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August 31, 2006

Researchers Explore Food-Grade Ethanol

Goal is to fine-tune alcohol purification and reduce the cost of production.

Schering-Plough Resolves Federal Charges

Drugmaker agrees to pay fine, plead guilty to conspiracy in investigation into sales and marketing practices.

August 30, 2006

The Sweet Smell Of Isonitriles

New family of compounds incorporates versatile functional group without the stench.

Court Rejects Challenge To EPA Pesticide Program

Critics of decisions on pesticide residue safety levels for food must appeal to agency, not federal courts.

Cooling Compounds Conquer Chronic Pain

Interaction with nerves reveals mechanism to block long-term pain.

August 29, 2006

Mylan Is Buying Big Stake In Matrix

Indian pharmaceutical chemical firm will contribute a broad manufacturing network to generics drug firm.

Court Rejects EPA Approval Process

Federal agency must consult with wildlife officials on licensing pesticides that may threaten rare species.

August 28, 2006

Remembrance Of Things Past

Animal studies yield key evidence supporting memory storage hypothesis.

Supersized Sandwiches

Aromatic hydrocarbon ligands flank metal monolayers in stable complexes.

Diamondoids For Tracing Oil Spills

Naturally occurring compounds can lead investigators to source of fuel spills.

Sour Revealed

Sleuthing pegs taste-bud cells, proteins dedicated to sensing sour substances.

August 25, 2006

Dark Matter Disrobed

Galaxy cluster collision separates regular from dark matter.

Leaks Found At 19 Reactors

Most radioactivity contamination is below drinking water limits

Biomedical Research

Stem Cells Created Without Destroying Embryos

August 24, 2006

Ethanol Industry Boosts Capacity

Companies plan to build new facilities by 2008 to meet growing demand for gasoline additive.

China launches water study

Government aims to improve access to clean water for 300 million Chinese.

Union Files Grievance Over Library Closures

EPA moves to shut libraries even before Congress agrees to budget cuts.

Lanxess fire slows ABS production

Company declares force majeure for shipments of the resin to Europe and Latin America.

August 23, 2006

Waterproof Filter Paper

Polymerization technique yields superhydrophobic cellulose surfaces.

Antibody Could Lead To Anthrax Test

Antibody-based technique might provide advantages over PCR procedure.

Isocyanates Complex Opens In China

Facilities will serve rapidly growing Chinese demand for polyurethanes.

August 22, 2006

Ashland Unloads Paving Unit

After the transaction, Ashland will deal solely in chemicals.

Biotech Rice Shows Up In Commercial Supplies

Trace amounts are found in storage bins.

Self-Assembled Honeycomb

Anthraquinone molecules form complex pattern on copper surface.

August 21, 2006

Elevated Dioxin Levels Found In People Living Near Dow Plant

Study says age, fish consumption, and occupation are major sources of exposure, not contaminated soil.

Avian Influenza: A Hole In One

Cavity in N1 enzyme of H5N1 flu virus could be exploited for new flu drugs.

Plavix Debacle

Gaps in a patent settlement open door for Apotex to launch generic version of drug.

AIDS Progress

Lower drug prices are helping the fight against HIV/AIDS in poor countries.

August 18, 2006

Congress To Probe Oil Field Shutdown

Hearing in September will examine BP's management at Prudhoe Bay.

Dell Recalls Lithium Batteries

Energy-packed chemical reaction can lead to fire under certain conditions.

August 17, 2006

Retaining Efficacy Against Evasive HIV

Darunavir analog to AIDS-virus shapeshifters: Resistance may be futile.

Metal Pollution From Medieval Mining Persists

Study looks at patterns of heavy-metal contamination of a site in southern France.

Nanostructures Help Build Blood Vessels

Peptide-hydrocarbon chain scaffold binds heparin to help promote wound healing.

Monsanto Is Buying Delta & Pine Land

Purchase, for $1.5 billion, revives a deal aborted in late 1990s.

NIH Awards Instrumentation Grants

Awards go to multiple-investigator institutions to buy high-end research instruments.

New Pfizer CEO Picks His Team

Human health division head Katen will leave the company.

August 16, 2006

Bacteria Form Uranium Dioxide 'Pearls'

Cytochromes in bacterial slime convert soluble uranium to UO₂ nanoparticles.

August 15, 2006

'Biopharming' Set Back By Federal Court

USDA failed to comply with procedural requirements for issuing permits to grow genetically modified crops.

Nature Inspires Building Design

Home for new biomedical institute in China will feature attributes of cells.

Novozymes Continues Biopharmaceutical Push

Acquisition of GroPep will add to portfolio of animal-free cell culture ingredients.

August 14, 2006

Two-Path Mechanism

Protective pathways may falter with age, sparking Alzheimer's neurodegeneration.

Court Orders EPA To Control Toxics Emissions

Judge has harsh words for agency's failure to regulate air toxics.

DOE Continues Nuclear Push

Nuclear waste reprocessing gets aid, encouragement in new department plan.

Firm Launches Cut-Rate Research Service

Cambridge Major Laboratories launches a low-cost contract chemistry business in the U.S.

August 11, 2006

Monsanto, Sandia Form Research Partnership

Researchers will use a Sandia-developed microscope to enhance Monsanto's analytical technologies for crops.

Chemists In The Cross Fire

Israel-Lebanon conflict stymies academic research, disrupts university schedules.

Improving Tactics For Drug R&D

Conference identifies collaboration among FDA, industry, health institutions as key.

August 10, 2006

Plot To Blow Up Airliners Foiled

Expert speculates on the liquid explosives that could have been used.

Efficient Ageladine A Synthesis

Route to promising anticancer agent showcases the power of biomimetic strategies.

Dow Will Boost China Epoxies

Projects include epichlorohydrin plant that will use glycerin as a raw material.

Nippon Paint To Buy Rohm And Haas Unit

Rohm and Haas will sell most of its global automotive coatings business to a Japanese firm.

August 9, 2006

Dow Enters Railcar Venture

Company is collaborating with rail industry to design safer tank car for chemical shipment.

Lost Lithium Located

Researchers restore confidence in standard picture of universe's birth by accounting for missing element.

Sulfation Code Found In Chondroitin Sulfate

Once thought to be simply tissue matrix, biopolymer now found to encode function.

Journal Of Physical Chemistry Expands

ACS responds to growing demand by adding third section.

Enzymes For Designer Carbs

New screening approach is first to allow glycosyltransferase evolution.

August 8, 2006

Public-Access Support Grows

Provosts from nearly 50 universities support public-access legislation.

BP Shuts Down Largest U.S. Oilfield

Company cites corrosion in aging pipeline system; DOE is ready to use nation's emergency oil reserve.

August 7, 2006

EPA Seeks Ban On Key Farm Chemical

Carbofuran is used on a wide range of crops but has been linked to millions of bird deaths.

Portable MRI

Optical magnetometer detects magnetic resonance image of flowing water.

Robust Growth

EPA is urged to require full disclosure of inert ingredients used in pesticide formulations.

Hearing Reviews Federal Chemical Rules

Senate committee examines EPA's regulation of toxic industrial chemicals.

August 4, 2006

States Seek Change On Pesticide Labels

EPA is urged to require full disclosure of inert ingredients used in pesticide formulations.

Chemical Plant Blast

Explosion at a fluorobenzene facility kills 22 people and injures 29 others.

August 3, 2006

Gender's Impact On Patenting Behavior

Female life scientists in academia seek fewer patents than do men, but gap is shrinking.

Clueless On Tech Literacy Of U.S. Citizens

Current surveys do not adequately assess knowledge and use of technology, science academy says.

August 2, 2006

Army's VX Nerve Agent Plan Gets Backing

Health agency says trucking neutralized caustic by-product across U.S. is safe to humans, environment.

First β-Hairpin β-Helix Peptide

Such helices could serve as structural templates in bioorganic chemistry.

Senate Approves Offshore Drilling

Chemical makers say bill could provide new supplies of natural gas and lower prices.

Pfizer Names New CEO

Sudden switch comes amid mounting shareholder pressure.

The Next Step In Obesity Vaccines

Ghrelin vaccine permits male rats to gain less weight on usual diet.

August 1, 2006

Business Groups Challenge Punitive Damage Award

U.S. manufacturers argue that award of damages for unproven harm in Oregon case sets troubling precedent.

Desperate Cooling Measure Is Aired

Artificial injections of sulfur into the stratosphere would cool Earth, scientist suggests.