Update: West Nile Virus Screening of Blood Donations and
Transfusion-Associated Transmission --- United States, 2003
In 2002, transfusion-associated transmission (TAT) of West Nile virus (WNV) infection acquired through blood
transfusion marked the emergence of a new threat to the U.S. blood supply
(1 ). Although mosquito-borne transmission remains
the predominant mode of WNV transmission (2 ), identification of TAT underscored the need for WNV screening
of donated blood. In June 2003, blood-collection agencies (BCAs) implemented investigational WNV nucleic acid--amplification tests (NATs) to screen all blood donations and identify potentially infectious donations for quarantine and retrieval. This screening was performed on approximately 6 million units during June--December 2003, resulting in
the removal of at least 818 viremic blood donations from the blood supply. This report summarizes the results of blood-donation screening tests conducted during 2003 and describes six cases of WNV TAT that occurred because of transfusion of components containing low levels of virus not detected by the testing algorithm. These data indicate that blood screening for WNV has improved blood safety. However, a small risk of WNV transfusion-associated transmission remains. To address
this risk, changes to screening strategies are planned for 2004.
BCA Testing Activities
In June 2003, under the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) investigational new drug (IND) mechanism, BCAs
began screening donations by using NATs from two test-kit manufacturers. Initial screening protocols included NAT performed on mini-pools (MP NAT) of samples from six or 16 donations, depending on the test-kit manufacturer. Donation samples
that were part of reactive mini-pools were tested individually. Any reactive samples were retested by individual
donation testing (IDT NAT). In certain cases, an alternate sample from the same donation or an alternate NAT might have been used for retesting. In addition, selected blood banks serving areas with epidemic activity stopped using this MP NAT
screening algorithm and implemented IDT NAT screening during limited periods of the epidemic season. Donors of IDT NAT--reactive samples identified by either screening method were asked to participate in a BCA-directed follow-up study to confirm WNV infection and evaluate for the persistence of WNV RNA in blood samples collected subsequently. Both
follow-up samples and the index-donation samples were tested for WNV-specific IgM antibody. Donations that were IDT NAT--reactive were not released for transfusion; these donors were deferred from donating blood again until
> 28 days after the date of collection for the last NAT-reactive sample and the documented development of WNV-specific antibody.
To determine the sensitivity of the MP NAT--screening algorithm, certain BCAs performed retrospective testing studies in
selected areas that experienced high rates of viremic donations. In these studies, individual components of archived MP NAT--negative donation samples were retested by IDT NAT.
Surveillance Activities
For surveillance purposes, a donation that was repeatedly reactive on IDT NAT was considered to be from a
presumptive viremic donor (PVD). Cooperating local blood centers provided reports of PVDs (including donor age, sex, postal code, and date of donation) to state health departments, which provided reports to ArboNET, the national arbovirus surveillance system.
As of March 31, 2004, state and local health departments had reported 818 PVDs to ArboNET; dates of collection
ranged from June 25 to December 2, 2003 (Figure). Complete information was available for 811 (99%) of these PVDs; six (1%)
had West Nile viral encephalitis or meningitis subsequent to donation (median age: 45 years, range: 28--76 years), 137 (17%) had West Nile fever (median age: 46 years, range: 17--76 years), and 654 (81%) remained asymptomatic. Of the PVDs reported to ArboNET, 691 (85%) were residents of nine states (Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming). These states experienced WNV epidemics in 2003 and
accounted for 60% of reported cases of West Nile viral
encephalitis or meningitis.
WNV Transfusion-Associated Transmission Investigations
Since 2002, public health authorities have been encouraged to investigate reports of WNV illness among patients who
had received blood transfusions <4 weeks before illness onset and to report these suspected TAT cases to CDC. A probable TAT was defined as transfusion to a recipient who 1) had a confirmed WNV infection
(3 ) and 2) had received a blood product from
a NAT-reactive index donation associated with a donor with WNV-specific IgM antibody in the index donation or a
follow-up collection. A confirmed TAT case was defined as meeting the criteria for a probable case and having any one of the following criteria: 1) unlikely mosquito exposure during the 14 days before recipient illness onset; 2) testing of remaining diagnostic
samples from the hospitalized transfusion recipient
indicating that WNV infection occurred at the time of transfusion; or
3) transfusion of a co-component of the infectious
donation into another recipient who then had a confirmed WNV infection.
A case was classified as a noncase if WNV infection could not be confirmed in the recipient <4 weeks
after the implicated transfusions, if WNV RNA was not identified in any implicated donation, or if all implicated donors were seronegative for WNV. If samples were not available to satisfy the criteria for probable, confirmed, or noncase classification, the case
was considered inconclusive.
During 2003, a total of 23 suspected cases of WNV TAT were reported to CDC. Public health authorities reported
15 suspected cases of WNV TAT among patients who had WNV illness after receiving transfusions. Another eight suspected
cases were in recipients of components derived from low-level viremic donations that were identified during special
retrospective studies of MP-negative blood retested with IDT NAT by two BCAs. Follow-up of these eight cases was performed
to determine if WNV infection had resulted from the implicated transfusions. As a result of these 23 investigations, six cases were classified as confirmed or probable WNV TAT, 11 as noncases, and three as inconclusive. As of March 27, 2004, three
cases remained under investigation.
In each of these six confirmed or probable cases, the recipient received components from multiple donations; however,
only one infectious blood component was found in each case. All six of these infectious donations had been collected during July 29--September 18, 2003, and were not identified in MP screening. The median age of the six recipients was 63 years (range: 13--82 years); four had WNV encephalitis, one had West Nile fever, and one critically ill patient did not have
discernible WNV-compatible illness despite confirmed WNV infection. A sufficient index-donation sample was available to estimate the titer of the implicated donor's viremia in four of six cases: the median estimated viremia was 0.11 plaque-forming units
per milliliter (pfu/mL) (range: 0.06--0.5 pfu/mL). Two of these six cases were reported previously
(4 ); a description of a third case follows.
On August 31, 2003, a male aged 13 years was admitted to a hospital with multiple injuries. On September 1, he received three units of packed red blood cells. On September 9, after hospital discharge, he had a maculopapular rash. On
September 12, he was readmitted to the hospital with fever, headache, vomiting, and diarrhea, consistent with West Nile fever; blood drawn on that day was positive for WNV-specific IgM antibody.
The three transfused blood units had been collected during the second week of August 2003. No donors of this
blood reported symptoms of WNV illness before or after donation. Samples from these donations were nonreactive for WNV
RNA by MP NAT performed on six-specimen mini-pools. All other components derived from these three donations
were quarantined immediately; there were no co-component
recipients. Recalled plasma samples from the three
index donations were WNV IgM negative. One donor seroconverted evidenced by development of WNV-specific IgM antibody
in serum collected 50 days after donation. Recalled plasma from this donor was reactive when tested by IDT NAT.
CDC confirmed results by using polymerase chain reaction; the
estimated viral load was 0.09 pfu/mL. The recipient
recovered without sequelae.
Reported by: S Kleinman, MD, American Assoc of Blood Banks, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. M Busch, MD, Blood Systems
Research Institute, San Francisco, California. S Caglioti, Blood Systems Laboratories, Tempe, Arizona. SL Stramer, PhD, R Dodd, PhD, American Red Cross, Gaithersburg, Maryland. DM Strong, PhD, Puget Sound Blood Center, Seattle, Washington. W Dickey, MD, Belle Bonfils Memorial Blood
Center, Denver, Colorado. B Salvidar, MS, M Gilchrist, PhD, Univ of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory, Iowa City; S Brend, MPH, Iowa Dept of Public Health. H Nakhasi, PhD, J Epstein, MD, J Goodman, MD, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration.
M Chamberland, MD, M Kuehnert, MD, Div of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases. L Petersen, MD, N Crall, A Marfin, MD, Div of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases; T Boo, MD, S Montgomery, DVM, EIS officers, CDC.
Editorial Note:
Previous studies have documented that an estimated 80% of WNV-infected persons remain asymptomatic but are believed to have viremia lasting a median of 6.5 days
(5,6 ). Asymptomatic WNV-infected persons with viremia
likely represent the largest risk group of blood
donors. Because symptom screening at the time of blood donation will not
identify most viremic donors, screening by NAT was implemented rapidly to identify potentially infectious blood donations by detecting WNV RNA.
Use of blood-donor screening for WNV by NAT under the IND mechanism has enhanced the safety of the blood
supply. Despite this enhanced safety, documentation of the six WNV TAT cases in 2003 indicates that blood components containing low levels of virus might escape detection and that at least some of these might be infectious. Virus loads in infectious
donations were considerably lower in 2003 than in 2002 (1 ). In 2002, the estimated viremia levels in implicated
donations were 0.8--75 pfu/mL, compared with 0.06--0.5 pfu/mL for TAT cases during 2003. The reasons for this lower range are unclear, and the lower limit of donor viremia that can lead to transfusion-associated infection is unknown.
Data collected during 2003 will be considered by the blood supply community in collaboration with public
health authorities when developing screening strategies for 2004, when widespread seasonal transmission of WNV is
expected to continue. MP screening will continue to identify most persons who donate during the short viremic period, but prospective IDT might be implemented in regions with high WNV-infection rates (i.e., high MP-screening--test yields). However, the capacity of laboratory equipment and personnel for performing IDT and the availability of reagents are limited, and
the higher false-positive rate of IDT (compared with MP screening) could have a negative short-term impact on the availability of blood in these regions.
Approximately 4.5 million persons receive blood or blood products annually. Although persons needing blood
transfusions should be aware of the limited risk for WNV infection, the benefits of receiving needed transfusions outweigh the potential risk for WNV infection. In addition, blood donation poses no risk to the donor for acquiring WNV, and the U.S. Public Health Service encourages blood donation. FDA, CDC, and the
blood-collection community will continue to evaluate
WNV-screening strategies to ensure blood safety.
Acknowledgments
This report is based in part on contributions by L Pietrelli, Roche Molecular Systems, Alameda, California. T Gahan, L DesJardin PhD, Univ of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory, Iowa City, Iowa. RS Lanciotti, PhD, A Lambert, A Noga, R Hochbein, Div of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, CDC.
References
Pealer LN, Marfin AA, Petersen LR, et al. Transmission of West Nile virus through blood transfusion---United States, 2002. N Engl J
Med 2003;349:1236--45.
CDC. West Nile virus activity---United States, November 20--25, 2003. MMWR 2003;52:1160.
CDC. Epidemic/Epizootic West Nile virus in the United States: guidelines for surveillance, prevention, and control. Third revision, 2003. Available at
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/resources/wnv-guidelines-aug-2003.pdf
CDC. Update: Detection of West Nile virus in blood donations---United States, 2003. MMWR 2003;52:916--9.
Mostashari F, Bunning ML, Kitsutani PT, et al. Epidemic West Nile encephalitis, New York, 1999: results of a household-based
seroepidemiological survey. Lancet 2001;358:261--4.
Goldblum N, Sterk VV, Jasisnka-Klingberg W. The natural history of West Nile fever. II. Virological findings and the development
of homologous and heterologous antibodies in West Nile infections in man. Am J Hyg 1957;66:363--80.
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If left unchecked, inventory inaccuracy can lead to a negative feedback cycle of declining productivity and increasing inaccuracies resulting in a downward spiral where warehouse productivity declines and feeds even more inaccuracies in the system. Left to itself, inventory inaccuracy erodes profitability and warehouse efficiency in a big way.
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[show abstract] [hide abstract]ABSTRACT: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a complex polygenic autoimmune disease, is associated with increased complement activation. Variants of genes encoding complement regulator factor H (CFH) and five CFH-related proteins (CFHR1-CFHR5) within the chromosome 1q32 locus linked to SLE, have been associated with multiple human diseases and may contribute to dysregulated complement activation predisposing to SLE. We assessed 60 SNPs covering the CFH-CFHRs region for association with SLE in 15,864 case-control subjects derived from four ethnic groups. Significant allelic associations with SLE were detected in European Americans (EA) and African Americans (AA), which could be attributed to an intronic CFH SNP (rs6677604, in intron 11, P(meta) = 6.6×10(-8), OR = 1.18) and an intergenic SNP between CFHR1 and CFHR4 (rs16840639, P(meta) = 2.9×10(-7), OR = 1.17) rather than to previously identified disease-associated CFH exonic SNPs, including I62V, Y402H, A474A, and D936E. In addition, allelic association of rs6677604 with SLE was subsequently confirmed in Asians (AS). Haplotype analysis revealed that the underlying causal variant, tagged by rs6677604 and rs16840639, was localized to a ~146 kb block extending from intron 9 of CFH to downstream of CFHR1. Within this block, the deletion of CFHR3 and CFHR1 (CFHR3-1Δ), a likely causal variant measured using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, was tagged by rs6677604 in EA and AS and rs16840639 in AA, respectively. Deduced from genotypic associations of tag SNPs in EA, AA, and AS, homozygous deletion of CFHR3-1Δ (P(meta) = 3.2×10(-7), OR = 1.47) conferred a higher risk of SLE than heterozygous deletion (P(meta) = 3.5×10(-4), OR = 1.14). These results suggested that the CFHR3-1Δ deletion within the SLE-associated block, but not the previously described exonic SNPs of CFH, might contribute to the development of SLE in EA, AA, and AS, providing new insights into the role of complement regulators in the pathogenesis of SLE. PLoS Genetics 05/2011; 7(5):e1002079. · 8.69 Impact Factor


Why invest in ERP?
Introducing an ERP system is all encompassing in the impact it makes across departments previously existing as ‘functional silos’:
In this traditional business model, the business processes of each functional unit within an organization are focused inwards on meeting the functional objectives.
This becomes problematic when the direction of focus creates barriers that do not serve a reasonable business purpose and negatively impacts that unit’s ability to serve its role in the broader mission of the organization.
As a consequence much of the management resource is focused on managing the relationship between these functional silos rather than on getting the job done.


Issue #20
“How Much to Give?”
December, 1998 It is challenging to define how much
is enough to give. Enough is subjective, arbitrary.
Trying to apply a formula is ultimately unsatisfying,
as the circumstances surrounding wealth are different
for everyone. This issue details specific creative approaches
for individuals arriving at their own definition of
how much is enough to give.
(Please be patient, large file: 2,353K)


Local Authorities As large employers, many local authorities have needed support from Burnetts' employment law team: advice on discrimination, compromise agreements, TUPE or policy drafting have been key elements of our work.
Most local authorities also have a large number of properties to manage - Burnetts' six-strong commercial property law team has advised local authorities through rent reviews and other landlord and tenant matters, as well as providing expert advocacy during planning inquiries.
It is becoming increasingly common for councils to be part of joint ventures better to deliver services, but relevant legal expertise has been proved essential when entering into these agreements. Our experience has been vital in helping us to safeguard authorities' interests and ensure any newly developed products or commercial services are protected.


Somatosensory Evoked Potentials (SSEP) Somatosensory evoked potentials evaluate the nerve pathway from the arms and legs through the spinal cord to the brain. Somatosensory evoked potentials are used to:
Identify spinal cord injuries or diseases Identify neuromuscular disease and demyelineating diseases Monitor patients during surgery on the spine at the neck and chest levels Before having a somatosensory evoked potential, avoid drinking coffee or tea for four hours prior to the procedure. When the test is done, electrodes (small metal discs that receive electrical currents) will be taped or pasted to your scalp and along the nerve pathway on your neck and shoulders. A small electrical current is sent through a probe to the skin near a nerve on your wrist or ankle. This may be done several times. This makes a twitching or pulsating feeling in your wrist and ankle. Your thumb or big toe may twitch during the test. While the sensation may be unusual or slightly uncomfortable, most people don't consider this test painful. Each arm and leg is tested separately. A somatosensory evoked potential takes two to three hours. If the spinal cord is pinched, the electrical signals sent during the somatosensory evoked potential will travel slower than usual.
For an appointment, a second opinion or more information, please call 1-800-CEDARS-1 (1-800-233-2771) or e-mail us.


Dehydration It's not just your skin that's affected by the sun and heat. Summer also increases the risk for dehydration. This can be dangerous during pregnancy because it can compromise nourishment of the baby, increase the risk of blood clots, and even lead to preterm labor. In hot weather, your body cools itself by sweating, which can cause you to lose a significant amount of water, explains Sharon Phelan, MD, medical director of the maternity and infant care project at the University of New Mexico, in Albuquerque.
Signs of dehydration include a dry mouth, thirst or light-headedness, nausea, and abdominal cramping. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek rest in a cool place and drink water. If the symptoms don't subside within 30 minutes, call your doctor.
To prevent dehydration, you should try to drink at least 12 eight-ounce glasses of noncaffeinated fluids per day (as caffeine can actually dehydrate you), Dr. Phelan says. Incorporate into your diet lots of fruits and vegetables, which contain substantial amounts of water. "Your urine should be light yellow, and you should need to go to the bathroom every four hours," she adds.


My research centers on the role of bodies, places, and pictures in the ancient Christian imagination during the fourth through sixth centuries. This was a transitional and transformative time for ancient Christians (and new converts), as the previously banned religion became a religion tied to imperial power.
I am most interested in how Christians understood their relation to the material world. Can places be holy? Can the body be trusted or somehow trained to perceive or even reveal God? These questions are at the heart of The Memory of the Eyes: Pilgrims to Living Saints in Christian Late Antiquity (2000), which explores the role of the senses in early Christian pilgrims’ writings about their encounters with desert monastics and the biblical past.
Since the book, my attention has shifted from those who left home (e.g., pilgrims and monastics) to those who stayed put, namely, preachers and ordinary Christians. A central figure in my recent work is Romanos the Melodist, a sixth-century preacher from Constantinople. His sung sermons performed on feast days retold biblical events giving speech to new or neglected figures (e.g., Judas, the Virgin Mary, Peter, Satan, even personifications of Death).
I present my work in conferences on Early Christianity, Art History, Byzantine Studies, and Classics in the United States, France, Israel, and Britain.


On Thursday, September 23, 2010, the National Healthy Start Association held a briefing on Capitol Hill focused specifically on infant mortality. The event was titled, “Celebrate Day 366: Strategies to Reduce Infant Mortality and Ensure that Every Baby Has a Healthy Start.” Speakers at the event included NHSA Board Chair Lo Berry, NHSA Executive Director Stacy Cunningham, Congressman Steve Cohen, and representatives from the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Office of Minority Health. The second panel of speakers featured representatives from the March of Dimes, National Fatherhood Initiative and Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Coalition.
Over forty individuals attended the event, including Congressional staff, officials from federal agencies and representatives from other nonprofits that are committed to improved maternal and child health. This is the first time that a briefing has been held in the U.S. Capitol specifically to discuss infant mortality and highlight successful strategies to ensure healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. NHSA is committed to playing a leadership role in highlighting the tragedy of infant mortality and educating elected leaders about the need to increase support to disadvantaged mothers, babies and families.
After Congressman Cohen provided opening remarks, Lo Berry provided an overview of Healthy Start and examples of how the Healthy Start program in Tampa, FL has succeeded in improving birth outcomes. Stacey Cunningham highlighted the work of the National Healthy Start Association and served as moderator during the remainder of the briefing. The event concluded with a personal story offered by the Cooper family of Baltimore Healthy Start.
NHSA wishes to thank all who participated in yesterday’s successful briefing. To paraphrase the Deputy Director of the Office of Minority Health, Mirtha Beadle, the briefing was not the beginning nor end of this important work, but it was an important step in the process of eliminating racial health disparities!


For years, the 4% rule provided the baseline from which advisors launched retirement strategies, but those strategies simply aren’t cutting it any more. Enter annuities with some attractive riders.
A recent survey by John Hancock provides insights on a key area that advisors should try to address more directly: the failure of most people to prepare for the financial risk associated with the need for long-term care.
Looks like long-term care is still a source of confusion if not outright denial for most Americans.
A Government Accounting Office study of long-term care insurance finds that nearly half of government employees who had purchased coverage chose to accept a rate increase rather than accept reduced benefits.


2012 - Volume 35, Number 9
Editor, Karen Weller Swanson, Ed.D., Mercer University
Effective Science Instruction:
Impact on High-Stakes Assessment Performance
Carla C. Johnson
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
Danhui Zhang
Utah State University
Logan, UT
Jane Butler Kahle
Miami University
Broomfield, CO
Complete Article
Abstract This longitudinal prospective cohort study was conducted to determine the impact of effective science instruction on performance on high-stakes high school graduation assessments in science. This study provides powerful findings to support authentic science teaching to enhance long-term retention of learning and performance on state-mandated assessments. Students experienced some combination of zero to three effective teachers throughout their middle school experience. Findings revealed that all students who experienced effective science teachers who engaged students in inquiry-based science outperformed students who had less effective teachers. Additionally, those who had more effective teachers over time performed increasingly better. Implications for stakeholders will be discussed.
ISSN 1940-4476


Mining Giant chooses GeoVisionary 1 ActiveWall von Vale bedient sich einer aktiven... 2 ActiveWall von VALE im Betrieb mit der Anzeige... operating in 38 countries. Vale produces iron ore, pellets, nickel, fertilizers, copper, coal, cobalt, manganese and ferroalloys, as well as platinum group metals and precious metals. Any mineral extraction process involves copious amounts of geological research and geoscientists around the world have been increasingly following BGS’s trailblazing lead in using GeoVisionary to aid the visualisation of their complex data. Henry Galbiatti, Vale’s general manager for iron ore exploration, closed mines and manganese planning, explained: “From our offices in Belo Horizonte, we constantly have new projects in the pipeline. So, naturally, long term planning is crucial if we are to successfully bring our plans to fruition. The nature of our business is such that visualisation is vital. Prior to our discovery of GeoVisionary, we used a GIS platform across our projects and while we had a small level of 3D capability, we weren’t able to understand fully and interact with our data. When I visited the British Geological Survey’s (BGS) ActiveWall and also Northampton University’s ActiveCube, I saw at once that GeoVisionary running in a Virtual Reality (VR) environment was exactly what we were looking for.”
GeoVisionary was developed by Virtalis, in collaboration with BGS, as specialist software for the high-resolution visualisation of elevation and photography data overlaid with a wide range of geospatial data. The initial design goal was to ensure that data sets for large regions, national to sub-continental, could be loaded simultaneously and at full resolution, while allowing real-time interaction with the data. One of the major advantages GeoVisionary offers over other visualisation software (3 & 4D GIS) is its ability to integrate very large volumes of data from multiple sources, allowing a greater understanding of diverse spatial datasets.
The Virtalis ActiveWall is an installed, immersive, interactive 3D visualisation system. Vale’s ActiveWall draws on active stereo technology and features a custom rear-projection screen, specialist computer, Virtalis custom software and a powerful projector (Fig. 1). Movements within the ActiveWall environment are tracked using a tracking system. This added functionality alters the perspective of the visuals according to the user’s position and orientation within the scene to give a natural and accurate sense of relationship and scale. The hand held controller allows the immersive experience to be enhanced further. The user can navigate through the virtual world, pick and manipulate component parts in real-time and make decisions on the fly.
Vale’s ActiveWall is situated inside a dedicated room within the Long Term Planning Department (DIPF) (Fig. 2). Vale has also invested in a portable ActiveMove system and a multi-screen desktop VR system. As Vale’s staff becomes more experienced in GeoVisionary, they are providing Virtalis with valuable feedback for the creation of a specific mining module, as well and deciding what unique further tailoring is required for Vale. The Company is using GeoVisionary not just for exploration and mine management, but also as an environment for staff training.


International trade can be a challenging and highly rewarding business for both importers and exporters - but it’s not without risk!
Besides contractual and commercial conditions you may face, factors such as political, economic and transfer risk all have a bearing on whether your trade transaction is secure and profitable.
When evaluating your potential import or export contract, it’s important to assess where your risks lie and apply the most suitable terms of trade. Initially it may be prudent to seek advice from your bank to structure the most secure banking arrangements. As your relationship with your client develops, you might wish to review and perhaps relax the terms on which your future business is being concluded.
Whatever your international trade requirements might be, Bank Al Etihad can assist you by structuring and providing facilities to ensure your overseas trade business is both secure and efficient. We have a highly experienced team of Trade Finance specialists dedicated to offering you the best possible advice and guidance through the turbulent and sometimes uncharted waters of international trade finance.


Editor's Note:Last week, we debuted a new channel on CSRwire with Noble Profit to focus on short video interviews with key leaders in the sustainability field. These interviews share insights from corporate leaders who are actually creating profitable sustainable business practices and adopting clean tech, dispelling the myth that zero harm costs more.
Through these conversations, Noble Profit will explore the question of value, providing unique insight into today's trends with inventors, investors, sustainable business experts, and thought leaders. This week's interviewee: Wal Van Lierop, CEO and founder of Chrysalix, a clean tech venture capital firm in Vancouver.
____________________
What role does venture capital play in advancing innovation? In this interview with Noble Profit, Wal Van Lierop talks about the financial value of investing in clean energy such as nuclear fusion and addressing waste water issues as an enormous investment opportunity. There are three challenges facing us today, he says, the financial crisis, depleting hydrocarbons and our environment. We cannot solve either one of these without taking the other two into account, he says.
That's where innovation and venture capital comes in, he believes. Take a look!


Building a STEM Nation: Transforming STEM Education from the Ground-Up with Grants
Oct
15
Friday, October 15, 2010
Both reports emphasized the need for better recruitment strategies, teacher preparation and training, consistent standards, and access to technology. Highlighting how " the United States is faced with a clear and profound choice between action and complacency," the NSB argues for significant steps to invest in STEM education, similar to the U.S. response to Sputnik forty years ago.
None of this is exactly ground-breaking news to the educators, leaders, business managers, and other stakeholders who have long-noted America's future workforce is flirting dangerously with obtaining unmarketable skill sets for the 21st century economy. However, the revitalized impetus to act at the federal level is already providing new opportunities at the grassroots level for action.
Grant programs such as Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST), Transforming STEM Learning (TSL), and Discovery Research K-12 are key sources to fostering new STEM learning initiatives. These grant programs, administered under the National Science Foundation (NSF), seek to promote new research and demonstration on effective strategies to recruit students (particularly from underrepresented populations), educate them in innovative ways, and facilitate their successful progression to higher education and career pathways. These grants also prioritize collaboration between K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. Deadlines for all three are in early 2011.
Schools can also initiate or strengthen their STEM programs through grant programs less specific to the field. For example, the Smaller Learning Communities grant allows school districts to create separate groups of students in theme-focused academies. This grant would allow a school to carve out a separate school-within-a-school focused on a STEM curriculum. Similarly, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, intended to expand learning time for students, has been awarded to STEM academies that give students another outlet for education and growth.
Most recently, the Race to the Top and Investing in Innovation programs also featured a heavy emphasis on STEM learning (see GO Know September Issue, Special Report: Education Innovation). With the return of both programs possible in Fiscal Year 2011, grantseekers should gear up now for the lengthy application process common to both programs.
With Washington consumed by talk of deficits, the economy, and taxes, it's up to those working in or with local school districts to seize the initiative to advance STEM learning - even on a small scale. Grant funding, whether explicitly targeted towards STEM or more broadly focused on education, can facilitate these crucial building blocks to the future of students and the nation.


If the U.S. economy is to once again become globally competitive and driven by productive investment we need a tax code that provides generous incentives to invest in innovation and productivity while at the same time putting U.S. establishments that compete in global markets on a more level playing field with foreign competitors. Yet today’s partisan clash over taxes is the same one we have seen in every election for decades. Most Republicans insist that all taxes need to be reduced. Many Democrats insist on maintaining revenues needed for government programs they regard as critical and making sure “the wealthy pay their share.” However, this clash misses the point. Yes, we need lower taxes, but on businesses, not individuals. And we also need to expand investment


1. To practically confirm the theoretical work (simulations) performed in previous CMG studies
2. To validate the viability of using CMG’s as actuators on a microsatellite in a practical way
3. To confirm the agility and power efficiency that CMGs can potentially provide to microsatellites
CMG systems are considered to be in the literature more efficient devices from an electrical power point of view, than current actuators such as reaction/momentum wheels (RW/MW). Thus it becomes important to measure the electrical power consumption of a CMG system. These measurements are presented in this paper and then compared to two of SSTL's RWs. These RWs are currently operational and in orbit: SSTL's minisatellite UoSAT-12 RW and Tsinghua University's Tsinghua-1 microsatellite RW. CMGs are shown to have a potential performance advantage over RW/MW, for spacecraft with agile requirements.


Released: 9/14/2007 11:00 AM EDTSource Newsroom: Homeland Security's Science & Technology DirectorateNewswise — These days, a drive across a bridge is not always a pleasure cruise. Mindful of the war on terrorism, it can often be a cautious experience.
In one scenario, someone sets off a series of bombs to weaken the cables and the key structural connections of a major city bridge, all during rush hour. Not easy to do, but now thinkable. This summer, the possibility of sabotage was quickly examined—then dismissed—when the I35W bridge in Minneapolis tragically collapsed into the Mississippi River.
As authorities monitor and stand guard over bridges, the Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate is looking to scientists and engineers for the security technologies of tomorrow. What if, for instance, we could one day not only guard bridges but fortify them? Like Superman's blue suit, what if the cables and connections on bridges could be shielded with protective sleeves or covers, making them nearly impossible for the villains to penetrate?
This is the goal of the Directorate's bridge-strengthening research. Through a partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Engineer Research and Development Center, the Directorate's Infrastructure and Geophysical Division is testing current bridge designs and investigating advances in steel and reinforced concrete to explore whether such shields could work.
The first step is to determine which bridges and materials are most vulnerable, says Stanley Woodson, who oversees the project at the Center's Geotech and Structures Lab. A major focus, he says, are the cables and the support columns—or towers—that are used in the cable-stayed design of bridges. Unlike the cables of a suspension bridge, which are attached from tower to tower, the cables in a cable-stayed bridge are connected directly to accessible points along the horizontal bridge deck.
"In controlled experiments, Woodson's team has been re-creating the forces holding up these bridges and blowing up samples of their cables using various kinds of explosives," say Dr. Mary Ellen Hynes, director of the research. "They then use sophisticated software to analyze the impact and results."
"We tension the cables just like a real bridge," Woodson explains. "We want to see just how they'd react in an actual terrorist event."
The next step will be more complicated, says Woodson: Determining what material would suffice for another layer of protection, and what form it should take. "We're looking at the practical as well as the innovative," he says, recognizing the potential for high costs.
By the end of 2008, Woodson and his team will be imitating concrete bridge towers and subjecting them to the same explosive testing.