RANDOLPH Between the lines, the key to Morristown's 47-23 win over Jefferson in Friday night's Morris County Tournament final was its dogged defense.

But if you ask head coach Jim Pisciotti, the reason's for his team's success extend far beyond the Xs and Os they put ondisplay at the County College of Morris.

"The season has not been long for us," Pisciotti said. "We still compete in practice, we still watch our film, we still have fun together. When you say, 'What's the biggest thing?' We enjoy each other's company, the kids do. And it's just a product of their hard work."

That simple fact has helped breed a culture within the Morristown squad no player ever walks off the court thinking she should have had more touches, more shots, more minutes.

Instead, the Colonials focus on a basic tenet of the game: teamwork.

"As good as we are individually, we're better together," Pisciotti said. "I guess that's the best compliment I could give them. When you look at us individually, we're pretty good but when you put us together, suddenly we're better. That just goes to their chemistry."

So far, it's worked to perfection after all Morristown has already taken its conference and county titles.

Now, attention turns toward theNorth 1, Group 4 title chase. Butwhatever happens, the Colonials know they've already foundsomething special this season.

"Honestly, it's the best group of girls I could ask for," senior Elizabeth Strambi said. "It's not only the basketball off the court, we're all going over to one girl's house. These are my best friends."

Matt Stypulkoski may be reached at mstypulkoski@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @M_Stypulkoski. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.

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OAKLAND Sometimes, the Warriors just have to yell at each other for a little bit. Good and loud. Make a scene.

Doesnt matter that theyre winning more than 80 percent of their games and maybe the edgiest Warriors bark at each other precisely to keep the competitive fire burning while theyre winning more than 80 percent of their games.

Nobody takes anything personal, Stephen Curry said after practice Tuesday when asked about the most recent Warriors blow-up between Draymond Green and Kevin Durant. Nobody goes home and cries about it.

It can happen behind closed doors or during practice; it can be between two of their biggest stars; and on Saturday in Sacramento, it happened during the Warriors flat loss to the Kings, during a timeout, when Green pretty clearly was looking to light a fire under Durant, who was in the middle of his worst game this season.

Durant answered back, Green kept going, and it all produced 30 seconds of very interesting video, possibly most notable for the lack of urgent reaction by their teammates.

Nobody ran in between them (Shaun Livingston did some brief mediation) and nobody seemed too startled or alarmed, because this is how the Warriors operate they know there will be more of these arguments because they want there to be more of these.

Clear the air. Nothing gets swept under the carpet. Then move on.

If you cant (have these kinds of arguments), youre probably on a losing team, Green said Tuesday. But everybody who makes a big deal out of it probably are losers.

So thats how I view it. Anyone who knows anything about winning knows thats going to happen.

Green also made some headlines when he had words with Durant in the final moments of the Warriors loss to Memphis Green wanted Durant to set a screen for Curry in a key possession and Durant decided to keep the ball and attack on his own.

By the way, Green and Durant are close friends, after bonding during the Olympics last summer; they sit next to each other on team flights and, according to ESPN, watched the Super Bowl together the day after the Sacrament squabble.

Durant was not available to reporters on Tuesday because he sat down for a long interview with ESPN to preview Saturdays big return to Oklahoma City.

But generally, the Warriors laughed off any presumption that those 30 seconds were any serious disruption of team chemistry. In fact, its all part of the chemistry.

Totally normal, coach Steve Kerr said. You shouldve seen the Bulls back in the day. We had guys yelling at each other.

A little history here: Kerr and Michael Jordan engaged in an infamous practice brawl in the early part of the 1995-1996 season that would lead to a then-record 72 regular-season victories and a championship and Kerr and Jordans long friendship essentially began immediately after that fight.

I equate it to, if you have a lot of siblings and youre in the house together every day and you love each other and youd do anything for each other, but youre going to get in fights, Kerr said of the Green-Durant moment.

Thats what its like to be on a team. These guys are so close. Imean, KD and Draymond are best of friends and theyre together every night laughing and joking. So when something happens on the floor, I dont even bat an eye.

The marquee part of this that it was Durant and Green, of all people is what makes this uniquely uncomplicated for the Warriors.

It comes from a place of respect, Curry said. Its nothing thats going to boil over to anything where it gets out of control. We understand what it is. And its all geared towards getting better.

Green can give it to Durant because Durant can dish it back, and if theyre comfortable enough to let everybody see it, then it becomes something like a team-wide pressure release.

I think all that stuff is healthy, Kerr said. Its healthy for the guys at the end of the bench to hear me getting on Steph or KD or Draymond about missing an assignment; its healthy for them to see the players hash everything out even in a heated way.

Were trying to fix whatevers going on. And theres always a line, right? You cant cross the line. And I think our guys do a good job of walking that line and bouncing back the next game and its never been an issue.

Plus, when Green is the emotional leader of the team, there will be no passive-aggressive messages or pent-up emotions.

If youve got to hide something from one of your teammates and you cant say something to somebody, then youre in a bad situation, Green said.

And me personally, I dont want to be in that situation If there is a team like that, please make sure Im on the first thing smoking out of there. Because that team aint for me.

Maybe there are teams like that, but the Warriors arent one of them, which is a vital part of who they are, how they get along so well and win so much, and also why they yell at each other occasionally.

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D'Antoni Talks Rockets Chemistry NBA.com D'Antoni Talks Rockets Chemistry. Coach D'Antoni sits down with Dennis Scott to talk about the Rockets' chemistry and their success. Rockets. 2:46. Coach D'Antoni sits down with Dennis Scott to talk about the Rockets' chemistry and their success. Play. and more »

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IOCDs One-World Chemistry initiative is part of the organizations efforts to promote chemistry for better health and a better environment and to strengthen education in the chemical sciences.

Credit: IOCD

An editorial in Nature Chemistry in 2010 asked chemists a simple question: Where are the champions? The opinion piece highlighted long-held misconceptions and negative perceptions about chemistry and observed that chemistry lacks the easily articulated grand challenges associated with physics or biology, and it generally gets a rough ride in the mainstream media. All the more reason that it needs effective advocates and champions.

The International Year of Chemistry held the following year does not appear to have achieved the hoped-for change in chemistrys standing in the publics eye, to have raised the profile of the subject, or, with a few exceptions, to have inspired champions of chemistry to step forward. Moreover, a Royal Society of Chemistry study in 2015 revealed that chemists image of how society views the subject was worse than the reality. These results seem to us indicative of a profession afflicted with low self-esteem rather than one confident to undertake effective advocacy on its own behalf.

Against this backdrop, chemists need to ponder ways to reenergize and refresh their profession in a form that will be suited to meeting oncoming challenges. We should reflect on the question, where are the champions? It is inextricably linked to the equally important question, how do we champion chemistry? And both of those questions raise the further question, what is the nature of the chemistry that should be championed?

It has become evident to us that chemistry must create a fresh idea of its position and purpose and develop around this idea a coherent, collective effort to encourage, promote, and project new messages in the field and outward to society at large. Our intent is to stimulate a debate to address emergent concerns and to suggest a nuanced agenda for rejuvenation for the chemistry community and other stakeholders, particularly policy-makers, to consider. The aim of this effort is the promotion and advancement of the discipline to ensure that its creative power and reach are fully harnessed for the well-being of our planet and people.

The canvas of chemistry being unlimited, it fulfills several essential roles: as a science contributing fundamental knowledge of the properties, behaviors, and transformations of atoms and molecules; as an underpinning for adjacent sciences that depend on understanding molecular structures and interactions; and as a source of a vast range of useful products and applications. But this very breadth and diversity of capacities make it hard to encapsulatefor the big picture to emerge and for the human angle to be appreciated.

Our concept and approach, which we call One-World Chemistry, has been put forward as one framework for accomplishing these goals. One-World Chemistry incorporates three basic principles. This first is that in pursuing the chemical sciences, it is essential to develop awareness of how chemical systems interact with many other systems, including the physical, biological, and ecological systems of the planet. It aims to position chemistry as a science pivoted on the human activity-ecosystem interface.

The second principle follows from the first and recognizes that the solutions to many fundamental and applied problems traverse geographic and disciplinary boundaries and mandate cross-disciplinary approaches. The third and overarching principle is that chemistry must at all times be practiced in an ethical manner, taking account of the short- and long-term impacts both of how it is conducted and of the uses, potential uses, and fates of its products and by-products.

These principles have consequences for the teaching and practice of chemistry, which need to adopt systems thinking as a core perspective and reinforce ethical behavior and skills in cross-disciplinary approaches from an early stage.

This framework makes it inevitable that chemistry will seekand project itself as being concerned withlinks to major global concerns, such as finding environmentally benign ways to generate energy, creating new materials while conserving natural resources, devising processes with a minimal carbon footprint, developing new drugs for neglected and emerging diseases, and overcoming challenges of drug resistance. It also presents opportunities for creating and publicizing grand challenges that frame chemistry as a positive and proactive contributor to meeting oncoming societal needs instead of just waiting for disasters to make news headlines that present chemistry as the culprit rather than the solution.

Clarity about the position and purpose of chemistry is an essential prerequisite for determining who can be the champions of this inclusive, ethical, and sustainable new world. Our conclusion is that everyone must become champions: individual chemists, academic departments in colleges and universities, chemistry societies, environmental advocacy groups, government agencies, and industry. They must act both individually and collectively through coordinated initiatives.

Within this overall shared responsibility, championing can be given leadership and afforded stronger public appeal and greater impact by encouraging the emergence of role models and skilled advocates. Chemistry lacks well-recognized voices such as those of Craig Venter for genomics research and Stephen Hawking for cosmology. Statesmanlike celebrity chemists can and should contribute significantly by capturing broad attention in the media, galvanizing societal esteem, and igniting young minds to project the dimensions of chemistry in all its diverse roles. Of course, the champions may be important and busy people devoting their time to doing great science. But it is incumbent on them to give attention to and communicate about the field that sustains their creative urges and provides the basis for their visibility and careers.

Such advocacy can be supported and encouraged by everyone associated with the chemistry enterprise. In particular, champions from industry need to be able to overcome challenges in how companies are perceived by a skeptical public. Many people recognize that the chemical and pharmaceutical industries are major drivers of the global economy, but they also know these manufacturers are major consumers of raw materials and sources of pollution that cause environmental damage.

The adoption of green chemistry approaches by sections of the chemical industry has been a step in the right directionand one that can actually be cost-effective rather than a cost accelerator. Embracing the principles and practice of One-World Chemistry offers industry the opportunity to radically reform its image and operations and to position itself in a new light as the champion for sustainable development and the source of solutions to global challenges.

It is crucially important that chemistry is projected both as an exciting fundamental science and as an ethical science for the benefit of society, one whose central goal is human well-being and the well-being of our planet. All who are associated with the chemistry worldthat means all of usshould take up the challenge of championing this view.

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Perspectives: Championing chemistry - Chemical & Engineering News (subscription)

The mixing of sulfide and oxygen-rich waters in the prehistoric Panthalassic Ocean contributed to the largest mass extinction of the last 540 million years. These new findings by Chinese and US researchers still have relevance today, as present-day climate change is exacerbating the growth of sulfidic zones in the worlds oceans.

Around 252 million years ago, the end-Permian event wiped out nearly all life on Earth in the most devastating extinction event in the planets history. More than 80% of marine species disappeared and it took several million years for these ecosystems to recover.

At this time the Panthalassic Ocean spanned 70% of the Earths surface. Today, the ocean floor that once sat under the Panthalassic has almost completely disappeared, with the only preserved sediments found in Canada, Japan and New Zealand. Using samples of fools gold found in these deposits, a team of geochemists led by Yanan Shen, of the University of Science and Technology of China, has tracked the changes in ocean chemistry that drove this catastrophic extinction event.

By analysing sulfur isotopes in pyrite minerals, the team concluded that the main killing agents were brought about by the mixing of sulfide-rich waters from the deep ocean with oxygenated shallow waters. Exactly what caused this increased mixing is still a mystery, however. Sulfide is toxic to eukaryotic cells and we know that hydrogen sulfide at concentrations of a few hundred parts per million would be lethal to humans, if exposed for a prolonged time, explains Shen. The shoaling of sulfidic waters, therefore, would kill marine animals in the PermianTriassic oceans.

Timothy Lyons, a biogeochemist from the University of California, Riverside, US, who was not involved in the research, describes the findings as tantalising. He explains that by measuring four different sulfur isotopes the researchers could fingerprint specific sulfur metabolic microbial pathways, gaining insight into the prehistoric oceans chemistry. When viewed in a temporal context, [the data] points to highly dynamic conditions and major perturbations to the marine system, he says. Evidence for episodic intrusions of sulfide into shallow waters may be the smoking gun for both the mass extinction and the protracted biotic recovery that followed.

Although the end-Permian extinction happened over a quarter of a billion years ago, the events that triggered it have added significance in the light of current-day climate change. Satellite remote sensing has clearly shown that massive fish mortality in the Namibian coastal waters are associated with sulfidic waters, says Shen. As a matter of fact, due to human-induced eutrophication and global warming, the episodic occurrence of hydrogen sulfide has been reported in many coastal waters such as those of the Gulf of Mexico, California and western India.

This warning is echoed by Lyons, who notes that there are lessons to be learned from this event, as we face warming in the present-day ocean.

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Jeff Larentowicz has been part of one team that won an MLS Cup, and another that played in the league finals three consecutive years.

He said one of the keys to those teams, and something he saw developing in the first few days of preseason training with Atlanta United, which he joined as a free agent, was chemistry, that elusive and nebulous gel that can turn teams with good talent into great teams, or if its missing can turn a group of talented players into a poor team.

It seems weve got that going from the start, said Larentowicz, who has 324 appearances in MLS since 2005. Obviously, things change when points are up on the board. For now, its good.

Thats exactly what Atlanta United President Darren Eales, technical director Carlos Bocanegra and manager Gerardo Martino hoped would happen when the decision was made to sequester the expansion team away from friends and family for its first preseason camp.

The team has signed more than 25 players, of which only a handful of pairs (Larentowicz and Michael Parkhurst at New England; Harrison Heath and Mikey Ambrose at Orlando; Tyrone Mears and Chris McCann were teammates at Burnley; Alec Kann and Jacob Peterson Sporting Kansas City and Kann and Larentowicz were teammates at Chicago) have been teammates on a club before.

Theres a lot they dont know about each other, and a lot they may need to know if the club hopes to become the first expansion team to make the MLS playoffs since Seattle in 2009.

This will be a good setting for them to build trust and get to know each other, Martino said during the first week of camp.

Eales said when he Bocanegra first began to talk with Martino about possibly becoming the teams manager, the Argentine wanted a training camp environment during which he could have as many training sessions as possible. The team has had more two-a-day sessions than single-session days since camp started on Jan. 24.

Its almost like greenhouse, having to artificially grow that chemistry, Eales said.

The original plan was to use the home of the Falcons in Flowery Branch as the site. But, Eales and Bocanegra happily say that plan changed because of the teams run to the Super Bowl.

The team instead moved its training camp to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. for two weeks. The players stayed in villas on campus and spent most of their days learning Martinos style and personality, that of his assistants, and that of each other.

Bocanegra knows the importance of his chemistry and training camp from his storied career as a professional that included playing for teams in the U.S., Scotland, England, Spain and France. Players were grouped in the housing to try to get to know each other. Andrew Carleton and Chris Goslin, the teams first two Homegrown Players whose playing time will likely come as reserves if at all, were in a group with Hector Villalba, the teams first Designated Player who will likely start.

When you are here all day, every day for two weeks you get to know the good, bad and ugly about everyone, Bocanegra said. You get a feel for what kind of people they are, what kind of personalities they have, their tendencies off the field as well. It helps to develop chemistry in the locker room, as well.

These are the little thing that develop within the team. Its really about getting to know each other.

Chemistry values communication. Because Martino is learning English, he will give his instructions during practice in Spanish. An assistant standing in the middle of the field will repeat the instruction in Spanish. Two more assistants, one at either end of the field, will repeat them in English. Some words, Bueno, need no translation. The coaching staff has started English lessons. The players who dont know English will start learning when the team returns. Though, because of the roommate situations, some may already be learning. Carleton and Goslin, whose primary language is English, said they are trying to teach Villalba, whose primary language is Spanish, about college basketball.

You come in and you are curious, Larentowicz said. You dont know what to expect from each other, the staff, the preseason in general, from a lot of the guys, from MLS. We are starting to get over the hump and figure out who we are.

The chemistry experiments arent just limited to the field.

Eales said they have planned on different speakers to come and talk to the team about different topics when they report to Flowery Branch. Owner Arthur Blank has already addressed the team and will likely do so again. Steve Cannon, the CEO of the Arthur M. Blank Group, will discuss his journey from West Point, the Army and as CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. Lastly, Eales is hoping that Falcons coach Dan Quinn will have time to share the Falcons journey to the Super Bowl and how his team came together.

Lastly, happy wife is supposed to lead to a happy life.

Eales wife and Bocanegras wife are starting a family association to help the spouses and girlfriends of the players feel comfortable in the city and with the challenges of moving, and with the team. Eales said at least one training session a month will be open for the family members to come and watch.

We are trying to make players feel a part of the team, but their families as well, Eales said.

Heres how to read the AJCs coverage of Atlanta United:

Web: On the Atlanta United channel on AJC.com.

Facebook: On our Facebook page at Atlanta United News Now .

Twitter: Follow Doug Roberson on twitter @DougRobersonAJC.

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Atlanta United working on chemistry - AJC.com - Atlanta Journal Constitution

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Westlake 7th Grader Takes 3rd In Chemistry Contest Patch.com You Be the Chemist is designed for students in grades 5-8, and encourages students to explore chemistry in real-world applications. The contest is sponsored by the Chemical Education Foundation. Viazmitinas and other seventh- and eighth-grade students ...

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WelcomeMarine Chemist Service welcomes you to their newly revised website. In addition to a different look, the site has been updated with their latest products and services. There is also an abundance of useful, technical information ranging from safety to environmental topics. [Read More]

Credentials Marine Chemist Service is a highly diversified Virginia corporation that has two separate facilities, 10 different products and services, and 48 years of experience. The corporation also has one of the longest, continuously operating asbestos analytical laboratories. Throughout its history, MCS has trained approximately 15,000 student/employees, analyzed nearly 450,000 samples, and performed countless inspections aboard ship and within the facilities of land-side operations. This remarkable achievement has been made possibly through the efforts of 30+ biologists, chemists, geologists, industrial hygienists, inspectors, safety professionals, trainers, and a group of very efficient support personnel. [Read More]

History Well over four decades ago, in 1966, Bob and Sally Walker had a vision to develop a company dedicated to serving the maritime industry. Mr. Walker trained to become a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Certified Marine Chemist (which, in turn, lead to the company's name). Mrs. Walker worked behind the lines, eventually taking care of all the books, paperwork, phones and more. Together, they worked hard in pursuit of their goal and in November of that same year, the Walkers formed Marine Chemist Service in the historic state of Virginia. [Read More]

In the News Marine Chemist Service is passionate about Protecting People and their Environment. That passion is often demonstrated by sharing free information via consultation and the Information/Links page found on its website. Marine Chemist Service also subscribes to several news organizations, participates in numerous committees and boards, and conducts its own original research. The content of some of the aforementioned is available here, [In the News]

Training Marine Chemist Service has trained approximately 13,500 student-employees throughout its history. The company offers over 30 courses, has four full time and other guest instructors, and two locations in the Tidewater area of Virginia. The company has also provided offsite training within the CONUS, including the states of Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina and Wisconsin. They have even provided training as far away as Bahamas and Japan. When requested, Marine Chemist Service has customized its courses to focus application on unusual hazards and/or unique work practices to protect against those hazards. [Read More]

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Marine Chemist Service takes great pleasure in servicing its clients needs. In that effort, MCS offers a continuously updated newsletter, as well as additional information on the below products and services.

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February 27, 2017 An image of the Taurus Molecular Cloud, about 450 light-years from Earth. Many carbon-chain molecules have been detected towards dark clouds like these, but astronomers have sought HC11N without success. They speculate that chains this large preferentially transform into carbon rings. Credit: ESO; Digitized Sky Survey; Davide De Martin

The interstellar medium of the Milky Way contains 5-10% of the total mass of the galaxy (excluding its dark matter) and consists primarily of hydrogen gas. There are small but important contributions from other gases as well, including carbon-bearing molecules both simple, like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and complex like ethene, benzene, propynal, methanol and other alcohols, and cyanides. There are even some very large molecules like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and buckyballs with fifty or more carbon atoms. Some species like the cyanides have relative abundances similar to what is seen in comets in our solar system, suggesting that local carbon chemistry is not unique.

Astronomers think complex interstellar molecules are probably produced on dust grains, although some molecules might be produced in the gas phase. About one percent by mass of the interstellar material, these tiny grains are composed predominantly of silicates and provide the gas molecules with surfaces on which to react with other molecules. Carbon chain molecules are particularly interesting because they are thought to be the starting point for a significant fraction of the known complex chemicals in the interstellar medium. It is even suspected that carbon-chain species are a key stage in the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Carbon-chain molecular chemistry thus provides insight into a large subset of interstellar chemistry.

A particularly well-studied family of carbon chains is the cyanopolyynes: linear molecules of the form HCnN, where n = 3, 5, 7, 9, etc. They have been observed in high abundance towards older stars and in cold dark clouds. The presence of the largest known cyanopolyyne, HC11N, however, is in dispute. It was reportedly detected in 1982 towards one dark cloud in Taurus, but that detection has not been confirmed. CfA astronomers Ryan Loomis and Brett McGuire and their colleagues used the Green Bank Telescope to search the Taurus region for HC11N in six of its characteristic radio wavelength transitions, including the two in which it was first reported, but without success.

The astronomers argue that the previous detection was an error, and they offer an explanation for the otherwise curious absence of the n=11 species. Laboratory experiments have shown that when carbon-chain molecules get to be longer than about n=9 they begin to curl on themselves and preferentially transform into carbon-ring molecules, which are more stable. A similar process could be occurring in the interstellar medium, siphoning away HC11N to form cyclic species. The non-detection of HC11N thus suggests the importance of this chemical pathway in producing cyclic molecules, although the authors note that further observations and laboratory experiments are needed to confirm the model.

Explore further: The formation of carbon-rich molecules in space

More information: Ryan A. Loomis et al. Non-detection of HCN towards TMC-1: constraining the chemistry of large carbon-chain molecules, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2016). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stw2302

The space between stars is not empty, but contains an abundance of diffuse material, about 5-10% of the total mass of our galaxy (excluding dark matter). Most of the material is gas, predominantly hydrogen, but with a small ...

The space between stars is not emptyit contains a vast reservoir of diffuse material with about 5-10% of the total mass of our Milky Way galaxy. Most of the material is gas, but about 1% of this mass (quite a lot in astronomical ...

Silicon, which is one of the most common elements in the Earth's crust, is also sprinkled abundantly throughout interstellar space. The only way to identify silicon-containing molecules in the far corners of the cosmos - ...

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Cornell University, and the University of Cologne have for the first time detected a carbon-bearing molecule with a "branched" structure in interstellar space. ...

(Phys.org)The space between stars is not empty. It contains copious but diffuse amounts of gas and dust; in fact about 5-10% of the total mass of our Milky Way galaxy is in interstellar gas. About 1% of the mass of this ...

(Phys.org) A group of organic chemicals that are considered carcinogens and pollutants today on Earth, but are also thought to be the building blocks for the origins of life, may hold clues to how carbon-rich chemicals ...

(Phys.org)A team of astronomers led by Favio Faifer of the National University of La Plata, Argentina, has discovered the first ultra-compact dwarf (UCD) galaxy in an X-ray bright galaxy group designated NGC 5044. The ...

Every now and then a scientific paper makes a real splash. We had one recently, to judge from recent headlines. "Moon rises to claim its place as a planet" said The Sunday Times on February 19, while the Mail Online asked ...

The events surrounding the Big Bang were so cataclysmic that they left an indelible imprint on the fabric of the cosmos. We can detect these scars today by observing the oldest light in the universe. As it was created nearly ...

The interstellar medium of the Milky Way contains 5-10% of the total mass of the galaxy (excluding its dark matter) and consists primarily of hydrogen gas. There are small but important contributions from other gases as well, ...

Mars' mantle may be more complicated than previously thought. In a new study published today in the Nature-affiliated journal Scientific Reports, researchers at LSU document geochemical changes over time in the lava flows ...

A team of researchers has succeeded in measuring the brightnesses and temperatures of Saturn's rings using the mid-infrared images taken by the Subaru Telescope in 2008. The images are the highest resolution ground-based ...

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Constraining the chemistry of carbon-chain molecules in space - Phys.Org

George A. Olah, whose work won a Nobel Prize in chemistry and paved the way for more effective oil refining and ways of producing less polluting forms of gasoline, has died at age 89.

Olah died Wednesday at his Beverly Hills home, according to the University of Southern California's Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, of which he was founding director. No cause of death was provided.

Olah's research brought him the 1994 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his groundbreaking study of the unstable carbon molecules known as carbocations.

"Distinguished professor George Olah was a true legend in the field of chemistry," USC President C. L. Max Nikias said in a statement Thursday. "His pioneering research fundamentally redefined the field's landscape and will influence its scholarly work for generations to come."

The Hungarian government offered its condolences for Olah, who fled Hungary during a 1950s Soviet crackdown on dissent.

"The country has lost a great patriot and one of the most outstanding figures of Hungarian scientific life," said Janos Lazar, chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Olah received the Nobel Prize for his work on superacids, research that led his observation of carbocations an unstable, fleeting chemical species that he discovered how to stabilize long enough to study its properties.

He said there was no "eureka moment" and credited the find to long hours spent in his chemistry lab, usually starting before dawn and continuing late into the night.

He also singled out for praise his longtime USC collaborator Surya Prakash, who began working with Olah in the 1970s as a 20-year-old grad student and now leads the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute.

Born in Budapest on May 22, 1927, Olah said he had little interest in chemistry as a youngster.

"My main interest was in the humanities, particularly history, literature, etc.," he said in a statement published on the Nobel website. "I was (and still am) (an) avid reader and believe that getting attached too early to a specific field frequently shortchanges a balanced broad education."

Instead he studied Latin for eight years as well as German, French and other languages. The son of a lawyer said he was fortunate to attend a school he called one of the best in Budapest.

It was at the Technical University of Budapest where his interest in science was finally piqued.

After earning a doctorate in organic chemistry, he went to work for the Central Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Science.

He was leading a research team there in 1956 when the Soviet Union cracked down on the country following the Hungarian Uprising of that year. He, his wife, their young son and most of his research team fled the country.

Eventually moving to Michigan, he began research on carbocations while employed by Dow Chemical Co. Later he taught at Cleveland's Western Reserve University before moving to USC in the late 1970s.

Honored by numerous scientific societies as well as his native country, Olah authored or co-authored nearly two dozen books and published nearly 1,500 papers. He held 160 patents from seven countries, according to USC.

He is survived by his wife, Judith Olah, sons George and Ronald, and several grandchildren.

The university plans a campus celebration of his life at a later date.

AP writer Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed to this story.

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Marshall seniors (clockwise from bottom) Nikki Tucker, Taryn Long, Jill Konkle, Georgianna Pratley, Carlee Long.(Photo: Al Lassen/Enquirer file)

MARSHALL - There are two types of chemistry - the kind that comes naturally and the kind that is developed over time.

The Marshall girls basketball team has both types of chemistry in spades.

The defending Class B state champion Redhawks (22-2)will play Grand Rapids Catholic Central (24-1) on Tuesday in a state quarterfinal at Otsego High School.

It's a big game with a trip to East Lansing's Breslin Center on the line.But Marshall's core group of five seniors - Nikki Tucker, Jill Konkle, Carlee Long, Taryn Long and Georgianna Pratley - have played in their share of big games. They've also played in a few little ones, as the quintet began embarking on this journey when they attended Marshall's youth basketball camp as second graders.

"We kind of looked at those kids and said, 'You know what, we can do something here,'" said Marshall head coach Sal Konkle."Some of them went on and played AAU, but we always tried to keep the core group together. Some of them dropped out or got hurt... There's a bunch of kids that used to play, but the five of them stuck with it and I'm glad they did."

In this undated photo are five members of the Marshall varsity girls basketball team. Seniors Carlee and Taryn Long, Jill Konkle, Nikki Tucker and Georgianna Pratley have been playing together since third grade.(Photo: Courtesy of Sal Konkle)

Part of the secret of Marshall's success is the five Redhawk seniors knowing their roles and not caring who leads the team in the stat column each night.

Senior forwardNikki Tucker is the closest thing Marshall has to a star. An All-State pick as a junior, she is committed to play at Division II Embry-Riddle University and leads the team in scoring at close to 14 points per game.

"Nikki is by far the most consistent for us," Sal Konkle said."When she was little, she wasn't one of the starters. When it was seventh or eighth grade she became a starter because she got serious about it."

Senior guard Jill Konkle is the coach by proxy on the floor. Also an All-State pick as a junior, she tends to draw a lot of attention from opponents. That was the case in the regional final, when she scored two points in a 22-point victory over Otsego.

Marshall beats Otsego, repeats as Regional champions

"As long as she does all the other things we need, becausewe need other people to step up and score," Sal Konklesaid of her daughter. "Jill understands that she doesn't need to score for me to tell her she had a good game."

It goes without saying that identical twin sisters Carlee and Taryn Long have a specialintuition when playing together. The two senior guards take pride in pestering opposing backcourts while also chipping inon the offensive end.

"I feel like we just know where each other is. We don't even have to talk about things," Carlee Long said."If we have to switch on a screen, we just automatically do it. It's easier for us."

Added Taryn Long, "We've honestly wanted to win state since third grade... It's always been our goal...We just like winning together."

Redhawks get past Otsego, 47-25, to win Class B regional crown. Wochit

Senior center Georgianna Pratley has been a big weaponfor Marshall. The 6-footer brings a constant energy off the bench and has helped the Redhawks not skip a beat when one of their starters is in foul trouble or needs a spell.

"Georgie is another kid that plays hard all the time," Sal Konkle said."She understands her role and she comes in and does her job."

Some teams have relied on star power to carry them in the state tournament, but Marshall knows it's success has been driven by the fact the team has been greater than the sum of its parts.

"It's not because they are so talented basketball-wise. It's just that they understand the game so much and share the ball so well," Sal Konkle said. "It's by committee.That's the way they've played since they were little and that's the way we like it."

Nick Buckley can be reached at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley

MHSAA GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

CLASS B QUARTERFINALS

At Otsego High School

TUESDAY: Marshall (22-2) vs. Grand Rapids Catholic (24-1), 7 p.m.

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Experience, chemistry has led Marshall to another run - Battle Creek Enquirer

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), also known as armed antibodies, are positioned to be a significant source of next-generation oncolytic therapies. There has been explosive growth in ADC R&D, especially since the development and subsequent marketing approval of Mylotarg (gemtuzumab ozogamicin; withdrawn from market in 2010), Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin), and Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine). Estimates place the global ADC market at $10 billion annually after 2024 with seven to 10 new commercial ADC launches projected in the next decade.

ADCs marry the selective targeting properties of antibodies with the potency of highly cytotoxic small molecules. The antibody targets and adheres to a selected antigenic cell-surface receptor, ideally only expressed on the target cancer cell. Once an ADC binds to its target cell, the cell internalizes the ADC through endocytosis, and the cytotoxic payload is then released in the lysosomal cellular compartment to provide precise, selective delivery to cancerous cells.

The development of ADCs brings many challenges, however. Multiple disciplines across drug development must engage to successfully discover, develop, evaluate and eventually manufacture a therapeutically relevant ADC. To illustrate, large macromolecular ADCs have a complex architecture whose assembly, manufacture, and analysis presents challenges for organizations without significant experience in biological conjugation, optimization, and the development of the payload-linker (PL; a component used for antibody attachment and subsequent release of the small molecule payload).

For many companies, outsourcing this component of ADC development may make sense. In this article, we will focus on the complexities of developing ADCs with an emphasis on the nature of the PL.

Original post:
Antibody-Drug Conjugates: Catalysts for Chemistry - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

TAMPA Lets start by dispelling one misperception: Goose Gossage does not spend spring training chasing kids off his lawn.

The Hall of Fame closer, a Yankees guest instructor, smiles and jokes his way through his time George M. Steinbrenner Field. He befriends anyone and everyone whose path he crosses. That he sounds like a troglodyte in interviews has no bearing on his actual behavior.

Now lets blow up one misperception championed by Goose himself: Baseball is not, as he put it recently to NJ.com, being run by a computer.

Actually, in accordance with the dramatic evolution of statistical analysis, mastery of a players intangible and unquantifiable qualities may be more important than ever. Old-school detective work and, really, guesswork remain prominent as front offices try to determine not only a players value on the field, but also his assets and liabilities in the clubhouse.

I do believe that especially if youre in a large market and you bring aboard someone that is a massive problem, that has a lot of issues those issues become everybodys issues, and they do drain on you, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. They drain on the collective over the course of spring training and the 162-game regular season. Your teammates problems become your problems, which becomes an issue, a distraction and a fatigue factor thats going to come with it.

I do think that prevents you from being the best you overall can be. I believe in that. Whereas 20 years ago, you can bring anybody in and survive that. Now I dont think its as easy with social media, TMZ and stuff like that. Because youre too busy instead of talking about the game and the results and the competition, youre too busy talking about something thats going on off the field or not game-related constantly. Its a pain. Its a problem.

It is, be it positive or negative, real. Some analytics enthusiasts have attempted to conflate the rise of the drastically improved measures with the pooh-poohing of concepts like chemistry and culture. The new generation of front-office executives, these enthusiasts profess, worry only about the concrete.

Nope. You wont find a GM, no matter how analytically inclined, who doesnt possess a strong interest in how a player interacts with others.

Matt Klentak, who became the Phillies GM in the fall of 2015, still is in his 30s and carries the reputation of a modern thinker. Asked how much he contemplates the personalities of his players, Klentak said, I think its incredibly important, and I think particularly for us, where we stand right now, there are so many young players that are either in the big leagues or on the cusp of making the big leagues. Making sure that those players are entering an environment that is supportive of the growth and the learning that needs to take place, its critical.

In Klentaks second full season running the Phillies, he acquired a bevy of veterans Joaquin Benoit, Clay Buchholz, Howie Kendrick and Michael Saunders on one-year contracts. The group collectively (albeit some more than others) carries a strong reputation as leaders.

That was not an accident, Klentak said.

The methodology to research a players character hasnt undergone anything approaching the sort of transformation weve seen when it comes to a players performance. Nevertheless, some obvious updates have become standard operating procedure. Teams will check out a prospective free agents social-media accounts.

But it doesnt mean that if theyve got a pristine social-media record, then [it will prevent] all of a sudden when you come over here, next thing you know, all hell breaks loose, Cashman said. You try to use everything in your disposal to try to form an opinion, but it doesnt mean the opinion is going to be accurate. Nor does it mean the opinion is going to hold.

The players are scrutinized to a degree weve never seen before in this game, Klentak said. And with that comes accountability. I dont know if that by itself is a bad thing. But I think the way we construct a roster, the way the manager manages a group of 25 men, has to account for all of that.

CC Sabathia, who has started his 17th year of work in a major league clubhouse, sees the upside of such scrutiny.

Everybody just knows who the bad guys are now, he said. Before, it would have to take something to happen. Now, it can be a tweet. It can be anything. Its not a big deal. You root them out faster.

The changes in statistical analysis allow the teams to manage risk like never before.

Youre in a better position to assess what really is taking place on the field, where before it was opinion on something that youre seeing 50 to 75 feet in the stands away, Cashman said. Its someones opinion on how they perceive someones play and action and stuff over the course of a small sample period. Now you have full access to kind of dissect and peel the onion on someone and get a real educated position on what actually that play is and how it projects moving forward.

On the aspect of a players personality, however, the risk hasnt gone away.

You can never predict how someones going to react to big money, Cashman said. Someone whos hungry playing for a year-to-year versus how they act when they get a five-year deal with big-time money. Does it change their interest and effort? Are they going to become content? You cant predict stuff like that.

I think most teams are looking for an edge, however they can get one, Klentak said. And if it comes in the form of elite scouting, or better analytics departments and technologies, or in the form of nutrition or player development were all looking for competitive advantages. If the environment for the players allows them to perform at a higher level, that creates an advantage.

The optimal environment, with an optimal group of 25, represents baseballs final frontier. And it always will require a human touch to be as right as possible.

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Behind MLB chemistry: How teams try to sniff out 'bad guys' | New ... - New York Post

CARSON, Calif. Steady progress continues for the LA Galaxy as the five-time MLS Cup champions prepare for a visit to Santa Barbara, where they will take on Armenian side Alashkert FC in a closed-door scrimmage on Saturday at Westmont College.

The Galaxy are coming off a week in which they played their first two matches of the preseason, a 1-1 tie with Club Tijuana last Tuesday at StubHub Center and a 1-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes last Saturday in Las Vegas.

Head coach Curt Onalfo said the team is improving as he envisioned.

I think every time you play a game the next week, the training gets sharper, he said Tuesday. I think today was a good example of that. I think were getting better each day and the team chemistry is building well also.

Now its about fine-tuning and utilizing the remaining games to continue to get match-fit, get sharper make sure our movements keep getting better.

There are some pieces missing French midfielder Romain Alessandrini still is awaiting a work visa and Gyasi Zardes is recovering from a knee injury but Onalfo has liked what he has seen from a team that underwent a number of off-season changes.

Onalfo admitted he and his staff will face some tough roster decisions prior to the regular-season opener on March 4 at home against FC Dallas. The Galaxys final preseason match is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25 against Portland at StubHub Center.

Everybodys showed well in making the job difficult, he said. Its just a matter of seeing how the rest of the preseason goes and making those final decisions.

Jermaine Jones, one of the teams biggest off-season additions, said the Galaxy will have a new look, but that may not be such a bad thing.

I would say last year the Galaxy was always the team with the names Gerrard, Keane, Dos Santos is still here, he said. I think this year theres not one player we try to push out and make the focus on him. You could have three main players, but it doesnt mean you win championships.

Its important we trust each other and believe that we can make something possible. I think thats the most important thing. I see the team is hungry. You want to prove people wrong, that a younger team with maybe not the names wins championships.

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LA Galaxy continue to make steady progress during preseason: "The team chemistry is building" - LA Galaxy

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(CBSDFW.COM) If there was a magic trick to make wine smell and taste better, Dilek Caner would know. Shes a master of wine, the only one in Texas, and a member of an exclusive institution with only about 338 members worldwide.

CBS 11 enlisted her expertise to help wine enthusiasts salvage wine that may not taste or smell its best.

Students from the Dallas Wine Center put four win hacks to the test.

Mandatory disclaimer: No one can transform Two Buck Chuck into a $4000 Chateau Margaux.

Still simple do-it-yourself hacks can help you get more grape for your buck, so to speak!

THE CHALLENGE: REMOVING SULPHUR

A common complaint is the odor of sulphur in wine. Its there for a reason: to preserve vino.

That burnt match-stick [odor] in your nose, Caner says is nothing to be afraid of, though it may be unpleasant.

It takes just a penny to fix it she said. Make that a well-disinfected copper penny issued before 1982.

After 1982 you have a lot more zinc in there, Caner told CBS 11.

Just drop a few of those pennies into your glass of wine and leave them there for a good ten minutes. The copper reacts with the sulphur, lifting the smell.

Students also put The Wand to the test. The product made right in Grapevine claims to remove sulphur, allergens and even your wine headache.

Our fine group of tasters gathered at Estilo Gaucho in Frisco.

Caner picked a Riesling, a wine high in sulphur content. Tasters were served three glasses of the same wine.

Glass number one: wine straight from the bottle. Glass two: wine treated with the pennies. The final option: Riesling treated with The Wand.

Three out of four tasters preferred wine treated with The Wand.

And remember to swirl the wine in your glass before drinking. Aeration can drastically change the taste, Caner says

THE COMPLAINT: WINE THATS TOO TANNIC

Tannin-rich wines often give you a puckering sensation when you sip.

The compounds are meant to preserve red wine for long-term aging, but also provide complexity and astringency.

Caner picked a bottle of Borolo Batasiolo to test out two other hacks that tackle this problem.

She recommends aerating the wine to improve its taste. Allowing wines to breathe can help to soften them.

That is actually saturating wine with oxygen, Caner said. Those oxygen molecules are starting to interact with tannins and making them a lot softer.

The larger the surface area exposed to air, the faster the aeration.

The first hack, involved aerating the wine by pouring it into a decanter. Caner decanted the wine twice.

She treated another batch, using the The Wine Clip 2.

The magnetic clip attaches to the neck of the bottle. It claims to age the wine and improve taste instantly.

According to Caner, the Wine Master community is divided on products like it.

Four out of five tasters preferred the glass that was decanted the old-fashioned way.

If your wine tastes too oakey or cardboard-like, Caner says it is because of an organism which can infest some corks.

The odor makes it into the wine. While it is not harmful, it can give the wine a corky taste.

Caner says the flaw occurs in one out of 15 bottles.

If you are stuck with a wine that tastes corky, saran wrap can help. Wrapping a spoon with saran wrap and dipping it into the wine can get rid of some of the corkiness, she said.

(2017 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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Wine Hacks: Not Magic But Chemistry - CBS Local

by Lisa Greenfield & Taylor Stephan |

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

What's love got to do with it?

Not much if the stars are aligned and you got great style.

OK, it takes more than that to build a successful relationship, but this Valentine's Day, we're putting our favorite famous duos in the cosmic hot seat. We tapped celeb astrologer Lisa Greenfield, expert incouples compatibility readings, to break down how well stars (of the Hollywood variety) really get along, according to their Zodiac sign. And because we're fashion obsessives, we looked at said couples' style chemistryto see if they are really, truly destined to share a lifetime...in same closet.

That's real love.

Beyonc (Virgo) and Jay Z (Sagittarius)

Compatibility:"These two have some of the strongest compatibility ties that help cement a couple and make them feel and act as a team. The recent eclipse lights up both their charts in a profound way, making this a pivotal year for them," said Lisa.

"For Virgos like Bey, it's a time of slow growth, even though they are still tempted to do life at their usual speed.If they focus that energy outward, they can make profound changes that lasts for generations.On the flip side, Jay Z, and fellow Sags, are meant to play a humanitarian role, one that is just starting to come together. Hova, in particular, will fair bestif he leans on his partner to help him transform the world in daring, entertaining and shocking ways.

"If they team up while they shift on a personal level, they will be able to channel it into real, lasting change that defies expectations."

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Style Chemistry: Whether Jay is in Tom Ford or a snapback and white T-shirt, he complements his significant other's style in a more supportive capacity, never outshining her. His consistent wardrobe choices creates a solid base for the many variations of Queen B. Contrast is necessary; you don't want to look too matchy-matchy, after all. And whileBeyonc can rock a yellow dress, mix-matched lingerie or Ivy Park-anything, she'd look just as good wearing white tee, too. The style force is strong here.

Other Matches for Virgo:Pisces, Capricorn; Aries and Aquarius for fun

Other Matches for Sagittarius:Taurus, Capricorn

Kristina Nikishina/Epsilon/Getty Images

Amal Clooney (Aquarius) and George Clooney (Taurus)

Compatibility:"This eclipse signals a major shift for these two. This eclipse hits Aquarius Amal in a way where she will have to choose between personal obligations and helping the world. Her biggest shift is to let go of needing to do it all perfectly and to let him take the lead and shine at home.As for George, this eclipse strengthens his dedication to commitments," noted Lisa.

"When they back each other up, they learn how to become a real force together, rather than using errors to tattoo each other. He's in a difficult moon cycle right now, which can make him feel unappreciated, but she can give him the key to a better mood with just the right compliment and heartfelt admiration. This frees them of some of the worst power struggles and lets them each shine at their respective roles."

Jamie McCarthy/FilmMagic

Style Chemistry: Amal and George are picture-perfect when it comes to the fashion department. When she wears a red dress to the Met Gala, he wears a red pocket square. When he wears a casual suit in Cannes, she wears a feminine frock on a yacht in Cannes.When she wears a glam gown, he wears an equally dapper tuxedo. Wardrobe wise, they are always in sync, if not working at it.

Other Matches for Aquarius:Libra, Leo, Pisces, Gemini

Other Matches for Taurus:Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio, Capricorn

Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Tom Brady (Leo) and Gisele Bndchen (Cancer)

Compatibility: "This eclipse and the epic Super Bowl win by the Patriots are all tied into their relationship. As a sensitive Cancer, Gisele wants to feel safe but just as visible as him.As a Leo, Tom will have more career and travel opportunities this year, which could bring on difficulties for the relationship. It's important for them to put a firm foundation down so they don't wind up coming undone down the line. With their attention on romance, rather than the day-to-day duties, shared life and responsibilities, they can set up a long-lasting union," Lisa predicted.

Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Style Chemistry: One could be wearing a trash bag and the other a burlap sack, and they'd still be one of the most beautiful couples, ever. If there's one thing to be said, it's that they know how to wear a uniform wellTom in his football gear and Gisele in her model-off-duty ensembles. They may come from different worlds but they know how to coordinate for an occasion, in their own respective ways. The coolest thing about their style chemistry is that it's effortlessoff the clock, these two basically live in athleisure.

Other Matches for Leo: Sagittarius, Libra (watch out for Capricorn, who may just frustrate the proud lion beyond all belief).

Other Matches for Cancer: Virgo, to balance them while they feel their way forward.

For more readings from Lisa, check back here every month for her style horoscopes and follow @TruthInHand.

E! Online - Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows!

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How Compatible Are These Celeb Couples? Zodiac Signs & Style ... - E! Online

Starring: Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson

Rating: R

One out of five stars

An epic and intoxicating exploration of the human heart and psyche. Thats how no one will ever describe the demoralizing cinematic effort titled "Fifty Shades Darker."

The first 10 minutes of the film offer hope. Director James Foley, whos great when he has a reasonable script to work with, does his best to frame a story that pretends to have a plot. Dakota Johnsons Anastasia Steele is starting her dream job at a publishing company while fending off overtures from her S&M-loving, freakishly handsome, billionaire ex-boyfriend, Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). It also becomes immediately apparent that Anastasias boss, Jack (Eric Johnson), has more than a professional interest in his new assistant.

It seems like a compelling story is about to ensue -- seems being the operative word.

I suppose the catalyst for the alleged plot is Christians efforts to get Anastasia back into his red room or, at the very least, do whatever it takes to win her back. For the uninitiated, the red room is Christians dungeon, the place where he takes his submissives, aka subs, ties them up and then employs nipple clamps and all sorts of devices that look like they came straight out of the Spanish Inquisition.

But hard as it might be for Christian to give up his predilection, hes willing to do that, if it means winning Anastasia back. And...

Oh, why am I even bothering? After watching those first 10 minutes, heres what watching the rest of "Fifty Shades Darker" is like: watching paint dry.

Christian orders Anastasia to take off her underwear. We see Dakota Johnsons breasts, her bare butt, a close-up of Jamie Dornans abs. They simulate sex. The paint dries.

Christian orders Anastasia to take off her underwear. Christian asks Anastasia to try a, um, wearable sex toy. We see Dakota Johnsons breasts, her bare butt, a close-up of Jamie Dornans abs. They simulate sex. And the paint dries some more.

Christian orders Anastasia to take off her underwear. Anastasia warms up to the idea of being submissive again. We see etc. etc., and they etc.

The paint is almost dry. Then somebody almost dies. A famous actress slaps another famous actress.

Is it over yet? Wait -- what? Theres going to be a third movie? NOOOO...!

I guess if the goal was to make the sex in "Fifty Shades Darker" more graphic and shocking than in the first movie, they succeeded. Too bad the sexual chemistry between Dornan and Johnson is like the sexual chemistry between a leprechaun and a sasquatch, neither of which actually exists. Which is exactly the point.

More:
'Fifty Shades Darker' Lacks Chemistry, Pretends to Have Meaningful Plot - ABC News

Surprise finding in 'Wild West' of chemistry Science Daily Researchers at The University of Manchester have entered the "Wild West" of the periodic table to finally solve a decades-old scientific challenge -- and have revealed that an important but niche chemical bonding principle may be much more widely ... and more »

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Surprise finding in 'Wild West' of chemistry - Science Daily

The B-F-F (Bloom-Fleurent-Fleurent) line at the University of New England has already celebrated 51 goals between them in 2016-17. (Photo by David Bates Photografix Studio)

No doubt you gain chemistry on the ice by being good friends off the ice, said UNE sophomore forward Brady Fleurent.

If that is the case, the B-F-F line must be REALLY good friends off the ice just based on what they have been able to do offensively this season. To date, Brady leads the nation in points with 45 on 16 goals and 29 assists, while brother Trevor has recorded 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points. Newcomer Ryan Bloom has 19 goals and 14 assists for 33 points. All three players have surpassed the prior school record for points in a single season and all expect to be adding to those numbers in the five remaining regular season games and upcoming CCC playoffs.

While the line combination of freshman Ryan Bloom, the B, and sophomore Brady and senior Trevor Fleurent, the two Fs have been terrorizing their opponents all season long, ironically it was a different B that was on the line that switched during the season and since then the chemistry has taken off. Bloom has taken the spot of Dylan Bengston, the teams fourth-leading scorer, and Trevor Fleurent is not surprised that the freshman has fit in so well between him and his brother.

I had the chance to watch Bloomer during the captains sessions and really thought then that he could be a good fit with Brady and me. He and Dylan are a lot alike in terms of their ability to score goals, so it wasnt a big change for us but it has been a great fit as we just connected right away.

I dont really have to think about where Ryan is going to be on the ice, noted Brady. I am obviously used to playing with my brother, but now we all just know where each other is going to be on the ice so it is just a matter of getting the puck there and being creative in our game.

While the B-F-F line has been very successful in five-on-five play, opposing teams may want to note that they are even more effective on the power play. Brady with six, Trevor with eight, and Ryan with five power-play goals account for almost 50 percent of the teams scoring with the man advantage, and as a group UNE is clicking at a 31.5 percent success rate.

We have definitely seen teams try to match up lines on us and be more physical, stated Bloom. We just stay with our game being creative as a group.

They may slow us down five-on-five sometimes, said Trevor. But we just make up for it on the power play where we have been deadly some nights.

While all of the scoring has certainly got the three of them a lot of attention and accolades this season, the focus has shifted a bit to what all that offense needs to be a driver for winning hockey games and competing for a CCC championship.

We are really focused on winning our last five games, said Bloom. We want to earn a home playoff game, which means being in the top four in the conference so we cant take anything for granted.

Three of the teams final four league games are on the road, where UNE has struggled for positive results. All of the linemates agree that the mental side of the game needs to be addressed if they expect to see the future success they are all striving for.

I think it is a mental preparation thing, noted Brady Fleurent. Honestly, I dont think we have been really ready to play some nights away from home and our fan base. We need to really be ready to play our game form the opening faceoff and make sure we bring the same intensity on the road that we do when we play at home.

Some nights, especially at home it seems like everything we throw at the net goes in, said Trevor Fleurent. On the road we are looking and hoping for some bounces some nights. We need to carry that mindset of what has worked at home anywhere we play.

For Trevor, a senior, these are his last few games in a standout college career that has already seen him pass the century mark in points and by seasons end, he will have done the same in games played as well. He and his linemates know exactly how he wants this ride to end and as all best friends do, they are more than happy to share the ride and make sure the team goal is achieved.

Ryan and I have more college hockey to play, said Brady. This is it for Trevor and our great group of seniors that have done so much to build the program here at UNE. We have a blast playing together and really want the end of the season to be special for them as we pursue a home playoff seed, conference championship, and who knows what else before it is all done.

Either way, the B-F-F line is going to continue to do what it does best, which is play fun and creative hockey, score a lot of goals, and, hopefully, reaching the goals that these BFFs have talked about so much in their time together away from the rink.

The following is a self-policing forum for discussing views on this story. Comments that are derogatory, make personal attacks, are abusive, or contain profanity or racism will be removed at our discretion. USCHO.com is not responsible for comments posted by users. Please report any inappropriate or offensive comments by clicking the Flag link next to that comment in order to alert the moderator.

Please also keep woofing, taunting, and otherwise unsportsmanlike behavior to a minimum. Your posts will more than likely be deleted, and worse yet, you reflect badly on yourself, your favorite team and your conference.

Tim Costello joined USCHO as a correspondent in 2003. A former collegiate goaltender, he has covered Division II and Division III conferences in New England for the past 11 seasons and provided additional features spanning Division I and other special interest stories.

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Nor'easters BFF line finds chemistry on and off the ice - USCHO

After the Loyola boys basketball team started the season 5-5, the Ramblers' players received a writing assignment from the coaching staff.

"They had us write our thoughts about basketball and everything in general and about our season, how we were playing," said senior forward Julian DeGuzman, who lives in Chicago.

The responses were brought up in a discussion between players and coaches in a Florida hotel when the Ramblers were in Naples for December's Gulfshore Holiday Hoopfest.

DeGuzman said that he learned his tight bond with teammates Ramar Evans, Matt Lynch, Kris Lampley and Kai Khasu may not have been ideal for the Ramblers' team chemistry. DeGuzman said some teammates may have felt excluded by the friendship between him and a couple of the other seniors.

DeGuzman, Evans and Lynch, all starters, have been friends since elementary school when they met playing in a Rogers Park youth league. DeGuzman said that for the good of the team, it became time for the group to branch out a little more.

"Those guys are my childhood friends, so it was kind of natural for me to be around them," DeGuzman said. "But I realized I am with them a lot. Since then, I've been catching myself and maybe we'll split up at team dinners, and I'm just trying to be around other kids."

DeGuzman said other topics were discussed in the meeting, including the team playing too selfishly and too fast and teammates being able to critique one another without eliciting anger.

The exercise clearly proved to be productive because Loyola responded by reeling off 10 straight victories before it fell 46-37 to Fenwick on Jan. 31 in Wilmette.

DeGuzman's play on the court has been solid this season and also was a factor in the winning streak. He's averaging 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds and at 6-foot-3, he has held his own in the post both offensively and defensively.

After the loss to Fenwick, which dropped the Ramblers to 6-2 in the Catholic League North, Loyola coach Tom Livatino praised DeGuzman's defensive effort against Fenwick's 6-5 forward Jamal Nixon, a four-year varsity player, who finished with 13 points and just two rebounds.

"(DeGuzman) has good feet. Nixon is a tough cover," Livatino said. "I thought Julian played him really well. That's big praise. The games we watched (of Fenwick), Nixon is a really good player. But so is Julian."

Livatino continued: "(Offensively) Julian is crafty, he has an assortment of moves, an ability to put it on the floor, score in the post and knock down the jump shot. He's having a really good year."

Livatino has told DeGuzman he is particularly hard to guard when he is more efficient with his post moves.

"Coach Livatino said sometimes I do too many spins and head fakes, and he's stressing getting the ball and going right into my move instead of all this extra stuff that I do," said DeGuzman, who said he is hoping to play college basketball and that Division III schools like Denison (Ohio), Lawrence (Wis.), Wabash (Ind.), Loras (Iowa) and Knox have shown interest.

In college, even at the Division III level, DeGuzman likely will have to play a little farther from the basket. But Lynch, who has been an AAU teammate of DeGuzman's with Fundamental U, said he believes DeGuzman will be able to make the adjustment.

"(DeGuzman) has a good shot, and I've noticed that over the past year in practice, he's improved and is capable of shooting the 3," said Lynch, who lives in Chicago. "He's got OK handles for a (post player). He's experienced playing that outside spot because (in AAU) we had someone bigger than him, and that pushed him out to the wing."

In memoriam

Before the Fenwick game, Loyola held a moment of silence for former boys basketball coach Jim O'Donnell, who died unexpectedly on Jan. 30 at the age of 76. O'Donnell coached the Ramblers from 1980-88 and won two regional titles. He was a longtime history teacher at the school and, even after his retirement from teaching, remained the public address announcer for Loyola football.

"He was a very, very good basketball coach, who had excellent teams," Livatino said. "He loved Loyola, loved the kids he coached. He was one of the best coaches we've had at Loyola. A tremendous loss. He was a great guy and it was a very sad day for our basketball program."

Dan Shalin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

Twitter @Pioneer_Press

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To aid team chemistry, Loyola's Julian DeGuzman becomes more inclusive - Chicago Tribune