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 'chemistry'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:53:30 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181882&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fcatching-up-with-the-alchemist.html – Ancient oxygen levels were higher than The Alchemist thought, but they existed in submarine oxygen oases rather than in the atmosphere. We also learn this week that a sweet solution to modulating pharmaceutical activity is possible, that micro-onions could serve as magnetic ink for digital displays, that there is more sulfur involved in the nitrogen cycle than we thought and how cat litter has the key to a productive sex life for the Toxoplasma parasite that infects rats. Finally, NIH is funding new research to protect us from viral-based bioweapons. Related Posts:Nervous, Monopolar, SolventsThis week’s happenings on The AlchemistCarbon Tet and Paradigm ShiftsAlchemist Checks Oxy Cholesterol LevelsExplosive sex, coral killers, room for shrooms and moreCatching up with The Al... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181882 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 07:53:45 +0100 5181882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5182355&cid=t_106029_155_f&fid=39053&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcommunity.advanceweb.com%2Fblogs%2Fal_2%2Farchive%2F2011%2F08%2F30%2Fsiemens-nephromics-to-develop-assays-to-improve-preeclampsia-diagnosis.aspx As part of a global licensing agreement, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics and Nephromics LLC will develop two assays to be used as an aid in diagnosing preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs during pregnancy and affects mothers...(read more) (Source: ADVANCE Discourse: Lab) ADVANCE Discourse: Lab blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5182355 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:56:00 +0100 5182355 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159201&cid=t_106029_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F24%2Fis-it-really-mind-over-matter-the-mind-and-body-are-one%2F You have probably heard the phrase mind over matter, which implies the mind and matter are separable.  Or maybe you have heard it’s all in your head, or it’s mental.  Both of these phrases imply the separation of mind and brain (or body). So to explore this issue, I’d like to share some videos that discuss the unity of mind-body.  They can help us better understand how inseparable the mind and brain (body) really are. Mind vs. Brain: In the above video, Yale psychologist Paul Bloom says, “The mind is a product of the brain.  The mind is what the brain does.” Can we overload our brains? Steven Pinker, a scientist at Harvard, discusses the mind-brain myth in the video above.   Substance Dualism *Mirror* This is an excellent video (above) that discusses and re... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159201 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:29:31 +0100 5159201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159155&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fmore-chemical-wonders.html – Yet more chemical wonders fall under the gaze of The Alchemist this week. First up, spray on radiators coming to a home near you to help cut heating bills by a third while ethanol-imbibing bacteria offer an important clue to preventing biofuel pipeline cracks. In the analytical world a beetle that feasts on the dead offers volatile clues about time-since-death for forensic investigators, and porous compounds that can gulp down radioactive iodine emerge from Sandia National Laboratory. Chemistry, once again, gives advertisers materials to help beer drinkers. Finally, yet another award for a young Thai chemist. Related Posts:Alchemical HappeningsAlchemist Checks Oxy Cholesterol LevelsAlchemist Goes GreenToxic hairdos, titanic smog, and paradoxical polymersAlchemy and InfamyMore chem... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159155 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 22:20:05 +0100 5159155 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096319&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fjohn-cleese-does-chemistry.html The Case of the Sulphuric Acid plant was an educational short movie from 1976 aimed at schools and has as its narrator, Monty Python cast member John Cleese, who also features in animated form thanks to the late, great Tony Hart (of Vision On, Take Hart fame). The movie clip was posted on Youtube by the Royal Society of Chemistry recently after a long-lost reel was tracked down by Eton College and with the permission of ccopyrihht holder Akzo Nobel with legal lubrication by Wendy Warr, apparently. As the title would suggest it tells the tale of a sulfuric acid plant (current IUPAC spelling has f not ph, by the way). Yes, sadly, I am old enough to recall seeing this short movie in school some time in the 1970s (I would have still been in junior school when it was first released, so I suspec... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096319 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:10:28 +0100 5096319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036227&cid=t_106029_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=4976113&cid=t_106029_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FZWk3_Zj5pRw%2F So you’re living in NYC, and you just can’t understand why your friends visiting from rural Ohio seem so overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the place. Or maybe you’re living the good life in small town, U.S.A., and you wish your city friends who came to visit could just chill out and relax for 97 seconds. Are these sort of differences between city and country temperaments all in your head? Well, yes — but that doesn’t mean you’re making them up: It turns out urban brains really do behave differently from rural ones. The Economist reports on a study just published in Nature by German researcher Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg which used MRI scans to look at the effect of stress on the brains of city- and country-dwellers. Lindenberg and colleagues found the amy... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4976113 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:41:49 +0100 4976113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952951&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fchemistry-news-round-up-for-this-week.html – This week, The Alchemist is intrigued by a molecular optical illusion and learns of a new catalyst for making aromatic compounds from their unsaturated hydrocarbon counterparts. A new gel has been developed by chemists in China for delivering anticancer drugs while bubbles could be key to remediating oil spills at sea even in stormy conditions. A spot of modern alchemy reveals how steel can be toughened without adding weight by 7 percent in just a few seconds. Finally, Canadian chemists sweep the board when it comes to awards. Related Posts:Copper Tone AlchemistChemWeb AlchemistAlchemical ChemWebThis week’s alchemical newsCarbon Tet and Paradigm ShiftsChemistry news round-up for this week is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog (Source: Sciencebase Science Blog) Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952951 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:53:24 +0100 4952951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934171&cid=t_106029_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FVKOk8s-E5yQ%2F Having a look on the web to review some fundamental chemistry I saw a couple of demonstrations of audiovisual knowledge sharing, though not sure how many of these ideas we can realistically incorporate into emergency medicine and critical care learning! (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934171 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 07:52:04 +0100 4934171 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921508&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fscerri-stuff-indeed.html – Non-chemists, and perhaps a few chemists, might have assumed that once all the holes in Mendeleev's Periodic Table were filled with modern discoveries and the lanthanides and actinides added, that the Table was forever immutable, a stone tablet to adorn high school chemistry lab walls, textbooks and websites unchanged forever more…well they'd be wrong, some chemists think it's time for a change. Related Posts:Rebuilding the Periodic TableAwards, PTs, and green phonesPeriodic Table HistoryPeriodic PostFive more science storiesScerri stuff indeed is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog (Source: Sciencebase Science Blog) Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921508 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:41:22 +0100 4921508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4876415&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fthis-weels-happenings-on-the-alchemist.html This weel’s happenings on The Alchemist – This week, The Alchemist is looking to the sun for record-breaking power and sniffing the air to catch a whiff of blackcurrant. Testing times ahead for heavy metal in the pharmaceutical industry we learn, and logical molecules come to the for in potential biomedical and sensor applications. In child health, C&EN reports on fire retardants in baby products. And, finally, everyone's favorite gray-haired video chemist, Martyn Poliakoff, is nominated for the position of Foreign Secretary at the Royal Society. Related Posts:Alchemical happeningsNervous, Monopolar, SolventsAlchemical AnomaliesEarly Valentine’s AlchemistAlchemy bonusThis week’s happenings on The Alchemist is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog (Source: S... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4876415 Sat, 28 May 2011 10:00:02 +0100 4876415 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828965&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Flatest-science-news-with-a-spectral-twist.html Romantic notes – Cassis base 345B, undecavertol, 1,3-oxathiane oxane, isospirene… Perfume can be so romantic! But the chemical components underpinning the often-enticing and seductive smells of fragrances are, one might say equal parts art and science. One of the most intriguing elements of several fragrances, including popular perfumes like Le monde est beau by Daniela Andrier and DKNY Be Delicious by Maurice Roucel is the fruity top note – blackcurrant. Socioeconomic pollutants – How much socioeconomic factors affect exposure to persistent organic pollutants, especially during vulnerable periods of life such as pregnancy and childhood, is not yet well understood. A new study has investigated the relationship between maternal social class, based on occupation type,... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828965 Mon, 16 May 2011 07:40:50 +0100 4828965 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4821177&cid=t_106029_155_f&fid=39053&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcommunity.advanceweb.com%2Fblogs%2Fal_2%2Farchive%2F2011%2F05%2F12%2Flooking-ahead-to-aacc-s-annual-meeting.aspx In less than three months, many of you will be headed to the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) 2011 Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo being held July 24-28 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. This event is an exciting...(read more) (Source: ADVANCE Discourse: Lab) ADVANCE Discourse: Lab blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4821177 Thu, 12 May 2011 14:02:00 +0100 4821177 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4780341&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fcurrent-science-news-3.html Carbon dioxide resurrected – A new kind of alchemy sees demonized carbon dioxide resurrected as an oxygen source for speedy cyclic alkene conversions while laser beams guide atoms for future quantum interference devices. In medicine, the discovery of a protein made by TB but not present in current vaccines offers hope of a new approach to diagnosis and prevention. However, concerns are raised regarding the effect of anti-inflammatory analgesics on the efficacy of antidepressants. In energy news, solar goes organic and nudges up the efficiency. Finally, the American Chemical Society Public Service Award is announced for 2011. Calcium supplements and heart attack risk – The emerging safety data on calcium may yet become another cautionary tale about the unexpected and undesirable... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4780341 Tue, 03 May 2011 07:00:08 +0100 4780341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775463&cid=t_106029_113_f&fid=34933&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpalmdoc.net%2F%3Fp%3D3520 Since HP has allowed developers to provide free Promo Codes for Paid apps, I have decided to give out some for Chemistry Converter. This is my first paid app for webOS and is an application which works out the conversion between US and SI units for various chemistry values commonly used in medical practice. I use it regularly in my daily practice mainly to convert from SI and US units and vice versa, and also to look up normal values. Update May 3 – apologies to those who tried to comment – there was something wrong with the commenting system (the comments database was corrupt but has been fixed) : The promo codes (US only for now) will be made available to the first 100 people who email me with “Chemconverter Promo” in the subject of the email OR comment on this p... The Palmdoc Chronicles blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775463 Mon, 02 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4775463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693323&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Ffive-more-science-stories-2.html Tevetron finds new particle – Scientists at the particle accelerator have reported a study of the invariant mass distribution of jet pairs produced in association with a W boson using data collected with the CDF detector which correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.3 fb^-1. The observed distribution has an excess in the 120-160 GeV/c^2 mass range which is not described by current theoretical predictions within the statistical and systematic uncertainties. They found a new particle, in other words. Possibly. Open-source chemistry – Nothing beats ChemDraw…apparently…but if you're on Linux, you're stuck. Simply doing a search in the Ubuntu Software Installer for chemical drawing software turns up quite a few results, often with confusingly similar names ... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693323 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 07:00:08 +0100 4693323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4670171&cid=t_106029_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F02%2Fgoogle-science-fair-2011%2F I’m pleased to help spread the word today about the world’s first online global science competition, the Google Science Fair! Google has partnered with CERN, LEGO, National Geographic and Scientific American to create a new kind of online science competition that is more global, open and inclusive than ever before. Students aged 13 – 18 from around the world are invited to enter and compete for awesome once-in-a-lifetime experiences, scholarships and real-life work opportunities. Click continue to see the Rube Goldberg-inspired video and learn how to sign-up. Who doesn’t like a good science fair? It gives kids the opportunity to join in a new kind of online science competition that is more global, open and inclusive than ever before. Best yet, it offers full-time... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4670171 Sat, 02 Apr 2011 16:00:21 +0100 4670171 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642654&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fa-fix-of-five-fresh-science-stories-2.html Incognito – If the conscious mind – the part you consider you – is just the tip of the iceberg, what is the rest doing? In this sparkling and provocative new book, renowned neuroscientist David Eagleman navigates the depths of the subconscious brain to illuminate surprising mysteries.  (9781847679383): David Eagleman Biopunk: DIY Scientists Hack the Software of Life – The most revolutionary discoveries in science and technology often emerge from out-of-the-way places, forged by brilliant outsiders with few resources besides boundless energy and great ideas. That describes the "biohacking" movement now in its early, heady days. In the next few years, companies will start selling libraries of genetic LEGOs that amateur scientists will use to build ... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642654 Sat, 26 Mar 2011 18:00:04 +0100 4642654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4622283&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fsix-science-selections-4.html Map mashup reveals world’s top science cities – Combining citation data with Google Maps reveals the cities where science prospers, and those where it doesn't. 9 arguments for (against) herbal remedies – About 40% of pharmaceuticals have a herbal origin but that doesn't mean natural is all good. Here's 9 arguments often posited in support of herbal over pharma. The first one: They’re natural. (So what? Strychnine is natural.), Read on for the other 8. The long-distance shimmer – The secret to controlling an NMR spectrometer is not to let your mind wander. The mind can play tricks on even an experienced spectroscopist…Chris Blake explains the loneliness of the long-distance shimmer. Simple salt removal to get fresh water – Simple... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4622283 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:00:00 +0100 4622283 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4575089&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fperiodic-table-elements-song-chemistry-humor.html I’ve created an unusual Periodic Table. In this rendering of the classic PT, each element represents, not a chemical element, but a version of the classic Tom Lehrer song, The Elements; it’s every chemist’s favourite song, so why not? There are also a few ringers, see if you can spot them. But, more to the point, there are major gaps just waiting to be filled. So…what’s you’re favourite cover of The Elements? Let me know via Twitter or Facebook or in the comments. I’d be particularly interested to see personal recordings and renditions done for your own site, lab or special event. Do share the link, let’s see if between us we can complete The Periodic Table of Periodic Table Songs. You can find the original lyrics here; the tune is that of G... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4575089 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:14:53 +0100 4575089 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4540578&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Ffive-science-selects.html How to Find Trustworthy Science and Health Information – Today, we’re overwhelmed with sources of information, with hundreds of television stations and millions of Web sites, and it can be hard to figure out what to trust. Google recently tweaked its search algorithm to bring higher quality sites to the top of its searches, but even then, how do you know what’s good? Here are some questions to ask when evaluating the trustworthiness of science and health information (though many apply to other areas of life) Placebo vs Pain – Researchers are elucidating the many mechanisms that go into measured placebo effects, and the differing magnitude of placebo effects for different outcomes. Can chemistry save the world? – The greening of chemistry… $200 ‘Min... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4540578 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 19:00:07 +0100 4540578 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4517360&cid=t_106029_155_f&fid=39053&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcommunity.advanceweb.com%2Fblogs%2Fal_2%2Farchive%2F2011%2F02%2F24%2Fhba1c-not-the-best-diabetes-diagnostic-for-kids.aspx A study from the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital says that the hemoglobin A1c test, a simple measure of longer-term blood sugar levels that doesn't require patients to fast overnight, may not be as effective for diagnosing diabetes...(read more) (Source: ADVANCE Discourse: Lab) ADVANCE Discourse: Lab blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4517360 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:30:00 +0100 4517360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4498289&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Ffive-picks-from-the-science-news.html Fix your H, increase citations and get more grant money – Citations have become the currency of science, which is used to reward scientists and scientific institutions. Small variations in citation scores can make millions of pounds difference in the financial outcomes of national Research Assessments . Therefore keeping your citation record updated is of critical importance. First February Alchemist – Something for the Alchemist to get his teeth into this week with chiton dental work offering new insights for biomimetic materials. Also, this week a sight unseen with calcite crystals revealing little but their invisibility prowess. Breath tests based on determination of acetone could be useful in sports science and training as well as diabetes monitoring. There's also a pl... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4498289 Sat, 19 Feb 2011 17:00:07 +0100 4498289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464527&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fan-octet-of-science-news.html Perfect Perfume – a video for Valentine’s Day – A bit of fun for Valentine's Day as the team combinesto make our very own "perfect perfume"! The lingering risk of thirdhand smoke – As Dubowski suggests, the notion of thirdhand smoke putatively being hazardous to health is controversial. Research in the late 2000s alluded to the potential problem of this form of pollution but ongoing public and academic scrutiny has not yet resolved the issue. Dubowski's work does provide a chemical basis for a possible risk but does not prove that the risk is substantial or otherwise. However, what is certain is that firsthand smoke is directly hazardous to the health of the smoker and recent evidence suggests that it could cause genetic damage almost the instant... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464527 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 12:00:03 +0100 4464527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4414546&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fseven-slices-of-science-stuff.html from David Bradley Vuja de – Thinking outside the box with new eyes? Haven't we see this managerial psychobabble before or is it just vuja de? Alchemist Newsletter – An element close to every Alchemist's heart, quicksilver, or more properly mercury, featured in the chemistry news roundup this week, as does the creation of life from the primordial soup and how that may have begun. In the world of agrichemicals there is a possible sting in the tale for a relatively new class of pesticides, although no definitive evidence is yet available. In materials science tiny, but microscopic particles can undergo self-assembly it seems, while depressing news emerges from Europe regarding the lack of efficacy of an antidepressant drug marketed there. Finally, a new, free chemical... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4414546 Sat, 29 Jan 2011 16:00:08 +0100 4414546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405775&cid=t_106029_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-everyone-should-know-about-plastics%2F2011.01.27 Information circulating about the dangers of plastic containers has created fear and confusion. Are plastic containers toxic? Do harmful chemicals leach out into its contents? Do we need to discard all plastic containers? Recently, I interacted in a live health chat on MedHelp about the safety of plastics. Scientist, Joe Schwarcz, Ph.D., Director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, talked about “The Real Truth About Plastics: What You Should And Shouldn’t Worry About.” While Dr. Schwarcz states that some plastics like those made by Tupperware and Rubbermaid are safe to use, there are other plastics made of Bisphenol A (BPA) that may cause some concern, however he did not become alarmed. There is extensive information on the safety of plastics, and reading some of... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405775 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:00:39 +0100 4405775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394513&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fa-tetralogy-of-science-news.html Four more picks from the latest science news by David Bradley Tales of the unexpected: a night with Tim Radford – My mentor at The Guardian, Tim Radford, told tales of science writing at a special event last week and warned the audience that the public can be very squeamish about new scientific practices, whether it is test-tube babies or heart transplants. This reaction, he warns us with his long view of how societies adapt to science, is a fleeting one. Reboxetine doesn’t work – Reboxetine is not approved for the drug market in the US, but is prescribed elsewhere. Now, a German study reveals that this antidepressant doesn't really work, but that's not the only problem, there are issues with the way drugs are tested highlighted by this finding. You see, reboxe... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394513 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:00:14 +0100 4394513 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394514&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Feven-more-science-news-2.html Science news snippets from the net meanderings of David Bradley Fighting malaria without DDT = FAIL – Review suggests DDT essential in fight against malaria, despite claims for green approaches. A new research paper exposes allegedly false claims and misrepresentations of science by United Nations environmental organizations to stop successful uses of DDT and other public health insecticides in malaria programs. Adverse drug reactions are not an argument against modern medicine – The number of preventable adverse events from medical treatments is far too high. And even the idiosyncratic events — freak accidents, basically — mean we must always consider the rare but possible harms of the therapies we use. But as Harriet Hall has pointed out, we cannot look at d... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394514 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:00:05 +0100 4394514 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394515&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fchemistry-dictionary.html UPDATE: 2011-01-20 Version 3.0 of the chemistry dictionary is now available. Now, with crowd-sourced, user-submitted words and an OpenOffice.org dictionary extension. “It took me the better part of a month,” Azman told us, “but I’ve made my own and I want it to be as open-source as possible. Chemspy Sciencebase is now hosting Azman’s efforts ready for free download zipped chemical dictionary file here). The chemistry dictionary is in standard “.dic” format and instructions for installing it on Microsoft Word OpenOffice can be found in the download together with licensing information (it’s creative commons). Azman concedes that it is not yet perfect and focuses mainly on organic chemistry words. “It almost certainly contains at least on... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394515 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:25:46 +0100 4394515 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394518&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fscience-news-5.html Latest science news snippets from Sciencebase Bee team funded by Bayer – It is revealed that the lead investigator in the study that recently published results suggesting that bee colony collapse disorder (CCD) is due to the combined effect of a virus and a fungus is funded by the insecticide company (Bayer). The researcher denies that this funding is connected to the research, it pays for other work, but you can't help but wonder whether there is a conflict of interest here. Who’s your favourite scientist? – Who's your favourite scientist? For me it has to be Feynman, although Faraday would be a close second, oh and perhaps Sagan, and then there's Curie, and Kroto…oh the list goes on… Definition of a chemistry research paper – I've ... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394518 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 10:56:48 +0100 4394518 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394519&cid=t_106029_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=4349677&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F14%2Ffishing_around_for_biomarkers.php Everyone in this industry wants to have good, predictive biomarkers for human diseases. We've wanted that for a very long time, though, and in most cases, we're still waiting. [For those outside the field, a biomarker is some sort of easy-to-run test that for a factor that correlates with the course of the real disease. Viral titer for an infection or cholesterol levels for atherosclerosis are two examples. The hope is to find a simple blood test that will give you advance news of how a slow-progressing disease is responding to treatment]. Sometimes the problem is that we have markers, but that no one can quite agree on how relevant they are (and for which patients), and other times we have nothing to work with at all. A patient's antibodies might, in theory, be a good place to look for m... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349677 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:58:24 +0100 4349677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394521&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fscience-news-3.html International Year of Chemistry, "Naturally" – Nature's take on the launch of the International Year of Chemistry 2011 (IYC11) Stinging vision – A group of school children aged between 8 and 10 years old have had their school science project accepted for publication in an internationally recognised peer-reviewed journal. The paper, which reports novel findings in how bumblebees perceive colour, is published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters. Physical Methods – Organophoshorus Chemistry provides a comprehensive and critical review of the recent literature. Coverage includes phosphines and their chalcogenides, phosphonium salts, low coordination number phosphorus compounds, penta- and hexa- coordinated compounds, tervalent phosphorus acid derivativ... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394521 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:26:04 +0100 4394521 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394522&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fscience-news-with-a-spectral-twist-3.html , first 2011 issue of my spectroscopyNOW.com now live Fast-track walking pneumonia test – A new approach to testing for a common form of pneumonia using nanorod arrays to boost SERS signals can cut the time to diagnosis from several days to a mere ten minutes, according to research published in the journal Plos One. Conservation conversation – Improving storage and exposure conditions in conservation of artefacts is crucial to suppressing the fading and degradation of dyes and other components of paintings. Researchers have now used several analytical techniques, including attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and optical microscopy, to investigate different conditions on common ... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394522 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:00:58 +0100 4394522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4241934&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F08%2Fnasas_arsenic_bacteria_a_call_for_followup_experiments.php Since the posts here on the possible arsenic-using bacteria have generated so many comments, I'd like to try to bring things together. If you think that the NASA results need shoring up - and a lot of people do, including me - please leave a comment here about what data or new experiments you'd want to see. I'll assemble these into a new post and try to get some attention for it. The expertise among the readership here is largely in chemistry, so it would make sense to have suggestions from that angle - I assume that microbiologists are putting together their own lists elsewhere! I know that several readers have already put forward some ideas in the comment threads from the earlier posts - I'll go back and harvest those, but feel free to revise and extend your remarks for this one. So, t... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4241934 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:59:10 +0100 4241934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4238066&cid=t_106029_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2FISxlgV2lLq4%2F Tweet NASA doesn’t get it. Or rather, some people at NASA don’t get it. Following Rosie Redfield’s blog post and other discussion, CBC news reached out to NASA only to be told by a NASA spokesperson that the article had been been through peer review, was published in Science and that the debate should be done via publication and not in the media. Hogwash. Yes, publications have their place. In my last post I wondered what role publishers and peer review have to play in ongoing discussion around a particular piece of science, but saying that the blogosphere, especially the number of high quality scientists across the world, cannot discuss or challenge the paper does disservice to all of us who care about our science and the quality of the science. Iddo asks the question ... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4238066 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 07:55:05 +0100 4238066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233341&cid=t_106029_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2FWynaJTRZz_c%2F Tweet In the past I’ve talked about science needing to do a better job of marketing. But when I say that, I mean doing a better job of communicating what that science means in the context of solid, hard science. It means open discussion on blogs, Twitter, and other avenues. It means authoring articles that help explain why something might be important. What I don’t mean, and have complained about in the past is science by press release, i.e. putting the spin ahead of the science. That’s what has always concerned me about university PR departments, as they make certain stories sound better than they are, or add enough hyperbole to diminish scientific credibility. That’s also probably why I was uncomfortable about how NASA announced the recent As-DNA discovery. It&#82... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233341 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 04:38:15 +0100 4233341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225532&cid=t_106029_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2FEQGwfrXIYX4%2F Tweet There’s a lot of interesting stuff out there which I don’t have time to blog about, so here are some links that I might end up blogging about later NASA, a little bit of hyperbole, but some cool biochemistry. You’ve all seen the news. Here is thhe (paper in Science). A few interesting blog posts by Steve Betz, PZ Myers and Derek Lowe Science and gameplay. Phylo is to comparative genomics what Foldit is to structure prediction LinkedIn, the place for data scientists. Or so it seems, as they add Daniel Tunkelang to an excellent team of data geeks (Source: business|bytes|genes|molecules) business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225532 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 06:56:31 +0100 4225532 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4203183&cid=t_106029_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=4197129&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSciencebaseScienceBlog%2F%7E3%2FMngtIcAz9ao%2Fmore-thoughts-on-science-from-sciencebase-2.html My latest science news updates Low-allergy wine, true blood, boronic butterflies – The Alchemist learns of low-allergy wines could one day be possible thanks to the discovery of glycoproteins in the tipple that seem to trigger the sniffles and headaches in susceptible drinkers. In analytical news true blood is spotted using infrared and one of the most complex small molecules is approved for treating metastatic breast cancer. In the world of agriculture a new discovery could point the way to boosting a crop plant's defenses against pests without pesticides and a butterfly effect is observed in boron compounds that could lead chemists to the elusive boron-boron triple bond. Finally, more than forty years of dedication to polymerization earns Marino Xanthos a major award. Not ano... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197129 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:00:05 +0100 4197129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4168003&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSciencebaseScienceBlog%2F%7E3%2FVBkgbm1XasA%2Flatest-science-snippets-3.html My latest science news updates New cancer treatment shows promise – An holistic and alternative approach to cancer treatment that isn't "alternative medicine" Pillbox – prototype pill identification system – Pillbox enables rapid identification of unknown solid-dosage medications (tablets/capsules) based on physical characteristics and high-resolution images. The Alchemist Newsletter: November 12, 2010 — Welcome to ChemWeb – In this week's issue a new definition of the hydrogen bond could lead to major textbook revisions and open up new chemical vistas. We learn that a turbo transfer can be used to synthesize useful nucleosides and organic vegetables are no higher in healthy nutrients than conventional crops. The world of materials could m... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4168003 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:00:02 +0100 4168003 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119038&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSciencebaseScienceBlog%2F%7E3%2F1q1O_tg2mO4%2Flatest-science-snippets.html The boiling Sun – In case you woke up today feeling important…there's a rather humbling picture that shows the scale of a plume of gas erupting from the surface of the Sun that would literally engulf the whole planet. More to the point, you could fit the Earth into the sun a million times over…and the sun isn't even a particularly big star and it's just one of billions in our galaxy and there are billions of galaxies in the "known" universe. The universe itself may simply be a tiny bubble in a even more unimaginable froth of universes…still pretty picture isn't it? Alchemist for 27th October on ChemWeb.com – In this week's issue theoretical work opens up entirely new chemical vistas hinting at the chemistry of elements beyond... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119038 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:05:36 +0100 4119038 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098410&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F22%2Fthe_latest_technology.php Well, the latest for 1960, anyway. That's the Bruker KIS-1 NMR machine there, folks, operating at 25 MHZ, and ready to dim the lights in the whole building when you switch on that electromagnet. Allow about 12 hours of acquisition time to get a decent spectrum. For those of you outside the field, a 300 MHZ NMR machine is now considered a average workhorse instrument, and should give you a spectrum (with resolution that would have made someone back then faint with joy) in a minute or so of acquisition time. We can do things with modern machines that they wouldn't have even dreamed of back in 1960, and people are still thinking up new tricks. All hail NMR! (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098410 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:35:28 +0100 4098410 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4022868&cid=t_106029_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2F01%2Ffriday-foolery-35-a-benzene-smiley%2F A chemical professor by the Twittername of @Takaguchi (Tak), who describes himself as a “Chemist loving nanocarbons, supramolecules, main group elements, photoreactions, and photoproperties has this Twitter Avatar: A benzene smiley… Brilliant! First seen at the Facebook Fan Page ( login required?) of Sciencebase.com (of David Bradley) He referred to a post at The Reactive Chemistry Blog of [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4022868 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 21:48:53 +0100 4022868 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907637&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fsciencebase-science-news-links-for-august-23rd-through-august-26th.html These are the latest science news links and snippets from Sciencebase: Chemical news – Two years on, a simple color change test emerges from China for melamine in milk, The Alchemist learns. Also, with a Chinese connection, new insights into the mode of action of a former herbal remedy for fever could improve the outlook for malaria drugs. Materials news sees a thin film being stretched to double up its functionality, while applying pressure to another makes it a superconductor. Meanwhile, edible chemistry looks set to open up new applications for the pharma and food industries. Finally, a new way to chemicalize the world-wide web makes its debut online. Questions for enquiring minds – Sample questions from a 18+ exam paper from the year 2110. E.g. "By mean... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907637 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:00:04 +0100 3907637 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3891789&cid=t_106029_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2FcYQTfrxgPmA%2F It’s ACS time in Boston, and there is a steady stream of tweets from the conference which you can track. Prior to the conference there were a couple of topics related to chemistry on the web which I’ve been meaning to write about. Better late than never I guess. The first one is Chemicalize, a public website for adding chemical resolution to web browsing, chemical names and chemical structure files. The service “allows you to browse the web and see structures for chemical names (text) identified in the web page. For each chemical structure image generated, you can link through to predicted data from the structure. The service is free and will be useful to anyone wishing to add chemical structures and data to their web browsing experience.” Chemicalize comes to us fr... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3891789 Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:17:58 +0100 3891789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3827066&cid=t_106029_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=3823147&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F04%2Frunning_your_fingers_over_a_single_molecule.php Readers will remember the extraordinary pictures of individual pentacene molecules last fall. Well, the same IBM team, working with a group at Aberdeen, has struck again. This time they've imaged a much more complex organic molecule, cephalandole A. As that link details, the structure of this natural product has recently been revised - it's one of those structural-isomer problems that NMR won't easily solve for you. Here's a single molecule of it, imaged by the same sort of carbon-monoxide-tipped atomic force microscope probe used in the earlier work> Now, it's not like you can just look at that and draw the structure, although it is vaguely alarming to see the bonding framework begin to emerge. If you calculate the electon densities around the structure, though, it turns out that the re... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3823147 Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:02:19 +0100 3823147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3703049&cid=t_106029_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2FoM-ylp0Yx0A%2F In a recent post on what should and shouldn’t be published, Derek Lowe writes (emphasis mine) Perhaps there should be a way to dump chemical data directly into some archives, the way X-ray data goes into the Protein Data Bank. That wouldn’t count for much, but it would capture things for future use. Having it not count much would decrease the incentive for anyone to fill it full of fakery, too, since there would be even less point than usual. Derek is a fine writer and provides a great point of view from the trenches of medicinal chemistry, but I don’t believe he understands the power of data, good and bad. On reading “that wouldn’t count for much”, many of us would probably smile. I am sure somewhere Jean-Claude Bradley is chuckling. With resources like... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3703049 Sun, 27 Jun 2010 15:35:50 +0100 3703049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3610450&cid=t_106029_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2FN6UbVy04csE%2F Rich Apodaca continues to test various intersections of the web and chemistry. His latest project is Chemvoice, which reminds me of Metafilter in some ways, Reddit and Stack Overflow in others. Essentially, it’s a site that allows users to post links to articles and then people can comment or post on them, etc. It looks nice, is simple and intuitive. Now, the hard part. Will people use it? I always feel that chemists, while extremely active on newsgroups, have not embraced the web (although those that have are among the more active), so it’s never a certainty that they will adopt a web-based information resource. Rich gave his reasons for building Chemvoice in an earlier blog post. I continue to remain super excited about all of Rich’s projects, whether his own personal ... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3610450 Sat, 29 May 2010 06:40:43 +0100 3610450 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3599481&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fchemistryviews-alchemist-espresso.html ChemistryViews just launched, so here’s my first link to my stuff on there together with the regular Alchemist round-up and a surprising finding about espresso. Small molecules for fighting cancer – My first short feature article in the all-new ChemistryViews magazine from Wiley covers research into tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) Alchemist news – This week, The Alchemist hears how chemists are helping deal with the major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, that mosquitoes could be evolving a way to ignore strong formula insect repellent, and what actually killed legendary racehorse Phar Lap. In electrochemistry, flexible plastic electrodes can be printed and a remedy for stressed out poplar trees may emerge from molecular biology. Finally, a major funding award could pav... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3599481 Wed, 26 May 2010 06:51:59 +0100 3599481 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3617801&cid=t_106029_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fwomen-and-sex-hypoactive-sexual-desire-disorder%2F photo: Thinkstock According to a recent survey by the Society for Women’s Health Research, both men and women agree that sexual health is vital to a woman’s health and well being. But do all women know that a decrease in sexual desire could be a sign that their sexual health is suffering? Many people write off low libido as the result of stress at work or at home, but if it happens repeatedly, it could be because of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). A new initiative called “Sex Brain Body,” spearheaded by actress Lisa Rinna (Days of Our Lives, Dancing With the Stars) and sex and relationship expert Dr. Laura Berman, focuses on educating women about their sexual health, which includes HSDD. Though surveys show that women are concerned about low libido, very... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3617801 Mon, 24 May 2010 20:48:56 +0100 3617801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595543&cid=t_106029_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fwomen-and-sex-hypoactive-sexual-desire-disorder%2F photo: Thinkstock According to a recent survey by the Society for Women’s Health Research, both men and women agree that sexual health is vital for a woman’s health and well being. But do all women know that a decrease in sexual desire could be a sign that their sexual health is suffering? Many people write off low libido as the result of stress at work or at home, but if it happens repeatedly, it could be because of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). A new initiative called “Sex Brain Body,” spearheaded by actress Lisa Rinna and sex and relationship expert Dr. Laura Berman, focuses on educating women about their sexual health, which includes HSDD. Though surveys show that women are concerned about low libido, very few actually bring it up to either their p... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595543 Mon, 24 May 2010 20:48:56 +0100 3595543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585818&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F20%2Ffloyd_landis_the_isotopes_werent_lying_after_all.php This post from 2006 on the science behind Floyd Landis's suspicious steroid blood tests set my blog record for comments - the debate went on and on about Landis, about the lab that reported the results, about how the samples were handled, etc. Well, Landis has now admitted using performance-enhancing drugs for most of his career. Widely, expensively, and thoroughly did he use them. The blood test was correct. Carbon isotopes don't lie. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585818 Thu, 20 May 2010 16:07:45 +0100 3585818 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3546885&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36698&url=http%3A%2F%2Fminingdrugs.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fmolecular-design-and-molecular-modeling.html After a recent question on Blue Obelisk Exchange and ChemPedia Lab about molecular drug design (see also cross-post) and a recent book about molecular modeling basics I thought it is time highlighting more information on that topic.Drug design principles, molecular modeling, and use in medicinal chemistry:C. Bissantz, B. Kuhn, and M. Stahl, A Medicinal Chemist’s Guide to Molecular Interactions, J. Med. Chem., 2010, Article ASAP. DOI 10.1021/jm100112jBioisosterism and bioisosteric design principle articles.J. H. Jensen, Molecular modeling basics, 2010.Summary slides about molecular modeling (quantum chemistry) of Noel O'Boyle: (Source: Mining Drug Space) Mining Drug Space blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3546885 Sat, 08 May 2010 19:21:00 +0100 3546885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3508437&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F27%2Fmasses_of_data_in_every_sample.php I've said several times that I think that mass spectrometry is taking over the analytical world, and there's more evidence of that in Angewandte Chemie. A group at Justus Liebig University in Giessen has built what has to be the finest imaging mass spec I've ever seen. It's a MALDI-type machine, which means that a small laser beam does the work of zapping ions off the surface of the sample. But this one has better spatial resolution than anything reported so far, and they've hooked it up to a very nice mass spec system on the back end. The combination looks to me like something that could totally change the way people do histology. For the non-specialist readers in the audience, mass spec is a tremendous workhorse of analytical chemistry. Basically, you use any of a whole range of techniq... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3508437 Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:17:52 +0100 3508437 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3424910&cid=t_106029_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F30%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-march-30-2010%2F There’s just a few days left in March and we’re heading straight for the spring season! Some of you may be busy preparing for Easter weekend while others are in the thick of spring break. Whatever you’re doing, we hope you’ll stop by and see what’s buzzing over at our blogs this week. I’ve scoured our blogs to find the best, most popular posts so that you can quickly click through and find your favorite ones. Happy Hunting! And make sure to come back later in the week for another round of, “Best of Our Blogs.” Music Education Helps Kids Brains With Sound Stimuli (Family Mental Health) – Music isn’t just all fun and games. Did you know it actually helps with communication skills? Hard to believe that all that noise in a music class... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3424910 Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:06:42 +0100 3424910 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3382866&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fchemical-science-night-sky-scientific-trust.html Delicious links March 16-18 Chemical Science – Building linear polymers from monomers, inaugural paper in RSC's new journal Bing maps now let you scan the nighttime sky – The stars are coming out tonight…even when it's cloudy Sex and social networking – Patterns of prostitution revealed by analysis of social networking site has important implications for spread of sexually transmitted diseases. 7 steps to restore trust in science – Every journey begins with a single step, here's the seventh to restoring public trust in science Malevolent Design: The Death of a Loving God – Never before has a book so aggressively levelled the charge that a creator deity, if it were to exist, would be completely and unimaginably evil. Darwin said it first when... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3382866 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:10:00 +0100 3382866 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3378534&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fchemical-part.html UPDATE: Please let us know – which element are you? Teaching chemistry has changed so much since my day. This classic Youtube clip highlights the way the elements might interact at a periodic table party. Carbon is popular with the hydrogens, the noble gases are the emo wallflowers, but it’s the fight that breaks out between potassium water that even had my teenage son laughing. Check out the chemistry, or lack thereof, between hydrogen and neon… Related Posts:Party tricks for scientistsYou Are a MonkeyMost useless machine everK Barry Sharpless LiveYou Can Call Me AlReal chemistry at the periodic table party is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog (Source: Sciencebase Science Blog) Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3378534 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:57:47 +0100 3378534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3322411&cid=t_106029_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=3269716&cid=t_106029_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F13%2Fwhat-to-do-when-life-falls-apart-the-essential-6-step-program%2F What constitutes life falling apart? The death of a beloved spouse or family member? A marriage or relationship that has withered away or perhaps ended abruptly? A job loss potentially leading to financial ruin (or so you might think right now)? Whichever situation is closest to yours, there are some steps that you must go through to come out the other side with your heart — and new life — intact.   The 6 Steps Wallow in it. This step is essential. Repeat everything you went and are still going through many times to anyone who will listen. Good friends and family will be very patient with this part of the process. If your big life change included a cheating spouse, self-righteous indignation is appropriate at this point. Part of this step includes getting out of bed and... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3269716 Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:22:56 +0100 3269716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3259016&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fopen-access-organic-dictionary.html Chemist Adam Azman contacted me more than two years ago to ask if I knew of a free or open source chemistry spellchecker custom dictionary for Word or OpenOffice. Searches had revealed only paid-for dictionaries. We both agreed that a free chemical spellchecker would be very useful to all scientists working with chemicals, so Adam set about creating from scratch an open access chemistry dictionary. The spellchecker files were originally hosted on Chemspy.com and is now available on Sciencebase.com. Adam did a lot of extra work with Tony Williams of Chemspider to develop the new, improved version 2.0: Chemistry Dictionary for Word/OpenOffice. 1.5Mb zip file. You can read more about how Adam’s chemistry dictionary got to where it is on Adam’s chemistry blog. Keywords: Open Access... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3259016 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:11:11 +0100 3259016 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3254486&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fpasswords-for-chemists.html Coming up with a secure password that cannot be bruteforce or dictionary attacked but that is easy to remember is quite troubling. So, here’s the nerdiest approach yet. Think of a compound, any compound, but preferably one with which you are familiar. If you’re in science, then you could pick a compound associated with your research thesis or perhaps the medication you needed to get through the viva. Now, work out, or look up, its chemical formula. So if it were ethanol, it would be C2H5OH. Next, think of a simple algorithm to obfuscate the formula (reverse it and chop off each end perhaps, or if it is a long formula extract all the numbers and put them at one end instead of after each element symbol, you get the idea). Of course, if you pick a compound that happens to share th... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3254486 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:45:04 +0100 3254486 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3223444&cid=t_106029_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2FKN_I2U5e3eI%2F Rich Apodaca has a great set of blog posts on using PubCouch, the CouchDB interface for PubChem. The series is great in itself, but I was especially intrigued by the title of the third installment, PubCouch: Streams Aren’t Just for Pipeline Pilot. In the post Rich describes how PubCouch makes it possible to work with the PubChem FTP archive like it was a single large SD file. Recently, I’ve started believing that modern programming paradigm and increasing awareness of RESTful architectures, distributed data processing, messaging etc makes systems like Pipeline Pilot look somewhat dated. They aren’t going to go anywhere soon, but I believe that the power of being able to deliver services to the end user is becoming the norm and developing those services is getting easier ... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3223444 Sat, 30 Jan 2010 03:56:30 +0100 3223444 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3193883&cid=t_106029_117_f&fid=38158&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drneedles.comhttp%3A%2F%2Famericanacupuncture.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fchemistry-of-good-eating.html With the rise in obesity, heart disease, and cancers, it is important to zero in on our eating habit problems.  What is the chemistry of good eating? As a medical physician for over 51 years, I strive to give you the best medical information on controversial medical subjects, and help your read betwwen the lines. You must come to your own conclusions. I have no ties to any organization, pharmaceutical, or lobby group. As an practicing medical acupuncturist since 1982, I find western medicine and medical acupuncture are very complimentary. This results in astounding healing in pain management, addictions to cigarettes and food, and a host of other maladies. Visit drneedles is blogging" at the end of each blog for a complete alphabetical list of all my blogs Visit http://www.americanacu... Dr. Needles Medical Blogs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3193883 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:17:00 +0100 3193883 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3142613&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fclassic-musical-science-and-stradivarnish.html It won’t necessarily be music to the classical purist’s ear, but chemists have been instrumental in revealing the secret beneath the varnish on a Stradivari violins, and the secret is: there is no secret. Antonio Stradivari is perhaps the most famous instrument maker of all time. He is especially celebrated for his violins, which he made in Cremona circa 1665 till his death in 1737. The “legendary” varnish on his instruments has fascinated musicians, violin makers, historians, and others ever since and has led to repeated speculation that there was a secret ingredient that endowed a Stradivari violin with its unique and beautiful tone. Now, European researchers have taken minute samples from carefully selected parts of five violins and subjected them to microscopic... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3142613 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:00:56 +0100 3142613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3118913&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fintute-physical-sciences.html Over on the Intute site in the physical sciences section you will find the December science news round up from yours truly: What’s the buzz at the LHC? – After a frustrating false start, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) finally got it up and running in its underground home at CERN on the Swiss-French border near Geneva. The scientists behind the world’s biggest scientific, announced that they had primed to energies higher than any previous particle accelerator has ever reached; beating the US Tevatron at Fermilab in Illinois by 20%. Diatom delights – Researchers have shown that networks of chitin filaments are an integral part of the silica shells of tiny marine creatures known as diatoms. The discovery could open the way to emulating these incredibly diverse and potenti... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3118913 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:00:10 +0100 3118913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3106766&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36698&url=http%3A%2F%2Fminingdrugs.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fsocial-media-needs-to-support-different.html Derek started an interesting discussion about social media in chemistry based on a nature commentary.Here my commentPlease let us not forget that there are different 'scientific personalities' [1] as there exist different 'information management personalities' [2]. I think we should appreciate the diversity and never even try to force all scientists behaving the same. Nonetheless, would I like to see more scientists contributing to social media. Especially supporting various personalities for various reasons in multiple ways !Now, if scientists do not contribute to social media then for me the question is rather what are we doing wrong in supporting their needs for learning/contributing [3]? Chemistry always was and still is a very (article) reading intense area and I am still wondering if... Mining Drug Space blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3106766 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:21:00 +0100 3106766 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3071456&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F09%2Fwater_and_proteins_inside_cells_sloshing_around_or_not.php Back in September, talking about the insides of cells, I said: There's not a lot of bulk water sloshing around in there. It's all stuck to and sliding around with enzymes, structural proteins, carbohydrates, and the like. . ." But is that right? I was reading this new paper in JACS, where a group at UNC is looking at the NMR of fluorine-labeled proteins inside E. coli bacteria. (It's pretty interesting, not least because they found that they can't reproduce some earlier work in the field, for reasons that seem to have them throwing their hands up in the air). But one reference caught my eye - this paper from PNAS last year, from researchers in Sweden. That wasn't one that I'd read when it came out - the title may have caught my eye, but the text rapidly gets too physics-laden for me to ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3071456 Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:45:07 +0100 3071456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2999569&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Flatest-science-headlines.html Time to bring you up to date on the latest science headlines I’ve put together for other sites this last couple of weeks, so here’s a quick round-up: On the SpectroscopyNOW site, this issue, I covered natural chemicals that can help sunflowers soak up toxic cadmium from the soil (another example of the phytoremediation process I discussed in more detail on Sciencebase.com recently). I also describe a new approach to spectroscopy that could help chemists work out the absolute structure of natural products with medicinal potential. In the same issue, under the X-ray banner, I explain how US researchers have for the first time homed in on the role of the trace element selenium in male infertility. Their work offers some new clues as to what leads to malformed sperm in some cases. ... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2999569 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:26 +0100 2999569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2963130&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Falchemical-anomalies.html In the current issue of The Alchemist we learn how to stick methane molecules to metals without breaking carbon-hydrogen bonds and how to make impossible carbene catalysts without the usual prerequisite of an attendant metal centre. Another seeming impossibility comes to light: a new microscopy technique for visualizing non-fluorescing biomolecules using the kind of stimulated emission suggested by Einstein almost a century ago. An exchange program leads to a new way to make nanoscopic tools from tiny wires of cadmium sulfide, we hear, while an extract of grape skin shows promise as a novel therapy for sickle cell anaemia. Finally, a young medicinal chemist receives a prestigious American Chemical Society fellowship in organic chemistry. All the write-ups and links in the current issue of ... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2963130 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:00:29 +0100 2963130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2950962&cid=t_106029_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F11%2F01%2Funusual-metals-may-forge-new-ovarian-colon-cancer-drugs%2F Drugs made using unusual metals could form an effective treatment against colon and ovarian cancer, including cancerous cells that have developed immunity to other drugs, according to research at the University of Warwick and the University of Leeds. Drugs made using unusual metals could form an effective treatment against colon and ovarian cancer, including cancerous cells [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2950962 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:57:13 +0100 2950962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2939343&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Ffood-chemistry.html On the menu today, why red wine is a no-no when it comes to fishy cuisine, how chemists can help you improve your gravy, and a whole platter of food chemistry to tempt your taste buds: “Red wine with red meat, white wine with fish.” But, have you ever wondered why? Japanese chemists have discovered that the iron in red wine simply makes fish taste too…well…fishy…giving your mouth an unpleasant, fishy aftertaste, according to a report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Gravy training – The British probably have as many different recipes for making gravy as they have gravy boats from which to pour it over their roast beef. But, a spot of chemistry can improve not only the flavor, texture, and color, but give gravy a healthy boost. Here&#82... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2939343 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:55 +0100 2939343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2927364&cid=t_106029_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F26%2Fare-the-media-becoming-addicted-to-internet-addiction%2F As Dr. John Grohol has cogently argued, there are many reasons to be skeptical of “Internet Addiction” as a discrete and specific “disorder” or diagnosis. Yet I am impressed, and a bit dismayed, by all the attention this issue seems to garner in the popular media. I don’t intend any disrespect to the reporters and journalists who are trying to cover the topic, several of whom have graciously interviewed me. Some reporters are as skeptical as many of us in the mental health field, and a number have asked pertinent questions as to how real so-called Internet addiction is. I simply wish that devastating illnesses like schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorder created such a buzz in the media and in the awareness of the general public. Over the last 30... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927364 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:01:59 +0100 2927364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2824417&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FQYyLMxpTf-U%2F Aldrich has a blog and on that blog they peddle their deepest wishes, like being able to competently compete on the level of, say, Strem. Well, the compound on the right is the new “yellow” Aldrich tetrakis – which is clearly not f.ing yellow.  The compound on the right left, still in its bottle, is the same motherf.ing compound from Strem. It’s good because 1. Strem uses advanced technology to seal their bottle, called sealing wax.  2. They tape the package to a cold pack and 3. They cover their shit in real organic Argon. Of course, you can make your own. (Source: The Chem Blog) The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2824417 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:17:48 +0100 2824417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2814686&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FYF6YoaLvJkE%2F I never wanted to be a chemist.  I wanted to be a physicist – particularly an astrophysicist.  If I hadn’t been so goddamn pigheaded as an undergraduate and majored in chemistry to spite my bitch high school teacher, I’d well be a f.ing physicist right now.  What is there to be disappointed about in astrophysics?  Could it possibly be as bad as chemistry?  Could you come in on Monday with a great idea, have it dashed by mid-afternoon, resurrected a bit modified by the time you leave, have half the preliminaries done by Wednesday only to discover your hypothesis was wrong – head home dejected, return Thursday, realize after coffee that you’ve discovered something wonderful (even if it wasn’t what you initially had hoped for) started planning your int... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2814686 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 04:35:45 +0100 2814686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2772554&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2F50-million-chemicals.html Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) will announce the 50 millionth registered chemical substance in its Registry, tomorrow (8th September). According to the email I received from a CAS spokesman, “The number itself represents an important milestone both for researchers and CAS, but even more significant is the pace of scientific discovery around the world.” Roger Schenck, Manager of the Content Planning Department at CAS, adds that, “More scientific literature is being published and we have noticed an explosive growth of patent literature since 1998 that accounts for the rapid growth of substance information available.” By contrast, it took 33 years for CAS to register 10 million compounds, a milestone reached in 1990. It’s intriguing to think that two decades af... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2772554 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:00:48 +0100 2772554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2762138&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FOopsNBgNcO4%2F Prof. Delmar Larsen is an recent recent professor in the Chemistry Department at the University of California at Davis. Delmar’s current “labor of love” is developing a new online teaching resource to augment chemistry education while reducing excessive out of pocket costs for students.  We recently consolidated The Chem Wiki as a component of his larger project.  His current project is outlined below and I am working with him in a limited capacity to bring this to the attention to the masses. Delmar has sent me the following in the hopes that you might be interested  in this project, too. Currently at American universities, chemistry departments require introductory chemistry textbooks at an average cost of $190 per book. When combined with the accompanied study guid... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2762138 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:18:25 +0100 2762138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2751947&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Falchemist-checks-oxy-cholesterol-levels.html The Alchemist this week learns how fluorine chemistry is blooming, how to melt proteins, and how cholesterol is all about the good, the bad, and the oxy. Also this week, a technique borrowed from organic LED fabrication could lead to a new way to manufacture tiny inorganic LEDs for next generation displays, while a conductive flip has been observed with clusters of atoms close to absolute zero. Finally, the American Chemical Society announces this years previously unsung chemical heroes from across the industry. Previously on ChemWeb, we heard rumors of silicon neurons and the coming cyborg age, he discovers that a compound that leads to ovine Cyclops has now been synthesized for cancer drug research, and how chicken poop down on the shooting range could help solve the problem of lead in t... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2751947 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:00:43 +0100 2751947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2741594&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FO3KPxcXp-ks%2F I’m too busy to deal with this.  Keep your departmental reviews to yourself. (Source: The Chem Blog) The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2741594 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:18:31 +0100 2741594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2738004&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FqTTqzaf_BnQ%2F The first in (what I hope to be) a series of reviews of departments.  Send them to me at kylefinchsigmate at gmail.com  [ed. I publish with with modest reservation for not-so-obvious reasons.  I can assure you of the author's anonymity, but not that these are accurate or even fair portraits of the departments they are supposed to represent. ] Department:  Northwestern is a good department if you are into nanodevices and work with heavy hitters like Mirken, Stoddard and Stupp, but if you’re coming here for total synthesis FORGET IT.  There’s nothing to be had.  You have two choices:  Thomson and Scheidt.  I don’t want to get into the specifics of those labs, since I work in one of them (obviously) but they’re both good researchers, but they’re also the ... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2738004 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:49:23 +0100 2738004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2695406&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Ftardy-alchemist.html Bit late with the update for The Alchemist this week, had so much else to talk about before a slot was available, there was also the matter of our family vacation, hope readers find the info current enough to be of interest. The Alchemist recently learned that music could be the key to the smooth running of a lab-on-a-chip, while tweaking quantum dots for the light show might be possible through physical rather than chemical changes. Imprinted polymers could remove vitamin B2 from beer giving it a longer-lasting flavor, we learn, while Japanese scientists have sniffed out the chemical basis of at least one form of aromatherapy. In the analytical arena, a simple enzyme-based test has been devised for spotting melamine adulteration in milk samples. Finally, the establishment of the InChI Tru... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2695406 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:50:51 +0100 2695406 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2683999&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FsELSZxp52N8%2F I haven’t done a drug Sunday in a while, but I feel as though I should, given the heinousness of my previous post.  You see, I have some sort of anxiety disorder or something which appears to run in my family.  I usually work this out with running but haven’t been able to do that for a while and, consequently, the anxiety gets the better of me.  NOW, a consequence of said anxiety is insomnia – which is essentially the most annoying side effect.  (Most of my family are insomniacs.  At any given point, I could wake up and find some member of my family awake in the house, watching TV or playing on the internets or, in the case of the grandparents, smoking cigarettes reading newspapers…) Whatever.  The short of the long of it is sometimes I can’t sleep and s... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2683999 Sun, 09 Aug 2009 05:07:35 +0100 2683999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2657893&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2F-7TmlA5PfHo%2F The recent and laughable account by Xinbo Wang, Bo Zhang and David Zhigang Wang in JACS that sodium hydride is an oxidant has been challenged by an online cabal of chemists over at TotallySynthetic.  It was further questioned at CBC and has been the scorn of folk in the office. I almost feel compelled to do the reaction, but from the comments section it seems pretty clear:  in the absence of oxygen, sodium hydride does not an oxidant make. It’s a pretty tough reality and a stinging rebuke that people can essentially do basement chemistry and have your shit debunked before it even makes it into print.  This is the nature of the blogosphere, the inernets and the future. Of course, there was no scandal here… it was a bit sensational.  Peer review triumphed again, even if it ha... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2657893 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:32:41 +0100 2657893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2634423&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Falchemist-taking-the-p.html The current issue of my Alchemist column on ChemWeb.com is now online: The old alchemist’s trick of attempting to use urine as a starting material for all kinds of products could offer the twenty-first century a golden opportunity, we learn this week, while electrospinning DNA nanofibers might shed white light on new technologies without requiring a naked flame. If the alchemists were searching for everlasting life, then the discovery that a compound from Easter Island is a murine elixir may not come as a surprise. There’s also a sweet surprise for lovers of corn who are not persuaded by chemophobics to go “organic.” Turns out that the application of weedkiller to sweetcorn boosts the nutritional content of the yellow kernels. The melamine petfood scandal of 2007 an... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2634423 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:00:33 +0100 2634423 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2622032&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2Fvwj4RC4ugoc%2F I purchased a MacBook Pro.  It’s sexy, yes, but that’s not why I bought it.  Let me convince you why you should consider the same purchase. First of all, you have probably noticed a recent proliferation of polycarbonate and aluminum notebooks floating around the undergraduate masses.  If you’re a parent of a reasonably articulate child, they have undoubtedly asked of some type of brand name Apple accessory, if not the full Monte.  This sudden emergence of omnipresence is more than just a trick on your eyes or a sudden perception – it’s a monumental ground swell occurring under the feet of the Millennial Generation (which would be my generation, I suppose) as the personal computer is increasingly an item of both utility and luxury and those that can afford ... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2622032 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:28:38 +0100 2622032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2598478&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FlPKHW7XL9Qw%2F For the last few days I have been trying to figure out how I can do a simple Monte Carlo simulation on my computer without much success. In the last few months I have become convinced that by doing my own computer modeling I could probably avoid making a lot of unnecessary molecules.  Indeed, I see no reason why the notion hasn’t struck me in the same way the concept of checking a sample after a reaction for purity why should I check the reaction before I do it to see how well it might work? Firstly, it’s become pretty obvious that computational chemistry is a giant f.ing black box.  There are lots of force fields and data sets and letters followed by ** and shit and not a goddamn easy way to deal with ANY of it.  Let’s say I want to model a transition state, what do I... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2598478 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:04:56 +0100 2598478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584148&cid=t_106029_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D7419 Tara wrote in: hello,i just wanted to know the future of pharmaceutical chemistry graduates …all bout it…Thanks. Hi Tara, sorry but Palmdoc is just plain old Palmdoc and not Nostradamus or Alvin Toffler so I can offer only vague answers. 1) I guess it depends on the state of the pharmaceutical industry in the future. 2) The latter is probably bright in this country 3) If not you could always do something else like become a drug sales rep 4) Just don’t do illegal stuff like go underground and open a meth lab or something and I think you’ll be fine 5) Que sera sera. from the Malaysian Medical Resources The future of pharmaceutical chemistry graduates (Source: Malaysian Medical Resources) Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584148 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2584148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2556344&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FrcCWFvB1Qmk%2F The US supreme court ruled a few weeks ago that the chemists that perform tests in forensic analysis are not immune from cross examination by defense attorneys.  It’s not surprising that the American judicial system did not inherently allow for this, since it’s a very biased and f.ed up system.  With this tool in the briefs of attorneys, it sets up a very real and very likely chance that a number of methods used in forensic science, as conducted in the state crime labs, will not hold up to scrutiny.  Not because they’re necessarily invalid (though, we shall see about that), but because they’ve not been done with the appropriate controls – an argument mentioned in the majority arguments by Scalia: He cited one report, for example, that said “there is wide ... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2556344 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:14:58 +0100 2556344 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510906&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fcannabis-cancer-toxic-waste-antibiotics-activation.html The latest science news with an analytical bent from yours truly, now available in the SpectroscopyNOW ezines: Cannabis blow back – A highly sensitive new chemical test has allowed European scientists to obtain “convincing evidence” that marijuana smoke damages DNA in ways that could increase the risk of cancer. Toxic shock – Researchers in Spain are evaluating the “ecotoxic” properties of hazardous and toxic wastes for the aquatic environment. They suggest that the ecotoxic profile of a given waste stream can be derived from a novel battery of bioassays using statistical techniques that reveal whether dangerous levels of compounds toxic to frogs and fish are present and whether or not uber-toxins* like dioxins are at unsafe levels. Chemical directors &#... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510906 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:00:27 +0100 2510906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510907&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fshort-sharp-alchemist.html Natural quasicrystals, graphene interconnects, and photo-powered nanomotors all come into view through The Alchemist’s eyeglass this week. Also in view, is the finding that hydrogen peroxide is more than a bleach, it’s a marshal for white blood cells to flood to the body’s injury sites. Solar-powered humidity on tap might help solve pure water shortages in some arid parts of the world. Finally, the ACS has named its Washington DC headquarters after Clifford & Kathryn Hach Building following a $33 million donation. More… Related Posts:Copper Tone AlchemistAlchemist Goes GreenChemweb Chemistry NewsAlchemist Turns PolyphileCarbon Tet and Paradigm ShiftsPost from: Sciencebase Science Blog (Source: Sciencebase Science Blog) Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510907 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:00:04 +0100 2510907 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2469939&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FqFzRyWFkuOY%2F Derek’s recent blog posts, have forced a bit of reflection in me on the  “Chemistry fatigue” often felt by people who file in and out of college classrooms.  The chemistry they encounter is not the chemistry the world does.  The way chemistry is taught in collegiate settings is not the way chemistry is taught in the lab.  Chemistry pedagogy is to blame - often antiquated methods of teaching chemistry with no obvious purpose would (and should) lead anyone to surmise that the subject is (1) hard (2) academic and unpractical and (3) used more to “weed out” kids from premed programs than to teach them fundamental skills on problem solving that will help them later in life. For instance, not but 9 years ago my chemistry lab course, which was taught by a pioneer... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2469939 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:35:37 +0100 2469939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890975&cid=t_106029_155_f&fid=39053&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcommunity.advanceweb.com%2Fblogs%2Fal_2%2Farchive%2F2009%2F06%2F08%2Fa1c-for-diabetes-diagnosis.aspx The A1C assay continues to gain ground as a potential replacement test for the diagnosis of diabetes after an international committee of experts recommended the test at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions this weekend. The assay is traditionally...(read more) (Source: ADVANCE Discourse: Lab) ADVANCE Discourse: Lab blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890975 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:29:00 +0100 2890975 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2463052&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fchemtweets-and-scientwists.html I was interviewed by Faith Hayden for this week’s Chemical & Engineering News on the subject of, you guessed it, science on Twitter. This link is now free to view. Here’s a transcript of my interview: How long have you been Tweeting? I joined Twitter in June 2007 under the pseudonym “@sciencebase“, which is the name of my website. I made a few sporadic tweets until I discovered twitterfeeder, which automates the process of announcing one’s latest blog posts. I probably accrued about 50 followers until I saw the light last autumn. At that point I realized that tweeting isn’t a one-way process and that the key to successfully using the service is engagement with other users. What do you primarily use your Twitter account for? Once I’d taken the ... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2463052 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:59:27 +0100 2463052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2447637&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fred-hot-spectral-alchemist.html This week, The Alchemist learns of encapsulated capsules that could emulate cells, a new glassy material for preventing debilitating leaks in solid oxide fuel cells, and a computer model that might help us develop a vaccine for H1N1 type A influenza. Also, under his gaze are ionic liquids developed to dissolve wood and the cancer drug that worryingly wipes away travelers’ fingerprints. Finally, a reminder that the RSC has drawn structure database Chemspider into its web. Over on SpectroscopyNOW, I’ve got three more news topics on cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and mushroom poisoning: Cancer-killing CNTs - Carbon nanotubes have allowed spectroscopists to track the movement of cancer cells through the blood and lymph systems. They also act as markers for subsequent laser ther... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2447637 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:40:35 +0100 2447637 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442730&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FDRGvr7wYy-Y%2F 3quarksdaily is having a contest for the best science writer in the internets and, being the type of person who looks for external gratification, I discovered someone nominated a post of mine in the comments section. I was delighted! Hooray for me, I thought. TODAY, however, their comments tell a very different story, indeed. One of gross puritanical bullshit. My post was un-nominated. Most likely because I’m on the cutting edge of science writing, producing a product that is nothing short of gonzo science journalism. As you know, I’m no stranger to not winning anything because I make real people hate the shit out of me and so I’d normally dismiss this outright, but the assholes that read 3quarks are the ones that drive BMWs, drink Starbucks out of their own cups and sit ... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442730 Fri, 29 May 2009 15:41:05 +0100 2442730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442469&cid=t_106029_134_f&fid=35157&url=http%3A%2F%2Fartsweet.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F28%2Fcrawling-out-from-under-my-rock%2F I keep meaning to post. But there are so many things in my head, and so many of them are unbloggable.  I work at a small non-profit, and we are just barely surviving this economy and may very well not make it.  Which would be stressful enough without the partner of one of my colleagues suddenly learning (as in four days later he was having brain surgery) that he has stage 4 glioblastoma.  Which means that she is barely present at work and when she is, she isn’t.  Her family is her first priority, I truly believe that, but at the same time, it puts even more pressure on the rest of us. So the past two months I’ve been dealing with this, and trying to fight off the demons in my head that threaten to suffocate me in anxiety and depression that paralyzes me and makes the smalle... Artificially Sweetened blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442469 Fri, 29 May 2009 04:00:58 +0100 2442469 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442731&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FucyNKCfQDP8%2F It has begun: http://chemblog.wik.is/ This is very, very beta.  More to come. Updates: At this stage, you must register to edit the pages.  That’s only because I haven’t figured out how to prevent that.  Registration is free, nonbinding and anonymous. Hmmm… some kind of bug.  Let’s just say, for the purposes of this BETA, it’s probably better to have people register to edit anyway.  In the future, when and if this takes off, this will be addressed simply by hosting it on my own servers. (Source: The Chem Blog) The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442731 Mon, 25 May 2009 02:21:19 +0100 2442731 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424172&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Flight-trials-balls.html In my SpecNOW science news column this week: C60, C80, C0, Go! - X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and other techniques have allowed German chemists to demonstrate their synthesis of the first non-carbon analogue of the C80 fullerene molecule. And yes, the title is an allusion to the Malcolm McClaren fashion vehicle of the post-punk era, Bow Wow Wow. Photosynthetic disorder - An international team has used solid state NMR spectroscopy to determine the structure of the chlorophyll molecules in green bacteria that are responsible for harvesting light energy. The discovery might ultimately lead to artificial photosynthetic systems. Clinical reflections - Clinical research studies into drug efficacy and side effects have often been laborious and time consuming, ne... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424172 Wed, 20 May 2009 12:16:48 +0100 2424172 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424490&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FrVh4tjbuVZY%2F Being done with some major accomplishment or doing something tedious, difficult and strenuous for years on end (and getting a PhD falls in both of those categories) should automatically lend itself to serious introspection about how the path taken was laid out and if everything that could have been done was indeed done.  I couldn’t help but think, for instance, if it was worth it and if what I have done will be useful at all later on in my life.  I have plans, you know, but those change… Beyond that cursory analysis, I didn’t give it any thought until I was asked by someone if I could go back and do it again, what would I do differently.  I couldn’t answer that question then because I couldn’t think of anything that I would have done differently (aside from... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424490 Tue, 19 May 2009 14:04:17 +0100 2424490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2406154&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2Fyp3zHwUuqsw%2F So… I have to ask.  What the f.?  Seriously.  30% of respondents thought tetrabutylammonium acetate was an acid? Seriously?  Are you f.ing kidding me?  Granted, the pH meter said it was an acid, but… NO.  NO.  BAD.  You get an F.  pH meters lie all the time.  They are electrodes filled with solutions of LIES (and potassium nitrate). Let’s talk about organic bases for a second here.  If I asked you if Sodium Acetate was an acid, you’d say… no.  Right?  Of course you would.  That’s just logical.  The conjugate acid to sodium acetate is acetic acid (consequently the same conjugate acid of TBA acetate), so even in your most delirious state of sloppy retardation, you could at least look at the molecule, see it has no f.ing protons or empty orbi... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2406154 Sun, 10 May 2009 17:45:39 +0100 2406154 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2399206&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FHPtuwBaZGJI%2F Promoting solubility of organic dyes is a difficult chore since organic dyes are inherently flat, greasy, polyconjugated strings (or polyaromats) of mess. A recent publication by Anthony Romieu (DOI: 10.1021/ol900302n) highlights some of these difficulties.  The work focuses on BODIPY dyes, a class of fluorescent dyes that typically emit in the yellow-orange and are known for their robustness but certainly not for their water solubility.  Romieu’s work focuses on two approaches to introduce water solubility, both shown in the (slightly modified) graphical abstract reproduced here. Introduction of (poly)sulfonated linkers (the guys in the blue) is certainly a novel addition to the dye.  The other method they employed was formation of a betaine species by alkylation with sultone. ... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2399206 Sat, 09 May 2009 20:28:10 +0100 2399206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382820&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FLyL6mIN2Ddo%2F Every department has one. The one grad student who’s made it to upper years while building a reputation for being a complete klutz in the lab and although he’s nearly burned the whole f.ing place down a few times, has innumerous scars and has become a living legend in the department, still seems to get better f.ing data than you! We have a huge mobile fire cart on wheels here in the department that acts as a giant badge of shame; parked outside the offenders lab until the next retarded inorganic chair moistener forgets how to adequately quench a block of sodium. Since I have really nothing to do here except sleep on the lobby couch, golf and generally piss off foreign exchange students until the time when I take up my postdoc, I figured I’d bring you some tales of ... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382820 Sat, 02 May 2009 19:01:18 +0100 2382820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2341978&cid=t_106029_155_f&fid=36522&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpathtalk%2F%7E3%2F0p0kjXyMm10%2F623 One of our lab techs posed a question about beta-2 transferrin testing on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Because beta-2 transferrin is a normal constituent of CSF, but not of plasma or mucosal secretions, it is useful in determining whether a patient’s nose or ear is leaking CSF versus some other fluid. This is important in determining whether an occult skull fracture or defect has opened a potential route of infection into the central nervous system. In addition to the CSF, beta-2 transferrin is present in the occular humors and the inner ear fluid, which could be an alternative source of this protein in trauma cases where the central nervous system is not actually breached. Beta-2 transferrin is alternatively known as tau protein (the same tau, in a hyperphosphorylated form, which make... pathtalk.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2341978 Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:14:42 +0100 2341978 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348293&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fspotlight-on-the-alchemist.html My April Spotlight on physical sciences news is now available as is this week’s Chemweb Alchemist. Under the Spotlight: Pores for thought - A solid, but sponge-like material has been synthesised by chemists in Singapore. The silica-type material has the most complicated pore structure ever reported… Chips are down and, eventually, out - Graphene is a modified form of the all-carbon pencil “lead” material graphite and is being touted as the material of choice for a future generation of computer chips to augment, or even usurp, silicon. Now, three research teams… Volcanic greenhouse - Volcanoes, such as Mount Vesuvius, that sit on carbonate sediments could represent a previously underestimated source of atmospheric carbon dioxide… The Alchemist this week l... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348293 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:20:21 +0100 2348293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2341829&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FHZ6S1GmQ5Uk%2F As you know, the first day of the week is Sunday.  Therefore, today I begin my week long discussion on column chromatography.  As you know, columns are awful, diseased, stressful terrible things that should be avoided AT ALL COSTS.  (Even if it means killing your grandmother by beating her to death with your penis.)  I have no intention on making them fun or cute.  They are neither.  They are whores and I curse them every day, which is why I invented the Ghetto MPLC; a system hobbled together from parts one can find on Ebay and shit.  This week is not aimed at the veteran, but since packing columns is like packing poopers  - everyone has their own feelings about it - I wholeheartedly invite people to participate in the comments.  Don’t forget - you can post images in the com... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2341829 Sun, 12 Apr 2009 23:02:48 +0100 2341829 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2312612&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fbond-q-and-controlled-cleavage.html Bond, Q, and controlled cleavage - US chemists have made an iron catalyst that can be used to rapidly break strong carbon-hydrogen bonds within molecules, up to one thousands times faster than other methods. The research could solve one of the great chemical challenges. Depressing brain scans - The first study of its kind has used MRI to demonstrate how changes in cortical thickness may surprisingly relate brain structure to clinical depression. The large-scale US study suggests that a thinning of the right hemisphere of the brain could be a risk factor for depression. Naturally synthetic capsules - Synthetic capsules made from natural building blocks have been studied with NMR spectroscopy. The block copolymer capsules made from protein and sugar components mimic the behaviour of cells an... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2312612 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:00:01 +0100 2312612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2312613&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fhydridic-oxygen-subhydrate.html Meanwhile, I have been trawling the medical and scientific literature for more than two decades, hoping to spot a genuine medical panacea that might also be used to get greasy deposits off your kitchen surfaces. Now, is the time to reveal what I’ve found Hydridic Oxygen(II) Subhydrate (HOS). This dessicated compound is astounding. It looks and behaves like Dihydrogen Monoxide but has none of the lethal effects. The DHMO site explains that Dihydrogen Monoxide itself, although colourless and odourless, is in reality hydric acid, whichcontains the incredibly reactive hydroxyl radical. This chemical species can cause mutations in DNA, damage essential proteins, and even burst cell membranes. Moreover, it can alter the critical biochemistry of neurotransmitters in the brain. It is a commo... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2312613 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:00:22 +0100 2312613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2312616&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fcopper-tone-alchemist.html Spring has sprung for the Alchemist, who, under the northern sun, takes on a marginal copper tone this week. First up, a new copper catalyst that can take a sideways swipe at organic aromatic compounds and make them go all meta. We also have copper nanorods for 3D computer chips. After two decades of trying, it seems buckyballs are to finally come of age with the development of these all-carbon soccerball molecules as drug delivery agents for novel multiple sclerosis (MS) drugs. The Alchemist also learns from C&EN how chemical manufacturers and legislators alike are banning toxic ingredients from consumer plastics. In electrochemical news, researchers are using magnets to move microscopic particles, which they can then track through the fluctuations in the magnetic field. Finally, if ... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2312616 Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:00:16 +0100 2312616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300960&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2Fon54OAQ2n1M%2F (Source: The Chem Blog) The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300960 Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:22:57 +0100 2300960 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2286141&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36698&url=http%3A%2F%2Fminingdrugs.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbridging-chemistry-islands-to-web-data.html Triggered by a few announcements of major publishers and web-services I could not resist to create a little chemical-web 2.0-story.Bridging Chemistry IslandsView more presentations from Joerg kurt Wegner. (Source: Mining Drug Space) Mining Drug Space blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2286141 Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:04:00 +0100 2286141 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2279393&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FxsADRGyV8fU%2F What’s a post-doc like? I see our post docs in our lab and they’re… you know… usually Asian, so I don’t really have too much interaction with them. They also work 25 hours a day and foul up our group room by microwaving rotten animals. Should I expect to put in 12 hour days? I mean… I ask ’cause the wife wants to get preggos around that time and, you know, I don’t know if there is ever a good time to get preggos, particularly if you want a tenure track R1 position. All input is welcome. (Source: The Chem Blog) The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2279393 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:03:47 +0100 2279393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2286145&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fthe-spicy-disciplinarian.html Four more fascinating research discoveries feature in my column on SpectroscopyNOW this week, covering research into the medicinal effects of curry powder, cyst analysis, why nicotine does not kill instantly, and bristling nano balls. The spicy disciplinarian - Solid state NMR has been used to explain why curcumin, one of the physiologically active components of the yellow spice turmeric has wound healing and other medicinal properties. Atomic cyst assistance - Researchers in Turkey are using atomic absorption spectroscopy to analyse the levels metal ions and phosphorus in samples of fluid from breast cyst. They have observed a marked difference between the ratios of ions in the two main types of cyst one of which is more closely associated with the development of breast cancer. Nicotine&#... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2286145 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:00:36 +0100 2286145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2271657&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Falchemist-goes-green.html This week The Alchemist goes green offering a survey of environmental news related to the chemical sciences. First up is the development of porous materials that can extract hydrogen from mixtures of gases. Next, solar energy could be used to convert the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide back into useful hydrocarbon fuel methane, while chicken manure offers a fowl approach to bioremediating oil-contaminated soil. On the global scale, NASA hopes to work with Cisco Systems to create a Planetary Skin to monitor worldwide carbon build up, and chemistry and computing have been combined to explain why Antarctica cooled from its former sub-tropical conditions of 35 million years ago to the icecap we see today. Finally, the 2009 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement is awarded to two scientists f... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2271657 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:39:57 +0100 2271657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2249561&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36698&url=http%3A%2F%2Fminingdrugs.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fdrug-design-paradigms-get-involved-in.html "The availability of pharmaceuticals must not be taken for granted. Pharmaceutical research requires expertise, a large commitment, a great deal of patience and the courage to take large financial risks. What counts is a sustainable framework in Germany (and other countries, too) as a location for the pharmaceutical industry. This is not a guarantee for economic success but is certainly at its foundation." [we get involved - vfa innovation]"To bring personalized medicine forward, scientists, regulators, policy makers, and pharmaceutical company leadership will need to find ways to more successfully work together, adopt a new mindset, and take a networked approach to innovation—one in which we can successfully share pre-competitive information and common platforms such as biomarkers, geno... Mining Drug Space blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2249561 Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:55:00 +0100 2249561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2241395&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2F5KJtluB3KDM%2F Google says I was abusing the ads and canceled my account. I’m not sure how, exactly, that works — I don’t think I was abusing them, but with a massive non-transparent company like the Google, they were totally devoid of answers. Point being, all adsense income from Google is gone. Curtains fall here sometimes in June or July… can’t remember quite which. It was fun, right? UPDATE:  I am now advertising for cigarette companies, which are not prohibited from advertising on the interwebs. Also try Lucky Strike for a delicious flavor exploration, Paul Mall for super adventure tobacco love and other fine Brown & Williamson products. (Source: The Chem Blog) The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2241395 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:00:51 +0100 2241395 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2227545&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FGxwUnKOYIlw%2F I was sitting down the other day, smugly content that my idea for an NSF postdoctoral research doodad was bulletproof. It was interesting, creative, high quality shit (IMHO). I felt pretty goddamn good about it. The concept fit snugly with the lab I was joining and prior art existed. The smallest of problems occurred to me, however. You can’t make regular, repeating patterns of nanotrenches 1-2 nm wide. You can imagine how pissed I was. (It was a lot of pissed.) As I rummage through the literature for hours I found a lot of work about making enclosed cavities, small ditches, f.ing irregular cracks BUT nothing on making such small nanotrenches. Nothing so regular. My idea died before it even got off the ground. I’m not in the nanotrench business. I have no interest in them. I ju... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2227545 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 04:07:38 +0100 2227545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232811&cid=t_106029_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2F_WW_E0PHaWA%2F Image via Wikipedia I have talked before about Assay Depot, which is a web-based assay provisioning portal written in Ruby on Rails (or does it include some bits of Merb now?). From MetaMolecular comes ChemVendor, a chemical product management system also written in Ruby on Rails. ChemVendor is a system that puts chemical entities at it’s core, around which entire sites can be built. Think about it as a content management system where the content is chemical structures. Rich’s blog post describing Chemvendor (Rich runs Metamolecular) also gives us a hint about what the long term goals of MetaMolecular might be. Of course, it’s entirely possible that those are well known goals to everyone but me. It would appear that MetaMolecular plans to make the chemical structure a fir... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232811 Sun, 01 Mar 2009 07:56:02 +0100 2232811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2223566&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Falchemist-turns-polyphile.html A quite gratifying email from Professor James E. Hanson of Seton Hall University made me realise that I’d gone all poly with The Alchemist column this week: As a polymer chemist myself, I really liked this issue of The Alchemist - or rather in this case the “polyalchemist” newsletter. Except for the beaver pheromones, each of the scientific breakthroughs/hot topics had to do with polymers! Anti-graffiti polymers, perfect polymers, polymers connecting nanodots, and two protein (= biopolymer) topics. Keep up the poly good work! Here’s my intro from the ChemWeb site itself, click through for the full details and links: Graffiti-defeating coatings could protect buildings and statues, The Alchemist learns this week, while the glandular chemistry of the beaver is revealed... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2223566 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:37:56 +0100 2223566 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2223039&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FUMtWEkm4JEg%2F The tyranny of the information age, as my boss has come to categorize it, has allowed us to do all sorts of remarkable things to our reputation from our cell phones and computers. One thing in particular is the advent of “status” updates and those small, catchy single sentence tweets from Twitter. There is a downside to all this new connectedness, of course, and that is a tendency to make statements about yourself which are entirely stupid. You likely have a list of “Friends” that read your twitter, blog, Facebook or MySpace (who really uses MySpace besides pedophiles and preteens?) and unto them you give them the gift of small stupid updates as to what you’re doing, for instance: Kyle Finchsigmate is impressed with the wireless reception in the bathrooms. Tha... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2223039 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:35:59 +0100 2223039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2211367&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FjJva0oRzQBM%2F Not really.  I write posts in advance sometimes and forget about them (that LaClair post had been sitting in my drafts folder for the better part of a week before I finished it up with that last pic).  This post was originally about how gay peer review is and how much I hate it, but I have since thought better of it and have come to appreciate the anonymous peer review process. When my boss hands me a paper, there is a 90% chance I’m going to recommend it be rejected.  I think this is because my boss hands me only the shittiest papers he gets to review.  Of those that I have recommended he reject, he has agreed with exactly ONE.   I don’t know if I’m ultra critical or if he’s ultra easy but, if I had to guess, I would bet he’s just a push over.  Me, on... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2211367 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:26:32 +0100 2211367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210673&cid=t_106029_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2F-IPSwuGPJT4%2F Image via Wikipedia I should blog about chemistry more often. Recent thoughts on Chemistry on the Web and observations from my day job in the disparity of usage and awareness between biology and chemistry led to a post on Friendfeed. That’s becoming a fairly active discussion and led to a couple of posts by Rajarshi. There is a lot to think about, and chew on in the discussions and in Rajarshi’s posts. There are some challenges facing the chemistry community, some real, some perhaps only in my mind. There are many ingrained in the culture of the community that I need to think about more. It’s a community, especially on the modeling side, that I’ve spent a lot of time in, but not on the data side. The good news is that there seems to be a desire from some. The questi... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210673 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:31:21 +0100 2210673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210674&cid=t_106029_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2F7Q7Ju50BYXs%2F While most might equate my interests, and this blog, with biology, the fact remains that I am a trained chemist. Which is why it gives me great pleasure to see chemistry opening up a little bit. Some of my favorite bloggers are chemists, and with people like Rich, Rajarshi and Egon active online, there is a good programming/informatics presence as well. Cameron has an great blog post up where he talks about the growth of linked data in chemistry, a world that has historically suffered from a lack of open data, and the data sharing that is more prevalent in biology (out of sheer necessity in some respects). I continue to be very impressed by the direction Chemspider has taken, essentially becoming a resource of open structured information. Work by Egon and Rajarshi, and their services-centr... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210674 Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:09:50 +0100 2210674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2653760&cid=t_106029_93_f&fid=38821&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheapstudent.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Ffree-protein-synthesis-animations.html I was subbing in an A&P class for my friend Mary Ann, and used some animations of transcription and translation.I nearly got far enough to use some FREE animations available online at Virtual Cell.The topic of protein synthesis, which includes some processes that I think are best visualized with an animation, has been the subject of many, many, many animated video clips.A quick search of YouTube reveals several hundred entries for protein synthesis. Other keywords to search YouTube include transcription and translation.Here are some examples . . .Here's a good one that I found on YouTube . . .This is an interesting video that animates the process of protein synthesis using people![If you can't see the video players in your email or news feed, then go directly to The A&P Student blo... The A&P Student blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2653760 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:00:00 +0100 2653760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2201240&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36698&url=http%3A%2F%2Fminingdrugs.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fchemical-suppliers-chemcats-and-long.html If CAS is providing the head of the chemical supplier power law function, who is providing the tail?As pointed out by Derek recently and earlier exists there a vast amount of chemical suppliers. But honestly, how many people are taking the challenge of browsing all suppliers when looking for a chemical building block ? I would guess that more than 80% of the chemists are just using SciFinder, which is based on CHEMCATS. The really funny part is that chemical suppliers have to upload their data to CAS. So, CAS is not only charging users for the look-up of chemical substances, but they are also charging suppliers for uploading their substance data, and for keeping it up-to-date.I am wondering, could there not be other business models? Which other services could provide the long tail of chemi... Mining Drug Space blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2201240 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:58:00 +0100 2201240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2200922&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FKkYybShh9k4%2F Recently published DFT calculations by Giacomo Saielli and Alessandro Bagno  in Organic Letters (DOI: 10.1021/ol900164a) have re-established (or buttress) the claim that LaClair’s proported synthesis of Hexacyclinol to be a hoax. The evidence: La Clair’s purported substance is the, erm, endoperoxide thingiee 1. The shifts, at least based on these high level calculations, aren’t even close.  The conclusion:  Jim La Clair is still a f.ing liar. WHEN OH WHEN WILL YOU FESS UP, JIM? You still have time! We may still forgive you! P.S.  Here is a photo of the Xenobe Research Institute where Jim La Clair and his 4 bionic germans cook up their crazy compounds: At least they don’t have to go very far for tacos! (Source: The Chem Blog) The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2200922 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:52:27 +0100 2200922 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2195708&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Falchemy-spectroscopy-and-the-hash.html In the latest ezines from SpectroscopyNOW: Magnetic drug delivery for Alzheimer’s disease - Tiny pieces of magnetite incorporated into chitosan microparticles could act as efficient drug-delivery agents for the Alzheimer’s drug tacrine. Tacrine has notoriously low oral bioavailability and unclear efficacy but this delivery approach boosts uptake. Contrasting tumours - US scientists have successfully predicted the outcome on breast tumours in a pre-clinical study of a so-called nano drug. Their research could help determine which patients will respond best to these and other drugs. Long-distance protein - The behaviour of dynein, a relatively little-studied protein found in muscle has been characterised using fluorescent markers and electron microscopy, paving the way for X-ray ... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2195708 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:00:04 +0100 2195708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2195709&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fstormwater-artwork.html Earlier this year Laura Haddad of Haddad|Drugan emailed me with an unusual request regarding crystal structures. But, before I tell you about that, here’s a little background. Laura is working on an artistic installation called “Undercurrents”, that will be the basis of the public art component of a stormwater treatment facility on Seattle’s Elliott Bay. The first phase has been in place since 2003 and includes a plaza and integrated sculpture, designed by Haddad. The concept reveals invisible site functions based around, in Laura’s words, “A poetically etched stainless steel swale in the paving channels surface drainage into Elliott Bay, mimicking the actions of the underground outfall pipes.” The second phase of this project is now under construc... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2195709 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:00:12 +0100 2195709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2183113&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35787&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jungfreudlich.de%2F2009%2F02%2F13%2Fchemical-party%2F Check out this funny video Click here to view the embedded video. (Source: jungfreudlich.de) jungfreudlich.de blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2183113 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:47:23 +0100 2183113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2173583&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36698&url=http%3A%2F%2Fminingdrugs.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Flife-science-are-it-guys-getting-it.html "My argument is this: there is so much useful information that needs to be organized in a format that is free, navigational and easy to access. One person cannot do it alone; we all need to contribute for the betterment of science, in general. ... I’ll gladly contribute! How do we get the ball rolling?" [J]The Realm of Organic Synthesis initiated a discussion about chemistry knowledge management, which has triggered a lot of follow-up discussions.Mitch (blog) said that chemical informatics guys do not get it:"What J and I (Mitch) are planning is truly awesome, but it is not going to fall within the realm of the type of collaborative work that the chemical informatics people know so well. J will announce the project in the next couple of days. I think you will find it completely awesome, ... Mining Drug Space blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2173583 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:25:00 +0100 2173583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2200926&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FycFhEYH-bZE%2F I feel as though I need to quickly essplain myself and the recent, annoying ad that just popped up in the corner over there. You see, hosting your own blog on some leased server in Arizona is generally a pretty cheap thing to do - but if you’re a cheap guy with a family and small dog (etc.) you’re probably not interested in supporting old hobbies out of your pocket when you’ve moved on to more interesting hobbies. So, last year, I set up an adsense account with Google and have peppered some of the most trafficked posts with ads (which are these two, for whatever reason). Now, I figured that in the course of a year I would hit the $100 mark that Google mandates before they cut a check by the time the lease is due on the servers and my domain registration comes up. That&#82... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2200926 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:42:58 +0100 2200926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2160444&cid=t_106029_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2F7b2Z83CZ0kc%2F Image by Shevralay via Flickr What happens when a compound goes viral? I am sure you’ve thought about this many times. For the 2 of you not on FriendFeed, I point you to a post by Antony Williams on the Chemspider blog where he announces embeddable chemical structures. Picking up on an idea from Cameron Neylon, Chemspider now allows you to embed chemical structures in blog posts or wherever you choose to. Clicking on the embedded figure takes you to the Chemspider page. In a world where an increasing amount of information is going online, features like this are worth their weight in gold and only serves to make Chemspider that much more valuable as a chemical resource. Here’s a random molecule: [2-oxo-1-phenyl-2-(3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexoxy)ethyl] pyridine-3-c​arboxylate Hop... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2160444 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 06:15:50 +0100 2160444 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2200927&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2Fl5FE9Y15ANg%2F A few months ago my boss came to me and asked me when I wanted to leave. I told him it would be mid May and, in typical boss fashion, he demurred and instead figured it would take me much longer to write my thesis and papers than that. After embarrassingly being forced to change dates with my future post doctoral adviser, I have now finished writing, submitted said papers and am now… simply… waiting. Somehow my proclivity for writing extraordinarily fast slipped by my boss. I don’t blame him - on the outside I do look just like an average human - but I’m now stuck in purgatory. I have no project, I have no undergrads to boss around. I sort of sit in the lab and tell the new people how to prep solutions and dry reagents. I’m a poorly paid technician or an overp... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2200927 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 04:06:04 +0100 2200927 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2173767&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fscience-news-updates.html My latest science news updates are now available on SpectroscopyNOW.com and ChemWeb.com, covering a wide range topics from date rape drug analysis to DNA that behaves parasitically and could underpin speciation and evolution: Date rape analysis - Raman spectroscopy can be used to identify the date rape drug GHB and its precursor GBL in spiked drinks even if they’re in different types of drink or containers included coloured glass, plastic beakers, and polythene sample bags. Parasitic genetic mobility - A stretch of DNA behaves like a parasite in the genome causes health problems but could explain certain aspects of evolution and speciation. The crystal structure of its protein reveals much about our ancient past and our possible futures Nano MRI - Researchers at IBM working with a te... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2173767 Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:25:14 +0100 2173767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2150886&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35787&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jungfreudlich.de%2F2009%2F02%2F01%2Ftime-to-prepare-denksport%2F On a Sunday like this, I should probably lie in my bed and relax a little bit but I am actually reading some papers to come up with a nice molecule for tomorrow´s Denksport. Talking of Denksport, we had something like this in my former group as well (although it did not have such a fancy name ) and it was mainly about new methodology and transition metal stuff but I am glad that I don´t have to do these problem sets any longer since I like total synthesis problem sets much better. In general I think that problem sets are quite useful (yet sometimes depressing) since you get to know new reactions, get updated about new results from other groups and you HAVE TO use your brain every now and then That, of course, brings me to the question: What kind of problem sets do you have in your grou... jungfreudlich.de blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2150886 Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:01:58 +0100 2150886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2149747&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FzrTv4srmAjM%2F I DEFY you to tell me, with an honest face, that Barry Trost doesn’t look an awful lot like Dave Thomas and Carl Djarssiwhateverthef. doesn’t look like he should have a black string tie, walking cane and a bucket of fried chicken with all 11 delicious herbs and spices.  I’ll let you Google for yourself.  (And, for the record, who the f. told Barry to cross his arms around his leg for that photo?  Straight up A Priori Olan Mills cheesy photo, BareBare.) This unsolicited attack on two careerer destroying gents is brought to you by the letters C and E and the word news.  As written by Carl Djarasssasirs himself: Trost’s treatment [in his article] of Pettit is particularly egregious given the well-known fact in the chemical community that the spectacularly laborious... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2149747 Sun, 01 Feb 2009 05:22:30 +0100 2149747 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2173773&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Ffull-metal-alchemist.html First story to fall under the gaze of The Alchemist this week is synthetic HDL, a potential alternative therapy for cholesterol problems wrought through gold nanotechnology. Next, we hear of atomic ink that avoids the push and shove of microscopic manipulation by introducing the metallic nano swap meet. Bed bugs, are apparently evolving resistance to second-generation pesticides, an international team has revealed the channel-swapping mechanism, which could help chemists design alternatives. Mass spectrometry of salivary secretions, surprisingly enough, may one day offer a chemical test for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) while functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is revealing how the female brain responds to the odour of male sweat. Oh, okay confession it wasn’t full metal. ... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2173773 Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:00:49 +0100 2173773 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2113684&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FelGlZlwR0QM%2F WTF?; Seriously. It would be neat-o and everything to say you have a JACS cover but if they want to be like a wildly successful publishing company, why don’t they just become a for-profit organization and hire themselves a super high paid CEO, a dedicated legal team and refuse to pay reviewers for the privilege of reviewing the shit you’re going to be sticking into your journals and then selling them back to their underfunded libraries for thousands of dollars? I mean… they’ve already got 99% of that shit covered. This also doesn’t address the fact that JACS is still stupid expensive and for those of us that don’t like to scorch our eyeballs out reading journals off a monitor, it sure would be nice to have publications sent to our houses. I wouldn’... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2113684 Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:03:35 +0100 2113684 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2116478&cid=t_106029_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fphysical-spotlight.html The January issue of my Intute Spotlight column is now live 3D astrophysics - Astrophysicists are using a novel 3D computer visualization technique to help them understand the role of gravity in the formation of vast, stellar nurseries, also known as molecular clouds. … Cosmic nanodiamonds - Tiny particles of crystalline carbon found in sediments at six sites in North America dating back almost 13000 years, suggest that a swarm of carbon-and-water-rich comets … Microbial power - New insights into the workings of a metal-munching bacteria and how it exploits semiconducting nanominerals could provide a new approach to making biological fuel cells … Post from: Sciencebase Science Blog (Source: Sciencebase Science Blog) Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2116478 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:00:32 +0100 2116478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098063&cid=t_106029_149_f&fid=35784&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheChemBlog%2F%7E3%2FjAUwWGKdbBo%2F Today’s modern world requires sexy.  Sexy figures, sexy charts, sexy bodies.  If you’re not sexy you’re not shit - same goes for your figures.  The maturation into crystal structure manhood has taken me through many coridores, the first of which was, of course, Mercury.  That’s a damn fine program, even though they f.ed it up by putting their little stupid swirly icon in every menu bar.  They don’t, however, make sufficiently sexy images of molecules.  Allow me to illustrate using a new an interesting Uranium Carbene complex recently described by Mezailles et. al. (DOI: 10.1021/ja807282s) Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…. I wonder which one is sexier? OH.  I know.  The one right above this sentence.  Took me a second. That impressive structure was generated ... The Chem Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098063 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:52:50 +0100 2098063