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TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2018 | IN THIS ISSUE
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UnityPoint nurse Krystle Bragg works on a prototype to fix an identified issue in the operating room. PHOTO UNITYPOINT
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A new series of "pop-up labs" at UnityPoint - St. Luke's Hospital are inspiring local nurses to create their own solutions to common problems, as part of a larger push to improve patient care.
Since December, t
he hospital has been holding monthly pop-up labs where nurses and staff members can gather to discuss clinical headaches and create solutions, according to Rose Hedges, a UnityPoint informaticist who has been organizing the gatherings in conjunction with an MIT-based group called
MakerHealth
, which is pushing its
MakerNurse initiative
around the country.
MakerNurse's arrival in the Midwest began last September, when Ms. Hedges, a Mount Mercy University graduate student, and Sharon Guthrie, an assistant professor of nursing at MMU, partnered to host an event at the university.
That resulted in the creation of a handful of early prototypes, including
an IV "snuggie" to prevent tubes from freezing as helicopter nurses move patients from helipads to ERs, and a weighted eye mask that serves as an alternative to taping eyelids shut before surgery - although Ms. Hedges noted that the "solutions" may be as simple as different workflows or patient approaches.
"The idea is that health care professionals have workarounds they do every single day, we just don't share them," Ms. Hedges said in an interview. "How can we use our McGuyver skills to spread that knowledge and improve care?"
The MakerNurse now continues in various departments of St. Luke's, thanks to limited financial support from MakerHealth and the St. Luke's Foundation. Last week, staff held a pop-up session for nurses working in operating rooms; before that, it held a session in the hospital's Center for Women's & Children's Health.
A typical session might include a challenge - keeping a patient's IV lines untangled in the rush to surgery, for example - and a table full of supplies ranging from Legos to zip ties to "moldable goo." MIT engineers are included via a two-way video feed, and often mail the group 3-D printed prototypes of their creations after a design session.
The gatherings are mainly intended to help unleash nurses' creativity in addressing a problem, but they may also have implications for the impending nursing shortage. Ms. Hedges, who is working toward a Doctorate of Nursing Practice at MMU, is studying how opportunities for innovation can be used to engage and retain staff, and predicted that "maker spaces" - dedicated facilities for experimentation and prototyping - will begin proliferating at hospitals around the country as health leaders recognize their potential.
"I think eventually it's going to be a standard in health care that you'll have these 'maker' spaces, where this kind of work will go on," Ms. Hedges said. "In every type of health care, you're always asked to do more and be creative in the roles that you're doing."
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Corridor Native: Startup culture is hot in the Corridor
What economist John Maynard Keynes called "animal spirits" are rampant in the Corridor, if the traffic through Scott Swenson's office door is any indication.
"It was a record year in almost all aspects," said Swenson, who counseled 380 entrepreneurs and small business owners last year as director of the SBA's Marion-based Kirkwood Small Business Development Center.
High points included 30 businesses started, 244 jobs created, $7.6 million capital invested and sales increases of $12.8 million for the center's clients.
"One of the main drivers now is the climate for starting a business and the entrepreneurial culture is exceptionally robust," Swenson said. Regional collaboration and partnering by economic development entities is working, he added. "As people successfully start businesses, others get more confidence in pursuing their ideas as well."
Five years ago, most referrals to Kirkwood's SBDC were from banks, but now they come from past clients and "almost every economic development group including the city of Cedar Rapids, University of Iowa, ISU CIRAS, NewBoCo, the EDC, Kirkwood, the Economic Alliance, NewBo City Market, Marion and Czech Village/NewBo Main Street programs and more," Swenson noted.
Paul Heath, the veteran director of the UI's Small Business Development Center, reports activity is running ahead of last year. Just six months in, the center has already exceeded fiscal year goals for new businesses created, capital infusion and clients counseled.
People start businesses for a variety of reasons, but "with unemployment in Johnson County at 2 percent, it is probably not because they cannot find a job," Heath observed. TV shows like "Shark Tank" and resources such as the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center are popular and help seed startup dreams, he said.
Read the full story, and more profiles on homegrown companies in the Corridor, in the inaugural issue of Corridor Native, available in print and online.
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CIPCO announces Heartland Divide Wind Farm
Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) has announced it will develop a new wind farm, called Heartland Divide, that will add more than 100 MW of renewable energy to its portfolio.
The project, to be completed by the end of this year, will be CIPCO's largest wind energy project to date, according to the organization. It will also mark the first time a renewable energy facility of this size directly interconnects with CIPCO's transmission system.
The cooperative will purchase 100 percent of the 104 MW of energy produced at the farm from an affiliate of NextEra Energy Resources, which is also a co-owner of the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Palo with CIPCO.
"Our members want diverse energy options and CIPCO is committed to delivering safe and reliable power through a strong portfolio that incorporates renewables for the benefit of everyone," CIPCO CEO Bill Cherrier said in a statement. "Iowa is a leader in carbon-free energy resources and CIPCO is dedicated to expanding the footprint."
CIPCO is Iowa's largest cooperative energy provider serving 13 electric cooperatives and associations spanning 58 of Iowa's 99 counties.
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Quaker Oats in Cedar Rapids, shown from across the Cedar River.
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A new report released by Iowa State University and the city of Cedar Rapids at last night's Celebration of Agriculture dinner in Cedar Rapids "lays the groundwork for significant new areas to explore in the city's bioprocessing industries," ISU President Wendy Wintersteen said.
Cedar Rapids is one of North America's leading bioprocessing and food ingredient centers, with producers such as ADM, Cargill, Ingredion, Quaker Oats, Quality Chef, LeSaffre and Treehouse Foods. About 5,000 workers are employed in the industry, at average wages 38 percent above the city average, according to the report.
The city has been partnering with ISU to identify opportunities for future economic growth in bioprocessing. The new report details major processing steps involved in each activity, describes major products and byproducts produced and outlines water, energy use and waste generation from each processing area.
"We identified areas for potential growth in current processing and manufacturing practices, through feedback we received from surveys of major plants and facilities in Cedar Rapids plus a review of the latest scientific progress in processing," Kevin Keener, director of the Center for Crops Utilization Research at Iowa State University, said in a press release. Mr. Keener co-authored the report with John Stanford, a research associate with the Bioeconomy Institute at Iowa State.
Among the opportunities the report identified were converting secondary products and waste streams into higher-value products. One involves applying a process called acid hydrolysis to distillers wet grains, a byproduct of ethanol production. Through this process, food grade xylose, a high-value sweetener, is produced.
Another is an emerging process to capture more phytic acid from dry-grind ethanol processing facilities. Phytic acid is highly valued as an antioxidant in the food industry, a compound to treat gastrointestinal disorders, an agent in anti-corrosion products and a substance in the manufacturing of polymers.
"The phytic acid technology is in early stages of commercialization, and at retail prices ranging as high as $10,000 per ton, it supports our belief that further value and growth are possible for Cedar Rapids' bioprocessing industries," Mr. Keener said.
To read the full report, click here.
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IDx moves to Coralville as growth accelerates
IDx, which recently made news when its AI-based diagnostic system for autonomous detection of diabetic retinopathy was given expedited FDA review as a "breakthrough device," has moved to a larger office building to help it scale up to enter the U.S. market.
Company officials say the new building, at 2300 Oakdale Blvd. in Coralville, will better accommodate its rapid growth as it pursues FDA clearance. IDx has 25 employees and is currently hiring for eight open positions in sales, marketing and engineering.
"IDx's growth is important to the Iowa City area; not only from a job creation perspective, but also from a technology transfer standpoint," said Kim Casko, president and CEO of Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, in a news release. "They serve as a great example of how innovative research at the University of Iowa can be used to further advance the area's economic growth."
IDx was founded in 2010 by a team of renowned ophthalmologists at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. The company's first product, IDx-DR, is an AI-based diagnostic system for the autonomous detection of diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness. More than 24,000 people with diabetes lose vision each year from diabetic retinopathy. However, if caught in its early stages, vision loss and blindness are almost entirely preventable.
If cleared by the FDA, IDx-DR is expected to become the first autonomous, AI-based diagnostic system intended for use in the front lines of health care.
"With potential FDA clearance on the horizon, we are looking for talented individuals who believe in our mission and want to help the company grow to its full potential," said Gary Seamans, IDx chairman and CEO. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of a company that is on the cusp of transforming health care."
IDx was located in Iowa City prior to moving to its new location.
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From around the web:
- University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld discusses the importance of groundbreaking research in a new letter.
- Iowa has awarded an Oregon tech company a contract to run a seed-to-sale platform for the state's burgeoning medical marijuana program, Marijuana Business Daily reports.
- Iowa Public Radio reports on how more meetings might be the secret to fixing low-performing schools.
- Meet the new high-tech solution to election hacking: paper ballots.
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Corridor Stocks
NAME |
SYM |
PRICE |
CHG |
%CHG |
AEGON |
AEG |
6.76 |
0.09 |
1.35% |
Alliant Energy |
LNT |
40.82 |
0.03 |
0.07% |
Deere & Company |
DE |
153.04 |
1.22 |
0.80% |
Dow Jones |
^DJI |
24,033.36 |
389.17 |
1.65% |
General Mills |
GIS |
44.30 |
0.21 |
0.48% |
GoDaddy Inc. |
GDDY |
59.25 |
0.13 |
0.22% |
Great Western Bank |
GWB |
39.75 |
0.28 |
0.71% |
Heartland Express |
HTLD |
18.41 |
0.38 |
2.11% |
KemPharm |
KMPH |
6.55 |
-0.25 |
-3.68% |
Marsh & McLennan |
MMC |
81.26 |
0.29 |
0.36% |
MidWestOne |
MOFG |
32.69 |
0.61 |
1.90% |
Pearson |
PSO |
10.45 |
0.05 |
0.48% |
Pepsico |
PEP |
108.19 |
1.14 |
1.06% |
Principal Financial |
PFG |
60.19 |
0.77 |
1.30% |
QCR Holdings |
QCRH |
44.85 |
0.40 |
0.90% |
Rockwell Collins |
COL |
135.38 |
0.97 |
0.72% |
S&P 500 |
^GSPC |
2,614.45 |
32.57 |
1.26% |
Tanger Factory |
SKT |
22.54 |
0.38 |
1.71% |
Procter & Gamble |
PG |
78.46 |
1.06 |
1.37% |
United Fire Group |
UFCS |
47.75 |
0.71 |
1.51% |
U.S. Bank |
USB |
50.27 |
0.59 |
1.19% |
Wells Fargo |
WFC |
52.08 |
0.73 |
1.42% |
West Bank |
WTBA |
25.30 |
0.20 |
0.80% |
Whirlpool |
WHR |
151.23 |
0.77 |
0.51% |
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Short-Term Event Planner
April 4
1 Million Cups, by 1 Million Cups, 9-10 a.m., Geonetric, 415 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Join for community connections, startup pitches and free coffee. Free. For more information, visit
facebook.com/1MCICR.
April 5
Wake Up Marion, by Marion Chamber of Commerce, 8-9 a.m., Innovative Coffee & Smoothie Bar, 901 Tower Terrace Road, Marion. Start your day with coffee and connections with fellow Marion Chamber members. Free. To register, visit
bit.ly/2CmfjyP.
April 9
Coralville Roundtable, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, noon-1 p.m., Gus' Food and Spirits, 2421 Coral Court, Coralville. Roundtables are social lunches over the noon hour. All are invited to network and keep up-to-date with chamber and community events. Free for members. Call the chamber at (319) 337-9637 if interested and not a member.
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Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28
The Cedar Rapids Police Department says there will be no criminal charges filed after a man was fatally struck by a vehicle in southwest Cedar Rapids in March. Investigators said 29-year-old Lavell Robinson Jr. of Coralville was taken to Mercy Medical Center after he was hit by a car at about 11:40 p.m. on March 13 in the 3200 block of Sixth St. SW. He later died. Police say Mr. Robinson was wearing dark clothing and was already lying on the ground in the roadway when he was struck by a Jeep. He was not in a crosswalk or an intersection at the time of crash. Police say he also tested positive for alcohol and drugs at the time of the incident. Authorities say only the Jeep was involved.
One day after the first eaglet is born, the internet famous Decorah eagles welcomed their second eaglet this year. The Raptor Resource Project says they aren't exactly sure when the egg known as D30 hatched, as it was spotted during feeding time Monday evening. The egg was laid Feb. 24. The
Raptor Resource Project is a nonprofit organization that runs the popular webcam. A third egg is still in the nest near the Decorah Trout Hatchery. That egg was laid Feb 28.
T
hese news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28
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CBS2 Chief Meteorologist Terry Swails' Weather First Forecast
A strong winter storm is moving through the Midwest and will produce rain and snow today. Snow will be likely north of Highway 20 with rain and a wintry mix to the south. As colder air moves in, rain will transition to snow through the afternoon. Winds will pick up and could lead to some blowing snow and slick streets. Scattered snow will continue into the evening and wind down shortly after midnight. Snowfall totals will be highest in Chickasaw, Winneshiek and Allamakee counties where 3-5 inches of snow is expected. Between there and Highway 20, 2-4 inches will accumulate. South of Highway 20 ground temperatures are warmer and accumulation will be near or under an inch.
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