Luna Innovations Incorporated has acquired certain intellectual property assets of Tego Biosciences, its main competitor in developing medicines based on carbon nanomaterials.
London Centre for Nanotechnology Business Director Starts New Venture
Dr Thierry Bontoux has stepped down from his position of Deputy Director of the LCN in charge of Business. His decision will be effective from the 31st of December 2009 and he will then focus on his new venture, TBx-Consulting.
mPhase Technologies, Inc. Engages the Investor Relations Group
mPhase Technologies, Inc. has retained the Investor Relations Group to serve as its national investor relations agency.
Neue Nachwuchsgruppe am IFW Dresden
Am Leibniz-Institut fuer Festkoerper- und Werkstoffforschung Dresden (IFW) wird ab 1.1.2010 eine von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) gefoerderte Emmy Noether-Nachwuchsgruppe eingerichtet. Mit dem auf 5 Jahre angelegten Projekt sollen die Wechselwirkungen der Elektronen erforscht und simuliert werden, die bei physikalischen Phaenomenen wie Supraleitung oder Magnetismus eine wichtige Rolle spielen.
New research could advance research field critical to personalized medicine
It's the ultimate goal in the treatment of cancer: tailoring a person's therapy based on his or her genetic makeup. While a lofty goal, scientists are steadily moving forward, rapidly exploiting new technologies. Researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center report a significant advance in this field of research using a new chip that looks for hundreds of mutations in dozen of genes.
mPhase to Unveil First Consumer Product Driven by Power On Command Reserve Battery Technology
mPhase Technologies, Inc. today announced that its consumer products division, mPower Technologies Inc., will unveil the mPower Emergency Illuminator at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Superatoms mimic elements: Research gives new perspective on periodic table
Transforming lead into gold is an impossible feat, but a similar type of 'alchemy' is not only possible, but cost-effective too. Three Penn State researchers have shown that certain combinations of elemental atoms have electronic signatures that mimic the electronic signatures of other elements.
A ‘fountain of youth’ for stem cells?
Researchers from the University of Hong Kong and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have published a study in the current issue of Cell Transplantation that explores ways to successfully keep stem cells 'forever young' during implantation by slowing their growth, differentiation and proliferation.
RUSNANO and Chinese Thunder Sky Team Up to Produce State-of-the-Art Li-Ion Batteries
The Supervisory Council of RUSNANO has approved the corporation?s participation in a project aimed at establishing the production of state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries, the first in the country.
Chemical and biomolecular engineer Denis Wirtz named Smoot professor
Denis Wirtz, Johns Hopkins University professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and director of the Engineering in Oncology Center, has been named the Theophilus Halley Smoot Professor in the Whiting School of Engineering.
Arrowhead Research Corporation Subsidiary Tego Biosciences Sells IP Portfolio to Luna Innovations
Arrowhead Research Corporation today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Tego Biosciences, has completed a definitive asset purchase agreement for the sale of its non-cash intellectual property to Luna Innovations, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of new-generation products that include pharmaceutical nanomedicines.
Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit Extra Application Process Is Way Too 20th Century [Lord Of The Rings]
Quick, grab the ent-draught and gather 'round, for I have some exciting news from Middle-Earth! Peter Jackson has put out word that extras for The Hobbit are in dire need. But he's doing it old school for some reason.
Director Guillermo del Toro and executive producer and co-writer Peter Jackson are taking applications via snail mail, a casting video must be included, and New Zealand citizens get priority over other nationalities.
I'm well aware that the Hobbit was set sometime between the "Dawn of Færie" and the "Dominion of Men," but surely their application requirements could be more suited to the 21st century? If only so we can chuckle at YouTube entries of curly-haired Kiwis lisping over their lines. We might even spot a new Figwit that way, destined to go on to greats things like Flight of the Conchords. [PopWatch]
In Russia, Apophis impacts YOU! | Bad Astronomy
I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about actual asteroid impacts — I think about them, but the odds of a big impact are too low to panic about. We should be concerned, and absolutely we should take steps in case we find The Big One headed our way. But I sometimes wonder if I should worry more about our reactions to potential impacts. Or, more specifically, Russia’s reaction.
Apophis is an asteroid, a chunk of rock over 200 meters across orbiting the Sun. The problem is, the orbit of Apophis crosses that of the Earth. If the two are in the same place at the same time, well, bang! It’s big enough to blow up with the force of several of hundred megaton bombs. That’s not enough to wipe out life on Earth, but it’s certainly enough to do a whole lot of damage, and if it happens over a city… well.
In April 2029 Apophis will pass within a few thousand kilometers of the Earth’s surface. It won’t hit, but Earth’s gravity will change the orbit of the asteroid. If the asteroid passes us at just the right distance — in a region of space a few hundred meters across called the keyhole — it’ll swing back in seven years and hit us.
We don’t know the exact orbit of Apophis well enough to know for sure how close it’ll pass in 2029; we can only assign probabilities. The odds of it hitting the keyhole are pretty low, though: about one in 250,000 (downgraded from 1:45,000 recently as better orbital determinations were made).
Enter the Russian space agency. Anatoly Perminov, the head of the agency, was recently quoted in an AP news article that he wants to consider putting together a mission to move it out of the way, making sure it doesn’t hit. I’m all for that! What worries me is this quotation:
Without mentioning NASA findings [of downgraded odds of an impact], Perminov said that he heard from a scientist that Apophis is getting closer and may hit the planet. “I don’t remember exactly, but it seems to me it could hit the Earth by 2032,” Perminov said.
Now, I know he’s not an astronomer, but he does run a national space agency. I’d feel a whole lot better about his organizing a meeting to deflect this rock if a) he had the date right (it cannot hit before 2036, and the odds then are very low), and 2) he could actually, y’know, name his source.
Yikes.
Now, maybe he was misquoted by the AP. Or maybe it was out of context. And again, I don’t expect the head of the space agency to be on top of every detail; it could simply be an honest mistake with the date. But I am not particularly happy when someone in that position bases a decision at least partly because he heard it from some guy he knows but can’t remember who or when.
Did I say yikes before? Yeah.
I do think governments should take this seriously. I also know that as of right now, NASA is not taking this seriously enough. Perhaps if Russia gets this ball rolling, and other countries (like India, China, and Japan) join in, then NASA will be forced to take a better look at this situation. I know I was being a little snarky above (this is a blog, after all), but in the end some good may come of this. We just don’t know enough about asteroids and how to push them out of the way. We need to set up and fly missions to a few near-Earth asteroids to understand them better and add to our knowledge of their composition, structure, and behavior.
Theory is all well and good, but nothing beats some good practical experience. And while I dread the day when an announcement of a statistically significant likelihood of impact for a rock is announced, I’d be a whole lot happier and more comfortable if we had a dozen missions to asteroids already under our belt when that happens. Even if they got their start with this sketchy quote from the head of the Russian space agency.
Read more about this on Discover Magazine’s 80 Beats blog.
Ralph Lauren Ski Jacket Has iPod Controls and Recco Rescue System Aplenty [Jackets]
Dress like the dark horse you are for the ski slopes this season, with Ralph Lauren's RLX Aerotype jacket. The super-resistant double layered snow jacket has iPod controls for listening to, err, Snow Patrol.
Made from a microfiber shell, the cuffs are adjustable and drawcords feature heavily for protecting your body from the chills. A bit of padding is included around the bottom, elbows and shoulder, lest you take a tumble. And if you get lost, the Recco Avalanche Rescue system will ensure you're found in no time at all.
Ralph Lauren's just decreased the price from $1,290 to $779.99, so if you're looking for a safe, resistant jacket for skiing and snowboarding in, this could be the garb for you. [Ralph Lauren via Uncrate]
Russian Asteroid Mission Needs Better Data
Space head: Russia may send spacecraft to asteroid
"Without mentioning NASA findings, Perminov said that he heard from a scientist that Apophis is getting closer and may hit the planet. "I don't remember exactly, but it seems to me it could hit the Earth by 2032," Perminov said."
99942 Apophis, Wikipedia
"On Friday, April 13, 2029, Apophis will pass Earth within the orbits of geosynchronous communication satellites. It will return for another close Earth approach in 2036."
NASA Refines Asteroid Apophis' Path Toward Earth
"Updated computational techniques and newly available data indicate the probability of an Earth encounter on April 13, 2036, for Apophis has dropped from one-in-45,000 to about four-in-a million."
Keith's note: I certainly hope that Perminov gets some slightly better data before his people start to plan mission trajectories - a good place to start is to get the right year.
EPA Moves to Regulate Sulfur Dioxide
First of all, the Futurism Now podcast is moving to Climate Files Radio.  It will return in January 2010.
Second, if anyone reading this can attend EPA public hearings in Atlanta, you can witness the EPA public hearings on air quality standards for sulfur dioxide.  Proposed revisions are here. This looks like another step in the process of regulating emissions from gas, oil and especially, coal plants. The hearings are January 5 and the address is below.
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public hearing on the agency’s proposal to strengthen the nation’s sulfur dioxide (SO2) standards. Exposure to SO2 can aggravate asthma, cause respiratory difficulties, and result in emergency room visits and hospitalization. People with asthma, children, and the elderly are especially vulnerable to SO2’s effects. EPA is taking comment on a proposal to establish a new national one-hour SO2 standard, between 50 and 100 parts per billion. This standard is designed to protect against short-term exposures ranging from five minutes to 24 hours. Because the revised standards would be more protective, EPA is proposing to revoke the current 24-hour and annual SO2 health standards.”
(more below including a map where you can look up your county’s sulfur pollution)
The EPA has a lot of information on its site concerning sulfur dioxide, and no matter where you are in the country, you can look up your county’s sulfur dioxide output. It’s obviously a big human health concern, and most sulfur dioxide comes from burning coal. Here are some of the health concerns caused by sulfur dioxide and burning coal:
Current scientific evidence links short-term exposures to SO2, ranging from 5 minutes to 24 hours, with an array of adverse respiratory effects including bronchoconstriction and increased asthma symptoms. Â These effects are particularly important for asthmatics at elevated ventilation rates (e.g., while exercising or playing.)
Studies also show a connection between short-term exposure and increased visits to emergency departments and hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses, particularly in at-risk populations including children, the elderly, and asthmatics.
. . . . .  SOx can react with other compounds in the atmosphere to form small particles. These particles penetrate deeply into sensitive parts of the lungs and can cause or worsen respiratory disease, such as emphysema and bronchitis, and can aggravate existing heart disease, leading to increased hospital admissions and premature death.
Regulatory actions by EPA on sulfur dioxide can be found here. You can find your county on the EPA’s map to find out your local sulfur dioxide pollution and what is causing it. The map is here.
In my county, the total emissions of sulfur dioxide from fossil fuel emissions (not including gasoline) in 2005 was 1506 tons. In a neighboring county, where there is a coal plant (the 13th dirtiest coal plant in the country) the total emissions of sulfur dioxide that year was only 78 tons, but from electricity generation it was 22,840 tons! The coal plant is near the city of Becker, Minnesota and [...]
HTC Russia Claims Only the HD2 Will Get a Windows 7 Upgrade [Htc]
HTC Russia claims in a recent twitter post that the HD2 will be the only HTC phone to get an upgrade to WinMo 7. All other phones will remain on Windows 6.5.
Translation:
For Diamond 2 firmware is not planned. Of the existing communicators on the market, only the HD2 firmware to get WM7.
Of course, I really wouldn't qualify this as "official" just yet. [twitter via MobileTechWorld]
Proportional Controller
Dear friends, I want to know that why offset error occur in Proportional controller. As much i understand controller output i.e. e=SV~PV , so until there is error it should take action to eliminate error, but it sets on other value...... Plz help
Also what is manual reset as i read in PID m
One CMYK Spray Can Holds Thousands of Colors [Design]
What if, instead of defiling your local school, church or train yard with just a few colors of spray paint, one can contained a near infinite array of expression?
The Color Dial Spray is a refillable spray can design that contains all four base colors of the CMYK spectrum (cyan, magenta, yellow, and key black). When the artist rotates hue and brightness dials, the can tweaks the color mix accordingly, making selecting a paint color in real life just as easy as it is in Photoshop.
While perfectly plausible, the Color Dial Spray is still just a concept. But to any fat cat VCs in the audience, COME ON. What better ideas are floating around to sink money into? Social networking? Flying cars? Send these nice people a check. [reddot via Yanko Design]
rectifier
mode of operation and DIRECT CURRENT affiliation