Chemical Building rehab poised to move ahead – STLtoday.com

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ST. LOUIS A $53 million rehab of the Chemical Building, the century-old, 17-story red brick and terra cotta architectural gem that has sat vacant in the heart of downtown for over a decade, has won final signoff from the city.

The St. Louis Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority gave the green light this week to local development incentives for the project, including 17 years of full property tax abatement, a decade of personal property tax abatement and a sales tax exemption on construction materials. Financing is expected to close at the beginning of the year and construction to begin soon thereafter, with completion scheduled for mid-2021.

Restoration St. Louis, led by Amy and Amrit Gill, announced in April that it intended to buy the building at 721 Olive Street from a New York firm whose plans for micro-apartments had stalled. The Gills plan to add a mix of 84 hotel rooms and 72 apartments to the historic structure designed by Henry Ives Cobb and connect it to their recently completed Hotel St. Louis next door.

While the St. Louis Board of Aldermen approved the incentive package in July, conflicting personalities and the large size of the incentive package led behind-the-scenes negotiations to boil into view over the summer.

The Gills plan called for extending the 20-year tax abatement district that had been approved for use on Hotel St. Louis to also cover the Chemical Building, providing the last 17 years of tax abatement for the new rehab project. Thats despite a move by the city in recent years to no longer abate 100% of new property taxes except in the weakest neighborhoods.

City officials also gave the Hotel St. Louis project a break on half of the city sales tax on hotel rooms, up to $2.3 million. That was not included in the Chemical Building incentive package, but a personal property tax exemption was added to abate furniture and other fixtures for a decade.

I really believe this is a good use of the citys money, and necessary to restore this building, Restoration St. Louis vice president of development Laura Rebbe told a St. Louis aldermanic committee in July.

Some aldermen questioned the amount of the incentive, given the citys new guidelines, noting the developers also planned to use state and federal historic tax credits as part of the financing package.

The committee chair, Joe Roddy, has butted heads with the Gills on other projects over the years and was upset that the initial proposal included 17 years of personal property tax abatement instead of only a decade, a concession he said he had tried to negotiate. City staff indicated that the difference amounted to only about $100,000 over the life of the incentive.

LCRA Director Otis Williams made a personal plea in July to aldermen to endorse the incentives and get the building redeveloped, reactivating the block and generating new tax revenue.

I understand that many of you have concerns or have issues either with the project tax abatement or with the developer, but if we could for the sake of getting this project done, if we could have support for it, I would certainly appreciate it, Williams said at the July hearing.

With a commitment to reduce the personal property tax abatement to only 10 years, aldermen ultimately endorsed the incentive package.

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Chemistry Communications Uses PulsePoint To Make Content … – AdExchanger

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As Chemistry Communications clients created more content and more ambitious distribution plans, manually distributing that content to dozens of native and social platforms became untenable.

Chemistry turned to Story by PulsePoint to make content distribution more cost- and time-efficient. The agency serves clients not only in content marketing, but through media buys across digital, video and radio.

The platform allows Chemistry to buy across more than 25 platforms, including social media platforms Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, native platforms like Sharethrough and TripleLift and content discovery tools Outbrain and Taboola.

With the platform, Chemistry Communications can buy media and optimize campaigns based on a metric it cares about: cost per engagement, with 15 seconds spent on a site post-click.

Our platform has been built from the ground up to focus on what happens once the reader arrives at the domain, said Andrew Stark, PulsePoints SVP of content solutions. The platform tracks details like scroll depth and scroll velocity and uses those metrics to feed optimization.

Because of the focus on post-click engagement, Chemistry saw its clients results improve when it switched to the platform.

What was shocking was that we were seeing lower CPEs and lower CPMs than all the direct platforms we were using in the past, said Jason Dille, VP of media at Chemistry Communications.

The platform which PulsePoint recently redesigned for self-service clients also improves the workflow and automates more processes.

For example, adapting images, headlines and text for 10 stories across 30 platforms adds up to at least 300 creative variations. PulsePoints platform automatically builds ad creative for each platform, which a campaign planner can immediately approve, automatically optimize or adjust either through PulsePoints suggestions or manually.

The platform also can yield qualitative insights about the clients content. A top-performing alternate headline could become the main one. And looking at how different stories resonate with audiences informs future content creation.

Although Chemistry initially used PulsePoints managed services, it has since migrated to the software-as-a-service platform to improve the workflow.

We prefer to stay away from managed service because transparency can be an issue and margins can be there, Dille said. And the agency prefers to be more hands-on. We want to make the changes for our clients.

However, the managed service did let the agency test out the solution with smaller budgets, Dille said.

Though Chemistry handles all forms of media for its clients from digital video to radio Dille believes that content marketing will evolve like the DSP landscape, as technologies emerge to deliver more strategic placements.

They are adding targeting thats similar to what we have in the DSP space, like ISP targeting, that will further evolve what performance looks like, he said. In addition, Story by PulsePoint clients can upload their own data for targeting, or use an individual platforms targeting definitions like how Facebook defines women 35-44.

As targeting and automation improve, more budgets will shift to content distribution, Dille predicted. This is going to be the future of digital advertising, he said. Content is where we are going to see higher engagement rates in the future.

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Volleyball: Reeves like Van Buren Lady Pointers’ chemistry – Times Record

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By Kevin Taylor Times Recordktaylor@swtimes.com

Van Buren volleyball coach Brent Reeves has the best of two worlds heading into Tuesday's 2017 opener with Southside: four returning starters and a young roster.

The Lady Pointers, who beat Northside last season to reach the second round of the 7A state playoffs, also have good team chemistry.

"I've coached a lot of sports, but I think volleyball needs more chemistry than any other sport," Reeves said. "You've got to have everybody pulling for each other. If you can do that, you can win a lot of games."

Van Buren finished 14-15 last season and 6-8 in the ultra competitive 7A-West.

Reeves, who enjoyed great coaching success at Mansfield prior to taking the reigns at Van Buren last fall, has two good hitters back in the form of Bekah Olienyk and Alex Dupree. Just a junior, Dupree was a big surprise in Reeves' first season.

Senior setter Caroline Davis and junior setter Mikelle Porter are also back in the fold.

"We're very excited about this year," Reeves said. "At this level, it seems like everybody can play, so you have to be ready every night to play. We've gelled really well. Every time we play in practice, they give it all they've got, and that's all you can ask."

Reeves is ready for his girls to take it to the next level, and that means winning five set matches.

"We talk about that all the time," he said. "Volleyball is just a mental game. Everybody can set and pass, but stepping in there and knowing you can do it is just as big.

"Obviously, every team can play."

Running a 6-2 scheme, Reeves expects good things from twin middle blockers Grace and Madelyn Doolittle and back row specialist Caitlin Perry.

"They've (Doolittles) stepped up and played well," Reeves said. "Caitlin, in our back row, she gets to a lot of balls. We just want to play hard and build some momentum."

The Doolittle twins helped lead Van Buren's ninth grade team to 17 wins last season and a second play finish in the River Valley Conference.

"We can build some early momentum," Reeves said. "I feel like you have to win some early games to stay in it. I love starting out with Southside, because Southside is a great program. Coach (Steve) Haaser and I, we go way back. Alma's a big rival for Van Buren, I discovered last year, and that's a good fun game."

Reeves has been part of a pretty amazing 20-year volleyball run where five schools Southside, Greewnood, Mansfield, Paris and Lavaca have won state championships, with eight of those coming from Southside.

"You've got great volleyball programs in this area," Reeves said. "Paris, they're amazing right now. It's been awesome to watch how it's grown."

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Brandon Marshall is out of time to build chemistry with Eli Manning as Week 1 approaches – New York Daily News

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Brandon Marshall is about to go into the Giants Week 1 opener in Dallas without having caught a single pass from Eli Manning this entire preseason.

Unsettling, isnt it?

Even if Ben McAdoo plays Marshall for two series in Thursday nights preseason finale at New England, as he did with last years starting receivers not named Odell Beckham Jr., Manning is not expected to play.

Marshall was supposed to be the signing of the NFL offseason. The hype train for the Giants offense already left the station long ago. And granted, 11 NFL seasons buys a veteran receiver some benefit of the doubt.

Mini-McAdoo shows up at Giants practice to meet coach Ben

But Marshall himself even acknowledged in one of his rare interviews this preseason that McAdoos timing-based offense is much different than what Marshall is used to, and that chemistry between him and Manning is not going to happen overnight.

McAdoos answer Tuesday to what Marshall has shown him recently as far as his understanding of the offense was case in point.

He hasnt been out there very much in the last couple of weeks, the coach said, after Marshall increased his Tuesday practice workload from Mondays limited participation. I mean, today was a good day for him to get back out there and get some routes on air and then get some of the work in the team periods.

So where does this leave the Giants? Well, its beginning to look like no one will know the answer to how long it will take Marshall to acclimate until the lights come on in Dallas on Sept. 10. He has made some impressive plays in practice, but his individual talent is not a question.

Giants dump Owa Odighizuwa following four-game PED suspension

The concerns are with his fit and comfort in the context of the offense, and with his health.

Marshall played two uneventful snaps in the Giants preseason opener against Pittsburgh. And in 26 snaps in Cleveland, he missed a run block on the offenses first play from scrimmage a Paul Perkins run for no gain and then appeared to injure his shoulder on Mannings lone target of him this August, before catching one Geno Smith pass for two yards.

Marshall, it seemed, made the smart business decision not to reach for Mannings slightly overthrown deep ball down the right sideline with Browns safety Jabrill Peppers bearing down. But Peppers popped Marshall hard anyway on the left shoulder, and Marshall eventually left the game and did not return.

Marshall then stood on the sidelines for the rest of last weeks practices and did not play in last Saturdays game against the Jets normally the best preseason test for a teams starters. He only returned to limited practice participation on Monday, before increasing his workload on Tuesday.

Giants Owa Odighizuwa suspended four games for PEDs

And yet Marshall has not spoken to the media since returning to the field. In fact, he has done only two interviews with local beat reporters since training camp opened: on July 29 and on Aug. 15. It is an unusual tactic for someone who already has dabbled in a media career with Showtimes Inside the NFL.

Marshall, 33, it should be noted, seems focused on keeping his head down and working. Beckham is the star, and Marshall is just trying to do his part, desperate to make his first trip to the NFL postseason, let alone win a Super Bowl.

Marshall has resisted any storylines about being a mentor to Beckham, as well. He is here to produce and win. Those seem to be the motives behind everything Marshall is doing or not doing at the moment.

Brandon looked good today, it was good to have him back out there at practice, knock some rust off, McAdoo said.

Brandon Marshall back at Giants practice, Odell Beckham still out

The problem is that the Giants need Marshall in the spotlight not out of it if his signing is going to be worth it. They need him healthy. They need Manning and Marshall in sync. They need to see Marshall on the field.

Very soon, the hype will die down, and it will be time for Marshalls play to talk, even if he wont.

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Miami Dolphins safeties Reshad Jones, Nate Allen aim for ‘beautiful thing’ called chemistry – Palm Beach Post (blog)

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Dolphins S Reshad Jones played only six games before injuring his shoulder last season. (Allen Eyestone/The Post)

DAVIE The chemistry with fellow safety Reshad Jones isnt what it needs to be, but its coming along, Nate Allen was saying. There was no panic in his voice because, after all, this is only May.

This is what OTAs are for, said Allen, who joined the Dolphins in free agency from Oakland.

Only a few minutes earlier Tuesday, Jones addressed the media and was equally calm about one of the more pressing matters concerning the Dolphins defense, but for one other reason: He has been through this before.

If its the offseason, theres a good chance the Dolphins are sorting out wholl be lining up alongside Jones at safety. Except for a brief spell of continuity with Chris Clemons early in his career, Jones has been on an endless quest to develop chemistry with safeties ranging from Louis Delmas to Jimmy Wilson to Michael Thomas, to name a few.

I know I had a lot, Jones said. But I didnt know it was eight.

Dolphins safety Nate Allen listens to a question during a news conference during OTAs on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Injuries have played a huge role, wiping out both Jones and Isa Abdul-Quddus last year and ending Abdul-Quddus career.

That left an opening. In stepped Allen, who was taken 126 spots earlier than Jones in the 2010 draft, which is a blessing of sorts for the Dolphins. Playing the same position and having entered the league at the same time, theyve kept tabs on one another from afar.

We came out together, so I kind of knew him, Jones said. He knows ball.

Allen also knows Jones.

His play speaks for itself, Allen said. Hes who he is for a reason and hes the guy. He makes a lot of plays. Hes just a great playmaker. I could see it early and Ive watched him through the years. As Ive been in other places, Ive always watched him on tape. He stands out.

Jones made the Pro Bowl in 2015 and stood a good chance of repeating last season before a shoulder injury ended his season. From the sidelines, he watched his team qualify for the playoffs for the first time since he arrived.

It was kind of brutal for me, but I was happy for my guys, he said.

Having recently gained full medical clearance, Jones is confident hell regain top form.

I always felt like I was one of the best safeties in the league and I still feel that way, Jones said. Numbers dont lie. My numbers are top of the line of all of them.

Allen, who signed a one-year, $3.4 million deal, also believes hes 100 percent after suffering an MCL injury early in 2015 and serving as a backup with the Raiders last season. Allen said he feels comfortable, whether its at strong safety or free safety, in coverage or run support. Its largely a matter of developing an understanding with Jones.

I think were making good progress, Allen said. And its not just me and Reshad. Its the entire DB group. This is the first time Ive played with these guys and the first time a lot of us have played together, so everybodys just kind of feeling each other out.

Because once you get that chemistry in the back end, you can make it a beautiful thing.

The question is, how long will this tandem last? The Dolphins also added safety T.J. McDonald from the Rams, but hell miss the first half of the season for violating the leagues substance abuse policy.

I think we can be special, Jones said. Weve got the ball rolling in the right direction. We just have to continue to put the work in and make it happen.

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Miami Dolphins safeties Reshad Jones, Nate Allen aim for 'beautiful thing' called chemistry - Palm Beach Post (blog)

Football, paramedic career, UMSL chemistry lead Chris Tipton to med school – UMSL Daily (blog)

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Chris Tipton poses next to the helicopter he works on as a critical care flight paramedic for Survival Flight Inc. Paramedic medicine inspired Tipton to go back to school for a masters degree in chemistry. The UMSL spring grad is now headed to medical school at Mizzou, where he used to play football while earning his bachelors degree in agricultural science. (Photo by August Jennewein)

At first glance, Chris Tipton appears an odd fit in a laboratory. The hulking former Mizzou Tiger offensive linemans big stature looks potentially hazardous surrounded by glassware and equipment.

But the truth is, Tipton is right at home. The soon-to-be masters in chemistry graduate works as a research assistant for Professor Chris Spilling at the University of MissouriSt. Louis when he isnt busy being a part-time critical care flight paramedic for Survival Flight Inc.

Through football Tipton indirectly found his true calling in medicine.

After graduating from the University of MissouriColumbia in 2007 with a bachelors degree in agricultural science, Tipton started a career path popular among his football buddies firefighting. In his training to get his emergency medical technician and paramedic licenses, he discovered he liked treating the patients more than the fire.

Tipton took a ground paramedic job in Northeast Missouri shortly thereafter and eventually became the lead paramedic for Pike County.

You handle people on the worst day of their lives, Tipton says. Youre the first person a lot of times that this person will be seeing in their whole continuum of care. So its really important, the job we do.

In his first week, Tipton delivered a baby on the side of a highway.

Youre almost scared for the tones to go off, says Tipton, recalling his early days on the job.

Hes been a paramedic for nine years now, spending the last four and half of those in the air not a place paramedics start off.

You get the sickest of the sick, he says. You might only run one call a day, but that one call has you go through almost every single skill youve possibly learned and all kinds of drugs that you would maybe use in a months time as a ground paramedic.

After some years, Tipton started to feel as if he had maxed out his paramedic certification. A drive to do more in the field of medicine led him back to school, specifically to UMSL, where he could get a masters degree and some more science classes and research under his belt before applying to medical school.

Dr. Spilling has given me a tremendous opportunity, says Tipton, who is fully funded and receives a stipend. That was the only way I could go part time as a paramedic and pursue research full time.

In the lab at UMSL, he works on creating novel therapeutic compounds for people who suffer from sepsis, a type of blood poisoning. Hes also found a lot of value in his UMSL coursework.

Class after class, light bulbs go off, he says. Ive learned a lot of the concepts at the paramedic level, but now Im learning them at the cellular and molecular levels.

Tipton scored in the 93rd percentile in the science sections of the MCAT. Hes returning to his old stomping grounds this summer, not as a football player, but as a student in Mizzous medical school/PhD program. Tipton plans on conducting cancer research and possibly doing a residency in pathology or immunology.

Helping people is a huge part of why I do what I do, he says. What Ive gotten from UMSL is seeing how the science translates to that.

This story was originally published in the spring 2017 issue ofUMSL Magazine. Have a story idea for UMSL Magazine? Email magazine@umsl.edu.

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Football, paramedic career, UMSL chemistry lead Chris Tipton to med school - UMSL Daily (blog)

UW Chemistry to establish a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship … – UW Today

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News releases | Science

March 23, 2017

Building upon a long legacy of supporting scientific innovation and education, professor emeritus Larry Dalton and his wife, Nicole Boand, have committed $12 million to the UW Department of Chemistry. The majority of the gift will go to establish the Dalton Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chemistry a postdoctoral fellowship similar to those at the nations most prestigious research institutions like Berkeley and Harvard.

One of only a handful of similarly funded fellowships at public universities across the United States, this fellowship will support researchers in the postdoctoral phase of their training. This is a formative and productive time for early-career scientists as they work to obtain research experience and publications to qualify them for full-time, tenure-track faculty positions. These promising scientists often play a critical role in accelerating fundamental research into real-world applications, as they are able to focus 100 percent on the research challenges before them.

This postdoctoral fellowship will enable the Department of Chemistry to attract and support the brightest early-career scientists from across the nation, ensuring that the UW is a leader in next-generation research in the chemical sciences, said Michael Heinekey, professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry. This gift will help to elevate our department to the level of top chemistry departments around the world.

Building on past gifts to the department, this gift will also fund two endowed chairs to help the department recruit and retain top researchers. One chair will be named for Boands parents and the other named for Alvin Kwiram, UW professor emeritus of chemistry and vice provost emeritus for research. Additionally, the gift will create an endowed departmental support fund to ensure the department has flexible and reliable resources to respond to opportunities as they arise.

UW professor emeritus of chemistry Larry Dalton.Colette Cosner

Dalton and Boands most recent investment in the Department of Chemistry serves to underscore and amplify their legacy of impact at the UW. Over the years, they have established two endowed professorships in chemistry and two endowed chairs. These endowments have provided meaningful research support to the six faculty members who have held them, and to the numerous undergraduate and graduate students working alongside those faculty.

Larry Dalton has already made a phenomenal impact at the University of Washington, and to have a faculty member add to such a legacy by demonstrating this level of dedication to his field and to future generations of students and professors in the UWs chemistry department is truly remarkable, UW President Ana Mari Cauce said. I am profoundly thankful for this commitment from Larry and Nicole, which will honor his work and support innovation at the UW for years to come.

This gift follows Daltons decades of research in photonics and nonlinear optics. He joined the UW Department of Chemistry in 1998. In 2000, Dalton and his collaborators published a foundational paper in Science, which laid the groundwork for innovations in opto-electronics, with major implications for telecommunications, sensor technology and information technology. Dalton went on to found Lumera Corp. now part of GigPeak to develop and manufacture opto-electronic devices. His research was instrumental in securing a major grant from the National Science Foundation to launch the Center for Materials and Devices for Information Technology Research at the UW, which was foundational for what would become the UW Clean Energy Institute.

During his nearly 20 years in the Department of Chemistry, Dalton invested his time, energy and resources to support students and burgeoning researchers. Both he and Boand have shown through their philanthropy a deep commitment to the next generation of science and scientists. The Dalton Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chemistry, along with the newly endowed chairs and other departmental support, is a culminating expression of that commitment.

We make this current contribution in the hope and belief that it will promote recruitment and retention of the best and brightest researchers and educators in STEM fields to the University of Washington, said Dalton. Nicole and I appreciate the critical impact that STEM research has made and is making to the economy and well-being of Washington and the nation, and to the importance of quality education which assures continuation of this broader impact of STEM research.

###

For more information, contact James Urton with the UW Office of News & Information at jurton@uw.edu or 206-543-2580. To arrange an interview with Dalton or Boand, contact Candice Douglass at candiced@uw.edu, 206-616-3506 or 425-214-2704 (after hours).

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Valparaiso chemistry students mentor second-graders – The San Luis Obispo Tribune

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Valparaiso chemistry students mentor second-graders
The San Luis Obispo Tribune
Some of the students were much younger than usual second-graders from Hayes Leonard Elementary working on projects with juniors and seniors in the high school AP chemistry class. Second-grade teachers Heather Treece and Sharon McCorkle have ...

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Valparaiso chemistry students mentor second-graders - The San Luis Obispo Tribune

Small-Molecule Talk with Caltech’s New Assistant Professor of Chemistry Alison Ondrus – Pasadena Now

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Alison Ondrus Credit: Caltech

New assistant professor of chemistry Alison Ondrus says shes excited to apply the tools of traditional chemistry to the study of biological problems and thinks Caltech, with its small, interdisciplinary environment, is the perfect place to do it.

Ondrus received her PhD in organic chemistry in 2009 from MIT, where she learned to synthesize structurally complex molecules. From there, she became interested in biology and began studying the Hedgehog signaling pathway as a postdoctoral scholar at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The Hedgehog family of proteins is responsible for many basic functions in animals, including development and organization of the overall body plan. Mutations in Hedgehog pathway genes can lead to congenital deformities as well as both juvenile and adult cancers.

At Caltech, Ondrus plans to use her chemistry background to continue studying the Hedgehog signaling pathway and address mysteries about how essential small molecules, such as cholesterol, control Hedgehog activity during the development of embryos, a process known as embryogenesis.

Your PhD was in synthetic chemistry. What does this involve? In synthetic organic chemistry, you build complex molecules from scratch. You start with a hypothesis for how to make an interesting molecular structure in the most convergent, elegant, efficient way possible based on the reactions that you choose. From there, you go to the lab and try to build the molecule.

How did you go from synthesizing chemicals to studying biological pathways? Id spent a lot of time just looking at the structures of molecules and appreciating the richness of structure, so when I had an opportunity to see how the same principles translated to biological activity, a new world opened up. I started finding myself thinking more and more about all of the small molecules that are already present in our own bodies. Ive always been fascinated by human health and human development, and I started to question how these molecules participate in normal physiology and disease. I started reading to try to find examples of where people had at least circumstantial evidence that small molecules played key roles in regulating a biological pathway, in particular in human health.

Through my reading, I came across the really fascinating pathway that I now studythe Hedgehog signaling pathway.

Why is the Hedgehog signaling pathway important? Hedgehog is important in almost every aspect of how an embryo becomes a human form, and its deficiencies showcase its importance. Its responsible for establishing our body plan, from our left-right symmetry to how many digits we have. As you can imagine, defects in the pathway lead to really acute phenotypes because its so fundamental in these early processes. The pathway also plays a role in various cancers, most notably basal cell carcinomaskin cancerthe most prevalent form of cancer in humans.

We know that certain small molecules that are based on cholesterol can turn the pathway on or off, but we dont know what enzymes produce these molecules, where theyre localized, or how they interact with the Hedgehog pathway. Elucidating these cellular processes is essential to understanding how the pathway controls things like body patterning and brain development, and how that can go wrong and lead to cancer.

If we can understand what components of cholesterol metabolism are necessary for Hedgehog activity, then we can start to address much more specifically some of these medical conditions and intervene in ways that we havent yet considered.

How will you go about studying cholesterol in the Hedgehog pathway? Im going to merge the synthesis part of my background with my understanding of signal transduction to ask questions about cholesterol and related molecules, and their role in regulating the Hedgehog pathway. Small molecules are often the missing link in hypotheses regarding Hedgehog pathway signal transduction. You may have two proteins in the pathway that communicate via these very specific small molecules, but without having chemical tools to ask questions in a precise way, the mechanism remains unknown. What are the exact structures of these molecules? How do they perform this communication? Something thats unique about our lab is that we can synthesize the specific cholesterol molecules needed to answer these questions.

What do you like about Caltech? At Caltech, there are really no barriers. Nobody says you cant do something or that an idea is too unprecedented. Theres a cultural acceptance that doing new things is fundamentally exciting and valuable. Thats what I really appreciate about Caltech.

What do you like to do in your spare time? I love yoga and riding my bike, and reading both Eastern and Western philosophy. I just finished listening to the audiobook of The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn, which I recommend to anyone.

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Professor Shares Fascination with Chemistry – ENMU News Releases

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Professor Shares Fascination with Chemistry by Eamon Scarbrough The Eastern New Mexico News

After traveling to New Mexico from the other side of the world 16 years ago, Eastern New Mexico University Chemistry Professor Juchao Yan found himself exactly where he wanted to be: Instilling a passion for science in his students through practical applications.

"In this college, we have quite a large number of first-generation, under-prepared students, most of whom are economically strapped. Working with these students, we need enthusiasm, dedication and patience. Finding a way to inspire them and to prepare them well for jobs and for living fulfilling lives is very rewarding and is what I enjoy doing," he said.

Before beginning work at ENMU in 2002, Yan earned his doctorate in chemistry from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Changchun, China in 1997, and moved to Albuquerque, where he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of New Mexico from 1998-2001.

What fascinates you about your chemistry?

Inspired by my younger brother, I started to like Chemistry when I was in junior high. In college, the more I learned about chemistry, the more I liked it. Chemistry is about the structure, property and reactivity of matter. It's the central science, and particularly, for my expertise, what I was trained, it's analytical chemistry. Analytical chemistry, to give you a basic idea, is about the science of obtaining, processing, communicating information about the composition and structure of matter.

Particularly, this sub-discipline of chemistry tries to answer four questions: 'What is it,' 'How much is present,' 'Is your stuff there,' 'How to get pure stuff?' It turns out, analytical chemistry is truly important and fundamental to several other sub-disciplines of chemistry, for example, materials chemistry, biochemistry, environmental science, and so on and so forth.

With what I was trained, I think having the opportunity to educate young generations to be scientists is truly fascinating, and it's something I really enjoy doing.

How does teaching continue to teach you?

Learning is a lifelong process. While I teach others, I keep learning new things, and I believe that helped me teach better. To give you one example, about six years ago, when I was asked to teach forensic chemistry for our newly initiated forensic science program, at the time I said, 'Oh, no. I know nothing about that.' But, later on, the more I got involved in that, the more I learned and felt more comfortable when I come to a classroom to lecture.

What has been rewarding about teaching at a small university like ENMU?

I would say personal touch, because here, you have the opportunity to be a role model and to help everyone in your class, which is quite different from lecturing for several hundred students in a big lecture hall at big schools.

What inspired you to start teaching?

First of all, the things I know about, and second of all, the latest research advancements I learn about. Besides teaching, I also do research, and my current research project, for example, is about biofuel. We try to use algae to treat wastewater while generating biomass suitable for biofuel production, and we hope that's a win-win, because you take care of the environment, and simultaneously you find alternatives to address energy issues, and the more

I'm involved in my research, the more I feel like, in the near future, I should develop and design courses that interface the environment and energy. Involving students in ongoing research projects provides a wonderful opportunity to educate our students and to make them more marketable.

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Amanda Peet on Baseball, Brockmire, Nudity and Chemistry With Co-Stars – Parade

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Magazine March 24, 2017 5:00 AM ByWalter Scott Parade More by Walter

Togetherness and The Good Wife actress Amanda Peet, 45, is back with a new TV comedy. In Brockmire, which premieres April 5 on IFC, Peet plays Jules, the hard-drinking, strong-willed owner of a minor league baseball team, the Morristown Frackers, who hires a disgraced major league announcer, Jim Brockmire (Hank Azaria), to call the plays.

How would you describe your character, Jules?

For an alcoholic, shes got her s together.

Was the appeal of Brockmire its craziness?

Definitely. I like things that are a little bit off. And Im a huge fan of Hank.

Did you and Hank know each other or did you have to build your chemistry?

We knew each other a little bit. I dont know if chemistry is something you build or if its something that just kind of happens or doesnt happen.

Does Hank make you laugh so hard that you break up during filming?

There were a few times where I was really scared that I was going to ruin a take because I was laughing so hard, so the answer is yes, he really makes me laugh.

Its funny, but is it also a kind of love story?

Its a love story, for sure. One of the reasons Jim and Jules connect is they both love baseball so much and they both love drinking. I think theyre really attracted to each other.

Are you comfortable with the shows nudity?

Sure. If the writing is good, then I figure out a way to get comfortable. I am definitely never really excited to take my clothes off these days, but if the writing is good enough, Im game.

What do you mean when you say these days?

The truth is I wasnt that comfortable in my 20s either, but things have gone downhill, literally.

Jules is really passionate about bringing her team back to glory. Is there something in your life that you feel that way about, that youre a cheerleader for?

Sure, but maybe not in the same way. There are plenty of things I wish I could fight for. Im definitely not as scrappy as she is.

So these things that you want to fight for, are they political issues or things for your kids?

Im probably a little bit more like a psycho lioness when it comes to my kids.

What kind of sports spectator are you?

My dad was a big football player in college, and my sister was sort of a tomboy, and they watch football religiously. When they come to my house, theres football on all the time. I never got the sports bug, so it was a verysteep learning curve coming onto Brockmire. When I watch a baseball game, I dont understand whats interesting about it. Nobody ever makes it to first base. I mean, for, like, long periods of time, no ones making it to first base.

How much do you actually know about baseball?

Nothing. I watched Ken Burns documentary, I read some and I looked at the documentary about the Portland Mavericks, who were a minor league team. I feel like I didnt retain that much. I still had to ask Hank, Am I supposed to be happy when he runs to first base, or sad?

Have you ever lobbied your husband, writer-producer David Benioff, for a role on Game of Thrones?

I try really hard, especially when Ive had a few drinks. Ill put on my English accent, such as it is, in front of [creators] Dan [Weiss] and David. They just act really embarrassed for me.

Can you talk about what Togetherness meant to you and how hard it was when HBO canceled it?

I just never felt that way before. It was really the right chemistry between me and the show creators. I felt like they really wanted to pass me the ball. I felt really trusted by them and I really trusted them too. I havent felt that way in a really long time, and I think because Im a middle-aged woman trying to make it in Hollywood, it was like I won the lottery.

Do you find that the roles are better on TV now for women of a certain age than in movies?

I think that in order to get a movie green-lit, you have to have a certain amount of star wattage and I dont have it, so Im not getting roles that are interesting. Most of the roles I read for, for a 45-year-old woman, theyre pretty boring and flat. TV has juicier parts.

Along the those lines, after doing 2012, you said it made you realize you dont want to play the lovely mom anymore? Why is that?

Theres nothing to bite into. Its really fun being in a movie thats a Friday night skicker, where theres going to be a big premiere and theyre going to fly you to Tokyo. It all feels really exciting. But the truth is thats not going to get you anywhere.

Youll be fine. The movies fine. It will be serviceable, and like I said, you could be lovely. But lovely is not a playable action. The thing that Sarah Paulson and I always ask each other is, When the alarm goes off at 4:45 in the morning, what are you going to feel? We didnt used to ask each other that question. Its a very important question.

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Amanda Peet on Baseball, Brockmire, Nudity and Chemistry With Co-Stars - Parade

Beetz’s Domino Has ‘Spectacular’ Chemistry With Deadpool, Says … – CBR (blog)

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In Deadpool 2, Domino will make her big screen debut. Atlanta starZazie Beetz will bring that character to life, and co-creator Rob Liefeld couldnt be happier about it. In an interview with ComicBook.com, he praised the actress as one of the only people who could truly keep up with Ryan Reynolds.

Domino is all about as an actress and as the character that is going to be on the screen you already allude to it, its all about the sass, Liefeld explained. You gotta understand: youre gonna go up against Wade Wilson, who in this movie is Ryan Reynolds.

RELATED:Deadpool 2: Brad Pitt Was Reportedly in the Running to Play Cable

Im telling you, having been around Ryan multiple times that mouth cannot be stopped, he added. I dont think he can say the jokes as fast as they are backed up in his head.

Some of these people be like, Oh hey, this girl should have been Domino, and pick out actress A through Z, and Id be like, Im not sure that they can keep up with him. And oh my gosh, Im not sure that Ryans gonna keep up with her, he said. I think Ryan Reynolds is gonna have to work hard to keep up with Zazie. I mean, wow. You just go, That chemistry is going to be spectacular. And thats what it comes down to is the chemistry with these characters.

RELATED:Dominos Deadpool 2 Debut Parodied By Ryan Reynolds

Earlier this month, Liefeld praisedBeetzs casting on his Instagram. Welcome, Zazie Beetz, to the wonderful world of #Deadpool!! Liefeld wrote in his post. You are everything I could have hoped for!!

Introduced in 1992 in Marvel Comics X-Force #8, Domino was created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld. She is a genetically engineered mutant conceived as part of a secret United States government program called Project Armageddon devoted to creating perfect human weapons. In the case of Domino, who is one of the few survivors of the project, it worked. She can subtly, psychically alter random variables in her line of sight to create the illusion of extreme luck. Using her abilities, Domino can pull off near-impossible physical feats and is nigh unkillable. She can also alter the perceived luck of her foes, causing their weapons to malfunction or their shots to misfire.

Directed by David Leitch (John Wick), the as-yet untitled Deadpool sequel will once again star Ryan Reynolds, joined (so far) by Zazie Beetz as Domino, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Karan Soni as Dopinder and, presumably, Stefan Kapii as the voice of Colossus; and is expected for release in 2018.

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Beetz's Domino Has 'Spectacular' Chemistry With Deadpool, Says ... - CBR (blog)

Chemistry of Mallards’ trio continuing to grow – Quad City Times

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Michael Parks fought to win a battle along the boards and chipped the puck to Chris Francis.

Francis had a look at the net, but passed to Nolan LaPorte for an even better chance and a game-winning goal.

The connection between the trio of Quad-City Mallards continues to grow.

"We've been together all year and once you find chemistry, it makes the game a lot easier," LaPorte said. "I think, with Francis' veteran leadership and Parksy just being an awesome player, it's been a good combination for us."

It's hard to pick one top line for the playoff-bound Mallards this season, who have been successful through their balance.

The Mallards have seven players with 40-plus points, including four with 50 or more, as well as four 20-plus goal scorers. At this point last season, the team had just two players with 40-plus points and one with 20-plus goals.

"They're all pieces of the puzzle," head coach Phil Axtell said. "Guys are playing a team game ... they're starting to have a great buy-in as a whole and that's what we need."

Though balance has been at the forefront, there's no denying the impact of LaPorte, Francis and Parks has had on the team. The trio has combined for nearly a third of the team's goals and since the Mallards tabbed Axtell as their coach in January, has been the team's most consistent scoring threat.

Francis is tied for the team lead with 53 points, while Parks leads the team with 26 goals and LaPorte has added 14 goals and 27 assists.

LaPorte and Parks are rookies, while Francis is a veteran of the ECHL who has played in the Kelly Cup championship back in 2012 with the Las Vegas Wranglers. Having that veteran influence has helped the two rookies acclimate quickly.

"It makes the game a lot easier, it slows the game down for us," LaPorte said. "He's been around for years, he's been everywhere and he's played a lot of different game styles. It's good to have him there on your line and after a shift, come back and he'll say a word or two to you about whether you should be here or there. It's like having a second coach with you on your line."

Flanked by two rookies has also been extremely beneficial for Francis, a seventh-year veteran center. The 27-year-old has 24 goals and 29 assists, potentially in line for career numbers in both if he has a strong close to the season.

"They definitely keep me young," Francis said. "It's good, we all compliment each other pretty well. We all have different things we're good at. I always tell them I'm going to slow the game down and Parksy's speed and LaPorte's all-over (ability) ... we're just comfortable right now, we know where each other's at on the ice and that's something you want to have."

The line combination has been together most of the season, but has really come on strong in the last seven games. LaPorte was gone for three games, on a professional tryout agreement with the Iowa Wild, but since his return, that trio has combined for 11 goals and 12 assists.

"It doesn't matter who you put on your line, you've got to be going every game, but yes, having Nolan back in the lineup definitely gives me and Michael a boost," Francis said. "Nolan's been the same all year for us, we can always count on him. He's gritty, goes to the corners and gets the puck. He's got a great shot when he wants to shoot the puck but he's always in the dirty areas and he gets the puck to me and Parksy and lets us make the plays and we can always count on him being responsible out there for us."

Even though that line has been productive, Axtell isn't averse to breaking it up like he did Wednesday night. With Justin Kovacs on personal leave and Jack Nevins out with a lower body injury, Parks was partnered with Adam Gilmour and Chase Lang.

Parks responded with his first career hat trick.

After being held scoreless for eight games, Parks now has five goals in his last five.

"When hes getting the opportunity to shoot hes shooting," Axtell said. "Hes getting the interior of their zone and staying away from the perimeter and shots from that area are more likely to go in."

There's still some question marks for the lineup tonight when the Mallards take on Fort Wayne, but it's a good sign of the adaptability of the team that Axtell can move the pieces around without fear of a letdown. The team's balance again remains its biggest strength.

"We've got to keep going," Francis said. "We can't just look back at the last game and think since we were good the last game we can take the night off. This team needs everybody going every night and that's how we're going to be successful."

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Chemistry of Mallards' trio continuing to grow - Quad City Times

Chemistry on the Desktop – Linux Journal

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For this article, I thought I'd introduce another chemistry applicationspecifically, BKChem, a free chemical drawing program. As opposed to many other chemistry applications, BKChem provides both a nice GUI for constructing molecules and a set of chemical analysis tools to look at the properties of the newly constructed molecule.

Most distributions should have a package available to make installation easierfor example, Debian-based distributions can install BKChem with the following command:

Once BKChem is installed, you can start it either from the menu entry or by executing the command bkchem from a terminal window.

When it first opens, you'll see a blank screen where you can start your chemical construction.

Figure 1. When you first start BKChem, you get a blank canvas to start building your molecule.

If you have a previously created molecule, you can load it by clicking the FileLoad menu item, which will load the data into a new tab, or you can click the FileLoad to the same tab menu option to load it into the currently active tab.

BKChem also can import data from other file formats. If you click FileImport, you'll see that you can import files with CML, CML2 or Molfile formats.

If you want to start by building your own molecule, several menus of building blocks are available. They are laid out as a pair of rows, just below the menu listings at the top of the window. The top row of icons selects which list of icons will be available in the second row. The first icon in the first row is simply an arrow, allowing you to select objects within your molecule so you can edit their properties. The next icon pulls up the row of drawing elements where you can start to draw your new molecule.

There are several choices in terms of line thicknesses, styles and bond angles, and you can create a chain of elements simply by clicking on the end of an existing line segment.

Once you have the basics of your structure laid out, you'll want to edit the details next. To do this, click on the first icon again (captioned with "edit"), and then click on the structure element you want to edit. This is where having a proper mouse is a must, as you need to click with the middle button on your mouse to pull up the edit panel.

Figure 2. You can edit an element by clicking the middle mouse button. The menu you get depends on the type of element you are editing.

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Chemistry on the Desktop - Linux Journal

Paul George envies Celtics’ chemistry: ‘That’s the chemistry we’re trying to make’ – CBSSports.com

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Paul George was automatic Wednesday night in Boston, pouring in 37 points on 11 of 26 shooting, but it wasnt enough, as the Celtics held off the Pacers in the fourth quarter for a 109-100 victory. It was another tough night away from home for Indiana, as they fell to 11-25 on the road -- the worst mark in the league among the teams currently in the playoff picture.

After the game, George was very complimentary of the winning team, especially in regards to the chemistry the team has. If you look at their roster, everybody knows what to expect out of everybody, George said of the Celtics. Theres never a moment where a guy is like, What kind of shot are you taking? Or, What are you doing? They are beyond that. And thats the chemistry were trying to make.

He added, that the Pacers have a little way to go.

With Georges situation in Indiana very much in flux, this was interesting to hear from him, as he sounds envious of the Celtics roster situation, and more importantly, doesnt exactly seem thrilled about whats going on in Indiana. Though to be fair, he did say this after a loss, so perhaps theres some frustration seeping in.

In any case, it will be interesting to continue monitoring the George situation as it moves forward. The Celtics, of course, were reportedly interested in making a move for the All-Star at the deadline, and George has reportedly shown plenty of interest in joining the Lakers. Then theres the fact that if George makes an All-NBA team, he could get the most money by staying in Indiana after next year.

Was this simply George complimenting another team after they played well? Or was this an attempt at making his frustration with the situation in Indiana known to the front office after he delivered a brilliant performance, but was let down by those around him? Perhaps a combination of both?

On the one hand, you dont want to make too much out of a postgame quote, but this certainly adds another layer to the ongoing drama around the future of both George and the Pacers.

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Paul George envies Celtics' chemistry: 'That's the chemistry we're trying to make' - CBSSports.com

For women’s water polo, chemistry is the driving force of a … – The State Press

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The Sun Devils are heading into their most difficult competition and will need cohesiveness to stay afloat

Freshman Maud Koopman passesagainstthe University of Pacific on Sunday, March 20, 2016 at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Complex in Tempe, AZ. ASU water polo won 5-3.

At the midway point in the season, the ASU womens water polo team is sitting high in the rankings.

ASU (17-4)began the season as the No. 5 team in the nation andhave only slightly fluctuatedin its ranking since beginning the season.The Sun Devils have remained at No. 6 for the majority of the season, dropping only onceto No. 7 briefly in early March.

Thus far, the Sun Devils have kepttheir reputation as a top-notch program. Junior attackerLena Mihailovic is currently leading the team with 43 goals, while junior centerAlkistis Benekou just reached the top-10 all-time scoring list for ASU water polo.

The Sun Devils have alsoput together 13 top-25 victories, falling only to four of the nation's best teams in USC, Stanford, Cal and Michigan.

Head coachTodd Clapper said the team isfindingtheir ownrhythm and are changing their practicing styles.

I think we're hoping that we can get ourselves sorted out, Clapper said. We're starting to practice more towards how our opponents are playing rather than what we need to do.

Practice is thekey for ASU to continue itssuccess, however, the chemistry built outside of the water is equallyimportant to creating a cohesive team.

That chemistry is already noticeable across the roster. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, but each playerbuilds off one another.

We have such great chemistry and we've started becoming tougher, Benekou said.

In the coming weeks, the Sun Devils must ensure thattheir chemistry continues to translate in the water.

We have some important games coming up against Cal and others, Benekou said. I think it's going to be that defining moment to decide whether or not we make it to NCAAs.

ASU will face three top-four opponents back to back with Cal March 25, USC April 1 and UCLA on April 8.

Thecoming weeks will undoubtedly be the most difficult for the Sun Devils, butBenekou said she isconfident in the program.

I think we're going to be ready at the perfect time, Benekou said.

Junior goalkeeper Mia Rycraw set goals for the team early in the seasonand not much has changed.

Our goal is to win the NCAA Championship this season, and in conjunction with that, we are working on much smaller goals every day, Rycraw said. Our team already has such great chemistry, but I want this season's teamwork to go even further than last season's.

The No. 6 Sun Devils will head out to California this Saturday, where they will take on No. 4 Cal at 1 p.m.

Reach the reporter at klbroder@asu.edu or follow @KellyB1459 on Twitter.

Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter.

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For women's water polo, chemistry is the driving force of a ... - The State Press

49ers team chemistry translates onto the field – FOX61 Hartford

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SANTA CLARA (KRON) Theyve been doubted, theyve been denied, but one thing thats always remained the same is the chemistry.

After finishing the 2018-19 season 4-12, the San Francisco 49ers got to work during the offseason in hopes of a better year.

Fast-forward to nearly a year later, the Niners are 13-3 and preparing for the NFC Championship.

Its been fun watching this team have fun. Every game theyre proving somebody wrong, and theyre doing it with a smile on their face.

Former 49ers President and CEO Carmen Policy agrees.

He said this team is a very special group and it could be the start of something much bigger.

The present day Niners remind me of the team that ultimately was coming together under Bill Walsh, Policy said. But I think theyre more talented.

This group brings newbies and veterans together to create something very different and very dynamic.

Jimmy Garoppolo has been doubted from the beginning. Critics said he could never be the quarterback that takes his team to a Super Bowl, and now hes just one game shy.

San Franciscos defense is remarkable and even dangerous now that key players are healthy.

But skill cant stand alone to make a team special, so what is it about this group?

They got personality, theyre fun to follow, theyre really a very special group that make each other better both on the field and off the field, Policy said. I dont know how you beat something like that.

That personality and chemistry didnt just compile overnight.

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan said he and his staff have been trying to really implement it over the years.

Its something weve been trying to establish here, Shanahan said. I felt like we had that here a lot better than I expected the first couple of years and it didnt result in winning which was always disappointing.

Although the last couple of seasons didnt go their way, the Niners didnt give up.

Thats something we always talked about. Man we got the right guys, they wont stop working, they dont point fingers so it said a lot about our guys, Shanahan said. Sometimes we almost worried that we need some worse guys cause were not winning. But we stuck with it, we brought in a few guys who thought the same way as our other guys and some difference makers with the pass rush and some guys on offense too. Our teams been like this since the beginning.

Veteran cornerback Richard Sherman agreed and said the only thing thats really changed is the outcome of the season.

But how do you create team chemistry with continuous losing seasons?

We had it before we were winning This is a family atmosphere and guys care about one another, Sherman said. Guys go out and fight for one another. So that is really cool and its really special to be a part of.

OK, great. A team acting like a team. Yippee.

Well, the chemistry goes far beyond the guys battling on the field.

Its definitely good to know that your players like each other, but what separates this organization from others is how coaches and executives respect one another as well.

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh talked about his relationship with Shanahan versus other coaches hes worked with.

Theres a difference between attacking and challenging. Kyle is phenomenal at challenging his coaches to always achieve more. Ive been around coaches who attack people and they get nothing, Saleh said. The way Kyle coaches is he challenges to do and look beyond beyond the box, look outside the box, look outside what youre comfortable with so you can continually get better. Much different than the tone that a lot of coaches that Ive been around where they just attack you and demean you for one reason or another.

The respect goes even deeper to top executives, like General Manager John Lynch.

And when outsiders can see that respect, its there to stay and doesnt go anywhere.

Kyle and John are very similar, the working relationship they have is phenomenal. You can tell that theyre locked at the hip. Even in the event they may disagree, it is a very respectful conversation, Saleh said. They really do a good job uniting and unifying the entire building. So the scouts, coaches, everybody is all on the same page of what is being asked of them. The message is very clear. I cant tip my hat off enough to those two and how they lead us and the way they treat one another for the entire building to see that.

When Lynch is around, hes called John not Mr. Lynch or anything like that. Garoppolo also said he refers to Coach Shanahan as Kyle.

The QB said that speaks to how the atmosphere is within the organization.

Were all in the same playing field, were all in this together, Garoppolo said. If everyone acts the same or treats everyone the same, I think its a good atmosphere.

While Policy enjoys reminiscing about his Super Bowl years with the 49ers, he described the moment in last weeks game against the Minnesota Vikings that he had never seen before.

Nick Bosa was just laying on the field after he sacked Minnesotas Kirk Cousins. Fans didnt know if Bosa had the wind knocked out of him or if he was badly injured.

You heard the fans cheering Bosa! Bosa! and you heard what he said. He was adorable, Policy said. He said I just laid there and listened to it for a while, I kind of liked it, never have I seen anything like wishing him to stand up and be totally healed.

That moment was huge for the 49ers and its guys like Bosa who really bring the energy. And that energy is contagious.

49ers linebacker Fred Warner said the team treats every week like its just another game.

I think the pressure comes from if you make the situation bigger than it is. Its funny, we were all talking about it just the other day how last game it kind of just felt like another week even though the stakes were high and theres a lot on the line. We dont treat it as such, Warner said. We treat it like its another week. The routine doesnt change, our preparation doesnt change. The same could be said this week. Were just going about business but were having fun doing it.

Fun, but focused.

The team hosts Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Jan. 19 at Levis Stadium. The winner will head to Miami for the Super Bowl to take on the winner of the Titans-Chiefs matchup.

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49ers team chemistry translates onto the field - FOX61 Hartford

Chemists complete synthesis of molecule ‘at the limits of complexity’ – Chemistry World

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A team of chemists at the University of Konstanz, Germany, has managed to synthesise one of the most complex natural products ever isolated: canataxpropellane. The research could lead to more efficient syntheses of the taxane family of compounds, which includes the anticancer drug Taxol (paclitaxel).

Taxanes were originally found in extracts of the Pacific yew tree (Taxus brevifolia) and since Taxols discovery, over 500 different taxanes have been isolated from Taxusspecies in a hunt for other medicinal compounds. The densely functionalised structure of canataxpropellane has always tantalised researchers, who wondered how its tighter, more congested scaffold might affect its anticancer activity. However, chemists have never sourced enough to test its bioactivity, and its total synthesis has remained elusive because of the formidable synthetic challenges posed by its structure.

A heptacyclic cage-like structure, twelve contiguous stereocentres, and six contiguous all-carbon quaternary centres these are each significant challenges in and of themselves, explains Sadie Otte, from Claremont Colleges in California in the US, who was not involved in the work. Phil Baran, at Scripps Research in La Jolla, US, adds that compounds with this level of functionalisation not only are challenging from a planning standpoint, the actual execution is always stymied by problems, from unanticipated reactivity to selectivity issues.

Now, the team led by Tanja Gaich has prepared the intricate taxane in just under 30 steps. Gaich explains that overcoming the routes planning and execution challenges tested the teams ingenuity and patience: Sometimes, we needed really aggressive deprotection conditions that almost destroyed our molecule, but it was the only way we found around it. In fact, the researchers came close to giving up at the very first reaction finding the precise conditions for that DielsAlder transformation was quite tedious, explains Gaich. The diene we used is very unstable, it either led to decomposition or self-polymerisation.

The researchers also prepared enantiomerically pure ()-canataxpropellane. Developing the chiral version of the route took the researchers two additional months in the lab. But this extra challenge also led the team to discover a new chiral directing group for the asymmetric DielsAlder reaction, when other chirality-inducing solutions Lewis acids, iminium catalysis just didnt work. When we thought of bulky, chiral siloxanes we hit the spot, says Gaich. These protecting groups also allowed the team to separate the two diastereomers using column chromatography instead of HPLC, making multi-gram scales easier to tackle. And obtaining decagrams of some intermediates is key to get canataxpropellane in quantities suitable for biological activity studies, explains Otte.

Both Baran and Otte agree that the synthesis strikingly elegant. Canataxpropellane is at the limits of complexity, says Baran, who also thinks this new route gives hope for accomplishing a short and scalable synthesis of taxanes, including a more efficient route to Taxol itself.

Canataxpropellane also belongs a family of around 30 cyclotaxanes that have never been prepared before. So the teams synthesis could become the starting point towards synthesising all these products: We could now selectively fragment some of the bonds to obtain its other cousins, and hopefully understand the relationship between a constrained structure and biological activity, explains Gaich.

Total synthesis of canataxpropellane

Source: Science/AAAS

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Chemists complete synthesis of molecule 'at the limits of complexity' - Chemistry World

Cooper looking to take chemistry, experience into a hopeful deep … – KTXS

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Cooper boys enter postseason on...

ABILENE, TX - After the 2014 season, Cooper boys soccer still hadn't won a district title.

Fast forward to 2017, and talk about a turnaround. This week, the Coogs enter the postseason as three-time district champs.

Cooper completed its district title last week with a 9-1 win over Lake View -- a total team effort as the Cougars not only won the 4-5A crown, but did so going a perfect 12-0.

Our communication and as well as how well we've gotten along with each other both on and off the field," said senior Pedro Lira about how this team is different than years past.

That included two shootout wins over favored Lubbock Monterey, and the team now is focused on eliminating the recent trend of early playoff losses.

Cooper kicks things off against Amarillo Palo Duro in Frenship on Friday, and with success being a norm now, the team finds advantages within this year.

"A lot of these guys experienced this the past two years, added head coach Lalo Munoz, who is in his 14th year of coaching.

They know what it takes to get there and know what it takes to win that first playoff game. The experience factor a long with the chemistry factor should allow us to have a better opportunity to win that first game," he said.

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Cooper looking to take chemistry, experience into a hopeful deep ... - KTXS

Lakers chemistry on full display in photos from team plane following Portland win – LeBron Wire

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The three most successful teams that LeBron James has ever played for were the 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers along with both the 2011-12 and 2012-13 Miami Heat. While each of those teams were able to secure an NBA championship and stack wins during the regular-season, one key characteristic they also shared was chemistry throughout the locker room while in pursuit of those rings.

LeBrons three title teams got along well with each other off the court during those seasons and won big because of it. If you followed those groups closely, its difficult to dismiss the similarities they seem to share so far with this years Los Angeles Lakers from that same chemistry perspective. After the 136-113 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday that extended L.A.s record to 20-3, for example, veteran forward Jared Dudley posted the following pictures from the team plane that seemed to highlight a genuine camaraderie.

Dudley didnt just post the final photo that featured each of his teammates who made the trip to Rip City. In a move that might have been similarly made by a 2015-16 Cavalier named Richard Jefferson, Dudley kept it light and fun by also posting a picture of his teammates preparing to take the shot that eventually hit social media.

Its one small example of a characteristic like team chemistry that is impossible to quantify except for the fact that youre able to recognize it sometimes if youre paying attention. For anyone who has paid attention to LeBrons teams over the years, this iteration of the James Gang appears to have those positive team chemistry characteristics for days. Just how far it will take them remains to be seen, but theres a number of reasons to be bullish on this years Lakers so far including the simple fact that they appear to like each other.

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Lakers chemistry on full display in photos from team plane following Portland win - LeBron Wire