Public health

Cornell researchers find waste treatment kills deadly avian flu
Studies on a similar but less-virulent strain show that UV, chlorine, and digesters are almost equally effective in killing it; avian flu already known to do poorly outside of host; study should lift the hopes of municipal water suppliers
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MedImmune's FluMist vaccine wins FDA approval
Nasal spray flu vaccine has been re-engineered to permit refrigerated storage; previously approved product required freezing, but this made it hard for pharmacies and schools to keep in stock; roll-out expected in August for 2007-08 flu season
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Dutch researchers use laser light to quickly identify pathogens
Device offers a unique approach to the handheld virus detection challenge; laser light interacts with antibodies to create distinctive patterns that indicate high concentrations; prototype to be developed with help from Paradocs Group
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New York researchers use copper and hydrogen peroxide to clean water
Scientists adapt the Fenton reaction to clean contaminated sites; free radicals kill bacteria but leave a lot of unwanted copper behind; resulting water is clean but not drinkable; technology will not be available for at least five years
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CDC awards $3.7 million in Biosense grants
Researchers at New York City’s Department of Health and Hygiene, the University of Utah, and Johns Hopkins University to investigate improved ways of sharing critical health surveillance data
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NYC bioterror center a model in public health planning
Citigroup provides the bulk of the financing for expanded decontamination facility at Downtown Hospital; open-air design, inspired by a similar Israeli center, permits rapid decontamination without compromising the safety of other patients
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DHS releases 2007 state and municipal grant funding levels
Urban Areas Security Initiative and Citizen Corps Program receive mild funding boosts; other programs see minor losses; DHS gives risk assessment the old college try
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Hematech clones prion-free cows
Breakthrough a major step in fighting mad cow disease; cloned animals shown at least partially immune to infection; Hematech hopes to improve the safety of its pharmaceutical line
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CBP and USDA crack down on Canadian lunches
Truckers crossing the border find their salami sandwiches under suspicion; fears of mad caw and other food-borne illness inspire scrutiny; CBP targets those already singled out for further cargo inspection
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E-capsule monitors cow health from the inside
Israeli company Veterix develops an electronic pill that reports on animal temperature, heart rate, and digestive activity; farmers receive wireless diagnostics that permit swift identification of the sick; improved monitoring of livestock health key to preventing ourbreaks of E. coli and other livestock diseases.
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Colorado researcher to test natural mustard gas cure
Milk thistle has shown remarkable ability to prevent skin cancer; $2.7 million contract will explore whether similar mechanism may obtain for mustard gas exposure; researcher hopes to create an ointment to be applied post-attack
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Affinium wins $4.8 DTRA contract to fight tularemia
Company will begin preclinical development using an existing portfolio of fatty biosysnthesis inhibitors; end goal is an oral tularemia therapeutic; effort builds on previous work for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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SAIC wins $53 million deal to move WMD models on-line
Integrated Weapons of Mass Destruction Toolset has been in development since 2004; moving on-line critical to dispersing data to first responders; physics-based models assess terrain, wind patterns, and other factors
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Low morale plagues DHS agriculture workers
Merger into Customs and Border Protection a major source of problems; agriculturalists see mission overshadowed by other CBP priorities; DHS says problems were expected
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AWWA and ASCE publish draft water safety regulations
Third phase of voluntary standards covers physical security at water and wastewater industries; grant program funded by EPA; interested parties have until June to comment
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