Search Results for: Research

BY MATTHEW BRACE
AN INNOVATION in optical fibre technology developed in Australia has opened the way for an advance in medical imaging inside the human body, as well as significantly speeding up the capacity of personal computers. The development of hollow optic fibres made from Perspex has been achieved by a team from the Australian Photonics Cooperative Research Centre (APCRC) and the University of Sydney’s Optical Fibre Technology Centre.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
AN EU-supported research scheme has developed practical guidelines on recycling waste from 19 food production processes. AWARENET worked out technical solutions for recycling its oils, sugars, vitamins, colorants and antioxidants. *http://ica.cordis.lu/search/index.cfm?fuseaction=proj.simpledocument&PJ_RCN=5059864&CFID=58430&CFTOKEN=21966306…

KEITH NUTHALL
GREEK and American researchers say they have developed a fuel-cell reactor which can produce hydrogen from ethanol. Scientists from the universities of Patras and Minnesota claim that the invention could be a major advance in creating viable hydrogen-based energy systems, because the technology could be used in small fuel cells generating 350 watt-hours of electricity.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
TWO Australian drugs based on the human flu virus have proved effective against bird flu (H5N1 virus) in the laboratory, claims the country’s leading science body, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). It said in tests (including pre-clinical trials), flu drug Relenza and Tamiflu have shown effectiveness against the disease.…

BY MATTHEW BRACE
AUSTRALIA’S Cooperative Research Centre for Mining has invented a Dragline Dutymeter, which can help raise the operational capacity of a dragline by up to 25 per cent. It is an early warning system to alert operators in real time to actions, which can rapidly degrade the machine’s reliability.…

BY ALAN OSBORN, in London
THE EUROPEAN Commission has ordered a study of the merits of inter-specific vines, or hybrids, signalling the possible future acceptance of such vines in the European Union wine industry. Until now EU regulations have banned their use for

appellation wines, largely because of pressure from France and other countries anxious to preserve the “pure” traditional varieties grown in natural habitats.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
STUDIES into the environmental conditions sparking asthma and allergies in Europe are to be carried out by an expert network (GA2LEN) funded by Euro 14.4 million in EU research grants. The initiative involves 650 researchers in 16 countries and will investigate national contrasts in allergy rates.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE USE of acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) as a plasticiser in children’s toys is not only safe, but current risk assessment models are reliable, European Union (EU) scientists have ruled. The European Commission’s scientific committee on toxicity, ecotoxicity and the environment (CSTEE) has concluded that Toxicology/Regulatory Services Inc.’s…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
A EUROPEAN Union research project has developed ways to exploit tomato waste as a source of sugars. The TOM project says around 4 million tonnes of tomato dregs are disposed of in Europe annually, with especially seeds, containing many nutrients.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
STUDIES into the environmental conditions sparking asthma and allergies in Europe are to be carried out by an expert network (GA2LEN) funded by Euro 14.4 million in EU research grants. The initiative involves 650 researchers in 16 countries and will investigate national contrasts in allergy rates ranging between 32 per cent for British teenagers and 2.6 per cent for Albanian teens.…