September 22, 2008 Thanks to efforts by FDA and USDA, benefits of animal biotechnologies are closer to being realized. FDA announced draft guidance describing regulatory framework for governing genetically engineered animals, and USDA is seeking comment on their coordinated role in regulatory process. BIO supports FDA's framework to apply mandatory science-based regulatory process to regulation of GE animals and their products, based on Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act's New Animal Drug framework.

September 22, 2008 According to NAM's Small Manufacturers Operating Survey, 56% of respondents expect sales this year to rise at least 5% and 16.2% expect increase of more than 10%. More than 80% expect capital investment to increase or at least stay the same, and 89% say they expect to increase employment in 2008. Survey results confirm that tax cuts for business encourage capital investment, and that opportunities created by free trade agreements are sparking expansion by small and medium manufacturers.

September 22, 2008 Scheduled for Oct 20-23, 2008, 27th International Congress on Applications of Lasers and Electro-Optics will unite professionals working in field of laser materials processing. Event will include plenary session titled Lasers for Sustainable Energy Future, as well as laser materials processing, laser microprocessing, and nanomanufacturing conferences. Additionally, ICALEO will feature poster presentation gallery, laser solutions short courses, business forum, and panel discussion.

September 19, 2008 Considered meaningful achievement for all stakeholders by NAM Executive VP Jay Timmons, ADA Amendments Act strikes balance between protections for individuals with disabilities and obligations and requirements of employers. It corrects narrow court interpretations that have restricted ADA protections in workplace and stripped coverage for individuals with conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, and cancer. NAM urges President to sign bill without delay.

September 19, 2008 Funded by AMT and developed by Oxford Economics, Global Forecasting Model for Machine Tools will offer forecast of machine-tool consumption. Data will include 5-yr annual forecast for 21 countries with extensive detail on top 10, plus regional and world totals. It will also provide summary of main points and issues, discussion of global outlook for 8 industrial sectors most important to machine tool industry, insights on key risks to forecasts, and presentation of alternative scenario.

September 19, 2008 Executive's Guide to Environmental Megatrends that will Shape the Future of the Electronics Industry is a 67-pg report that centers on restriction of substances, energy efficiency, and end-of-life recycling. It details existing and pending regulations affecting the industry and provides complete explanations and implications of each. Authored by Dr. Paul Goodman, it includes numerous tables and charts, including one detailing environmental requirements worldwide.

September 19, 2008 According to AASHTO President Pete K. Rahn, if additional federal transportation funding is provided to states through stimulus bill, it will accelerate creation of construction jobs within 30-90 days, providing short-term boost to economy. Earlier this year, state departments of transportation identified more than 3,000 highway projects totaling approximately $18 billion that could be implemented within 30-90 days from enactment of economic stimulus legislation.

September 19, 2008 IPC has awarded certification to electronics assembly manufacturer Janco Electronics, Inc. under IPC's Certification for RoHS Lead-Free Electronics Assembly Process Capability Program. Certification program involves series of steps culminating in on-site audit of facility's assembly operations. It provides EMS and OEM facilities with tools to benchmark their existing lead-free processes and assess their abilities to meet requirements of RoHS Directive.

September 19, 2008 Revised from 2004 edition, User's Manual for ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings provides detailed instruction, calculation examples, and compliance forms for design of commercial and high-rise residential buildings. It includes sections on administration and enforcement, building envelope, HVAC systems, service water heating, power, lighting, energy cost budget method, and building performance rating method.

September 18, 2008 Since President Bush signed legislation approved by Congress to transfer $8 billion to Highway Trust Fund, state departments of transportation can pay their bills and continue hundreds of millions of dollars of construction projects that had been put on hold. AASHTO President, Pete K. Rahn said restoring the Highway Trust Fund is a short-term solution and that America must rebuild and renew its aging transportation system.

September 18, 2008 Following semitrailer-motorcoach accident that killed 5 people, NTSB made various safety recommendations. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration should deploy technologies in commercial vehicles to reduce occurrence of fatigue-related accidents. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should determine whether equipping commercial vehicles with collision warning systems with active braking and electronic stability control systems will reduce commercial vehicle accidents.

September 18, 2008 Scheduled for Oct 29-31 at Palace Hotel in San Francisco, Seventh Annual BIO Investor Forum will explore current and competitive therapeutic development trends and investment opportunities in life sciences through therapeutic, business, and plenary panels. First 76 presenting companies have been selected, and will be asked to focus on near-term clinical catalysts and accomplishments across therapeutic fields and areas of unmet medical need.

September 18, 2008 Scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT on October 5, webcast titled "Total Coliform Rule: Proposed Revisions and Potential Impacts" will cover proposed revisions developed by Total Coliform Rule/Distribution System Advisory Committee, revisions that could be implemented by state, and what revisions mean to utilities. Participants will have opportunity to participate in question and answer session with panel of speakers.

September 18, 2008 After study of parachute jump operations, NTSB issued recommendations to FAA and United States Parachute Association to address pattern of safety deficincies in several areas. NTSB noted inadequate aircraft maintenance and inspections, inadequate FAA oversight and direct surveillance, and lack of pilot initial and recurrent training programs and examiniation standards that address operation-specific and aircraft-specific considerations.

September 17, 2008 The FDA has revised its list of accepted standards for use in premarket reviews of medical devices. Recognition List Number: 020 contains both modified existing standards as well as new additions to list of accepted standards. Newly recognized standards include ISO 22112:2005, Dentistry - Artificial teeth for dental prostheses; ANSI/AAMI RD61:2006, Concentrates for hemodialysis; and ANSI/ASME A18.1-2005, Safety Standard for Platform Lifts and Stairway Chairlifts.

September 17, 2008 The ANSI, CII, and BIS convened a day-long workshop in New Delhi entitled, Leveraging the World Trade Organization (WTO) Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement. Speakers and attendees alike stressed the strategic importance of voluntary consensus standards for companies looking for new target markets and to strengthen the links in the global supply chain. Presentations explored public- and private-sector perspectives of the aggreement and www.StandardsPortal.org was previewed.

September 17, 2008 The ISO and the IEC have released ISO/IEC 26514:2008, Systems and software engineering - Requirements for designers and developers of user documentation. Applicable to printed and onscreen formats, and divided into 2 parts, standard outlines requirements that will ensure software resources address consumer needs for clarity and thoroughness in explaining the application. It was developed by ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology, SC 7, Software and systems engineering.

September 17, 2008 To be held on Sept 24, 2008 in Schaumburg, IL, IPC Midwest Conference and Exhibition will feature more than 120 exhibitors serving the electronics assembly and printed board industries displaying the latest technologies, materials, and processes. New products and services will represent categories such as equipment or materials for electronics assembly, manufacturing, and test; as well as chemicals and materials or equipment for PCB manufacturing.

September 17, 2008 Addressing product verification at each level of manufacturing process, IPC International Test and Inspection Technology Conference: Reducing Time to Market will be held Nov 10-12. "Future of Test and Inspection Protocols" workshop will take place on Nov 10, and on Nov 11, sessions will cover supply-chain testing. Nov 12 will include keynote on variation in testing strategies. Concluding with vendor presentations, conference will allow participants to explore changing world of test protocols.

September 16, 2008 According to NEMA, incandescent and compact fluorescent lamp shipment indices for second quarter 2008 declined 5.5 and 1.0%, respectively, compared to previous quarter. On year-over-year basis, incandescent index showed decline of 17.5% while CFL shipments declined 18.7% from record index level of 297.4. Although both indices trended downward, market share of CFLs rebounded to 24.7% nearly equaling all time high of 24.8% reached 1 year earlier.