In the February podcast, we’re all about nanoparticles: they clean up blood, they can listen to cellular noises, they get rid of unwanted pests and they worm their way into the environment. Plus, we learn that fluorinated chemicals might be making their way into our food and discuss the unusual case of hip replacements that produce their own lubricant.
The sleepy secret secreted by the opium poppy has brought pain relief to millions. But just as it’s helped to save lives, it’s also responsible for taking them. Simon Cotton tells the tale of the addictive analgesic, morphine, in this week’s Chemistry in its element podcast.
Silicon, which is less electronegative than carbon or hydrogen atoms, can significantly alter the electronic characteristics of an organic molecule. Replacing the hydrogen atoms of an aromatic C–H group with silyl groups has emerged as an important strategy in industrial-scale chemical synthesis because these substituents can tune molecular reactivity, enabling construction of elaborate chemical frameworks.
Chemists normally use transition metals such as platinum or rhodium to catalyze aromatic silylation reactions. But to achieve high conversions, these catalysts need to be mixed with additional hydrogen acceptor reagents, which can generate unwanted waste products, including alkanes.
Hou and colleagues have pioneered studies into rare-earth metals, such as scandium, which have different catalytic properties to transition metals. Recently, they found that ‘half-sandwich’ scandium complexes, bonded on one side by a flat organic ring, showed unique activity and selectivity in the presence of carbon double bonds. This made investigations of unsaturated aromatic molecules a natural next step.
When the researchers mixed a methoxy–benzene compound called anisole with the half-sandwich scandium catalyst and a phenylsilane, they found that the silyl group substituted onto the aromatic ring with excellent selectivity and yields (Fig. 1). Furthermore, the catalyst did not require hydrogen acceptor reagents, and generated only H2 gas as a by-product. Hou notes that this reaction is highly advantageous in terms of atom economy.
X-ray and spectroscopic measurements revealed that the working form of the catalyst, which contained a pair of ‘bridging’ hydrogen atoms, activated the reaction by coordinating the anisole’s methoxy group to the rare-earth metal. According to Hou, this relatively strong interaction directs silylation to occur almost exclusively at the position adjacent to the methoxy unit on the aromatic ring—a 'regioselectivity' that outshines that of transition metal catalysts, whose weak oxygen–metal interactions often produce an undesirable mix of silylation isomers.
The team will continue to explore new approaches to improving catalytic sustainability and selectivity by tapping into the extraordinary properties of rare-earth metals.
More information: Oyamada, J., et al. Scandium-catalyzed silylation of aromatic C–H bonds. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 50, 10720–10723 (2011).
Takimoto, M., et al. Scandium-catalyzed regio- and stereospecific methylalumination of silyloxy/alkoxy-substituted alkynes and alkenes. Journal of the American Chemical Society 131, 18266–18268 (2009).
Provided by RIKEN (news : web)
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Economizing chemistry, atom by atom
Challenged to create a product using skills they learned in chemistry class, eighth-graders at Bettendorf Middle School came up with items from scented nail polish and deodorant to sports drinks and edible slime.
The products were on display Friday during the school's first Chemistry Expo.
The event was part of a project-based learning assignment, said teacher Tanya Gilmore. The students also were responsible for creating posters and a website to market their product.
"It's sort of a way for them to connect the concepts they've learned throughout the year with something real, making chemistry more real to them," Gilmore said. "I think they surprised themselves with how much they actually know."
The students were challenged to create a product that did not just add something to an existing product, but to use their chemistry skills to create something new.
Kassidie Harmon said her group considered making root beer but decided that was too easy. Instead, they chose to make root-beer-flavored gum.
Her group had to order gum base online, but was able to find root beer extract at a local grocery store. They then experimented with different combinations of gum base, root beer extract, corn syrup and sugar.
"It took us five tries," she said. "We had to add a lot of sugar."
After distributing samples to classmates and visitors at the Chemistry Expo, Kassidie said most people either seemed to love the gum or hate it.
"There was no in-between," she said.
Ian Beck's group decided to make deodorant, but wasn't thrilled with the result.
The group used a mixture of corn starch, baking soda and perfumes, which team member Helena Sparbel said were chosen because they smelled like "old lady."
The aroma of the resulting product was a little too strong.
"Enough to knock people out," Ian said.
The team added water to dilute the scent, leaving the final product a little gooey.
"Making it into a stick was not the best idea," Ian said.
The young chemists agreed the project was a more enjoyable way to learn than the usual chemistry lab assignment.
"This was actually a lot of fun," Kassidie said.
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Students test products made in chemistry project
INDIANAPOLIS — The rebuilding of the relationship between Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and wide receiver Santonio Holmes may begin with a weekend retreat.
Jets coach Rex Ryan told The Post last night he has spoken with both players and Holmes told him he’d like to get away for a weekend with Sanchez as the two try to fix their chemistry.
“It seemed like that was what Santonio was talking about,” said Ryan, who is at the Super Bowl to make some promotional appearances. “I don’t know if he’s reached out to Mark yet and done anything but that is what I believe to be true.”
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WE CAN FIX THIS ... TOGETHER! Rex Ryan said he believes Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes may take a weekend retreat together as a way to fix their chemistry.
UPDATES FROM OUR JETS BLOG
A month after the 8-8 season ended in disaster in Miami for the Jets, Ryan said he feels like everything will be better in 2012. The relationship between his quarterback and receiver is first on that list.
“The first year they had good chemistry together,” Ryan said. “Whatever happened, happened, but we’ll learn from it. I’m confident because I think we have to be successful, they have to be successful together. I know one thing: They are both extremely competitive. There isn’t one person in this organization who feels good about where we finished. We can’t wait to get it done again. We’d love to be able to play tomorrow. We’ll see. I think the strength of our football team will be in how we feel about each other and all that, the chemistry that we’ve always built. I think that will be a strength and won’t be a weakness like it might have been perceived this year.”
Ryan just returned from a vacation in Hawaii. He said while he was there he took some time to reflect on what went wrong and what he needed to do to improve the chemistry on his team.
“I had a little pad of paper with me,” Ryan said. “On one side I put down things that I need to improve on after having time to be away from it a little bit. I put how I’m going to get it corrected on the other side. That’s the plan. Each year I try to do that. This year is obviously important. There’s a lot of things I can learn from this past season. I really can’t wait to get started.”
Super Bowl XLVI is a nightmare matchup for Ryan between his in-state rival, the Giants, and his division rival, the Patriots.
“I think it’s going to be an awesome game,” Ryan said. “The last two times these teams met it hasn’t been decided to the final minute of the game. I think it will be the same.”
His prediction?
“I’m not going to make a prediction,” Ryan said. “If I make a prediction on one team and that team loses, I’ll be blamed for it.”
Continued here:
Rex: Sanchez, Holmes to work on rebuilding chemistry
Last season, building chemistry was the underlying theme of the Heat’s season. There was very little between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade during that 9-8 start — the two stars took turns watching each other, not playing off of each other. That started to change as the season wore on and into the playoffs and things looked better — until they ran into the ultimate chemistry of the Dallas Mavericks.
This season chemistry is not a problem. Never been better.
So says LeBron James, speaking to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. (Hat tip to Eye on Basketball.)
“It is at an all-time high right now, honestly,” James said of the chemistry between the two. “It is just a chemistry that we have. Last year was a blueprint for us. It is not like we look for each other more than others, it kind of just happens.
“We’re two of the fastest guys in the league when it comes to a break and it is kind of pick-your-poison with the defender, either allow me to get a dunk or allow D-Wade to get a dunk. We are two unselfish players. If a guy is open, we pass it.”
Chemistry and winning are inexorably linked in the public mind — winning teams have chemistry, losing teams do not. That deduction often comes after the fact. In the Heat’s case, the chemistry with Wade and LeBron always seems to be better when they have better players around them that forces defenders to make choices rather than focus solely on them. No doubt LeBron and Wade are more comfortable with each other on the court now than they were a year ago at this time, but the up-tempo style of play and better surrounding cast are a part of that equation, too.
It’s that whole equation that should have other teams concerned.
MILWAUKEE, Wis.—
The tag-team approach is back. And now no one is talking about LeBron James or Dwyane Wade being better by themselves. Not when they're playing this well in tandem. Not after these past three games.
With Wade back from the sprained right ankle that kept him out for six games, James and Wade have regained their common stride in victories against the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Hornets, part of the five-game winning streak the Heat carry into Wednesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
"It is at an all-time high right now, honestly," James said of the chemistry between the two. "It is just a chemistry that we have. Last year was a blueprint for us. It is not like we look for each other more than others, it kind of just happens.
"We're two of the fastest guys in the league when it comes to a break and it is kind of pick-your-poison with the defender, either allow me to get a dunk or allow D-Wade to get a dunk. We are two unselfish players. If a guy is open, we pass it."
There has been plenty of ball movement between the two over the past three games, with nine Wade assists for James baskets and five James assists for Wade baskets.
Many of those passes have resulted in spectacular plays.
Mostly it's been Wade-to-James that has provided the ultimate theatrics.
"If there was one guy that I've thrown the most lobs to in my life, it's been LeBron, from All-Star games, to Olympics, and obviously playing with the Heat," Wade said.
"I kind of have a feel for when he's coming. I hear him trucking out of the corner of my ear. I see him and he's the kind of guy that you can just throw it up and he'll get it."
Then Wade gets to witness.
"He makes you look good," Wade said. "Just trying to reward him for running hard."
James said he has a similar feel.
"We both know," he said of the open-court feel for each other, "also knowing the game and knowing what is going on.
"When a guy like D-Wade has a good rhythm, you have to keep feeding him."
Right now, the going is particularly good.
"It is a residual of all these games and that even goes back to last year," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We played over 100 games and we had those few extra months, we were able to get much more comfortable with each other and get on the same page.
"Those guys are such high-IQ players, it was a matter of time before they learned how to play off each other."
Or, in this latest case, re-learned.
"They understand what our keys to success are: We have to defend. We have to play off misses. And that gives us an opportunity to play out in the open court," Spoelstra said. "They have been very explosive with that."
Spoelstra said the two can be particularly explosive when he can keep their minutes down, which he did in Monday's rout of the Hornets. That becomes easier with the bench playing well recently, particularly forward Mike Miller.
"We have depth right now, now that we are healthy," Spoelstra said. "We can take them out and put in other guys to really put the pressure on."
On the outs
The last time the Heat played the Bucks, veteran swingman Stephen Jackson was coming off a one-game benching for failing to make it to the shootaround the previous game against the New York Knicks.
Now Jackson, the mercurial scorer, is coming off another benching, held out of the Bucks' Monday victory over the Detroit Pistons because of what coach Scott Skiles said was a rotation decision.
Jackson said Monday was the first time he had been held out of a game when healthy and not being disciplined.
Factoring in is the recent upgraded play of Bucks guard Shaun Livingston, who previously had a brief stint with the Heat. Livingston has started the past seven games in Milwaukee's backcourt alongside Brandon Jennings.
iwinderman@tribune.com. Follow him at twitter.com/iraheatbeat
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James says chemistry with Wade 'at an all-time high'
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d20db2/russian_federation) has announced the addition of GlobalData 's new report "Russian Federation In Vitro Diagnostics Market Outlook to 2017 - Clinical Chemistry Genetic Testing, Haematology, Histology And Cytology, Immuno Chemistry, Infectious Immunology and Microbiology Culture" to their offering.
GlobalData's new report, Russian Federation In Vitro Diagnostics Market Outlook to 2017 - Clinical Chemistry Genetic Testing, Haematology, Histology And Cytology, Immuno Chemistry, Infectious Immunology and Microbiology Culture provides key market data on the Russian Federation In Vitro Diagnostics market. The report provides value (USD million) data for each segment and sub-segment within seven market categories - Clinical Chemistry, Genetic Testing, Haematology, Histology And Cytology, Immuno Chemistry, Infectious Immunology and Microbiology Culture. The report also provides company shares and distribution shares data for each of the aforementioned market categories. The report is supplemented with global corporate-level profiles of the key market participants with information on company financials and pipeline products, wherever available.
Scope
Market size and company share data for In Vitro Diagnostics market categories - Clinical Chemistry, Genetic Testing, Haematology, Histology And Cytology, Immuno Chemistry, Infectious Immunology and Microbiology Culture. Annualized market revenues (USD million) data for each of the segments and sub-segments within seven market categories. Data from 2003 to 2010, forecast forward for 7 years to 2017. 2010 company shares and distribution shares data for each of the seven market categories. Global corporate-level profiles of key companies operating within the Russian Federation In Vitro Diagnosticsmarket.
Companies Mentioned:
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Siemens Healthcare Abbott Laboratories bioMerieux S.A. Beckman Coulter, Inc. Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Inc. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Sysmex Corporation Becton, Dickinson and Company DiaSorin S.p.A Alere Inc. Phadia AB Qiagen N.V. DIAGNOSTICA STAGO, Inc. Danaher Corporation Gen-Probe Incorporated PerkinElmer, Inc. HORIBA, Ltd. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Grifols, S.A. Immucor, Inc. Hologic, Inc. Cellestis Limited Life Technologies Corporation Mindray Medical International Limited
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d20db2/russian_federation
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Research and Markets: Russian Federation In Vitro Diagnostics Market Outlook to 2017
Washington, Jan 29 (ANI): A researcher is studying materials
that use light or darkness to purify air filled with toxins
that are harmful to human health and the environment.
The research, conducted by Manindu Weerasinghe from Kansas State
University, Sri Lanka, could one day lead to filters,
humidifiers and other devices that can detoxify air in
windowless rooms, manufacturing facilities and other indoor
areas.
"Indoor pollutants can come from things like asbestos, markers
and new carpet, and are very harmful in just small amounts,"
Newswise quoted Weerasinghe as saying.
"A room like an office or a laboratory that may have few or no
windows will have higher levels of indoor air pollutants than a room that
has lots of windows. Also, if the room does not have good
ventilation those levels would increase," she said.
For her research, Weerasinghe is testing and analysing
photocatalysts and dark catalysts,
materials made by chemically bonding a metal to oxygen.
Photocatalysts react to light while dark catalysts react to
darkness.
The photocatalysts being tested are made from chromium or
vanadium with titanium. Cobalt is used for the dark catalysts.
Finding which metal is most effective at combating pollutants
is key.
Weerasinghe is also adding varying amounts of pure silica to
each catalyst mixture. Silica is the substance used to make
glass and ceramics and serves as an insulator in chemical
reactions. Based on test results, adding silica improves a
catalyst's ability to remove air pollutants.
"Right now it's not really clear why and how pure silica works
so well, so that's something I hope to also answer with more
experiments," she said.
"Glass is not toxic and silica is very abundant and
inexpensive, so it could be a very good material to use if this
work moves from laboratory-scale production to an
industrial-scale production," Weerasinghe said.
Once made, each photocatalyst and dark catalyst is tested in a
chamber filled with air pollutants. Oxygen is added and the
catalyst is exposed to light or darkness, triggering a chemical
reaction that converts air pollutants in the chamber into
smaller, less harmful levels of carbon dioxide over
time.
Although carbon dioxide is not the ideal byproduct, it is
produced at such small levels that it presents fewer problems
to health and the environment than the air pollutants,
Weerasinghe said.
Of the photocatalysts, chromium photocatalysts reduce the most
air pollutants. Although the work is still in its early stages,
Weerasinghe is finding that the results are more complex. Tests
using the cobalt dark catalysts show significant gains over the
photocatalysts.
"In fact, the cobalt system is 10 times more active than the
chromium system at degrading pollutants," Weerasinghe said.
"It's also a rapid response system, meaning that about 10
minutes into the experiment the cobalt starts to react. This is
something that wasn't expected because these experiments are
about using light. But the best results are coming from a
system that doesn't use light to react," she added.
In one instance, Weerasinghe tried to find the point at which
the dark catalyst stopped reacting. After three days into the
experiment no drop-off point could be found. She plans further
studies to investigate this unexpected phenomenon. (ANI)
See more here:
Chemistry research may help free environment of toxins
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b8cab1/forensic_chemistry) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Forensic Chemistry Handbook" to their offering.
A concise, robust introduction to the various topics covered by the discipline of forensic chemistry
The Forensic Chemistry Handbook focuses on topics in each of the major chemistry-related areas of forensic science. With chapter authors that span the forensic chemistry field, this book exposes readers to the state of the art on subjects such as serology (including blood, semen, and saliva), DNA/molecular biology, explosives and ballistics, toxicology, pharmacology, instrumental analysis, arson investigation, and various other types of chemical residue analysis. In addition, the Forensic Chemistry Handbook:
Covers forensic chemistry in a clear, concise, and authoritative way Brings together in one volume the key topics in forensics where chemistry plays an important role, such as blood analysis, drug analysis, urine analysis, and DNA analysis Explains how to use analytical instruments to analyze crime scene evidence Contains numerous charts, illustrations, graphs, and tables to give quick access to pertinent information
Media focus on high-profile trials like those of Scott Peterson or Kobe Bryant have peaked a growing interest in the fascinating subject of forensic chemistry. For those readers who want to understand the mechanisms of reactions used in laboratories to piece together crime scenes and to fully grasp the chemistry behind it this book is a must-have.
Author:
Lawrence Kobilinsky is currently the Chairman of the Department of Sciences and Professor of Biology and Immunology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. An internationally renowned forensic scientist, he is a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences as well as the New York Microscopical Society. He has published extensively in the areas of identification and individualization using protein genetic markers and DNA analysis, and is the coauthor of Wiley's DNA: Forensic and Legal Applications
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b8cab1/forensic_chemistry
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Research and Markets: Forensic Chemistry Handbook
Alnylam cuts one third of workforce – New Novo Nordisk diabetes R&D centre – And Georgia Gulf spurns $1.1 bn takeover bid
PHARMACEUTICAL – US biotech Alnylam is planning to cut one third of its workforce. According to the 2010 annual report, the company employed 172 people, including 142 researchers, at the start of 2011. Based on those figures, around 57 people are now facing redundancy. Alnylam specialises in drugs based on RNA interference, a process through which genes are naturally turned on or off in biological systems by short lengths of RNA.
PHARMACEUTICAL – Danish pharma company Novo Nordisk, which specialises in insulin products, says it is to establish a type 1 diabetes R&D centre in Seattle, US. The centre will open this summer, employing 20 researchers led by Matthias von Herrath, currently director of the Center for Type 1 Diabetes Research at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology. The company says that there has been ‘a lack of major scientific progress’ in this area over the last decade – type 2 diabetes has drawn the focus owing to the dramatic rise in the number of people living with the disease, which is closely linked with obesity.
PHARMACEUTICAL – US generics company Watson has bought Australian company Ascent Pharmahealth for A$375 million (£240 million). Ascent specialises in generics, consumer skincare products and over the counter medicines, and Watson says that the move makes it the fifth largest generics company in Australia based on sales and gives it a significant presence in south-east Asia. Ascent employs 300 people in Australia and south-east Asia, and across those two regions the company made A$150 million in sales in 2011. Watson says that in Australia the market for generics is growing 8% per year.
CHEMICAL – US chemical company Georgia Gulf has rejected a $1.1 billion (£700 million) takeover bid from Westlake Chemical. Earlier this month, Westlake said it would buy the firm for $30 per share. But the Georgia Gulf board described the bid as ‘financially inadequate and not in the best interest of Georgia Gulf stockholders’. Georgia Gulf makes chlorovinyl and aromatic chemicals, as well as vinyl-based construction products. Westlake makes petrochemicals, polymers and construction products.
PHARMACEUTICAL – Contaminated drugs have killed 27 people in Pakistan prompting a rapid recall, according to Reuters. The drugs were distributed to patients with heart problems at a government institute in Lahore. Investigators suspect that that metal shards may be the cause of the symptoms, which include heavy bleeding.
CHEMICAL – European speciality chemical group Solvay is planning to create an ‘energy services’ business, which it is calling ‘the first concrete outcome’ of its €3.4 billion (£2.8 billion) merger with Rhodia in April 2011. The business will seek to reduce energy costs and emissions within Solvay, as well as selling services to other companies. Currently, Solvay spends €1.2 billion per year on energy.
Andrew Turley
In this week’s Chemistry in its element podcast, Duncan McMillan breathes life into carbon monoxide: a silent killer whose calling card is the ironically healthy hue of its victims. But, as Duncan explains, these days canary-based CO detectors are a thing of the past and we’re even learning that CO can be helpful to us, as well as harmful.
Somewhere in a dim and distant chemistry lesson we were first introduced to the atom. We learned that it has a nucleus (a bit like the sun) and that around the nucleus, dutifully obeying classical mechanics, orbited the electrons (much like the planets). The simplicity of the idea seduced even the great Niels Bohr. Everything seemed so perfect, so beautifully inter-related: from the atomic to the cosmic, the universe resonated with harmonious similitude. But, of course, it couldn’t last.
Before long, we got a little older and encountered Erwin Schrödinger – the man with the power to split reality and whose mind birthed the equation that would shatter our illusion. We learned, to our horror, that quantum theory says ‘no’.
The veil was torn from our eyes and the electron’s true nature was revealed – elusive, treacherous, chimeric; the unholy offspring of the union of wave and particle. Everywhere and nowhere, the electron was impossible to pin down, and suddenly uncertainty was the only certainty. We stared, aghast, as tutors’ chalk calmly described the loops and lobes of the mathematical prisons that surround the nucleus, their unfamiliar lines mutely stating ‘it’s probably in there’.
Well, some scientists in Germany have now brought the classical and quantum worlds a step closer together to make those electrons behave as Bohr thought they ought. By putting an electron in a highly excited state and confining its slippery nature with some well-chosen electromagnetic fields, they’ve succeeded in creating atoms whose electrons orbit the nucleus in just the circular, ‘planetary’ paths proposed by Bohr; a tiny replica of a solar system. Indeed, the very trick they use has an astronomical inspiration – the Trojan asteroids orbit in the same path and with the same period as Jupiter, without spreading out, owing to the stabilising action of Jupiter’s gravity. In this atomic analogue, the electromagnetic field, tuned to oscillate at the frequency of the electron’s orbit, supplies the stabilising force that stops the electron wave packet spreading out around the atom.
With electron in such highly excited states, the atoms themselves are pretty huge – on the order of hundredths of millimetres, bigger even than some biological cells.
The group think it should now be possible to excite further electrons into such states to create multiply-excited ‘planetary atoms’. And as the classical meets the quantum, we should gain a better understanding of the relationship between these worlds.
So well done, Burgdörfer et al, for standing up to the electron and showing that with a little cunning and some good old brute force, we can at last recapture the lost atoms of our youth.
Philip Robinson
While the peer review process often draws criticism, most would agree that it is a necessary, indeed integral aspect of conducting research. Even the most ardent critics acknowledge that the simple, even elegant, system has shown itself to be at least an adequate tool for a difficult job.
But peer review is not perfect and when it is itself scrutinised, there are various shortcomings that one might wish to address. Now, a group of researchers based at the University of Jyväskyklä, in Finland, want to take peer review and make it better. As they see it, the problems with peer review are that the process is slow, that reviewers receive no credit or recognition for their work, and that the quality of reviews is often poor. They also note that peer review is often attacked with accusations of bias, and as rejected papers trickle down the hierarchy of journals, the review process is repeated, needlessly consuming the time of an ever-increasing number of reviewers.
Their solution is a new website – Peerage of Science (PoS) – described by its founders as ‘a social network for peer review’. ‘This is not a revolution,’ says one of the founders, Janne-Tuomas Seppänen, ‘but a re-volition’. For Seppänen, PoS is the solution to the shared problems of peer review, that will be driven by the scientific community’s desire to change the system and to progress and safeguard their science.
— Peerage of Science’s founders: Janne-Tuomas Seppänen, Mikko Mönkkönen and Janne Kotiaho
At its heart, PoS is a simple idea. It is a web tool that facilitates peer review – authors upload their manuscripts and the community reviews them, following an automated process controlled by PoS. So far, so similar, but it is in the details of the system’s operation that PoS hopes to tackle some of peer review’s problems.
Perhaps most interesting of these is the mechanism for review. Having established their credentials (a publication in a peer-reviewed journal will suffice), participating reviewers choose whichever manuscripts take their fancy, with deadlines (set by the authors) that fit their schedule. Furthermore, all the reviews (called peer essays) a manuscript receives are themselves then subject to review – each reviewer is required to score the other reviews of the same manuscript. In this way, reviewers receive a rating (called the peer essay quality) based upon their peers’ opinion of their reviews, designed to give reviewers some recognition for their contributions and to encourage a higher quality of review. In a final twist, every review a manuscript receives generates two review obligations for the authors. So you don’t get something for nothing: to use the system, you must actively support the system.
To address accusations of bias that often dog the traditional peer review approach, the whole thing is conducted anonymously. Although reviewers are permitted to reveal themselves at any point and indeed, if they wish, they can even publish their ‘peer essays’ in Proceedings of the Peerage of Science. That’s right: a journal of referee reports. Inscrutable as this might appear, the idea is to give reviewers another means to demonstrate their expertise, to further reward their time and effort.
But of course the aim of peer review is to get published, so how does PoS include that essential third party – the journal editor? Ultimately, the idea is that journals will participate in the PoS system – journal editors can track relevant manuscripts as they proceed through the PoS system and can offer to publish them at any point during the process. At the moment, however, this will only happen if ecology is your thing (Ecography is the only journal currently participating). But the system also allows an author to export the PoS review to support submission to any journal. And this is an essential aspect of PoS – it is in providing the outcome of PoS reviews to publishers that the founders hope to commercialise their efforts.
The PoS team have clearly got big plans for their system and are passionate about improving peer review. And looking through the current peer community, they are not alone – various august institutions are already represented in PoS’s peer community (though, at present, nary a chemist among them). But while the aspirations of PoS have to be commended, there are some important questions to be asked. Will publishers be willing to recognise this system of peer review? And is it truly any less susceptible to abuse than the current review methods; does the online anonymity even enable it? And what if nobody reviews your paper? Mike Foster makes some very good points in his blog and it’s clear that the debate is just getting started (and PoS are eager to be involved).
It would seem that the success of this enterprise relies most heavily on the peer community. As with any social network, achieving a critical population level is the key. So are scientists willing to participate, or would they rather just let the publishing houses continue take care of the whole process on their behalf? Perhaps the greatest challenge facing PoS is simply that the established publication route is so familiar and works well enough that the improvements offered by PoS won’t be attractive enough to overcome the inertia of the status quo. What do you think? Would you join the peerage of science? Is this the future of peer review?
Philip Robinson
Even before it was published, the arsenic life story (about a microorganism that uses the toxic element arsenic instead of phosphorus to live) was causing controversy. But while many people went back and forth with criticisms, Rosie Redfield has been trying to repeat Wolfe-Simon’s experiments, and chronicling them in her blog.
This isn’t the first ‘peer-review by blog’, as our reader’s might remember from 2009. But following the blog has been both incredibly interesting and a wonderful reminder to me of the ‘joys’ of lab work. Open notebook science is still in it’s infancy, but Redfield is using her blog to document both her arsenic experiments and the other work her lab is doing, and even introduces experiments suggested by commenters.
Anyhow, it now looks like there’s just about enough evidence to refute the arsenic life paper, and so Redfield is writing it up.
I’ve loved following the story, but I think it will also be interesting to see what happens next. Will Redfield’s paper be accepted? Or will the ‘prior publication’ of data a problem. And if the paper is accepted, will Wolfe-Simon’s be retracted. Whatever the outcome, these are interesting times for scientific publication.
Laura Howes
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Research and
Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/db2156/brazil_in_vitro_di)
has announced the addition of GlobalData's new report
"Brazil
In Vitro Diagnostics Market Outlook to 2017 - Clinical
Chemistry Genetic Testing, Haematology, Histology and
Cytology, Immuno Chemistry, Infectious Immunology and
Microbiology Culture" to their offering.
GlobalData's new report provides key market data on the
Brazil In Vitro Diagnostics market. The report provides value
(USD million) data for each segment and sub-segment within
seven market categories - Clinical Chemistry, Genetic
Testing, Haematology, Histology And Cytology, Immuno
Chemistry, Infectious Immunology and Microbiology Culture.
The report also provides company shares and distribution
shares data for each of the aforementioned market categories.
Scope
Market size and company share data for In Vitro
Diagnostics market categories - Clinical Chemistry, Genetic
Testing, Haematology, Histology And Cytology, Immuno
Chemistry, Infectious Immunology and Microbiology Culture.
Annualized market revenues (USD million) data for each of
the segments and sub-segments within seven market categories.
Data from 2003 to 2010, forecast forward for 7 years to 2017.
2010 company shares and distribution shares data for each
of the seven market categories.
Global corporate-level profiles of key companies
operating within the Brazil In Vitro Diagnostics market.
Reasons to buy
Develop business strategies by identifying the key market
categories and segments poised for strong growth.
Develop market-entry and market expansion strategies.
Design competition strategies by identifying
who-stands-where in the Brazil In Vitro Diagnostics
competitive landscape.
Develop capital investment strategies by identifying the
key market segments expected to register strong growth in the
near future.
Companies Mentioned:
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
Siemens Healthcare
Abbott Laboratories
bioMerieux S.A.
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
HORIBA, Ltd.
Becton, Dickinson and Company
Sysmex Corporation
Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Inc.
DiaSorin S.p.A
Beckman Coulter, Inc.
Alere Inc.
Phadia AB
Qiagen N.V.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
Gen-Probe Incorporated
PerkinElmer, Inc.
For more information visit
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/db2156/brazil_in_vitro_di
Read the rest here:
Research and Markets: Brazil In Vitro Diagnostics Market Outlook to 2017 - Clinical Chemistry Genetic Testing ...
The people of Croatia yesterday decided that the country’s future lay with the European Union, despite the financial turmoil afflicting the bloc. They resoundingly voted yes to joining the EU, with 66% in favour. However, only 43% of those eligible to vote bothered going to the ballot box. But what will this mean for the country’s research base?
Croatia won’t become a member state until 1 July 2013, but when it does it’ll have the opportunity to apply for funding from the EU just like every other member state. And there’s a huge pot of money out there right now, after Horizon 2020 (the successor to the Framework Programme 7) was set to receive €80 billion in the EU’s budget. However, Croatian researchers looking to get their hands on some of that cash could find it more difficult than they imagine, if newer member states’ experiences are anything to go by. Scientists in countries like Hungary and Slovenia found that competition for EU funding was extremely tough, with much of it still going to the richer countries with the best funded labs, which this recent news article in Chemistry World looks at.
Patrick Walter
Did you get a new tablet for Christmas? Was Father Christmas so incredibly generous in these times of austerity that you are now the proud owner of a brand new iPad? Whether you were lucky enough to get one of the said gadgets or already had one, don’t miss out and make sure the new Chemistry World app is in your list to download.
We have just launched the iPad and Android apps for Chemistry World and these are now available completely free of charge on the App Store and Android Market, respectively, until 1 April. Indeed, until that date anyone interested in reading Chemistry World via an app will be able to download it following one of the links above (whichever is relevant for your device) and then access the content using the following login details:
Username – freetrial
Password – rscchemworld
Once logged in you will be able to view not only the latest issue of Chemistry World but also all the back issues going back to January 2011.
After 1 April, content will be once again restricted to members and e-members who will be able to gain access using their personal login details. So get downloading! And, of course, let us know what you think. Please send any feedback to chemistryworld@rsc.org
Bibiana Campos-Seijo
23-12-2011 05:14 Links to full videos below.
View original post here:
Chemical Reactions - Periodic Table of Videos - Video
What is it that makes a man a man? Well, chemically, it’s testosterone isn’t it? But this compound doesn’t just separate the men from the boys – it’s helped unscrupulous athletes of both sexes stand out from the field too. Simon Cotton tells a steroid’s story in this week’s Chemistry in its element podcast.
