Daily Business Report: Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023
Wearable sensor uses ultrasound
to provide cardiac imaging on the go
By Emerson Dameron and Ioana Patringenaru
Engineers and physicians have developed a wearable ultrasound device that can assess both the structure and function of the human heart. The portable device, which is roughly the size of a postage stamp, can be worn for up to 24 hours and works even during strenuous exercise.
The goal is to make ultrasound more accessible to a larger population, said Sheng Xu, a professor of nanoengineering at the University of California San Diego, who is leading the project. Currently, echocardiograms– ultrasound examinations for the heart– require highly trained technicians and bulky devices.
“The technology enables anybody to use ultrasound imaging on the go,” Xu said.
Thanks to custom AI algorithms, the device is capable of measuring how much blood the heart is pumping. This is important because the heart not pumping enough blood is at the root of most cardiovascular diseases. And issues with heart function often manifest only when the body is in motion.
The work is described in the Jan. 25 issue of the journal Nature.
Top photo: Hongjie Hu, postdoctoral researcher, in the Xu lab. Below, The unique design of the sensor makes it ideal for bodies in motion. (Photos by David Baillot, Jacobs School of Engineering, UC San Diego)
SDG&E announces natural gas commodity price
to decline 68 percent compared to January
After hitting historic highs this winter due to unprecedented market conditions in the Western United States, San Diego Gas & Electric announced Tuesday that the February natural gas commodity price has declined by 68 percentpercent compared to January 2023, plunging from $3.45 per therm to $1.11 per therm. The typical residential customer’s gas bill (commodity plus delivery charges and other mandated fees and taxes) is expected to decrease to $110 in February, from $225 in January.
High natural gas demand caused by cold weather coupled with the partial closure of a major third-party pipeline that provides gas to the West and limited gas storage in California has caused extreme volatility in gas prices.
SDG&E does not set the commodity price for natural gas. Instead, natural gas commodity prices are determined by national and regional markets. SDG&E buys natural gas in those markets on behalf of residential and small business customers, and the cost of buying that gas is billed to those customers with no markup, meaning SDG&E does not profit from the movement of gas commodity prices.
Teresa Campbell named one of 2022’s
Most Powerful Women in Credit Unions
Teresa Campbell, president and CEO of San Diego County Credit Union, was named one of 2022’s Powerful Women in Credit Unions by American Banker. The designation recognizes women leaders in credit unions and the great achievements they have accomplished within their companies and community.
Campbell was selected for her outstanding leadership and demonstrated success at SDCCU since she joined the credit union in 2010. Most notably, under her leadership, SDCCU’s customer base has more than doubled, reaching over 437,000 members, and assets have grown from just under $5 billion to $11.3 billion.
She is a strategic and effective leader and has a genuine passion for helping progress the credit union movement.
Campbell’s focus on improving lives by providing breakthrough banking products, services, education and extensive community support has tremendously impacted Southern California.
In 2022, Campbell was also selected as one of SD Metro Magazine’s Women of Accomplishment.
Brooke Hallisey joins Schaffer Family Law Group
Brooke Hallisey has joined the San Diego law firm Schaffer Family Law Group APC.
Hallisey is an associate attorney who originally joined the firm in August 2022 as a law clerk.
Hallisey received her B.A. summa cum laude, from San Diego State University in 2019 and her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in May 2022.
During law school, Hallisey represented clients under the instruction of a supervising attorney both in a family law firm and in SMU’s family law clinic, where she represented clients pro bono.
The Schaffer Family Law Group is a full-service divorce, mediation and family law firm known for effective legal representation and compassionate client service.
For more information, visit www.schafferfamilylaw.com.
Diane Takvorian reappointed
to California Air Resources Board
Diane Takvorian, 71, of San Diego, has been reappointed to the California Air Resources Board by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
She has served since 2016. Takvorian has been executive director at the Environmental Health Coalition since 1982.
She was associate director at the Community Congress of San Diego from 1978 to 1981.
Takvorian was a lecturer at the San Diego State University School of Social Work from 1984 to 2001.
She was appointed by President Obama to the Joint Public Advisory Committee, Commission on Environmental Cooperation and served from 2010 to 2014.
Takvorian served as co-chair of the California Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice Advisory Committee from 2002 to 2007.
The position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $54,114. Takvorian is a Democrat.
City Council OKs state funding
to house people living in encampments
SAN DIEGO — Working to expand pathways to move San Diegans off the streets and into housing, the City Council on Monday authorized the expenditure of a $2.45 million grant awarded to the City of San Diego to help end people’s homelessness in East Village. San Diego was one of eight communities across the state last October to be awarded a portion of $48 million in Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF). Nineteen other communities received ERF grant funds in the first round in early 2022.
$2,500 scholarships available for students
of African American descent in North County
SAN DIEGO — North County African American Women’s Association (NCAAWA) and North Island Credit Union have extended their partnership for a third year, offering scholarships and financial literacy programming to college-bound female students of African American descent in North County. Four $2,500 scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors, current ROP, trade school, college and/or graduate students in Carlsbad, Escondido, Fallbrook, Oceanside, San Dieguito, San Marcos and Vista. More information can be found at ncaawa.org/scholarships.
AARP and City of La Mesa team up
for tax preparation at no cost
AARP and the City of La Mesa will be offering tax preparation for no cost on Mondays starting Feb. 6. All tax appointments will be held at the Adult Enrichment Center at 8450 La Mesa Blvd. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide provides in-person and virtual tax assistance to anyone, free of charge, with a focus on taxpayers who are over 50 years old with low to moderate income. Tax-Aide volunteers, located nationwide, are trained and IRS-certified annually to make sure they are familiar with the latest changes to the tax code.
Appointments are required and are extremely limited. Reserve your spot today. For more information, call (619) 667-1322.
Arima Genomics announces new testing service
CARLSBAD — Arima Genomics Inc., a company leveraging 3D genomics to reveal actionable insights to empower researchers and clinicians seeking to improve human health, announced an agreement to make an Arima next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based test available to clinicians for patient management through Protean BioDiagnostics CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory in Orlando, Fla. The new testing service, using Arima’s novel genomic technology, will identify clinically actionable gene fusions in tumor tissue from patients with cancer, and is anticipated to be available for order in the first half of 2023.
Nick Rogers achieves No. 1 ranking at
Coldwell Banker La Jolla for closed sales
LA JOLLA — Nick Rogers, San Diego Realtor specializing in luxury real estate, has reached the #1 ranking for closed sales in 2022 at La Jolla Coldwell Banker. This is a major achievement and a highly sought-after title among San Diego real estate agents. Also among his recently acquired accolades is the 2022 award for International President’s Elite which places Rogers in the top 3 percent of Coldwell Banker Agents worldwide.
Wildfire Systems drives more than
$260 million in online purchases in 2022
SAN DIEGO — Wildfire Systems Inc., an innovative fintech platform that powers white-label reward programs and shopping companions, announced the company exceeded its 2022 sales goals, more than doubling revenue year-over-year. Its rapid growth was accelerated by consumers seeking relief from record high inflation by purchasing products and services from brands that offer cashback rewards through Wildfire’s white-label cashback rewards platform. The platform was responsible for driving over $260 million in online purchases at participating brands, while consumers initiated more than 32 million online shopping journeys via Wildfire in 2022.
Blueboard and HUB International announce partnership
SAN DIEGO – Blueboard, an innovator in the employee recognition and rewards space, announced a partnership with HUB International Limited, a leading global insurance brokerage and financial services firm, that enables HUB International clients to incorporate Blueboard’s services into their personalized benefit plans developed under HUB’s proprietary Quality Employee Experience framework, including the HUB Workforce Persona Analysis tool.
QDOBA Mexican Eats’ Citrus Lime Shrimp is back
SAN DIEGO – QDOBA is inviting guests to indulge in its fan-favorite Citrus Lime Shrimp, which is back by popular demand and available for a limited time. With many Americans observing special diets during this time of year and some even abstaining from red meat on a weekly basis, QDOBA is one of the few restaurants in the fast-casual segment to address the growing demand and offer a seafood protein option. Its Citrus Lime Shrimp is not only freshly sautéed in-house daily in a flavorful, tangy citrus lime sauce, but also is sustainably sourced.
EDF Renewables places 1 gigawatt
of projects into service in 2020
SAN DIEGO – EDF Renewables North America, one of the largest renewable energy developers in North America, placed 1,054.7 MWp of onshore wind, solar and storage in service during 2022. The Grid-Scale Power team commissioned 922.4 MW while the Distribution-Scale power team delivered 9 projects totaling 56 MWp. The Onsite Solutions team, through the affiliate PowerFlex, completed the year with 76.7 MWp of solar, 9.4 MWh of storage and 2,606 new EV charging installations
Biological Dynamics, Perlmutter Cancer
Center collaborate on pancreatic cancer research
SAN DIEGO – Biological Dynamics, a company commercializing its exosome-isolation ExoVerita platform, announced a collaboration with the Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health to validate its application for the early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The collaboration will test retrospective samples from over 200 patients starting this month. The ExoVerita platform is being investigated at NYU Langone Health, among other premier institutions, with a goal of advancing treatment options for high-risk PDAC patients.
Wrike helps inDrive keep up with pace and
complexity of work driven by ride-share demand
Wrike, the most powerful work management platform, announced that global mobility and urban services platform, and one of the world’s fastest growing ride-hailing services,
inDrive, uses Wrike to scale work across the business, forecast resources accurately, and eliminate duplicate or redundant work. Over the past two years, inDrive has seen a 60 percent increase in the countries it serves. As a fast-growing global organization, they needed a single system of record for all work and deployed Wrike company-wide.
Concert Health appoints Kimiko Boyd
as chief operations officer
SAN DIEGO –Concert Health, a leading behavioral health medical group, announced the appointment of industry veteran Kimiko Boyd as the company’s new chief operations officer. Bringing decades of experience in healthcare operations, Boyd will work alongside Concert’s leadership team to accelerate the company’s progress toward its vision of delivering integrated behavioral health services directly within primary care clinics nationwide. As COO, Boyd will be responsible for the operational and functional management of the company as Concert scales its network of partners with leading providers and continues to expand access to quality behavioral health care nationwide.
