Volume V Issue 8
August 2009 |
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 Tornado
Research Blog
 VORTEX2,
or Verification of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment 2, is the largest
attempt in history to study the origin, structure and evolution of
tornadoes. Now, members of the public can follow live reports from
scientists involved in the project, funded by the National Science
Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Atmospheric scientist Josh Wurman of the Center for Severe Weather
Research in Boulder, CO, a participant in Vortex 2, has now started a
blog, allowing members of the public an inside glimpse of the action.
Some of the questions the teams hope to answer include: How, when and
why do tornadoes form? Why are some tornadoes violent and long-lasting,
while others are weak and short-lived? What is the structure of
tornadoes? How strong are the winds near the ground and how exactly do
they do damage? How can we learn to better forecast tornadoes? For
daily updates on progress on VORTEX2, including photos and video from
the field, follow the
blog. Atmospheric scientists, commonly called meteorologists, study
the atmosphere's physical characteristics, motions, and processes, and
the way in which these factors affect the rest of our environment.
 Explore
careers in
atmospheric science...
Engineering
Flu Vaccines
 A
new computerized method of testing could help world health officials
better identify flu vaccines that are effective against multiple strains
of the disease. Rice University scientists who created the method say
tests of data from bird flu and seasonal flu outbreaks suggest their
method can better gauge the efficacy of proposed vaccines than can tests
used today. Scientists and world health authorities are always trying to
prepare for a potential flu outbreak. Because the flu virus mutates
continually, creating a vaccine in advance is problematic. World health
authorities currently test the efficacy of proposed flu vaccines using
either ferrets, which can contract the same forms of flu as people, or
genetic assays. Rice's new computerized method could be a cheaper and
faster alternative. With the new method, flu virus mutations are
assigned numerical scores. The researchers then assign a number that
captures the amount of difference or similarity between strains. The
method can be used to test how effective a vaccine will be against
divergent strains. Influenza viruses are like chameleons. They
constantly change the patterns on their outer surface to avoid being
targeted by antibodies. Find out more at
www.rice.edu.
Find
out more about career paths in
science
and engineering...
Sea
Animals Adapt to Volcano Living
 Scientists
who recently returned from an expedition to an erupting undersea volcano
near the Island of Guam report that the volcano appears to be
continuously active, has grown considerably in size during the past
three years, and its activity supports a unique biological community
thriving despite the eruptions. An international science team on the
expedition captured dramatic new information about the eruptive activity
of NW Rota-1, the only place on Earth where a deep submarine volcano has
ever been directly observed while erupting. Bill Chadwick, an Oregon
State University (OSU) volcanologist and chief investigator on the
expedition, says that they discovered that the volcano had built a new
cone 40 meters high and 300 meters wide. Chadwick notes that "as the
cone has grown, we've seen a significant increase in the population of
animals that lives atop the volcano. We're trying to determine if there
is a direct connection between the increase in the volcanic activity and
that population increase." Animals in this unusual ecosystem include
shrimp, crab, limpets and barnacles, some of which are new species.
"They're specially adapted to their environment," said Chadwick, "and
are thriving in harsh chemical conditions that would be toxic to normal
marine life.
Find
out more about careers in
science
and biology...
Degree
Profile: Actuarial Science
 One
of the main functions of actuaries is to help businesses assess the risk
of certain events occurring and to formulate policies that minimize the
cost of that risk. For this reason, actuaries are essential to the
insurance industry. Actuaries assemble and analyze data to estimate the
probability and likely cost of the occurrence of an event such as death,
sickness, injury, disability, or loss of property. Actuaries also
address financial questions, including those involving the level of
pension contributions required to produce a certain retirement income
and the way in which a company should invest resources to maximize its
return on investments in light of potential risk.
Using their broad knowledge of statistics, finance, and business,
actuaries help design insurance policies, pension plans, and other
financial strategies in a manner which will help ensure that the plans
are maintained on a sound financial basis.
 Actuaries
hold about 18,000 jobs in the U.S., and most actuaries are employed in
the insurance industry, specializing in life and health insurance or
property and casualty insurance. Actuaries in other financial services
industries manage credit and price corporate security offerings.
Applicants for beginning actuarial jobs usually have a bachelor's degree
in mathematics, actuarial science, statistics, or a business-related
discipline such as economics, finance, or accounting. The median annual
earnings of actuaries is $82,800.
Find
out more about a career as a
actuarial
science...
Electronic
Patient Records and Education
 Brigham
& Women's Hospital recently partnered with Krames, a health information
solutions company, to institute a new electronic plan for patient
education. "Our medical surgical floors deal with so many diagnoses
making it virtually impossible to store printed materials," explained
Ann Furey, RN MBA, patient education program manager at the Boston
Hospital. "The database of materials at our nurses' fingertips is a
great benefit for our team and ultimately, our patients." The
"On-Demand" system features a library of over 3,000 information sheets
spanning 38 medical specialty areas, plus over 2,000 medication
information sheets. All the content is available in English and Spanish
with subsets of content available in several other languages. The
resource has helped improve staff efficiency as well, according to Furey,
"More and more of the nursing documentation is occurring online, be it
medication administration, nursing assessments or flow sheets. The fact
that we can easily access patient education online fits into our
workflow. And, with the ability to edit the Krames content, it reduces
the amount of education materials that have to be created from scratch."
But patient education is
not the only aspect of healthcare that is becoming more automated in the
U.S. Currently, only about 8% of the nation's 5,000 hospitals and 17% of
its 800,000 physicians have modernized their systems by making their
health records standardized and electronic. The trend toward electronic
medical records is likely to expand with a boost from stimulus funds in
the United States. As technology becomes more and more critical to the
healthcare industry, many careers are expanding to help meet the need
for technologically savvy staff to support hospitals, private practices,
and nursing homes. Medical records and health information technicians,
for example, organize and evaluate medical records for completeness and
accuracy. They are increasingly using computer programs to tabulate and
analyze data to improve patient care, better control cost, provide
documentation for use in legal actions, or use in research studies. In
addition software engineers are developing specialized and customized
software designed to streamline all aspects of the healthcare industry.
Find
out more about careers in
healthcare and engineering...
Catnip:
A Natural Insect Repellent?
 DuPont
recently received registration from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) for an insect repellent ingredient derived from the catmint
plant, a sustainable resource more commonly known and loved by felines
worldwide as catnip. The new ingredient, Refined Oil of Nepeta cataria,
is the first new insect repellent biopesticide to be registered by the
EPA in eight years. "This new, natural ingredient is particularly
exciting because it repels a broad range of biting insects with
effectiveness similar to synthetic ingredients such as DEET.
 Unlike
other repellants on the market today, natural refined catmint oil can be
reapplied often in contrast to other common repellents," said Henry
Bryndza, director of chemical science and engineering for DuPont Central
Research & Development. Potential markets for the new insect repellent
include topical personal care products such as sun block lotions,
sprays, wipes and insect repellent candles. It could also potentially be
formulated into sunscreen because of its ability to be reapplied. The
catmint oil is harvested from catmint plants selected for their
abilities to produce higher amounts of the active ingredient. Many
homeowners use catmint as an ornamental in their outdoor landscaping;
however, producing insect repellent from the plants is not
straightforward. Unrefined, the oil is a skin sensitizer. The refining
innovation developed by DuPont makes it possible to apply directly.
Find
out more about careers in
biology
and chemical engineering...
Powered
by Chocolate, Steered by Carrots
 Researchers
at the University of Warwick have unveiled a Formula 3 racing car
powered by chocolate, steered by carrots, with a body made from potatoes
that can do 125mph around corners. The researchers decided to build a
competitive racing made from sustainable and renewable materials. The
car meets all the Formula 3 racing standards except for its biodiesel
engine which is configured to run on fuel derived from waste chocolate
and vegetable oil. Formula 3 cars currently cannot use biodiesel.
Components made from plants form the mainstay of the car's make up,
including a race specification steering wheel derived from carrots and
other root vegetables, a flax fibre and soybean oil foam racing seat, a
woven flax fibre bib, plant oil based lubricants and a biodiesel engine
configured to run on fuel derived from waste chocolate and vegetable
oil.
Find
out about careers in science
and engineering...
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