EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Thursday, April 11, 2013, 6 p.m. Eastern Time

Press Conference Schedule
245th American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition

April 7-11, 2013

Attend in Person in New Orleans
or Access Live Audio & Video Online

ACS Press Center

Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Room 215/216

Press Center Phone: 504-670-4707

See Instructions* below for joining live briefings from remote locations at www.ustream.tv/channel/acslive ALL TOPICS ARE STRICTLY EMBARGOED FOR THE TIMES INDICATED. NOTE THAT SOME PRESS BRIEFINGS TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE EMBARGO TIME, INDICATED BY ** Embargoed press releases are available at Newswise

Sunday, April 7

**8 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, April 7, 2013, 10 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Engineering algae to make the ‘wonder material’ nanocellulose for biofuels and more

NEW ORLEANS, April 7, 2013 — Genes from the family of bacteria that produce vinegar, Kombucha tea and nata de coco have become stars in a project — which scientists today said has reached an advanced stage — that would turn algae into solar-powered factories for producing the “wonder material” nanocellulose. The report is on advances in getting those genes to produce fully functional nanocellulose.

R. Malcolm Brown, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin

Falk W. Liebner, Ph. D., University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences

Lucian Lucia, Ph.D., North Carolina State University

Gonzalo Serafica, Summit Investments

Luiz Fernando X. Farah, Ph.D., Cellaxis Biotech

**10 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, April 7, 2013, 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Ready for debut: Fruit-juice-infused chocolate with 50 percent less fat

NEW ORLEANS, April 7, 2013 — Already renowned as a healthy treat when enjoyed in moderation, chocolate could become even more salubrious if manufacturers embraced new technology for making “fruit-juice-infused chocolate,” a scientist said here today. Stefan A. F. Bon, Ph.D., who led the research, explained that the technology would allow manufacture of chocolate with fruit juice, vitamin C water or diet cola replacing up to 50 percent of the fat. The juice is in the form of micro-bubbles that help chocolate retain the lush, velvety “mouth-feel” — the texture that is firm and snappy to the bite and yet melts in the mouth. The process also prevents “sugar bloom,” the unappetizing white film that coats the surface of chocolate that has been on the shelf for a while.

Stefan A. F. Bon, Ph.D., University of Warwick

**10:30 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 10:15 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

New ‘transient electronics’ disappear when no longer needed

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — Scientists today described key advances toward practical uses of a new genre of tiny, biocompatible electronic devices that could be implanted into the body to relieve pain or battle infection for a specific period of time, and then dissolve harmlessly. The “transient electronics” described here could have other uses, including consumer electronics products with a pre-engineered service life.

John Rogers, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

**11 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, April 7, 2013, 2 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Widely used filtering material adds arsenic to beers

NEW ORLEANS, April 7, 2013 — The mystery of how arsenic levels in beer sold in Germany could be higher than in the water or other ingredients used to brew the beer has been solved, scientists announced here today. Mehmet Coelhan, Ph.D., and colleagues said the discovery could be of importance for breweries and other food processors elsewhere that use the same filtering technology implicated in the elevated arsenic levels in some German beers. Coelhan’s team set out to solve that riddle after testing 140 samples of beers sold in Germany as part of a monitoring program. The monitoring checked levels of heavy metals like arsenic and lead, as well as natural toxins that can contaminate grain used in brewing beer, pesticides and other undesirable substances.

Mehmet Coelhan, Ph.D.,Technische Universität München

**11:30 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, April 7, 2013, 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Do cells in the blood, heart and lungs smell the food we eat?

NEW ORLEANS, April 7, 2013 — In a discovery suggesting that odors may have a far more important role in life than previously believed, scientists have found that heart, blood, lung and other cells in the body have the same receptors for sensing odors that exist in the nose. It opens the door to questions about whether the heart, for instance, “smells” that fresh-brewed cup of coffee or cinnamon bun, according to the research leader.

Peter Schieberle, Ph.D., Technical University of Munich

12:30 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, April 7, 2013, Noon Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

First tests of old patent medicine remedies from a museum collection

NEW ORLEANS, April 7, 2013 — What was in Dr. F. G. Johnson’s French Female Pills and other scientifically untested elixirs, nostrums and other quack cures that were the only medicines available to sick people during the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries? Scientists provided a glimpse today based on an analysis of a museum collection of patent medicines used in turn-of-the-century America. Mark A. Benvenuto, Ph.D., who headed the study, explained that hundreds of untested products were sold in stores, by mail order or in traveling medicine shows during the patent medicine era.

Mark A. Benvenuto, Ph.D., University of Detroit Mercy

**1 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, April 7, 2013, 5:15 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Reducing waste of food: A key element in feeding billions more people

NEW ORLEANS, April 7, 2013 — Families can be key players in a revolution needed to feed the world, and could save money by helping to cut food losses now occurring from field to fork to trash bin, an expert said here today. He described that often-invisible waste in food — 4 out of every 10 pounds produced in the United States alone — and the challenges of feeding a global population of 9 billion in a keynote talk.

John Floros, Ph.D., Kansas State University

**1:30 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, April 7, 2013, 6 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Communicating the science of the ‘6X°C egg’ — and much more

NEW ORLEANS, April 7, 2013 — Why does the “65-degree egg” and its “6X°C” counterparts continue to entice chefs and diners at chic restaurants, when the science underpinning that supposed recipe for perfection in boiling an egg is flawed? It all boils down to the need for greater society-wide understanding of basic scientific concepts, an expert said here today. And in one of the keynote addresses at the meeting, César Vega, Ph.D., explained why cooking ranks as an ideal way of fostering broader awareness about science.

César Vega, Ph.D., Mars Botanical, Mars, Incorporated

**3:30 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Egyptian wedding certificate key to authenticating controversial Biblical text

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — A scientist who helped verify authenticity of the fabled Gospel of Judas today revealed how an ancient Egyptian marriage certificate played a pivotal role in confirming the veracity of inks used in the controversial text. The disclosure, which sheds new light on the intensive scientific efforts to validate the gospel, was made here today. "If we hadn't found a Louvre study of Egyptian wedding and land contracts, which were from the same time period and had ink similar to that used to record the Gospel of Judas, we would have had a much more difficult time discerning whether the gospel was authentic,” said Joseph G. Barabe.

Joseph G. Barabe, Senior Microscopist, McCrone Associates

Zvi C. Koren, Ph.D., The Edelstein Center for the Analysis of Ancient Artifacts, College of Engineering and Design, Ramat-Gan, Israel

Daniel Fraser, Ph.D., Lourdes University

Ruth Ann Armitage, Ph.D., Eastern Michigan University

Mark Pollard, Ph.D., University of Oxford

**4 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 2:15 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Population boom poses interconnected challenges of energy, food, water

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — Mention great challenges in feeding a soaring world population, and thoughts turn to providing a bare subsistence diet for poverty-stricken people in developing countries. But an expert speaking here today described a parallel and often-overlooked challenge. “Providing enough food to prevent starvation and famine certainly will be a daunting problem. But we also have to meet the rising expectations of huge numbers of people who will be moving up into the middle class,” he said.

Ganesh Kishore, Ph.D., Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund

Theodore C. Hsiao, Ph.D., University of California at Davis

Hessy Taft, Ph.D., St. John's University

 

Monday, April 8

**8 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 10 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Global leaders of $3.5 trillion enterprise gathering for two days of talks

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — Top leaders in chemistry — a $760 billion annual enterprise in the United States and $3.5 trillion worldwide — are gathering here today to consider a formula for ensuring the future success of the scientists whose work touches 96 percent of all the world’s manufactured goods. The special symposium is titled “Vision 2025: How to Succeed in the Global Chemistry Enterprise.”

“The millions of scientists working in chemistry will see dramatic changes, including increased global competition for ideas and markets, in the years ahead,” said Marinda Li Wu, Ph.D., president of the ACS. “Their success is important, not just individually, but for society as a whole. We rely on them to develop better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases; for innovations in materials for electronics and other products; and in so many other ways. This symposium will provide a range of perspectives to help chemistry professionals thrive in the global chemistry enterprise of the future.”

Marinda Li Wu, Ph.D., President, American Chemical Society

Douglas Muzyka, Ph.D., DuPont Company

Alan D. Palkowitz, Ph.D., Eli Lilly and Company

Ronald Breslow, Ph.D., Columbia University

Harry B. Gray, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology

David Stonner, Ph.D., National Science Foundation

**8:30 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 9 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Polluting plastic particles invade the Great Lakes

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — Floating plastic debris — which helps populate the infamous “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” in the Pacific Ocean — has become a problem in the Great Lakes, the largest body of fresh water in the world. Scientists reported on the latest findings from the Great Lakes here today. “The massive production of plastic and inadequate disposal has made plastic debris an important and constant pollutant on beaches and in oceans around the world, and the Great Lakes are not an exception,” said Lorena M. Rios Mendoza, Ph.D., who spoke on the topic at the meeting.

Lorena M. Rios Mendoza, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Superior

**9 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, April 9, 2013, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Chemistry of the Bar’ symposium focuses on New Orleans’ Hurricane Cocktail and more

NEW ORLEANS, April 9, 2013 — Call their taste and effects appealing or appalling, no matter. In a city that claims credit for invention of the cocktail, the Hurricane, Sazerac, Pimm’s Cup, Bayou Bash, Hand Grenade, Ramos Gin Fizz and other concoctions are the spirits of the French Quarter and its most famous thoroughfare, which happens to be named Bourbon Street. The scientific secrets of alcoholic beverages in the Crescent City and other venues will get a thorough shaking and stirring in a symposium titled “The Chemistry of the Bar” today.

Neil C. Da Costa, Ph.D., International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.

Jerry A. Zweigenbaum, Ph.D., Agilent Technologies

Christine A. Hughey, Ph.D., James Madison University

Andreas Dunkel, Ph.D., Technical University of Munich

Scott Varney, Ph.D., Transylvania University

Bulat Kenessov, Ph.D., al-Farabi Kazakh National University

Elizabeth R. Genthner, Ph.D., University of Illinois

Jaime Jurado, Ph.D., Susquehanna Brewing Company

**10:30 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society

Gulf of Mexico has greater-than-believed ability to self-cleanse oil spills

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — The Gulf of Mexico may have a much greater natural ability to self-clean oil spills than previously believed, an expert in bioremediation said here today. Terry C. Hazen, Ph.D., said that conclusion has emerged from research following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, which by some estimates spilled 4.9 million barrels (210 million gallons) of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. His research team used a powerful new approach for identifying microbes in the environment to discover previously unknown bacteria, naturally present in the Gulf water, that consume and break down crude oil.

Terry C. Hazen, Ph.D., University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Gabriel Nuffield Kasozi, Ph.D., Makerere University Kampala, Uganda

Kelly McFarlin, Ph.D., University of Alaska, Fairbanks

Yanyan Gong, Ph.D., Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.

Pam Vaughan, Ph.D., University of West Florida, Pensacola

**11 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 5:15 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

New approach to testing health, environmental effects of nanoparticles

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — Earlier efforts to determine the health and environmental effects of the nanoparticles that are finding use in hundreds of consumer products may have produced misleading results by embracing traditional toxicology tests that do not take into account the unique properties of bits of material so small that 100,000 could fit in the period at the end of this sentence. Christy Haynes, Ph.D., delivered the inaugural Kavli Foundation Emerging Leader in Chemistry Lecture at the meeting. Sponsored by the Kavli Foundation, the lectures recognize the work of outstanding young chemical scientists. These new presentations will shine the spotlight on scientists younger than 40 years old and not more than 10 years removed from earning their Ph.D.s when nominated, and who have made exceptional achievements in scientific or engineering research.

Christy Haynes, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

11:30 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

New report on the next generation of electronics

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — Five major scientific societies today issued a report examining where organic electronics are today, where chemical scientists envision the field is heading, and the scientific and engineering challenges that must be met in order to realize that vision. The report, Organic Electronics for a Better Tomorrow: Innovation, Accessibility, Sustainability, focuses on the next generation of electronics based on flexible plastic or polymer components that promise bendable solar cells, wall-sized HD video displays that roll up and down like a map and numerous other innovations.

Speakers to be announced.

**Noon Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Collaborations between cooks and chemists push the boundaries of taste

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — After walking hand-in-hand as partners for centuries, cooking and chemistry now are sprinting ahead in a collaboration that is producing new taste sensations and unimaginable delights for the palate. That’s the word from a renowned expert on chemistry and cooking who spoke here today. The presentation was part of a symposium honoring Shirley O. Corriher, winner of the 2012 ACS James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public.

Shirley O. Corriher, winner, James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public

Archibald Corriher, cookbook editor

Sally Mitchell, East Syracuse Minoa Central High School

12:30 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time

Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Understanding climate science: A scientist's responsibility to communicate with the public

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — With global climate change and the prospect of another record-hot summer on the minds of millions of people, experts have gathered here today to encourage scientists to take a more active role in communicating the topic to the public, policy makers and others. The symposium is called “Understanding Climate Science: A Scientist's Responsibility.” Speakers are highlighting a new resource that scientists can use in communicating the science of climate change.

Bassam Shakhashiri, Ph.D., William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Past-President, American Chemical Society

Jerry A. Bell, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

Peter Mahaffy, Ph.D., King’s University College in Edmonton, Alberta

Barbara J. Finlayson-Pitts, Ph.D., University California-Irvine
Richard C. J. Somerville, Ph.D., Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego

Kathleen M. Schulz, Ph.D., Business Results, Inc.

1:30 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, April 7, 2013, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Making sustainability a part of the education of tomorrow's scientists

NEW ORLEANS, April 7, 2013 — Five scientists who spearheaded efforts to incorporate information about sustainability and green chemistry into the education of future chemists and other scientists will receive the Committee on Environmental Improvement/American Chemical Society Award for those achievements. For example, Natalia Pavlovna Tarasova, Ph.D., of the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia in Moscow, was a key figure in doing so in the former Soviet Union, and in a collaborative program in which dozens of young Russian scientists received doctorates and other advanced degrees at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Panelists will discuss sustainable development, environmental conditions in Russia and other topics.

Matt Fisher, Ph.D., Saint Vincent College

Natalia Pavlovna Tarasova, Ph.D., Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia

Andrew Jorgensen, Ph.D., University of Toledo

Resa Kelly, Ph.D., San Jose State University

Joseph R. Vincente, East Side Community High School

Andrea Swenson, East Side Community High School

Richard H. Jarman, Ph.D., College of DuPage

Cristina Chang, San Jose State University

Douglas Neckers, Ph.D., Bowling Green State University

2 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 11:45 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Natural soil bacteria pump new life into exhausted oil wells

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — Technology that enlists natural soil bacteria as 21st century roughnecks now is commercially available and poised to recover precious oil remaining in thousands of exhausted oil wells, according to a scientist who spoke here today. His report was on a process termed microbially enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). “The idea of using microbes to bring spent oil wells back to life dates to the early 1900s,” said Brian Clement, Ph.D. “That was the era of ‘easy-to-recover’ oil, and when a well played out, you just moved on and drilled another — knowing that 60-70 percent of the oil in that first reservoir remained untouched. We’re in a different era now. Oil is scarcer, and it makes sense to use MEOR.”

Brian Clement, Ph.D., Glori Energy, Inc.

**2:30 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 7 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

High levels of lead detected in rice imported from certain countries

NEW ORLEANS, April 10, 2013 — Rice imported from certain countries contains high levels of lead that could pose health risks, particularly for infants and children, who are especially sensitive to lead’s effects, and adults of Asian heritage who consume large amounts of rice, scientists said here today. Their research found some of the highest lead levels in baby food. Tsanangurayi Tongesayi, Ph.D., who headed the analysis of rice imported from Asia, Europe and South America, pointed out that imports account for only 7 percent of the rice consumed in the United States. With vast rice fields in Louisiana, California, Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi, the U.S. is a major producer and exporter of the grain. However, imports of rice and rice flour are increasing  by more than 200 percent since 1999  and rice is the staple food for 3 billion people worldwide, he added.

Tsanangurayi Tongesayi, Ph.D., Monmouth University

Elizabeth Crawford, Ph.D., IonSense, Inc.

**3 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 8, 2013, 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time

Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Artificial leaf’ gains the ability to self-heal damage and produce energy from dirty water

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — Another innovative feature has been added to the world’s first practical “artificial leaf,” making the device even more suitable for providing people in developing countries and remote areas with electricity, scientists reported here today. It gives the leaf the ability to self-heal damage that occurs during production of energy. Daniel G. Nocera, Ph.D., described the advance during the “Kavli Foundation Innovations in Chemistry Lecture.” Nocera, leader of the research team, explained that the “leaf” mimics the ability of real leaves to produce energy from sunlight and water. Dropped into a jar of water and exposed to sunlight, catalysts in the device break water down into its components, hydrogen and oxygen. Those gases bubble up and can be collected and used as fuel to produce electricity in fuel cells.

Daniel G. Nocera, Ph.D., Harvard University

**3:30 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, April 9, 2013, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Spring rains bring life to Midwest granaries but foster Gulf of Mexico ‘Dead Zone’

NEW ORLEANS, April 9, 2013 — The most serious ongoing water pollution problem in the Gulf of Mexico originates not from oil rigs, as many people believe, but rainstorms and fields of corn and soybeans a thousand miles away in the Midwest. An expert on that problem — the infamous Gulf of Mexico “Dead Zone” — today called for greater awareness of the connections between rainfall and agriculture in the Midwest and the increasingly severe water quality problems in the gulf.

Bassam Shakhashiri, Ph.D., William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Past-President, American Chemical Society

Nancy N. Rabalais, Ph.D., Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium

Joan B. Rose, Ph.D., Michigan State University

Jerald L. Schnoor, Ph.D., The University of Iowa

4 p.m. Central Time Special News Media Event

Business models and policies for growth how New Orleans can fuel an innovation economy

NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 — New Orleans has a vigorous effort to grow its innovation economy, particularly in the biosciences. They have strong, attractive tax incentives supporting R&D, a dedicated incubator with numerous successful startups, and good relationships with university and government research labs. They need ideas from start-up entrepreneurs and from managers from large companies who can reflect on successful business strategies for innovation-based firms in the chemical enterprise.

Wine and appetizers to be served at this press discussion.

Aaron Miscenich, President, Executive Director, New Orleans BioInnovation Center, Inc.

Eloise C. Young, Chemistry, Program Manager, NineSigma, Cleveland, Ohio

John M. Newsam, Managing Member and Managing Director, Windhover Ventures, La Jolla, Calif.

* Leo Smit; Multiple career roles, Engineer, Research, Business Development and Strategic Communications; Innovation Center, DSM; The Netherlands

* (Tentative)

Tuesday, April 9

**8:30 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, April 9, 2013, 11:15 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

New evidence that natural substances in green coffee beans help control blood sugar levels

NEW ORLEANS, April 9, 2013 — Scientists today described evidence that natural substances extracted from unroasted coffee beans can help control the elevated blood sugar levels and body weight that underpin type 2 diabetes. Their presentation was on chlorogenic acids  widely available as a dietary supplement. Joe A. Vinson, Ph.D., who led the research, pointed out that type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, is an increasing global health problem. In the United States alone, almost 26 million have the disease, in which the pancreas does not produce enough of the insulin that enables the body to use sugar, or cells resist the effects of that insulin.

Joe A. Vinson, Ph.D., University of Scranton

** 10:30 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Thursday, April 11, 2013, 11 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Cost-saving measure to upgrade ethanol to butanol a better alternative to gasoline

NEW ORLEANS, April 11, 2013 — Scientists today reported a discovery that could speed an emerging effort to replace ethanol in gasoline with a substantially better fuel additive called butanol, which some experts regard as “the gasoline of the future.” This discovery holds the potential to reduce the costs of converting ethanol factories to the production of butanol. Duncan Wass explained that ethanol has become a leading biofuel — millions of gallons added to gasoline around the country each year — despite several disadvantages. Ethanol, for instance, has a lower energy content per gallon than gasoline, which can reduce fuel mileage. Ethanol also has a corrosive effect on car engines and can’t easily be used in amounts higher than 10-15 percent.

Duncan Wass, Ph.D., University of Bristol

**11 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, April 9, 2013, 3 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

New evidence that egg white protein may help high blood pressure

NEW ORLEANS, April 9, 2013 — Scientists reported new evidence today that a component of egg whites –– already popular as a substitute for whole eggs among health-conscious consumers concerned about cholesterol in the yolk –– may have another beneficial effect in reducing blood pressure. “Our research suggests that there may be another reason to call it ‘the incredible, edible egg,’” said study leader Zhipeng Yu, Ph.D., of Jilin University. “We have evidence from the laboratory that a substance in egg white –– it’s a peptide, one of the building blocks of proteins –– reduces blood pressure about as much as a low dose of Captopril, a high-blood-pressure drug.” Yu and colleagues, who are with Clemson University, used a peptide called RVPSL.

Zhipeng Yu, Ph.D., Clemson University

**12:30 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, April 9, 2013, 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

A new vision for educating tomorrow’s scientists

NEW ORLEANS, April 9, 2013 — Fundamental changes are needed in the education of the scientists whose work impacts medicine, drug discovery, development of sustainable new fuels and other global challenges society is facing in the 21st century. Those changes in graduate education in chemistry are the topic of a special symposium here today. The speakers will discuss results of one of the most comprehensive reports on graduate education in chemistry and the next steps in implementing its recommendations. The report, Advancing Graduate Education in the Chemical Sciences, resulted from a year-long project of an ACS presidential commission.

Bassam Shakhashiri, Ph.D., William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Past-President, American Chemical Society

Larry R. Faulkner, Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin

Geraldine L. Richmond, Ph.D., University of Oregon

Pat N. Confalone, Ph.D., E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company

Stacey F. Bent, Ph.D., Stanford University

Joel I. Shulman, Ph.D., University of University of Cincinnati

2 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, April 9, 2013, 12:15 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

American Chemical Society’s highest honor goes to pioneer of ‘Lego-like’ molecules

NEW ORLEANS, April 9, 2013 — Peter J. Stang, Ph.D., distinguished professor of chemistry at the University of Utah and editor of the Journal of the American Chemical Society, has been named winner of the 2013 Priestley Medal by the American Chemical Society. It is the highest honor bestowed by the world’s largest scientific society. Stang will receive the award and present an address tonight during a banquet and ceremony that are part of the ACS’ 245th National Meeting & Exposition, being held here this week. The ceremony will honor recipients of other ACS national award recipients for outstanding contributions to chemistry.

Peter J. Stang, Ph.D., University of Utah, and editor of the Journal of the American Chemical Society

Wednesday, April 10

**8:30 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Thursday, April 11, 2013, 6 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Seeing’ the flavor of foods

NEW ORLEANS, April 11, 2013 — The eyes sometimes have it, beating out the tongue, nose and brain in the emotional and biochemical balloting that determines the taste and allure of food, a scientist said here today. He described how people sometimes “see” flavors in foods and beverages before actually tasting them. “There have been important new insights into how people perceive food flavors,” said Terry E. Acree, Ph.D. “Years ago, taste was a table with two legs taste and odor. Now we are beginning to understand that flavor depends on parts of the brain that involve taste, odor, touch and vision. The sum total of these signals, plus our emotions and past experiences, result in perception of flavors, and determine whether we like or dislike specific foods.”

Terry E. Acree, Ph.D., Cornell University

**9:30 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Thursday, April 11, 2013, 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Enzymes from horse feces could hold secrets to streamlining biofuel production

NEW ORLEANS, April 11, 2013 — Stepping into unexplored territory in efforts to use corn stalks, grass and other non-food plants to make biofuels, scientists today described the discovery of a potential treasure-trove of candidate enzymes in fungi thriving in the feces and intestinal tracts of horses. They reported on these enzymes, which are the key to economical production of biofuels from non-food plant material.

Michelle A. O'Malley, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara

**11 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Thursday, April 11, 2013, 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Revealing the scientific secrets of why people can’t stop after eating one potato chip

NEW ORLEANS, April 11, 2013 — The scientific secrets underpinning that awful reality about potato chips — eat one and you’re apt to scarf ’em all down — began coming out of the bag here today. Tobias Hoch, Ph.D., who conducted the study, said the results shed light on the causes of a condition called “hedonic hyperphagia” that plagues hundreds of millions of people around the world. “That’s the scientific term for ‘eating to excess for pleasure, rather than hunger,’” Hoch said.

Tobias Hoch, Ph.D., FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, Emil Fischer Center

**11:30 a.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 3 p.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Revealing hidden artwork with airport security full-body-scanner technology

NEW ORLEANS, April 10, 2013 — In the latest achievement in efforts to see what may lie underneath the surface of great works of art, scientists today described the first use of an imaging technology like that used in airport whole-body security scanners to detect the face of an ancient Roman man hidden below the surface of a wall painting in the Louvre Museum in Paris. They described unveiling the image, which scientists and art historians say may be thousands of years old. J. Bianca Jackson, Ph.D., who reported on the project, explained that it involved a fresco, which is a mural or painting done on a wall after application of fresh plaster. In a fresco, the artist’s paint seeps into the wet plaster and sets as the plaster dries. The painting becomes part of the wall. The earliest known frescoes date to about 1500 B.C. and were found on the island of Crete in Greece.

J. Bianca Jackson, Ph.D., University of Rochester

Noon Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Major symposium on arsenic contamination in food and water supplies

NEW ORLEANS, April 10, 2013 — After virtually eliminating arsenic as a useful tool for homicide, science now faces challenges in doing the same for natural sources of this fabled old “inheritance powder” that contaminates water supplies and food, threatening more than 35 million people worldwide. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of a popular book documenting arsenic's horrific history as a poison highlighted that situation at a far-ranging symposium on arsenic here today. It was among two dozen presentations at the “Arsenic Contamination in Food and Water” symposium.

Deborah Blum, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

David B. Smith, Ph.D., U.S. Geological Survey

Nicholas T Basta, Ph.D., The Ohio State University

Jack Driscoll, Ph.D., PID Analyzers

Allen Apblett, Ph.D., Oklahoma State University

Janet M. Hock, Ph.D., Maine Institute for Human Genetics and Health

1 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

GUMBOS technology promises new drugs, electronic devices

NEW ORLEANS, April 10, 2013 — Mention a breakthrough involving “gumbo” technology in this city, and people think of a new twist on The Local Dish, the stew that’s the quintessence of southern Louisiana cooking. But scientific presentations at a meeting of the world’s largest scientific society this week are focusing on what may be an advance in developing GUMBOS-based materials with far-reaching medical, electronic and other uses. The talks focused on what the scientists call a “Group of Uniform Materials Based on Organic Salts” (GUMBOS) and the nanoGUMBOS materials — particles so small that 100,000 could fit across the width of a human hair.

Isiah Warner, Ph.D., Louisiana State University

1:30 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Overcoming a major barrier to medical and other uses of ‘microrockets’ and ‘micromotors’

NEW ORLEANS, April 10, 2013 — An advance in micromotor technology akin to the invention of cars that fuel themselves from the pavement or air, rather than gasoline or batteries, is opening the door to broad new medical and industrial uses for these tiny devices, scientists said here today. They gave an update on development of the motors — so small that thousands would fit inside this “o” — here today. Joseph Wang, D.Sc., who leads research on the motors, said that efforts to build minute, self-powered robot devices have evoked memories of the 1966 science fiction film Fantastic Voyage. It featured a miniaturized submarine, which doctors injected into a patient.

Wei Gao, University of California, San Diego

2:30 p.m. Central Time EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Understanding the life of lithium ion batteries in electric vehicles

NEW ORLEANS, April 10, 2013 — Scientists today answered a question that worries millions of owners and potential owners of electric and hybrid vehicles using lithium-ion batteries: How long before the battery pack dies, leaving a sticker-shock bill for a fresh pack or a car ready for the junk heap? Their answer may surprise skeptics. “The battery pack could be used during a quite reasonable period of time ranging from 5 to 20 years depending on many factors,” said Mikael G. Cugnet, Ph.D., who spoke on the topic. “That’s good news when you consider that some estimates put the average life expectancy of a new car at about eight years.”

Mikael G. Cugnet, Ph.D., CEA

*Instructions for joining chat room sessions

Chat Room Sessions from the ACS National Meeting in New Orleans

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Office of Public Affairs is offering the news media the opportunity to join press briefings, whether covering the meeting onsite or from a remote location. This format will provide access for the increasing number of journalists who cover scientific meetings from their home bases during ACS’ 245th National Meeting, April 7-11, in New Orleans. 

Borrowing the popular chat room concept from the Internet, we will provide news media with access to both real and virtual chat room sessions during the Philadelphia meeting.

Reporters attending the meeting can gather with scientists in an informal setting in our Press Briefing Room at the ACS Press Center, Room 215/216, in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The scientists will summarize their research and field questions. Offsite reporters can enter a virtual version of this chat room over the Internet. In addition to seeing and hearing the real-world activity, offsite reporters can submit questions.

Like hosts of a traditional chat room, we never know how many participants will join a session. Each session will proceed, regardless of attendance, so that digital transcripts can be made and posted online as a resource for individuals who are unable to attend.

Chat room sessions begin at 8:00 a.m. Central Time, on Sunday, April 7, and continue during the week. Get a head start by registering at Ustream.tv, a live, interactive, online video site.

To register with Ustream.tv, go to www.ustream.tv/login-signup?ref=%2Fdashboard. It’s free and only takes a minute or two to sign up. To join the chat room during one of our sessions, visit www.ustream.tv/channel/acslive and click the “Login” button at the top right of the Ustream window. Ustream requires the latest version of Adobe Flash, which can be downloaded without charge here.

Use the built-in chat box to ask questions during the press conference (requires Ustream.tv registration).

Use the chat box to the right of the video window to submit questions to the researchers. To resolve connection problems, contact Adam Dylewski ([email protected]) or Mike Woods ([email protected]). Recorded versions of the sessions will be available at www.ustream.tv/channel/acslive after the press conference is complete.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. 

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact [email protected].