By Porter Wright on Just a reminder that the extended comment period for EPA’s proposed rule regarding reporting and recordkeeping requirements for certain nanoscale materials closes August 5, 2015. Readers can find a copy of the proposed rule here: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0572-0001… Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on Our colleagues on our sister blogsite Federal Securities Law Blog have been tracking new and updated SEC regulations that could impact on the businesses of our readers. The articles in their most recent eBook SEC Updates: Keeping Ahead of the Regulatory Curve (which you can download here ) discuss three important SEC regulatory changes: compensation committee rules, conflict minerals reporting and … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on "A thing of beauty" , as John Keats once wrote, may be "a joy forever", but works of art, whether they are sculptures, paintings, buildings, or books, do not last forever. Over time, delicate pigments fade, restoration or conservation attempts may go wrong, or objects of art may be attacked, such as the attack by … Continue Reading
By Marty Miller on With significant changes to law governing how the U.S. grants patents taking effect next month, Porter Wright recommends that all clients consider filing any contemplated patent applications by March 15. This includes filing non-provisional patent applications, and in some cases Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) patent applications, that are based upon any provisional or non-U.S. patent … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on The 113th Congress has begun it’s first session and, as is the usual procedure at the start of a new Congress, new chairpersons have been selected for most of the House and Senate Committees. Among these new chairs is Representive Lamar S. Smith (R-TX-21st), Chair of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Much of the … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on Today’s Federal Register carries a notice from the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) requesting information and comments regarding silver nanoparticles. NIOSH has initiated an evaluation of the scientific data on silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to ascertain the potential health risks to workers and to identify gaps in knowledge so that appropriate laboratory and field … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on It’s that time of year – crowded shopping centers, festive gatherings, and time with family both near and far. For employers the holidays create increased risk of employer liability – which may result in legal problems for those that are unprepared. Members of our Labor and Employment practice publish the Employer Law Report, which … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on As engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) become increasingly common in consumer products and the environment, concern over their possible effects on human health also rises. There is concern over the possible penetration of human skin by ENPs. "However, the evidence whether nanoparticles can infiltrate into underlying tissues is conflicting . . . clarification of the issue is essential. … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on In a notice that appeared in last Thursday’s Federal Register, the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), announced that it would be hosting a webinar on Nano.gov on Thursday 09/20/2012, from 12:15 until 1PM. " NNCO is seeking public comment and recommendations on potential updates to, improvements on, and opportunities for public engagement through Nano.gov." The webinar … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on Rice University, located in the city of Houston, Texas, is observing it’s 100th anniversary in October of this year, and many of the Texan members of the US House of Representives have made congratulatory remarks on the floor of the House or have inserted them in the Congressional Record Extension of Remarks.In their remarks, Rep. John Culbertson (R-7th) and … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on As many readers of this blog are by now aware, the Supreme Court today issued its much anticipated opinion in National Federation of Business et al v. Sebelius, regarding the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (PL 111-148), more commonly refered to as "Obamacare". Because of the importance of this decision, we’re … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on Several studies of possible toxic effects of quantum dots on humans have been done using cell cultures in petri dishes or rodents, usually white lab rats. But lab rats are related to humans only in that both are mammals. In a recently published letter in Nature Nanotechnology,"A pilot study in non-human primates shows no adverse response … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on As nanoparticles become more commonly used in everyday products it becomes increasingly important to understand " nanoparticle aggregation in the aqueous environment . . . for assessing the fate, transport and toxicity of nanomaterials". In an effort to increase the body of scientific knowledge in this area, Dongxu Zhou, Samuel W. Bennett, and Arturo A. … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on Prior to adjourning for the Memorial Say recess, the Senate, on 05/24/2012, by a vote of 96-1, passed S. 3187, the "Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act", " To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs and medical devices, to establish user-fee programs for … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on European Plastics News posted an article on it’s site last week,("Graphene developers seek routes out of the lab"), focusing on challenges to and progress in the commercialization of graphene, specifically its "potential as a mutlifunctional reinforcement in composites". Among the challenges the article raises are: 1) Entangling of 3D carbon nanotubes (CNTS) bundles 2) Individual graphite … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on The New Haven Independent regularly covers the nanotech field, from the latest experiment in using nanoparticles to deliver medications more efficently to discussions of how nanoindustry will affect the national and regional economies. Recently the New Haven Independent posted an edited transcript of an internview with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), a long time advocate of Nanotech … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on Noting that nanotechnology and nanoindustries have emerged during a period when both the power and ability of government agencies, both on the Federal and State levels, to regulate commerce in all of it’s myriad forms has come under debate and "renewed interest in regulatory reform" and is being "replaced by new governance approaches seeking to … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on Women in Europe for a Common Future, (WECF) founded in the Netherlands in 1994, " is a network of 100 member organizations and individual members who share a common concern to promote a healthy environment for all, strengthen the role of women and promote a gender and rights based approach in environment and sustainable development … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on The task of the Inspectors General of Federal agencies is to examine "all actions of a government agency or military organization. Conducting audits and investigations, either independently or in response to reports of wrongdoing, the OIG ensures that the agency’s operations are in compliance with the law and general established policies of the government. Audits … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on ObservatoryNANO recently published a "Guide to Responsible Nano-Business", a brief report written for an audience of "Medium sized companies involved in the development, processing, production, or trade of nanotechnology-enabled materials, components, or applications". ObservatoryNANO was created and funded by the then extant European Community (EC), the predecessor of today’sEuropean Union (EU), “to create a European Observatory on … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on As part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 budget appropriations process, Dr. Subra Suresh, Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), appeared before the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies on Tuesday, 03/06/2012, to present and respond to the subcommittee members questions about the NSF’s proposed 2013 budget. According to Dr. … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on Today’s issue of the Federal Register carries a "Notice of Public Meeting", announcing the 2012 Regional, State and Local (RSL) Initiatives in Nanotechnology workshop, to be held 1-2 May in Portland, Oregon. This workshop will bring together leaders of regional, state, and local organizations to engage in dialog with the Federal government; economic development groups; … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on Earlier this month, the U.K.’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) announced that they would be providing grants totalling over £6.5 million ($10,285,345.31) to seven business-led projects that will focus on developing therapeutic agents and diagnostics where nanoscale technologies are at the heart of the innovation. The aim of the investment … Continue Reading
