October 2005
Vol 2, no.10
News and analysis
6 September 2005: Historic works of art are their own worst enemy
The inks favoured by manuscript writers and old masters for centuries have been destroying the works of art they created, claim Slovenian researchers.
30 August 2005: Antioxidant rating hints at coffee's health benefits
Coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the US diet, claim analysts.
6 September 2005: Driving fuel cells in portable applications
Engineers have developed a way to produce hydrogen for fuel cells to recharge batteries in portable electronics, such as laptops.
31 August 2005: Desert beetle provides model for fog-free nanocoating
Scientists in the US have developed a coating made of silica nanoparticles that will prevent fogging and could be used to harvest water in desert conditions.
2 September 2005: ACS outlines vision for 2015
The American Chemical Society has outlined its members' vision for the chemistry enterprise in 2015 at its national meeting in Washington DC.
31 August 2005: ACS honours chemists
Eighteen research chemists from five companies have been named Heroes of Chemistry by the American Chemical Society (ACS) for their input into improving health and well-being.
2 September 2005: Catalysis crucial for hydrogen storage
Two teams of US chemists have unveiled findings highlighting the importance of catalysis in hydrogen storage.
16 August 2005: Nitric oxide to guard medical implants
Medical implants for measuring glucose levels will only work effectively if they release nitric oxide (NO) at the same time, claim US researchers.
30 August 2005: Molecular interactions revealed in a drop of water
Femtolitre-sized water droplets surrounded by oil serve as test tubes for chemical investigation of just a few molecules, report US researchers.
7 September 2005: Irish children's science magazine wins international award
A magazine that explains science news for primary school children in Ireland has won international acclaim.
26 August 2005: Northern lights inspire Finnish nuclear waste disposal
Finnish researchers are using energy more typically found in lightening or the local Aurora Borealis to minimise the waste output from nuclear power stations.
Business roundup
Industry news
In brief
Short items
Chemical Science
5 September 2005: The cell cycle colour coded
Researchers in Switzerland and Germany have developed a set of colourful tools for characterising surface proteins on living cells.
22 August 2005: Targeted nanoprobes for cancer detection and prognosis
Magnetic nanocrystals have been bound to cancer-targeting antibodies to create a highly sensitive probe for the detection of cancer in vivo.
24 August 2005: Ecological effects of renewable energy all at sea
There is far too little known about the effects of offshore wind farms on local ecosystems, warn ecologists.
25 August 2005: Smart solvents switch from ionic to non-ionic
Solvents with properties that can be adjusted to suit different stages of a reaction process could be just around the corner thanks to research by Canadian and US chemists.
A leap forward for chemical genetics
Frogs can now be used as model organisms for chemical genetic screens.
Solving the greenhouse gas riddle
A team of UK researchers has helped uncover the mystery of exactly how soil bacteria catalyse the reduction of nitrous oxide.
1 September 2005: Olive oil works in the same way as some anti-inflammatory drugs
One component of olive oil - the dialdehyde oleocanthal - has the same enzyme-inhibiting effects as ibuprofen.
15 August 2005: Exit pass for T lymphocytes
The passage of immune cells throughout the body is more tightly regulated than previously thought, report two independent research groups.
Sniffer polymers hunt out explosives
A team of US researchers has found a way to sniff out plastic explosives using polymer-based devices.
Golden protein detectors developed
Taiwanese researchers have developed a new sensor for protein-protein interactions based on gold nanoparticles.
29 August 2005: Increased sensitivity with nano detection of clinical markers
A biosensor that incorporates carbon nanotubes and metal oxide nanowires can sensitively detect the main clinical marker for prostate cancer, report researchers in the US.
18 August 2005: Liquid crystals enter an extended blue phase
Liquid crystals with blue phases that exist over a surprisingly wide temperature range will lead to new applications in photonics, say researchers.
23 August 2005: Mussels flex their byssi in response to surface chemistry
Mussels alter their binding behaviour in response to the properties of the surface to which they are binding, report British and American researchers.
19 August 2005: Sticky tape pulls out a range of CNT applications
Nanotechnologists in the US and Australia have developed a simple process for creating metre-long sheets of carbon nanotubes.
Copper complexes recognise DNA bases
Researchers are using copper complexes to look into the fine detail of the structure and folding pattern of nucleic acids.
Theoretical future for drug design
Swiss researchers have found a way to search for new and improved versions of common drugs.
1 September 2005: Nitrogen dioxide levels rising higher than expected over China
Nitrogen dioxide levels in the troposphere over China are increasing at an alarming rate far higher than had been predicted.
8 September 2005: Polymerised ionic liquids make stable GC stationary phases
The high-temperature performance of gas chromatography stationary phases made from ionic liquids has been improved by polymerisation, say US researchers.
Smart nanospheres recognise dying cells
A team of Chinese and US chemists has developed a set of tri-functional nanospheres that can monitor cell death.
Fluorescence picks up bioaerosols
Taiwanese researchers have combined flow cytometry with a fluorescent technique to determine the concentration and viability of bacterial and fungal bioaerosols in environmental sa...
A drop of blood
US researchers have developed a microfluidic device that can isolate plasma from whole blood.
Peptide mimics to the rescue
A new kind of wound-healing drug could be on the way thanks to a team of UK researchers.
Delicate deprotection
Researchers claim to have developed a new protecting group.
Liquid crystals give chiral surprise
A team of Japanese and Korean researchers has mixed together banana- and rod-shaped molecules to give surprising results.
Too many sperm spoil the egg
US scientists claim to have developed a lab on a chip that mimics egg cell fertilisation in live pigs.
Carbonates hold promise for bioreactors
Carbonates could hold the key to new, effective polyelectrolyte biosensors and bioreactors.
Bacteria lose their virulence
Researchers have evidence that synthetic compounds stop bacteria attaching themselves so effectively to host cells.
Getting wired up to nanotubes
Researchers have made conducting polymer nanorods and nanotube Y-shaped junctions.
Features
Battle with the prions
Prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob are invariably fatal. But, as Dennis Rouvray reports, better insights into the protein chemistry involved are leading to new therapies
A challenging toxic legacy
Iraq's natural environment is in a dire state, but the security situation is seriously hampering the clean-up operation, as Simon Hadlington reports
Green tea: the great healer?
Green tea promises to cure many of our ills but does it live up to expectations? Andrew Scott looks at the chemistry behind the health claims
Preparing for a sustainable future
Sustainable production is a global business and products must comply with legislation in several countries. Bea Perks looks at the different approaches in the UK, Japan, China and ...
Two become one
Katharine Sanderson finds out about the merger of two companies and the birth of a new business, GE Healthcare, which aims to provide complete medical imaging and personalised heal...
Regulars
Editorial: In the wake of Katrina
Chemical site security should be broadened to include natural disasters.
Comment: Expensive but worth having
The number and nature of departments delivering undergraduate chemistry degrees is changing. Paul O'Brien analyses how many are needed
Your views...
How many chemistry departments do we need?
The chemist's guide to.
A Hollywood smile
Careers: Opportunity knocks with oil spills
The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation
Crossword
Prize crossword, October 2005
The last retort: Trying conclusions
Many a beautiful theory has been slain by an ugly fact
Flashback
October - 120 years ago; 130 years ago; 155 years ago; 190 years ago; 525 years ago
Chemistry World Letters, October 2005
Chemistry World Reviews, October 2005
