THE MONTHLY TECHNOLOGY COLUMN FEATURING TIMELY TECH TRENDS, TIPS AND UPDATES Compiled by Bill Beggs Jr. For inclusion in tech tidbits: Please e-mail your tech information as a press release to: meg@sggdesign.com Washington University Researchers Prevent Diabetes, Hypertension in Mice Interrupting nerve signals to the liver can prevent diabetes and hypertension in mice, according to scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The research team surgically removed the vagus nerve in mice and found the procedure prevented or reversed the development of insulin resistance and high blood pressure in mice that had been primed to develop these disorders. Researchers aren’t sure whether the same will hold true for humans, but think that somehow altering vagal nerve activity could provide a novel approach for treating these common metabolic disorders. The process seems to be mediated by communication between the liver cells, the liver branch of the vagus nerve and its signals to the brain, researchers say. Abengoa Bioenergy Gets Multimillion-Dollar DOE Grant The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded Abengoa Bioenergy a financial assistance grant of up to $76 million to design, construct, and operate a first-of-its-kind commercial facility to produce ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. The award is part of the DOE program to promote the demonstration and commercial deployment of lignocellulosic conversion technology for ethanol production. Lignocellulosic biomass consists of the leaves, stems, stalks and woody portions of plants (usually corn and soybeans) also used to produce ethanol. The program is part of the President’s Clean Fuels Initiative, which provides funding on a cost-shared basis over three years to support the design, construction, and operation of U.S. lignocellulosic biorefineries in the United States. Abengoa Bioenergy applied for this program with an ambitious project whose annual production goal is 100 million gallons. When completed, the facility will produce 15 million gallons derived from lignocellulosic biomass and 85 million gallons from starch. It is scheduled to operate toward the end of 2010 with a total estimated cost of more than $300 million. Stereotaxis Awards New Clinical Trials to LifeTree eClinical Stereotaxis Inc. has awarded a third contract for e-clinical services to LifeTree eClinical, a Temecula, Calif.-based provider of clinical electronic data capture (EDC) and analysis systems. The six-month study will include 100 patients at five sites. Stereotaxis will use LifeTree’s EDC solution to record clinical data for the study. Stereotaxis, which develops instruments to enhance the treatment of coronary artery disease and arrhythmias, has been using LifeTree’s system since 2005. Stereotaxis designs, manufactures and markets an advanced cardiology instrument control system for use in a hospital’s interventional surgical suite to enhance the treatment of coronary artery disease and arrhythmias. The system is designed to enable physicians to complete more complex interventional procedures by providing image-guided delivery of catheters and guidewires through the blood vessels and chambers of the heart to treatment sites. Computer-controlled, externally applied magnetic fields govern the motion of the working tip of the catheter or guidewire.

April 2007 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cover Story: The Lou’s Got a New Urban Attitude ULI’s Young Leaders Group Richard Ward & Dick Shepard Grand Prix Speedways - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.stlrcga.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Art Partners The NEW North St. Louis The Black Rep Carl’s Drive-in - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -