Scientists create protective windows

space age movement detection

POTSDAM, Germany (UPI) — German scientists say they have created windows and doors that can detect suspicious movements before a crime is committed and, if necessary, sound an alarm.

keep an eye out

A motion sensor developed at the Fraunhofer Institutes for Applied Polymer Research in Potsdam and by Computer Architecture and Software Technology in Berlin can enable window panes and glass doors to detect movements because of a special polymer coating.

“The glass is coated with a fluorescent material,” said IAP group manager Burkhard Elling. “The coating contains nanoparticles that convert light into fluorescent radiation.”

burglar

He said an ultraviolet lamp “illuminates” the window panes and generates fluorescent radiation in the coating that is channeled to the edges of the window, where it is detected by sensors. If someone steps into the light, less light reaches the coating and less fluorescent radiation is produced. If several sensors are installed on all four sides of the window frame, conclusions can be drawn from the data as to how fast and in what direction an object is moving.

Elling said size can also be estimated by the sensors. Is it a small creature such as a bird or is it a person? The threshold for the alarm can be set, so that moving objects the size of birds, for example, do not trigger an alarm.

flying bird

IT IS SAID THAT WALLS HAVE EARS-WINDOWS

NOW WINDOWS AND  DOORS HAVE EYES

A demonstrator system already exists, and the researchers now say they plan to refine the technology.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 24th March 2009

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Craving a cigarette?

How about 4,000 lethal chemicals?

New poster puts smoking hazards gives you a realty check.

So you think smoking is OK. Think again. Facts now revealed.

A global information design consultancy, has created “Put It Out,” an illustrated poster showing in no uncertain terms the lethal chemicals — including arsenic, methane and formaldehyde — ingested from each cigarette and what some of the harsh health facts are surrounding smoking. The 11×17? poster can be viewed and downloaded at www.xplane.com/4000.

DO NOT SMOKE POSTER

Created by a team of world-class graphic designers, the poster is intended to educate, inform and create a dialogue amongst the general public relating to the ongoing issues associated with smoking. Released under the Creative Commons 3.0 Unported License, the poster can be downloaded and used by health organizations and other individuals wishing to spread the word about what harmfull substances go into each cigarette.

Sourced and Published by Henry Sapiecha 24th March 2009

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TWELVE MINEROLIGISTS FROM ITALY

Specimen Sulphur Crystals

Italian Mineralogist Calendar (YMCCI)

Italian Scientists Calendar

A perpetual calendar celebrating 12 important Italian Scientists that have given significant contributions to the development on Mineralogy. For each one picture, biograpy, original signature, main opera and mineral that has been dedicated to. Plus Plinius and Steno biograpies, two great contributors to mineralogy science.

Contents: Covelli, Scacchi, Struever, Bombicci, Mercalli, Spezia, Sella, Artini, Guglielmini, Biringuccio, D’Achiardi, Zambonini.

Italian language.

Size: 29 x 21 cm.

Some of the scientists are featured below here

Sella Quintino

Stensen Nicolaus

Struever Giovanni

Zambonini Ferruccio

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 22nd March 2009

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REVERSE OSMOSIS CREATES DRINKING WATER

REVERSE OSMOSIS PLANT

In some regions of the world, the lack of a primary source such as water, could become a determining factor for economic and political instability whereas nearly 40% of the world’s population relies on river systems that cross two or more countries.
The increasing awareness towards the issue of water, as a precious and irreplaceable wealth, encourages some countries to make enormous investments to increase its availability of drinking water. The fact that the largest source of available water lies in the sea favours the research and investment in the realisation of efficient desalination plants.

FLOATING ON SEA WATER

In this period of impending crisis it’s up to technology to propose solutions that are reliable, feasible, with low environmental impact and with sustainable costs for the economies of the poorest areas of the globe.
The technologies used for the desalination of seawater are based on membrane processes, where the “heart” of the system is represented by Reverse Osmosis. BONO Artes has made some innovation in these technologies through the construction of plants capable of producing drinking water with reduced energy consumption.

Through the experience gained over the years, BONO Artes has provided a plant for the desalination of seawater for the “Peru LNG” project, the largest ever undertaken in Peru and all of South America for the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG), developed by the US company, CB&I, leader in the realisation of industrial complexes in the energy and natural resources field.
The BONO Artes supply is an innovative system capable of obtaining both pure water, to be employed for industrial purposes and pure drinking water meeting the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) for human consumption.

The process occurs through two phases:
- The first stage consists of pre-treatment with two multilayer filters that allow the removal of suspended solids from water
- The second stage allows the production of deionized water through double step reverse osmosis.

At this point, part of the deionized water is used for feeding the boiler, while the remainder is further treated and made drinkable for human consumption at the nearby field site.

PURE DRINKING WATER

To cope with the energy necessary for the operation of the plant, BONO Artes has adopted a system that allows a turbine to recover energy from the residual pressure of the reverse osmosis concentrate in order to significantly reduce operation costs.
Another critical factor for this contract was the choice of materials since the plant was to be installed in the desert region of Peru. So, in the choice of materials, both the high salinity of seawater and the extreme conditions of operation imposed by the arid regions of South America, had to be taken into consideration.

Right now the plant is running at full speed with excellent results, both from the point of view of water quality, and cost efficiency. This success highlights the ability of BONO Artes to find solutions to deal with any type of water, even in extreme conditions, anywhere in the world.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 20th March 2009

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Type and amount of drink Sugar approx teaspoons/pack

DRINKS TO COMPARE

Regular can of soft drink (375 ml) 9-13
375 ml can – Cola 9-11
375 ml can – Diet cola 0
375ml can – Carbonated mineral water 0
250 ml pack – Pure fruit juice 4-9
300 ml bottle – Fruit juice and mineral water 5-8
250 ml pack – Fruit juice drink 5-9
300ml carton – Normal, full fat milk 4
300 ml carton – Chocolate flavoured milk 6-8

MAN DRINKS WATER

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha Feb 2009

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Food and Drug Administration

Experimental Drugs Released from GMP regulations

FOOD DRUGS ADMINISTRATION

Experimental drugs in Phase I development will be exempt from some good manufacturing practice (GMP) regulations, according to a final rule published by the FDA. Both small molecule drugs and biologicals were covered on Sept. 15, 2008. The agency has also issued a guidance document containing recommended approaches for complying with those GMP requirements that still apply to these drugs.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha Feb 2009

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Making a beeline for the door??

Think about this…..

FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLE BEE?

Question: Is it true that the laws of physics make it impossible for bumblebees to fly? They seem to be able to, in defiance of physics. Why?

Answer: It is true that a basic equation from aeronautics makes the flight of the bumblebee impossible. The equation relates the thrust required for an object to fly to its mass and the surface area of its wings. In the case of bees, this means the small animal would have to do an impossible amount of work to get airborne.

So how does the tireless bumblebee pull off the flying feat?

Well, the equation is flawed. It assumes that a stationary object rather than one with flapping wings is trying to fly. The bumblebee is not one to depend on a passing breeze to take flight, right? The power is in the flapping, and a little wind can only help.

Notation and published by Henry Sapiecha Feb 2009

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EPA Identifies more toxic elements in drinking water.

HOW SAFE IS THIS?

In its draft “Contaminant Candidate List” (CCL), the U.S. EPA recently identified 11 microbes and 93 chemicals, including pesticides, solvents, plasticizers, foaming agents and other elements as contaminants in drinking water that could be regulated by the EPA.. Being on the list does not necessararily mean a substance will be subject to restrictions. Substances on the list are under review by the agency, according to a press release, because they are “known or anticipated to occur in public water systems.” The list was generated in response to requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act that require the EPA to determine whether or not new regulations are required.

HIDDEN TOXINS?

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha Feb 2009

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The importance of keeping research records

KEEP ALERT WITH RECORDS

In the year 1997, Alberto Stampa filed a US provisional patent application claiming a process for making loratadine, the active ingredient in the allergy medication Claritin®. A director and co-founder of the pharmaceutical company Medichem, Stampa knew that a strong intellectual property portfolio was pivotal to the growth of his company.

Unbeknown to Stampa, another Spanish pharmaceutical company, Rolabo S.L., had already filed a patent application claiming the same chemical process, about three months earlier.

In many countries, Rolabo S.L. would have a right to a patent for the invention as they were the first to file a patent application (this is usually referred to as a “first to file” system). In the United States, however, the situation is not as clear cut.

Under US practice, if two or more patent applications are filed for the same invention, the patent will be granted to the application with the earliest date of invention. If the date of invention is in dispute, the patent will typically be awarded to the inventor who can show that they were the first to conceive the invention and reduce it to practice.

KEEP RESEARCH RECORDS

Proof of conception and reduction to practice must be in the form of documentary evidence, preferably as a laboratory notebook. KEEP RECORDS..!It is vital, however, that inventors ensure that their laboratory notebooks meet the stringent US requirements for conception and reduction to practice.

Conception

“Conception” takes place when the inventor has a definite and permanent idea of the complete and operable invention, but has not made a working model. To prove conception, the inventor should provide in the notebook a complete written description of the invention, including drawings (if applicable), ensuring that all aspects covered by the invention are recited. The inventor should also provide a description envisaging how the invention will be put into effect. Entries made in a laboratory workbook should be witnessed and the witness should state that they understood the conception of the invention.

RESEARCH SCIENTISTS

Reduction to practice

“Reduction to practice” is taken when a working model of the invention is made and shown to work. The invention need not reach the stage of perfection required for commercial exploitation. However, the inventor must be able to show that the invention does operate, even if poorly, in its intended functional setting. Preferably, the reduction to practice of an invention should be either directly observed by a witness, or a witness should independently reproduce the results.

Where there is a lack of corroborative evidence to substantiate a claim of actual reduction to practice, reduction to practice of an invention is deemed to have occurred when a patent application is filed.

The dispute between Stampa and Rolabo S.L. came to a head before the United States Court of Appeal for the Federal Circuit. During the proceedings, Stampa submitted several documents in support of his claim to the earlier date of invention; namely that he was in possession of the claimed process for making loratadine before the filing date of Rolabo’s application. The documents submitted included NMR data and inventors’ notebooks.

COURT DELIBERATION ON PATENT

While the Court of Appeal acknowledged that the NMR data showed that Stampa was in possession of the compound loratadine before Rolabo, the notebooks provided no evidence whatsoever that the compound was manufactured by the claimed process. The Court of Appeal also held that the laboratory notebooks had minimal corroborative value because they had not been witnessed! As a result, the Court of Appeal found that Rolabo S.L. had the earlier date of invention and thus retained the right to the patent for this invention.

The Stampa case clearly shows that in the event a laboratory notebook cannot be used as corroborative evidence, the date of the invention may be shifted to the date of filing of the US patent application.

A laboratory notebook is an important document that could play a pivotal role in deciding who has rights to an invention in the United States. To ensure that the entries in a laboratory notebook have good corroborative value, all entries in a notebook should:

WITNESS THE RECORDS DAILY

1. Clearly describe conception and reduction to practice
2. Be signed by the researcher on a daily basis
3. Be witnessed by another party who understands the work but who would not be considered an inventor; and
4. Demonstrate that reasonable diligence was carried out in moving from conception to reduction in practice.
5. Dr Alex Tzanidis
6. is an Associate of Phillips Ormonde & Fitzpatrick, patent & trade mark attorneys, specialising in the field of biotechnology.
7. The information contained in this article is not legal advice. If you do have a legal enquiry you should talk to a Solicitor or Trade Mark Attorney before making a decision about what to do
8. Sourced from anthill by Henry Sapiecha Feb 2009
   

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Iran continues to get high-tech equipment

Iran dupes US sanctions

WASHINGTON (UPI) — Iran has been able to evade U.S. attempts to bar imports of sophisticated technology through front companies and use of the Internet, The Washington Post said.

A report by the Institute for Science and Security and Justice Department says Iran has acquired Global Positioning devices along with circuit boards and software for improvised explosive devices in the past two years. They are on the list of items banned from export to Iran.

The Bush administration approved sanctions against Iranian front companies in Dubai in 2006. But officials say that after a brief disruption in the flow of high-tech equipment, Iran found other routes.

U.S. companies are unwittingly supplying Iran, not realizing that the apparent buyers are fronts.

“The schemes are so elaborate, even the most scrupulous companies can be deceived,” said David Albright, ISIS president and one of the authors of the study.

Article by United Press International

Published by Henry Sapiecha   Jan – 2009

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