News on research driving industry and manufacturing. Covers petrochemical emissions, food innovation, controlled-explosion labs, and industry-academic partnerships.
Research suggests that compounds in chocolate, such as tetrahydro-beta-carbolines, may contribute to chocolate cravings. These compounds are also found in wine, beer, and liquor, but no connection has been established with compulsive drinking.
NASA's 2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle Program aims to develop a privately owned, commercially competitive reusable launch vehicle. Proposals are due November 27, with cost proposals due December 4, and are expected to award multiple contracts totaling $900 million next spring.
Engineers at the University of Rochester have created uniform silicon quantum dots that could revolutionize computing by reducing transistor size. The dots are made of cheap and abundant silicon, making them a viable alternative to expensive materials used in previous attempts.
Researchers developed an ultra-fast optical switch that can reformat information at speeds unmatched by current devices. The switch uses off-the-shelf components and operates in a billionth of a second, allowing for fast wavelength conversion and customization of pulse lengths.
The NY & CT Sea Grant programs are awarding $3.5 million in federal and state funds to researchers studying the causes of mortality and shell disease syndrome in Long Island Sound lobsters. The project aims to provide evidence for potential causes of the 1999-2000 lobster mortalities.
The International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies (Pacifichem 2000) will bring together scientists from 20 Pacific Rim nations to share research in ten key areas of chemistry. The congress accepted a record number of papers, with over 180 symposia planned.
A new technique developed at UMaine uses free-radicals to break down toxic dyes in industrial wastewater, producing a dramatic color reduction. The process has been used to clean up toxic waste sites and protect organic compounds from damage by free-radicals.
Rockefeller University's centennial symposium marks a historic achievement in chemistry, recognizing research in nucleic acids and proteins as a National Historic Chemical Landmark. The university has ties to 21 Nobel laureates, including Bruce Merrifield and Paul Greengard.
The Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter (LRSM) at Penn has received a $17 million NSF grant to continue its cutting-edge materials research. This investment will support innovative projects developing materials with unique properties, including synthetic proteins, carbon fibers, and electronic materials.
Helen M. Berman and Wilma K. Olson receive the honor for their major contributions to molecular biophysics, with a focus on nucleic acids and macromolecular solvation. The awards recognize their dedication to advancing knowledge in biophysics and education.
A study by Cornell labor experts found that global capital mobility and ineffective labor laws create a climate where employers threaten to close plants or move investments to avoid unionization. This leads to increased job insecurity and no real wage gains for workers, despite the longest economic boom in US history.
Students from Granby's Sacré-Coeur high school will demonstrate simple water quality tests using lettuce seeds, onion bulbs, and other methods. The demonstration is part of AQUAtox 2000, a global network of students conducting experimental research on water toxicity.
Scientists develop a method to precisely adjust nanopore sizes using ultraviolet light, enabling the creation of tunable zeolites for enhanced membrane-based oxygen-nitrogen separation. This technology has potential applications in sensor arrays, nanoreactors, and optical devices.
Research finds high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in lakes and reservoirs around six metropolitan areas, posing a bigger threat to aquatic life than other contaminants. PAHs from traffic do not accumulate in animals and are unlikely to affect human health.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a 25-year research effort to improve understanding of the vadose zone, where contaminants can migrate into groundwater. The initiative aims to advance characterization, monitoring and modeling science and technology to support cleanup and long-term stewardship decisions.
The study will analyze marine life around eight oil platforms in the Santa Barbara channel, focusing on species with desired natural products. The research aims to determine the distribution, abundance, and genetic similarities of these organisms, as well as their potential for harvesting sustainably.
Brown's Materials Research Science and Engineering Center will continue to perform fundamental research in mechanics of materials, exploring nanoscale electronics and complex microstructures. The grant also supports educational outreach programs, including summer research experiences for minority university students.
Researchers at Northwestern University are developing a non-destructive test to detect small flaws, latent flaws, and general degradation in commercial aircraft wiring. The FAA is funding the $450,000 grant, which aims to improve aircraft safety by identifying critical degradation levels of aging wiring without removal from its location.
Researchers aim to unlock cellular communication secrets using air traffic control principles and develop new instrumentation for analyzing complex biological systems. The goal is to understand how genes function and design intricate electronic circuits, applying insights from computation and engineering.
Using I.T. to reduce lead times and increase shipment frequency results in a significant 21% supply chain improvement for smaller batch manufacturing. In contrast, relying on electronic data interchange and early alerts yields only a 2.2% average supply chain gain.
Northwestern University has received nearly $1 million in NSF funding to develop special robots called cobots that assist humans in heavy materials handling. Researchers also plan to create a technology to distribute computer software for large-scale optimization problems via the Internet.
A national center for dietary supplement research will be established at Purdue University, combining expertise in plants and natural compounds with analytical technology. The center aims to understand the mechanisms of disease prevention and develop 'designer botanicals' to test their anticancer properties.
A University of Florida study found that many calcium supplements contain lead, posing a risk to consumers who ingest high doses. The researchers recommend choosing lead-free brands and labeling products to minimize exposure.
Industry documents reveal little evidence of testing for the impact of additives on mainstream or sidestream smoke content or toxicity. The study highlights the importance of regulating tobacco additives to address public health concerns.
The MIT researchers used their new analytical tool to determine the sequence of a heparin fragment and produced a surprising result that contradicts earlier findings. The correct sequence reveals that the heparin fragment contains only a partial active site, affecting drug activity.
A team of Penn State researchers has developed a scale to measure an individual's visioning ability, which is the capacity to summon a vivid mental image of their organization's future. The scale was validated through five survey groups and showed significant correlation with positive outlook and inspirational motivation.
A study published in PNAS reveals that lead contamination in San Francisco Bay will continue to affect the environment for decades due to the persistence of contaminated soils and sediments. Researchers found that lead from past gasoline emissions still accounts for most of the lead in water samples, with limited mobility out of the bay.
The MACE-II experiment, launched on September 8 aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, will test techniques for predicting motion and controlling vibrations in zero gravity. With multiple months of testing, researchers will interact with the experiment remotely to refine its performance.
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft has chosen five locations to develop bioinformatics capabilities, focusing on Bielefeld, Munich, Leipzig, Saarbrücken, and Tübingen. The initiative aims to boost Germany's attractiveness in life sciences and academic research.
University of Colorado at Boulder researchers will study the effects of spaceflight on neural development in fruit flies and investigate gene expression in kidney cells. The experiments, sponsored by NASA and the National Institutes of Health, aim to understand nerve growth and development, as well as tissue engineering applications.
The National Science Foundation awarded the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign a $300,000 grant to lead a national partnership in planning and designing the NEESgrid, a virtual laboratory for earthquake engineering. This grant could potentially lead to a $10 million integration grant.
Two researchers at Cornell University have made important theoretical discoveries that establish the principles of crystal bonding for a group of thousands of compounds. The 'Papoian-Hoffmann bonding formula' is based on magic numbers, designating stability in linear, square and cube lattices.
The Virginia Tech IREN program will provide fellowships for graduate students in engineering, computer science, economics, and business, focusing on broadband wireless access, mobile internet, and network security. The program aims to make the Internet accessible globally, with the goal of revolutionizing networking.
A comprehensive study by Cornell University expert Lance Compa finds widespread labor rights violations in the US, with employers frequently firing workers who try to form unions and millions excluded from organizing laws. The report highlights the need for US labor law reform to meet international human rights standards.
A study published in Nature Medicine found that metformin may help treat fatty liver disease in patients with obesity-related insulin resistance. The drug completely cured fatty liver in mice and showed promise in reducing liver inflammation and improving insulin sensitivity.
Researchers have found that electrolyzed water is a deadly combination for bacteria, but great for consumers, killing bacteria on fresh produce and reducing bacteria up to a million-fold. The acidity and oxidation-reduction properties of the water contribute to its effectiveness in sanitizing food surfaces.
Chemist L.C. 'Bud' Rubens of Midland, Mich., is recognized for his groundbreaking work on gaseous blowing agents and their role in creating polymer foams with unique properties. He has obtained 58 U.S. patents and continues to be an active consultant at 80 years old.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have synthesized a novel acrylic blend using water instead of organic solvents, allowing for the production of polymers without solvent use. The new blend is made possible by introducing carbohydrates to solubilize hydrophobic monomers, enabling their formation in water.
Two Connecticut chemists and their Croatian colleagues have been honored by the American Chemical Society for discovering a new and unusual kind of antibiotic. The team's work on azithromycin has led to the development of a commercially viable oral antibiotic that kills a broad spectrum of microbes, including those causing chlamydia.
In 1975, medicinal chemists Miguel A. Ondetti and David W. Cushman designed captopril, the first of an innovative class of drugs controlling high blood pressure and heart disease.
The median annual salary for chemists increased by 3% to $70,000, with industry paying the most. However, women chemists earn significantly lower salaries and have limited job opportunities.
Researchers have developed an artificial nose that senses smell by visualizing color changes in metalloporphyrin dyes, offering improved sensitivity and humidity resistance compared to human noses. The technology has various applications in industries such as food and beverage, perfume, customs checkpoints, and chemical workplaces.
A study by researchers found that Ben & Jerry's World's Best Vanilla Ice Cream contains almost 200 times the 'safe' daily dose of dioxin. The level of dioxin could cause up to 2,000 extra cancers among lifetime consumers.
A new Johns Hopkins study found that only 8% of adult cola drinkers could detect caffeine in cola at a concentration of 0.1 milligram per milliliter. The majority of group couldn't taste the difference until caffeine levels were raised to much higher levels.
Researchers are studying zeolites, crystals that can produce more gasoline from a barrel of oil, reducing dependence on petroleum. In microgravity, larger crystals are grown, providing insights into their structure and potential for efficient fuel production.
The Second Annual Louisiana Materials Science Conference will bring together academics and industry experts to discuss a range of materials science topics. The conference, held at the University of New Orleans, will feature over 30 presenters and explore the latest developments in materials science.
Layne T. Watson develops software like HOMPACK to automate problem-solving in industries like engineering and science, improving efficiency and reducing time to market.
Virginia Tech dairy scientist R. Michael Akers has greatly advanced understanding of mammary gland development, growth factors, and transgenic technology worldwide. His research discovered new information about growth hormone regulation and produced transgenic mice that synthesize IGF-I in their mammary tissue.
The PQRI Workshop on Blend Uniformity brings together industry, academia, and government to discuss batch homogeneity issues and identify scientific and regulatory gaps. The workshop aims to provide preliminary recommendations for science-based changes to guidelines and regulations.
The National Space Science and Technology Center will bring together scientists, engineers, and educators to work on common goals of technology advancements. The center will provide expertise and advanced research opportunities for NASA's mission and the growing medical research sector in Alabama.
A study found that controlling for education, occupation, and other factors did not substantially alter the death rate associated with tobacco smoking. The researchers' analysis used data from a large prospective cohort study and estimated 396,741 deaths attributable to smoking annually in the US.
A study published in Preventive Medicine reveals that smoking is a leading cause of fires and death from fires globally, resulting in an estimated cost of nearly $7 billion in the US and $27.2 billion worldwide. Smoking causes 30% of fire deaths in the US and 10% globally.
The Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center will develop a six-teraflop terascale system, making it the most powerful available for public research. The system, part of NSF's PACI program, aims to facilitate progress in various fields, including climate change and weather forecasting.
Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have deciphered the structure of botulinum toxin, a deadly poison that can cause paralysis and death. The discovery could lead to the development of a recombinant vaccine to disable the toxin and improve therapeutic applications.
The AAPS Workshop on Biopharmaceutics in the New Millennium will discuss new scientific approaches to measure bioavailability (BA) and document bioequivalence (BE) for orally administered drug products. The workshop will also explore challenges and propose approaches for harmonizing international regulatory guidances.
A new potent greenhouse gas, trifluoromethyl sulphur pentaflouride (SF5CF3), has been discovered in the atmosphere, with concentrations increasing since the 1950s. The gas is closely related to SF6 and may be produced as a breakdown product of industrial processes.
The top 50 chemical producers saw a six percent increase in sales to nearly $400 billion, with Europe accounting for 54 percent of international sales. Capital spending decreased by 16 percent, while research and development spending rose nearly two percent.
Scientists have successfully visualized the transition of magnetic whirlpools in superconductors from solid to liquid states and back again under temperature variations. This study reveals complex solid-liquid patterns and provides insights into how temperature changes affect superconductor performance.
The Colloquium on Perspectives of Bioengineering at UCSD will bring together bioengineering leaders to discuss future advancements. The event, sponsored by the Jacobs School of Engineering, is a free public lecture open to all.
Researchers at Ohio University are developing an algae-based system to remove carbon dioxide from smokestacks, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The system uses photosynthesis and could process up to 20% of a plant's CO2 emissions, producing 200,000 tons of algae per year.