Chemistry Experiment Injures Students, Forces Evacuation At … – Hartford Courant

Posted on by

A chemistry experiment injured three students and triggered an evacuation at Somers High School Tuesday afternoon, emergency officials said.

Tolland County Mutual Aid dispatchers received a report of a flash fire at the school at about 12:30 p.m., executive director Tyler Millix said. Somers Fire Chief John Roache later said firefighters responded to smoke in one of the chemistry labs and found that a student was working on an experiment when something went wrong "and it reacted similar to a small smoke bomb."

Three students reported minor injuries either burns smoke inhalation and were all released to their parents, Roache said. The fire department also turned off all equipment in the area and ventilated the building, he said.

State troopers also responded, but had cleared by 2:30 p.m. Workers from the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection also went to the school, located at 5 Vision Blvd., to check the air quality with their metering equipment, Roache said.

Students left school at the regular dismissal time, 2:15 p.m., according to an email administrators sent to parents.

Nearly all after-school activities were canceled and students, faculty and staff were not allowed back in the building following dismissal, the email said.

See the article here:
Chemistry Experiment Injures Students, Forces Evacuation At ... - Hartford Courant

Bonds have changed, but chemistry among Broncos linebackers still exists – Mile High Sports

Posted on by

It takes a special formula to win a Super Bowl.

Balls have to bounce a certain way, difficult decisions need to be made, and sometimes it boils down to plain luck.

The Broncos discovered that their team chemistry, especially on the defensive side of the ball, was a main component in the formula that led them to their Super Bowl 50 victory in 2015.

As with any Super Bowl champion, key components of the Super Bowl team were scavenged by other teams looking for a piece of the Super Bowl pie.When linebacker Danny Trevathan was plucked by the Chicago Bears, Todd Davis was tasked with filling the voidTrevathan left in the Broncos linebacking corps.

While Davis had a fine first season as a starter, finishing with 97 tackles and a forced fumble, Brandon Marshall, who started alongside Trevathan at inside linebacker in Super Bowl 50, did admit that it was different not having Trevathan around.

Its very underrated, Marshall said of the importance of adjusting to his new teammates. When I was in there with Danny sometimes, we should have communicated when we didnt. But it was almost like I knew what he was thinking and he knew what I was thinking.

As the duo of Marshall and Davis entertheirsecond season together, both know that the chemistry is there.

I think we have it down, Marshall said of his connection with Davis. Its just a different guy; thats just what it is. Youre not going to play the same with everybody. I think what Todd and I have going on is great. We work hard, we do extra stuff. We talk ball on the sidelines. Were going to be just fine.

Just playing together, I think we have a chemistry like nobody else, Davis said following Thursdays OTA practice. We read off of each other really well. Just the last year has given us more time to grow with each other.

The Broncos linebackers can hardly be considered one of their main problems in 2016, but another year together can only make them stronger. The transition from Trevathan to Davis wasnt one that threw Marshall off of his game, but one that didnt go unnoticed either.

Im thinking that no matter who is in there, Ill be fine, Marshall said after Thursdays OTA practice. But, I think its a transition period because you have different chemistry with different people. Me and Danny [Trevathan], I knew Danny for a little bit so the type of chemistry that we had, we developed it kind of quick. Todd [Davis] is just a different player mentally than Danny, so we had to get on the same page.

The core of the Broncos defense will enter the 2017 season relatively unchanged, which will only help the bond between Marshall and Davis grow. While the bond may differ from the one that Marshall shared with Trevathan, Marshall knows that something special is brewing between the two.

I think were going to play beautifully together this year, Marshall said. Its going to be beautiful.

Read the rest here:
Bonds have changed, but chemistry among Broncos linebackers still exists - Mile High Sports

River chemistry from space topic of Forks talk tonight – Peninsula Daily News

Posted on by

FORKS River Chemistry From Space, an Evening Talk by Catherine Kuhn, is set from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. today.

The presentation will be in the Hemlock Forest Room at the Olympic Natural Resources Center, 1455 S. Forks Ave.

Admission is free. Refreshments will be served, and a potluck of desserts is encouraged.

Kuhn, a doctoral student in the School of Forest Sciences at the University of Washington, is researching the human transformation of large river systems and explores the intersection of water resources, biogeochemistry and environmental change.

She specializes in satellite remote analysis of inland waters and is pioneering new methods to test optical models for quantifying changes in river chemistry from space.

After spending half a decade teaching environmental science in urban public schools, Kuhn returned to graduate school, where she earned a masters in environmental science from the Yale School of Forestry.

Rivers, lakes and streams are considered sentinels of environmental change, yet most research analyzing the impact of change occurs at the watershed scale, according to Kuhn.

While smaller-scale studies provide invaluable insight into physical processes, few studies describe the vulnerability of inland water quality to environmental change at larger scales, she said.

Both types of knowledge are crucial for informing policymaking, water resources management and conservation, she said, but few national scale studies exploring water quality exist.

Advances in cloud-based data analytics have created a new research landscape, making possible the rapid analysis of public datasets to monitor changes in surface waters at large spatial and temporal scales, she said.

Kuhn will explore some of these new tools for landscape analysis and share results from her research comparing satellite-retrieved estimates of water quality to field measurements for the Columbia River.

Evening Talks at ONRC is funded through the Rosmond Forestry Education Fund, an endowment that honors the contributions of Fred Rosmond and his family to forestry and the Forks community.

For more information, contact Frank Hanson at 360-374-4556 or fsh2@uw.edu.

Read the original here:
River chemistry from space topic of Forks talk tonight - Peninsula Daily News

Police: Florida chemistry teacher had sex with student – CBS News

Posted on by

55 Photos

Port St. Lucie Police Department

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. Florida police say a 35-year-old high school teacher was unaware they were listening in when she confirmed that she had a sexual relationship with a student.

Tiffany Michelle Geliga, who will turn 36 on May 26, has been charged with two counts of sex assault by persons 24 years or older on a victim 16 or 17 year old.

The mother of a student contacted a school resource officer after she found several text messages between Geliga and her son. When officials questioned the boy, he allegedly told him that while he did not have a sexual relationship with Geliga, he believed another 17-year-old boy had.

55 Photos

Teachers accused of sex with their young students

"The school administration then called in the other student, a 17-year-old male, who said that he had sexual relations with Geliga on two separate occasions," Port St. Lucie police said in a press release.

The boy said in late April or early May he twice met Geliga off-campus, where they had sex in her car.

Detectives say they listened in while the student called Geliga on the phone and had a conversation with her in which she allegedly confirmed that they had sexual relations.

Geliga was booked into St. Lucie County jail.

2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Read this article:
Police: Florida chemistry teacher had sex with student - CBS News

Quantum Microscope Spies on Chemical Reactions in Real Time – Scientific American

Posted on by

A quantum microscope that uses a sensor built from diamonds could allow researchers to study such nanoscale mysteries as how DNA folds in a cell, why drugs work or how bacteria metabolize metals. Crucially, the microscope can image individual ions in a solution and reveal biochemical reactions as they occurwithout interfering in the process. The team behind the system described the results in a February 14 preprint on the arXiv server.

Researchers have long wanted an imaging system for molecular structures that works like hospital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, which reveal structures inside the human body without harming them. The idea behind a quantum MRIwhich images at the quantum level using electron spinsis to do the same for chemical reactions including those involving metal ions. Current magnetic resonancetechniques can only reveal structures measuring 10 micrometres or more, and the only way to detect metal ions inside a cell is to add reactive chemicals or freeze the cell so it can be imaged under powerful microscopesprocedures that kill the cell.

A hospital MRI machine works by placing a patient inside a magnetic field, such that protons in the body's atoms align with the machine's magnet. The machine then sends radio pulses through the body area being imaged, which knocks the protons out of alignment. When these pulses are switched off, the protons realign and emit electromagnetic waves at a particular frequency. If the frequency emitted by the body's tissues matches that of sensors in the machine, the two frequencies will resonate like guitar strings tuned to the same note. The machine uses this resonance to reconstruct an image of the body.

A team led by physicists Lloyd Hollenberg and David Simpson at the University of Melbourne, Australia, wanted to use this technique to detect metal ions in cells. Some metal ions can be harmful to cells, whereas others are necessary for biochemical reactions, such as those involved in metabolism. The catch is that an MRI sensor needs to be about the same size as the item being imaged, which is currently impossible when trying to look at a single atom.

To make their quantum MRI microscope, the researchers used 2-millimetre-wide diamonds that containedatomic-sized flaws in their crystal structure. These flaws are sensitive to changes in magnetic fields and can be 'tuned' to resonate with the spin of the molecule or ion that is being detected. When the diamond's flaws are illuminated with a green laser, the diamond fluoresces red, and the brightness of that fluorescence depends on the strength and direction of an applied magnetic field.

Hollenberg, Simpson and their colleagues used a diamond that had an array of flaws in specific locations just below its surface and placed it at the end of a microscope next to a sample. The researchers tuned the defects to a frequency that resonated with the spin of an ionized form of copper that is missing two electrons (Cu2+). By touching the diamond probe to the surface of a sample containing copper ions, the resonance between the two stimulated fluorescence in the diamond flaws. The researchers used a computer program to examine the colour coming off the diamond flaws and to reconstruct an image of the sample, revealing the precise location of each copper ion.

Next, the researchers flooded the sample with an acid that adds an electron to Cu2+, turning it into Cu+. As they added the acid, they imaged the sample and watched the Cu2+spin pattern disappear. The pattern then reappeared over the course of an hour as the sample was oxidized to Cu2+on exposure to air. Such a method could one day allow researchers to watch biochemical reactions as they occur in cells.

Because the method is non-invasive, it could theoretically be used to image the interior of living cellssomething that Simpson and Hollenberg's team is working towards. The main obstacle is that the diamond probe needs to be physically close to the sample to produce a signal. But the team says that the current method will still be useful for understanding drug mechanisms and investigating proteins found on the cell membrane. The researchers are also trying to adapt the system so it can detect different metals, including iron.

Friedemann Reinhard, a physicist at the Technical University of Munich in Germany, praises the work. The innovations here bring it a lot closer to the application, he says. His group is also working with diamond microscopy, creating a system that could image molecules in 3D.

He adds that although the new technique still needs improvements, such as the ability to find copper ions in low-concentration solutions, it is definitely a great step ahead.

This article is reproduced with permission and wasfirst publishedon March 6, 2017.

Read the original:
Quantum Microscope Spies on Chemical Reactions in Real Time - Scientific American

Chemistry Researcher’s Search for New, Greener Catalysts Could Pay Big Dividends – Rutgers Newark

Posted on by

RU-N Professor is on the cutting-edge of chemical catalyst research.

Platinum. Palladium. Iridium. Ruthenium.

Reciting these names, youd be excused for thinking youre in ancient Rome. But these Latin derivatives have a more modern connection: They are all precious metals with vast industrial applicationsin everything from computers, electronics and plastics to pharmaceuticals, automobiles and fuel cells.

In the world of chemistry, theyre also known as excellent catalysts, capable of jump-starting chemical reactions in an instant when they might otherwise take years.

But if theres one glitch, its that these metals are rare, expensive and finite. Thats why chemists like Rutgers University-Newarks Huixin He are looking for environmentally sustainable alternatives to these metal catalysts.

The chemistry community has been working to develop greener catalytic processes, says He. Were going to run out of these metals, and they are also toxic when exposed to water sources. So, we have to come up with non-metal catalysts, or ones that use only a tiny bit of metal.

Catalysts can be thought of as homebreaker-matchmakers: They tear apart and bring together atoms from different molecules with minimal energy to produce chemical activity.

Some molecules are stubborn (or stable), refusing to relinquish their atoms so easily, while others are more amenable to lending their atoms to other molecules. The more efficient the catalyst, the more quickly it can shuffle and rebuild pairings, then get out of the way, with very little energy expended.

Platinum, for instance, has been instrumental in catalytic converters, removing pollutants from auto exhaust. It also plays a starring role in hydrogen fuel cells, reacting with hydrogen and oxygen to make water and electricity. We even have chemical catalysts in our bodies in the form of enzymes, which break food down into nutrients and help cells make energy.

In short, chemical catalysts are one of the engines of modern life, and scientists have taken different approaches in the push for greener versions.

Some are working with cheaper, more abundant non-metal materials such as carbon to make it behave more like these precious metals. Others are resorting to biology, repurposing natures enzymes to do the work of catalysts in more industrial applications. Others are rethinking how metals like platinum can be used more efficiently.

He and her team have been working with carbon, whose atoms can arrange themselves into flat sheets of hexagonal rings resembling chicken wire, called grapheme. When these are rolled into hollow tubes, they are stronger than steel for their weight. But pure grapheme is not catalytically active.

To fix that, many scientists have been changing its structure with nitrogen. He and her team have chosen a different route, using phosphorous instead.

The key, however, has been to find a cheap, abundant, sustainable source of phosphorous that is benignor safe and easy to work withand that can be simply and efficiently transformed into a high-quality catalyst.

In the course of their experiments, He and her team stumbled upon an answer: liquid phytic acid, a natural and benign substance found in food. Microwaving it for less than a minute transformed it into a black, sooty, flakey material that is catalytically active, much to their delight and surprise.

Under a microscope, the flakes have a wavy outer boundary and large, porous middle that enable molecules to enter and leave easily to create chemical reactions, says He. This is exciting because potentially it can be produced easily and sustainably in large quantities for industrial applications outside of fuel cells.

She also knows that theres much more research to be done.

Indeed, He and her team have also experimented with agents other than phosphorous, sprinkling bits of nitrogen, boron or sulfur to further change the carbon-grapheme structure and make the catalyst more efficient.

And recently, theyve been altering the structure with minute quantities of palladium, ruthenium, copper, nickel or tin, which has increased the carbons catalytic power dramatically. The results are promising. And while He is pleased with her teams progress, she is not one to rest on her laurels. In fact, her teams early success only motivates her more.

Its like digging for copper and getting diamonds instead, she says. It feels really good and is driving us to go further and further with our work.

Excerpt from:
Chemistry Researcher's Search for New, Greener Catalysts Could Pay Big Dividends - Rutgers Newark

Chemistry professor wins top prize for faculty entrepreneurship – University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily

Posted on by

NEWS Brooks Pate wins Edlich-Henderson Innovator of the Year award by Yae Ji Cha | Mar 17 2017 | 5 hours ago

Chemistry Prof. Brooks Pate has won the Universitys highest award for faculty innovation. The Universitys Licensing & Ventures Group, which seeks to turn ideas and discoveries from the University into marketable products, has awarded Pate with the Edlich-Henderson Innovator of the Year award.

Pates research on molecular analysis has led to the creation of a new scientific instrument that significantly reduces the time and cost needed to perform complex chemical analysis. His research discovery on molecular rotational spectroscopy played an integral role in the founding of the local lab firm, BrightSpec, which helped turn the research into an instrument for scientists to use.

Pate said their research on molecular rotational spectroscopy measures how fast molecules rotate.

The idea is that the sensors become like a molecular ice skater, where the shape of the ice skater determines how fast they rotate, Pate said. We measure the frequency to very high accuracy, about eight digits of accuracy. From how fast they rotate, we can back out what their three dimensional geometry was.

Pates research opens new applications for scientists because it advances the ability of those measurements to get information on more challenging systems. The technique theyve developed, chirped pulse spectroscopy, allows measurements to be taken 10,000 times faster than theyve been made before.

The advantage of that is essentially going faster [which] means that at some level youre more sensitive, Pate said. And that really allowed us to open up the technique to look at some relatively challenging problems and how molecules clump together when they come together to form assemblies of molecules and thats been a very hard measurement to make.

Brightspec CEO Bob Lloyd helped to bring Pates research into the marketplace. Brightspecs clients include mostly research groups both federal and academic in the U.S. and Europe and is working to expand into the commercial pharmaceutical industry.

Lloyd said he wanted to work with Pate for several reasons, including the fact there were three graduate students working in Pates lab who were trained in the technique and were looking for a full-time career. Pates prototype was also a motivating factor for the partnership.

And that prototype, that working prototype, we were able to take around to conferences and gauge peoples reactions to it, Lloyd said.

Three patents were also established and they found people to use the product around the U.S.

At the end of that process we had all the components we needed to start a company, Lloyd said. We had a team, a prototype, IP and people who said they cared from the customer segment.

Pate credited his award to the involvement of the three graduate students in his work.

They were able to perfect the instrument and start filling the instruments to companies who were looking for new ways to do chemical analysis, Pate said. The award really comes from the effort of my students company, and the fact that theyve been able to take these ideas and create instruments that people can use to solve problems that they couldnt solve before.

In the future, Pate will be working more with the concept of isotopic abundances, which might have the potential to explain the origins of molecules.

Were now really focused on trying to bring new solutions to the problem of being able to measure isotopic abundances in molecules the high accuracy, Pate said. [This isotopic signature] is something that people think will be very important in identifying where molecules come from.

See the article here:
Chemistry professor wins top prize for faculty entrepreneurship - University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily

Associate chemical engineering professor recognized by The Welch … – UT The Daily Texan

Posted on by

The Welch Foundation, one of the largest funding resources for chemical research, recognized associate professor Delia Milliron for her contribution to controlling sunlight from entering buildings, according to the foundations website.

Last Wednesday, The Welch Foundation announced Milliron as one of the two recipients of the 2017 Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research. The award was established to honor Norman Hackerman, the foundations scientific advisory board member, with the purpose of supporting Texas scientists who are dedicated to increasing the fundamental understanding of chemistry.

Milliron said it is a great honor to be recognized by The Welch Foundation, and she is very proud to receive this award.

(The Welch Foundation is) a very important supporter of chemistry across the state of Texas, and they found some of the research in my lab and in many others across campus and around the state, Milliron said over the phone. Its a really important driver of innovation in Texas to have the Welch foundation supporting us with grants and with awards like this one.

Milliron is also an associate editor of Nano Letters, a journal of the American Chemical Society, which includes publications related to nanomaterial chemistry.

Thomas Truskett, chair of the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, said Milliron is a rising star in the chemical sciences, and she is well-deserved of the award.

The Hackerman Award is a fiercely competitive prize, Truskett said in an email. The fact that Dr. Milliron was chosen for it this year, as well as another colleague from our Department last year, points toward the excellence of our young faculty, who represent the future of the Department.

The Welch Foundation is based in Houston and has contributed to the advancement of chemistry by supporting institutions in Texas with research grants and special projects, according to the foundations website.

Chemistry freshman Andrea Torres said its inspiring to see Millirons recogniton, because she represents a strong female leader in the scientific community.

For a long time chemistry and sciences in general were predominantly male, and to have a woman win an award like that its a pretty big deal, Torres said. It shows that we have a program thatpushes innovation.

Read the original here:
Associate chemical engineering professor recognized by The Welch ... - UT The Daily Texan

Chemistry can’t concern the Wild at the trade deadline – Hockey Wilderness (blog)

Posted on by

With the NHL Trade Deadline a week and a half away, the Minnesota Wild have every reason to feel comfortable. After all, theyre sitting comfortably atop the Western Conference, one point behind the Washington Capitals in the Presidents Trophy race.

With a +62 goal differential, this season doesnt appear to be a fluke where they happen to win a ton of one-goal games. Their dominance in the standings suggests a top-tier team thats rolling right now.

And indeed, things are going very smoothly, especially compared to last season. A year ago today, the Wild were trying to salvage a lost season, eventually limping into the last Wild Card spot in the West with 87 points.

Whats changed? A ton of credit has to go to Bruce Boudreau, who has removed all doubts as to his being an elite coach this season. Hes got Minnesota playing the kind of lock-down defense they were known for in the peak of the Mike Yeo era. But more importantly, Boudreau is able to get the Wild to use that defense to create opportunities off the rush, which was sorely lacking in previous years.

But another reason for this is that everything is just... clicking. It just feels right. This is best exemplified in how Mikko Koivu, Jason Zucker, and Mikael Granlund have combined forces to create one of the leagues scariest lines. But everyone else seems to play well together, no matter where they happen to be in the lineup on a given night.

Again, this is a markedly different change from previous seasons. Not only was this easy chemistry hard to come by, thered long been rumors of a rift in the locker room between the older veterans and younger, less established players. That dynamic threatened to collapse the team last February prior to Yeos firing.

So with this team being perfectly in sync, and on top of the Western Conference as is, theres the possibility Minnesota could largely sit out this trade deadline.

After all, if its going this well, why change things? Dont disrupt the locker room, keep this good group of guys together and take your chances at a Stanley Cup.

Its a fair impulse, but even though the West is weaker than last season, theres no doubt itll be difficult to make it out. The San Jose Sharks are still fantastic. The Chicago Blackhawks are weaker, but theyve got a great goaltender and star power. Even the Wild Card teams (as of now, Los Angeles and Nashville) boast strong squads, with impact forwards and defensemen.

Are the Wild the clear-cut best team in the West? Its debatable. But with the right move(s?), they could drastically boost their chances at post-season success.

And even better, they could set themselves up for the remainder of their Stanley Cup window. Last season at this time, Minnesota was grasping at anything that could bring them a Number One Center. Like, anything. They struck out on Ryan Johansen, and were linked to Jonathan Drouin. The reason they were unsuccessful? Their younger NHL players werent at a high enough level to entice teams to surrender a player who could be a top pivot.

Why should the Wild end this pursuit now? After all, most of these players who struggled last season have considerably raised their stock. And with Las Vegas poised to take out a chunk of their assets in the upcoming expansion draft, they may never be better equipped to bring in the kind of center theyve been desperately seeking.

But the reason why Minnesota is being linked to centers like Martin Hanzal and Brian Boyle, rather than Matt Duchene or Alex Galchenyuk is likely chemistry. A player like Hanzal or Boyle would slot in the bottom of the lineup, not upset the status quo, not disrupt the locker room. A star center would instead bump people down the lineup. All of a sudden, a player like Eric Staal is playing third-line minutes. And then who knows what happens? Youve injected potential chaos into your locker room.

But if the Wild were to get such an opportunity to fill a historical need, they cant worry about that. Why not? Because teams dont win because their locker room is great. Locker rooms are great because teams win.

And what better example of this than the Minnesota Wild? Look at where their room was last season, and compare it to this? What changed?

Perhaps you could argue its the coach, and that probably helps, but even a coach probably cant fix a locker room rift by himself. Its not the calming presence of former captain Eric Staal- remember, most of the established veterans in Minnesota were captains at some point. You didnt hear many stories of the different age groups on the Wild bonding over the summer.

When things are going poorly, its easy to get a bad attitude towards your job and your co-workers. You and I know this, and hockey players arent an exception. The inverse is true. When things are going perfectly, its so much easier to get along with everyone.

And thats why Minnesota shouldnt rest on their laurels this trade deadline, and take advantage of any opportunity* to significantly improve their roster, locker room chemistry be damned.

Things are going well right now, but this team can get better. And if they can get better, they should continue to win. And if they continue to win, the rest will take care of itself.

*With the exception of players whove had significant off-ice issues, such as Mike Riberio or Evander Kane.

View original post here:
Chemistry can't concern the Wild at the trade deadline - Hockey Wilderness (blog)

Linguistics in the lab: the right chemistry for inclusivity – Williamsburg Yorktown Daily

Posted on by

WYDaily.com is your source for free news and information in Williamsburg, James City & York Counties.

Science teachers increasingly recognize the roles that culture and language have in learning, but they often lack the tools to fully explore and address those issues.

Thanks to a William & Mary professor, theres now an app for that.

Anne Charity Hudley, the Class of 1952 Associate Professor of English and Africana Studies at William & Mary, in partnership with Christine Mallinson has created a series of videos, podcasts and even an app to help teachers better understand and respond to cultural and language variations in STEM classrooms.

While science education has really come a long way in terms of inclusivity, theres a still big need to help educators think about language and discrimination in science contexts, said Charity Hudley.

Charity Hudley and Mallinson, an associate professor of language, literacy and culture at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, showcased their work Feb. 19 at the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Boston. The discussion was part of a session organized by Charity Hudley on Educator Linguistic Ideology about African-American English in STEM Contexts that also included presentations by Mary Bucholtz of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Michel DeGraff of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The tools that Charity Hudley and Mallinson developed were borne of a National Science Foundation grant that Charity Hudley and Mallinson received in 2011 to explore the impact of cultural and social language patterns on learning and student assessment.

Working with student researchers from their respective institutions, Charity Hudley and Mallinson talked with 60 K-12 teachers in Maryland and Virginia to find out what they knew about language variation, particularly among African-American students.

Language variation includes such features as word choice, grammar, accent, and discourse style, which are developed in relation to ones cultural and social background. Variations from Standardized American English can lead people to make assumptions about ones intelligence and ability, which can significantly affect how teachers interact with students, said Charity Hudley.

Echoing Rosina Lippi-Green, one of her favorite writers and mentors, Charity Hudley asserted that language is the last frontier of discrimination.

You can discriminate against people based on language of all forms including written, spoken, people who use sign language. Language discrimination is a backdoor to general discrimination. For example, test bias is a major issue. I dont have to say, Oh, I dont really want African-American students in my graduate program. I can say, Well, their verbal scores on the GRE test werent that great.

We know theres a role between how someone does on a test and their own home language and their performance, so when we say we want to eliminate barriers to success in science, we have to look at all the little factors that are involved in that linguistic process.

Over a period of four years, Charity Hudley, Mallinson and their student researchers hosted long-form workshops and interviews with the teachers in their study.

One of the things they were saying was, Gosh, I wish I had known some of these issues about language and linguistic justice and different varieties of English, said Charity Hudley. Some people spoke the varieties but never had them validated or didnt understand quite the role of language in thinking about processing when youre doing a math problem or scientific problem.

The student researchers were true collaborators and contributors to the project, Charity Hudley said.

Our students were awesome all the way through, and the teachers loved having students participate because its like that bridge, right? They want their students to be William & Mary students, so the whole question is, How do we make that tangibly happen? she said.

In the midst of the NSF-funded research, Charity Hudley and Mallinson released a book, We Do Language: English Language Variation in the Secondary English Classroom, to help teachers begin to understand some of the issues around language variation. However, they wanted to go a step further and so created a variety of additional tools to be used by educators.

First came a series of podcasts with teachers who discussed how they had struggled with issues related to language variation and what solutions worked for them.

Next, the two professors worked with the Virginia Department of Education to create a series of videos, released in October 2015, about language variation and its connection educational inequality in Virginia schools. The topics include language and culture in the classroom, sharing the burden of communication with students and examples of how Virginia educators have embraced culturally and linguistically responsive teaching. Four videos also explore language and culture specifically in elementary and secondary arts and STEM classrooms. The series is available on the VDOE website.

In September 2016, Charity Hudley and Mallinson released the Valuable Voices app for iOS devices. It provides teachers with information about how to think about language variation and it also offers activities centered on some of the concepts. For instance, one activity aims to explore how dictionaries are put together by asking students to create their own. Another introduces students to the invention of language through William Shakespeare, asking them to think about modern-day equivalents.

Right now, [the app] is more focused on language literacy and culture, but in order to get those conversations going and show the scientific processes behind them, educators have been using them in different disciplines, said Charity Hudley.

Being able to share these tools and the research that went into their creation at the AAAS conference was especially significant because of the reach of the organization, said Charity Hudley.

At this specific conference, you have scientists from all different backgrounds who are interested in science broadly and particularly in terms of science education and inclusion, she said, and so its really important at this conference that when we are having conversations about persistence in science, getting people motivated and interested in science, and working with students, that the role of language in the learning process be a part of that conversation.

Excerpt from:
Linguistics in the lab: the right chemistry for inclusivity - Williamsburg Yorktown Daily

Matt LeBlanc says Top Gear chemistry could "take a while" – Digital Spy

Posted on by

Top Gear's Matt LeBlanc has admitted that the chemistry between the presenters could "take a while" to reach the heights of their predecessors.

Following the departure of Chris Evans after just one series, LeBlanc will host the revamped BBC show with Chris Harris and Rory Reid.

However, reflecting on Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May's run on the show, the host said (via SNAP.PA): "What people forget is for the three guys that were on the show before us, it took them a while to build up a rapport.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

"This is now the first season for the three of us and it does take a little while.

Amazon Prime

He added: "You take the three people, put them together in a room and say, 'It's in your interest to get along', and everyone is open to getting along but it takes a little while to speed up the shorthand.

"But what's great is we are now getting to a point where we are really starting to click. We are having so much fun together!"

LeBlanc and co are set to return to the show in a few weeks' time, and the BBC has already given us a trailer showing the three hosts' sitting uncomfortably through a car insurance interview.

While LeBlanc decided to stick with the show for two new series as he had "such a great time" filming the first series, it was not the case for Evans.

The Friends star previously told Digital Spy that he found out that Evans had quit through the news in the paper like everyone else.

He added of expectations for Top Gear: "I'm excited [for the new series] but the show seems to be surrounded by huge controversy, and I don't really know why. Maybe it's because of the history of the show but boy, being on that show is like being in a fishbowl. Everybody is after you.

Related Article

BBC Top Gear - everything you need to know

"Everybody is waiting for you to put a foot wrong and that's tough but, you know, I like cars. I know a little bit about cars. I can say some funny things about cars. Hopefully people will watch it."

Top Gear returns on Sunday, March 5 at 8pm on BBC Two.

Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Twitter account and you're all set.

Go here to see the original:
Matt LeBlanc says Top Gear chemistry could "take a while" - Digital Spy

North Korean suspect in Kim Jong-nam murder ‘had chemistry degree and arranged all logistics of attack’ as CCTV of … – Telegraph.co.uk

Posted on by

Malaysia recalled its ambassador to North Korea on Monday amid rising tensions over the death, while North Korea's ambassador arrived for a meeting at the Malaysian foreign ministry.

The ministry said the North Korean ambassador Kang Chol was summoned for "an explanation on the accusations he made against the Government of Malaysia in his press conference on 17 February 2017".

North Korea said on Saturday that it would categorically reject Malaysia's autopsy report on the death of Mr Kim, and accused Malaysia of "colluding with outside forces", in a veiled reference to rival nation South Korea.

Malaysia's health minister said that Mr Kim's autopsy results could be released as early as Wednesday.

At least three of four North Korean men wanted in connection with the murder caught a flight from Jakarta to Dubai on the evening of the attack, an Indonesian immigration official told Reuters.

Suspects Ri Jae-nam, Hong Song-hac, and Ri Ji-hyon flew from Jakarta to Dubai on Emirates flight EK0359 at 10.20pm local time last on Monday, immigration office spokesman Agung Sampurno told Reuters by text message. The details of the fourth suspect were unclear.

See original here:
North Korean suspect in Kim Jong-nam murder 'had chemistry degree and arranged all logistics of attack' as CCTV of ... - Telegraph.co.uk

‘Mike and Mike’ chemistry was real – Altoona Mirror

Posted on by

News, and even new rumors, out of ESPN has been almost nonexistent as the supposed breakup of ESPN Radios longtime morning drive program, Mike & Mike, nears its apparent end.

Sports Illustrated first reported the program might end, but no timetable has been specified since that initial report weeks ago.

Still, the report seems logical, and its probably just a matter of the all-sports network finding the right timing.

Maybe it will happen around the Final Four, or maybe it will be in the somewhat slower summer months when a replacement program makes its debut.

Whenever it happens, whats next for Mike Greenberg might be a New York City-based morning program that airs on ESPN, perhaps a rebranded SportsCenter in the way the network turned its late-night show into a vehicle for Scott Van Pelt and, more recently, its approach to the 6 p.m. SportsCenter featuring Jemele Hill and Michael Smith.

Whats next for Mike Golic might be another morning partner on radio or some combination of partners.

Greenberg, who recently earned a big contract from ESPN, has seemingly sparked any potential changes to the show.

The most recent was an ill-fated move to the Big Apple a couple of years ago. That was to include an additional host, with the show possibly emanating from Times Square. It never happened.

For more than a decade and half, Mike and Mike has been the flag bearer for ESPN. The odd-couple chemistry of the two hosts might be a bit contrived at times, but it works. Still, with demographics changing, ESPN has been trying to find ways to broaden the shows audience even while the hosts age a bit.

The show is rarely intentionally controversial and never mean spirited. For the most part, its good talk radio.

ESPN often uses Mike and Mike to test out talent, too. A good performance by guests in that safe environment can often lead to bigger opportunities.

Heres the thing, though: Mike and Mike might be better as a sum than in individual pieces.

Greenbergs anti-germ sensibilities and lack of athletic experience, despite his journalism chops, still need a personality to play against. He has that in spades with self-deprecating Golic, the former NFL veteran who invariably puts his college career at Notre Dame front and center as well.

Together, theyre fun and informative. Separately, they might be nearly as good.

No matter what happens, they will be missed if the breakup occurs. From a program some thought might not last more than a few months, Mike and Mike has grown and earned a spot in the sports media landscape. The hosts and the show have earned respect throughout the industry.

For example, when Rich Russo, the Penn State alum who directed the Super Bowl for Fox Sports a pretty heady job was told his name was mentioned on Mike and Mike before the big game he sounded genuinely thrilled.

Mike and Mike is not take-a-side talk just for kicks. Its not a schtick, and that might be the biggest reason it will be a loss if the show ends. Its heart is in the fact that its genuine a rare find in sports-talk related programming anymore.

Pirates plans

With spring training underway, Pirates fans can pencil in Feb. 26 for the seasons first radio broadcast a 1:05 p.m. start in Sarasota, Florida, against the Orioles.

The Pirates first televised spring training game will be March 6, a home game in Bradenton against the Yankees.

Sampsell comments on TV and radio for the Mirror. He can be reached at stevesampsell@gmail.com.

Not long ago, I was praising Penn State basketball coach Pat Chambers, believing signs he was turning this program ...

A dozen security guards handcuffing and dragging out a legendary player from courtside seats in the middle of a ...

Having lived through the complete history of professional football, I can say that although they retain some rules ...

Name: Randy Wilson Age: 26 Residence: Tyrone High school: Tyrone College: Penn State Altoona My favorite ...

We are nearing the end of the game, and time is running out. In the clamor and uproar of the modern sports ...

Patriots have advantage with added motivation A neat story in the NFL has emerged on Chris Hogan, a former Penn ...

Go here to read the rest:
'Mike and Mike' chemistry was real - Altoona Mirror

Protein-bound gold enables in-mouse catalysis – Chemistry World (subscription)

Posted on by

Transition metal-catalysed reactions have traditionally been confined to test tubes and round-bottom flasks but now researchers have performed the first gold-catalysed reaction in live mice. The team used the reaction to image the animals organs and hopes that similar reactions could eventually have applications such as targeted, in-body drug synthesis.

In vivo metal catalysis has so far been limited to cell cultures with the most advanced organism being zebrafish embryos. This is because the cellular environments inside living bodies present unique challenges for metal catalysts, which can be sensitive to air and water.

Katsunori Tanaka and colleagues from Japans Riken research institute solved these problems by tagging a gold catalyst, known for its water and air stability, onto one of two carrier proteins. When injected into living mice, the protein transports the catalyst to either the liver or intestine, where it triggers an amide bond formation between an added propargyl ester and amines that sit on the outside of cells.

Attaching a fluorescent label onto the propargyl ester allowed Tanakas team to image the animals livers with noninvasive infrared imaging. The researchers are now looking into other proteins that can carry catalysts to a larger number of target organs or even into tumour tissues, where metal-catalysed reactions could synthesise or activate drugs.

Link:
Protein-bound gold enables in-mouse catalysis - Chemistry World (subscription)

Out-of-This-World Chemistry | The Brink – BU Today

Posted on by

At one of the exhibits at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., youll find a bit of surprising space trivia. Of all the physical sciences, which include astronomy and physics, chemistry is the only type of study that humans havent yet conducted in space. Until now, the risk of performing chemical reactions in microgravity has simply been too great. (Just imagine an explosive chemical reaction expanding wildly without Earths gravitational forces providing any friction to help slow it down.)

But soon, thats all about to changechemistry will finally make its way to the final frontier thanks to researchers in a Boston University chemistry lab. A group led by Aaron Beeler, a BU College of Arts & Sciences associate professor of chemistry, is building a special module from scratch that will carry out chemical reactions inside a closed-loop system, enabling it to be safely operated by astronauts on the International Space Station. Members of Beelers lab are calling it a new platform for chemistry experiments, meaning that scientists can use it to conduct a broad range of different chemical reactions.

Carrying out useful chemical reactions in a microgravity environmentits never been done before, says Beeler. Are there going to be different behaviors? Will less gravity influence the reactions? These are the big-picture questions that well finally be able to answer.

Performing chemical reactions in space isnt just important for the fundamental sake of learning how the conditions and physical properties of space alter chemical behaviors. In fact, the idea of how to safely perform chemistry reactions in space has become somewhat of a hot topic for space scientists. (As anyone who saw Matt Damon in The Martian knows, having science experiments go awry in space would be catastrophic.)

The last American Chemical Society meeting was [earlier this year], and NASA held an entire session around the topic of chemistry in space, says Beeler, who is also a core faculty member in the BU Center for Molecular Discovery.

He says a big reason for that is because the ability to safely produce compounds on demand (like lifesaving drugs, for example) in space could play a critical role in enabling humans to someday sustain long-term spaceflight to a planet like Mars, which experts estimate could take around nine months to get to.

Thinking about long-term space travel, if you could perform chemical reactions that were activated by light, then you could carry less reagents in your cargo.

To bring their chemistry platform to space, Beelers lab is collaborating with Space Tango, a company that currently supplies the ISS with experimental modules used by scientists in orbit. The Beeler labs new module will house technology known as continuous flow chemistry, a method that uses limited amounts of materials, called reagents, to rapidly produce small-scale reactions. Continuous flow chemistry has already been used on Earth for decades, mainly in the chemical industry but more recently in the pharmaceutical industry, as well. Taking the approach to space could potentially open up a whole new economic sector where products are synthesized in orbit, 250 miles above Earth.

Were excited to work with leading experts from [Beelers lab] to expand flow chemistry capabilities on the ISS, said Space Tango CEO Twyman Clements, according to a recent Space Tango press release. We envision that the automated, modular systems we are developing for flow chemistry will be a pivotal step toward further establishing new commercial opportunities in low-Earth orbit that benefit life on Earth and address a variety of additional on-orbit applications.

Beeler says his team is setting up the platform for an initial test run of three different kinds of chemical reactions. The first one will be a photochemical reaction, which Beeler says is an area of special expertise for his lab and could be an especially advantageous method for space travelers.

Thinking about long-term space travel, if you could perform chemical reactions that were activated by light, then you could carry less reagents in your cargo, Beeler says.

The group is also planning to test a thermal reaction, which Beeler says will show just how high temperatures will be able to get inside the modules isolated, closed-loop environment. Were not sure what the safe operating temperature of reactions will be in space, but were doing preliminary experiments before launch to make sure we can isolate the heat.

Finally, the group is planning to test out a peptide-coupling reaction in space, a type of reaction used by chemists and biologists to create and modify proteins and other building blocks of life.

Beeler says they are working fast to get the system ready in time for summer 2020, when the module is scheduled to be delivered to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon rocket.

View post:
Out-of-This-World Chemistry | The Brink - BU Today

MSPCA, Acton police offer reward after puppy found with chemical burns – Boston Herald

Posted on by

The MSPCA and Acton police are offering a $1,000 reward for information after a 12-week-old puppy was found discarded in the woods, suffering from chemical burns that authorities believe were intentionally inflicted.

A good Samaritan was out walking her dog in the Acton woods on Nov. 15 when she found a puppy cowering on the side of the trail unable to walk and covered in open wounds but still wagging her tail.

The woman alerted authorities and drove the puppy to the MSPCA Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, where veterinarians have been working to save the life of the young fido, now called Ramona, ever since.

We occasionally will see cases of neglect to potentially something that borders on cruelty, Anna Rafferty-Arnold, associate director at the MSPCAs Boston adoption center, told the Herald. But to see a dog come in with such severe wounds that are so suspicious of something that would be intentional is rare.

Ramona arrived with chemical burns covering more than 40 percent of her body wounds so severe she must undergo a weekly debridement procedure to remove the dead tissue and give the skin underneath a chance to heal.

She also had bite wounds on her back and a broken left front elbow, which may have to be amputated because it started to heal improperly, said shelter veterinarian Rebecca Fellman.

Ramona will remain at the MSPCA for the next four months as she undergoes treatment, and will be under a state-mandated four-month quarantine for the bite wounds. Afterward, staff hope to put her up for adoption.

She still looks in rough shape and she still is in a sad condition, but she does look a lot better, Rafferty-Arnold said. While she is still uncomfortable she has a great spirit. She still has a wagging tail and shes giving kisses and is just a really sweet deal, and were excited for her to go up for adoption.

Acton police have opened an animal cruelty investigation, and are offering a $1,000 reward in conjunction with the MSPCA for information that leads to a conviction. Anyone with information is asked to call 978-929-7711.

The MSPCA estimates caring for Ramona will cost upward of $4,000, and are seeking donations to help.

Link:
MSPCA, Acton police offer reward after puppy found with chemical burns - Boston Herald

Chemistry research lab at SUNY-ESF works to lessen the harsh side effects of chemotherapy – The Daily Orange

Posted on by

Courtesy of Christopher Nomura

Nomura and his team have worked for years to develop a safer way to deliver chemotherapy.

Christopher Nomura, the vice president of research at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, is making strides to eliminate chemotherapys harsh side effects.

Most chemotherapeutic drugs induce nausea and hair loss because they attack a persons cells indiscriminately, killing healthy cells as well as cancerous ones. Up until recently, there has never been a delivery system capable of targeting specific types of cancer cells.

That problem is the basis of Nomura and SUNY-ESF postdoctoral fellow Ata Pintos work. They found that by feeding certain fatty acids to a strand of E. coli, the bacteria would produce polymer molecules with azide groups linking to specific cell receptors. When strapped with chemotherapy drugs, these molecules effectively trick cancerous cells into ingesting the medication, destroying them from the inside, rather than systemically as they pass through the body.

Only cancer cells are killed in this new process, not healthy ones.

If we could more specifically target a cancer cell, our hope is that we could reduce some of the dosages (of chemotherapy drugs) and still have the killing efficacy of the drug if its delivered more specifically to its target, Nomura said.

The hope of Nomuras lab is that the precision of this newfound technique what the team refers to as a Trojan horse maneuver will ease the discomfort of cancer treatment. The SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund with a grant helped finance the research for this new Trojan horse method.

Nomura said their new approach first involves modifying the drug-carrying particles to a size small enough to be ingested through leaks in the tumors blood vessels, but large enough to withstand being flushed away by the kidneys.

In this case, Nomuras lab engineered nanoparticles that are about 70 nanometers in diameter. The nanoparticles are then imbedded with azide groups that allow them to target cancer cell receptors. Thats where click chemistry comes into play.

This process, which was developed by Pinto, who is part of Nomuras team, places azide groups onto the ends of fatty acids that are then fed to the E. coli and ultimately replicated in the resulting polymers.

The idea is that the polymer is so flexible in what we can do to it that were given an example of how simple the process of producing these Trojan horses has become with our process, Pinto said.

Once an azide group is present in the polymer, it can be modified to target specific cancer cells. Pinto said click chemistry is innovative and markedly more efficient than techniques used elsewhere.

The process done by other labs is lengthier, Pinto said. Its much more prevalent in the literature because, generally speaking, this work has been done by engineers and not biosynthetic chemists like us.

Nomura and Pinto started their own company last year called Alba Solutions because Nomura said the team was excited that their work could be used as a commercial product.

The lab at ESF has a partnership with Juntao Luo at SUNY-Upstate Medical University to catalyze the polymers for different types of cancers.

We want to test whether (the teams) nanoparticle by itself is toxic or not. That is kind of a safety issue, Lou said.

Luo added that he wants to test the drug loading of the nanoparticle to see whether it is effective with acute cells compared to other types of cancer treatment drugs that are already being sold on the market.

Nomura said he hopes that the polymer delivery system will reopen the doors for highly effective chemotherapy drugs that were too toxic for traditional cancer targeting methods, but may be well utilized with a directed delivery system.

Published on February 19, 2017 at 7:01 pm

Contact Mary: mdcatalf@syr.edu

See the original post:
Chemistry research lab at SUNY-ESF works to lessen the harsh side effects of chemotherapy - The Daily Orange

Aaron Rodgers: OTAs are for building on-field chemistry – Packers Wire

Posted on by

Building chemistry with his new teammates remains the primary goal for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers during organized team activities, which continue into the second phase this week.

I think at this point, when youre adding new guys to the mix, its about chemistry, Rodgers said last week. Thats the on the field chemistry. Its reading body language when theyre running routes, its getting on the same page with the verbiage when you have new players. And starting to figure out how guys like to run routes, where they like the ball in certain situations, how they use their body. Its about timing, and getting that chemistry with the new skill players.

The Packers have added a number of new pieces to the offense this offseason, including veteran tight ends Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks. Green Bay also drafted two young receivers (DeAngelo Yancey, Malachi Dupre) and rebuilt the running back position.

Building a rapport and understanding each new individuals wants and needs is necessary for keeping a high-octane offense running smoothly. The connection between Rodgers and Bennett the versatile tight end and teams replacement for playoff hero Jared Cook is especially important for ensuring the Packers hit the ground running to start 2017.

The two have already been working overtime to establish the on-field relationship.

Im always talking to him on the field, too, trying to see what he wants, Bennett said, according to Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal. (Ill say), Hey, how did that look? or hell give me the thumbs up. Or if Im in another group, I always look back at him, Hey, is that what you want? Is there something different you want on this? Always trying to figure out, just trying to have those conversations on and off the field, trying to get know each other as players, and as people.

Kendricks,who spent his first six years with the Rams, is also using OTAs to find his footing in a new environment.

New organization, new offense, new verbiage, new schemes and stuff, Kendricks said. Its going to take a little bit of time, I just gotta take it day-by-day. But Ill catch on.

The new tight ends still have ample opportunity to get on the same page with Rodgers and comfortable within the offense, especially considering the Packers emphasis on the passing game during OTAs.

Chemistry is really important, Rodgers said. Its about learning those guys, and their body movements, and what routes they feel good about and what routes they struggle with. Well have plenty of time, in these OTAs, a lot of individual time. Were not doing a lot of run plays, by design. It gives us a lot of time to work on the passing gameIm confident well be ready to go once the season starts.

Read the original:
Aaron Rodgers: OTAs are for building on-field chemistry - Packers Wire