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Kristen Bell And Dax Shepard Are Relieved They Actually Have Chemistry

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Danzig

If you're an actor and you're in a relationship with another actor, you better hope that the chemistry translates to the screen. Otherwise, things could get a little embarrassing.

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, real-fiances, definitely felt the pressure for their new movie, "Hit & Run," which casts them as two lovers on the lam. When MTV News sat down with the couple, they said they understood the challenge.

"It was kind of high-risk," Shepard said. "Because had we not had chemistry, that would have been rough for everyone."

But even if they hadn't clicked on screen, Bell reminded him that it wouldn't have been the first time. "I think plenty of people have watched movies with people without chemistry," she said.

"But when they are dating, it's rough," Shepard said. "When they are engaged, it's rougher."

Since things went so well the first time around, Shepard said that he wants to get a franchise of movies going with the two of them as stars.

"I'd like to be Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn and do four or five of these suckers together," Shepard said. "In fact, we should redo the boat movie, 'Overboard.' I'd be Jack, right?"

"I would have a shoe closet," Bell said. "This is perfect."

"Yes, look for 'Overboard' next fall in a marina near you," Shepard said.

Do you plan on seeing "Hit & Run"? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

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Kristen Bell And Dax Shepard Are Relieved They Actually Have Chemistry

The Chemistry of Love

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Danzig

Take this all with a grain of salt, but a book being published next month by Current/Penguin, The Chemistry Between Us: Love, Sex and the Science of Attraction, argues that all the sexy, impatient, bored, jealous, secure feelings you think you have regarding loveabout your boyfriend or husband, the hot guy in the office, your ex are really neurological responses to the chemical cocktails that flow through your veins. Youre not making decisions or choices, not really. Youre following the requirements of biology, and then telling yourself a culturally acceptable fiction like "love at first sight," or "just my type," or "so glad I dumped that douchebag cheater."

The authors, Larry Young and Brian Alexander, are a neuroscientist and a journalist, respectively. They're particularly interested in the rest of the animal kingdom species that haven't developed stories by which we explain away our biological impulses. By describing experiments in which researchers masturbate female rats, stimulate the cevixes of ewes, and study the cheating behavior of otherwise monogamous voles and zebra finches, they trace the biological foundations of human bonding.

So as an end-of-summer public service, I thought I'd pass along three of Young and Alexander's tips on love and marriage.

1. Dont marry the guy you meet while youre ovulating.

The fertile period womans cycle has demonstrable effects on her appearance and behavior. The timbre of her voice changes. She takes more care with her appearance. She becomes more flirtatious. Men notice: Studies have shown that strippers who are ovulating make more money than those who are not. A University of New Mexico psychologist found that ovulating strippers made $354 per five hour shift, as opposed to $264 for non-ovulating strippers. Menstruating strippers earned even less.

But women also make riskier decisions at the fertile time of the month. Theyre likelier to hook up with a stranger, likelier to respond to the attentions of a bad boy type, likelier to rent a house, sight unseen. Heather Rupp is a neuroscientist whose experiments on ovulating women are chronicled in Chemistry. The guy you are most likely to pick mid-cycle he is not necessarily the guy who is going to raise your children, she says. The perfect guy is the guy you like across the entire cycle, and they are rare!

2. Size matters.

Oxytocin is a hormone that triggers bonding, especially in women and especially between women and their babies. It is released through the stimulation of the cervix (which explains, partly, the bonding that occurs between mother and infant after labor). Scientists at the University of Cambridge found in the eighties that if they stimulated the cervixes of ewes (with a dildo!) who had not recently given birth, the ewes behaved maternally toward lambs that did not belong to them. They exhibited the full complement of maternal behavior after five minutes of vaginal-cervical stimulation, the scientists wrote.

Thus Young believes that the human penis has a similar, evolutionary purpose: To massage his sex partners cervix and thus release in her maternal feelings for him: "Men are using their penises to entice women to babysit them.

3. Some men have a bad boyfriend gene.

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The Chemistry of Love

Dichtel honored for excellence in organic chemistry

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Danzig

Aug. 21, 2012

Dichtel honored for excellence in organic chemistry

William Dichtel, Cornell assistant professor of chemistry and chemical biology, has won a 2013 Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award.

Presented by the American Chemical Society (ACS), the award honors and encourages excellence in organic chemistry. Dichtel was recognized for pioneering the chemistry of covalent organic frameworks, which organize organic semiconductors into predictable two-dimensional layered networks ideal for photovoltaic performance.

He also uses synthetic and supramolecular chemistry to develop structurally precise organic materials. Projects in his laboratory involve organic and polymer chemistry, solution and solid-state characterization, nanofabrication and electronic testing of materials.

The award consists of $25,000, as well as an unrestricted $150,000 grant that the recipient can assign to any university or nonprofit institution for research in organic chemistry. Dichtel will give an address at the ACS national meeting in the fall, and the award will be presented at the ACS's national meeting in spring 2013.

ACS is the world's largest scientific society and represents professionals at all degree levels and in all fields of chemistry and sciences that involve chemistry.

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Dichtel honored for excellence in organic chemistry

Dantonio: Too soon to tell whether MSU's chemistry passes test

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Danzig

EAST LANSING -- Mark Dantonio's preseason team chemistry assessments have served as performance prophesies over his years as Michigan State's coach.

He talked up the chemistry before the surprising nine-win season of 2008. He hinted several times at a leadership void before a 2009 season the ended with a 6-7 record and off-the-field troubles.

He gushed about the bond in the locker room before each of the past two seasons, and they yielded a combined record of 22-5 with a shared Big Ten title, a Big Ten Legends Division title and an Outback Bowl win over Georgia.

So the people who cover MSU for a living make sure to get Dantonio's chemistry read several times before a season starts. As of this week, he can best be described as cautiously optimistic.

"Comparatively speaking, you know, when you win close games, when you win 11 games, I'm gonna say the character's great. The chemistry's great," said Dantonio, whose sixth MSU season opens Aug. 31 against Boise State. "So there's a lot of things we have to prove yet. But the feeling among this team is that they work very well with each other, they like each other, they get along, they push each other, and they have fun doing it."

MSU coaches are fighting the positive press clippings battle right now, with offensive coordinator Dan Roushar reminding players last week that "this football team hasn't done anything yet."

The Spartans are ranked No. 13 in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls and Sports Illustrated picked them No. 8. Expectations are high despite the fact that all-time passing leader and three-time captain Kirk Cousins -- the primary cultivator of all that great chemistry the past two seasons -- now plays for the Washington Redskins.

"It's not all the sudden a change for us in that respect," Dantonio said of the preseason attention. "We've been ranked in the top 25 before. We've been ranked coming in in 2009, and we fell out quick. So there's a message to our players, and there's some things to learn from that.

"We've been outside the top 25 and found ourselves in the top 10, in 2010. So I think it's just very important, I keep saying it over and over, that we take it one day at a time."

The players will vote for team captains Thursday, and it would be a surprise if junior quarterback Andrew Maxwell wasn't one of them. The first-year starter's embrace of a vocal role has been a bigger positive than his sharp passing in camp, Dantonio said.

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Dantonio: Too soon to tell whether MSU's chemistry passes test

Dantonio: Too soon to tell if MSU's chemistry passes test

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Danzig

EAST LANSING -- Mark Dantonio's preseason team chemistry assessments have served as performance prophesies over his years as Michigan State's coach.

He talked up the chemistry before the surprising nine-win season of 2008. He hinted several times at a leadership void before a 2009 season the ended with a 6-7 record and off-the-field troubles.

So the people who cover MSU for a living make sure to get Dantonio's chemistry read several times before a season starts. As of this week, he can best be described as cautiously optimistic.

MSU coaches are fighting the positive press clippings battle right now, with offensive coordinator Dan Roushar reminding players last week that "this football team hasn't done anything yet."

"We've been outside the top 25 and found ourselves in the top 10, in 2010. So I think it's just very important, I keep saying it over and over, that we take it one day at a time."

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Dantonio: Too soon to tell if MSU's chemistry passes test

Shirley O. Corriher wins American Chemical Society's prestigious journalism award

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Danzig

Public release date: 20-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Michael Bernstein m_bernstein@acs.org 215-418-2056 (Philadelphia Press Center, Aug. 17-23) 202-872-6042

Michael Woods m_woods@acs.org 215-418-2056 (Philadelphia Press Center, Aug. 17-23) 202-872-6293 American Chemical Society

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 20, 2012 Nationally renowned author, speaker, TV personality and all-around "ambassador of chemistry" Shirley O. Corriher has been selected as recipient of the 2013 James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public.

The American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society, sponsors the award, and announced the winner here this week at its 244th National Meeting & Exposition of the ACS. The meeting, which features about 8,600 reports with an anticipated attendance of 14,000 scientists and others, continues here through Thursday.

One of the oldest and most prestigious accolades in science communication, the award dates to 1955 and consists of $3,000, a gold medallion and a bronze replica of the medallion. ACS named the award for James T. Grady and James H. Stack, former managers of the ACS News Service. Publisher of the Weekly PressPac, the News Service was established in 1919, making ACS one of the first scientific societies with a dedicated function of communicating and explaining science to the public.

ACS selected Corriher for work in bringing home the power and pleasure of chemistry through her highly popular books, articles and dynamic presentations on the chemistry of cooking. For more than 30 years, Corriher has served as an unofficial "ambassador of chemistry," delighting readers and audiences across the country.

A biochemist by training, Corriher is the author of two highly respected books: CookWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Cooking, winner of a James Beard Foundation award, and BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking. Cookwise is a popular "go-to" book for chemistry classes, test kitchens and home cooks across the country. Also known as a "food sleuth," Corriher has been approached by chefs, food writers and even Julia Child to find solutions to difficult conundrums encountered in the kitchen.

She has written numerous articles for newspapers, magazines and technical journals, and has appeared many times on the television show Good Eats with Alton Brown on The Food Network. In 2001, Bon Appetit magazine named her Best Cooking Teacher of the Year. Corriher also serves on the ACS Committee on Public Relations and Communications.

"Corriher is renowned for her enthusiasm and down-home, engaging style," said Harold McGee, Ph.D., author and columnist at the New York Times. He nominated Corriher for the award. "The Grady-Stack Award was created to reward outstanding reporting directly to the public. Shirley Corriher's life work fits that definition perfectly and thoroughly."

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Shirley O. Corriher wins American Chemical Society's prestigious journalism award

'Avengers' Gag Reel – Best Moments

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Danzig

Part of what made "The Avengers" so much fun was the chemistry between the cast. So often, that important spark goes unnoticed between performers, but anyone who pays close attention to film knows that chemistry is just as important as story, direction, or nowadays, special effects. On-set chemistry and a light atmosphere often generate positive results, as is clearly the case with Joss Whedon's "The Avengers."

The gag reel (recently taken down by Disney), seen on Youtube (via MTV Geek) is loaded with great laughs, from Agent Coulson's goofy demise to Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo's lab-related gaffs (the two previously shared the screen in David Fincher's "Zodiac"), the clip includes a few favorites:

Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow's Awkward Goodbye Kiss - The two have starred in both "Iron Man" films, and are both notoriously funny and affable folks, so goofing around on-set is surely something that happens often with them around.

Jeremy Renner's "Trek" Moment - Jeremy Renner, who plays Hawkeye on the film, during the pivotal battle for New York at the end, jokingly refers to feeling like he's on "Star Trek" with his communicating between heroes. He even goes so far as to potentially ask for the current stardate.

Costume Issues - Both Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans (playing Captain America) seem to struggle with their outfits at different points. Downey has issues with his Iron Man helmet, while Evans can't seem to get his parachute on, mid-flight.

Mark Ruffalo - Mark Ruffalo has plenty of great moments in this clip, including knocking over props, having a tender moment with a stuntman in a motion capture suit and just generally joking around with cast mates. However; his funniest moment comes at the end of the clip, where he runs away from the final battle against the Chitauri invaders.

All in all, a funny gag reel that hopefully finds its way to the DVD and Blu-ray versions of the home release (due out on September 25, 2012).

To report problems or to leave feedback about this article, e-mail: To contact the editor, e-mail:

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'Avengers' Gag Reel - Best Moments

Inspired by genetics, chemistry finally takes hold of its own code

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Danzig

Public release date: 19-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Stefan Matile stefan.matile@unige.ch 41-223-796-523 Universit de Genve

Nature proves every day that it is both complex and efficient. Organic chemists are envious of it; their conventional tools confine them to simpler achievements. Thanks to the work of professor Stefan Matile's team from the University of Geneva, these limitations could become a thing of the past. His publication in the Nature Chemistry journal indeed offers a new kind of code to chemists, allowing them to access new levels of complexity.

Stefan Matile opts for sincerity. For him, if organic chemistry is often fond of simplifying its functional systems, it is because it is mostly impossible for it to construct and manage molecular architectures as complex as those produced with tremendous efficiency in nature. "It's a fact", says the UNIGE professor and NCCR Chemical Biology member, "that we are far from being able to match the genius of nature."

Where the complexity arises

The specialist attributes the genetic code to this genius of nature. "It is rather simple because it is based on four foundationsadenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine (A, C, G, and T). The double helix structure of DNA is also quite simple. The complexity arises mainly from the cell's transfer of this information from one stage to the next."

Stefan Matile has long believed that a code also exists in organic chemistry and must be discovered, which he is convinced he has achieved with the assistance of his colleague, Edvinas Orentas.

"I must admit that this work is extremely complicated, fundamental, and theoretical," the professor continues. "But I also think it's quite revolutionary, especially if we are able to implement it on a practical level."

Laying the foundation

In fact, thanks to him, organic chemists may be able to stop laboriously constructing their functional systems, atom by atom, link by link. The code would allow them to write two-dimensional maps, a relatively simple and manageable challenge. The complexity of three-dimensional systems would then be created by transcribing this scheduled information; a transcription that, with supporting proof, has a reliability of 97%, so close to perfection. A powerful way to approach the complexity of nature.

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Inspired by genetics, chemistry finally takes hold of its own code

Sexual Chemistry Is Important For Maxene Magalona

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Danzig

Maxene Magalona said in a recent interview Rose Garcia in Abante that for a relationship to work, the couple should have a sexual chemistry. Well, we cant really argue with that

Naniniwala rin daw si Maxene na kung gusto mong mag-work ang relasyon, kailangan din daw tine-test ang sexual chemistry.

I dont like talking about my sex life pero iba na kasi ang panahon ngayon. Im Catholic, I believe in the Lord. Pero ang sa akin, kung may sarili tayong paniniwala, basta, iba na ang panahon ngayon.

Nilinaw rin ni Maxene na hindi porket ganoon siya mag-isip, she does it with anyone or aprubado siya sa mga one night stand.

Aaminin ko talaga na its important in a relationship that you and your partner have sexual chemistry.

I dont have anything against about people who waits until they get married, thats fine with me.

Basta ako, ang trip ko, gusto ko na kahit hindi pa ako kasal. For me, label is nothing. Ang pinaka-importante sa akin, ang content ng relationship. (source)

But of course, if any of you are going to test your sexual chemistry with your boyfriend or girlfriend, make sure you are emotionally ready for everything, starting with the consequences, like yah know, pregnancy and babies. So as always, protect yourselves. RH Bill, anyone? Furthermore, if youre ready to take this next step in your relationship, try as hard as you can to test you sexual chemistry with just one person. Preferably with the one youre having a relationship with coz theres that thing called, sexually transmitted disease. Or an angry girlfriend/boyfriend who could kick your ass. JUST FYI!

FYI, I didnt include married people since obviously youve found the sexual chemistry with whomever youre married to. Well, hopefully, hahaha.

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Sexual Chemistry Is Important For Maxene Magalona

'Heroes of Chemistry': Developed new drugs and technology to cut heating and cooling bills

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Danzig

Public release date: 19-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Michael Bernstein m_bernstein@acs.org 215-418-2056 (Philadelphia Press Center, Aug. 17-23) 202-872-6042

Michael Woods m_woods@acs.org 215-418-2056 (Philadelphia Press Center, Aug. 17-23) 202-872-6293 American Chemical Society

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 19, 2012 The scientists behind three inventions that touch the lives of millions of people around the world will be inducted into a coveted scientific "Hall of Fame" today as the latest Heroes of Chemistry named by the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society.

The ceremony, held at the 244th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, which continues here through Thursday, will confer public recognition on scientific teams that developed:

Established in 1996, the ACS Heroes of Chemistry program recognizes scientists whose work in various fields of chemistry and chemical engineering has led to the successful innovation and development of commercial products that benefit humankind.

Scientists from Merck, the global pharmaceutical firm known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, won the honor for developing the chronic hepatitis C drug Victrelis (boceprevir). They are Ashok Arasappan, Ph.D.; Frank Bennett, Ph.D.; Stphane Bogen, Ph.D.; F. George Njoroge, Ph.D.; and Srikanth Venkatraman, Ph.D.

Victrelis was the first oral hepatitis C virus protease inhibitor approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in combination with pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin, to treat the most common type of chronic hepatitis C. Chronic hepatitis C is a viral infection that affects more than 130-170 million people worldwide and can cause serious liver damage.

Scientists from Novartis, the global pharmaceutical company, won the honor for developing the leukemia drug Tasigna (nilotinib). They are Paul Manley, Ph.D.; Gabriele Fendrich, Ph.D.; Werner Breitenstein, Ph.D.; and Sandra Jacob, Ph.D. Tasigna is a prescription medication for adults with newly diagnosed form of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia and for patients who are resistant or intolerant to previous treatment.

Scientists from Arkema, Inc., a global producer of industrial chemicals won the honor for developing atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition technology. They are Dave Russo, Ph.D.; Jeff Stricker, Ph.D.; Georg Lindner; Jeremy Nihart; Ryan Smith, Ph.D.; Connie Lo; Jing Ming Mai; and Clem McKown. The technology deposits coatings of various chemicals onto the surface of glass, providing significantly increased solar heat gain control.

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'Heroes of Chemistry': Developed new drugs and technology to cut heating and cooling bills

New American Chemical Society "Heroes of Chemistry" Developed New Drugs and Technology That Cuts Heating and Cooling …

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Danzig

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012, 6 a.m. Eastern Time Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Newswise PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 19, 2012 The scientists behind three inventions that touch the lives of millions of people around the world will be inducted into a coveted scientific Hall of Fame today as the latest Heroes of Chemistry named by the American Chemical Society (ACS), the worlds largest scientific society.

The ceremony, held at the 244th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, which continues here through Thursday, will confer public recognition on scientific teams that developed:

Heroes of Chemistry are a visible reminder of the innovation, vitality and talent that our profession offers to society, said Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, Ph.D., ACS president. Chemistry serves as the foundation for so many aspects of our lives. Chemistry is new products, new materials and a new hope for the future.

We are honoring innovations that result from the support and vision of corporate management who invest in science, understand its application and advocate for it within their organizations. The corporate leaders at Arkema, Merck and Novartis have demonstrated the commitment that leads to breakthrough products and groundbreaking technologies. I salute each of these companies for creating the internal environment the culture that leads to scientific discovery and commercialization.

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New American Chemical Society "Heroes of Chemistry" Developed New Drugs and Technology That Cuts Heating and Cooling ...

Celebrating the Silver Anniversary of National Chemistry Week

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Danzig

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 20, 2012, 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Newswise PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 20, 2012 The event that has introduced hundreds of thousands of young people to the wonders of science and helped launch careers in science, technology, engineering, medicine and other fields is being honored at a special symposium here today. The observance of the 25th anniversary of National Chemistry Week (NCW) takes place during the 244th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the worlds largest scientific society.

Thousands of ACS volunteers, teachers and students celebrate NCW in their communities and schools during the fourth week of every October. They organize hands-on activities and demonstrations at malls, museums, schools, stores and other locations all over the United States.

The events have included hands-on activity events in libraries, elementary and secondary school classrooms, malls, museums of science, childrens museums, colleges and universities, state fairs, etc.

NCW 2012, with the theme Nanotechnology: The Smallest Big Idea in Science, will be held Oct. 21-27. The program is a community-based effort sponsored by the ACS and designed to promote awareness of the value of chemistry in peoples everyday lives. NCW brings chemists together with students, teachers, business leaders and other people through hands-on science events, chemistry, public lectures, demonstrations and other events.

The demonstrations, hands-on-activities and other events in National Chemistry Week have introduced thousands of young people to one of the biggest secrets about science, said ACS President Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, Ph.D. Science is fun. By demonstrating how much fun science can be, National Chemistry Week has been an advocate for science, and imparts the joy of discovery that has engaged young minds and fostered careers in science, mathematics and technology for 25 years. ACS promotes public engagement by its members to share the joy of scientific exploration and the emotional rewards of discovery. The speakers in this symposium are exemplars of communicating that excitement to the public.

The symposium is one of Shakhashiris special presidential events. A professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Shakhashiris own chemistry demonstrations are world-renowned, and he is co-author of textbooks on the topic.

NCW began as National Chemistry Day (NCD) in 1987 after the ACS Board of Directors embraced the idea suggested in 1986 by the late George C. Pimentel, Ph.D., then ACS president. His widow, Jeanne Pimentel, will be among the speakers in todays symposium. A parade in downtown Washington, D.C., helped kicked off the events with 173 out of 182 ACS local sections participating in their communities. The event was so well-received by the general public that in 1988 the Public Relations Society of America awarded its Silver Anvil to NCD. This was the highest honor awarded for a public relations project.

Because of its overwhelming success in its first year, ACS expanded NCD to a weeklong celebration in 1989 and renamed it National Chemistry Week. In 1993, ACS officially designated it an annual, weeklong event.

The 25th anniversary symposium will include presentations by

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Celebrating the Silver Anniversary of National Chemistry Week

CW competition blog – Bibiana Campos-Seijo

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Danzig

This is a guest post from one of our judges for the Chemistry World Science Communication Competition

The other judges have had their say and now it is my turn. They’ve covered some fundamental rules of science communication (ie what you say, how you say it, how you go about telling a compelling story) and have given invaluable advice from their many years of experience and knowledge: ‘There’s no substitute for a good story,’ says Philip Ball; ‘Keep the language simple,’ advises Adam Hart-Davis; ‘Form needs to match content,’ Felicity Mellor tells us; ‘Let your enthusiasm for the story shine through,’ concludes Lesley Yellowlees. So what can I add to this? What can I say that has not been said already?

I’d like to get you to think about the audience. I want to emphasise the importance of engaging with readers, listeners and viewers out there. If you get all the elements of your article, video or podcast right (ie you’ve got a good story that is relevant, and you use simple, jargon-free language) you are half way towards achieving your goal of successfully communicating science. But how can you ensure you make it all the way? Why should the readers read or the viewers view? In my opinion, the style you choose to deliver your piece is what makes the difference. If you are a budding writer or communicator, you are at the beginning of your career and you’ll be working towards defining your style. You are at a crucial point. My advice would be to spend some time analysing the style of a communicator whose work you enjoy and thinking: ‘What is it that compels me to read or watch?’ Is it their use of humour that captures my attention? Is it their knowledge of the subject? Or is it the way they present complex issues? Don’t be constrained by finding a science communicator, he/she does not have to be a scientist – it could be a teacher, a journalist, a TV presenter, a politician. The point is: if they engage with you so you listen to what they have to say and you are able to understand how they achieve it then you are also on the road to success. So define what you like and adapt elements of their style but don’t imitate them (everybody is trying to be Steve Jobs and it really doesn’t work…). Whatever you do, don’t leave your personality out!

Equally, you can turn the exercise on its head, think of communicators whose style does not engage you and write a ‘what not to do’ list. It is very often simpler to see the bad than the good.

Finally, I’d like to encourage you all to take part. If you have an interest in science communication or are working on some interesting chemistry you’d like to talk about, take the plunge!

Bibiana Campos-Seijo

You can find out about the Chemistry World Science Communication Competition and submit your entry here

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http://prospect.rsc.org/blogs/cw/?feed=rss2

St. Mary's researchers unveil new test to combat fake drug problem

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Danzig

NOTRE DAME A chemistry research team at St. Marys College has created a new tool to fight the world's counterfeit drug problem.

Its through an inexpensive paper-based test that can be used to screen for phony pain relievers.

The paper analytical device (PAD) is the size of a business card and offers results in less than five minutes. Its a technology that could uncover fake drugs that promise cures for everything from malaria to the flu.

Counterfeit drugs are a serious problem in developing countries.

The World Health Organization estimates that 10-30% of the drug supply in developing countries are made up of counterfeit medicines, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths a year. Officials blame crime rings, which profit from selling pills that contain plaster of Paris, baking soda or other inexpensive ingredients.

St. Marys has applied for a U.S. patent for the PAD, the first time the Catholic, liberal arts womens college has applied for a patent.

Panadol long has been among the most common, standard pain relieving drugs counterfeited around the world, said St. Marys chemistry professor Toni Barstis, who led the team. In the past, you could just look at the labeling and packaging and know if it was counterfeit. Now, they do such a good job with the package design, its hard to determine whether its a package of the genuine medicine or a fake that contains no acetaminophen or even ingredients that may be harmful.

Barstis and two members of her team, a St. Mary's chemistry student and a recent graduate, presented their research results upon invitation Sunday in Philadelphia at the 244th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society.

The St. Mary's researchers developed a chemically treated paper that allows a person to swipe a pill onto the business card size paper and dip the paper into water. Color changes on the paper indicate both suspicious and authentic ingredients. The general public will be able to perform the test, creating a much less expensive and less time-consuming process.

"I can't imagine a more supportive, energetic and demanding mentor than Dr. Barstis," said student researcher Diana Vega Pantoja. "She is passionate about getting women interested in science in general, not only chemistry."

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St. Mary's researchers unveil new test to combat fake drug problem

Scientists in town for topics cosmic and microscopic

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Danzig

What can chemistry do to help doctors detect cancer? To exonerate the wrongly convicted? And clarify the causes of climate change?

These are some of the issues that will be addressed this week as 14,000 scientists descend on the Convention Center for a meeting of the American Chemical Society. Though the theme is "Materials for Medicine and Health," more than 8,000 planned sessions will range into nutrition, brain science, biodegradable plastics, solar cells, and forensics.

The Washington-based ACS, which boasts of being the world's largest scientific society, holds two meetings a year in various cities. This one starts Sunday and runs through Wednesday.

On Sunday, 2012 National Medal of Science winner Jacqueline Barton of Caltech will present the latest on the emerging science of "DNA wires" - a term describing the discovery that DNA can conduct electricity like a wire, sending signals around cells.

Changes in this wirelike behavior promise novel ways to detect DNA damage and diagnose cancer and other diseases.

A session Monday will delve into ways that chemistry figures into the Innocence Project, which was established to help free the wrongly convicted. Among the panelists will be Innocence Project cofounder Barry Scheck, FBI Crime Lab whistle-blower Fred Whitehurst, and two people who were wrongly imprisoned and freed through the Innocence Project's work.

That session is part of a series of special events sponsored by ACS president Bassam Shakhashiri and aimed at addressing social problems.

Also Monday, another of the president's symposia features Mario Molina, a chemist who shared the 1995 Nobel Prize with Sherwood Rowland for connecting refrigerants and aerosol propellant chemicals to the loss of atmospheric ozone. Molina's talk will address the evidence that human activity is influencing the global climate.

On Tuesday, the ACS will hold an all-day session devoted to communicating controversial ideas to the public. The symposium was organized in honor of newly retired Chemical and Engineering News editor Rudy Baum.

"Baum tackled inherently controversial topics - global climate change, for instance, surging population growth, disease, violence and war and the denial of basic human rights," said ACS president Shakhashiri, who is a chemistry professor at the University of Wisconsin. Baum will be among the panelists, as well as National Center for Science Education director Eugenie Scott, veteran science journalists Deborah Blum and Tom Siegfried, and Pennsylvania State University climatologist Michael Mann, whose recent book, The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars, recounts his much-attacked research.

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Scientists in town for topics cosmic and microscopic

Cleveland Browns' Brandon Weeden struggles to develop chemistry with key elements missing

Posted on August 18, 2012 by Danzig

BEREA, Ohio Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden has been working overtime to get on the same page with his skill players, especially the young ones such as receivers Greg Little and Josh Gordon.

Problem is, he hardly even has the book on some of them yet because of injuries.

With a little more than three weeks left before the Sept. 9 opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, Weeden hasn't had his full complement of weapons in practices or preseason games.

In Thursday's outing in Green Bay which was a quasi-dress rehearsal for Weeden the following key players were out with injuries: starting running back Trent Richardson (left knee scope), starting receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (concussion), rookie receiver Travis Benjamin (undisclosed), starting tight end Ben Watson (undisclosed) and second-team tight end Jordan Cameron (bone bruise in back).

Fortunately for Weeden, Cameron and Benjamin returned to practice Friday, but with so many guys in and out of the lineup, the rookie quarterback hasn't been able to establish consistency with the the first-teamers.

"That's the one challenging thing,'' Weeden said. "Being a rookie, I'm still learning the guys as well as they're learning me. There's a lot of guys cycling through and I think that's good for us (in preseason). But once you get to the regular season, you want to be throwing to the same guys all of the time.''

Weeden, who's completed 15 of 29 attempts for 180 yards and a 56.7 rating, was starting to develop chemistry with Massaquoi, Benjamin and Cameron when they got knocked out of action in the Detroit game Aug. 10. Watson has been sidelined since Aug. 4, and Weeden's falling behind on timing with Richardson.

"Not having those guys ... it's tough on our offense, but fortunately these games don't count as a win-loss,'' Weeden said. "Those guys are key assets to this offense and guys we're relying on to make a lot of plays for us."

Weeden, who has yet to throw a TD pass in 11 series, completed his first pro attempt to Massaquoi for 12 yards in Detroit, and then lost him to a concussion. On his second attempt in Detroit, Weeden hit a streaking Benjamin in stride for a 34-yarder down the left sideline and the two were heating up. But Benjamin is just getting worked back into the lineup.

Weeden was lighting it up with Cameron in practice, and also completed a 16-yarder to him in Detroit, but Cameron suffered a bone-bruise on a 42-yard catch from Colt McCoy in the second quarter and missed the whole next week.

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Cleveland Browns' Brandon Weeden struggles to develop chemistry with key elements missing

Chemistry in its element – uranium hexafluoride

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Danzig

Do you long to be a superpower? Do your friends on the world stage look down on your military strength? Does your lack of second strike capability make you feel inadequate? You need a nuclear deterrent. Better get yourself some uranium hexafluoride and this week’s Chemistry in its element podcast.

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http://prospect.rsc.org/blogs/cw/?feed=rss2

Alfa Wassermann Diagnostic Technologies' ACE Axcel System Applies Smart Technology to Enhance and Simplify Physician …

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Danzig

WEST CALDWELL, N.J., Aug. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Alfa Wassermann Diagnostic Technologies, LLC (AWDT), the market leader in clinical chemistry analyzers for the physician office laboratory, today announced the launch of its ACE Axcel Clinical Chemistry System. The next generation ACE Axcel is designed to meet the needs of physician office laboratories and is cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration specifically for use in physician office labs.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120816/NY58283)

The ACE Axcel is an easy-to-operate system that produces quality results covering a range of the most widely tested conditions. It adds touch screen functionality, an intuitive user interface and Internet connectivity to make in-office laboratory testing faster, more convenient and more cost-effective. The system has an easy-to-use graphical user interface and touch screen technology for intuitive control. Built-in Internet connectivity facilitates technical support, remote access and laboratory integration, and provides seamless connection to electronic health records using AWDT's Alfa LIS (Lab Information System) or other laboratory information systems.

"Our new ACE Axcel system builds on the quality and reliability of our market leading clinical chemistry systems to provide unparalleled ease-of-use, accuracy and efficiency to physician office laboratories," said Peter J. Napoli, President of Alfa Wassermann Diagnostic Technologies."Intuitive touch screen technology and Internet connectivity streamline laboratory operations, increasing productivity and maximizing the potential for the lab to contribute to the financial health of the practice, while providing patients with the medical and convenience benefits of on-site laboratory testing."

The ACE Axcel is a self-contained system in a small footprint that can process up to 285 tests per hour with both photometric and potentiometric detection technologies.It can run any combination of single tests, panels or profiles from a comprehensive test menu, and has an open reagent system that enables custom assays.A STAT interrupt feature allows users to load and prioritize STAT samples during system operation to meet immediate diagnosis and treatment needs.

Dr. John Chafos of Family Care Medical Practice in Green Brook, NJ, who evaluated the ACE Axcel, commented, "Physician office testing provides benefits to both patients and healthcare providers, and we found that the ACE Axcel system makes it easier than ever to incorporate diagnostic testing into our practice. Features such as the touch screen control panel, high degree of automation, and reduction of sample and reagent handling have the potential to increase the productivity of our lab operations. In addition, Internet connectivity will enable a higher level of technical support, a valuable benefit for our medical technologists."

The ACE Axcel includes a number of features that automatically ensure accurate results.Closed-tube sampling with the STEP module minimizes operator interaction with patient specimens, making for a safer workplace. System calibration is automatically monitored on an ongoing basis.Web-enabled Alfa Assist technical support is available 24/7 and maximizes instrument uptime. Liquid, ready-to-use reagents eliminate operator prep time. The on-board reagent refrigeration feature maintains specimen and reagent integrity and decreases handling. In addition, reagent inventory is automatically managed by the system.

Trip Trepagnier, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development for AWDT noted, "ACE Axcel automates and simplifies the testing process, while our nationwide network of award-winning service and support personnel ensures that our customers can rapidly deliver high quality diagnostic test results with maximum productivity and minimum hassle. We believe the ACE Axcel system will be welcomed by our large established customer base, as well as by physicians who are concerned about the complexity and technical challenges of conventional diagnostic testing systems."

Alfa Wassermann Diagnostic Technologies, LLC is a leading provider of clinical diagnostic instrumentation and reagents. AWDT focuses on the needs of physician office laboratories and veterinary clinics. Alfa Wassermann's diagnostic products include the high-performance, low-maintenance ACE Alera, Vet Alera and Alfa LIS, which are sold worldwide to physician, veterinary and research laboratories.

For more information on the ACE Axcel, visit http://www.ACEAxcel.com.

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Alfa Wassermann Diagnostic Technologies' ACE Axcel System Applies Smart Technology to Enhance and Simplify Physician ...

'Heroes of Chemistry' award to hepatitis C team from Merck

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Danzig

The American Chemical Society will hold its 224th national meeting in Philadelphia starting Sunday and the five-day gathering kickoffs with a dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel to honor "Heroes of Chemistry."

The 2012 honorees include a group of scientists who developed the hepatitis C drug Victrelis, while working at Schering Plough and then Merck after it acquired Schering Plough in 2009.

Merck researchers in North Wales and Kenilworth, N.J., were among the hundreds who worked on the drug, which doctors hoped would be an improvement on a two-drug cocktail that had been used for more than a decade.

The five scientists honored include F. George Njoroge (one of the patent holders who has since moved to Eli Lilly and Company), Srikanth Venkatraman, Stephane Bogen, Frank Bennett and Ashok Arasappan.

Companies nominate a scientist, or teams of them, for the award. According to the ACS website, the award "has recognized chemical scientists whose work in various fields of chemistry and chemical engineering has led to the successful innovation and development of commercial products based on chemistry. The Heroes of Chemistry program highlights the vital role of industrial chemical scientists and their companies in improving human welfare through successful commercial innovations and products. It presents an ideal opportunity to enhance the public image of the chemical and allied industries."

The World Health Organization said in 2011 that the hepatitis C virus affects 130 million to 170 million people worldwide - about four times the number with HIV/AIDS - and kills about 350,000 people a year because of damage to the liver.

In its second-quarter earnings report, Merck said it sold $126 million of Victrelis. (Bocepravir is the chemical name.) It is approved in 43 countries and has launched in 23 of those markets, Merck said.

ChemAxon Announces New Version of chemicalize.org for Tablet PCs

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Danzig

BUDAPEST, Hungary, August 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

ChemAxon, a leader in providing chemistry software for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, announces that its free, open access, web-based chemistry search and extraction service, chemicalize.org, is now supported on touchscreen tablet PCs including Apple iPad and Android devices. This new version provides users with high resolution chemically-intelligent web search and extraction on the move.

Powered by ChemAxon technology and used by scientists worldwide, chemicalize.org identifies chemical names (SMILES, InChI, traditional and IUPAC names) on websites, in text and PDF files, converting them to 2D structures. Researchers can also calculate and explore a range of structure-based properties, search by structure in the ever expanding chemicalize.org knowledge-base, and search the internet to find all websites citing a particular chemical structure.

The new chemicalize.org features:

To try for yourself visit http://www.chemicalize.org

To discover more about how ChemAxon's leading edge cross platform solutions power modern cheminformatics and chemical communication, please visit http://www.chemaxon.com

About ChemAxon

ChemAxon is a leader in providing cheminformatics software development platforms and desktop applications for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. With core capabilities for structure visualization, search and management, property prediction, virtual synthesis, screening and drug design, ChemAxon focuses upon active interaction with users and software portability to create powerful, cost effective cross platform solutions and programming interfaces to power modern cheminformatics and chemical communication. The company is privately owned with European headquarters in Budapest and sales and support offices in Europe, Japan and North America.

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ChemAxon Announces New Version of chemicalize.org for Tablet PCs

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