• share
• favorite_border

Researchers in Canada are reporting that proteins found in a common garden pea show promise as a natural food additive or new dietary supplement for fighting high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Those potentially life-threatening conditions affect millions of people worldwide. Their study is scheduled for presentation in March at the 237th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society.

• share
• favorite_border

Confusion about what constitutes plagiarism "” not malicious intent "” is the leading cause of plagiarism at the graduate school level, according to an expert who will describe the increasingly worrisome problem during a presentation at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). George M. Bodner, Ph.D., who serves on the Ethics Committee of the ACS, is among a panel of scientists who will discuss plagiarism during a special symposium at the meeting.

• share
• favorite_border

A dramatic increase in carbon dioxide levels is making the world's ocean more acidic, which may adversely affect the survival of marine life and organisms that depend on them, such as humans.

• share
• favorite_border

An ingredient in licorice shows promise as an antidote for the toxic effects of cocaine abuse, including deadly overdoses of the highly addictive drug, researchers in Korea and Pennsylvania are reporting.

• share
• favorite_border

A vegan food renowned in Asia for its ability to protect against heart attacks also shows a powerful ability in lab experiments to prevent formation of the clumps of tangled protein involved in Alzheimer's disease, scientists in Taiwan are reporting.

• share
• favorite_border

In an effort to curb the illegal use of steroids in the European beef industry, scientists in the United Kingdom are reporting the development of a new test that can identify steroids with higher accuracy, more convenience, and less cost than conventional doping tests.

• share
• favorite_border

Researchers in Canada are reporting evidence that eggs "” often frowned upon for their high cholesterol content "” may reduce another heart disease risk factor "” high blood pressure.

• share
• favorite_border

The American Chemical Society Office of Public Affairs Weekly Press Package with reports from 34 major peer-reviewed journals on chemistry, health, medicine, energy, environment, food, nanotechnology and other hot topics.

• share
• favorite_border

Scientists in Arizona and New Jersey are reporting that aerogels, a super-lightweight solid sometimes called "frozen smoke," may serve as the ultimate sponge for capturing oil from wastewater and effectively soaking up environmental oil spills.

• share
• favorite_border

Scientists in China are reporting development and testing of new self-sanitizing plaster with more powerful antibacterial effects than penicillin. The material could be used in wall coatings, paints, art works and other products.

• share
• favorite_border

Discarded electronic hardware, including bits and pieces that built the information superhighway, can be recycled into an additive that makes super-strong asphalt paving material for real highways, researchers in China are reporting in a new study.

• share
• favorite_border

Millions of homes in rural areas of Far Eastern countries are heated by charcoal burned on small, hibachi-style portable grills. Scientists in Japan are now reporting development of an improved "biomass charcoal combustion heater" that they say could open a new era in sustainable and ultra-high efficiency home heating.

• share
• favorite_border

The American Chemical Society Office of Public Affairs Weekly Press Package with reports from 34 major peer-reviewed journals on chemistry, health, medicine, energy, environment, food, nanotechnology and other hot topics.

• share
• favorite_border

Researchers in California are reporting an advance toward the long-sought goal of "invisible electronics" and transparent displays, which can be highly desirable for heads-up displays, wind-shield displays, and electronic paper. The scientists describe development of tiny, transparent electronic circuits "” the most powerful of their kind to date "” that could pave the way for transparent electronics and other futuristic applications, including flexible electronic newspapers and wearable clothing displays.

• share
• favorite_border

Researchers in West Virginia and Japan are reporting an advance toward a blood test that could help protect consumers from new products containing potentially harmful kinds of nanotubes. These ultra small wisps of carbon "” 1/5,000th the width a single human hair "” may become the basis for multibillion-dollar medical, consumer electronics, and other industries in the future.

• share
• favorite_border

The discovery that butterfly wings have scales that act as tiny solar collectors has led scientists in China and Japan to design a more efficient solar cell that could be used for powering homes, businesses, and other applications in the future.

• share
• favorite_border

Developed to sniff out extraterrestrial life on other planets, a portable device known as the Mars Organic Analyzer (MOA) is taking on a new role in detecting air pollutants on Earth. Researchers in California report the development of a modified MOA able to detect polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), potentially carcinogenic molecules from cigarette smoke and wood smoke, volcanic ash, and other sources.

• share
• favorite_border

New materials for NASCAR promise to save lives and reduce injuries in automobile racing "” a popular sport with a fan-base of 75 million "” and everyday driving.

• share
• favorite_border

Scientists in Florida report that adding an edible mushroom-like fungus to grapefruit juice may help to reduce the serious side effects that can occur when people taking certain prescription drugs drink grapefruit juice.

• share
• favorite_border

Researchers in Texas are reporting that quantum dots (QDs) "” a product of the revolution in nanotechnology increasingly used in electronics, solar cells, and medical imaging devices "” may be toxic to cells under acidic or alkaline conditions.

• share
• favorite_border

Imagine a massive international effort to combat global warming by reducing carbon dioxide - build up in the atmosphere. It involves gathering billions of tons of cornstalks, wheat straw, and other crop residue from farm fields, bailing it, shipping the material to seaports, and then burying it in the deep ocean.

• share
• favorite_border

Researchers in Australia are reporting an advance toward the first urine test for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD), the condition responsible for most of the 1.5 million heart attacks that occur in the United States each year. The test could save lives in the future by allowing earlier diagnosis and monitoring of the disease, which is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, the researchers say.

• share
• favorite_border

Surprising new scientific research is raising concerns about the potential health and environmental hazards of tungsten "” a metal used in products ranging from bullets to light bulbs to jewelry "” that scientists once thought was environmentally friendly, according to an embargoed article scheduled for the Jan. 19 issue of Chemical & Engineering News.

• share
• favorite_border

Scientists and regulators have a golden opportunity to reduce the health toll from a range of diseases by focusing more attention on identification of environmental factors that can damage the prenatal immune system as well as that of infants and children, according to an article scheduled for the January 19 issue of ACS' Chemical Research in Toxicology, a monthly journal.

• share
• favorite_border

In a finding straight out of science fiction, chemical and biomolecular engineers in Maryland are describing development of microscopic, chemically triggered robotic "hands" that can pick up and move small objects.

• share
• favorite_border

Scientists in Oregon and India are reporting an advance toward developing the first saliva test to diagnose and monitor effectiveness of treatment for Type 2 diabetes.

• share
• favorite_border

In a macabre discovery fit for Indiana Jones, archaeologists in Spain unearthed a 14th century brick oven with a unique role "” to bake bones. Scientists report that the animal bones were burnt in the oven and mixed with other materials to produce a protective coating to strengthen the grand medieval walls of what is today Granada, Spain. In a study scheduled to appear in Analytical Chemistry, scientists describe how they found these materials thanks to a powerful new testing method.

• share
• favorite_border

Scientists in the United Kingdom are reporting evidence that humans can make their own salicylic acid (SA) "” the material formed when aspirin breaks down in the body. SA, which is responsible for aspirin's renowned effects in relieving pain and inflammation, may be the first in a new class of bioregulators, according to a study scheduled for the Dec. 24 issue of ACS' biweekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

• share
• favorite_border

Meeting the world's growing energy demands while minimizing global warming will be one on the biggest challenges humanity has every faced, said Dr. Raymond Orbach, the U.S. Department of Energy's Under Secretary for Science, in the first of two special podcasts on "Confronting Climate Change" from the American Chemical Society's podcast series, "Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions."

• share
• favorite_border

The American Chemical Society is now offering Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions, a series of podcasts focusing on daunting global problems and how new discoveries from the labs of chemists and other scientists offer solutions.

• share
• favorite_border

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Publications Division has announced the appointment of Kirk S. Schanze, Ph.D., professor of chemistry at the University of Florida, as editor of a new journal, ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. Beginning publication in first-quarter 2009, ACS Applied Material and Interfaces will publish full-length articles, letters, comments, and forums.

• share
• favorite_border

An authority on the quality of drinking water today describes new challenges for consumers and municipal water supply systems, including unexpected consequences of efforts to conserve water in the first of a special series of podcasts from the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society.

• share
• favorite_border

Four of the nation's top high school chemistry students "“"“ one each from California, Connecticut, Missouri and New Jersey "” have been chosen to represent the U.S. team in the 40th annual International Chemistry Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary July 12-21, 2008. They will compete with students from 65 other countries in the event, sponsored by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

• share
• favorite_border

Mark your calendars for one of this year's biggest and most comprehensive scientific events "” the 236th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), which will be held Aug. 17-21, 2008, in Philadelphia.

• share
• favorite_border

Scientists in Wisconsin have discovered an ingredient that prevents the formation of ice crystals that can spoil the smooth, silky texture of ice cream and other frozen foods. The substance, which acts like an antifreeze, is non-toxic and doesn't change the taste of foods, the researchers say.

• share
• favorite_border

The development of deep-tank fermentation by Pfizer "”"“ which enabled the mass production of penicillin for use in World War II "”"“ was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society (ACS) in a special ceremony in Brooklyn, N.Y., on June 12, 2008. ACS President-elect Thomas H. Lane presented a commemorative plaque to Pfizer.

• share
• favorite_border

The percentage of 2007 chemistry graduates with full-time jobs as of early last October was relatively high, extending an upturn in employment rates of the past several years, according to the June 2 issue of Chemical & Engineering News(C&EN). CE&N is the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society.

• share
• favorite_border

Washing fresh fruits and vegetables alone "” even with chlorine disinfectants "” may not be enough to reduce the risk of food poisoning. Studies show that certain disease-causing microbes can make their way inside the leaves of lettuce, spinach and other vegetables and fruit, where surface treatments cannot reach. The research will be described in April at the American Chemical Society national meeting in New Orleans.

• share
• favorite_border

Sugar-powered cars may be in your future. Chemists report development of a "revolutionary" process for converting plant sugars into hydrogen, which could be used to cheaply and efficiently power vehicles equipped with hydrogen fuel cells without producing any pollutants. The scientists will describe their unique hydrogen production system in April at the American Chemical Society national meeting in New Orleans.

• share
• favorite_border

In a finding that challenges conventional medical knowledge, researchers report that plaques formed in during atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, are associated with certain harmful chemical reactions that can contribute to damage in the lungs, liver, and other organs. The study, which suggests that the effects of the disease are more widespread than previously believed, will be presented in April at the American Chemical Society national meeting in New Orleans.

• share
• favorite_border

Amid concern that recipients of certain blood transfusions may risk infection with a deadly protein responsible for the human form of mad cow disease, researchers in Canada now report development of a special filter that quickly and effectively removes the protein from blood. They will describe the blood filter, which could reduce the risk of developing the disease from transfusions, in April at the American Chemical Society national meeting in New Orleans.

• share
• favorite_border

Chemists report that carbon dioxide removed from smokestack emissions in order to slow global warming could become a valuable raw material for the production of DVDs, beverage bottles and other products made from polycarbonate plastics. Their studies will be presented in April at the American Chemical Society national meeting in New Orleans.

• share
• favorite_border

Escalating oil and gas prices along with the global challenge of climate change has in the past few years spurred a generation of scientists to pursue alternative energy sources while redirecting the focus away from fossil fuels. A countrywide panel of experts gathered Monday at the 235th national meeting in New Orleans to provide a comprehensive overview of the current status, limitations and future challenges of alternative energy sources.

• share
• favorite_border

Despite oil prices that hover around $100 a barrel, it may take at least 10 or more years of intensive research to reduce the cost of solar energy to levels competitive with petroleum, according to a leading expert on the topic. Researchers will describe advances and challenges in solar energy research during a special Presidential Symposium in April at the American Chemical Society national meeting in New Orleans.

• share
• favorite_border

Scientists in Georgia are reporting development of a fast new method to detect fake Tamiflu, the mainstay medication for preventing and treating bird flu. Tamiflu has become a target for counterfeiters as recent outbreaks of bird flu have increased public demand for supplies of just-in-case antiviral drugs to use in case of an epidemic of the deadly disease. The study will be presented in April at the American Chemical Society national meeting in New Orleans.

• share
• favorite_border

Scientists in Texas report development of a highly dependable, rapid, and inexpensive new method for identifying the presence of gunshot residue (GSR). The test fills a GSR-detection gap that results from wider use of "green" "” lead free "” ammunition. Their study will be presented in April at the American Chemical Society national meeting in New Orleans.

• share
• favorite_border

Despite their reputation for deadly attacks on humans and pets, alligators are wiggling their way toward a new role as potential lifesavers in medicine. Scientists report that proteins in gator blood may provide powerful new antibiotics to help fight infections associated with diabetic ulcers, severe burns, and "superbugs" that are resistant to conventional medication. Their research will be presented in April at the American Chemical Society national meeting in New Orleans.

• share
• favorite_border

Mud may be coming to a medicine cabinet or pharmacy near you. Scientists in Arizona report that minerals from clay could form the basis of a new generation of inexpensive, highly-effective antimicrobials for fighting MRSA infections that are moving out of health care settings and into the community. Their study will be presented in April at the American Chemical Society national meeting in New Orleans.

• share
• favorite_border

Those exploring the uncharted seas at the fringes of the Periodic Table of the Elements have landed on one long-sought island "” the fabled Island of Stability, home of a new genre of superheavy chemical elements sought for more than three decades. Researchers now are eying other islands on the more-distant fringes of the periodic table. Their pioneering research will be described in April at the American Chemical Society national meeting in New Orleans.

• share
• favorite_border

Gabor A. Somorjai, Ph.D., has been chosen to receive the 2008 Priestley Medal by the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society, for his contributions to the fields of surface science and catalysis for more than 40 years. A professor of chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley, Somorjai has been a pioneer in the study of surfaces and surface phenomena, which has in turn impacted various other disciplines.