Blog Post

November FDA Update – Development of Zika Virus Pathology Model

William Salage

Scientists at FDA have developed a neonatal mouse model that provides a platform for potentially improving studies to understand the pathology of the Zika virus. The model was published in PLoS Pathogens, is the description of a neonatal mouse model that provides a platform for potentially improving and expediting studies to understand the causes and effects (pathology) of the Zika virus.

This medical advancement is sorely needed in the fight against Zika. The recent spread of the Zika virus and its association with increased rates of neurological disorders and complex congenital syndromes, such as microcephaly in babies and Guillain-Barré Syndrome in adults, has created an urgent need for animal models to examine the virus’ pathology. Better understanding the impact and long-term effects of the Zika virus infection in mice may be useful in efforts to find ways to combat it in a human population. While past research indicated that only mice with compromised immune systems are susceptible to Zika virus infection, this study shows that neonatal mice with otherwise healthy immune systems are also susceptible.

The new model, described in PLoS Pathogens, uses the C57BL/6 mouse strain. Neonatal mice of this strain are susceptible to the Zika virus, per FDA researchers, and the mice develop neurological symptoms 12 days after infection.

Most encouraging however, the FDA agency is also working on ways to respond to the Zika virus outbreak including protecting the US supply of blood, human cells, tissues, and tissue-based products. FDA is accomplishing this goal by incenting and prioritizing the “development of diagnostic tests to help clinicians detect and diagnose Zika virus infection, and evaluating the safety and efficacy of any investigational vaccines and therapeutics that are currently in various stages of early development.”

What Trump Means for Technology

Shamsheer Kailey

With Donald Trump having been elected as the new President of USA, attention has shifted to how his policies will impact various fields – one of them being technology. While Obama’s policies were pro-innovation, there are a lot of uncertainties with Trump and his policies. A US based nonprofit group, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, conducted research pulling together what Trump has said about technology and what that means for technology.

Privacy and encryption

Post the shootings in San Bernardino, FBI asked Apple to assist in investigation by weakening its encryption on the iPhone, something Apple refused to comply with. Trump was of different opinion. He said at a Campaign rally in February 2016, “Boycott Apple until such time as they give that information.”

Trump also mentioned restoring the Patriot Act which gives NSA the power to collect data in bulk on American’s phone records. Mr. Trump seems to favor security over privacy and it is currently difficult to say how far he will go with the policies on security.

Bringing foreign talent to Silicon Valley

Tech firms depend on HI-B visa to fill ranks with skilled developers. Though temporary visa, companies can sponsor the employee to remain in US indefinitely.

In a CNN Republican debate held in March 2016, Trump said that even though he uses H1-B visa for his employees, it is bad for business and the workers and should not be used. He seems to believe that the visa is used to bring cheap and skilled labor.

It is possible that Trump may either alter or abolish the visa to put an end to what he sees as the abuses of the current system.

America’s readiness for cyberware

Cyberattacks are becoming more prevalent and Forrester Research predicted that the new President will face a cybercrisis within the first 100 days.

When asked how he would handle such cyber attacks from stateless hacking groups, Trump gave a very incoherent answer showing no understanding of the gravity of the matter.

Though Mr. Trump didn’t provide a clear answer, his campaign website states “immediate review of all US cyber defences and vulnerabilities” as a description of what he would do. He has also been in favor of developing US’s offensive capabilities in order to retaliate against such attacks.

Net Neutrality

Internet Services Providers would like to charge data-intensive services such as Netflix to be in the internet fast lane. This approach has been criticized since as of now we have net neutrality – all traffic on internet is treated equally.

Trump did not display an understanding of net neutrality based on his tweet on Twitter on the subject. The topic doesn’t seem to be high on his priority list, however the US court system has come out in favor of neutrality principles.

The future of energy tech

Growth in US depends on renewable energies and the government offers subsidies as a way of tempting in customers.

In November 2012, Mr. Trump tweeted, “The concept of global warming was created by the Chinese in order to make U.S manufacturing non-competitive”. He has called climate change a hoax.

Mr. Trump wants to invest money into oil and natural gas reserves by ditching subsidies offered to renewable energy efforts.

All in all, there is uncertainty as to what Mr. Trump’s policies will look like regarding technology and innovation. Silicon Valley is the product of best brains coming together, and that should not be put under threat. Neither should a company like Tesla’s efforts to promote renewable energy.

Full report can be read here: http://www2.itif.org/2016-trump-on-tech.pdf

___________________________________________________________________________
Dave Lee, What Trump means for tech, BBC News (November 12, 2016), http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37932661

Under Construction: the “Great Firewall” of China

Cecilia Santostefano

Despite earlier petitions to reconsider, China passed a law in early November tightening internet controls. The legislation that is set to go into effect in summer 2017 is an effort to prevent terrorism and attempts to “overthrow[] the socialist system.”[1] It threatens to punish companies that allow unapproved information to circulate the internet; using cybersecurity to justify firm political censorship.[2]

Unlike in America, where citizens value protections like freedom of speech and freedom of the press, the people of China have long been subjected to internet censorship. China has made efforts in the past to ensure user’s identities are linked with internet use.[3] James Zimmerman, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, reported the new law will “create barriers to Chinese as well as foreign companies operating in industries where data needs to be shared internationally” and further isolate China from the rest of the world, technologically.[4] Businesses worldwide fear this legislation will drive up the cost of foreign operations or prevent them completely.[5] At this point, the law’s implications on freedom of speech are unclear.

 

[1] China approves law to tighten control on internet use, CNBC, (Nov. 7, 2016), http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/07/china-approves-law-to-tighten-control-on-internet-use.html.

[2] See id.

[3] Paul Mozur, China’s Internet Controls Will Get Stricter, to Dismay of Foreign Business, NY Times, (Nov. 7, 2016), http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/08/business/international/china-cyber-security-regulations.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news.

[4] Id.

[5] Id.

Link Between Fracking and Earthquakes

Emma Fusco

The debate over fracking has been long and arduous, but the credibility of some arguments is now coming to a close.  Opponents often cite the risk that the process may set off earthquakes, which scientists often discredit in the United States, as these types of earthquakes are uncommon.[1]  However, Alberta has seen earthquakes in the past five years attributed to fracking or hydraulic fracturing.[2]

These earthquakes are induced in two ways: by increases in pressure during the fracking and thereafter, by pressure changes brought on by the lingering fracking fluid.[3]  Scientists say the most recent earthquakes in parts of the United States, including Oklahoma, have been caused by the burial of wastewater from the different types of oil and gas well – not the fracking process itself.[4]  The wastewater is injected under pressure into disposal wells drilled into a permeable formation and flows into the rock.[5]  This has the ability to cause a pressure change in the formation, upsetting the equilibrium around the fault zone causing the earthquake as the fault slips.[6]

To improve the fracking process, small underground explosions may be a more stable option.[7]  These explosions would deliver shocks that travel into the rock formation and rapidly change the stress patterns.[8]

 

[1] Henry Fountain, In Alberta, a Link Between Fracking and Earthquakes, New York Times, Nov. 18, 2016, at A3.

[2] Id.

[3] Id.

[4] Id.

[5]  Id.

[6] Id.

[7] Id.

[8] Id.

An Out of This World Ballot in This Year’s Presidential Election

November 9, 2016 saw an election that was historic in many ways. As we all know, every vote counts, even those cast outside of the United States. History was made not only in the United States, not only on Earth, but also in outer space. Shane Kimbrough, a NASA astronaut on the International Space Station, made his mark on history this election day. Kimbrough filed his ballot in last week’s presidential election from space.
Kimbrough was not the first astronaut to vote from space. That happened in 1997, the year space voting was implemented by President George W. Bush, when NASA astronaut David Wolf cast his ballot. The voting process is remarkably similar to that which is experienced here on earth, though it does take a bit longer. Astronauts decide which elections they would like to vote in: local, state, federal, or general. Then, they request a standard Registration and Absentee Ballot Request a year ahead of the election. Six months before the election, the astronauts are provided with the form. The form is provided  over the internet by the relevant county clerk. The county clerk then copies the electronic votes onto a paper ballot and submits it on election day. Although Shane Kimbrough did not leave the polls with a coveted “I voted” sticker, he did ensure that his voice was heard on one of the most important nights in our nation’s recent history.

Uber Attempts to Settle with Drivers

Aiden Scott

Uber is taking advantage of the multiple cases it has open in an attempt to use its settlement with drivers to vacate a previous ruling which limits the company’s ability to limit lawsuits through mandatory arbitration. In 2014 Judge Edward Chen, who must approve the $100m settlement, ruled that Uber must make it easier for drivers to opt out of arbitration agreements. To Uber’s disdain, he held that “the company must sent drivers an email, with a bold, highlighted opt-out link.”

Uber’s interest in controlling matters of arbitration has lead the company to make the current settlement contingent upon the 2014 order being “wiped from the record.” This has left the Chen in a position of possibly approving a settlement he finds inadequate, because the U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco has indicated that “it may allow the company to enforce arbitration agreements prohibiting the vast majority of its drivers from joining class-action lawsuits.” Shannon Liss-Riordan, who represents the drivers in their district court class action suit, has agreed to Uber’s contingency as a favorable appellate court ruling would “dramatically diminish her ability to negotiate modifications to the agreement.”

Explorers Find Ship Wreckage at Bottom of Black Sea

Lindsey Marie Round

Explorers shed new light, both figuratively and literally, on ship wreckage at the base of the Black Sea.[1] They used technology to take high resolution photos of ship wreckage that can be dated back to the 13th or 14th century.[2] This marks the first time that a ship of this kind has been discovered in such complete form.[3] Scientists believe that ships such as the one discovered predate vessels used to explore the New World and served the Venetian empire.[4] The ship was found over a half-mile deep in the sea, and the condition of the vessel’s masts, timbers, and planking appeared to be almost completely preserved.[5] The team used photogrammetry, composing thousands of photographs and readings, to produce an image that appears three dimensional.[6]

However, this discovery is not the only one of its kind. Recently, explorers have found more than forty ships off the coast of the Bulgaria, ranging from those used in the ninth century all the way to the nineteenth century.[7] What makes these discoveries so valuable is the remarkable condition that each ship has been found in.[8] For the most part, these ships are unbelievably intact.[9] Scientist Dr. Foley, credits this incredible preservation to the lack of oxygen in the deep waters.[10] This lack of oxygen is caused by the immense amount of fresh water that rivers pour “into the sea that a permanent layer forms over the denser, salty water from the Mediterranean.”[11] This system prevents oxygen from the atmosphere, which readily mixes with fresh water, from penetrating the barrier and reaching the bottom of the sea, where ship wreckage remains lie.[12]

These discoveries, as well as future discoveries that explorers will inevitably make when a greater area of the Black Sea is studied and searched, help historians and people today further understand the trade routes and movement of individuals years ago. These vessels contain stories of individuals that lived years ago that we would not be able to any other way. Science has played an invaluable part in preserving this history that we would not otherwise have access to. It will be interesting to see what other discoveries are found in the future, now that researchers know that a potential undiscovered world lies in the depths of the Black Sea.

 

[1] William J. Broad, ‘We Couldn’t Believe Our Eyes’: A Lost World of Shipwrecks Is Found, N.Y. Times (Nov. 11, 2016), http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/science/shipwrecks-black-sea-archaeology.html.

[2] Id.

[3] Id.

[4] Id.

[5] Id.

[6] Broad, supra note 1.

[7] Id.

[8] Id.

[9] Id.

[10] Id.

[11] Broad, supra note 1.

[12] Id.

Facebook to Stop Ethnicity-based Targeting for Some Ads

Shamsheer Kailey

Facebook came under scrutiny for its discriminatory network policies and algorithms that shape what appears on the user’s news feed. Questions have also been raised about Facebook’s role in the victory of Trump. Following such criticism, Facebook has decided to stop any ethnic or race based ads on its service by disabling use of the tool, called “ethnic affinities” which is used for ads that offer housing, employment etc.

Facebook allows advertisers to use data collected by the website to categorize it and target certain groups of population. However, the company will now disable ads offering housing, employment or credit based on ethnic affinity marketing and will update policies to require advertisers to not engage in discriminatory advertising.

A non-profit investigative news organization, ProPublica, brought to the forefront discriminatory practices Facebook engaged in. Following the revelation, a group of Facebook users have filed a lawsuit against the company claiming violation of Fair Housing Act and Civil Rights Act.

______________________________________________________________________________

­­­­Dustin Volz, Facebook to stop ethnicity-based targeting for some ads, Reuters (Nov. 12, 2016), http://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-ethnicadvertising-idUSKBN1361QD

High Price to Pay for Birth Control

Emma Fusco

South Carolina Medicaid, along with 19 other states, gives women the option of birth control at quite an odd time: right after having a child.[1]  Nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, and in a majority of those cases, the woman already has at least one child with rates twice as high for women in poverty.[2]  Many women in this situation who are offered birth control after having a child will have a doctor implant new and more modern IUDs that last for up to five years and are far more effective than condoms and the pill.[3]

The reason behind doing this small procedure at this opportune time is because most often, especially if the woman already has a child, it may be[4] unduly burdensome just for one trip to the doctor for herself, let alone for her children as well.  The idea is to take advantage of the time when women are already in the hospital so they don’t have to come back for such a simple procedure.[5]  This timing is also important because the woman is more likely to be insured because pregnant women who are poor and without insurance are put on Medicaid temporarily.[6]  Medicaid covers nearly half of all births in the country.[7]

 

[1] Sabrina Tavernise, When to Offer Birth Control? Medicaid Has Idea, New York Times, Oct. 29, 2016, at A1

[2] Id.

[3] Id.

[4] Id.

[5] Id.

[6] Id.

[7] Id.

PTO Asks for Feedback on Patent Examination Timing

Aiden Scott

This week the Patent and Trademark Office is asking for community feedback regarding the amount of time it spends reviewing patent applications. The request for feedback is part of an ongoing effort by the Patent and Trademark office to “reevaluate its examination time goals.” Since examination goals were originally created, they have only been adjusted twice, but due significant “changes in the law, review process, and technology.” they are up for only their third adjustment. These goals vary by the type of technology that is being examined, and demonstrate the average amount of time an examiner will spend when evaluating an application. By taking both written and electronically submitted comments, the office hopes to ensure that its examination times “respond to stakeholder interests.” Specifically the office is attempting to balance between the interests of speed, and that of a thorough examination that will result in less secondary responses from applicants and additional review by examiners.