| Published
January 18, 2005 |
Volume
13, Number 1
|
- A new diagnostic test made by Roche Molecular Systems
has received approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Called
the AmpliChip Cytochrome P450 Genotyping Test, the new tool measures a
specific genetic trait in humans to determine an individual’s ability
to break down certain drugs and other compounds. The cyytochrome P450
genes, as they are known, will cause some people to metabolize drugs at
different speeds or, in some cases, not at all. “Physicians can use the
genetic information from this test to prevent harmful drug interactions
and to assure that drugs are used optimally, which in some cases will
enable patients to avoid less effective or potentially harmful
treatment choices,” says Lester Crawford, acting commissioner for the
U.S. FDA. The FDA adds that this is the first laboratory test system
that will allow physicians to consider unique genetic information from
patients in selecting medications and doses of medications for a
variety of common conditions such as cardiac disease, psychiatric
disorders, and cancer.
- The Trapeze Networks wireless local area network
(WLAN) Mobility System won InfoWorld magazine’s Technology of the Year
Award. InfoWorld Test Center editors and analysts made their selection
based on the stellar performance of Trapeze’s flagship MX-20 Mobility
Exchange switch, which underwent a battery of tests earlier this year
at the Advanced Network Computing Laboratory (ANCL) testing facility at
the University of Hawaii. The test suite involved speed benchmarks on
the number of authentication cycles the WLAN switches can handle per
second; a “loudmouth” test to determine if wireless protocols were
properly implemented by preventing hackers from seeing broadcast
traffic; and a trio of roaming tests between multiple access points
using data, video on demand and constant bit-rate voice. “Trapeze’s
Mobility System takes the gold for polish, flexibility, granular
management, and seamless roaming,” InfoWorld’s Test Center analysts and
editors say in a public statement.
- Hacienda’s AdventNet has released ManageEngine
NetFlow Analyzer 4, a web-based bandwidth monitoring tool that gathers
NetFlow statistics from Cisco devices to provide in-depth analysis of
network traffic and bandwidth usage. The software helps administrators
understand the impact of application traffic on network performance and
determine which applications consume excessive bandwidth. Using this
information, administrators can take corrective measures to improve
network performance and proactively manage bandwidth availability.
- The work of Hacienda architects the Dahlin Group can
be seen on ABC-TV’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” in an episode
that will be aired Sunday, January 23, and in the follow-up program
“How’d They Do That?,” which will air Monday, January 24. The reality
series shows a fast-track construction project in which four months of
work is squeezed into just seven days as a team of designers,
contractors, and several hundred workers rebuild each room of a house,
plus the exterior and landscaping.
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