Smoked, battered, fried or raw – fish do indeed come in many different culinary compositions. However, there is one form that may not delight the gastronomic folk: Invisible.

Innovative research at The University of Texas at Austin has solved a time-honored conundrum about how numerous fish breeds are capable to vanish from predators in the exposed waters of the deep-sea. Moreover, this research could aid scientists and military technologists generate more effective techniques of ocean camouflage.

To expand on this, the research reports that specific fish utilize microscopic structures named platelets in their skin cells to mirror polarized light, which permits the fish to outwardly dissolve from their hunters. Molly Cummins, professor of integrative biology in the College of Natural Sciences, noted, “Fish have evolved the means to detect polarized light… Given that, we suggested they’ve probably evolved the means to hide in polarized light. If we can identify that process, then we can improve upon our own camouflage technology for that environment.”

Certainly, a study such as this reveals how research allows humanity to take advantage of evolutionary processes and solutions that could aid future military technologies. Prompting the question, what could your research and development have an effect on?

Whether you are researching a new product, process of software – you could be eligible for generous tax savings. The government encourages businesses within the U.S. to do this by allowing business owners to offset research and development with R&D Tax Credits. . Moreover, Businesses can take advantage of both state and federal credits and can claim the credits concurrently.   Innovation can create new opportunities for your business and allow for the creation of new products or solutions to common problems. Contact us today to see if you are eligible to claim the R&D Tax Relief.

Ranging from apes on a planet to crime fighting ninja turtles and an anti-hero-come-wolf with adamanantium skeleton and claws – Hollywood is nothing short of ‘mutants’ in every shape, form and size. However, could research at the University of Texas Austin be making the next smallest mutant to help save the world?

No, this isn’t a pitch for the next Hollywood blockbuster, but rather a summary of the research being undertaken in Texas. In specific, a collection of University of Texas researchers believe they could unravel new treatments for alcohol abuse by constructing a “supermouse” mutant that cannot get drunk. Research, such as this, could be extremely helpful given the difficulty in treating alcohol-related disorders. Currently, scientists are still uncertain on the molecular mechanisms involved in intoxication and withdrawal. Hence, current therapies to treat alcohol-related disorders remain wholly ineffective.

Previously, researchers at the University of Texas discovered a method to prevent alcohol withdrawal symptoms in a simple animal model – a tiny worm. The research revealed that mutation expressively decreases the level of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in a worm, fundamentally “curing” alcohol withdrawal in worms. Furthermore, the research revealed alcohol vigorously stimulates the BK channel, which has the net effect of dampening neuronal activity. In relation to this, the lab discovered that mutating one ration of the BK channel prevents alcohol activation.

Nonetheless, the manner in which humans act when drunk is complex, with far more variables than a worm. Consequently, the current need is to experiment on a more complicated animal – a mouse with the same mutation. Essentially, this would epitomize a “supermouse” that remains sober and avoids the incapacitating symptoms of withdrawal. Optimistic results would ideally lead to drug development that specifically targets the BK channel and could be utilized by those with addiction problems.

Thus, whilst there is no indication of a “SuperMouse’ making it to the big screen, research such as this could have huge impacts on society and the innovation of suitable drugs for alcohol abuse and addiction. Indeed, it marks huge strides in the field of biology, pharmaceuticals and patient care. Overall, the results of this type of research will aid pharmaceutical companies and granting agencies to invest in effective drug treatments.

Undeniably, innovation through research and development (R&D) is a key enabling element in the medical field and patient care. If your business is developing new, emergent or alternative medical technologies and services, you may be eligible for funding and support. Many companies do not recognize the scale of their qualified undertakings, or if they are eligible. Swanson Reed offers expertise across a wide assortment of industries and has helped many clients achieve tax cash savings under the R&D tax credit scheme. Contact us today to find out more.

From pineapple embellished cakes and pizzas to salads and piña coladas – there is no denying that the humble tropical fruit is a versatile one. In fact, in the agricultural network pineapples are more than just a delicious refreshment, they are also prominent water-savers that may help feed the world.

To expand on this, researchers at the Texas A&M University have worked with researchers across four continents to discover how pineapples thrive on such a minimal amount of water. The findings, released this month, could actually help wheat, rice and other key crops grow with up to 80 percent less h2O.

To emphasize the impact this could have, Qingyu Yu, a professor of plant genomics and molecular biology at Texas A&M University, describes that world food production needs to double by 2050 to meet an ever-growing population demand. Hence, the global implications the pineapple could have on agriculture could be enormous. Yu further notes that, “Drought is responsible for the majority of global crop loss, so understanding the mechanisms that plants have evolved to survive water stress is vital for engineering drought tolerance in crops.”

Furthermore, the scientists discovered that pineapples, the prickly natives of South America, share ancestry with rice, wheat, corn and other water- yearning crops. The anticipation is that pineapples can instill those plants with improved water conservation – particularly in hotter and parched climates.

So this holiday season, as you take a sip from your piña colada or indulge in a bite of pineapple adorned pizza, you can pat yourself on the back for choosing a fruit that has the potential to help nourish the world’s population.

In closing, whether you’re researching the water-saving qualities of pineapples or developing new ways for your business to operate, the government encourages businesses in the United States to undertake research and development (R&D) activities by offering an R&D Tax Credit. Moreover, Businesses can take advantage of both state and federal credits and can claim the credits concurrently.   Contact us today to see if you are eligible to claim the R&D Tax Credits and find out if you could be claiming cash back for the projects you’ve invested in.

 

From the ‘Cathedral of Junk’, a church that can only be described as Tim Burton meets a scrap yard, to having the world’s largest urban bat colony – Austin is far from short on quirks that help it embody its unofficial slogan “Keep Austin Weird”. However, beneath the eccentricities is a culture of innovation and cooperation that makes it an idyllic environment for evolving ideas – particularly when it refers to the Austin startup scene.

Texas, often praised in the media for a comparatively low cost of living, flourishing tech scene and culture of the weird, has recently been acclaimed for giving Silicon Valley a run for its money. In fact, Austin is the startup capital of the future, according to Small Business Trends. With incubators and accelerators bountiful and a higher coconcentration of startups than Silicon Valley, Boston or Chicago, the city is proving itself to be a hub for innovation and entrepreneurial activity.

In light of Small Business Trends ranking Austin the ‘best city to launch a startup’, Julie Huls, the Austin Technology Council’s president, believes this is because Austin’s competitive advantage is grounded in two things. Firstly, Austin has an “exceptionally open and collaborative and supportive business climate.” Secondly, the city has a diverse group of seasoned leaders “who want to help grow and mentor the next generation of leaders.”

Furthermore, during the 2008 recession, Texas was one of the few states to add jobs. As the country emerged from the recession, the Lone Star State continued to grow. To be specific, there was a 41.4 percent increase in tech-industry employment between 2001 and 2013 and Austin ranked as the top city for technology job creation on a recent Forbes list. Additionally, the Austin Technology Council expects 11, 754 new tech jobs will be added to the mix over the next five years.

Certainly, there is no denying that Austin offers a business-friendly state with an underlying idiosyncratic culture. With low tax burdens, a start-up network and research hubs, Texas’ ecosystem is booming. Moreover, the R&D tax credit can help put cash back into startups and several states, including Texas, offer businesses their own version of the R&D tax credit.  Individuals should take advantage of any R&D tax credits available at the state and federal levels as they can claim the credits concurrently. Contact us today to talk to a specialized R&D Tax professional who will be able to answer any questions you may have.

Whilst the idea of devices roaming our bodies may remind some of a character out of a science-fiction movie, new research into nanoscale machines is far from Terminator status. In fact,  University of Texas researchers have developed a nanoscale DNA walking machine that could one day roam the human body in search of cancerous cells.

To expand on this, Texas-based researchers, Cheulhee Jung, Peter B. Allen and Andrew Ellington, have created a nanoscale machine that can randomly walk in any direction across uneven surfaces. Future applications of such a DNA walker are predicted to be a cancer detector that could circulate the human body examining for cancerous cells and tagging them for medical imaging or drug targeting.

The research was published last week in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, where it was revealed that this machine could walk unprogrammed over a DNA-coated surface. Previously, nanoscale walkers were restricted to only being able to walk on one- or two-dimensional paths that were defined and programmed. This walker was able to move 36 steps, and its unsystematic movement is unlike any other motion observed in former studies.

Whilst the research has not progressed yet to the search for a cancer cure, the researchers predict that more immediate practical applications may include deploying the walker in the body as a cancer detector. This would include the DNA walker searching for cancerous cells and amplifying them in order to make them more easily detectable by doctors. The research further projects that there may be implications for future delivery of nanoscale therapeutics. DNA walkers may eventually allow protective cells to walk the surface of organs, perpetually computing whether a cancer is subsisting.

Although it may be a long progress from diagnosing cancer to curing it, researcher Cheulhee Jung highlights the fact that, “all breakthroughs begin with baby steps. Only in this case, they are the steps of a DNA walker.” Nonetheless, innovation such as this will make a huge difference in the lives of patients and how doctors operate in the life science sector. Whether you’re researching nanoscale walking devices or developing a new business prototype, each company has unique levels of research and development utilized within their business. The government encourages businesses within the U.S. to do this by allowing business owners to offset research and development with R&D Tax Credits. Could you be claiming cash back for research and development projects you’ve invested in? Innovation can create new opportunities for your business and allow for the creation of new products or solutions to common problems. Contact us today to see if you are eligible to claim the R&D Tax Relief.

The Texas Barbecue is perhaps one of the most well-known traditions in the Lone Star State – often automatically envisioned, along with images of longhorns or Tommy Lee Jones, at just the mere mention of the state. Indeed, there is no denying Texans are passionate about their favourite barbecue as they are about football and politics. However, has the Texas barbecue been romanticized and is it in actual fact causing cancer?

As part of a new study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, researchers found that meats cooked over an open flame are linked to an increased risk of kidney cancer.  The research, published online this week in the journal CANCER,  revealed that diets high in meat may result to an elevated risk of advancing renal cell carcinoma (RCC) through intake of carcinogenic compounds produced by particular cooking methods, such as barbecuing and pan-frying.  Dr. Xifeng Wu, who led the study, examined 659 patients just diagnosed with kidney cancer and compared them to 699 similar people without cancer. The researchers wanted to analyze not only the link, but to also clarify the factors that might explain it.

In the journal, the research noted that people who consumed the most grilled meat – red meat and chicken alike – had a higher risk of kidney cancer. Furthermore, those with two genetic mutations that already put people at higher risk of kidney cancer were most affected by the grilled meat risk. The study indicates that the open flame is the culprit, with the researchers believing this may be introducing carcinogens into the body. Carcinogens are a term for any element that can cause cancer in living tissue due to the capability to disturb cellular metabolic processes. They are extremely irritable to our system, and can take the form of known cancer-causing substances like asbestos and tobacco smoke.

Nevertheless, Texans don’t have to put down their Texas Sticky Barbecued Beef Ribs for good just yet. Instead, the researchers suggest consuming it in moderation as part of well-balanced diet, complete with fruit and vegetables. Moreover, this news comes on the heels of two new food safety rules the Obama administration released on September 10^th 2015. The new regulations, known as the “Preventive Controls for Human Food rule” and “Preventive Controls for Animal Food rule”, signify a considerable alteration in how businesses operate in the food sector and will entail substantial investment in technological improvements for food manufacturers across the food production spectrum.

Whilst this may be a hindrance for the food manufacturing industry, Research and Development (R&D) tax credit opportunities are one way to reduce the cost incurred by companies in becoming compliant with the new regulations and market patterns. For example, businesses operating in the food and beverage industry must stay up to date with trends in the marketplace, such as, reduction in sodium, gluten-free choices, removing sugar, adding fruits and vegetables to their products, or, as the research above highlights, cooking methods. Therefore, with research and news reports like the above being released and persistent changes in consumer preferences, it is vital for food and beverage companies in the United States to increase their R&D efforts to meet demands and stay competitive.

Indeed, the R&D tax credit can help put cash back into a business and several states, including Texas, offer businesses their own version of the R&D tax credit. Businesses should take advantage of any R&D tax credits available at the state and federal levels as they can claim the credits simultaneously. Furthermore, many companies operating in the food and beverage industry may erroneously believe they are not qualified for the credits. However, the IRS employs a broad definition of R&D and many activities within the food and beverage industry may qualify for generous tax savings. Contact us today to talk to a specialized R&D Tax professional who will be able to help you with your claim.

Oil, often said to be the commodity that underpins modern economies and lifestyles, is in a new downturn. Despite a history of booms and busts, the plunging price of a barrel of oil, which has been cut roughly in half since June 2014, has reached new low prices that were last observed during the depths of the 2009 recession. This price drop has resulted in heavy job losses across the sector.

In Texas, the number of oil and gas job losses is far worse than an industry group originally predicted according to the latest analysis by the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. When crude prices started disintegrating late last year, Karr Ingham, a petroleum economist for the alliance, originally predicted that the state could lose 40,000 to 50,000 oil and gas jobs during the downturn. However, the additional plunge in oil prices over the summer forced further layoffs across Texas.

In reality, figures from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers show that the state may have lost as many as 56,000 jobs in the upstream oil and gas sector. In all, 279,600 Texans continue to be employed by oil and gas companies in the state, however those statistics may be inflated, Ingham said. That’s down 8.3 percent from the record employment of 305,000 in December 2014, but still substantially higher than the low point of industry employment during the recession in October 2009, when the number of Texans employed in the oil and gas sector tumbled to 179,200.

Therefore, in light of this news, what can the oil and gas industry do to spur job creation?

One way of stimulating employment is by investing in research and development (R&D). In the past, states concerned with employment growth have used R&D incentives to support job creation policies. Indeed, there have been numerous research studies into how R&D investment helps develop new products and knowledge that drives growth, creates jobs, and improves the national welfare. For instance, a recent study by Huo (2015) revealed that each 1 percent increase in R&D expenditure in the United States raises its employment rate by 0.38 percent. Earlier research by Bogliacino and Vivarelli (2012) also found that R&D expenditure, otherwise known as fostering product innovation, has a job-creating effect.

Furthermore, The National Association of Manufactures (NAM) released a report earlier this year that analyses the economic impact of the R&D tax credit, worth approximately $7 billion annually in recent years. The report, titled A Missed Opportunity: The Economic Cost of Delaying Pro-Growth Tax Reform, strengthens the debate for making the R&D Tax Credit permanent in the United States. The report notes that a pro-growth tax plan, in the form of a permanent R&D tax credit, would add between 492,000 and 522,000 jobs per year, or more than 6.5 million jobs over 10 years.

As shown above, it is clear to see that R&D expenditure can foster job creation. Thus, considering Texas’ recent job cuts, the Lone Star State could cultivate employment opportunities by investing in R&D to develop new technologies, products and processes in the oil and gas industry. Moreover, with traditional forms of energy becoming harder to find, investing in new technologies will be critical in meeting the needs of an increasingly urbanised population and to combat environmental challenges in the decades ahead.

In addition, the government currently offers incentives in the form of tax credits for those engaging in research activities.  In fact, close to $10 billion in credits are awarded every year for undertakings that fall under the IRS’ broad definition of research and development. Frequently, many large and small oil and gas business owners are surprised to discover that their  everyday operations are often eligible. Swanson Reed specializes in the qualification of R&D tax benefits for companies of all sizes operating in diverse industries. If your are conducting business in the energy sector, contact us today to find out if you can benefit from the R&D Tax Credit.

References:

Huo, J. (2015.) How Nations Innovate: The Political Economy of Technological Innovation in Affluent Capitalist Economies. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Bogliacino, Francesco and Vivarelli, Marco, The Job Creation Effect of R&D Expenditures (June 2012). Australian Economic Papers, Vol. 51, Issue 2, pp. 96-113, 2012. Available at SSRN:http://ssrn.com/abstract=2073082 or http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8454.2012.00425.x

 

Receiving a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking traditionally means that Santa Claus deems you as more naughty than nice.  However, could this tradition be a concept of the past as the nation moves towards renewable energy?

The recently proposed Clean Power Plan by the federal government seeks to combat climate change by slashing carbon emissions from power plants – speeding a nationwide shift from coal to natural gas and renewables. The final Clean Power Plan calls for a 32 percent reduction in power sector emissions from 2005 levels by 2030, equivalent to 870 million short tons of CO2 or the annual emissions resulting from the powering of 95 percent of U.S. homes. According to Obama, that is the equivalent of taking 166 million cars off United States roads. The slash in CO2 emissions will also lessen emissions of harmful co-pollutants; by 2030, emissions of sulfur dioxide will be 90 percent lower and emissions of nitrous oxides will be 72 percent lower, compared to 2005 levels. The Clean Power Plan projects that in 2030, the final rule will have led to net benefits of $26 – 45 billion, avoided 3,600 premature deaths and 90,000 asthma attacks in children, and reduced the average American’s yearly electricity bill by $84.

In relation to Texas, a new study released by the non-profit Environmental Defense Fund has found that the Clean Power Plan will have reasonably marginal impacts on the state because Texas is already on path to meet 88 percent of the carbon emission reduction goals by 2030. The study, Well within reach: How Texas can comply with and benefit from the Clean Power Plan, accentuates Texas’ swift growth in wind and solar power, as well as the state’s copious natural gas resources courtesy of the shale boom. At present, the state is progressively decreasing its dependence on coal-fired power that comprises of greater carbon emissions.

Furthermore, the study predicts that by 2030 Texas will obtain more electricity from renewables like wind and solar than from coal. Currently, Texas is by far the most resource-rich state in the country for wind and solar energy and leads the nation in wind power generation. The report further highlights that Texas is in position to become an even bigger net exporter of natural gas, wind and solar power in the coming years. Moreover, as we mentioned in our previous post last week, Texas runs its own electricity grid that does not connect to those that serve other states. The report notes that in the next 10 years, this electric grid is likely to change more than it has in the past 100 years.

In contrast, several individuals have expressed concerns with the Clean Power Plan, with certain apprehensive states filing law suits. However, a few utilities, including municipally owned Austin Energy, joined Calpine in its November court filing in support of the Clean Power Plan. Larry Weis, general manager of Austin Energy, doesn’t foresee a future for coal and encourages the state to focus on developing its own plan rather than taking a “just say no” defiance through lawsuits against the federal government. In light of this, Weis notes, “states like Texas are really at a huge advantage with this because we have a lot of gas resources and renewable resources…we could really be an example for the rest of the country.”

Indeed, if the Clean Power Plan were to stimulate a new push for an economic way to burn coal in a drastically lower-carbon way, the policy could end up having a truly momentous consequence on climate change. One prominent way the U.S. carbon-reduction plan could seriously combat climate change is if it initiated more technological progress on cleaner ways for the rest of the world to burn that coal. Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, encouraged anxious states to explore creative ways to transform their power sectors in relation to the Clean Power Plan. One way of doing this is through conducting research and development (R&D) in creating more modern and more efficient technologies.

The government provides R&D Tax Credits for companies engaging in R&D activities, which allows firms to produce generous tax savings – including generating cash from their past and future investments. If you’re interested in claiming the R&D tax credits, or want to find out if your eligible, have a chat to one of our R&D tax specialists who will be able to help you with your claim.