MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'chemical'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:55:25 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159795&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F25%2Fcrazy_shapeshifting_bullvalenes.php You don't hear much about bullvalene, outside of physical organic chemistry textbooks. It's a funny-looking symmetric tricyclic compound, which just seems to be another weirdo hydrocarbon until you consider what it can do with all those alkenes. Everything is lined up just right to rearrange - and then the product you get is lined up just right to rearrange, which gives you a product that rearranges, and so on and so on. The molecule has no permanent structure at reasonable temperatures; this process never stops. We owe William von E. Doering and Wolfgang Roth for this one (the background story is here). I hadn't realized that the "bull" in the name was put in there by Doering's grad students - it was his nickname! (Believe me, there are a lot of research groups out there where that trick... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159795 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:03:14 +0100 5159795 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139735&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcould-your-swimming-pool-give-you-a-rash%2F2011.08.18 Allergic to Swimming? We’re in the dog days of August and summer continues to hold on. What better way is there to relax than in your nice, cool pool? Unless you’re allergic to it, of course. I had a patient this summer who developed an itchy rash all over. He thought it might be due to his pool, but insisted that he kept it immaculately clean. Ironically, that might have been the trouble. Some people are allergic to (more…) *This blog post was originally published at The Dermatology Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139735 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:00:39 +0100 5139735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139738&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fresearch-shows-that-a-pregnant-womans-diet-might-influence-babys-palate%2F2011.08.17 Attention, pregnant women!  The foods you eat now might influence your babies’ palates after they are born.  New research published in the journal Pediatrics, shows that the fetus actually drinks amniotic fluid in the womb.  The amniotic fluid is flavored by the foods the mother has recently eaten and flavors can be transmitted to the amniotic fluid and mother’s milk. It makes sense that as the baby is developing, memories are being created by a sense of taste.  Could what a mother eats influence food preferences and odor preferences for life?  Researchers fed babies cereal flavored with carrot juice vs. water.  They showed that babies who experienced daily carrots in amniotic fluid or mother’s milk ate more carrot-flavored cereal and made less negative faces when e... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139738 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:00:00 +0100 5139738 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5140276&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F17%2Fnew_ways_to_fluorinate.php There have been some neat ways to make fluorinated molecules reported recently, which I wanted to mention. We med-chemists just love our fluorines - as long as we don't have to use, like, fluorine itself to make them - because they armor-plate parts of our molecules against being metabolized and can change the binding profiles of the parent structures like nothing else can. Over at New Reactions, there's a nice writeup on a new way to generate difluorocarbene, which (as it should) immediately adds to alkenes to give you difluorocyclopropanes. (It'll add to alkynes to give you the somewhat more exotic difluorocyclopropenes, too). This is from G. K. Surya Prakash and George Olah, and from the looks of it, it's simplicity itself: take your alkene and some TMS-CF3 in THF, and either run it ho... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5140276 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:26:31 +0100 5140276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5140277&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F16%2Fscreening_quickly_through_the_mutants.php Here's another paper at the intersection of biology and chemistry: a way to check the activity of a huge number of mutated esterase enzymes, all at the same time. Protein engineering is a hot field, as well it should be, since enzymes do things in ways that we lowly organic chemists can only envy. Instead of crudely bashing and beating on the molecules out in solution, an enzyme grabs each of them, one at a time, and breaks just the bond it wants to, in the direction it wants to do it, and then does it again and again. If you're looking for molecular-scale nanotechnology, there it is, and it's been right in front of us the whole time. Problem is, enzymes get that way through billions of years of evolution and selection, and those selection pressures don't necessarily have anything to do ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5140277 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:23:54 +0100 5140277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096341&cid=t_115137_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F04%2Fdoctor-is-my-mood-disorder-due-to-a-chemical-imbalance%2F Dear Mrs. ——– You have asked me about the cause of your mood disorder, and whether it is due to a “chemical imbalance”. The only honest answer I can give you is, “I don’t know”—but I’ll try to explain what psychiatrists do and don’t know about the causes of so-called mental illness, and why the term “chemical imbalance” is simplistic and a bit misleading. By the way, I don’t like the term “mental disorder”, because it makes it seem as if there’s a huge distinction between the mind and the body—and most psychiatrists don’t see it that way. I wrote about this recently, and used the term “brain-mind” to describe the unity of mind and body.1 So, for lack of a better term, I’ll just refer to “psychiatric illnesses.” Now, this notion of... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096341 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:35:19 +0100 5096341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086175&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fresearchers-make-an-artificial-lung-that-would-not-require-a-mechanical-pump%2F2011.07.31 Researchers from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio made a prototype of an artificial lung which reaches gas exchange efficiencies almost equal to the genuine organ. The small device does not need extra oxygen, it works with normal air. Joe Potkay, a research assistant professor in electrical engineering and computer science published the technique this week in the journal Lab on a Chip. The scientists developed this prototype while keeping track of the natural design of our lungs. It is made of breathable silicone rubber acting as blood vessels that get as small as one-fourth of the width of a human hair. Because it works on the same scale as normal lung tissue, the team was able to shrink the distances for gas diffusion compared to current techniques. Tests usin... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086175 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 14:00:01 +0100 5086175 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069801&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F26%2Fprecious_metal_time.php What do you want to bet that Huw Davies and co-workers were partly interested in making dihydrofurans here, and mostly interested in having a synthetic sequence that used rhodium, silver, and then gold? Not that I blame them - personally, I'd have gone ahead and done a palladium coupling, a copper-catalyzed Ullmann of some sort, and then found something to reduce with platinum oxide. Go for the record! What is the record, I wonder? (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069801 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:17:19 +0100 5069801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062294&cid=t_115137_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F24%2Fmental-illness-is-not-simply-a-brain-disease%2F Last month, Andrew Brown writing for the UK’s Guardian, noted when Professor David Nutt kept referring to depression as a “brain disease” on a popular UK television program. We commend Andrew Brown for his calling out Professor Nutt in trying to dumb down the portrayal of mental disorders to simply “brain diseases.” Mental disorders remain complex disorders that involve all aspect of a person’s functioning and life — their brain and biology, their psychological makeup and personality, and their social interactions and relationships with others. The cause isn’t just one of these things in the vast majority of people who have a mental illness — the cause is all of these things, in differing proportions. I’ve written about this in th... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062294 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:36:25 +0100 5062294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051201&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F20%2Fwill_macrocycles_get_it_done.php Here's an article from Xconomy on Ensemble Therapeutics, a company that spun off from work in David Liu's lab at Harvard. Their focus these days is on a huge library of macrocyclic compounds (prepared by using DNA tags to bring the reactants together, which is a topic for a whole different post). They're screening against several targets, and with several partners. Why macrocycles? Well, there's been a persistent belief, with some evidence behind it, that medium- and large-ring compounds are somehow different. Cyclic peptides certainly can be distinguished from their linear counterparts - some of that can be explained by their being unnatural (and poor) substrates for some of the proteases that would normally clear them out, but there can be differences in distribution and cell penetratio... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051201 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:50:00 +0100 5051201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036227&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcurious-about-herbal-medicine%2F2011.07.17 So, you’re curious about herbal medicine. Is there any truth to this stuff? Uncle Howie tells you that he read in the National Enquirer about an herb that has better antibacterial effects on cuts and scrapes than Neosporin ointment — never mind that Neosporin is composed of three different antibiotics that come originally from bacteria themselves. So you set out on a quest to purchase some of this herb, known colloquially as goldenseal. When you go to your local Whole Hippie Dump-a-Load-of-Cash Emporium you find goldenseal alright, in about twenty different forms. On one side of the aisle are containers with loose, crushed up leaves and roots that look like medical marijuana. On a shelf, you find see-through capsules that seem to contain a powdered version of the herb. Down the aisle a... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036227 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 21:00:14 +0100 5036227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934103&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F6DG6V1dfIC0%2F By Ilya ShapiroHard cases make bad law, the saying goes.  Well, a bizarre case that the Supreme Court decided unanimously today has set a good precedent for the enforcement of residual Tenth Amendment powers.  As I described in December when Cato filed a brief in Bond v. United States: Carol Anne Bond learned that her best friend was having an affair with her husband, so she spread toxic chemicals on the woman’s car and mailbox. Postal inspectors discovered this plot after they caught Bond on film stealing from the woman’s mailbox. Rather than leave this caper to local law enforcement authorities to resolve, however, a federal prosecutor charged Bond with violating a statute that implements U.S. treaty obligations under the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. Bond pled guilty and was... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934103 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:48:12 +0100 4934103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911664&cid=t_115137_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2Fr6MhbcUATqg%2F Let us highlight a couple of insightful and brief articles in the New York Times and a very powerful analysis in The New York Review of Books; they provide useful clues about Brain Calisthenics, Bilingual Brains, and Debunking Myths on Mental Illness. Brain Calisthenics for Abstract Ideas (NYT): Now, a small group of cognitive scientists is arguing that schools and students could take far more advantage of this same bottom-up ability, called perceptual learning. The brain is a pattern-recognition machine, after all, and when focused properly, it can quickly deepen a person’s grasp of a principle, new studies suggest. The challenge for education, Dr. Kellman added, “is what do we need to do to make this happen efficiently?” Experts develop such sensitive perceptual radar the old-fashi... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911664 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:12:58 +0100 4911664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872479&cid=t_115137_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FhNw94LQfrRg%2F Meet Eric Dezenhall. An experienced public relations consultant who once worked briefly in the Reagan White House, he has generated a controversial profile as a crisis management counselor by adopting an aggressive posture toward the media. Among his high-profile assignments - he has reportedly represented former Enron ceo Jeff Skilling and Dow Chemical, which led to a nasty skirmish with Greenpeace USA over messy allegations of dumpster diving and stolen documents (see here and here). A New Jersey native, Dezenhall detailed his philosophy in a book entitled ‘Nail ‘Em!: Confronting High-Profile Attacks on Celebrities and Businesses.’ Bill Moyers, a noted journalist who sparred with the Dezenhall firm over a 2001 documentary about the chemicals industry, told BusinessWeek:... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872479 Thu, 26 May 2011 14:18:05 +0100 4872479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862900&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F25%2Fgetting_rid_of_pesky_chirality.php A reader sends along this example of a "stereodestructive" synthesis. I have nothing in particular against N-alkylpyrroles, but do we need another route to them so badly that we have to tear up not-so-cheap hydroxyproline to get there, burning up two chiral centers in the process? Readers are invited to submit other examples from the "wad it up and throw it away" school of chiral synthesis in the comments. . . (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862900 Wed, 25 May 2011 16:04:51 +0100 4862900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4848143&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F20%2Flike_charges_er_attract.php Now, this is a strange little paper in Chem. Comm. The authors are studying small reverse micelles (RMs, basically, for those of you not in the field, bits of water enclosed by a layer of soap-like organic molecules). Nothing wrong with that - micelles and reverse micelles have been objects of study for many years now. But they're saying that when they look at positively charged molecules and the way that they associate with positively charged RMs - that once the size of the reverse micelles gets small enough, that like charges attract instead of repel: Comparing the results in the RMs and in the conventional micelles, it is quite evident that the violation in the principle of electrostatic interaction is not a general phenomenon and is quite specific for the nano-confined environment,... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4848143 Fri, 20 May 2011 13:25:12 +0100 4848143 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841958&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F17%2Fquis_custodiet_ipso_custodes.php Yesterday's look into the Google Ngram data set brought up a discussion in the comments on how good the numbers are in it (and in other large datasets). "Garbage in, garbage out" is as true a statement as ever, so it's a real worry. (Even if the data were perfect, the numbers could still be misused and misinterpreted, of course). An e-mail from a reader pointed me to another example of this sort of thing. The NIH Chemical Genomics Center (NCGC) has a collection of known pharmaceutically active compounds for use in screening and target ID. This is a good idea, and the same sort of thing is done internally in the drug industry. But the ChemConnector blog has some questions about how robust the dataset is. The rough estimate is that between 5 and 10% of the 7600+ structures are messed up in ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841958 Tue, 17 May 2011 16:23:52 +0100 4841958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813657&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F11%2Fin_memoriam_two_chemists.php Word reached me yesterday that Corwin Hansch, long of Pomona College, had died. Anyone who's ever done (or thought about) trying to apply mathematical techniques to compound structure-activity relationships has internalized some of his work. (Here's an intro, for those who haven't encountered classical QSAR). I was quite excited about using such techniques (and their successors) early in my career, but ran into difficulty applying them in the real world. There were several complications - our compounds were (very likely) in several different SAR series, so combining them wasn't doing the analysis any favors; we had gaps in the compound space that would have helped refine the calculations (but were difficult to prepare and not felt to be worth the trouble to make), and, perhaps most import... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813657 Wed, 11 May 2011 11:23:02 +0100 4813657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4742648&cid=t_115137_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fchemical-dependency-and-the-family%2F Everything You Need to Know about Chemical Dependence – Addiction, Alcoholism AlcoholHeroinAmphetaminesTobaccoInhalantsCocaineMarijuanaMedications By Vernon E. Johnson, D.D., founder of the Johnson Institute. Former faculty member of Rutgers University Summer School for Alcohol StudiesDr. Johnson compiled the most popular Johnson Institute literature on chemical dependence for this complete family guide. It includes answers to these important questions:How can I recognize chemical dependence?How can I avoid it?How can my family solve the problems that come with it?How is chemical dependence different for men, women, teenagers, children, and the elderly?How can I prevent my child from using drugs?Designed for easy access, this practical guide to prevention, intervention, and recovery will... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4742648 Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:25:00 +0100 4742648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658414&cid=t_115137_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F30%2Fantioxidants-and-your-health%2F Antioxidants are good for your health. Or at least that is a popular claim. An antioxidant is any molecule that slows down or prevents oxidation reactions.  Originally, oxidation reactions were defined as chemical reactions with oxygen.  More recently, oxidation reactions have been described as reactions in which an atom or molecule loses an electron. Oxidation is a natural part of life.  Excessively high antioxidant levels are detrimental to health. Some people have suggested that oxidation reactions contribute to heart disease, declines in cognitive abilities, and cancer. “Vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene have been shown to be antioxidants in a test tube, and it is often claimed that they and many other substances are able to function as antioxidants in the body. However, wh... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658414 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:20:01 +0100 4658414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4580893&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpregnant-women-and-exposure-to-paint%2F2011.03.13 I came across an article the other day about paint and pregnancy. Yes, that paint — the kind that you put on a canvas or slap on your walls. Did you know that paint is made of pigment particles in a liquid base called a medium? Oil paints are thinned or cleaned with paint thinners. Latex paints are thinned or cleaned with water. Most paint that’s used in the home is latex. Can environmental forces affected pregnancy? The short answer is “yes,” according to the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), whose mission is to study malformations of the unborn. Regarding paint and pregnancy, the amount of exposure is important. A one-time household exposure causes fewer problems than ongoing exposure through a work setting. And there have been medical stu... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4580893 Sun, 13 Mar 2011 22:00:06 +0100 4580893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560356&cid=t_115137_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F07%2Fthe-healthy-home-31-ways-to-protect-yourselves-from-toxins%2F In their exceptional, informative book The Healthy Home: Simple Truths of Protect Your Family From Hidden Household Dangers, son and father team Myron Wentz and Dave Wentz tackle the topic of toxins from room to room, starting with the bedroom and ending with the garage and yard. “Every second of every day, we face an onslaught of unnecessary dangers—toxic chemicals, negative energies, unforeseen side effects, and more—in our modern world,” writes Dave, the younger Wentz. Myron, his father, who holds a Ph.D. in microbiology with a specialty in immunology from the University of Utah, throws in the statistics: “A new chemical substance is discovered every nine seconds during the workday. Chemists discovered the eighteenth millionth chemical substance known to science on June 15... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560356 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:40:57 +0100 4560356 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512429&cid=t_115137_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F23%2Fcellphone-use-may-increase-brain-activity%2F Brain studies get more interest in the media, because the brain is truly one of the last great unknowns of the human body. While our understanding of the brain has made great strides in the past few decades, we still have only very basic and rudimentary knowledge of this important organ. Honestly, researchers still aren’t quite sure how the brain even works. When you consider where we are with our understanding of the brain’s basic functions, you have to take studies that use brain imagery with a healthy grain of salt. The consumption of sugar by the brain is thought to indicate important brain activity, but it’s a correlational association that researchers have documented. The latest “gee whiz!” brain study showed that when you put a muted cell phone next to ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512429 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:28:44 +0100 4512429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495419&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F18%2Fsmell_the_vibrations_fruit_flies_might_be_able_to_.php A few years ago, I wrote here about Luca Turin and his theory that our sense of smell is at least partly responsive to vibrational spectra. (Turin himself was the subject of this book, author of this one (which is quite interesting and entertaining for organic chemists), and co-author of Perfumes: The A-Z Guide, perhaps the first attempt to comprehensively review and categorize perfumes). Turin's theory is not meant to overturn the usual theories of smell (which depend on shape and polarity as the molecules bind into olfactory receptors), but to extend them. He believes that there are anomalies in scent that can't be explained by the current model, and has been proposing experiments to test them. Now he and his collaborators have a new paper in PNAS with some very interesting data. They'... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4495419 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:49:55 +0100 4495419 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482756&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-womens-tears-do-to-men%2F2011.02.16 Humans are the only living things that cry when they are overcome with emotion. Why do we do this? A study by Noam Sobel and colleagues at the Weizmann Institute provide part of the answer, at least as it relates to women. The scientists showed that when men get a whiff of women’s tears, they experience a temporary, generalized loss of libido and a dip in testosterone. Really. (And you thought that red, runny nose was the turn off, didn’t you?) Scientists have known for decades that the chemical composition of “emotional tears” differs from tears shed due to simple irritation. But now, it appears that some of the chemicals contained in the former are actually pheromones; biological substances that create behavioral changes in others who are exposed to them. Such chemicals were kno... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482756 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:00:32 +0100 4482756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424396&cid=t_115137_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F31%2Fyale-university-scientists-synthesize-long-sought-after-anticancer-agent%2F A team of Yale University scientists has synthesized for the first time a chemical compound  called “lomaiviticin aglycon, ” which led to the development of a new class of molecules that appear to target and destroy cancer stem cells. A team of Yale University scientists has synthesized for the first time a chemical compound called [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424396 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:25:18 +0100 4424396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394517&cid=t_115137_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Feven-more-science-news.html Science news snippets from the net meanderings of David Bradley Sir David King on climate change – King said, “We hear enough from the climate change skeptics that I have to repeat some fundamentals that you’ve probably heard before.” Fifty-five million years ago, atmospheric CO2 concentrations stood at about 1,000 ppm and global temperatures were much higher and ocean levels were about 110 m higher than they are today. Large mammals developed on Antarctica because the climatic conditions on all of the other continents were inhospitable to such development.<br /> <br /> In the past 500,000 years, every ice age was characterized by atmospheric CO2 concentrations around 200 ppm; every short interglacial period by concentrations around 285 ppm, which was a... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394517 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:00:06 +0100 4394517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394519&cid=t_115137_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fscience-news-4.html snippets Herpes target – UK scientists have used solution-state NMR spectroscopy for the first time to develop a 3D picture of a herpes virus protein interacting with a key part of the human cellular machinery. The study improves our understanding of how the virus hijacks human cells and could eventually lead to new targets for drug therapy. Bacterial sense – A new biosensor platform for the detection of bacterial pathogens, specifically demonstrated with E coli, has been developed based on long-range surface plasmon-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy (LRSP-FS). Chun-Jen Huang, Jakub Dostalek, Angela Sessitsch and Wolfgang Knoll of the Health and Environment Department, at the Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, in Vienna, explain how increasing awareness of food safety an... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394519 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:33:48 +0100 4394519 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4259169&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F14%2Fthe_solid_phase.php Looking over the chemical literature with an RSS reader can really give you a sense of what the hot topics are, and what's cooling off. Remember when it seemed as if every third paper was about ionic liquids? You still see work in the area, but it's nowhere near as crazy as it was. (I had a colleague come by my office the other day and ask "Did anyone ever find out what to do with those things?") Similarly, gold catalysts have been all over the place in recent years, but seem, to my eye, to be calming down. Some of these things are research areas that look promising, but die off when their limits become apparent. Some of them are almost sheer fads, with papers coming out from all sorts of odd places because the authors want to get in on the hot, publishable topics while they can. Others k... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4259169 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:56:06 +0100 4259169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4251105&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FtY_hNa8O4F8%2F By Ilya ShapiroCarol Anne Bond learned that her best friend was having an affair with her husband, so she spread toxic chemicals on the woman’s car and mailbox. Postal inspectors discovered this plot after they caught Bond on film stealing from the woman’s mailbox. Rather than leave this caper to local law enforcement authorities to resolve, however, a federal prosecutor charged Bond with violating a statute that implements U.S. treaty obligations under the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. Bond pled guilty and was sentenced but now appeals her conviction on the ground that the statute at issue violates the Tenth Amendment – in that her offense was local in nature and not properly subject to federal prosecution. The Third Circuit declined to reach the constitutional ques... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4251105 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 17:19:51 +0100 4251105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225611&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F03%2Fnot_on_my_street_i_hope.php Several people have called this guy to my attention: the Escondido wild man who seems to have had a good-sized explosives factory going in his house. He had kilo quantities of (highly explosive) PETN, HMTD, and all kinds of other things you Do Not Want in your basement (see that Chemistry Blog link for a list). In fact, he and his home chemistry operation seem to have been too much for local law enforcement, who (at least at last report) bailed out of the house and haven't finished searching it yet. That sounds like an excellent decision - you couldn't pay me to go in the place and poke around. On the one hand, perhaps his lab technique wasn't so bad: he was able to work in those quantities without blowing himself up. But on the other hand, and by golly this hand wins, anyone who makes ki... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225611 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 19:55:36 +0100 4225611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225612&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F03%2Fgoing_to_let_someone_else_do_this_one.php Fluorinated compounds are always of interest to a medicinal chemist, and difluordioxolanes are perfectly reasonable things to put into a drug's structure. But any method that first uses thiophosgene (you can buy it easily, but here's a good old prep that gets across its fine qualities) and follows that up with bromine trifluoride (which shares many of the wonderful properties of its sibling). . .well, let me know how it goes, and do it far downwind of me. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225612 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:22:47 +0100 4225612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4203183&cid=t_115137_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSciencebaseScienceBlog%2F%7E3%2FrxNokmfSDr4%2Fsix-science-books-for-the-holiday-season.html subjects as diverse as molecular biology pioneer Sydney Brenner, the question of antimatter, how scientists can better explain their research to non-scientists, a history of the chemical elements, scientific feuds and how innovators exploit business and technology trends. Minitrends – Minitrends are emerging trends that promise to become significantly important within 2-5 years, but are not generally recognized. Unlike megatrends or microtrends, Minitrends are of a scope and importance to offer attractive opportunities to individuals and businesses of all sizes. The one that caught my eye is mention of nanotechnology and how it could be used in water purification and to make "fake" bone (I think they mean "artificial")! Scientific Feuds – Most science his... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4203183 Fri, 26 Nov 2010 08:05:06 +0100 4203183 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179525&cid=t_115137_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FXGVfJpCTsxU%2F Hello, everyone. Another shiny day is unfolding here at the Pharmalot corporate campus where, as usual, we are hustling short people off to the local school house and brewing the mandatory cup of stimulation. A truly busy day, however, lies in store. You know that feeling, yes? So please join us as we prepare for another round of meetings and deadlines. And of course, here are some tidbits to get us going. Have a good one and see you soon… Pfizer And Cipla May Ink Global Supply Deal (The Times of India) Genzyme Sells Diagnostic Unit To Sekisui Chemical (Reuters) India Tightens Clinical Trial Guidelines (Outsourcing Pharma) Israeli Biotechs Flock To Ohio For Funds And Experts (Bloomberg News) FDA Panel Backs Merck’s Gardasil To Thwart Anal Cancer (Associated Press) Montana Gover... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179525 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:55:37 +0100 4179525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179499&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F18%2Fhalaven_holder_of_the_record.php The FDA has approved Eisai's Halaven (eribulin) for late-stage breast cancer. As far as I can tell, this is now the most synthetically complex non-peptide drug ever marketed. Some news stories on it are saying that it's from a marine sponge, but that was just the beginning. This structure has to be made from the ground up; there's no way you're going to get enough material from marine sponges to market a drug. If anyone has another candidate, please note it in the comments - but I'll be surprised if there's anything that can surpass this one. There have been long syntheses in the industry before, of course, although we do everything we can to avoid them. Back when hydrocortisone was first marketed by Merck, it had a brutal synthetic path for its time. (That's where a famous story about Ma... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179499 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:27:41 +0100 4179499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4162922&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdrug-seekers-and-a-new-threat%2F2010.11.13 I wish I could say that every patient encounter worked out well, that all my patients went home happy and satisfied. It would be nice, but unfortunately that is not true at all. There are many patients who present with unrealistic expectations or an agenda which is non-therapeutic, and I am relatively straightforward and unapologetic about correcting patient’s misconceptions about the care that is or is not appropriate in the ED. Unsurprisingly, this often though not always involves narcotic medications. Which is not to say that I am a jerk. I try to be compassionate, and I try to find alternative solutions, and I have been told that I can turn away a drug seeker more nicely than any other doctor in the department. But when it is time to say “no,” I say “no” ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4162922 Sat, 13 Nov 2010 20:00:00 +0100 4162922 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4152271&cid=t_115137_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FPN1cDZXQRcw%2F Long time passing? The lament is a take-off on an old Pete Seeger song, but one might get the impression the refrain is appropriate after viewing a new summary of compounds presented at the recent American Chemical Society meeting in Boston. The latest gathering yielded presentations for 58 new drug candidates but, by one reckoning, the amount of innovation on display was lacking. Specifically, not one previously unidentified drug target was reported at ACS, which was held in August, according to Citeline Drug Intelligence, a market research firm that tracked the presentations. What was on display? Central nervous system compounds ranked highest, with 23 candidates, followed by 16 for metabolic diseases and just eight for oncology. This, by the way, stands in contrast to previous years whe... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4152271 Wed, 10 Nov 2010 13:01:41 +0100 4152271 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4139464&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F04%2Ffinally_an_alternative_to_palladium_about_time.php A reader sent this paper along the other day. Is it just me, or does it seem a bit odd to talk about how aryl coupling in these systems is traditionally done by (list of metal-catalyzed reactions), which unfortunately involve (list of toxic and/or expensive metals) under (list of rigorous conditions involving oxygen exclusion and protecting groups). . .and then propose as a shiny new alternative: three equivalents of aluminum chloride? Not that there's anything particularly wrong with aluminum chloride. The workup is much nastier than with the metal-catalyzed couplings, though, and I'd think that the waste stream is also more hefty. And I'm willing to bet that a lot more structures can survive Suzuki coupling conditions than can survive scoops of aluminum chloride, too. But it certainly i... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4139464 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:38:32 +0100 4139464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119647&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F28%2Facs_survey_or_something_else.php A reader forwards an e-mail from Harris Interactive, a marketing research firm that says that it's running a survey on membership in the American Chemical Society. The reason he sent it along, though, is that it looks rather odd. The subject line of the message is three lines of gibberish, and it offers $150 for participation, which seems rather high for a survey company sending out random emails. If this is something the ACS has commissioned, well, they're (a) probably spending too much money on it, and (b) should realize that the message is triggering the mental spam filters of its recipients. And if it's not the ACS, then who the heck is it? Any ideas? (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119647 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:27:22 +0100 4119647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119648&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F27%2Fgraphene_oxide_as_a_reagent.php Since graphene was worth a Nobel prize this year, it's only fitting that I mention a recent application of it in chemical synthesis. A paper in Angewandte Chemie shows how graphene oxide can be used as an oxidizing reagent for organic compounds. It performs primary alcohol-to-aldehyde, secondary alcohol-to-ketone, and alkyne-to-methylene ketone reactions quite well. This doesn't seem to be due to residual metals, but is a reaction of the graphene oxide (GO) itself, which is probably a complex mixture of epoxides and who-knows-what on the carbon surface. Interestingly, it appears that the GO can be regenerated by atmospheric oxygen as the reaction goes on (and then re-used_, so in the end, these processes are being performed by the oxygen itself. This could be an appealing method for scale... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119648 Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:56:49 +0100 4119648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4061088&cid=t_115137_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F290%2Feliminate-fine-lines-and-wrinkles-with-natural-skin-creams%2F Researchers and consumers alike understand what the root causes of skin wrinkles are, so there should be a basic solution on the market that will rejuvenate our skin to the firm, supple form it once had. It doesn’t make sense that we are able to walk on the moon and catalogue the entire human genome, but cannot find an answer to fine lines and wrinkles beyond antioxidants. Something is very wrong with this picture, don’t you think? Antioxidants offered in all natural skin care creams are the key to repairing the wrinkles and fine lines caused by harmful free radical activity, and there are a significant number of anti-wrinkle skin creams that contain natural compounds for this exact reason. Antioxidants reduce the risk of damage free radicals can cause to your chemic... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4061088 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:43:18 +0100 4061088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4061068&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F11%2Fprincetons_new_chemistry_building.php So I believe that they're moving into the new chemistry building at Princeton, which is a mighty glass whopper. In light of some of the past discussions we've had around here about lab design, I'd be interested in hearing from anyone with personal experience of the building. I can't really get a good sense of the layout from the pictures I've seen, just that there sure seem to be a lot of glass walls. And those aren't necessarily bad; it's the way the labs are put together and their relationship the desks and offices. Interestingly, much of the money for its construction seems to have come from the university's royalties on Alimta (pemetrexed), a folate anticancer drug discovered by Ted Taylor's group there in the early 1990s and developed by Lilly. (Taylor, a heterocyclic chemistry legen... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4061068 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 03:00:08 +0100 4061068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4055941&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F11%2Fback_to_philadelphia.php You know, on reflection, one of the things that probably has me feeling strange about being in Philadelphia for this conference is that it was here that I attended my first ACS national meeting. That was August of 1984, when I was just about to start my second year in graduate school. For all I know, I attended a session in this same Sheraton. All these hotel ballrooms look pretty much the same. Twenty-six years ago! If I sit here and try to figure out how that happened, I won't have time to take any notes here in 2010. There were slide projectors pointed at the screens back then, not LCDs, and there sure weren't any laptops to be seen. But the rows of chairs under the gaudy chandeliers, those you could superimpose on 1984 with no change at all. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4055941 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:36:49 +0100 4055941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4055942&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F11%2Fmeeting_time.php I'm out of the lab for the next few days. It's Conference Time once again, and I'm in Philadelphia for the Fragment-Based Lead Discovery meeting. Last year this one was in England, but did I go? Nooo, I waited until it was in Philly. No offense to the city's residents who read the blog, but even its partisans would have to admit that it's not an exotic destination, particularly for someone who's lived for eight years in New Jersey like I have. Anyway, any readers of the blog who are also attending, please feel free to track me down. Bernard Munos told me last week that I look just like my picture on the site, which can't quite be true, since that's getting to be an old shot, but it's apparently a reasonable guide. I won't be live-blogging any sessions here, although I may well mention par... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4055942 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:11:13 +0100 4055942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036938&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F06%2Fa_nobel_for_palladium_couplings_at_last.php So, a chemistry Nobel that's just pure chemistry from top to bottom. I'll be darned! This is one that most chemists had on the list of "Worth a prize, but who knows if they'll ever get around to it". (If you check my archives, and those of the other chem-bloggers, you'll see palladium couplings mentioned every time). One of the sticking points has been who to put on the prize, what with the three-name limit and all. Were Stille alive, he might well be on there instead of Negishi, but that just highlights the trickiness of this area. There are plenty of other people, starting, most likely, with Sonogashira, who have made major contributions in this area. I notice that some people are wondering about Buchwald and Hartwig et al., but that (to me) is a separate issue. This is a prize for carb... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036938 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:54:11 +0100 4036938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036939&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F06%2Fchemical_biology_engineering_enzymes.php I mentioned directed evolution of enzymes the other day as an example of chemical biology that’s really having an industrial impact. A recent paper in Science from groups at Merck and Codexis really highlights this. The story they tell had been presented at conferences, and had impressed plenty of listeners, so it’s good to have it all in print. It centers on a reaction that’s used to produce the diabetes therapy Januvia (sitagliptin). There’s a key chiral amine in the molecule, which had been produced by asymmetric hydrogenation of an enamine. On scale, though, that’s not such a great reaction. Hydrogenation itself isn’t the biggest problem, although if you could ditch a pressurized hydrogen step for something that can’t explode, that would be a plus. No, the real problem w... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036939 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:43:31 +0100 4036939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031479&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F05%2Fchemical_biology_plastic_antibodies.php Here's an interesting example of a way that synthetic chemistry is creeping into the provinces of molecular biology. There have been a lot of interesting ideas over the years around the idea of polymers made to recognize other molecules. These appear in the literature as "molecularly imprinted polymers", among other names, and have found some uses, although it's still something of a black art. A group at Cal-Irvine has produced something that might move the field forward significantly, though. In 2008, they reported that they'd made polymer particles that recognized the bee-sting protein melittin. Several combinations of monomers were looked at, and the best seemed to be a crosslinked copolymer with both acrylic acid and an N-alkylacrylamide (giving you both polar and hydrophobic possibil... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031479 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 12:55:46 +0100 4031479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013505&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F28%2Fwisterone_a_structure_i_cant_believe.php You don't see an awful lot of chemistry publications from Vietnam. So in a way, I'm reluctant to call attention to this one, in the way that I'm about to. But it's in the preprint section of Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, and some of my far-flung correspondents have already picked up on it. So it's a bit too late to let it pass, I suppose. The authors isolate a number of natural products from Wisteria (yep, the flowering woody vine one), and most of them are perfectly fine, if unremarkable. But their compound 1 (wisterone) is something else again. Man, is that thing strained. Nothing with that carbon skeleton has ever been reported before (I just checked), outside of things that you can draw as part of the walls of fullerenes. I have a lot of trouble believing that this comp... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013505 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 15:06:53 +0100 4013505 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013506&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F28%2Fnobel_season_2010.php As we head towards October, the thoughts of a very select group of scientists may be turning to their chances of winning a Nobel Prize - and the thoughts of the rest of us turn to laying odds on the winners. I've handicapped the race here before (here's the 2009 version), and that's one place to start a list. Another excellent roundup can be found over at Chembark, and another well-annotated one at the Curious Wavefunction. Meanwhile, Thomson/Reuters sent me their citation-voodoo list the other day, but to my eyes, they're always a bit off the mark. So who are the favorites? Last year I mentioned Zare, Bard, and Moerner for single-atom spectroscopy, and I think that after a run of biology-laced prizes that a swing back over to nearly-physics is pretty plausible. If the committee is going ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013506 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:17:47 +0100 4013506 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3999274&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F23%2Fdelightful_but_it_apparently_works.php And I now present today's winner of the Ugliest Molecule To Actually Show In Vivo Efficacy. Here, just in time for lunch, is Torin-1, a selective mTOR inhibitor. Yowza. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3999274 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:54:12 +0100 3999274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3994310&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F22%2Fsynthetic_chemistry_all_mined_out.php In the wake of yesterday's revelation about the latest breakthrough in amide formation, one point that's come up is whether we getting into the era of diminishing returns in finding new synthetic methods. My opinion? We may well - but we shouldn't have to be. It is true that we know how to do an awful lot of transformations. And I'd also subscribe to the view that we can, given no constraints of time, money, or heartbreak, synthesize basically any stable organic molecule that anyone can think up. In what we're pleased to call the real world, though, constraints of money and time (related by a similar equation to Einstein's mass-energy one) are always with us. (Heartbreak, well, that seems to be in constant supply). So even though we can do so many things, everyone realizes that we need t... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3994310 Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:52:03 +0100 3994310 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3987222&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F20%2Fsodium_hydride_as_oxidant_again.php Many readers will remember the "sodium hydride as an oxidizing reagent" story from last year. (For the non-chemists in the audience, the problem here is that sodium hydride is most certainly not what you'd think of as an oxidizing reagent, quite the opposite, in fact. Seeing the paper's title was, for an organic chemist, a bit like reading about a new way to sweeten drinks with vinegar). This was famously live-blogged over at Totally Synthetic and picked up on around the chemical blog world. The current thinking, though, is that adventitious oxygen is really doing the work here. If you run the reaction under strict inert atmosphere conditions, you get no more oxidation. (And it still doesn't appear that any note has been added to the original JACS paper). Update - make that no note added ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3987222 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:49:53 +0100 3987222 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946678&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F08%2Fancient_chemistry_comes_back_to_life.php The ACS journals page has a "20 Most Accessed" list, which can be an interesting thing to examine. The current one has some articles I've read and enjoyed, such as the guide to molecular interactions that was in J. Med. Chem. earlier this year. And there are synthetic methods in there, and a review of molecular gastronomy, some total syntheses, surface chemistry, and something on wastewater treatment. All fine. But what's the deal with all the old pyridine chemistry? There's a 1962 paper on pyridine oximes on the list, a 1955 one on pyridine mercurials, of all things, and weirdest of all, an 1897 (!) paper on pyridine periodides. Why this stuff is showing up on the most-requested list for 2010 is a complete mystery to me. Maybe I'm just slow today, but can anyone think of a reason, sinc... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946678 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:59:16 +0100 3946678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899391&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Felectrify-a-potato-boost-its-antioxidants%2F2010.08.24 Antioxidants are important substances that prevent free radicals from damaging cells, and potatoes contain substantial amounts of them. However, researchers from Obihiro University in Japan thought that more would be better and have developed some innovative methods of boosting the potato’s antioxidant content. By immersing the potatoes in water or salt and subsequently applying ultrasound or electricity for 5 to 30 minutes, they increased the amounts of antioxidants by as much as 50 percent. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899391 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:00:04 +0100 3899391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899647&cid=t_115137_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fsexual-addiction-2%2F How to recognize the signs of addiction to sex Addiction to sexual activities can be just as destructive as addiction to chemical substances. Sex addicts may jeopardize their marriage and family relationships, allow their job performance to deteriorate, and endanger themselves and their partner through multiple sexual exposures. Even though they realize the consequences, they cannot control their compulsions without appropriate treatment. For most people, sex enhances the quality of life. However, about 3% to 6% of people have sexual addiction. Through their addiction, they may injure themselves physically, experience psychological distress, lose their livelihood, and ruin meaningful relationships. Sexual addiction often coexists with chemical dependency, and untreated sexual a... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899647 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:02:00 +0100 3899647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899396&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F5-things-you-should-know-about-organic-beauty-products%2F2010.08.24 “All natural. Certified organic. Made from natural ingredients. Pure botanicals. Chemical free.” You might guess I’m standing in the farmers market. Nope. I’m in the “Health and Beauty” aisle at Target. The ubiquitous all-things-natural trend has overtaken the cosmetic industry. How do you know what’s real and what’s marketing hype? Here are five things you should know about organic beauty product labels: 1. Labels that say “natural ingredients” or “botanicals” are not certified organic. These statements are not regulated. Most natural ingredients used in beauty products are actually modified in a lab. Truly botanical ingredients, like you’d pick in your garden, are usually unstable and would spoil like food. 2. Natural doesn’t always mean be... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899396 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:00:49 +0100 3899396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3831549&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F06%2Forganic_chemistry_a_lack_of_challenges.php I had an interesting email in response to my post on returning from the SciFoo meeting. I have to say, there weren't too many chemists at that one - not that it's a representative slice of science, to be sure. (Theoretical physicists and computer science people were definitely over-represented, although they were fun to talk to). But perhaps there's another reason? I'll let my correspondent take it from here: I worry a lot about organic chemistry, about the state of the discipline. I worry about the relative lack of grand challenges, and that most academic work is highly incremental and, worse, almost entirely the result of screening rather than design. There is still so little predictive power (at least in academia) in drug or catalyst discovery. I have a theory that the reason we're so... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3831549 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:19:46 +0100 3831549 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3827066&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhich-five-drugs-would-you-take-on-a-remote-desert-island%2F2010.08.05 This post follows a lengthy conversation I had with my wife, a physician-scientist, about this very topic. Many of you who attended the ScienceOnline2010 conference here last January probably met Carmen Drahl, the Princeton-trained chemist who now writes for Chemical & Engineering News and their appropriately-named drug discovery blog, The Haystack, as well as their Newscripts feature. For the latter, Dr. Drahl pointed us toward a recent “Crosstalks” paper in Chemistry & Biology by Thomas U. Mayer and Andreas Marx of the University of Konstanz (and her interview with the authors) who mused as follows from their abstract: Which five molecules would you take to a remote island? If you imagine yourself as a castaway on an island you might pick water, glucose, penicillin, and e... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3827066 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:00:33 +0100 3827066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3827338&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F05%2Fmetalfree_coupling_reactions_now_wait_a_minute_.php I've written several times about how important metal-catalyzed coupling reactions are to organic synthesis - they're the single biggest change since my grad school days in the 1980s, when they were considered sort of squirrely and exotic. Now they're everywhere, and the literature on them is almost beyond counting. A lot of work gets done trying to extend these reactions to starting materials that are more easily available but don't tend to work as well, to make the catalysts cheaper and more robust, and to find replacements for the palladium that's so often at the center of things. But people have been scorched in the attempt - several "palladium-free" couplings using other metals have turned out to be actually catalyzed by ridiculous trace amounts of palladium contamination instead. N... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3827338 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:33:57 +0100 3827338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3813215&cid=t_115137_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F248%2Fanti-aging-herbs-and-antioxidant-skin-care%2F If you want to achieve your goal of having firmer, younger looking skin, then you are going to have to take advantage of the amazing benefits of anti aging herbs and botanicals. You will not get the results you are after by applying products to your skin that are loaded down with synthetic compounds, as these substances don’t provide you with what it is you need.  Chemically developed ingredients can also be harmful to your health. You want all natural products for treating your skin, because they will not contain the toxins and carcinogens that most over the counter skin care products are developed with. Formulas are developed using healthy compounds like Jojoba, Maracuja passion fruit extract, Babassu wax, and other natural compounds supply the abundance of antioxidants necessary for ... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3813215 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:30:52 +0100 3813215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3807530&cid=t_115137_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F244%2Flooking-at-the-latest-anti-aging-research-for-skin-care%2F Anti aging research has proven that what your skin needs is all natural compounds for maintaining increased firmness and elasticity.  This is because these substances provide your skin with antioxidants, which are necessary for the repair of free radical damage. Clinical studies have proven that certain natural compounds can do much more than previously thought, so let’s look at what certain ingredients can do to help you look younger. There are three major causes behind why lines and wrinkles develop in the skin.  Free radicals stealing the electrons from chemical structures in the skin, and throughout the body are one of the major reasons why wrinkles develop. The steady decomposition of your collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid caused by enzyme activity, and a gradual decline in t... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3807530 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:22:56 +0100 3807530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3802384&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-consequences-and-ecological-effects-of-the-oil-spill%2F2010.07.29 The health consequences of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico could be really serious and may include cancer, respiratory diseases, and hormonal disruptions. These health effects and the ecological issues are shown on a new infographic. Click on the image for the full version: *This blog post was originally published at ScienceRoll* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3802384 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:00:43 +0100 3802384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798842&cid=t_115137_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F239%2Froc-wrinkle-cream-review%2F Roc wrinkle cream is a French anti aging skin care product featuring the highly touted ingredient Retinol, which is one of the animal forms of vitamin A. Retinol’s function in anti aging skin care products is to increase collagen, and to stimulate skin cell renewal.  These actions will help you somewhat in your quest for younger looking skin, but there are forces at work that this substance simply doesn’t address. Wrinkles and sagging skin are produced by the declining production rate of collagen and elastin, the escalating loss of collagen and elastin tissue as well as your hyaluronic acid polymer due to the activity of harmful enzymes, and damage to the chemical structures in your skin committed by free radicals. It is going to take a lot more than just Retinol to address these issu... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798842 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:17:04 +0100 3798842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714431&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F30%2Fanother_zeropalladium_delusion.php As mentioned here before, there have been several episodes where people have thought to have discovered a new metal-catalyzed coupling reaction that uses some metal not known for such things. But closer examination often reveals that ridiculous trace amounts of palladium, copper, or other more reactive metals are still in the system and responsible for all the results. The most recent candidate is been a series of gold-catalyzed reactions. Gold complexes have been quite fashionable in recent years, after a long period where they were considered next to useless. But perhaps things have gone a bit too far. A new paper in Organic Letters examines some gold-catalyzed couplings and finds, well. . . Experimental reports claim that Au(I) is selective and very active, for instance, toward cross ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714431 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:10:19 +0100 3714431 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710781&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F29%2Fthe_ideal_synthesis.php Phil Baran of Scripps has a paper out on the "ideal synthesis" of complex molecules. It's mostly a review of a number of his group's own syntheses, but it's done in light of his definition of "ideal": all bond-forming steps, with no protecting group manipulations or oxidation-state maneuvering. That's a tough standard, but many biosynthetic routes reach 100% against it. I think that the highest figure from one of the Baran group's own syntheses is 84%, but he emphasizes that comparing these figures across the synthesis of different molecules isn't too meaningful, since they each carry their own issues. Comparing different routes to the same molecule is what he has in mind; it's a pity that no one else is ever going to make maitotoxin. He also emphasizes that "ideality" isn't the only con... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710781 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:17:17 +0100 3710781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710782&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F28%2Fmaitotoxin_its_on_all_right.php Earlier this year we had a paper from the Nicolaou lab on the synthesis of the ABCDEFG ring system of maitotoxin. Now I see that a synthesis of the QRSTU domain has arrived. That's what, twelve rings down? Only twenty more to go, guys. This piece is ". . . appropriately functionalized . . . for further elaboration and coupling with suitably activated neighboring ring systems of maitotoxin for the purposes of constructing larger domains of the natural product." My deepest sympathies to all concerned. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710782 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:47:57 +0100 3710782 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706988&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F28%2Fmaitoxin_its_on_all_right.php Earlier this year we had a paper from the Nicolaou lab on the synthesis of the ABCDEFG ring system of maitotoxin. Now I see that a synthesis of the QRSTU domain has arrived. That's what, twelve rings down? Only twenty more to go, guys. This piece is ". . . appropriately functionalized . . . for further elaboration and coupling with suitably activated neighboring ring systems of maitotoxin for the purposes of constructing larger domains of the natural product." My deepest sympathies to all concerned. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706988 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:47:57 +0100 3706988 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3702930&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fannouncing-the-5-lucky-winners-of-our-reader-comment-and-win-special-giveaway%2F We’re happy to announce the five lucky winners of our Blisstree Reader Special Giveaway: Just Comment and Win! (Celebrating the revamp of our super-simple commenting system.) Congratulations to: David, MissParker, Krista, Lubaska, and Erica – You all won! Check out your sweet prizes below: 25 Packets of EBOOST – And the winner is…Krista! (She needs EBOOST for her roller derby events.) An all-natural, delicious, sugar-free alternative to all the high-calorie, chemical-filled energy drinks out there. Carol’s Daughter Love Butter – And the winner is…Lubaska! (She’s about to be buttered up.) Natural, moisturizing body butter that smells great and nourishes dry skin. EcoSystem Artist Notebook – And the winner is…David! (This notebook will inspire ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3702930 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:32:13 +0100 3702930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3666211&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F16%2Fsparteine_and_other_fine_chemical_shortages.php One of the folks over at Chemistry Blog has run into a shortage: he and his labmates have tried to order (-) sparteine from every supplier in the book, and there's none to be had. So if anyone has a big dusty bottle of it sitting around, you might drop these desperate chemists a line. But that got me thinking about the way things suddenly dry up like this. The situation is different than for an industrial chemical shortage, like the acetonitrile crunch that we went through a while back (and which has long since eased up). It's quite unusual for a bulk chemical like that to go down; several factors hit all at once in that case, and it affected an awful lot of people who needed the solvent. But fine chemicals are much weirder. When you trace some of them back to their real sources, you som... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3666211 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:19:08 +0100 3666211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3655573&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F50-ways-to-use-baking-soda%2F photo from Flickr user RowdyKittens Chemicals are bad, but we’re surrounded by them and use them in our houses and on our bodies all the time. So we jump on any natural cleaning methods and beauty products we hear about. Our latest chemical-free object of desire? A new box of baking soda. Its neutralizing power works on a ton of household messes, ranging from personal hygiene to the disaster on the walls of your microwave. Baking soda is going to be your BFF after you read this article; your white vinegar might even get jealous. Check out this list of uses, from Care2: 1. Toothpaste: Make a paste from baking soda and a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. 2. Mouthwash: Put a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water, and swish, spit, and rinse. Odors will be neutralized rather than just... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3655573 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:07:49 +0100 3655573 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635718&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F181434%2F Erin Brockovich to Visit Southern Louisiana: The real life environmental and consumer advocate will visit people who have been sickened by the chemical dispersants used to break up the oil spill today. (via Huffington Post) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635718 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:58:24 +0100 3635718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629637&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmonitor-blood-glucose-and-look-cool-with-a-nano-tattoo%2F2010.06.03 Millions of people with diabetes are forced to endure multiple finger pricks daily — an unpleasant practice that may impede compliance, and whose reliability is operator-dependent. Now, Dr. Paul Barone and Dr. Michael Strano at the MIT Department of Chemical Engineering are developing a new approach to glucose monitoring. Building on work they previously published in ACS Nano, the new technology employs a nanoparticle “tattoo” as a glucose sensor, which can then be continuously monitored by a device on the surface of the body. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629637 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:00:03 +0100 3629637 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3625797&cid=t_115137_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F143%2Fskin-peels-with-citric-malic-lactic-hydroxy-and-glycolic-acids%2F Skin peels are offered by spas, dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons.  A mild chemical peel can be purchased over the counter.  Here’s a look at the different ingredients and what they can do for you. Citric Acids Citric acids can be derived from any citrus fruit.  Limes, lemons, oranges and pineapples are commonly used in skincare products, especially daily cleansers. While the mild acids will not provide a significant improvement after a single application, when used on a daily basis they may provide a gradual improvement.  They work to break up excessive oil and dead skin cells, which is beneficial for whiteheads, blackheads and acne prevention. Lactic and Malic Acid Many of the over-the-counter exfoliants contain a combination of citric, lactic and malic acids.  Lactic acid may ... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3625797 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:40:45 +0100 3625797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3614692&cid=t_115137_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FEufvLioMtWU%2F Grief may be expressed–without the aid of alcohol, drugs When Joanne and Bob (not their real names) came to the Center for Grief in St. Paul, Minn., after their daughter’s death, they were paralyzed by loss. They couldn’t sleep or work, and their relationship was eroding. "We also quickly discovered they were attempting to anesthetize their pain by drinking it away," said Tom Ellis, the nonprofit center’s executive director and the author of an upcoming book, "The Heart of Grief: New Understandings of Loss." "They had adopted the ritual of consuming several bottles of wine with dinner and would come to therapy exhausted, overwhelmed, and ‘stuck’ in the grieving process. Before we could deal with issues of loss, they needed to deal ... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3614692 Mon, 31 May 2010 15:02:21 +0100 3614692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3611878&cid=t_115137_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F05%2Foil-cleanup-workers-fall-ill-bp-oil-spill%2F Two workers in Louisiana cleaning up the oil spill caused by British Petroleum were taken to West Jefferson Hospital in suburban New Orleans after faling ill. Louisiana Shrimp Association Clint Guidry claims that the workers were sickened after a low-flying airplane released chemical dispersant one mile away from the workers. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3611878 Sat, 29 May 2010 23:08:18 +0100 3611878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603852&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F27%2Fmax_gergels_memoirs.php For once, I'm going to farm out a "Things I Won't Work With" post to someone else. For those who missed it in the comments, here's the link to the PDF of Max Gergel's extraordinary memoir "Excuse Me Sir, Would You Like to Buy a Kilo of Isopropyl Bromide?" Gergel founded Columbia Organic Chemicals, and if you want to see how it was done in the Old Days, this is the place to go. A sample: ". . .As we chatted, as if the thought had struck him for the first time, the old rogue said, "You know Gergel, I have a prep you could run for us which would make you a lot of money." Now this was the con working on the con. When my mother told me that a gentleman had called from town asking to visit Dr. Gergel there was no one at the plant except the two of us; when Parry, whom I already knew by reputati... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603852 Thu, 27 May 2010 11:34:12 +0100 3603852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3599508&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fchemicals-in-fragrances-some-secrets.html In a recent study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), it was revealed that many fragrances and beauty products marketed to adolescents contain chemicals that have the potential to trigger hormone imbalances and other physiological problems in consumers who use them.Due to loopholes in certain federal regulations, companies who market cosmetic products can hide the presence of certain chemicals in their products as a way to protect "trade secrets". Consequently, adolescents who use products marketed by Halle Barry, Giorgio Armani, American Eagle, Quicksilver, and Jennifer Lopez---among others---are exposed to unregulated chemicals that have been potentially linked to hormone disruption, allergic reactions, and even sperm damage.While the fragrance industry has been charged by the gove... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3599508 Tue, 25 May 2010 19:33:00 +0100 3599508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595883&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F24%2Fwhats_the_condensation_record.php There are probably some other reactions of the same order as this one - but does anyone know a higher one? I'm talking about this four-component condensation reaction, reported from a lab in Iran, which actually makes semi-useful looking oxadiazoles. Anyone know of a five-component condensation? A real one, I mean, that makes a real product, as opposed to dark gooey stuff. Those, I can imagine. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595883 Tue, 25 May 2010 03:58:56 +0100 3595883 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3590397&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fmcs-and-search-for-safe-cmmunity.html As some readers of Digital Doorway may know, my wife and I have been traveling in our mobile home for the last seven months, writing about our experiences on our travel blog.In honor of MCS Awareness Month, we are posting this co-written article in order to share more deeply regarding one of the most significant reasons that we undertook our current journey around the country. Because we both live with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), finding a safe place to call home is paramount to us, and those who have MCS understand what it's like to live like a "canary in the coal mine" in a world saturated with substances that undermine our health and impair our ability to function effectively.With recent reports showing that even ADHD may be linked to pesticide use, there is a crucial necessity... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3590397 Sat, 22 May 2010 18:06:00 +0100 3590397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3581650&cid=t_115137_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fwhich-chemical-drawing-software-do-you-use.html Yesterday’s blog feature quoted my various contacts on Twitter, LinkedIn and elsewhere on what program they use to draw chemical structures. There were some interesting answers, including mentions of sites like ChemSpider and PubChem that are no drawing packages per se but do allow you to retrieve a vast array of molecular structures. Today, I thought it would be interesting to run a more formal poll on the question. You can choose up to 2 programs. If you check “other”, please let us know which program you’re using in the comments. If I’ve missed any popular ones off the list, someone please let me know. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Related Posts:Chemists escape browser lock do... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3581650 Thu, 20 May 2010 12:00:40 +0100 3581650 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3581651&cid=t_115137_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fdraw-chemical-structures-free.html Chemical structure drawing is one of the most consistently popular search terms on Sciencebase and gets a lot of search engine traffic for those pages, so it seems worth revisiting the topic from a different perspective. Of course, with the likes of PubChem and ChemSpider now available one might wonder whether there is any need to draw one’s own structures from scratch, but plenty of chemists and others still do. Sciencebase polled a few contacts via Twitter and LinkedIn to find out what chemical structure packages people are using, what are the pros and cons. The vast majority of users seem to side with ChemDraw, especially those in academia because of the liberal licensing, but they all gripes about compatibility and cutting & pasting. The likes fo ChemSketch fair well and oth... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3581651 Wed, 19 May 2010 20:00:07 +0100 3581651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3581827&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F19%2Fpyridines_and_dichloromethane.php Here's a quick warning for the bench chemists in the crowd: look out if you're making pyridines and using dichloromethane as solvent. This paper reports that the two can react, forming bis-pyridinium compounds - which isn't too surprising, in theory. What's alarming is that this happens at an appreciable rate at room temperature, which is something that I don't think a lot of people knew. I didn't. As you'd imagine, electron-rich pyridines are the worst offenders. So keep an eye on these guys. . . (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3581827 Wed, 19 May 2010 16:21:40 +0100 3581827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3564190&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F13%2Fyou_dont_see_many_names_starting_with_tellura.php When I wrote here about unknown compounds, using aza-steroids as examples, I apparently wasn't thinking far enough afield. I noticed this new paper on a new class of tellura-steroids. I've no doubt that they're new; probably no one has ever thought to make anything that looks quite like this before (there's one other report of a tellura-steroid from 1990). Tellurium remains an element I've never used, but after that barrage of reports from fans of hafnium the other day, I'm sort of afraid to ask what people have used this one for. . . (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3564190 Thu, 13 May 2010 18:11:10 +0100 3564190 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3552294&cid=t_115137_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fmy-favourite-chemistry-things.html Skeptical Chymist tells me (via Twitter) that they were enjoying the favourite things about chemistry meme started by ChemJobber and continued by Azmanam (known to Sciencebase readers for his chemical spelling dictionary and the C+EN team. As is the wont of meme creators, you pay it forward and have to come up with your own “list” or whatever. Skeptical Chymist had, “The smell of ethyl acetate (in the morning)”, Peter Atkins’ textbooks, the elements song, and freaky glassware and the prowess of glassblowers on their list of ten favourite things about chemistry. They then passed the baton on to the Chemistry World gang, Michelle Francl of Culture of Chemistry, their Boston- and Tokyo-based teammates Steve and Anne, and yours truly. Now, I usually don’t bo... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3552294 Tue, 11 May 2010 13:00:07 +0100 3552294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3549306&cid=t_115137_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fenvironmental-cancer-a-report-from-the-presidents-panel%2F2010.05.10 While most of the news sources are reporting that cancers from the environment are ‘grossly underestimated’ in response to the recently released 240-page report from the President’s Cancer Panel, I want to focus on the steps individuals can take to lessen their personal exposure to environmental carcinogens. Collectively, these small actions can drastically reduce the number and levels of environmental contaminants. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3549306 Mon, 10 May 2010 16:27:53 +0100 3549306 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3549589&cid=t_115137_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F62%2Fiv-glutathione-for-skin-whitening%2F Due to the success of oral Glutathione capsules comes a new and supposedly faster way to whiter skin – IV Glutathione – where the antioxidant is injected directly into the vein and into the bloodstream. This way the patient gets a higher dose which lead to quicker results.  Usually the injections are done twice a week for a total of 10 sessions each. Again, this is not FDA approved but despite this fact, patients flock to their dermatologist/plastic surgeon’s office to get their weekly dose. Frankly, I’m not a believer of IV Glutathione and I’m not too wild about the idea of having a drug without any good studies to back it up injected in my vein. I’d rather rely on the good old and dependable sunscreen on top of chemical exfoliants. Related Posts:Glutathione for Skin ... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3549589 Mon, 10 May 2010 15:50:51 +0100 3549589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3538396&cid=t_115137_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2F0HcoCaup0tw%2F Dual Disorders – Third Edition A recovery book. Depression Bipolar Schizophrenia. Post-traumatic stress disorder. Millions of individuals diagnosed with psychiatric or emotional disorders must battle an equally menacing and powerful disease–chemical dependency (alcoholism, addiction, marijuana). First published in 1993, Dual Disorders is the leading text on the biological and psychological relationship between mental illness and addiction. New this spring, the third edition of this Hazelden best-seller has been updated to include the latest research, information about new medications, and an explanation of new diagnostic criteria. Key features and benefits outlines the relationship between chemical dependency and psychiatric disorders contains important resources for ... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3538396 Wed, 05 May 2010 16:05:00 +0100 3538396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3547012&cid=t_115137_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2F3poJiymIxh4%2F This study compares peer helping and 12-step involvement among participants receiving chemical dependency treatment at day hospital (N = 503) and residential (N = 230) programs, and examines relationships between both variables and outcomes. Findings show that residential (vs. day hospital) participants reported significantly more peer helping and 12-step involvement during treatment, and marginally more 12-step involvement at 6 months. Both peer helping and 12-step involvement predicted higher odds of sobriety across follow-ups; helping showed an indirect effect on sobriety via 12-step involvement. Results contribute to the 12-step facilitation literature (TSF); confirm prior results regarding benefits of mutual aid; and highlight methodological issues in helping research. Research report... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3547012 Wed, 05 May 2010 07:32:13 +0100 3547012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3522836&cid=t_115137_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FGa9WPLHmU6U%2F Everything You Need to Know about Chemical Dependence – Addiction, Alcoholism Alcohol Heroin Amphetamines Tobacco Inhalants Cocaine Marijuana Medications By Vernon E. Johnson, D.D., founder of the Johnson Institute. Former faculty member of Rutgers University Summer School for Alcohol Studies Dr. Johnson compiled the most popular Johnson Institute literature on chemical dependence for this complete family guide. It includes answers to these important questions: How can I recognize chemical dependence? How can I avoid it? How can my family solve the problems that come with it? How is chemical dependence different for men, women, teenagers, children, and the elderly? How can I prevent my child from using drugs? Designed for easy access, this practical guide to prevention, interventi... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3522836 Sat, 01 May 2010 13:25:00 +0100 3522836 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3505125&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F26%2Fmaitotoxin_revisited.php Last year I wrote about the hideous structure of maitotoxin, with a note about how various groups were kicking around synthetic approaches to it. Now K. C. Nicolaou has a paper out in JACS on the synthesis of a portion of the molecule, which includes the line: ". . .as a prelude to a possible synthesis of large domains of this molecule for biological investigations. . .". Yeah, sure. Betting will now commence on whether or not he'll be able to resist going for the whole thing. As to whether or not that's a good idea, well. . .my views on the subject have already been aired pretty thoroughly. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3505125 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:33:00 +0100 3505125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3505127&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F26%2Freport_from_ce_news.php Well, the first thing I can tell everyone is that I think the entire editorial staff at Chemical and Engineering News read every comment to this post. And that includes the nasty ones, for sure. The readership around here is a self-selected lot, and the commentors even more so, but the quick volume of responses got a lot of attention. I noticed a lot of discussion around the "Do we really need more chemists?" theme. Readers will be interested to know that many people at the magazine share their uneasiness with some of the never-ending "scientist shortage" talk. The ACS's own figures (which many here seem to feel are too low) nevertheless show the highest unemployment rates among chemists they've ever shown. Outside of the issues that came up here on the site, one of the things I suggeste... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3505127 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:14:48 +0100 3505127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3487126&cid=t_115137_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F18%2Fcompeting-models-when-mental-health-recovery-clashes-with-twelve-step-programs%2F In my chapter about substance abuse in Beyond Blue, I wrote: Today I realize the recovery cultures of addiction and mental illness clash. Like the Church of Scientology and neurobiology. Like Tom Cruise and common sense. Because complaining is considered whining to most twelve-steppers — “poor me, poor me, pour me a drink” — but as a smart disclosure of symptoms to mental-health professionals. Because many recovering alcoholics and drug addicts are not educated about mental illness, a lot of bad advice is doled out at meetings and/or social hours. With the best of intentions, of course. But dangerous all the same. I was intimidated by the AA old-timers and afraid to think any differently from them, fearing that if I listened to my gut, I would become one of those pe... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3487126 Sun, 18 Apr 2010 12:13:19 +0100 3487126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3480814&cid=t_115137_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F18%2Fcompeting-models-when-mental-health-recovery-clashes-with-twelve-step-programs%2F In my chapter about substance abuse in Beyond Blue, I wrote: Today I realize the recovery cultures of addiction and mental illness clash. Like the Church of Scientology and neurobiology. Like Tom Cruise and common sense. Because complaining is considered whining to most twelve-steppers — “poor me, poor me, pour me a drink” — but as a smart disclosure of symptoms to mental-health professionals. Because many recovering alcoholics and drug addicts are not educated about mental illness, a lot of bad advice is doled out at meetings and/or social hours. With the best of intentions, of course. But dangerous all the same. I was intimidated by the AA old-timers and afraid to think any differently from them, fearing that if I listened to my gut, I would become one of those pe... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3480814 Sun, 18 Apr 2010 12:13:19 +0100 3480814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3457886&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fcdc-ups-ante-on-indoor-air-quality.html The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has taken a bold step when it comes to indoor air quality. Just recently, a new breakthrough policy was initiated that will be enforced at every CDC office throughout the United States, and I predict that this policy will be cited and referenced by others for years to come. Like a Supreme Court decision that informs future legal arguments---sometimes for generations---the CDC's courageous and long-overdue stance on indoor air quality may be a watershed moment for those with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and Environmental Illness (EI). To read an excellent review of the policy and to access the CDC's pdf documents regarding the policy, please see this post on The Canary Report.The CDC's comprehensive policy bans all fragranced clean... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3457886 Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:04:00 +0100 3457886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3435102&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fpepsi-refresh-project.html The Pepsi Company is currently holding The Pepsi Refresh Project, a competition with multiple categories in which people with ideas for creating change in the world can receive votes from the public in support of their initiatives. Categories include: Health, Arts and Culture, Food and Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods, and Education. Please look over each category, bearing in mind that you can vote for ten different projects per day during the month of April.Within each category, there are dozens of excellent and worthy projects, including assistance for hospice patients to keep their pets with them during their end-of-life care, student-led summer projects in Washington, DC, support groups for children who are victims of violence, and many others.Many people living with Multiple Chemica... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3435102 Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:18:00 +0100 3435102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3383094&cid=t_115137_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FFepiWldxlAA%2F Second Edition For nearly a decade, The Addictive Personality has helped people understand the process of addiction. Now, through this second edition, author Craig Nakken brings new depth and dimension to our understanding of how an individual becomes an addict. Going beyond the definition that limits dependency to the realm of alcohol and other drugs, Nakken uncovers the common denominator of all addiction and describes how the process is progressive. Through research and practical experience, Nakken sheds new light on: Genetic factors tied to addiction Cultural influences on addictive behaviors The progressive nature of the disease Steps to a successful recovery The author examines how addictions start, how society pushes people toward addiction, and what happens inside those who beco... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3383094 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:25:39 +0100 3383094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3366436&cid=t_115137_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FALkvAgYqykY%2F Dual Recovery Anonymous has offered me what I had lost or been unable to find in my sobriety. It offers me believable hope and steps to apply to both my chemical dependency and my psychiatric illnesses. It also offers me a way to heal the emotional and psychic damage that I experienced as a result of my dual disorders. This is just as true for me today as it was when DRA first began to develop. In 1973 I made a decision to seek professional help for my chemical dependency. I had started drinking and using drugs when I was 13. By the time I was 18, I was using every day. I drank, swallowed, snorted and shot as many drugs as I could try, and rarely met a drug that I did not like. Gradually, I began to experience problems in every area of my life. There were times when I desperately wanted to... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3366436 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:45:00 +0100 3366436 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3354565&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F11%2Fnonsense_about_lsd.php The Daily Telegraph in the UK has a story today claiming that a 1951 outbreak of hallucinations and dementia in the French village of Pont-Saint-Esprit was not (as everyone thought) an example of ergot poisoning. No, according to some guy who's writing a book, it was. . .a secret LSD experiment. Now, there most certainly were secret LSD experiments during the 1950s and 1960s. (The book Storming Heaven has a good account of them, as well as of the history of LSD in general). But it's rather hard to see why the CIA should decide to dose some village in the Auvergne, especially when the symptoms (burning sensations in the extremities as well as hallucinations) seem to match ergotism quite well. But no matter. I think we can dispose of this new book and its author pretty quickly. Just take ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3354565 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:42:03 +0100 3354565 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3416280&cid=t_115137_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fdementia-agitation-treatment.html Now one of the biggest stressors for family members is what do you do if your loved one with Alzheimer's is agitated and lashing out, or agitated and wandering off at night. What if they are moving about and wandering and confused? Are they more likely to fall and get hurt? Sometimes. This is typically a problem in the later stages of Alzheimer's and not all people in the later stages of Alzheimer's get agitated. Some do, they may even get violent. Remember this is the disease and not your loved one. Yes it is true that there are people who have a history of violence and anger and agitation well before they develop Alzheimer's. Think of the violent or antisocial or sociopath. In my world as a psychiatrist those problems are all too common, but for the sake of those reading this blog, viole... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimer's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3416280 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:44:00 +0100 3416280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3331595&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F04%2Fflowing_not_so_gently.php I've written both here and elsewhere about flow chemistry, the technique where you pump your reactions through a reaction tube of some sort rather than mixing them up in a flask. And I freely admit that I have a fondness for the idea, but it's definitely not the answer to every problem. For one thing, I tend to like the idea of sending reactants over a bed of catalyst or solid-supported reagent (what I call Type II or Type III flow reactions in that 2008 link above). Type I reactions, in my scheme, are the ones where you just use a plain tube or channel, and all the reactants are present in solution. A big advantage of those, as far as I can tell, is to handle tricky intermediates that you wouldn't want to have large amounts of or to control potential runaway exothermic reactions. There's... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3331595 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:44:44 +0100 3331595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3322411&cid=t_115137_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F02%2Fthe-hidden-power-of-humor%2F Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein said, “A serious and good philosophical work could be written consisting entirely of jokes.” Despite the buffoonish imagery that comes to mind when one considers the joker, the clown or the pie-in-the-face comedian, humor is more than mere silliness. It is an advanced intellectual means of developing new perspectives and coping with extreme circumstances. A maltreated animal has two potential responses to an abusive master: attack to stop the abuse, or cower/flee to avoid it. He cannot disarm the bully with a witty remark or ironically imitate his master behind his back for his own amusement. One of the first government actions in Nazi Germany was the establishment of a law against treacherous attacks on the state and party that made anti-Nazi humor an a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3322411 Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:11:48 +0100 3322411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3254714&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F08%2Ftogether_at_last.php Well, I have no particular need to make azo-linked compounds (see this morning's post for one reason!). And I have to say, although it's mechanistically interesting, I definitely feel no desire to make them by combining a hydroperoxide and a diazonium salt in one pot. This is not a moment destined to take its place alongside the legendary invention of the chocolate/peanut butter cup. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3254714 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:55:32 +0100 3254714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3251406&cid=t_115137_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fundoing-denial-is-first-step%2F Denial is distorted reality Breaking through denial is alcoholic’s, addict’s first step in recovery Looking in the mirror and accepting what we see can be one of the hardest things we ever do. It’s especially hard when the image staring us in the face is painful or doesn’t fit with how we want to see ourselves. Sometimes, the truth is so painful that we avoid it at any cost. Refusing to accept a painful reality that alters the perception of ourselves is a psychological defense called denial. As human beings, we may use denial to protect ourselves from knowledge, insight or awareness that threatens our self-esteem, mental or physical health, or security. The term “denial” is often used in the chemical dependency field to describe people who deny substanc... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3251406 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:19:29 +0100 3251406 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3231765&cid=t_115137_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F01%2Fremoval-of-ovarian-cancer-cells-from-human-ascites-fluid-using-magnetic-nanoparticles%2F Scientists at Georgia Tech and the Ovarian Cancer Institute have further developed a potential new treatment against cancer that uses magnetic nanoparticles to attach to ovarian cancer cells, removing them from the body. The treatment, tested in mice in 2008, has now been tested using samples from human ovarian cancer patients. The results appear online [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3231765 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:57:53 +0100 3231765 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3159965&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F11%2Fsure_about_that.php There was a natural products paper (abstract) that I missed last fall which has finally come out in Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters>/i>. Let's have a show of hands: how many chemists out there think that this structure is the correct one? Right. Going back through SciFinder, I don't find any anti-Bredt cyclobutene structures of this sort in the modern era - only speculations about whether or not they could even exist. I hope, for their sake, that the authors have assigned this one correctly, and it certainly would be neat and interesting if they have. But doubts afflict me. Note - the most recent entry on the (inactive?) med-chem blog "One in Ten Thousand" was a raised eyebrow about this exact paper. Fear not, there's no curse - I'll continue posting. . . (Source: In the Pipel... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3159965 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:04:47 +0100 3159965 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133638&cid=t_115137_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F31%2Fthe-future-of-psychiatry-5-reasons-for-optimism%2F After reading the last chapter of the book, Demystifying Psychiatry, I felt so much better about where psychiatry might be when my kids are my age. Perhaps, if either is ever diagnosed with a mental illnesses, there will be more targeted treatments, and more optimism for a speedy recovery. Here are a few reasons we can be optimistic about the future of psychiatry: 1. Interdisciplinary Studies Over the next 50 to 100 years, neuroscience research will lead scientists to understand in exquisite detail how humans process information, express and regulate emotions, and motivate themselves to achieve specific goals. This information will affect many clinical and scientific disciplines, including neurology, psychology, biomedical engineering, and computer sciences, but it will likely pay its grea... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133638 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:15:13 +0100 3133638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3124598&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fwoes-of-public-restrooms.html Living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), it can be an enormous challenge to be in a public place and simply need to use a bathroom. These days, public restrooms in the United States seem to have been permanently inoculated with so-called "air-fresheners" that make relieving one's self an adventure in being actively poisoned. For me personally, my struggles with public restrooms are exacerbated by the fact that I have an underlying medical condition (enlarged prostate) that necessitates fairly frequent urination, and this, my friends, can lead to some exceedingly challenging scenarios. Just the other day, I was in a Trader Joe's store here in Atlanta, where we're visiting for the holidays. Feeling the urge, I sauntered warily towards the men's room, hesitant to open that door but fe... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3124598 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:53:00 +0100 3124598 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3123414&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fchemerical.html A new film has come to my attention, one which I plan to purchase and watch with great interest, and if I am as impressed as I expect to be, will then begin to distribute and promote it to my friends, family and readers."Chemerical" is a film by independent filmmaker Andrew Nisker that chronicles and exposes the toxic chemicals, cleaners and personal care products that pollute our homes and bodies, greatly endangering our health and poisoning our environment.Indoor air pollution, Environmental Illness (EI), Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and a host of other 21st-century problems are leading many people to take stock of what products they use to clean their houses, clean their bodies, and "freshen" the very air they breathe.If you think about it, we actually live in a veritable "chemic... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3123414 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:55:00 +0100 3123414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3120617&cid=t_115137_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2F12-step-involvement-and-peer-helping%2F This study compares peer helping and 12-step involvement among participants receiving chemical dependency treatment at day hospital (N = 503) and residential (N = 230) programs, and examines relationships between both variables and outcomes. Findings show that residential (vs. day hospital) participants reported significantly more peer helping and 12-step involvement during treatment, and marginally more 12-step involvement at 6 months. Both peer helping and 12-step involvement predicted higher odds of sobriety across follow-ups; helping showed an indirect effect on sobriety via 12-step involvement. Results contribute to the 12-step facilitation literature (TSF); confirm prior results regarding benefits of mutual aid; and highlight methodological issues in helping research. Research report... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3120617 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:53:00 +0100 3120617 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3045016&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F30%2Fmore_binding_site_weirdness.php Now here's an oddity: medicinal chemists are used to seeing the two enantiomers (mirror image compounds, for those outside the field) showing different activity. After all, proteins are chiral, and can recognize such things - in fact, it's a bit worrisome when the enantiomers don't show different profiles against a protein target. There are a few cases known where the two enantiomers both show some kind of activity, but via different binding modes. But I've never seen a case like this, where this happens at the same time in the same binding pocket. The authors were studying inhibitors of a biosynthetic enzyme from Burkholderia, and seeing the usual sorts of things in their crystal structures - that is, only one enantiomer of a racemic mixture showing up in the enzyme. But suddenly of thei... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3045016 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:23:31 +0100 3045016 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3040028&cid=t_115137_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FxJbYUSsY8IM%2F Alcoholics Anonymous is a program for alcoholics who seek freedom from alcohol. It is not a program against drugs. However, some A.A. members have misused drugs, often as a substitute for alcohol, in such a manner as to become a threat to the achievement and maintenance of sobriety. These incidents have caused all A.A. members to be concerned with what is popularly known as the “pill problem.” A report from a group of physicians in A.A. Because this subject is one which goes deeply into the field of medicine, a group of physicians who are members of A.A. was asked to help prepare this pamphlet. The experience of some A.A. members reveals that drug misuse can threaten the achievement and maintenance of sobriety. Yet some A.A. members must take prescribed medication in order to treat ce... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3040028 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:36:00 +0100 3040028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3033610&cid=t_115137_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2F4847.html A wide range of stories again in this week’s Alchemist column on ChemWeb.com Absolute configurations reveal themselves through NMR spectroscopy using residual dipolar couplings in small molecules, according to an international team who have put it to work on an anticancer compound. Discussed also in more detail on SpectroscopyNOW.com A failed antidepressant could be marketed as a novel treatment for female sexual dysfunction. Also covered on Reactive Reports. In the world of inorganic materials, researchers have discovered a new class of composites in which dihydrogen layers trap atoms of the noble gas xenon to form a stable solid under extreme pressures. A new approach to carbon nanotubes provides chemists with an insider view of these unique materials, while an award for $2.8 milli... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3033610 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:00:57 +0100 3033610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3023403&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F23%2Fk_c_nicolaou_call_your_office.php While I'm putting up odd chemical structures today, I thought I'd add this one, Alasmontamine A, from the latest Organic Letters preprint stream. Natural products scare me: Anyone who wants to take a crack at this one synthetically, you just go right ahead without me. It is pretty much a dimer, though, so it's only about half as awful as it looks. Which is still enough. It doesn't seem to have much biological activity, but if you can sell it as something to do with green chemistry, nanotech, or alternative energy, you should be able to round up some money, right? (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3023403 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:29:50 +0100 3023403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977406&cid=t_115137_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F11%2F10%2Fis-halloween-makeup-safe-for-kids%2F I was a little behind in my RSS articles but I stumbled upon a report about Halloween makeup to which the Beauty Brains had to weigh in. The fear mongering folks at the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics are at it again. According to their latest report, Halloween face paint is contaminated with lead, nickel, chromium and cobalt. They say this is because of the lack of regulation by the FDA and warn that exposure to these toxic (naturally occurring) chemicals “can lead to hyperactivity, impulsive behavior, IQ deficits, reduced school performance, aggression and delinquent behavior.” Finally, they recommend that parents “avoid using face paints on children until safety standards are put in place.” They further suggest that you “make your own face paint with food-grade ingredients.” Not... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2977406 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:04:31 +0100 2977406 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2954584&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fchemicals-are-everywhere.html How does one stay healthy while living in a world saturated with chemicals, especially when one is chemically sensitive? People walk around bathed in clouds of laundry detergent and dryer sheets, and the canaries among us---myself included---suffer the consequences.Perfumes, scented candles, deodorants, laundry products, household cleaning products, the list goes on and on.My wife and I are working hard to heal ourselves from chemical sensitivity, but when one of the best ways to heal is avoidance of the offending substances, we are challenged to find a way to truly save ourselves from the ill effects of exposure.Still, we do not sequester ourselves, and we strike out into the world with hopes of healing, connection and community. There are many ways in which chemical sensitivity has limit... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2954584 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:32:00 +0100 2954584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2879440&cid=t_115137_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fmoon-earthquakes-chemical-weapons.html The media was today almost drenched with the idea that water and other wonders would be been found on the Moon, but unfortunately LXPRESS was the least moist of damp squibs ever and no 50 km plume was seen, not even a little splash. NASA scientists are trying to figure out why. Meanwhile, in the October Spotlight Hot Topics on Intute, I discuss the speculation about water on our lunar neighbour and the possibility of it offering an oasis-like site for extraterrestrial missions. Oh, and I included a nice big picture of the moon taken with my digital camera (thank you Nobel Physicists Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith of Bell Labs for the CCD that let me do that). Also highly topical at the moment: US researchers have found a way to monitor geological faults deep in the Earth that could h... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2879440 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:00:03 +0100 2879440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2876348&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F08%2Fhoist_petard_etc.php Hmmm. As a colleague just pointed out to me, I've spent some time here defending "me-too" drugs. And just this morning (see the previous post) I take off after what can only be described as "me-too reactions", saying that I don't see the use for so many of them. Well! The only defense I can offer (until I think of a better one) is that there is no drug category so populated as the aldoxime-to-nitrile conversion is in synthetic chemistry (or acetal formation/deprotection, desilylation, or the other categories I spoke of in that other post). I suppose I might have a tougher time standing up for me-too drugs if there were (say) twenty-nine statins on the market. But still. . ."I'd better put up a post on that", I said. "Better you than someone with a funny pseudonym in your comments section"... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2876348 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:31:09 +0100 2876348 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2876349&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F08%2Fretire_these_reactions.php Here's a question you don't hear discussed very often: are there some synthetic organic chemistry reactions that don't need any more work? I'm moved to ask this because I just came across yet another way that someone has reported to dehydrate an oxime to a nitrile. (No, I won't link to it. You don't need it. No one needs it). If asked to count the number of times I have seen new reagents that dehydrate oximes to nitriles, I would be at a total loss to even try to guess. But I've seen it over and over and over. Is it possible that we now have enough ways to do this? And that anyone who is contemplating adding another one to the list should instead go do something else? I'll vote for that. And there are several other transformations that could go on the same list. That doesn't mean that I ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2876349 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:32:46 +0100 2876349 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2846617&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F30%2Fmicrowaves_arent_magic.php Many synthetic chemists these days use microwave reactors to speed up their reactions, especially metal-catalyzed couplings. But there's been a debate ever since the technique became popular about why it works so well. Some people think that microwave irradiation is just a very efficient and fast way to heat up a reaction, while others have hypothesized some sort of microwave-specific effect, outside of the heating behavior. Metal catalysts have been particular favorites for this possibility. The former view has been gaining ground, though, and I think we can now say that it's won. A new paper from the lab of microwave chemistry pioneer Oliver Kappe has an ingenious way to settle the argument. They've fabricated a microwave reactor vial out of silicon carbide. It's chemically inert and ha... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2846617 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:34:39 +0100 2846617 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2842784&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F29%2Fnobel_season_2009.php Fall is in the air, which (for a very small group of people) brings thoughts of a call from Stockholm. The Nobel Prizes will be announced next week, starting the Physiology and Medicine on Monday. And as in years past, people are lining up with predictions. Predicting the Chemistry prize is tricky, since it's so often used as a surrogate for the nonexistent Biology prize (and, once in a while, as an overflow Physics one as well). But let's take a look at the field and see if the Scandinavians surprise us or not. The two best roundups I've seen so far are from the Wall Street Journal and Thomson/Reuters. For Chemistry, the Journal has a pair of biology prize possibilities going to (1) Hartl and Horwich for chaperone proteins, or (2) Winter and Lerner for antibodies (humanized, monoclonal,... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2842784 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:18:08 +0100 2842784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2839163&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F28%2Fchew_on_this_enzyme.php File this one under "Department of Odd Ideas". There's a paper coming out in JACS that has a neat variation on an idea that's been kicking around for some years now: molecularly-imprinted polymers (MIPs). A MIP is a sort of molded form around some molecular template - you make your polymer in the presence of the desired target molecule, with the idea that you'll then form target-shaped cavities in the resulting gel. These things have been worked on for years in the analytical chemistry field, since they have the potential to form very robust sensors for a wide variety of substances. The thought has also been that they might serve as pseudo-enzymatic catalysts for some reactions as well, although I get the impressions that that's been harder to realize. From the outside, the whole area see... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2839163 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:39:12 +0100 2839163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807871&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F18%2F175_times_and_then_the_catastrophe.php I noted this item over at C&E News today, a report on a terrible chemical accident at T2 Laboratories in Florida back in 2007. I missed even hearing about this incident at the time, but it appears to have been one of the more violent explosions investigated by the federal Chemical Safety and Hazard Board (CSB). Debris ended up over a mile from the site, and killed four employees, including one of the co-owners, who was fifty feet away from the reactor at the time. (The other co-owner made it through the blast behind a shipping container and suffered a heart attack immediately afterwards, but survived). Here's the full report as a PDF. The company was preparing a gasoline additive, methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MCMT). To readers outside the field, that sounds like an awful ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807871 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:47:48 +0100 2807871 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2790299&cid=t_115137_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F13%2Ftest-predicts-depression-medication-response%2F Did you know that as much as some doctors and researchers like to think that medicine is a science, it is very much an art too? You can see that no more clearly than in the decision process doctors use to prescribe a specific psychiatric medication. Ask a psychiatrist what their usual depression treatment regimen is, and they’ll usually talk to you about using one or two different antidepressants they are most familiar and comfortable with prescribing — not which medication is best for the patient. Why is that? Wouldn’t you like to prescribe the most effective medication for a particular patient based upon their brain’s chemical structure and likely reaction to it? We sure would, but until recently, we had few ways to determine how a person might react to particular... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2790299 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:35:31 +0100 2790299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2778679&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F09%2Fscratch_and_sniff_turns_into_zap_and_react.php Here's an odd idea that might turn into something useful. A group at Berkeley (spanning both the chemistry and physics departments of Cal-Berkeley and the Lawrence labs) have reported a method for encapsulating organic molecules and releasing them inside a reaction when needed. What they do is form microcapsules, small polymer spheres, from branched acid chlorides and amines. That technology is already known, but in this case they're also incorporating carbon nanotubes inside the capsules, as shown in the photo. If you do this from a solution of some reagent of interest, you now have it, the solvent, and the carbon nanotubes wrapped up in small polymer beads. And if you irradiate these things, the carbon nanotubes heat up rapidly, causing the microcapsules to break open. There's the cont... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2778679 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:27:25 +0100 2778679 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2768616&cid=t_115137_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F09%2F04%2Ffriday-foolery-3-showing-the-invisible%2F I always found it difficult to think abstract. It was not until physics class at college, that I started to understand physics formulas,  because our professor gave practical examples from real life, i.e. he made me understand why the sky was blue. Mathematics was all right as long as we stayed in two dimensions, but [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2768616 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:48:43 +0100 2768616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2758115&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F01%2Fanother_iron_reaction_hits_the_mat.php Beware of iron! That's the lesson that's being hammered home these days in synthetic chemistry. I wrote recently about the discovery that a series of iron-catalyzed couplings were actually being caused by trace amounts of copper compounds. Now there's another re-examination of some similar iron couplings that were reported last year. If you click on that last link, you'll see that there was already trouble with the original work. The authors themselves appear to have had a hard time repeating it, and earlier this year they retracted the paper. This latest publication (from other workers) details their own attempts to reproduce the original iron-catalyzed work. In most cases, they got nothing at all, but once (and only once) they had a wonderful spot-to-spot reaction take place with para-b... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2758115 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:10:41 +0100 2758115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2741596&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F27%2Frings_of_the_future.php Here's an interesting paper that some of you may have seen in J. Med. Chem.: "Heteroaromatic Rings of the Future". That's an odd title, but an appropriate one. For the non-chemists in the crowd who made it to this paragraph, heteroaromatic rings are a very wide class of organic compounds. They're flat cyclic structures with one or more nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur atoms in the ring - I'll leave out explaining the concept of "aromaticity" for now, but suffice it to say that it makes them flat and gives them some other distinct properties. These structures are especially important in medicinal chemistry. If you stripped out all the drugs that contain something from this class, you'd lose a bit under half of the current pharmacopoeia, and that share has lately been increasing. The authors h... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2741596 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:46:38 +0100 2741596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2645373&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fchemical-nightmare-at-work.html Last week, I was sitting in my office and began to notice an odd smell, sort of sickly sweet. Ignoring it against my better judgment for several days, I was even told by my astute boss---who is well aware that I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)---that something seemed amiss. Since last week, I've been noticing increased confusion, memory loss, and a marked increase in my level of stress and anxiety. Granted, we are in the midst of selling our home and radically changing our lives, but this past week my emotional life has been over the top and I have been feeling physically unwell. Today, my (chemically sensitive) wife came to visit my office, remarking immediately that my office seemed incredibly toxic to her and that I should leave immediately. Just prior to her arrival, I had l... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2645373 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:33:00 +0100 2645373 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2639623&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fnursing-on-road-some-conundrums.html I've been thinking a great deal about what type of nursing I might do once my wife and I are "on the road". (For those of you new to Digital Doorway, my wife and I have sold our house and will be spending a year or so living on the road in the United States, traveling and looking for a place to make a new life.)As a nurse, I have completely eschewed working in hospitals, partly due to my desire to avoid the overly controlled and mechanized hospital setting, but also because I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and hospitals are basically dangerous to my health. MCS is a serious syndrome, and one of the best ways for me to safeguard my health is to avoid exposure to that which makes me sick. Lacking hospital experience, my work as a nurse has centered on home care, ambulatory care, h... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2639623 Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:07:00 +0100 2639623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2622034&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F20%2Feverything_in_its_place.php Things are pretty quiet around the industry these days, so my blogging thoughts have been turning to Big General Problems. And here's one that I know that people are working on, but which I think we as chemists are going to have to understand much better: localization. "Say what?" is the usual response to that, but hear me out. What I mean is the trick that living cells use for their feats of multistep synthesis. Enzymes aren't generally just floating around hoping to bump into things - well, some of them are, but a lot of them are tied to specific regions. They're either membrane-bound, or they're expressed in structures where they don't get a lot of chances to diffuse out into the mix. The interior of a cell, on the whole, is a pretty intensely structured place (as it would have to be).... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2622034 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:38:01 +0100 2622034 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2615388&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fmultiple-chemical-sensitivity.html As my wife and I shop for a recreational vehicle in which to spend the next year or two as we live, work and play, our Multiple Chemical Sensitivity has become even more of an inconvenient reality. We all know that new car smell, and many people equate that smell with freshness and newness. We also know the particular smell of a new shower curtain which is now widely understood to be the off-gassing of pthalates and other very unhealthy chemicals. These are modern realities, and they're making us sick. Recreational vehicles (RVs) are manufactured just like homes and cars----they are filled with particle board, formaldehyde-based materials and nasty chemical-laden furnishings that off-gas for years. In our meanderings, we have entered several newish RVs and the chemical aura has hit us bo... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2615388 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:00:00 +0100 2615388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2611167&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F16%2Fthe_further_in_you_go_the_bigger_it_gets.php I had a printout of the structure of maitotoxin on my desk the other day, mostly as a joke to alarm anyone who came into my office. "Yep, here's the best hit from the latest screen. . .I hear that you're on the list to run the chemistry end. . .what's that you say?" This is, needless to say, one of the largest and scariest marine natural product structures ever determined (and that determination has been no stroll past the dessert table, either). But that' hasn't stopped people from messing around with it. And there's much speculation that other people are strongly considering messing around with it, too - you synthetic chemists can guess the sorts of people that this might be, and their names, and what it might be like to sit through the seminars that result, and so on. I fear that a t... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2611167 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:33:49 +0100 2611167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2580273&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fmoving-towards-dream.html Well, dear Readers, we are back from vacation and I feel it's time for me to publicly share what's been happening for us here on the home front. For a long time, we have been feeling that a change has been coming, and a new life has always been just around the corner. The last decade has seen us through chronic pain, developing Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), the murder of a dear friend, the death of my great aunt, euthanizing our dog Sparkey after a protracted illness, and midwifing my step-father to his death. There have been some great times as well, but this past decade has seen its share of loss, illness and stress. So, taking into consideration where we've been and where we want to be, Mary and I are in the process of selling our beloved home, jettisoning as many of our belon... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2580273 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:42:00 +0100 2580273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2556346&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F30%2Fdevils_metals_and_details.php Organic synthesis as we know it can't go on without metal-catalyzed bond-forming reactions. There are too many of them, and they're just too useful. Palladium's the workhorse, followed by copper, then you've got rhodium, nickel, and a host of others (gold's been popular the last few years). We have a. . .fairly good idea of what's going on in these reactions, but not quite good enough. If we really understood all the factors involved, there wouldn't be six garbonzillion different sets of conditions for these things, would there? A short paper's just come out in Angewandte Chemie that illustrates some of the trickiness involved. Carsten Bolm's group at Aachen has published several interesting iron-catalyzed coupling reactions using good old ferric chloride. These are aryl-amine, aryl-ether... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2556346 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:28:45 +0100 2556346 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2458190&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fhealth-coaching-and-multiple-chemical.html Returning to the subject of becoming a health coach, there are several ways that this vocational choice could serve me and others, especially related to Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).As I have previously written here on DD, when you have MCS, working in health care can be like a minefield of chemical exposure. From hospitals to medical offices to nursing homes, disinfectants, air fresheners, cleaners and other chemicals abound, and the health care worker with MCS can simmer in a toxic soup for thirty or forty hours each week, compromising his or her health while trying to help others. Even though I have never worked in a hospital since graduating from nursing school (something I was told would be professional suicide), my chemical exposures over the years have been significant and oc... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2458190 Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:54:00 +0100 2458190 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2417073&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2F21st-century-coal-mine.html Well, even though we've asked our neighbors to consider switching from fragranced dryer sheets to something less unhealthy, the toxic fumes just keep on blowing into our yard, causing us no end of symptoms and unhappiness.Some of my recent posts have elucidated how the air blowing from neighbors' nearby dryer vents causes us no end of symptoms and irritation, and we have indeed very recently been chased from our yard or our screened-in porch as the clouds of vapors have entered our space.Luckily, several neighbors have responded to a series of letters that we have circulated through the neighborhood, and change may indeed be afoot. One neighbor knocked on our door just this evening to show us the hypoallergenic, eco-friendly dryer sheets she'd purchased with us in mind, and another neighbo... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2417073 Tue, 19 May 2009 02:01:00 +0100 2417073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2406155&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F14%2Ftms_diazomethane_update_on_a_fatality.php I've been contacted by several people over the last few weeks about the TMS diazomethane-linked fatality in Nova Scotia (first written about here). Many more details are emerging about the case, chief among them that the fume hoods in the lab were apparently down for maintenance during this time. Here's a newspaper article that's just appeared. I'm quoted in it as saying that I would have refused to work under such conditions, and I stand by that. But that's not surprising: in every industrial lab I've ever worked in, when the fume hoods go down, people roll their eyes and walk out the door. I most especially cannot recommend working with something like TMS diazomethane in such a situation. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2406155 Thu, 14 May 2009 14:50:10 +0100 2406155 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405414&cid=t_115137_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fextended-periods-of-sunlight-might-act-as-suicide-trigger%2F Midweek Mental Greening People often associate becoming depressed during dark winter months with Seasonal Affective Disorder (or, SAD). SAD can actually affect people during any season, including the bright and sunny days during spring and summer months; however, according to a recent Swedish study, regardless of the similar symptoms, SAD doesn’t seem to be the culprit when it comes to the high number of suicides happening in places that experience extended sunlight like Sweden and Greenland. The researchers speculated that light-generated imbalances in serotonin — the brain chemical linked to mood — may lead to increased impulsiveness that in combination with a lack of sleep drives people to kill themselves. “We found that suicides were almost exclusively violent and incre... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405414 Wed, 13 May 2009 17:54:56 +0100 2405414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2398865&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fmesotheliomacom.html Mesothelioma is honestly not a disease that has ever been on my radar screen. However, I would like to call your attention to a relatively new site devoted to assisting those living with this disease which directly impacts those who have been exposed to asbestos.According to Mesothelioma.com, "Malignant mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of cells lining the body's internal organs, known as the mesothelium. There are three recognized types of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of the disease, accounting for roughly 70% of cases, and occurs in the lining of the lung known as the pleura. Peritoneal mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the abdominal cavity, known as the peritoneum and pericardial mesothelioma originates in the pericardiu... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2398865 Sun, 10 May 2009 02:32:00 +0100 2398865 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2387224&cid=t_115137_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fwriting_with_triazoles.php I’ve written before about the copper-catalyzed triazole formation (often referred to as “click chemistry”). It’s turned into a very useful way to stick all sorts of molecules and structures together, and is showing up in materials science, biochemistry, organic synthesis and other fields. Now Fraser Stoddart’s lab has a new variation on the technique, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) equipment. If you’re not familiar with that machinery (invented in the 1980s), it’s rather startling. An AFM rig uses a very fine metal tip (fine, as in “down to one atom or so at the end” fine), which is brought down very close to a solid surface. And that’s close as in “within the size of a molecule or so” close. Once you’re ranged in, you can run these tips around in any direc... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2387224 Mon, 04 May 2009 12:23:33 +0100 2387224 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348692&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fdryer-sheet-hell.html Just today, I received a link to a great article published in a Virginia newspaper that deftly uses humor to poke fun at the ubiquity of dryer sheets and other fragranced products that continue to poison and fumigate our world.For those of us with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), getting hit with a blast of dryer sheet fumes is exactly what can throw a chemical wrench into our day, delivering a hefty dose of heated, aerosolized formaldehyde and acetone as we attempt to live our lives.In a recent post, I reported how we had sent a letter to our neighbors requesting that they consider eschewing dryer sheets due to their deleterious effect on our health. It's apparent that at least several of our neighbors have not heeded our request, and we are still being assaulted with toxic fumes as w... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348692 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:56:00 +0100 2348692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348699&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fintroducing-canary-report.html I am honored to have been asked to periodically serve as a guest blogger on the newest version of "The Canary Report", a website devoted to the subject of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.The new site is excellent, and will serve as a clearinghouse for information, news, research, and support for those living with the condition, those who care about them, and those who want to know more about how chemicals, fragrances and toxins poison our bodies and our environment.Equally exciting is the birth of "The Flock", a social networking site for people with MCS and their supporters. I will also be actively involved in this growing community, and encourage those with and without MCS to join.MCS has impacted the lives of thousands of people, and as much as our (many) detractors and naysayers want to ... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348699 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:31:00 +0100 2348699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2312610&cid=t_115137_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Ftoxic-gas-robot.html It’s a crude schoolroom axiom around which many an adult pub debate might also revolve: He who smelt it, dealt it. However, there is a serious side to quickly locating the source of noxious odours in an indoor environment of varying airflow, as Zhenzhang Liu and Tien-Fu Lu of The University of Adelaide, Australia, will attest. They are developing an insect-like robot capable of odour plume tracing that could be used to detect toxic gas leaks, identify the source of a fire, or uncover cached explosives. “The recent increasing threat of chemical weapons technologies has highlighted the need for superior detection of hazardous emission sources,” the researchers explain, “One promising area of technological development is odour source detection using plume-tracing robot... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2312610 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:00:39 +0100 2312610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313813&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fhotels-and-their-discontents.html Staying in hotels can truly be a mixed bag, and when one has any sort of chemical sensitivity or environmental illness, hotels can be potentially unhealthy to the extreme.Take our most recent experience here in Dallas. Knowing we would be staying at this particular Hilton for the emergency preparedness conference that I'm attending, I called once a week for three weeks prior to our arrival to make sure that we had a room that was not cleaned with fragranced or strong chemicals prior to our arrival, and that the sheets and towels were laundered with only fragrance-free products. I was assured that these requests were not out of the ordinary in the least, and our arrival to our room assured us that our request had indeed been honored.Coming back from dinner after a long day of travel, we ent... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313813 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:01:00 +0100 2313813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2272392&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Ftoxins-close-to-home.html Now that it's Springtime (well, almost), my wife and I are thinking about opening the windows and airing out the stale Winter air. This is a great idea in theory, but in our neighborhood we are challenged by factors that make us think that our windows should probably stay sealed year-round.We live in a small community of homes that are quaintly clustered together. Separated by small yards, abundant trees and footpaths that wind through the neighborhood, it is idyllic in many ways. Many visitors say that our neighborhood resembles a Methodist summer camp, and I take that as a compliment. Wooded and a ten-second walk from a picturesque pond, we hear birds singing all around us.Living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), we are consistently challenged to function in a world where vaporiz... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2272392 Sun, 15 Mar 2009 17:05:00 +0100 2272392 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2258241&cid=t_115137_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fstewing-in-pot-of-toxins.html As a person with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity who is especially reactive to chemically-based fragrances, I am consistently dismayed by the overwhelming ubiquity of "air fresheners" in public and private spaces.These days, especially here in the U.S., chemical air fresheners can be found in almost every public restroom. Many of these devices emit a puff of spray on a timer, and if you are unfortunate to be the recipient of such a noxious burst, you are then cursed to spend the rest of the day smelling like a sickening, chemical-induced ersatz petroleum-based flower substitute. And that's saying it nicely.Contrary to popular opinion, the fragrance and chemical industry is woefully unregulated, and the companies making the products that allegedly "freshen" the air that we breathe are not beh... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2258241 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:36:00 +0100 2258241 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2259906&cid=t_115137_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fpet-therapy-may-be-the-greatest-therapy-of-all%2F Today, I thought we might take a break from ourselves and take a moment to enjoy the remarkable world of pet therapy. They answer to many names such as service dogs, therapy dogs and guide dogs. In my digging around through books, periodicals and the Internet, I find that pets are indeed, more than poor dumb beasts. They’re not dumb at all. I’ve always known it, especially when I’m hauling in a load of groceries into my front door. There are my two critters greeting me, jumping, barking and generally beside themselves over the simple fact that I’m home.  I usually look at them and say in a short-of breath way, “So, why don’t you two pick up a bag and help me?” Poor dumb beasts that sleep in a warm bed, eat home-cooked pet food they didn’t have to prepare and certainly didn... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2259906 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:44:43 +0100 2259906