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Fremont-based KeraVision Inc. shares soared 43% after the company announced positive results from a study of its plastic ring surgically implanted in the eye to treat nearsightedness. Its shares rose $3.06 to close at $10.19 on Nasdaq. . . . Star Enterprise, the Houston-based joint venture of Texaco Inc. and the Saudi national oil company, awarded a $250-million contract to Parsons Corp. of Pasadena to design and build a power plant at Star’s Delaware refinery. . . . The board of Los Angeles-based Transamerica Life Cos. elected President and Chief Executive Thomas Cusack to the additional post of chairman. . . . Cleveland-based TRW Inc. said it has purchased an exclusive worldwide technology license for a helium gas air bag inflater from AirBelt Systems of Los Angeles for undisclosed terms. . . . Online investment company E-Trade Group Inc. unveiled an alliance with Robertson, Stephens & Co. to bring investment banking services to online investors. The alliance will give Palo Alto-based E-Trade’s customers access to investment banking services, including initial and secondary public stock offerings underwritten by San Francisco-based Robertson. . . . Cupertino-based Apple Computer Inc. said it has decided not to proceed with a spinoff of its Newton Inc. unit because of the “tremendous potential” for one of its products, the eMate 300 portable computer. But the struggling computer maker did not rule out changes for Newton and said it is still examining the structure of the unit.