Feb 17, 1997

MWW/Savitt

The Seattle public relations firm MWW/Savitt has hired Julie Quattro as vice president of the technology division. Quattro will manage all aspects of the company's high-tech practice group, as well as develop and augment high technology and integrated multi-media marketing communications programs for established clients.

NeoPath

Redmond-based NeoPath, Inc. has named Kumar Shahani as vice president of marketing. NeoPath focuses on research, development and commercialization of technologies to automate the interpretation of medical images.

Surface water and vapor extraction

The University of Washington is offering two environmental engineering courses in March and April through its Engineering Professional Programs office in the College of Engineering. One course, to be held March 27 and 28, is an introduction to MODFLOW and MODPATH models and their application to subsurface vapor extraction and control. Topics to be covered include: the mechanics of gas flow and its similarities to groundwater flow; computer modeling systems; vapor composition and transport processes; particle tracking; and practical case histories. The course will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. Tuition is $345. The other course covers storm and surface water monitoring. To be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 16 and 17, the course covers the design of aquatic monitoring programs; monitoring flow and hydrology; water quality monitoring; habitat and sediments; biological monitoring; and synthesis of results. Tuition is $315. To register for either course, contact Engineering Professional Services at (206) 543-2352.

Feb 14, 1997

Port of Seattle

Bill Swedish has been named chief technology officer for the Port of Seattle. He will lead the Port's upgrade to an open client/server architecture for its computer information systems. Swedish was previously management information systems director for Seattle Pacific Industries (UnionBay Sportswear).

Seattle Youth Garden Works

Seattle Youth Garden Works, a youth empowerment program that helps homeless and at-risk youth build stable lives through garden-based work training, education and entrepreneurial experiences, is seeking advisory board participants and regular volunteers. Call (206) 525-1213 or 525-2421 for more information, or e-mail upstart@halcyon.com.

Feb 12, 1997

Metapath

Bellevue-based Metapath Corporation has hired Jeff Feinstein as vice president of sales. Feinstein will be responsible for overseeing all sales activities, including new account generation, account management, and channel development. Metapath provides software for telecommunications carriers.

Graham & James/Riddell Williams

Nancy Nakayama has joined the Seattle law firm of Graham & James/Riddell Williams as a principal in its Intellectual Property Group. Nakayama's practice focuses on intellectual property matters including licensing and technology protection, and on international business transactions.

Feb 11, 1997

Telework Technologies

Absolute Business Services has announced the creation of a new intranet division, Telework Technologies Inc. (TTI). The new division will focus on the design, implementation and support of corporate intranets for field and service personnel. TTI's unique approach is that it will offer tailored solutions to the needs of field sales and service personnel in small and medium sized companies. TTI's solution combines the company's experience in service management and sales force automation with Internet and database technologies.

MetaInfo

MetaInfo, Inc., a Seattle-based supplier of IP Management, Internet messaging and information management software for the Windows NT platform, has launched and aggressive sales and strategic business development program specifically targeting Fortune 500 companies migrating from UNIX to Microsoft Windows NT. Carolyn Brady has joined MetaInfo as sales executive and strategic business development. She will launch several programs designed to simplify the high-volume purchase of its products. Kay Ashton has joined the company as marketing communications manager. Her responsibilities will include developing, implementing and managing a worldwide product marketing program for MetaInfo through trade shows, advertising, direct marketing and public relations.

Fullman Co.

Daniel M. Smith has been promoted to vice president of Fullman Company, a Portland-based mechanical contractor. Smith has over 14 years of experience in mechanical contracting, focusing on the advanced technology industry for microelectronics and biotechnology. He will oversee all Fullman advanced technology projects in Oregon and Washington.

Study warns of lead levels in hair dyes

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A university researcher is urging pharmacists to advise their customers against buying certain hair dyes that contain so much lead consumers can't wash it all off their hands. The researcher's study in last Tuesday's Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association raises the possibility of danger to children after adults dye their hair and then handle a child or prepare food. "The user becomes a living purveyor of lead contamination," concluded study author Howard Mielke, a toxicologist at Xavier University of Louisiana, who also recommends pharmacists stop selling dyes that contain lead. Food and Drug Administration cosmetics chief John Bailey said Mielke's recommendations "are premature" because other research to date indicates lead-containing hair dyes -- which are a minority of the hair coloring market -- are safe if used properly. But the FDA will examine Mielke's findings, Bailey said. And a leading researcher on child lead poisoning urged that scientists check whether dye users and their children absorb lead into their blood from contaminated hands and hair. "What we don't know is whether this potential exposure turns into real exposure," cautioned Dr. Gary Goldstein, president of Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute. "On the other hand, this is a lot of lead. ... I think people should be aware of it." Lead is mainly a threat to young children, who can suffer brain damage and other problems after ingesting even small amounts. They get lead poisoning primarily by touching lead-tainted products, such as peeling paint, and then putting their hands into their mouths. Mielke's study raises the possibility of similar hand-to-mouth contamination with so-called progressive hair dyes, including that old standby Grecian Formula, that are used repeatedly to build up to the desired color and then maintain it. The FDA allows these dyes to be made with lead acetate because studies found it unlikely to be absorbed through users' skin. But the FDA does require warning labels to keep the dyes away from children and to wash hands thoroughly after using. Because these dyes don't stain skin, gloves aren't recommended. "Our products are absolutely safe," said a statement by Grecian Formula manufacturer Combe Inc. The company said European researchers studied 53 Grecian Formula users and didn't detect any hand-to-mouth lead contamination. But Mielke, a longtime researcher of environmental lead contamination, tested five lead-containing hair dyes and found they had four to 10 times more lead than the government allows in household paint. He also tested organic competitors, like Combe's Just for Men and Clairol's Nice 'N Easy, and found them lead-free. Then Mielke and his laboratory technician dyed their own hair with the lead-containing dyes. After washing their hands, the two still had between 26 and 79 micrograms of lead on each hand. A microgram is a millionth of a gram. Lead was on their hair dryers and their faucets. Far more was on their hair -- running his hands through his hair after the dye dried gave Mielke 70 to 286 micrograms of lead on each hand, before washing. Mielke didn't do blood tests to see if this surface lead was absorbed, but he notes that the amount he measured on washed hands far exceeds the lead a child can safely ingest in a day -- just 6 micrograms -- and equals the safe maximum of 30 to 60 micrograms for adults. In addition to Grecian Formula, the other lead-containing dyes Mielke tested were Lady Grecian Formula, Grecian Plus, Youthhair Creme and RD Hair Coloring and Groomer, but he said other brands may also contain excessive lead. California-based American International Industries, makers of Youthhair Creme, declined comment last week, and a listing could not be found for LT Laboratories in Brookline, Mass., makers of RD Hair Coloring and Groomer.