» March Latest News

March 31, 2006

Anti-HIV Strategy

Computers and experiment elucidate binding of potential antiviral molecules.

European Generics

Sanofi-Aventis and Ranbaxy are the latest to bid for Central European pharma firms.

March 30, 2006

Silsesquioxanes Bead Water For A Clean Sweep

Rough surface texture enhances hydrophobicity of fluorinated silicon-oxygen cage compounds.

New Jersey Begins Chemical Plant Inspections

The first state to have chemical plant security legislation is set to begin compliance inspections this month.

March 29, 2006

Enter The Mannopeptimycins

New class of antibiotics offers hope in treating resistant infections.

PIES In The Sky

A technique from plasma physics is being developed as a mini GC detector for space applications.

March 28, 2006

Noninvasive Glucose Detection

Gold nanoparticle method detects glucose at the low levels found in healthy people.

Praise For President Bush

Administration support for physical sciences lauded at symposium.

Sanofi Acquires Stake In Zentiva

Purchase is intended to boost growth in Central Europe.

RNAi Works In Monkeys

Liposome system delivers short RNAs, gene silencing, and sustained cholesterol reduction.

Blast Kills French Chemistry Professor

Explosion destroys chemistry lab, kills chemist, and injures student.

March 27, 2006

Fenical's Fascinating Finds

Delving deeper into the sea, renowned natural products researcher continues to reap surprising harvest.

ACS Arrives In Atlanta

Nearly 12,000 chemical scientists share research, network, and enjoy March Madness.

Molecular Pas De Deux

Photoreactive host molecule mechanically twists guest compound.

Air Products Restructures

Company acquires specialties firm, sells dinitrotoluene plant, and plans other sales.

Methane From Ancient Microbes

Evidence suggests the organisms lived much earlier than previously thought.

March 24, 2006

Bayer Trumps Merck's Bid For Schering

German giant steps in as white knight with agreed deal, topping amount offered by earlier hostile bid.

Chertoff Calls For Legislation

DHS secretary wants federal regulation of chemical industry security.

Oxygen's Gift

Without O₂, life would be a lot simpler.

Warning Sounded On Fluoride

NRC report concludes high levels in water can cause adverse health effects.

March 23, 2006

Researcher Responds To Retraction Of Papers

Former Columbia Ph.D. student claims her work has been reproduced.

Why Bird Flu Doesn't Spread Between Humans

Anatomical distribution of virus's carbohydrate receptors prevents human-to-human transmission.

Moody's Puts Pressure On Ferro

Credit-rating firm downgrades chemical maker's debt because of financial-reporting delays.

Lubrizol Sells Noveon Assets

Deal with Sun Capital Partners is the largest of a 2005 divestment program.

March 22, 2006

House Science Committee Chairman Retires

Rep. Sherwood Boehlert announces that he will not seek reelection this fall.

Merck Signs With Two Biotech Firms

Big drug company enters agreements for pain management and antihypertensive drugs.

March 21, 2006

Sussex Chemistry Faces Closure

Chemists appeal against plan to cut chemistry at British university.

March 20, 2006

Actavis Targets Generics Rival Pliva

Consolidation activity in the generic drug industry heats up.

Red Light, Green Light

Researchers edge toward understanding color determination in bioluminescence.

Carbon Sequestration

Shell And Statoil Plan To Use CO₂ For Enhanced Offshore Oil Recovery

Making Tamiflu

Roche will use more than 15 contractors to make active ingredient in avian flu drug.

March 17, 2006

EPA Regulation Is Overturned

Federal court says rule easing emission requirements violates Clean Air Act.

VX Nerve Agent Spill

Another leak of the caustic by-product of VX neutralization occurred recently at the Army's Newport, Ind., destruction facility.

DNA Origami

Universal design scheme can wind DNA into any two-dimensional shape.

Watson To Acquire Drug Rival Andrx

Merger will create number three player in U.S. generics market.

March 16, 2006

China Seeks Balanced Growth

Premier calls for technology advances that favor the environment.

A Hot Start For Some Comets?

Minerals found in comet grains were likely formed at high temperature.

Solvay, Akzo Plead Guilty

European firms admit to fixing hydrogen peroxide price.

Full Funding For Biofuels Sought

Biotech industry says federal dollars are needed to jump-start cellulosic ethanol.

March 15, 2006

Researcher Withdraws JACS Papers

Flagship journal of the American Chemical Society may have published results that cannot be reproduced.

Chemicals Policy In California

Report calls for tougher regulations, more state dollars for green chemistry.

March 14, 2006

Anticancer Natural Product Synthesized

Researchers blaze synthetic trail to the complex bent-ring alkaloid haouamine A.

Germany's Merck Bids To Acquire Schering

Merger of the two German firms would create company with annual sales of nearly $14 billion.

March 13, 2006

Pittcon 2006 Regroups In Orlando

Strategies to boost attendance include Sunday sessions, new exhibitor policies.

Macromolecules Self-Destruct

Adsorption induces carbon-carbon bonds in brushlike macromolecules to break.

Nisin Engineered In Test Tube

Biosynthetic route may open up access to analogs of potent antibiotic.

Nitrous Acid From Sun And Soil

Important atmospheric molecule may be generated by light and humic acid.

March 10, 2006

Clampdown Proposed for Perfluorinated Chemicals

EPA says some fluoropolymers can break down into toxic substances.

When One Plus One Equals New

Study sheds light on how mammals sense mixtures of odorants.

German Results Up

Sales rise at 'Big Three' chemical firms, but Bayer's profits fall on agchem slump.

March 9, 2006

Too Many Molecules, Too Little Time

Molecular-design framework aims to investigate more of chemical space.

NIH Public Access Policy Is Having Little Impact

Survey looks at how well NIH-funded authors understand agency policy.

Novartis Links With Infinity

Infinity to apply chemistry technology to cancer drug discovery.

March 8, 2006

Drug Eases Alzheimer's In Mice

Treatment reduces pathological hallmarks of disease.

Lead Paint Suit Revived

Suit against eight former lead paint and pigment makers seeks cleanup funds.

March 7, 2006

Linde To Acquire Rival BOC

German firm raises bid for the British industrial gas firm and expects acceptance.

March 6, 2006

Investigators Stress Corporate Safety Culture

Safety board calls for new federal research into chemical process safety, release prevention.

Natural Product Synthesis On The Fly

Multistep continuous reaction shows the power of automated flow synthesis.

Curbing Exposure To A Carcinogen

OSHA lowers allowable level of hexavalent chromium in workplaces.

Olefin Metathesis

Highly active, water-soluble catalyst promises greener, cheaper processes.

March 3, 2006

Pledges On PFOA

Eight companies agree to cut releases of perfluorochemicals.

Element 126

As-yet-unsynthesized superheavy atom should form a stable diatomic molecule with fluorine.

Improving Security

GAO suggests Department of Homeland Security be given more authority.

Avian Influenza

In Europe, birds and a cat have died from avian flu; governments are responding.

March 2, 2006

President expands science panel

Bush appoints 14 new members to Council of Advisors on Science & Technology.

Nobel Laureate Is Accused Of Nazi Collaboration

Dutch university strips the name of Peter J. W. Debye from one of its scientific institutes.

Degussa Sells Unit To BASF

Construction chemicals deal nets Degussa $2.6 billion.

Japanese Firms Expand U.S. R&D

Eisai to build R&D center, while Astellas buys one.

March 1, 2006

NMR Structures Of Larger Proteins

Isotope labeling of amino acids leads to simpler, less congested NMR spectra.