Jennifer Aniston & Brad Pitt’s chemistry in these photos BEFORE tying the knot is the apt rush of nostalgia – PINKVILLA

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Jennifer Aniston & Brad Pitt's chemistry in these photos BEFORE tying the knot is the apt rush of nostalgia

Former couple Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt were one of the most loved couples before they split and still enjoy a fan following that ships them together. Having said that, take a look at their adorable moments before getting married!

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Exes Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt were amongst the most loved couples when they were married. Their love story was always one of the most beautiful love stories and truly one of a kind. The couple met in 1994 through their managers. After knowing each other for over four years, they started dating each other and went on to get engaged after a while. Jennifer and Brad got married in the year 2000 and were extremely loved by their fans and followers. Their most adorable and stylish appearances at red carpets, events, parties and other occasions became the talk of the town as the couple's chemistry spoke volumes of their love. Unfortunately after a relationship of five years, the couple split. The news of their split broke the internet as Pitt moved on with Angelina Jolie and Jennifer moved on with Justin Theroux! The former couple is now really good friends and reunited on many occasions like SAG Awards 2020. When asked about the possibility of running into Aniston at an event, Pitt wasn't phased in the least. "I'll run into Jen, she's a good friend," he replied. Even after their breakup, the couple made a buzz on the internet a lot of times. Currently, the duo's romance rumours are doing the rounds on the internet. Speaking of which, take a look at their priceless moments before marriage that will take you down the memory lane.

Photo Credit : Getty Images

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This is indeed a picture-perfect.

Photo Credit : Getty Images

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The ex-couple looks amazing in this throwback moment.

Photo Credit : Getty Images

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Jennifer and Brad look their best in this snap!

Photo Credit : Getty Images

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FRIENDS alum cannot take her eyes off her co-star.

Photo Credit : Getty Images

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Both the actors stun at the red carpet with ease.

Photo Credit : Getty Images

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The one where Jennifer and Brad twinned in black outfits.

Photo Credit : Getty Images

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Jennifer Aniston & Brad Pitt's chemistry in these photos BEFORE tying the knot is the apt rush of nostalgia - PINKVILLA

Three reasons why Oriental Union Chemical’s (TPE:1710) dividend is at risk – Yahoo Finance UK

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Companies that can barely make their dividend payments are rarely doing anyone a favour. Making these payments to shareholders can distract management and prevent cash going into high-return investments.

In this article, we have compiled some of the most important sustainability metrics in order to shine a light on a company's capacity to make these dividend payments. When we apply them to Oriental Union Chemical (TPE:1710), which pays a1.45% rolling dividend, we see that serious questions are raised as to whether or not it can continue to pay out this amount of cash to shareholders...

GET MORE DATA-DRIVEN INSIGHTS INTO TPE:1710

A company carrying a lot of debt that struggles to meet its interest payments is much more likely to cut its dividend than a company with no debt at all. A safe level of net gearing (net debt to equity) on the balance sheet is generally considered to be 50 percent or less. Oriental Union Chemical's net gearing ratio is108.8%- above the 50% threshold.

The current ratio (current assets / current liabilities ) gauges a companys capacity to service short term debts. A current ratio of less than one can be cause for concern. Oriental Union Chemical's current ratio is 0.74 - below the 1.0x threshold.

Another important characteristic of a reliable dividend payer is high levels of free cash generation. Oriental Union Chemical actually has negative free cash flow of -0.61 in FCF PS on a trailing twelve-month basis. This is lower than the dividend payout of0.30 and indicates that the company has not generated enough FCF to cover dividends over the past twelve months.

Dividend cover is arguably the essential dividend health metric (along with its inverse, the dividend payout ratio) and is calculated by dividing earnings per share divided by dividend per share (EPS/DPS). The usual rule of thumb is that dividend cover of less than 1.5x earnings can become a concern.

Both of these figures are below the 1.0x safety threshold for Oriental Union Chemical that we have set. This suggests that the dividend could be at risk.

For many investors, dividends are a vital part of their long-term strategy. That's why we have created a variety of income-focused stock screens, such as the Best Dividends Screen, to identify promising candidates for income portfolios. Take a look and see if any of the qualifying stocks might be worthy of further research.

As forOriental Union Chemical (TPE:1710), you can find a wealth of financial data on the group's StockReport, including information on the group's past and forecast dividend payments.If youd like to discover more about dividend investing, you can read our free ebook: How to Make Money in Dividend Stocks.

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Three reasons why Oriental Union Chemical's (TPE:1710) dividend is at risk - Yahoo Finance UK

Democrats scrutinize Trump consumer safety nominee over chemical issues | TheHill – The Hill

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Democrats on Tuesday scrutinized President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate GOP seeks to restrict use of chokeholds in police reform bill Obama wishes country a 'Happy Pride month' after SCOTUS decision protecting LGBTQ rights Trump leads Biden by one point in Iowa: poll MOREs pick to lead the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) over actions she has taken on chemical issues during her work in the Trump administration.

Several Democratic senators questioned and criticized Nancy Beck, who has served in a top role at the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, on decisions she made at the agency and during a subsequent White House detail.

Sen. Tom UdallThomas (Tom) Stewart UdallPark Police asked to defend rationale behind clearing protesters The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden on the cusp of formally grasping the Democratic nomination Democrat Teresa Leger Fernandez defeats Valerie Plame in New Mexico primary MORE (D-N.M.) focused on the agencys regulation of methylene chloride, a chemical used in areas such as paint stripping and pharmaceutical manufacturing thathas been linked to cancer.

Udall questioned why senators should trust Beck, and referenced the story of a woman namedWendy Hartley, whose 21-year-old son died after using the chemical.

Wendys son Kevin lost his life using a dangerous chemical in paint strippers, methylene chloride, while you stalled the effort to remove this chemical from store shelves, he said.

Beck said her heart goes out to the families and noted that there is currently a ban on consumer sales of the substance, saying she is confident the ban will prevent acute fatalities.

It is unacceptable that it took two years and a lawsuit for you to finalize this regulation and you still managed to put out a less protective rule which allows the use of methylene chloride in paint strippers for commercial use by workers, Udall said, later adding, had you and the EPA not delayed banning methylene chloride, Kevin would still be alive today.

Your entire career has been less like a toxicologist conducting rigorous, unbiased science and more like a defense attorney zealously defending guilty chemical clients, the senator added.

Sen. Maria CantwellMaria Elaine CantwellPrivate lawsuits are a necessary expedient in privacy legislation Senate Dems introduce bill to keep pilots and bus and train operators safe Democratic unity starts to crack in coronavirus liability reform fight MORE (D-Wash.) asked Beck whether she was involved in a White House decision to direct the EPA to remove information about cardiac birth defects from risks listed for a chemical called TCE, which has been used as a grease remover.

Beck responded that the lead agency, in this case the EPA, [had] the pen, meaning it made the ultimate decision. She declined to answer Cantwells question about her involvement or whether she advocated for removing the information about the birth defects.

What youre asking for is deliberative information, Beck said, giving that as her reason for not responding to the questions.

Cantwell and other senators, including Republican Shelley Moore CapitoShelley Wellons Moore CapitoTim Scott to introduce GOP police reform bill next week Senate GOP shifts on police reform Shelley Moore Capito wins Senate primary MORE (W.Va.) also questioned Beck on her role in regulating a class of cancer-linked chemicals called PFAS, which can be found in a variety of household products as well as firefighting foam.

Beck has a background in the chemical industry, having worked at the American Chemistry Council, which represents many chemical companies, before joining the Trump administration in 2017.

She has been a controversial pick for the position. More than 90 scientists wrote to the committee last week to express opposition toward her nomination, criticizing her handling of chemical safety evaluations among other aspects of her time at the EPA.

Becks approaches consistently disregarded scientific best practices, favor chemical manufacturers, and put vulnerable populations in harms way, they wrote.

However, more than 30 groups representing various industries wrote a letter in support of her nomination on Monday.

Dr. Beck, a Ph.D. toxicologist and scientific expert who has served in each of the past four presidential administrations, possesses the qualifications and skill set needed to serve effectively on the CPSC, they wrote.

Beck recently made headlines after the Associated Press reported she was involved in sidelining guidelines that were meant to assist communities with reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Democrats scrutinize Trump consumer safety nominee over chemical issues | TheHill - The Hill

Cascade Chemistry Selected to Produce Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient for Clinical Trial Supplies of COVID-19 Investigational Drug RBT-9 – Business…

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EUGENE, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cascade Chemistry, a leading contract research and manufacturing organization serving the pharmaceutical, materials, and chemical industries, today announced that it has been selected to produce the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for clinical trial supplies of RBT-9, an investigational therapy entering a Phase 2 trial for the treatment of COVID-19 patients who are at high risk of deteriorating health due to age or comorbid conditions such as kidney or cardiovascular disease. RBT-9, which has been awarded Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has demonstrated both antiviral and immune-modulating activities in preclinical studies.

RBT-9 is being developed by Renibus Therapeutics as an antiviral with organ-protective attributes. With the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, Renibus scientists moved quickly to plan and initiate a clinical trial of RBT-9 in COVID-19 patients. They chose Cascade Chemistry as the company with the experience, flexibility, and client focus to rapidly supply the clinical materials needed to field the RBT-9 COVID-19 trial in a timely way.

We welcomed the opportunity to join forces with Renibus to produce the API needed to speed RBT-9 into clinical trials for COVID-19, said Jeremiah Marsden, PhD, President of Cascade Chemistry. Our reputation as a reliable, experienced, and flexible outsourcing partner with exceptional chemistry problem-solving expertise is based on our many past successes with Renibus and other clients. These qualities are serving us well as we work to complete this important project with impeccable quality and all possible speed.

Cascades experience, flexibility, and consistent client focus allowed the company to rapidly:

Alvaro Guillem, CEO at Renibus Therapeutics, commented, Cascades ability to move quickly to design, implement, and scale-up a comprehensive RBT-9 API manufacturing strategy has been one of the essential elements in our campaign to initiate clinical trials with minimal delay. The professionalism, expertise, flexibility, and client commitment of the Cascade team have facilitated our collaborative effort to advance effective therapies for this devastating global pandemic.

About Renibus Therapeutics and RBT-9

Renibus Therapeutics is developing a novel anti-viral therapy, RBT-9 (stannous protoporphyrin--SnPP), for the treatment of COVID-19 in early stage patients who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and at high risk for disease progression. Renibus is investigating the ability of RBT-9 both to inhibit viral activity and to prevent organ failure in COVID-19 patients. For more information, visit https://renibus.com.

About Cascade Chemistry

Cascade Chemistry specializes in active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) process development, scale-up and cGMP manufacturing. Most of our chemists have advanced degrees and are capable of crafting process solutions tailored to the specific needs of our clients, while adhering to strict FDA quality standards. We offer cost effective and rapid solutions for the development and manufacturing of API cGMP batches at 1-10 kg scale, and we will begin offering greater capacity at our new facility in 2021. It has been our philosophy for almost 40 years that quality is a key component of successful cGMP manufacturing. We view quality as a guiding principle, achieved by rigorous due diligence at each step of the development and manufacturing process. Cascade Chemistry is headquartered in Eugene, Oregon. For more information, visit https://cascadechemistry.com.

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Cascade Chemistry Selected to Produce Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient for Clinical Trial Supplies of COVID-19 Investigational Drug RBT-9 - Business...

Concept Builders – Chemistry

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ChemistryWhat?!? Chemistry? At The Physics Classroom?

Yes. Why not? We're not breaking any laws ... it's perfectly legal. You might say we're dabbling a bit ... sort of like an experiment. The Concept Builders you see below areinteractive questioning modules that present learners with carefully crafted questions that target various aspects of a concept. If you're a frequent visitor to our website, you likely have used some of our Physics Concept Builders. Each Concept Builder focuses the learner's attention upon a discrete learning outcome. Questions target that outcome from a variety of angles using multiple difficulty levels or varying activities. Learners ponder the given information and answer questions in the hopes of earning Stars and Trophies. These Stars (for answering questions) and Trophies (for completing levels or activities) are displayed on the screen, allowing a teacher to track student progress. If you're a chemistry teacher visiting our website for the first time, then welcome! We invite you to give one of our Chemistry Concept Builders a try and let us know what you think.

Significant Digits and Measurement

Learning Goal:To understand the concept of significant digits and to use such understanding to make and process such measurements made from lab equipment.

Name That Element

Learning Goal:To express a comfort with the organization of the periodic table, including concepts related to family names, periods, groups, metals, nonmetals, metalloids, atomic number, and atomic mass.

Chemical vs. Physical Properties

Learning Goal: To identify a stated property as being either a chemical or a physical property.

Metals, Nonmetals, and Metalloids

Learning Goal: To identify the difference between metals, nonmetals, and metalloids and to be able to place an element into one of these categories.

Particles .. Words .. Formulas

Learning Goal:To associate the particle representation of a sample of matter with the proper verbal description and formulas.

Isotopes

Learning Goal:To demonstrate understanding of the composition of an atom by constructing the isotopic symbol from information regarding the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Names to Formulas 1

Learning Goal:To use an understanding of formula writing to identify incorrectly written formulas. (Includes binary ionic compounds only.)

Names to Formulas 2

Learning Goal:To use an understanding of formula writing to identify incorrectly written formulas. (Includes binary molecular compounds, binary ionic compounds, and compounds containing polyatomic ions.)

Formulas and Atom Counting

Learning Goal:To identify the number of atoms of each element represented by a set of simple or complex formulas.

Balancing Chemical Equations

Learning Goal:To be able to use coefficients and an atom count to balance a chemical equation.

Chemical Reaction Types

Learning Goal:To be able to categorize chemical reactions based on their reaction type - such as synthesis, decomposition, combustion, single replacement, and double replacement.

Writing Balanced Chemical Equations

Learning Goal:To combine an understanding of reaction types, formula writing, and equation balancing in order to write a balanced chemical equation.

Precipitation Reactions

Learning Goal:To predict the precipitate that is produced when two aqueous solutions of ionic compounds are mixed and to represent the precipitation reaction by a net ionic equation.

Mole Conversions

Learning Goal:To mathematically relate the the number of moles of a compound to the number of molecules and to the mass in grams.

Stoichiometry: Relationships

Learning Goal:To use the coefficients of a balanced chemical equation and the molar masses of reactants and products to relate the quantities of reactants and products involved in a reaction.

Complete Electron Configurations

Learning Goal:To identify the complete electron configuration for a neutral atom or of an ion of any given element.

Periodic Trends

Learning Goal:To order elements based on the values of periodic properties such as atomic radius, ionization energy, and electronegativity.

Ionic Bonding

Learning Goal:To identify the types of elements that undergo ionic bonding and to be able to describe the process that takes place when two elements form ionic bonds.

Lewis Structures

Learning Goal:To identify correct and incorrect Lewis electron dot structures when given the formulas of molecular compounds.

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory

Learning Goal:To identify the Lewis electron dot diagram and the molecular shape of a variety of covalently-bonded molecules.

Which One Doesn't Belong? - Energy and Chemical Reactions

Learning Goal:To interpret various representations of a thermochemical reaction and to identify which one is not consistent with the others.

Pressure Concepts

Learning Goal:To be able to explain at the particle level the factors that effect gas pressure, to compare values of pressure expressed in different units, and to use manometer information to determine the pressure of a gas.

Pressure and Temperature

Learning Goal:To use an understanding of the pressure-temperature relationship in order to predict how the value of pressure changes with changing temperature.

Volume and Temperature

Learning Goal:To use an understanding of the volume-temperature relationship in order to predict how the value of volume changes with changing temperature.

Pressure and Volume

Learning Goal:To use an understanding of the pressure-volume relationship in order to predict how the pressure of a gas changes with varying volume.

Dissociation

Learning Goal:To be able to write the equation for the dissociation of an ionic compound in water and to use the equation to determine ion concentrations if given the concentration of the ionic compound.

Which One Doesn't Belong? - Acid-Base Properties

Learning Goal:To analyze a variety of properties of acids and bases in order to identify which property is not like the others.

Bronsted-Lowry Model of Acids and Bases

Learning Goal:To use the Bronsted-Lowry model to determine the products of the dissociation of an acid or a base when dissolved in water.

pH and pOH

Learning Goal:To mathematically relate the pH, pOH, [H3O+], and [OH-] for aqueous solutions of acids and bases.

Collision Model of Reaction Rates

Learning Goal: To identify the variables that affect reaction rate and to explain the effects using the Collision Model of reaction rates.

Equilibrium Constant Expression

Learning Goal:To use the Law of Mass Action in order to identify the equilibrium constant expression for a given chemical equation.

LeChatelier's Principle

Learning Goal: To identify the effect that a stress has upon a system that is at equilibrium.

Nuclear Decay

Learning Goal: To identify the various forms of nuclear decay and the effect of each upon the atomic number and mass number of an isotope.

We started adding Chemistry Concept Builders in September, 2018. As of this writing (mid-July, 2019), we have 33 Chemistry Concept Builders. We don't believe that we are done. We hope to add several more during the Summer of 2020.

This might be The Physics Classroom. But Chemistry is still a legal operation on this site. So enjoy our Chem Gems.

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Concept Builders - Chemistry

Sun Chemical to Increase Prices on Solvent Inks and Coatings – Printing Impressions

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Sun Chemical will increase the prices of its solvent-based inks and coatings in North America, effective July 1, 2020.

Due to the significant increase in the demand for alcohol and solvent for use in sanitizers and pharmaceutical initiatives, the prices of these materials have increased substantially. In order to secure the needed components for the production of solvent-based inks and coatings, Sun Chemical has experienced raw material cost escalation during the second quarter of 2020. These increases are expected to remain in place and possibly accelerate throughout the remainder of the year.

The COVID-19 pandemic is driving an increased demand for various alcohols and solvents to combat the virus and allow for the gradual reopening of economies around the globe, said Chris Parrilli, president of North American Inks, Sun Chemical. These raw materials are critical to the proposed safety practices of manufacturing organizations and service industries where the focus on consumer and employee health is at the forefront of new sanitizing protocols to help slow the spread of the virus."

Parrilli continues: The dynamics that have taken place over the last three months are unprecedented and the future of the pandemic remains unpredictable. However, Sun Chemicals desire to deliver best-in-class supply, service, and quality, as expected by our customers, requires us to ensure a reliable source of raw materials. In order to continue to meet these expectations, we, unfortunately, must raise prices to offset the extraordinary market undercurrents that are driving up raw material costs.

Source: Sun Chemical

Thepreceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated withPrinting Impressions.The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff ofPrinting Impressions.

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Sun Chemical to Increase Prices on Solvent Inks and Coatings - Printing Impressions

Fighting plastic waste with the power of citizen science – Chemistry World

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Its almost impossible to imagine modern life without plastics. Inspired by the ancient use of naturally occurring polymers, 19th century chemists discovered polystyrene, PVC and polyethylene, among others. It wasnt until 1907, however, that the first fully synthetic plastic was invented by Leo Baekeland the eponymous Bakelite.

Over 100 years later, plastics are ubiquitous in almost every area of our lives. And while these materials are of indisputable value, enabling the production of cheaper and more effective goods that have enhanced standards of living for many, the negative environmental impacts are difficult to quantify.

The solution to our plastics problem, much like the origin, will likely lie with chemists. But perhaps, in addition to designing more environmentally friendly solutions, we also need to seek help from citizen scientists and crowdsourced chemists.

When a sperm whale washed up on a Scottish beach in November last year, the synthetic contents of its stomach caused shockwaves. One hundred kilograms of plastic ropes, shopping bags, cups and other rubbish was found balled up inside the animal. Tragically, reports of similar discoveries are becoming more routine. An estimated five trillion pieces of plastic have ended up at sea with an additional 12 million metric tons added each year.

A 2016 review highlighted an array of citizen science projectsthat have been contributing to our understanding of microplastics in the ocean. This shows the power of citizen science to gather data and help understand issues that cant be achieved through traditional research methods.

Some projects involve beach monitoring a methodology thought to have originated over 35 years ago whereby citizens are assembled to comb beaches and remove plastic waste, which can then be analysed by researchers. More recently, mobile applications have enabled citizens to contribute photographs of plastic debris on beaches or in the ocean. This provides information about date, time, packaging and the extent of the pollution.

Translating essential environmental action, such as beach clean-ups, into citizen science requires careful design and planning to ensure reproducible procedures that can be easily followed by contributors. Additionally, partnerships with analytical laboratories can offer valuable insights into issues such as the pollutants leached from ocean plastics, the levels of microplastics found in marine organisms and the impact of plastics on the microbe colonies in and around those organisms.

Coupling activism with citizen science is a powerful tool to stimulate an appreciation of science in members of the public who might not engage with the subject through more traditional channels. Its also important to emphasise the potential of citizen science to contribute to research output. For example, over 11.5 million people have participated in the Ocean Conservancys International Coastal Cleanup project since it was founded in 1986. In addition to removing 100 million kilograms of debris from coasts around the world, the project has generated data that has been used in 85 reports and papers.

Citizen science could also help us to understand how to design and express bacteria that can eat plastic waste. In 2016, Japanese researchers reported that a bacterium discovered in piles of discarded plastic can degrade one of the most widely used plastics, PET. Further modifications to Ideonella sakaiensis, the aforementioned polymer-guzzling bacterial species, are required if it is ever to come close to being commercially viable. But what other microorganisms might nature have evolved to help us clear up our unnatural disaster? Recruiting citizen scientists to take samples on different plastic waste sites might speed up our understanding.

Even as we consider how to reduce our own plastic footprint, crowdsourcing can help. Much of the machinery found in chemistry laboratories is encased in plastics. From vacuum pumps to micropipettes, were surrounded by the stuff. But perhaps the most worrying contribution to plastic pollution by our community is in the form of the more fleeting members of our research groups: disposable syringes, vial lids and gloves.

Our colleagues in biosciences have already taken this inventory. In a letter to Nature in 2015, researchers from the University of Exeter, UK, estimated the amount of plastic waste generated by the 280 research scientists in just one of their departments over the course of a year. Their towering figure of 267 tonnes was extrapolated to similar institutions around the world, leading to an estimated 5.5 million tonnes of lab plastic waste, the equivalent mass of 67 cruise liners.

If we are willing to follow our bioscience colleagues and share our dirty plastic laundry in public, perhaps we could crowdsource figures for chemistrys contribution to this cruise liner-scale catastrophe. Together, we could find ways to minimise single-use plastics alongside our efforts to swap to greener solvents and chemical processes.

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Fighting plastic waste with the power of citizen science - Chemistry World

Paint by atomic numbers: FSU chemistry professor teaches students the science behind art – Florida State News

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Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Michael Shatruk in his lab at Florida State.

DuringPicassos blue period, the famed Spanish artist had no trouble finding an array of hues to create spectacular paintings. But that wasnt the case for artists prior to the 1700s until a pharmacist accidentally synthesized a cheap blue pigment, changing the landscape for painters and others.

Stories like the history of the color blue and the science behind it are the crux of a course called Chemistry in Art taught by Florida State University Professor of Chemistry MichaelShatruk. Originally designed as an in-person course for the universitys campus in Valencia, Spain,Shatrukmoved the course online when summer international programs shut down because of COVID-19.

I try to teach chemistry while looking at different art forms,Shatruksaid. You want to appreciate both.

Through the class, that is geared toward non-science majors, students learn about elements on the Periodic Table and the relationship between color and light. They learn about crystalline structures and chemical bonds and how that plays a role in ceramics and pottery. And they study the chemical properties of metal and why certain metals are used in jewelry and sculptures.

Students even get a primer on the sophisticated chemical analysis used to uncover artistic forgeries.

Vice President for Research Gary K. Ostrander said the course was an inventive way to connect the dots between two seemingly disparate subject areas.

This course shows the remarkable creativity and interdisciplinary approach of our faculty at FSU, Ostrander said. I dont think many people would expect a materials researcher to be teaching an art course, but Professor Shatruks expertise lends itself to a deeper understanding of the materials used to create the works we see in a museum, online gallery or even wear as jewelry.

When the course was taught last summer in Spain,Shatruknoted that they took advantage of Valencias rich art culture, which included both museums and street art. The current environment restricts that, but students can still access famous works of art through online galleries set up by individual museums and other resources. Students are required to write essays about pieces of art and the chemistry behind the materials used in them.

Our students are super creative, Shatruk said. If you make it engaging for them, they can really build on that knowledge in their projects.

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Paint by atomic numbers: FSU chemistry professor teaches students the science behind art - Florida State News

What’s in the Cards for Eastman Chemical’s (EMN) Q1 Earnings? – Yahoo Finance

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Eastman Chemical Company EMN is set to release first-quarter 2020 results after the closing bell on Apr 30. Weak demand due to the coronavirus pandemic might have impacted the companys performance in the quarter. However, the companys earnings are likely to have benefited from its cost management actions and growth in high-margin products.

Eastman Chemical missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in three of the trailing four quarters while beat once. For this timeframe, the company has a negative surprise of roughly 2%, on average.

Shares of the Eastman Chemical are down 26.1% over a year, compared with the 36.9% decline of its industry.

Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement.

What do the Estimates Say?

Eastman Chemical, last month, said that it anticipates first-quarter earnings per share to rise from that in the prior-year period.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues for Eastman Chemical for the first quarter is currently pegged at $2,214 million, indicating a 7% year-over-year decline.

Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Eastman Chemicals Additives and Functional Products division revenues is pegged at $787 million, suggesting a 7.9% decline year over year. The consensus estimate for Advanced Materials units revenues is $642 million, indicating a fall of 2.3% year over year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the Chemical Intermediates segments revenues stands at $563 million, indicating a 14% decline from the year-ago quarter. The same for the Fibers segment is pegged at $206 million, calling for a 3.3% year-over-year decline.

Factors to Watch For

Eastman Chemical is focused on productivity and cost-cutting actions in the wake of a challenging environment. It is taking an aggressive approach to cost management to keep its manufacturing costs in control. Benefits of these actions are expected to get reflected on first-quarter results. Moreover, the companys actions to raise selling prices of its products are likely to have contributed to its bottom line in the quarter.

The company is also focused on growing new business revenues from innovation. Eastman Chemical expects to generate roughly $500 million of new business revenues in 2020. The company is likely to have gained from growth in high-margin innovation products in the quarter to be reported.

However, lower demand due to coronavirus might have affected the companys sales volumes in the first quarter. Disruptions associated with the pandemic are likely to have hurt demand across some of the companys end-markets.

Eastman Chemical is also exposed to headwind from lower product spreads in its Chemical Intermediates segment. Lower spreads are likely to have weighed on margins in this unit in the March quarter.

Eastman Chemical Company Price and EPS Surprise

Eastman Chemical Company Price and EPS Surprise

Eastman Chemical Company price-eps-surprise | Eastman Chemical Company Quote

Zacks Model

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Eastman Chemical this season. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. But thats not the case here.Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP for Eastman Chemical is -4.58%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate is currently pegged at $1.62 while the Zacks Consensus Estimate stands at $1.69. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: Eastman Chemical carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Stocks Poised to Beat Estimates

Here are some companies in the basic materials space you may want to consider as our model shows they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter:

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company SMG, scheduled to release earnings on May 6, has an Earnings ESP of +1.49% and carries a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Franco-Nevada Corporation FNV, scheduled to release earnings on May 6, has an Earnings ESP of +1.38% and carries a Zacks Rank #2.

Yamana Gold Inc. AUY, scheduled to release earnings on Apr 30, has an Earnings ESP of +12.50% and carries a Zacks Rank #3.

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Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportFranco-Nevada Corporation (FNV) : Free Stock Analysis ReportEastman Chemical Company (EMN) : Free Stock Analysis ReportThe Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG) : Free Stock Analysis ReportYamana Gold Inc. (AUY) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.

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What's in the Cards for Eastman Chemical's (EMN) Q1 Earnings? - Yahoo Finance

Alfa Chemistry Integrates Its Supply of Boronic Compounds for the Science Community – Bio-IT World

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RONKONKOMA, NY, UNITED STATES - Apr 23, 2020 - The world's leading chemical supplier Alfa Chemistry announced to have integrated its supply of boronic compound products to its customers worldwide, which include borate, boro-amino acids, boronic acids, boronic esters as well as others.

Structurally speaking, a boronic acid is a compound related to boric acid in which one of the three hydroxyl groups is replaced by an alkyl or aryl group. It has been widely used in the field of chemistry, biology, and medicine. The approval of bortezomib, which contains a boronic acid as a functional group, by FDA for the treatment of relapsed multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma has sparked a rise of interest in the investigation of boronic acids as drugs for a wide range of diseases.

"As always, our goal is to prioritize what our customers need most in their research work. So we decide to reorganize our supply of boronic compounds, thus customers can more easily find what they want on our website," says a senior scientist from Alfa Chemistry. Boronic acids are used extensively in organic chemistry as chemical building blocks and intermediates predominantly in the Suzuki coupling.

Chemical use

Owing to the unique properties and reactivity as mild organic Lewis acids, as well as stability and ease of handling, boronic acid compounds are very attractive synthetic intermediates. Meanwhile, they are also viewed as environmentally friendly compounds because of their low toxicity. Boronic acid compounds are used in a plenty of chemistry reactions such as Liebeskind-Srogl coupling and C-H coupling reactions.

Biological use

Biologically, with the advantage of inter-convertility, Lewic acidity, and unique behavior upon neutron bombardment, boronic compounds can serve as boronolectins, therapy agents and transmembrane transporters, and even used in bioconjugations and immobilization.

Medicinal use

Boronic compounds can be used in medicinal chemistry, showing anticancer, antibacterial and antiviral properties. Also, the use of boronic compounds as enzyme inhibitors largely reflects the usefulness of boron.

For more information about Alfa Chemistry's boronic compounds, please visit https://www.alfa-chemistry.com/products/boronic-compounds-115.htm to learn more.

About Alfa Chemistry

Being professional and reliable, Alfa Chemistry is a preferred partner for many universities, research institutes as well as other organizations for supplying building blocks, reagents, catalysts and reference materials. Meanwhile, Alfa Chemistry also provides laboratory services such as analytical services, synthetic chemistry, API research & development, microalgae powder production to the customers.

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Chemical Analysis of Warship the Mary Rose Sheds Light on Conservation – Technology Networks

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21st century X-ray technology has allowed University of Warwick scientists to peer back through time at the production of the armor worn by the crew of Henry VIIIs favored warship, the Mary Rose.Three artefacts believed to be remains of chainmail recovered from the recovered hull have been analyzed by an international team of scientists led by the Universities of Warwick and Ghent using a state-of-the-art X-ray facility called XMaS (X-ray Materials Science) beamline.

They analyzed three brass links as part of continuing scientific investigations into the artefacts recovered during the excavation of the wreck in the Solent. These links have often been found joined to make a sheet or a chain and are most likely to be from a suit of chainmail armor. By using several X-ray techniques available via the XMaS beamline to examine the surface chemistry of the links, the team were able to peer back through time to the armors production and reveal that these links were manufactured from an alloy of 73% copper and 27% zinc.

Emeritus Professor Mark Dowsett from the University of Warwicks Department of Physics said: The results indicate that in Tudor times, brass production was fairly well controlled and techniques such as wire drawing were well developed. Brass was imported from Ardennes and also manufactured at Isleworth. I was surprised at the consistent zinc content between the wire links and the flat ones. It's quite a modern alloy composition.

The exceptionally high sensitivity analysis revealed traces of heavy metals, such as lead and gold, on the surface of the links, hinting at further history to the armor yet to be uncovered.

Professor Dowsett explains: The heavy metal traces are interesting because they don't seem to be part of the alloy but embedded in the surface. One possibility is that they were simply picked up during the production process from tools used to work lead and gold as well. Lead, mercury and cadmium, however, arrived in the Solent during WW2 from the heavy bombing of Portsmouth Dockyard. Lead and arsenic also came into the Solent from rivers like the Itchen over extended historical periods.

In a Tudor battle, there might be quite a lot of lead dust produced by the firing of munitions. Lead balls were used in scatter guns and pistols, although stone was used in canon at that time.

The Tudor warship the Mary Rose was one of the first warships that Henry VIII ordered not long after he ascended to the throne in 1509. Often considered to be his favorite, on 19 July 1545 it sank in the Solent during a battle with a French invasion fleet. The ship sank to the seabed and over time the silts covered and preserved its remains as a remarkable record of Tudor naval engineering and ship board life.

In 1982 the remaining part of the hull was raised and is now housed in the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth alongside many thousands of the 19,000 artefacts that were also recovered, many of which were remarkably well preserved by the Eocene clays.

After recovery, the three artefacts were subjected to different cleaning and conservation treatments to prevent corrosion (distilled water, benzotriazole (BTA) solution, and cleaning followed by coating with BTA and silicone oil). This research also analyzed the surface chemistry of the brass links to assess and compare the levels of corrosion between the different techniques, finding that all had been effective at preventing corrosion since being recovered.

Professor Dowsett added: The analysis shows that basic measures to remove chlorine followed by storage at reduced temperature and humidity form an effective strategy even over 30 years.

XMaS is owned by the Universities of Liverpool and Warwick and is located in Grenoble, France, at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. It works with over 90 active research groups, representing several hundred researchers, in diverse fields ranging across materials science, physics, chemistry, engineering and biomaterials and contributes to societal challenges including energy storage and recovery, tackling climate change, the digital economy and advances in healthcare.

It is a National Research Facility and is currently undergoing a major upgrade thanks to 7.2million funding from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Professor Mieke Adriaens, Head of the Electrochemistry and Surface Analysis Group at Ghent University said: XMaS is extremely versatile and flexible in the analytical strategies which can be devised and implemented. Whats more, the beamline scientists are amongst the best we've encountered anywhere. It is fascinating to examine ancient technology using specially developed analytical methods which can then be applied to modern materials too. It was also a real privilege to be allowed access to these unique artefacts and to play a part in unravelling their story.

Professor Eleanor Schofield, Head of Conservation at the Mary Rose: This study clearly shows the power of combining sophisticated techniques such as those available at a synchrotron source. We can glean information not only on the original production, but also on how it has reacted to being the marine environment and crucially, how effective the conservation strategies have been.

Co-author Professor Pam Thomas, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of Warwick, said: We are very pleased that researchers at Warwick are continuing to put our expertise in Analytical Sciences at the forefront of research on important historical artefacts. The long tradition of X-ray scattering and diffraction science within the Department of Physics at Warwick continues to give high-quality data and leads to penetrating insight across a wide range of scientific problems. It is testament both to the expertise at the XMaS beamline of ESRF and in the X-Ray Diffraction Research Technology Platform (RTP) at Warwick.ReferenceDowsett et al. (2020). Synchrotron X-ray diffraction investigation of the surface condition of artefacts from King Henry VIIIs warship the Mary Rose. Journal of Synchrotron Radiation. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600577520001812

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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The appeal of food is influenced by more than just chemical composition – Jill Lopez

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Have you ever noticed how a bite of warm cherry pie fills your mouth with sweetness, but that same slice right out of the refrigerator isn't nearly as tempting? Scientists know this phenomenon to be true, but the mechanism behind it has been poorly understood.

Now, using fruit flies as his subjects, UC Santa Barbara Distinguished Professor Craig Montell has discovered one process responsible for this occurrence. Montell's team, which includes Qiaoran Li, Nicolas DeBeaubien and Takaaki Sokabe, found that cool temperatures suppress the appeal of sweetness. However, these conditions did not affect the sugar neurons themselves. Rather, they acted via other sensory cells by way of a protein originally discovered to sense light in the eye. Despite this, the perception of coolness in sugary food is not altered by light. The results appear in the journalCurrent Biology.

"The appeal of food is influenced by more than just chemical composition," said Montell, the Duggan professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. "We already know that cool temperatures reduce the delectability of sweetness in humans." He and his colleagues wondered whether this was also true in fruit flies, and if so, what were the underlying mechanisms?

The team found a significant difference in fruit flies' interest in feeding between 23 degrees Celsius (73.4 Fahrenheit) and 19 C (66.2 F). That said, they measured no difference in the activity of the flies' sweet-sensing taste neurons, despite the change in behavior.

"Since the temperature is not directly affecting the sugar neurons, it must be affecting some other types of cells, which then indirectly affect the propensity to consume sugar," Montell noted.

Fruit flies detect sugar with one type of taste neuron. Bitter is sensed by another type of neuron, and mechanosensory neurons detect the texture of food, such as hardness. However, temperature sensation is not quite as simple. Both bitter and mechanosensory neurons are also involved in detecting coolness. Only if both are activated does the brain interpret that as a cool signal.

All of these stimuli seem to reduce the animal's desire to feed, explained Montell. Bitter compounds trigger bitter neurons, which tell the fly to stop feeding. Hard foods trigger the mechanosensory neurons, which also tell the fly to stop feeding. And cool temperatures trigger both, to the same effect.

Critical to this response is a protein called rhodopsin 6. Rhodopsins are most commonly associated with vision, but over the past few years the Montell group has connected rhodopsins to a variety of other senses. Indeed, just a couple weeks prior, Montell's lab published the first study connecting different members of this class of protein to chemical taste.

"The bitter neurons express this rhodopsin called Rh6, and if you get rid of it, then cool temperatures no longer suppress the appeal of sugar," he said.

Without Rh6, the bitter-and-cool-detecting neurons are no longer turned on by low temperatures. And since cool-sensation requires activating multiple, different types of neurons, loss of Rh6 prevents the fly from recognizing the lower temperature, thereby eliminating the decreased attraction to sugary food.

"The surprise was finding that it was really the other neurons, not the sugar neurons, whose activity went up," Montell said, "and that the cool activation of other neurons was indirectly suppressing the sugar neurons."

The sweet-sensing neurons are still activated by sugars at low temperatures; however, the activation of these other neurons by decreased temperature suppresses the communication between the sweet-detecting neurons and the animal's brain. This is likely achieved by an inhibitory neurotransmitter released by the bitter/cool-activated neurons.

As for why fruit flies avoid food when it's chilly, Montell suspects it's due to their metabolism. Fruit flies' metabolism, and thus food requirements, are affected by temperature. Lower temperatures mean slower metabolisms, and less need for food. And generally, if the food is cold, so is the fly.

In fact, the fly generation time -- the time it takes an egg to turn into an adult fly -- doubles from 10 days to 20 when the temperature is lowered from 25 to 18 degrees Celsius. "Everything is just slowed down," Montell said, "and that's why feeding is reduced. You don't want to eat the same amount when your metabolism is slowed down." This explanation doesn't hold true for warm-blooded animals like humans, even if we show a similar behavior.

In the future, Montell and first author Qiaoran Li plan to further investigate the mechanosensory side of food appeal by looking at how particle size influences feeding behavior. As an example, he offers the distinct difference between fresh and refrozen ice cream. Despite having the same chemical composition and temperature, most people prefer ice cream that hasn't melted and refrozen into a block.

Reflecting on the surprising finding, Montell remarked, "It's great for your expectations to be wrong, as long as you can then figure out what's right."

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Water’s boat shape resolves disagreement between theory and experiment – Chemistry World

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Water molecules arrange themselves into boat-shaped hexamers on metal surfaces. Thats the conclusion of a theoretical study that claims to have solved a long-standing discrepancy between experimental results which seemed to show flat hexamers and theoretical predictions of a chair conformation.

Water is weird. Its unusual properties have led some researchers to think of it as two different liquids instead of one homogenous material. In 2002, chemists discovered that thin water layers form regular hexamers on hydrophobic metals like copper at low temperatures. In scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) images, these structures looked flat. But several teams theoretical calculations later showed a chair-like adsorption configuration to be more stable than a flat hexamer.

A team of scientists in China and Sweden now thinks that it has solved the water puzzle, showing that a boat-shaped hexamer not only matches the experimental result but is in fact lower in energy than the chair conformation.

The team simulated STM images through ab initio molecular dynamics. Only for the boat configuration did they show the same elongated, C2 symmetric hexagon seen in experiments. Further calculations confirmed that the boat configuration is an electronic global energy minimum, meaning it is more stable than either the chair or the flat hexamer.

A better understanding of how water interacts with surfaces could help researchers design materials whose properties change in the presence of water.

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‘There’s a void in the world’: Students, staff remember IU professor Dennis Peters – Indiana Daily Student

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Chemistry professor Dennis Peters poses for a headshot. Peters died Monday.CORRECTION: A previous version of this caption misstated the day of Peters death. The IDS regrets this error. Courtesy Photo

Despite his small stature, Dennis Peters had a roaring voice that filled lecture halls. He leapt up from chairs in the graduate chemistry advising office and wowed children and adults alike with flashes of colors and bright fires during Magic of Chemistry programs, clad in a colorful lab coat decorated with chemical illustrations, mathematical formulas and equations.

Peters, an IU chemistry professor, died Monday after contracting COVID-19 while being hospitalized for an injury that occurred during spring break. He was 82 and died a few days shy of his birthday, according to the IU Chemistry Departments obituary.

He was born in 1937 in Eagle Rock, California, and graduated from California Institute of Technology with a bachelor's of science and got his doctorate at Harvard University. He has been teaching since 1962, according to the obituary. Peters won a number of local and national awards, such as the Herman T. Briscoe Professorship and Chemical Manufacturers Association National Catalyst Award.

Friends and colleagues alike said though he never had kids, his family was the graduate students he advised and colleagues he adored.

IU graduate student Amir Hosseini hasnt seen his family in five years. Hosseini said Peters, his graduate adviser, helped fill that void and became like his family in the United States.

You dont need to be family by blood to love someone, he said.

Hosseini said his biggest regret is that he cant tell Peters how much he meant to him.

I wish I couldve told him how much he meant to me, as a supervisor, as a family member, he said.

Chemistry graduate program coordinator Dalane Anderson said Peters would frequently organize Wine Wednesdays with the graduate students and invite office staff, where everyone would nurse a glass of wine while talking about their personal lives. She said Peters made the office come alive, joking about trips to Hawaii and his love of chemistry.

He has the sweetest spirit about himself, Anderson said.

Michael Samide, one of Peters past graduate students and a professor at Butler University, said he credits Peters for his teaching style and said the way he engages with students is shaped by his former adviser. He recalled Peters would never criticize students if they needed help doing research and would help undergraduate and graduate students alike. He would take students out to dinner to celebrate milestones in their careers and frequently had them over to his house for meals.

The experiments Peters would put on for different schools to entice children with science were always impressive and chaotic, Samide said. He said a fan favorite was color-changing chemical solutions which would change color to the tune of the Lone Ranger theme song. Another involved creating a fire that spread across the lab table Peters worked at, eliciting gasps from the audience.

Ana CoutoPetro, one of Peters graduate students at IU, said he made her more confident in her work. English isnt her native language, so she delivered drafts of papers and presentations in installments. She said he truly enjoyed helping her.

His caring for others, both personally and professionally, was something special, CoutoPetro said. The world is missing someone this week.

Peters would always crack jokes with his students and help them prepare to defend their research in front of the panel, CoutoPetro said. If students needed assistance, his office was always open, and he would drop whatever he was doing to listen.

Lee Klein, another graduate student who worked under Peters and completed his doctorate in 2001, said he remembers the professors craftsmanship with words. Peters would tear papers and drafts apart, rebuilding them and making the writing better. However, he never made students feel small and always invested time into them, Klein said.

A common way Peters would check in with students was through IU sports. He frequently took students to football and basketball games, cheering on the home team and bonding with his graduate pupils.

He was up out of his chair and shouting wildly and cheering them on, Klein said. He turned into a different person. He really got into it.

Ben Gerroll, part of Peters graduate advising group, said the professor was like a father to him. He said the worst thing one of his students could hear was that Peters was disappointed in them and Peters had the perfect balance of hands-off management, yet nurturing and encouraging of all research ideas or topics.

Theres a void in the world now that Im not sure can be filled, he said

Many of Peters' current and former students and colleagues agreed he would be someone the world couldnt replace.

A light as bright as his doesnt shine without lighting others around him, Gerroll said. Theres just so many sides to this magnificent man. We could talk for days, and we wouldnt be able to encompass a small amount of who he is and what he was."

Peters is survived by his nephew Ruben Portugues, who lives in Germany, and by his niece Iliana Portugues who lives in the United Kingdom.

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Students who expose themselves on Zoom calls risk suspension or expulsion.

The move-out period was extended to comply with stay-at-home order.

He has been self-quarantining since his wife tested positive for the virus April 9.

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Covid-19 claims the life of beloved chemistry professor – Chemical & Engineering News

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Dennis G. Peters, 82, a beloved chemistry professor at Indiana University, died on April 13 from complications related to COVID-19. He was just days away from celebrating his 83rd birthday. Peters contracted COVID-19 while he was hospitalized for an injury that occurred during spring break. Peters was Herman T. Briscoe Professor of Chemistry at Indiana Universities, and was teaching until his injury occurred.

William F. Carroll Jr., an adjunct professor at Indiana University and a past president of the American Chemical Society, says he was heartbroken to hear the news of Peterss passing. Peters was Carroll's research adviser in graduate school.

What do you say about a man who taught intro chemistry for 57 years, essentially 113 consecutive semesters and more than 15,000 students, Carroll says. What do you say about a guy who wrote or co-wrote 5 textbooks that were successful in selling well over 140,000 copies who then used most of the money from the sales of the books to fund things in the laboratory? If we needed a piece of equipment and we didnt have a grant for it, Dennis would reach into his own pocket.

Carroll says Peters instilled in him a sense of independence and perseverance. Dennis Peters let me fail, and I needed that, Carroll says of his graduate school experience. But he always encouraged me to try again.

Peters earned a BS in chemistry from California Institute of Technology in 1958 and a PhD in analytical chemistry from Harvard University in 1962. He joined the Indiana University faculty in 1962. He was an ACS member for 63 years.

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Is this more evidence of the Used touring with My Chemical Romance? – Alternative Press

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Even though most tours are postponed or canceled right now due to coronavirus, it doesnt mean we cant get excited about whats to come. One of those things that may still come to be is the Used touring with My Chemical Romance, at least according to the Used bassist Jeph Howard.

If thats not enough good news, the Used also dropped their new album Heartworktoday (April 24) so pop that on and check this out.

The Useds vocalist Bert McCracken has been casually mentioning a tour with My Chemical Romance for months. It started at a couple of their intimate live shows, then in a radio interview.

Next, the Used canceled their European tour and their appearance at Slam Dunk Fest. They said an opportunity arose that they couldnt pass up. This just furthered the idea that they were touring with My Chemical Romance.

McCracken appeared onThe Green Room with Neil Griffithspodcast and was asked about a My Chemical Romance tour. McCracken replied that hes been saying theyre on the tour because they should be.

Furthermore, on an episode of Shane ToldsLead Singer Syndromepodcast, McCracken said that he was mainly joking on stage about the tour but would love to join MCR if the opportunity arose.

I think we made a big deal about the relationship from the beginning, McCracken says. Ive been friends with Gerard [Way] since the band broke up.[] I saw him at a Frank Iero show about four years ago and thats when we reconnected. I do like to tell jokes from stage but I texted him and was like Dude, I hope you guys know that these are all just jokes to make us smile, but we would all be honored to tour with you.

Well now, the Useds bassist Jeph Howard appeared on the Colombian radio station Radioacktiva and seemed to promote the hype a little more regarding the tour.

At one point during his appearance, Howard begins to talk about My Chemical Romance. He starts with their touring history as he leads up to playing their cover of Under Pressure.

But, at the tail end, Howard says something quite noteworthy.

[Im] really glad these guys [MCR] are back together and touring again, Howard says. And definitely, at some point, you are going to see us on tour together.

You can listen to the moment Howard spoke about My Chemical Romance in the post below, and check out Radioacktiva here.

[BIG NEWS ]Today Jeph from The Used was invited to a radio station in Colombia to talk and play music, he said that possibly they will tour again with MCR, I recorded it for you from MyChemicalRomance

If you havent checked it out yet, stream the Useds brand new album Heartworkbelow.

Do you think that the Used and My Chemical Romance will tour together? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

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Is this more evidence of the Used touring with My Chemical Romance? - Alternative Press

From SHU to Chromebooks: dinosaurs, chemistry and a game of stardust – CT Insider

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FAIRFIELD A team of game designers is looking to overcome a challenge posed by the limited computing ability of laptops given to secondary school students.

Robert McCloud, the director of the Game Design and Development program at Sacred Heart University, said he is leading a team of students and alumni from SHU and Becker College creating education video games that can run on a Chromebook.

Most of the games (people) are playing just wont work on a Chromebook because its web-based, McCloud said. Chromebooks are the most common computer given to middle and high school students.

McCloud said the group is currently designing two educational video games. The first involves learning about chemistry while going through adventures and avoiding dinosaurs. The second guides a player flying a spaceship named the Cosmic Egg through the human body on a quest to find and understand stardust.

McCloud said the program is run through an East Hartford startup called The Beamer LLC, a business founded by physicist Peter Solomon. The students involved are being paid a wage equal to what they could expect at an independent video game development company, McCloud said.

He had raised over a million dollars through a National Science Foundation Grant, private investors and, more recently, Paycheck Protection Program funding to keep our workers employed, he said.

According to McCloud, seven Sacred Heart students or alumni and four students from Becker College are working on the project. Using Discord, a communication platform geared toward gamers, the team meets weekly to work on code and discuss ideas.

Since it is still in the early stages of development, McCloud said, the team puts the game on Itch, an indie game platform, every week to let a limited number of people test it out.

The chemical composition game we want to have ready for (wider) testing on July 15, he said. Were kind of crunching on that. We want to have the other game done by the end of the summer, so theyll have published games on CVs.

Stephen Clarke, who received an undergraduate computer science degree from Sacred Heart this year, said he has been working for Beamer for three years. He describes himself as a technical artist, a bridge between the full-blown artists on the team and the games programmers.

I make sure that all of the art assets that we bring into the game are ready and designed so that they wont impact performance, Clarke said. Theres a lot that goes into optimization of images and 3D models.

Clarke said trying to make sure the games will run on Chromebooks means ensuring they will run basically on anything. He said that means putting a lot of time into compressing file sizes so they will load on the laptops without any problems with frame rate or download speed.

So far, Clarke said, download speed has been the main roadblock. According to Clarke, the reason download speed is a concern is not because the schools are using Chromebooks, but because the average school has a slow internet download speed.

Were trying to trying to limit the amount of textures were using, Clarke said, explaining one cutback was limiting the variation in trees in the game, just using the same tree over and over again.

Were going to have to use something like one or two music tracks for the entire game, just so we can keep that download speed to a minimum, he said.

Clarke said he enjoys being a creator, and finds it fulfilling to create games where people can have fun and learn in the process. He said finding the intersection of those two attributes has been an entertaining challenge.

Eric Boehringer, a rising senior at Sacred Heart majoring in computer science, said McCloud asked him to join the team after this past semester because McCloud said he thought Boehringer was a descriptive writer.

We have a very programmer-heavy team, so I have been more focused on level design and story creation, Boehringer said, adding that the stories for the games are based off of a book written by Solomon.

As he tries to acclimate himself with the team, their process and the software they use, Boehringer said, not being able to meet with them in person has been a challenge.

It can be hard to be really definitive on anything, going forward, when everyone might have different ideas, he said. Some of my stuff might get changed around a bit, but Im okay with it generally.

Based on feedback from teachers, Boehringer said the team is trying to find a way to allow for lesson plans to be built around the games. With most of his experience coming from personal projects, he said, the educational aspect is a new challenge.

Its focusing even more on the user experience, the interaction between the teachers and the students as well as trying to incorporate what we have from the source material, he said. Its a lot of push and pull.

Its a very interesting experience, Boeringer said. I have to incorporate what I know about designing a well-rounded game and making it fun. But how do I make the player, the students, learn while enjoying (that process)? Its probably one of the biggest challenges we face.

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Japanese chemistry professor tested three types of face masks for their efficacy – Time Out

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With the rapid spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, people have been stocking up on groceries, toilet paper and surgical face masks.The resulting shortage of face masks, in particular, has caused the government to step in, promising toissue tworeusable cloth masksto every household starting this week.

If you cant get your hands on any masks in the stores,there are plenty of DIY alternatives, including masks made of paper towels and handkerchiefs. But you might be wondering just how effective a homemade mask really is. Well,Dr Tomoaki Okuda, a chemistry professor at Keio University, has recently shared an experiment he conducted on three different types of masks totesttheir efficiency at filtering out particles in the air, including virus.

In the video, Dr Okuda blows air through three types of masks: a regular surgical face mask, apaper towel mask and a cloth handkerchief, and measures the number of particles that pass through each mask. Dr Okuda's experiment had some pretty surprising results:

Overall, the test resultsshow that while no mask can completely filter out all the particles in the air, they are still useful. Those made from fabric or even paper towels might be a handy alternative to the disposable ones that are currently so hard to find.

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CO2 sucked out of the atmosphere can be reused for new chemical processes – Massive Science

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Global warming is the biggest challenge we have ever faced.

Since the first industrial revolution, the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) a powerful greenhouse gas in the atmosphere has increased by almost 50%, which is causing a steep rise in globaltemperature. Controlling its increase and keeping temperature risebelow 1.5 degrees is necessary to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change. However, that likely requires stopping new emissions immediately and reducing the excess CO2 that is already in the atmosphere.

Scientists are developing technologies that can literally suck CO2 from the air with huge fans. This technique, called direct air capture (DAC), uses either adsorption where CO2 sticks to a surface or chemical reactions which capture and use CO2 to create something else.

DAC is implemented in pilot plants by several companies in Europe and North America, and on an industrial scale bya Swiss company calledClimeworks.Theyplan to suck one percent of the global CO2 emission in 2025. For this task, they will need to install around 750,000 DAC units.

After removing CO2 from the air, DAC plants have to get rid of it. One way to do that is to pump it underground, where it essentially turns into rock. They can also sell the CO2 for use ingreenhouses (CO2 is a potent fertilizer) and carbonated drinks, or fuel, polymers, and concrete.

Coming up with new ways to use commercialize extracted CO2, once it's sucked out of the air, can inspire new technology that reduces atmospheric CO2.

Recently, scientists from the University of Southern California have developed a simple method to turn CO2 into methanol. The conversion happens without complicated purification or separation steps.

Gas combusting in a flare

Pixabay

In a more traditional method, the separation of the captured CO2 requires temperatures higher than 700C.In this novel technique, potassium hydroxide, a base, captures CO2 and forms a compound called potassium formate. At this point, adding hydrogen should, theoretically, produce methanol. However, it turned out to be not that easy. This step represented the main challenge that the researchers had to face. As they write, in baldly scientific style, "further hydrogenation [addition of hydrogen] of the formate...was found to be ineffective."

Going back to the literature, they tried a new approach, which they hoped would lead to producing methanol but through a different route. They dunked the whole reaction in alcohol, addeda catalyst to speed it up, and increased the temperature, obtaining the total conversion of CO2 to methanol in 20 hours.

Simple "one-pot" conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into methanol (CH3OH)

Rosaria Cercola

This method still requires some adjustments.The reaction is cyclical you end up with the same material in the pot, plus the methanol, at the end of the reaction as you had in the beginning. Different components wander off and turn into other chemicals, but are regenerated at the end in the same proportion they were in at the beginning. But the base does gets consumed.If the researchers can overcome this issue, this technique can be easily scaled up and added to existing plants.

But, there's more.For it to be energetically efficient, the production of hydrogenmust be derived fromsplitting waterwithrenewable sources of energy (such as from solar power). This method is not widely available yet, but it is being testedin a series ofHYDROSOL projects.

Right now, most of the hydrogen used in the chemical industry comes from fossil fuels. The steam reformingmethod cheap and common butenergetically demanding heats up methane gas and water at very high temperature (700-1100 C) to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen. With these plants popping up more and more, we could see large-scale sustainable CO2 to methanol conversion in a few years.

But then what will do we do with all of that methanol?

We can either use itas it is, as fuel or antifreeze, or as a reactant to produce more chemicals.The first case is understandably not the solution to our CO2 problem: as a fuel, methanol burns and produces new CO2 that goes back into the atmosphere. This process, described as it is, is a carbon-neutral process, and not carbon-negative as we need.Subtracting CO2 from the atmosphere is not enough if global emissions do not decrease.

On the other end, methanol can be used to produce solvents, resins, low weight polymers, long-lasting materials that don't liberate CO2 immediately.However, for it to be carbon negative, it is necessary to consider the balance between the stored carbon and the oneproduced during the synthesis of these materials.

More investments in this kind of research are necessary to reduce the production of CO2 altogether. This topic is delicate and involves scientists, policymakers, andthe choices consumersmake along the way: The cars we buy (or rather don't), the flights we take (or rather don't), the electricity source we choose for our own houses. But by and large, the people thatwe elect to lead us in these decisions.

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Tobias Harris admits 76ers had chemistry issues this season, now ‘have a new opportunity in Orlando’ – CBS Sports

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Before the NBA hit the pause button on the season in mid-March, the Philadelphia 76ers were the league's most inconsistent team. No other franchise had a bigger disparity between how well it played at home vs. on the road. The Sixers were a league-best 29-2 inside the friendly confines of the Wells Fargo Center, but owned a dismal 10-24 record in away games.

At home, they secured impressive wins over the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks. On the road, however, the 76ers suffered embarrassing losses to the likes of the lowly Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards. At 39-26, Philly currently sits in the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference standings -- behind the Bucks, Raptors, Celtics, Heat, and Pacers -- after many expected them to compete for the top seed prior to the season's start.

Many of the Sixers' issues with inconsistency were due to injuries, as they were without three different starters -- Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Josh Richardson -- for extended periods of time. However, some of the team's struggles were due to chemistry, or a lack thereof, according to forward Tobias Harris. During a recent appearance on ESPN's "First Take" Harris admitted that the Sixers struggled with cohesion throughout the season, and acknowledged that they failed to live up to the lofty expectations bestowed upon them.

"I'll just say, and I'll keep it real, we haven't had the best chemistry throughout the whole year," Harris said, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. "It took us a while to kind of get everyone together, we battled injuries from the start to the end. And right now, if we're the sleeper, then we're the sleeper. Truth be told, how we're viewed, that's someone else's opinion, but I know when I look my guys in the eye and we have conversations, we have one goal in mind, and that's to go out there and play and win a championship.

"That's the only view that matters to me. What people have to say about our team, I get it, because we haven't met our expectations so far this year. But we have a new opportunity in Orlando to go out and just play ball, and really scratch a new surface of what we can accomplish."

Despite their up-and-down season, Harris remains confident that the Sixers are capable of capturing the title when the season resumes in Orlando at the end of July.

"I've always been in contact with all of my teammates throughout this process," Harris said. "Mainly just to make sure guys are in a good space mentally, asking, 'Hey, do you want to go hoop out here? What's your opinion?' Not really holding much judgement to it. I believe that when we go out here and go hoop, we have a chance to win a championship. We're going to be healthy, a lot healthier than before -- having Ben recovered and fully healed is big for us -- and we've just gotta go out there and play basketball.

"This for us is kind of like an AAU tournament. We've just gotta go out there and hoop, play our best and do what we do. But I really believe that we're going to have a clear-cut shot to win a championship, and I stand on that."

Considering the injury issues that they dealt with, and the fact that 40 percent of the starting lineup was new, some struggles were to be expected for the Sixers. However, given the talent on the team -- and the payroll -- it's fair to say that they underperformed during the first portion of the season. In Orlando, though, they will get a fresh start and a new opportunity to prove themselves. Over the course of the season, the Sixers showed their ceiling with some major wins -- like over the Bucks on Christmas Day, or their 17-point victory over the Lakers in January -- and that ceiling is extremely high.

On any given night, the Sixers can compete with -- and defeat -- any team in the league. Consistency will be key for them in Orlando. If they can string solid performances together consistently they could potentially go on a deep run. Thanks to the win-or-go-home nature of the postseason, perhaps as a unit the Sixers will gain a singular focus that may have been missing during some road losses in December and January. Head coach Brett Brown and general manager Elton Brand have said repeatedly that the Sixers, as currently constructed, were built for postseason play. In Orlando, we'll find out if that's true.

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Tobias Harris admits 76ers had chemistry issues this season, now 'have a new opportunity in Orlando' - CBS Sports