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Chemistry Software helps users understand SAR and design.

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Danzig

Welwyn Garden City, UK -- Cresset, innovative provider of software and services for molecule designers launches forgeV10 a powerful computational suite to understand SAR and design. forgeV10 gives computational chemists control and insight into activity data enabling the planning and direction of projects with confidence. ForgeV10 uses the shape and electrostatic character of molecules to create qualitative and quantitative 3D models of activity that are visually stimulating and easy to communicate.

ForgeV10 takes advantage of Cresset's patented ligand comparison method to align, score and compare molecules from a biological view point. Cresset's technology has been tried and tested in hundreds of projects from virtual screening to compound design. ForgeV10 is used to: decipher complex SAR and communicate the results; design better molecules based on predictions which can be trusted; prepare detailed pharmacophores; virtually screen 10,000 compounds on the desktop; and generate ADME and off-target activity profiles. The powerful capabilities afforded the user by forgeV10 are available through locally installed software or through Cresset Consultancy Services.

Meeting the needs of computational and medicinal chemists, Cresset's new suite of next generation chemistry software comprises: forgeV10 a powerful computational suite to understand SAR and design; torchV10 an intuitive design and 3D SAR tool for medicinal chemists; torchV10lite a free 3D molecule viewing, editing and drawing tool; blazeV10 an amazing ligand based virtual screening tool; sparkV10 an exciting and powerful way of generating novel and diverse structures.

Cresset CEO, Dr Robert Scoffin said, "We are excited to bring to market these powerful tools to help companies maximize the potential of their projects. Some of the applications have simply been renamed but others have changed significantly and now include exciting new features. The release of forgeV10 as the lead off application in the Cresset pro v10 suite is a milestone in the provision of excellence in computational chemistry software."

Scientists interested in Cresset's next generation software can download free demos from the company's website.

For further information on the complete range of software and services available from Cresset, please visit http://www.cresset-group.com, follow Cresset on Twitter (@cressetgroup) or join the LinkedIn group.

About Cresset Group Ltd Cresset develops software for calculating and comparing the molecular Field characteristics of chemical compounds. Field technology uses the surface properties of molecules to evaluate their activities and properties, rather than relying on 2D structure similarity, which enables Cresset's users to find more interesting, novel and relevant results than other methods. Cresset's Fields provide a smarter, structure independent way of hit-finding, lead switching and lead optimization in drug discovery and other chemistry-based research projects. Cresset's Field technologies have been successfully applied to a very wide range of target classes, with and without structural information, on over 100 projects for major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. http://www.cresset-group.com

Chemistry in its element – carbon tetrachloride

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Danzig

At its height, it was as an all-purpose cleaner, refrigerant and even fire extinguisher but we have since learned (the hard way) that it is dangerously toxic. Brian Clegg charts the downfall of carbon tetrachloride in this week’s Chemistry in its element podcast.

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

On-field chemistry key for Leics

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Danzig

Leicestershire spinner Claude Henderson believes on-field relationships between players are crucial to success in Twenty20 cricket.

The Foxes won last year's competition, but have since lost key players in Paul Nixon, Andrew McDonald, James Taylor and Harry Gurney.

Henderson told the club's website: "It is like cat and mouse and you have a game of chess out in the middle.

"We'll work to develop relationships on the field because it's so important."

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The 39-year-old believes that the partnership between wicketkeeper and bowler is key in T20 is crucial, and he will be looking to develop a new alliance this year after Nixon hung up his gloves last season.

Battling for the keeper's place in T20 this year are Paul Dixey and Ned Eckersley, with the latter set to be given the nod for Tuesday's opening game of the tournament against local rivals Nottinghamshire.

"I am used to seeing Nico [Paul Nixon] behind the stumps and he was very good for us over the years," added Henderson.

"Nico was a key figure but it is time for the younger lads to have their go now.

"The keeper has to know his attack and understand what the bowler is trying to do, and the keeper also needs to tell the bowler what he thinks the batter is trying to do.

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On-field chemistry key for Leics

Chemistry Makes the Rubber Meet the Road with the help of QAD

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Danzig

Like many global manufacturers, Flexsys is caught in the squeeze of rising costs, falling prices and tough competition from emerging markets like Asia and Eastern Europe.

To maintain customer service levels while keeping costs in line, Flexsys recently changed its planning processes from make-to-stock to make-to-order.

The challenge

This shift eliminated the high cost of buffer inventory. But without safety stock to fall back on, the pressure was on the companys manufacturing assets to deliver top performance. That objective was hindered by inconsistent maintenance processes across the company. Plants were either using antiquated software to schedule and track maintenance or a combination of manual processes and spreadsheets.

An audit by an external consultant found that asset management at Flexsys was primarily reactive, rather than preventive, which led to poor equipment reliability. Production output was well below the level of efficiency required.

Implementing a single enterprise asset management solution and standardizing processes across all our sites were key to driving critical asset management improvements, says Roger Mason, Operations Manager for Flexsys.

The solution

We compared the functionality and reporting capabilities of the leading solutions and decided that QAD EAM was our best option, says Mason. The biggest factor in selecting QAD EAM was the interface to our existing QAD logistics and accounting software. This allowed us to very quickly have QAD EAM up and running at all our sites.

The Flexsys team identified four essential steps to reduce equipment breakdowns and improve plant reliability: 1) Develop a consistent work order process, 2) Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) inventory, 3) Implement root cause analysis (RCA) and, 4) Directly involve the production operators by initiating total productive maintenance (TPM).

The QAD EAM work order system provides the structure required for positive control over the maintenance work order process, supporting a global process that helps improve asset care and reduce breakdowns across all facilities. Flexsys relies on the excellent database contained in QAD EAM to help assess asset performance, and flexible reporting allows the company to define and measure KPIs. The system supports RCA and TPM: This means the companys production operators and maintenance technicians can focus most of their efforts on less costly preventive maintenance and very little on reacting to equipment breakdowns.

Research and Markets: Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury – Looks at Mercury's Impact on the Planet Today

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Danzig

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/nb2x8l/environmental_chem) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury" to their offering.

The book that looks at mercury's impact on the planet today

Recent research by the EPA has concluded that one in six women of childbearing age have unsafe levels of mercury in their bodies, which puts 630,000 newborn babies each year at risk of neurological impairment. Mercury poses severe risks to the health of animals and ecosystems around the world, and this book provides the essential information that anyone interested in environmental sciences should know about the fundamentals of the entire mercury cycle.

Comprised of four parts that present an overview of mercury in the environment, mercury transformations, transport, and bioaccumulation and toxicology, each chapter of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury includes the basic concepts of the targeted subject, a critical review of that subject, and the future research needs.

This book explains the environmental behavior and toxicological effects of mercury on humans and other organisms, and provides a baseline for what is known and what uncertainties remain in respect to mercury cycling. The chapters focus on the fundamental science underlying the environmental chemistry and fate of mercury. This work will be invaluable to a wide range of policy experts, environmental scientists, and other people requiring a comprehensive source for the state of the science in this field.

Key Topics Covered:

1 OVERVIEW OF MERCURY IN THE ENVIRONMENT

PART I ANALYTICAL DEVELOPMENTS

2 ADVANCES IN SPECIATION ANALYSIS OF MERCURY IN THE ENVIRONMENT

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Research and Markets: Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury - Looks at Mercury's Impact on the Planet Today

Role of team chemistry still up for debate

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Danzig

It is baseball's version of the chicken-and-egg conundrum. Which comes first, positive clubhouse chemistry or winning?

In search of insight, Reggie Jackson is always a nice place to start. Mr. October graced five World Series champions -- three with the Athletics, two with the Yankees -- and unloaded 18 homers in 17 postseason series. His intelligence quotient is top tier, like his monumental home runs.

Asked the question that cannot be definitively answered, Jackson -- traveling with the Yankees as a consultant, always happy to impart wisdom -- didn't hesitate.

"Winning creates chemistry," Jackson said. "It's all about strong leadership. You've got to have someone to keep everything and everybody in order. I've been on teams that didn't have great clubhouse chemistry, but won. We didn't always get along off the field, but between the lines we played the game hard, together.

"What those teams all had in common was leadership. That's what you have to have to win. In the NBA, you look at a guy like [Gregg] Popovich [of the Spurs]. He's got everything under control. That's how it was in the Lakers' "Showtime" days with [owner] Jerry Buss and Jerry West. They made sure they brought in good people. They weren't like the Oakland Raiders, who didn't mind having what you'd call incorrigibles on their roster."

In Oakland and later in the South Bronx during the tumultuous 1970s, Jackson was the star stirring potent drinks. The A's and Yankees, on his watch, shared an affinity for fighting among themselves before and after battling the opposition. Steve Garvey and Don Sutton fought in the visitors' clubhouse at Shea Stadium in 1978 while the Dodgers were en route to a second straight World Series against Reggie's Yankees.

You don't see or even hear of that kind of behavior anymore in Major League clubhouses. If there is discord, it's out of the media's view, in inaccessible back rooms.

Paul Konerko, on his way to another big season with the White Sox, comes down on the other side of the chemistry issue. When his 2005 South Siders rolled to a World Series title, the first baseman was convinced their collective attitude was the difference.

"When we left Spring Training," Konerko recalled, "no one thought we were a good team. Everyone on that team thought we had a solid team. We hung out together and started winning games, and it kind of took off. That was a team that had fun together, and it carried over to the field.

"We had a lot of close games. We didn't bomb a lot of people and put games away. We didn't score a ton of runs, but we put together rallies and won games late. Some of that has to come from being on the same page and pulling together. You have to believe in chemistry when you go through something like that."

Chemistry leads Blue Dons to state title

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Danzig

WEIRTON - There are a lot of reasons why a team wins a state championship.

Luck is involved, as is senior leadership, players who accept their roles, some right moves from the coach that work out and a little self-fulfilled retribution to make up for the way the previous year ended.

"Not making it out of sectionals last year was not a good feeling," said Madonna senior Logan Linder.

Blue Dons baseball coach Jeff Baire chose sophomore Luca Fuscardo to pitch the West Virginia Class A state championship game last Sunday against East Hardy.

As Fuscardo took the bump at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, senior Connor Mogan took his position at first base.

"That way, we only had to switch two guys from the semifinal game - Luca and Logan," Baire said of Fuscardo and the senior Linder, who pitched a complete-game 6-1 win over Charleston Catholic in the semifinals. "The rest of our lineup stayed the same and that lineup had been working well for us as of late.

"Everybody's going to judge in that situation and wonder why would you throw Mogan, or why would you throw Luca in that situation. We chose to go with the guy who was a little bit more finesse, who was able to throw to spots a little bit more, and he did great through five and two-thirds innings.

"Tory (Fuscardo) comes in and does a great job and that change of pace, that extra four-to-five miles per hour, was just enough to have the bats slow for Connor when he came in and finished out the seventh and eighth innings.

"Connor was locked in when he came in and that says something about the seniors. They wanted this game badly."

Sophomore Will Bowser hit a one-out bases-loaded single in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Blue Dons their second state championship in three years with a 5-4 victory.

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Chemistry leads Blue Dons to state title

Sunny-Arshad to regenerate Sanju-Arshad chemistry in BHAIYAAJI SUPERHIT

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Danzig

By Joginder Tuteja, Glamsham Editorial

Even though Sunny Deol and Arshad Warsi have earlier come together in JAANI DUSHMAN, this Rajkumar Kohli film had a dozen odd other actors including Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty amongst others. Now while BHAIYAAJI SUPERHIT also features Tusshar Kapoor in a key role, it is the Sunny-Arshad chemistry that is being designed to surpass the magic that was created by Sanju-Arshad in the past.

"Yes, in fact even Arshad was of view that since he has made a good pairing with Sanjay Dutt in the past, why couldn't he and Sunny bring on a new association. Okay, so the screenplay of BHAIYAAJI SUPERHIT isn't exactly on the lines of MUNNABHAI series but it has ample moments that would demonstrate good chemistry between a veteran like Sunny as well as Arshad who himself has been around for a decade and a half now. It is going to be magic for sure," promises Neeraj.

No wonder, Neeraj is adding extra zing to his 'bhaiyaaji' so that the results are 'superhit'.

"Since I am a writer first, I personally feel character detailing has to be perfect and the pacing should be just right. Moreover to compliment that you need to have actors who come with the best comic timing. I see that in my actors. When you have this combination in place, the script has to be designed in such a way that it never becomes boring when translated on screen. That was the case in RIGHT YAAA WRONG as well and I can confidently state that with the kind of genre BHAIYAAJI SUPERHIT is exploring, we would be moving many more steps ahead," promises Neeraj.

Also starring Ameesha Patel with expectation of Preity Zinta joining the cast soon, BHAIYAAJI SUPERHIT would release early next year.

CAS Names 2012 SciFinder® Future Leaders in Chemistry Program Participants

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Danzig

Outstanding Ph.D. students help shape the future of chemical information

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 8, 2012 /CNW/ - Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), the world's authority for chemical information, announced today the selection of 15 Ph.D. students in the chemical sciences for the 2012 SciFinder Future Leaders in Chemistry program. Each of these students demonstrated academic excellence, a commitment to research and an appreciation of chemical information, as evidenced through their exceptional essays and impressive letters of recommendation, distinguishing them among the hundreds of students who applied.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110829/CL58594-a)

Since 2010, the SciFinder Future Leaders in Chemistry program, formerly the SciFinder Academic Exchange Program, has served as an intensive mini-university where graduate students from around the world exchange ideas and experiences in chemistry and informatics. In only the third year of the program, applications were received from 32 countries around the world and more than doubled in number from last year, resulting in an acceptance rate of just over four percent. This year's class joins an elite group of scientists who have unique perspectives on how chemical information is vital to the advancement of research.

The following Ph.D. students have been selected:

Participants in the 2012 SciFinder Future Leaders in Chemistry program have the unique opportunity to share their insights on chemical information and learn from their peers. During their visit to the CAS campus in Columbus, Ohio, participants get a behind-the-scenes look at how CAS builds and maintains the most authoritative chemistry databases as they meet and exchange ideas with the CAS scientists and engineers responsible for SciFinder, the world's best chemical information research tool. As in past years, participants will also visit prestigious Central Ohio research organizations such as The Ohio State University, Battelle Memorial Institute and TechColumbus.

In addition, participants will join an expected 12,000 chemical professionals in Philadelphia , Penn., to attend the 244th ACS National Meeting & Exposition and listen to scientists present new research, hear the latest information in their areas of interest, and network with other chemists.

"This will be the third year we've welcomed students to our campus to share an exclusive look inside the world's premier organization for chemical information," said Christine McCue, vice president of marketing at CAS. "The program is an invaluable experience, providing the students and CAS a better understanding of the trends in chemical information and a fresh perspective on the needs of researchers around the world. We expect this year's program to be no different - but with a new name to reflect the remarkable accomplishments and leadership of these students, the future leaders in chemistry."

About SciFinder

SciFinder is the leading information research tool for chemistry and related disciplines. SciFinder provides scientists the essential content and proven results to increase productivity and make faster breakthroughs. The intuitive Web interface offers instant access to the CAS content collection, including CAS REGISTRY(SM)the gold standard of chemical substance and other related information. Fortune 500 corporations, more than 1,900 universities and major government agencies around the world rely on SciFinder to fuel R&D initiatives and foster innovation.

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CAS Names 2012 SciFinder® Future Leaders in Chemistry Program Participants

Coaching vs. Chemistry: Which Is a Greater Obstacle to Knicks' Success?

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Danzig

For the last decade, the New York Knicks have struggled with underachieving and mediocrity.

Even after trading for and signing players like Amar'e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler and J.R. Smith, the Knicks can't seem to get their act together and make it out of the first round of the NBA playoffs.

While the Knicks' lack of postseason success is certainly disheartening for Knicks' fans, the real issue is that no matter who's on the court, the Knicks can't seem to develop into a cohesive unit.

That lack of chemistry is what holds the Knicks back from being more than aperennialunderachiever in the Eastern Conference year in and year out.

No head coach in the world, not even the mighty Phil Jackson, could lead the Knicks to an NBA title without first helping developlegitimatechemistrybetween the players on the roster.

While Mike Woodson certainly plays a part in helping the Knicks develop chemistry in the locker room and on the court, the ultimate responsibility of establishing chemistry falls squarely on the shoulders of the veteran players on the team.

It's the responsibility of players like Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Amar'e Stoudemire to ensure that there is chemistry on the court between the players on the Knicks' roster.

We saw last season just how important chemistry is when the Dallas Mavericks knocked off the mighty Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.

Even with three All-StarsLeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Boshthe Heat didn't have the chemistry they needed to knock off a veteran Mavericks team who played with an incredibly high level of chemistry.

With chemistry between the Knicks' star players, they could be one of the best teams in the East even with Will Ferrell coaching the team.

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Coaching vs. Chemistry: Which Is a Greater Obstacle to Knicks' Success?

Akshay-Sonakshi chemistry was bound to be better, says Pitobash

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Danzig

By Abid, Glamsham Editorial

Apart from the intrinsic earthy merits of the film and Prabhu Dheva's outstanding direction and the water tight script, it is the sparkling chemistry between Akshay-Sonakshi, in just their first film, which is the talk of the town.

When we put up the same question to actor Pitobash, who has worked with the duo in Sirish Kunder's upcoming, JOKER 3D, he made some interesting observations.

Says Pitobash, "Please stand corrected because ROWDY RATHORE is Akshay-Sonakshi's second film, and though it has released earlier, it was the shooting of JOKER which took place much before ROWDY RATHORE. Let me tell you that I am not surprised. The tuning or chemistry (or whatever you may term it), between Akshay and Sonakshi was evident to me during the shooting of JOKER itself. I was sure that it would go a step ahead in their next film, ROWDY RATHORE."

Well, we are sure that Pitobash has many secrets to tell us, not only about JOKER but also about his upcoming SHANGHAI. But more about that later!

ExxonMobil Chemical Earns American Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care Company of the Year Award

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Danzig

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

ExxonMobil Chemical Company (XOM) received the Responsible Care Company of the Year Award at the 2012 American Chemistry Council (ACC) annual meeting in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The award is ACCs top award for exemplary achievement in safety, health, environmental performance and communication with stakeholders. An independent panel selects the recipient based on performance, programs and projects sustained over time.

Responsible Care is the global chemical industrys premier program for achieving and sustaining operational excellence. ExxonMobil Chemical implements Responsible Care through ExxonMobils Operations Integrity Management System (OIMS), which establishes company-wide expectations for addressing operational risks. Through OIMS, ExxonMobil monitors and improves its performance.

ExxonMobil Chemical Company President Steve Pryor said, OIMS gives our people around the world a common approach to managing operational risks and progressing towards an incident-free workplace. The goal is to eliminate injuries and reduce environmental impact. We appreciate ACCs recognition of our performance through this award.

Over the past 10 years, ExxonMobil Chemical has reduced the injury rate in its worldwide operations by 60 percent, while at the same time improving the sustainability of its operations and products. For example, ExxonMobil Chemical advances in polyethylene used to make heavy-duty shipping bags have reduced the thickness of the bags by 50 percent over the last 20 years, decreasing packaging weight, shipping costs, energy consumption, emissions and waste.

The ACC also recently recognized ExxonMobil Chemical with Responsible Care energy efficiency awards for 16 projects that are saving in excess of 3.3 trillion BTUs annually. These projects are yielding energy savings equal to the needs of about 40,000 U.S. households and reductions in carbon dioxide emissions of more than 200,000 tons per year.

About ExxonMobil Chemical

ExxonMobil Chemical is one of the worlds premier petrochemical companies with global manufacturing, technology, and marketing operations. ExxonMobil Chemical endorses the principle of sustainable development, including the need to balance economic growth, social development and environmental considerations. To learn more, visit http://www.exxonmobilchemical.com.

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ExxonMobil Chemical Earns American Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care Company of the Year Award

UNF Students discover potential life-saving bacteria

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Danzig

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Some chemistry students at the University of North Florida may have found the next miracle drug.

Over the last year, the students collected samples of seaweed, sponges and sand from as far away as the Florida Keys and as close as Big Talbot Island.

"Although it's in the very beginning stages, this could develop a new way for drug discovery," explained Jane Han, who is headed to dental school in the fall.

Some experts believe that in the next ten years, the antibacterials that are currently on the market will no longer be able to fight off infections because bacteria are rapidly evolving.

Dr. Amy Lane, an associate professor of chemistry at UNF, said most of the plants and materials on land have already been explored for their potential medicinal benefits, so she and her students turned to the coast.

"There is a huge need right now for the discovery of new compounds to be those next generations of drugs," said Dr. Lane

So far, Dr. Lane said many of the bacteria the students discovered show promise.

But why fight bacteria with bacteria? Because the microorganisms already go head to head in nature.

"One of the ways bacteria out compete the others in their environment is by producing compounds that kill the other bacteria surrounding them and so we're interested in tapping into that natural ability of bacteria to fight off their competitors," shared Dr. Lane.

The students are isolating the compounds each bacteria uses to compete with those around it. Those compounds could one day become drugs that fight flesh-eating bacteria or staph.

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UNF Students discover potential life-saving bacteria

Chemistry on court gets reaction in classroom

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Danzig

Education is Anna Cameron's major goal, but she's making an impression on the basketball court at the same time.

Cameron heads off from her Cambridge home this weekend for a second year at College of the Siskiyous in California. Should she repeat the success she had in her first year overseas, a scholarship appears likely.

The small forward led her side in rebounding and was second in scoring as the Eagles reached the last 16 in their conference tournament.

"We lost just before the quarterfinals to a very good team that went on to make the top four," Cameron said. "But to make the top 16 in the state, out of 120 teams, was really good."

Cameron averaged 12.9 points per game throughout the season. She had four games of 20 points or more while shooting 54.6 per cent from the field.

Those efforts earned her the title of Conference Freshman of the Year and she also made the All-Conference team fully justifying her decision last year to take the self-funded jump into the unknown.

"I really didn't know what to expect I just took a punt and it's been so great."

Cameron said the standard of play was higher than what she has played in New Zealand "maybe comparable to, say, under-21 representative basketball".

Not surprisingly, her form has drawn interest from other colleges and she pondered making a switch, but decided to play her sophomore (second) year at Siskiyous first.

"I want to go to the other [East] coast so I'm looking for a good school to attend there, maybe a lower division one or a division two basketball school."

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Chemistry on court gets reaction in classroom

ALEKS® Provides Personalized Learning for AP Chemistry Students

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Danzig

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

ALEKS Corporation, a leading provider of web-based learning and assessment solutions for mathematics and science, has released two new courses: AP Chemistry and Prep for AP Chemistry. These courses offer an innovative approach to chemistry instruction with personalized learning and adaptive assessments. The targeted instruction provided by ALEKS enables students to master General Chemistry and build the essential knowledge needed for long term success in university level chemistry and other natural science and engineering courses.

ALEKS uses artificial intelligence and open-response questioning to target the exact needs of each student. Using this information, the program provides a truly individualized learning path that targets gaps in knowledge. Students move through course topics at their own pace, developing mastery of prerequisite skills before moving on to more challenging topics.

ALEKS has been a great resource for reinforcing critical chemistry skills. Students enjoy the immediate feedback that ALEKS offers and appreciate that the feedback is individualized, noted Mark Morehouse, who teaches at Fossil Ridge High School in Colorado. ALEKS has had a significant positive impact on my students understanding of chemistry.

Prep for AP Chemistry covers prerequisite and foundational material necessary for success in a rigorous AP Chemistry course, while AP Chemistry provides thorough coverage of topics typically covered in a university-level General Chemistry course and on the AP Chemistry exam.

With ALEKS, I've seen a big increase in test scores and comprehension of chemistry concepts, states Kevin Newman, a teacher at Frazer Public School in Montana. Students suddenly have light bulbs go on and they understand the class.

ALEKS directs student focus to mastering the precise topics they need to fill knowledge gaps and succeed in the course, while teachers receive access to real-time reporting that displays student and class progress in the course. This mastery-based approach leads to dramatic learning outcomes and allows students to achieve deeper understanding and higher AP exam scores, said JP Lenney, Senior Vice President of ALEKS Corporation.

Educators can explore ALEKS AP Chemistry or Prep for AP Chemistry as both a student and as a teacher by signing up for a complimentary trial at http://www.aleks.com/free_trial/instructor.

About ALEKS Corporation

ALEKS Corporation is a leader in the creation of web-based, artificially-intelligent educational software. ALEKS learning and assessment technologies were originally developed by a team of cognitive scientists, mathematicians, and software engineers at the University of California, Irvine, with major funding from the National Science Foundation. ALEKS is founded on groundbreaking research in mathematical cognitive science known as Knowledge Space Theory. Through adaptive questioning, ALEKS accurately assesses a students knowledge state, and then delivers targeted instruction on the topics a student is most ready to learn.

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ALEKS® Provides Personalized Learning for AP Chemistry Students

Chemistry professor remembered as mentor, role model

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Danzig

Chemistry professor Sally Chapman, who taught general chemistry at Barnard for 36 years, died Saturday morning after a ten-month battle with kidney cancer. She was 65.

Chapman was remembered by her students and colleagues as a mentor and role model, and for encouraging women to pursue careers in fields dominated by men. Britney Wilson, BC 12, presented Chapman with the Barnard Medal of Distinctionthe colleges highest honorat commencement last month, citing Chapmans extraordinary commitment to the advancement of women, the education of chemists, and the liberal art of science.

In decades of unparalleled service to the college, you have been a mentor to countless Barnard students, and an inspiration to even more, Wilson said. Chapmans sister Diana Chapman Walsh, a former president of Wellesley College, accepted the medal on Chapmans behalf.

Chapman was a founding member of the Committee on the Advancement of Women Chemists, and prior to being diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in July, she had planned to retire from teaching in the near future to spend more time doing advocacy work. She was on sabbatical last semester.

Though she lectured to classrooms of more than a hundred students, Chapman valued one-on-one time with her students and offered extensive office hours. Linda Suen, BC 10, GSAS, and a former student of Chapmans, said that she often sought Chapmans help in classes taught by other professors.

The biggest impression she left on me was how caring she was. And as a professor, her door was always open, regardless of what we were needing her assistance for or what we had to talk to her for, Suen said. She didnt restrict her office hours to only her classes, and it was very apparent that she loved teaching and she valued her students.

Chapmans success as a female chemist inspired Suen to pursue a doctoral degree in chemistry at Columbias Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Although I am terribly sad that we just lost her, I think that I am privileged to have known her, Suen said. And I am sure that I will follow her example in progressing in my own career in chemistry.

Marina Orman, BC 11, said that while Chapman was a strict, no-nonsense professor with a commanding presence, outside of the classroom she was warm and kind-hearted.

Chapman hosted dinners at her home each year for Barnard seniors majoring in chemistry and other students she taught in lab classes. Orman said that Chapmans homemade chocolate mousse was legendary among her dinner guests.

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Chemistry professor remembered as mentor, role model

Understanding the chemistry of love

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Danzig

INTOUCH

A mismatch in libidos can doom a marriage. Understanding the chemistry of love can help mismatched partners enjoy a healthier, happier relationship.

One of the questions I'm asked most frequently concerns couples with mismatched libidos, where a husband wants sex much more often than his wife. "Does he really love me, or does he just want sex?" is a wife's common reaction. At the same time, a man can become very frustrated trying to find the answer to "Why does she always refuse me? Doesn't she love me anymore?" At first glance, many people might consider this situation as a trivial issue hardly worth arguing over (at least among conservative Thais). But for many couples, the mismatch wreaks plenty of marital havoc.

Intimacy is one area of significant differences between men and women. Generally, a woman needs to form an emotional connection to her partner in order to feel ready for sexual activity.

For a man, sex is necessary to create an emotional connection to his partner. This helps explain why husbands typically need sex more often than wives. However, to more fully appreciate the differences, it's important to know how hormones shape the different behaviours of men and women.

RELATIONSHIP CHEMISTRY

Many people misunderstand the role of hormones; they tend to believe hormones are only related to cancer or sex. In fact, hormones are chemical messengers that travel throughout the body coordinating complex processes, including growth and development, metabolism, fertility, and most other functions the body relies on to stay alive and healthy. Hormones also play a key role in puberty-related changes and immune system health, and they can affect individual behaviour.

Our libido, or sex drive, is included in the functions controlled by hormones. I'd like to look now at the specific hormones that affect libido.

TESTOSTERONE

Testosterone, the main male hormone, is produced primarily by the testicles; it plays a key role in male puberty and reproduction and is powerful enough to boost a man's libido in very little time. Testosterone is also referred to as a sex hormone since it affects both male and female sex drive.

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Understanding the chemistry of love

Chemistry 101: Playing together their whole lives, 9 seniors lead Dragons to states

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Danzig

They do everything together, including win Warren Area High School's first District 10 baseball championship since 1977.

There were nine seniors on the field to start the Dragons' 2-0 win over Cathedral Prep last Monday in the District 10 Class AAA championship game at Ainsworth Field in Erie.

Catcher-Andrew Bevevino; first baseman-Preston McMeans; second baseman-Eddie Dorunda, shortstop-Kory Thomas; third base-Kevin VanOrd; left fielder-Dan Maeder; center fielder-Chris Danielson; right fielder-Matt Jaskolka, and; pitcher-Hank Morrison.

All seniors.

"Nine starters - we've never had that many (seniors start) before," said Warren head coach Jeff Passaro.

Now those nine seniors will lead the Dragons into the PIAA Class AAA Tournament against Thomas Jefferson at 6 p.m. Monday at Slippery Rock University.

And call it what you will, but there's a definite chemistry with a group of boys that have been hanging out together their entire lives.

"I know them better than I know anyone," said Bevevino.

On and off the field.

"It makes it a ton easier," said Morrison. "I can throw anything I want to (to Andrew) because I trust him. He's been a catcher his whole life, and I think it makes a big difference with the chemistry."

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Chemistry 101: Playing together their whole lives, 9 seniors lead Dragons to states

11-year-old boy helps solve chemistry puzzle

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Danzig

An 11-year-old Swedish boy is attracting media attention around the world after helping his father solve a chemistry problem that had stumped him and his colleagues for years and getting his name published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Sven Hovmller, a professor in the department of materials and environmental chemistry at Stockholm University, knew his son, Linus Hovmller Zou, was a whiz at Sudoku and other number- and geometry-based puzzles so he asked him to help him come up with the geometric structure of a series of quasi-crystals known as pseudo-decagonal approximants.

"The day before, we had done some Sudokus, and I couldn't keep up with him," Hovmller told Carol Off, host of CBC Radio's As It Happens. "I just asked him this one Saturday morning; 'Would you like to sit down and have a look at this?' and he said. 'OK.'"

Hovmller and his colleagues had spent eight years using X-ray crystallography and electron diffraction to try to identify the atomic structures of a family of eight of the crystal-like compounds, only two of whose structures had been solved up to that point.

After years of staring at countless images of the compounds, Hovmller figured he could use a fresh perspective, and since the problem was less one of chemistry than geometry, he thought it was one his son, who was 10 at the time, could tackle.

"You don't need, really, any chemistry background to start working on this problem," Hovmller told As It Happens. "He has a fresh brain. He didn't know anything when he started. He could learn just enough to concentrate on the next step."

So, Linus and Hovmller sat down at the kitchen table and started playing with the patterns of the quasi-crystals. After two long days of hard work, they had identified the structures of four more of the compounds.

"Maybe the most remarkable [thing] wasn't that he sat down in the first place but that he didn't stand up and say. 'OK that's enough' after an hour or two," Hovmller said.

The father and son team's findings are published in the June 28 issue of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A (Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences).

Listen to Carol Off's interview with Hovmller by clicking on the player above.

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11-year-old boy helps solve chemistry puzzle

From sink to supercapacitor: kitchen sponge gets a new job

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Danzig

The humble kitchen sponge, whose day-to-day job is to scour dishes, has now been put to work in an energy storage device by scientists in Saudi Arabia.

Husam Alshareef and colleagues from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal have used a sponge as a platform to support a carbon-based electrode and a transition metal oxide electrode in a supercapacitor, together with an organic electrolyte, a combination that significantly increases the amount of energy that the device can store (energy density) compared to devices using aqueous electrolytes.

Supercapacitors are energy storage devices with a higher power density than batteries, but their low energy density – an obstacle to their use in many potential applications – has led to research into improving it. This can be done in two ways: enhancing the device capacitance by getting the right electrode material and enhancing the working voltage window, which can be done by using an organic electrolyte instead of an aqueous electrolyte.

The team coated a sponge with carbon nanotubes, followed by a layer of MnO₂(both good electrode materials). They tested the device with organic and aqueous electrolytes and found that it gave a good electrochemical performance with both, but the energy density was tripled with the organic electrolyte. The sponge’s role is to allow electrolytes to flow to the entire electrode surface where the redox reactions take place.

Gives a new meaning to the phrase ‘kitchen chemistry’!

Elinor Hughes

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

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