNeill at the Univ. of Southern Calif., Los Angeles, is creating an assortment of haptics devices for stroke patients. The mutual touch task is designed for hand-reaching and grasping...

Microcapsules made easy.(Emerging Technologies)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Chemical engineers led by Michael Wong at Rice Univ., Houston, Texas, have developed an environmentally friendly approach for making microcapsules. Involving self-assembly at room temperature, under normal pressure, in water, and at mild pH,...

Ruler boosts atomic research.(Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics)
July 1, 2005... The world's most accurate UV "ruler" made with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light has been built and demonstrated with ultrafast laser pulses. Developed by scientists at JILA, Boulder, Colo.--a joint institute of the National Institute of...

Modeling the brain.(Emerging Technologies)
July 1, 2005... Henry Markram at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, is leading a collaborative effort with scientists at IBM, Yorktown Heights, N.Y., to create a 3-D digital model of the brain. The Blue Brain Project will use the...

Infant-friendly ID.(Emerging Technologies)
July 1, 2005... Putting ID tags equipped with barcodes on babies is a challenge because regular armbands are uncomfortable, difficult to scan, and slip off babies' arms and legs. Accordingly, the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Nashville, Tenn., is...

Self-cleaning coating.(Emerging Technologies)
July 1, 2005... The military could soon be protected by a self-decontaminating ultra-thin coating that neutralizes toxins on contact and leaves no hazardous residue. Created by Alok Singh at the Naval Research Lab's Center for Bio/Molecular Science and...

Save time, money, and data!(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... Use the $429 HotMux data logger to digitize 8 thermocouple sensors, save data to file, and display results on computer monitor. RS-232 interfaced line powered HotMux provides a remote sensing capability and eliminates the sensor wire rat-nest...

New handbooks available.(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... The 3rd edition of The Book on the Technologies of Polymicro 2005 includes an overview of optical fibers, fiber optic assemblies, capillary and capillary assemblies, and precision quartz and silica microcomponents. Contact Polymicro...

New CD-ROM from Woodward.(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... Woodward's newest product CD-ROM features controls for diesel and gas engines and gas, steam, and hydraulic turbines. These products provide integrated system and component solutions for industrial gas and diesel engine management, power...

Radiolabeled and neurochemicals catalog.(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... American Radiolabeled Chemicals, Inc. and Precision Biochemicals, Inc. manufacture over 2,000 radiolabeled and neurochemicals for life science research, and custom synthesis using radio as well as stable isotopes. Precision Biochemicals does...

Programmable high voltage system has eight channels.(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... Output voltages of 200 V through 8,000 V are offered in any combination of voltage and polarity. Each channel features very low ripple, high stability, 0 to 100% linear programmability, output voltage monitors, arc, overload, and short circuit...

Millipore's new RiOs-DI[TM] 3 UV system converts tap water into consistently pure water.(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... Millipore's economical and easy-to-use RiOs-DI 3 UV system is optimal for low volume, routine laboratory applications. The system combines all major purification technologies into a single disposable pack for easy maintenance. A built-in 254-nm...

Versatile FESEM.(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... Carl Zeiss SMT SUPRA[TM] FESEMs provide excellent contrast and ultra high resolution over the complete voltage range: 1.0 nm at 15kV, 1.7 nm at 1 kV and 4.0 nm at 0.1 kV. A large cylindrical chamber handles awkwardly shaped specimens and...

Temperature transmitter with display.(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... The PRTXD Series from OMEGA Engineering, Inc. are two-wire transmitters that provide a 4 to 20 mA signal representing temperature. The units include a 3-1/2 digit display and RTD sensor. The NEMA 4X (IP66) housing protects the electronics....

LSM 5 PASCAL personal confocal microscope.(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... Carl Zeiss Microlmaging's LSM 5 PASCAL high-performance confocal laser-scanning microscope is an ideal tool for industrial R&D, 3-D image reconstruction, surface profiling, and topography. Measuring functions such as geometric parameters,...

JMP Version 5.1.(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... Learn how JMP software can help your organization make significant process improvements that increase the efficiency of doing business and give you a competitive edge. JMP links statistics with graphics to interactively explore, understand, and...

ZnSe, Ge, and Si windows.(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... Edmund Optics now offers IR windows in silicon, germanium, and zinc selenide. Silicon is ideal for use in systems where weight is a concern. Germanium is ideal for thermal imaging and FLIR applications and is popular for its high index of...

STATGRAPHICS Centurion XV.(Manufacturers' Showcase)
July 1, 2005... Just launched! Latest release of StatPoint's flagship product, Powerful and intuitive statistical software with features unmatched by the competition. 150+ procedures for basic and advanced statistics, including ANOVA, regression, DOE, SPC,...

New universal tips.(New Products)
July 1, 2005... Beckman Coulter introduces P50 Tips for their Biomek 3000, NX and FX, and Multimek liquid handlers. These narrow-length tips enable pipetting from the bottom of deep labware, for maximum retrieval of valuable samples. The disposable,...

Metal matrix composite.(New Products)
July 1, 2005... CPS Corp. offers A1SiC (aluminum silicon carbide), a metal matrix composite for thermal management solutions for high-brightness LEDs. A1SiC enables a tailored coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), offering compatibility with various...

Integrated GPS receivers.(New Products)
July 1, 2005... The integrated 20 Channel L1+L2 GPS receiver from Helm Data Systems, Inc. has modular signal interfacing and interchangeable media cartridges. These recorders provide flexible COTS solutions that can adapt to changing mission requirements in...

High-precision balance.(New Products)
July 1, 2005... The new METTLER TOLEDO XP Mass Comparator line provides laboratories the ability to determine the mass or weight of samples with a high degree of accuracy. Each model under the XP Comparator line incorporates fast and easy data handling through...

OL Series 730 Radiometer/Photometers.(New Products)
July 1, 2005... Optronic Laboratories OL Series 730 Radiometer/ Photometers provide research-grade precision and accuracy at a fraction of the cost of comparable stand-alone systems. The basic OL 730C is controlled virtually via the user's PC, and has a...

IR Multi-Gas Analyzer.(New Products)
July 1, 2005... The MGA 3000 advanced Infrared (IR) Multi-Gas Analyzer is designed to meet the needs of organizations requiring cost-effective and reliable single or multiple gas analysis solutions. Up to four gases can be analyzed at any one time with...

Capacitance vacuum gauge for semiconductor apps.(New Products)
July 1, 2005... Setra Systems, Inc. introduces its new compact Model 720. Based on Setra's variable capacitive sensor design, the Model 720 offers a 0-5 or 0-10 VDC output that is linear with pressure and independent of gas composition. The accuracy of this...