Blogs from RSC Publishing Posts

2013-2014 Dalton Lecturer announced

Wendy Mak, Development Editor — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:45:48 +0000

We would like to congratulate Trevor Hayton, who has been awarded the 2013-2014 Dalton Lectureship, in recognition of his work on actinides, especially his ground-breaking work on f-element chemistry. This lectureship, sponsored by Dalton Transactions, aims to enhance communication between the best researchers, and is awarded yearly to an outstanding young investigator in the general field of inorganic chemistry. Trevor will be presenting his lecture at University of California, Berkeley in early 2014, where he will also be spending time with the faculty, postdocs and students. Trevor Hayton grew up in Surrey, British Columbia. In 1998, he received his B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of British Columbia, whereupon he began his Ph.D. research, also at UBC, under the direction of Peter Legzdins. After graduating in 2003, he began a postdoctoral fellowship at Los Alamos National Laboratory, working under the direction of James M. Boncella. In 2006 he started a faculty position at University of California, Santa Barbara, where he is currently an Associate Professor.

Selective sulfane sulfur detection

Bethany Johnson — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:41:03 +0000

Scientists in the US have made two fluorescent probes that can distinguish persulfides and polysulfides from hydrogen sulfide. This work paves the way for developing non-destructive probes for sulfane sulfurs that can be used in living cells and even in vivo. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="192" caption="Fluorescence image of a polysulfide in H9c2 cells"][/caption] Sulfane sulfurs – which feature divalent sulfur atoms bonded to other sulfur – appear in a number of biologically important compounds. They include thiocysteine and thiocystine, two products of cysteine metabolism which are found at higher than normal concentrations in cancer cells. Until now, the only selective methods for detecting sulfane sulfurs were destructive and could therefore not be used for real-time imaging. Now, Ming Xian and colleagues at Washington State University have designed a probe for sulfane sulfurs and tested it on living cells. Continue reading the full article in Chemistry World » Read the original journal article in Chemical Science: New fluorescent probes for sulfane sulfurs and the application in bioimaging Wei Chen, Chunrong Liu, Bo Peng, Yu Zhao, Armando Pacheco and Ming Xian Chem. Sci., 2013, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C3SC50754H, Edge Article

New academic: Dr. Guillaume Delaittre @ Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Remzi Becer, web writer — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:24:42 +0000

Our first new academic is Dr. Guillaume Delaittre who took up an independent position of Junior Group Leader at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany by 1^st of March 2013. His research will focus on nanostructured polymeric materials for biotechnological and biomedical applications. He has received funding for 5 years from the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to create his academic position, fund PhD students and postdocs, and run his lab. We invited him to write an essay to describe his pathway and share his experience. His story is summarized below, while the full essay can be found here. I was born in 1979 and grew up in a small town not far from the Channel Sea in Picardy, France. I enrolled at the University and obtained a 2-year diploma in Sciences of Matter with honors. I then integrated the Institut de Science et Technologie of the University Pierre et Marie Curie. After I completed my degree of Ingénieur there with a six-month traineeship as junior project leader at Cray Valley, my Polymer Chemistry professor, Bernadette Charleux, recruited me for my Master on the topic of controlled emulsion polymerization. Having worked really hard on my exams to obtain a fellowship, I was then able to continue with Bernadette and Maud Save (at IPREM, in Pau, France since 2007) on the same topic for my PhD. As a PhD student I realized the importance of regularly following the literature, especially as a way to gain inspiration. The numerous scientific discussions with Bernadette and Maud also taught me a great deal about how to properly conduct a study, critically evaluate results, and extract the very substance of it. Towards the end of my PhD it was clear that I wanted to become an academic. I liked the freedom that this field offers, as well as the possibility to create (at least in chemistry) something new, even if I sometimes wonder whether it is still possible! In January 2008 I successfully defended my PhD thesis. The next month I moved to Radboud University Nijmegen (the Netherlands) in the group of Roeland Nolte, co-advised by Jeroen Cornelissen (now in Twente, the Netherlands) and spent a little less than 2 years there as a post-doc. Afterwards, I have received an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship and started working in Christopher Barner-Kowollik’s research group in June 2010 in Karlsruhe. How did I finally come to this position? Through a combination of circumstances actually: the right time, the right place, the right boss, the right profile, the right amount of publications… Along almost two years I have applied unsuccessfully for several grant applications. Patience is another required quality in academic research. Towards the end of 2012 I obtained funding from the BMBF for five years in the frame of Biotechnologie 2020+, a national research programme. I will work jointly with Christopher's team and the Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG) at the KIT. During this long process, my former supervisors helped me with their kind recommendations, young group leaders I did not know provided me with grant proposal examples, and Christopher, Uwe Strähle (head of the ITG), and Jürgen Hubbuch (coordinator of the grant application) continuously showed me great support and reassurance. I also presented my project to several researchers of the KIT who gave me advice and agreed to collaborate with me: this was undoubtedly instrumental to the successful awarding of funds. Now, when I think about how I personally came to this point, I must say that I became a real fan of the field I chose to work in. Since my PhD, when I am not physically at work, I very often think about the current and possible future projects. I would like to finish with a quote of a professor of Polymer Chemistry who, not so long ago at a conference in Obernai, told me with his Southern French accent: "On est chercheur à l'Université, on est libre: on n'a pas à se plaindre!". I AGREE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ TO FULL VERSION OF GUILLAUME'S STORY PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK!!!

New academics in polymer science

Remzi Becer, web writer — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:20:26 +0000

Dear Polymer Chemistry Blog followers, We would like to introduce a new category on New Academics in Polymer Science. We will be inviting young academics to share their experiences in becoming an independent academic on our blog. Most of the PhD students and post-doctoral researchers try to answer the same question at some stage of their projects. This question is "How to become an academic?". Most of the academics state that they always aimed to become an academic but also a significant number of academics say it just meant to happen. There is one common feeling about becoming an academic, which is competition is getting more and more though everyday. The number of independent fellowships is limited, the candidates have very high number of publications, and permanent academic posts are getting short. Therefore, we believe it is important to share the experience of new academics to give the next generation an idea about how to become an academic. There is no right or wrong way in this adventure but it is more about the combination or series of actions started during your PhD studies. Every small step in following the literature, creating your own brilliant ideas, presenting, publishing, and networking will make you closer to become an independent academic. Once you think you finally reached your goal, actually it will be just starting!! Please contact Remzi Becer (r.becer@qmul.ac.uk) if you would like to share your stories on your academic move at any level. We would also like to share the experiences of established academics when they move their groups to another institution. Hopefully, these stories will help the next generation to find their first academic positions!

FD166: Self-Assembly of Biopolymers - registration now open

Rowan Frame, Development Editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:33:23 +0000

Registration for Self-Assembly of Biopolymers: Faraday Discussion 166 is now open. Registering early guarantees you an early bird discount of £50. You can submit an abstract to have your own poster space at the meeting. Professor Ian Hamley and the rest of the Scientific Committee look forward to welcoming you and your colleagues to Bristol in September 2013 for Self-Assembly of Biopolymers: Faraday Discussion 166

Spot the difference: hydrogen and halogen bonds

Heather Montgomery, Deputy Editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:30:55 +0000

Hydrogen is the only element in the periodic table that is not truly part of a group, although it is often nominally assigned to group 1. All chemists are familiar with the concept of the hydrogen bond, but how many think of the halogen bond in the same light? How many are even aware of the halogen bond as a special entity, less still that the two interactions are to all intents and purposes the same thing? In his recent paper, Grabowski uses theoretical techniques to show that both interactions are ruled by the same electrostatic mechanism. He also provides an excellent summary and comparison of the information currently known about the two interactions that indicates a clear progression in some bonding properties from hydrogen through to the heavy halogens. He describes how the atomic volume of the halogen decreases as the positive charge on it increases, and that this effect is magnified by shortening the internuclear distance. This information accompanies the observation that the strength of the Lewis acid-base interaction increases with the increasing atomic number of the halogen involved, although with some exceptions, hydrogen bonds are generally stronger still. This discovery clearly has important implications for our understanding of non-covalent molecular interactions, and our understanding of how best to classify hydrogen based on its bonding properties. by Victoria Wilton Read this HOT PCCP article today:

Hydrogen and halogen bonds are ruled by the same mechanisms Sławomir J. Grabowski DOI: 10.1039/C3CP50537E

JAAS Issue 6 is out now!

Paola Quattroni, Development Editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:50:32 +0000

A great new issue of JAAS is now available online! Take a look at our brilliant covers and enjoy the latest research in the field of atomic spectrometry in cultural heritage and geology analyses. Our beautiful outside front cover shows the front facade of the Cathedral of Malaga, one of the best architectural features of the region of Andalusia in Spain. Researchers at the University of Malaga analysed the materials composing the main facade and the pollutants present on the surface by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Using this technique, they were able to thoroughly characterise the sandstones, marbles and metals composing the most highlighted section of the main facade and identified the most relevant pollutants that are damaging the appearance of this historical building. Evaluating the use of standoff LIBS in architectural heritage: surveying the Cathedral of Málaga I. Gaona, P. Lucena, J. Moros, F. J. Fortes, S. Guirado, J. Serrano and J. J. Laserna J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 810-820 DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50069A The inside front cover of this issue introduces the work of Detlef Gunther and colleagues at the Swiss Federal institute of Technology, ETH, Switzerland. In their paper, the researchers used laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for quantitative analysis of element content in solid material. In particular, they designed and optimised a large-capacity gas exchange device (Q-GED) and demonstrated its efficiency on large stalagmite samples. Aerosol entrainment and a large-capacity gas exchange device (Q-GED) for laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in atmospheric pressure air Daniel Tabersky, Kohei Nishiguchi, Keisuke Utani, Masaki Ohata, Rolf Dietiker, Mattias B. Fricker, Ivo M. de Maddalena, Joachim Koch and Detlef Günther J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 831-842 DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50044F Along with the new covers of the issue, here are some selected HOT articles free for you to enjoy until June 10^th. Click on the links below: Trace element analysis of human urine collected after administration of Gd-based MRI contrast agents: characterizing spectral interferences using inorganic mass spectrometry Amy J. Steuerwald, Patrick J. Parsons, John G. Arnason, Zhen Chen, C. Matthew Petersond and Germaine M. Buck Louis J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 821-830 DOI: 10.1039/C3JA30331D Comparative oxidation state specific analysis of arsenic species by high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and hydride generation-cryotrapping-atomic absorption spectrometry Jenna M. Currier, R. Jesse Saunders, Lan Ding, Wanda Bodnar, Peter Cable, Tomáš Matoušek, John T. Creed and Miroslav Stýblo J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 843-852 DOI: 10.1039/C3JA30380B Platinum stable isotope ratio measurements by double-spike multiple collector ICPMS John Creech, Joel Baker, Monica Handler, Martin Schiller and Martin Bizzarro J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 853-865 DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50022E

Analytical Methods Issue 11 is out now!

Paola Quattroni, Development Editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:19:10 +0000

The latest Issue of Analytical Methods is now available online. Our outside front cover features the interesting work of Kazuto Sazawa and his team from the University of Toyama, Japan. In their paper, the rearchers evaluate the effect of forest fires on soil color using the CIE Lab system, the international standard system for color measurements in food, textiles and plastics. According to this study, the proposed method is useful to evaluate the effect of heat on Indonesian peat soil, forest soil, highmoor peat and peatmoss, and is especially indicated for the evaluation of soil that contains a high ratio of organic matter such as peat soil. The evaluation of forest fire severity and effect on soil organic matter based on the L*, a*, b* color reading system Kazuto Sazawa, Takatoshi Wakimoto, Noriko Hata, Shigeru Taguchi, Shunitz Tanaka, Masamoto Tafu and Hideki Kuramitz Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 2660-2665 DOI: 10.1039/C3AY26251K Also free for your is this paper from the Analyst Advisory Board Member Jill Venton on a new method to detect low concentrations of dopamine, serotonin and adenosine in tissues. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="329" caption="Capillary electrophoresis with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry detection to determine dopamin, serotonin and adenosine"][/caption] Quantitation of dopamine, serotonin and adenosine content in a tissue punch from a brain slice using capillary electrophoresis with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry detection Huaifang Fang, Megan L. Pajski, Ashley E. Ross and B. Jill Venton Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 2704-2711 DOI: 10.1039/C3AY40222C In addition, take a look at the two HOT articles below. These papers will be free to read until June 10^th. Identification of bacteria in drinking water with Raman spectroscopy Jack van de Vossenberg, Heli Tervahauta, Kees Maquelin, Carola H. W. Blokker-Koopmans, Marijan Uytewaal-Aarts, Dick van der Kooij, Annemarie P. van Wezel and Bram van der Gaag Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 2679-2687 DOI: 10.1039/C3AY40289D Protein–polyphenol interaction on silica beads for astringency tests based on eye, photography or reflectance detection modes J. Rafaela L. Guerreiro, Duncan S. Sutherland, Victor De Freitas and M. Goreti F. Sales Anal. Methods, 2013,5, 2694-2703 DOI: 10.1039/C3AY26478E

On-off temperature sensing with graphene oxide

Heather Montgomery, Deputy Editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:52:24 +0000

Researchers in Korea have developed a new temperature sensing platform based on graphene oxide (GO). The sensor uses GO’s functionality as an efficient Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) acceptor to deliver a fast optical on-off signal in response to temperature change. The article describes how the scientists functionalised GO sheets with thermally-responsive triblock copolymers for the first time. The triblock copolymer brush was designed to contain a component for covalent grafting to GO, a thermally-responsive component and a fluorescent component. At elevated temperatures, the thermally-responsive component (poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) undergoes a conformational change that reduces the distance between the fluorophore and GO. This quenches the photoluminescence (PL) of the flurophore component. The scientists tested a dispersion of the functionalised GO sensing platform in water. PL spectra showed a decrease in intensity as the temperature was increased. A marked decrease in PL intensity was evident at temperatures above 32 ^oC, demonstrating an on-off switching behaviour of the sensor. The functionalised graphene oxide composites demonstrated excellent stability in water, opening up the possibility for their use as optical indicators of temperature change in biologically and environmentally compatible sensing systems. Read the full details of this HOT Nanoscale article today: Efficient temperature sensing platform based on fluorescent block copolymer-functionalized graphene oxide Bumjoon Kim, Hyunseung Yang and Kwanyeol Paek DOI: 10.1039/C3NR01486J

Energy & Environmental Science Editor’s choice: all-organic and hybrid photovoltaic devices

Rowan Frame, Development Editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:31:50 +0000

Energy & Environmental Science Advisory Board member Dr Chris McNeill has chosen a selection of excellent articles in the areas of all-organic and hybrid photovoltaics recently published in Energy & Environmental Science. You can read these articles for free for a limited period by clicking on the links below. Energy & Environmental Science ranked #1 in its field. With an Impact Factor of 9.61, which is rising fast, it the ideal place to publish your research. On behalf of Editor-in-Chief Nate Lewis (Caltech) we invite you to submit your best work to Energy & Environmental Science. Dr McNeill’s Editor’s Choice: Analysis Articles FREE: Effect of synthetic accessibility on the commercial viability of organic photovoltaics Timothy P. Osedach, Trisha L. Andrew and Vladimir Bulović DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24138F FREE: Deciphering the uncertainties in life cycle energy and environmental analysis of organic photovoltaics Dajun Yue, Prasad Khatav, Fengqi You and Seth B. Darling DOI: 10.1039/C2EE22597B Papers and Communications FREE: Suppression of geminate charge recombination in organic photovoltaic devices with a cascaded energy heterojunction Chris Groves DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24455E FREE: Detection and role of trace impurities in high-performance organic solar cells Maxim P. Nikiforov, Barry Lai, Wei Chen, Si Chen, Richard D. Schaller, Joseph Strzalka, Jörg Maser and Seth B. Darling DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40556G FREE: High performance hybrid solar cells sensitized by organolead halide perovskites Bing Cai, Yedi Xing, Zhou Yang, Wen-Hua Zhang and Jieshan Qiu DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40343B FREE: IR sensitization of an indene-C60 bisadduct (ICBA) in ternary organic solar cells Tayebeh Ameri, Thomas Heumüller, Jie Min, Ning Li, Gebhard Matt, Ullrich Scherf and Christoph J. Brabec DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24512H FREE: Organic solar cells featuring nanobowl structures Hung-Yu Wei, Jen-Hsien Huang, Chih-Yu Hsu, Feng-Chih Chang, Kuo-Chuan Ho and Chih-Wei Chu DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24128A FREE: Seamless polymer solar cell module architecture built upon self-aligned alternating interfacial layers Jongjin Lee, Hyungcheol Back, Jaemin Kong, Hongkyu Kang, Suhee Song, Hongsuk Suh, Sung-Oong Kang and Kwanghee Lee DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24454G FREE: Correlation of nanoscale organizations of polymer and nanocrystals in polymer/inorganic nanocrystal bulk heterojunction hybrid solar cells: insights from multiscale molecular simulations Cheng-Kuang Lee, Chun-Wei Pao and Chun-Wei Chen DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23372J FREE: Introduction of a conjugated side chain as an effective approach to improving donor–acceptor photovoltaic polymers Erjun Zhou, Junzi Cong, Kazuhito Hashimoto and Keisuke Tajima DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23383E FREE: All printed transparent electrodes through an electrical switching mechanism: A convincing alternative to indium-tin-oxide, silver and vacuum Thue T. Larsen-Olsen, Roar R. Søndergaard, Kion Norrman, Mikkel Jørgensen and Frederik C. Krebs DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23244H Take a look at our exciting themed collection on solar energy online. For more information and news visit our website, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Xinliang Feng wins the 2013 Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship

Sam Keltie, Deputy Editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:10:54 +0000

We are delighted to announce Professor Xinliang Feng has won the 2013 Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship. Professor Feng is the fourth winner of the Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship. The Journal of Materials Chemistry Executive Editorial Board chose Professor Feng in recognition of the contribution he has made to the materials chemistry field. Professor Feng will present the lectureship at ICMAT 2013 later this year and will be presented with the award by the Managing Editor of the journals Dr Liz Dunn. Profesor Feng received his Bachelor’s degree in analytic chemistry from the China University of Geosciences in 2001. Then he obtained his Master’s degree in organic chemistry from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in March 2004, where he worked on the synthesis of fluorinated ion-exchange resins and polymer-supported organic catalysts. Later on he moved to Professor Herbert Mayr's group at the University of Munich in April 2004 for a short period to conduct research on the nucelofugality and electrofugality in organic solvolysis. In September 2004, he joined the group of Professor Klaus Mullen at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research for a PhD thesis on the synthesis and supramolecular chemistry of novel polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, where he obtained his PhD degree in April 2008. In December 2007, he was appointed as project leader at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research. And since 2011, he became an adjunct distinguished professor at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University and was appointed as the director for the Institute of Advanced Organic Materials. His current scientific interests include the synthesis and self-organization of extended graphene molecules, novel conjugated oligomers and polymers, and testing for applications in organic electronic devices, processable graphene sheets for transparent electrodes and organic electronics, functional organic nanomaterials for energy oriented application, graphene-based 2D nanomaterials and low-dimensional nanostructured functional carbon-rich as well as hybrid materials for energy storage and conversion, 2D conjugated and supramolecular polymers for opto-electronic applications. Follow the latest journal news on Twitter @JMaterChem or go to our Facebook page.

How can you assess the impact of multiple methane sources to the environment?

Helen Bache, Development Editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 09:15:01 +0000

In this HOT article, collaborators in Australia and California devise methods of assessing contributions of landfill and natural gas methane to mixtures in soil gas and groundwater. They use half-lives and concentration ratios to evaluate the age of release.

The group at URS Australia Pty Ltd, Geosyntec Consultants and Redwood Waste Management California, focus on the problem of methane from landfill gas migrating away underneath the surface of landfill sites. It is a particular problem due to methane’s flammable nature. Landfill gas is not the only source of migrating methane. Sources include natural organic matter decomposition, natural gas in supply lines, degradation of petroleum products and underground reservoirs of natural gas. There are many indicators used to determine the source of natural gas, such as the presence of CO₂ being a marker for biodegradation. Carbon and hydrogen isotope composition is also used.

These researchers argue that using multiples of these indicators is the most reliable way to understand sources and migration pathways. This paper introduces a methodology to assess all of these different indicators at a complex site with multiple methane sources. Knowing the age of landfill gas using VOCs concentrations is a helpful parameter when assessing migration distance and time. This methodology using methane radioisotope data can distinguish on-going release from an inactive source and determine relative contributions of landfill gas and thermogenic methane to the environment. The theoretical basis for estimating landfill gas age is described in detail and applied to a case study at a municipal solid waste disposal facility in California.

As always, we’ve made this fascinating HOT research free to access for 4 weeks*!

Evaluation of the age of landfill gas methane in landfill gas–natural gas mixtures using co-occurring constituents
Henry B. Kerfoot, Benjamin Hagedorn and Mark Verwiel
DOI: 10.1039/C3EM30971A

*Free access to individuals is provided through an RSC Publishing personal account. Registration is quick, free and simple

HOT - New selenium compounds combat cancer

Alessia Millemaggi, Development Editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:08:47 +0000

Synthetic indirubin derivatives can selectively inhibit cyclin-dependent kinases, stalling cancer growth and proliferation. Peter Langer and co-workers hypothesised that selenoindirubins could have similar anti-proliferative effects. Selenoindirubins are scarcely reported in the literature, with only three examples known. This HOT article details an optimized synthesis for a series of selenoindirubins, alongside the first report of spectroscopic data for this class of compounds. A glycosyl moiety increased the pharmacological activity of indirubin derivatives and was incorporated into the selenoindirubin series to improve their solubility in DMSO and water. Members of this series had an anti-proliferative effect in lung cancer cells. Apoptosis was enhanced by combination treatment with the death ligand TRAIL, suggesting that selenoindirubins may have potential applications as anti-tumour agents.

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of selenoindirubins and selenoindirubin-N-glycosides Friedrich Erben, Dennis Kleeblatt, Marcel Sonneck, Martin Hein, Holger Feist, Thomas Fahrenwaldt, Christine Fischer, Abdul Matin, Jamshed Iqbal, Michael Plötz, Jürgen Eberle and Peter Langer DOI: 10.1039/c3ob40603b

Free to access for 4 weeks

UPDATE - Challenges in Organic Materials & Supramolecular Chemistry (ISACS10)

Katie Bayliss, Development Editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:17:55 +0000

Early Bird Deadline - 17 May 2013 Don’t forget that the early bird deadline for Challenges in Organic Materials and Supramolecular Chemistry (ISACS10) is this Friday. Make sure you register for this significant conference before Friday 17 May 2013 to guarantee your place at the reduced fee. Programme Live We are pleased to announce that the ISACS10 programme is now available to view online. Take a look at the schedule for the entire conference and discover stimulating lecture titles which span all five themes of the event. For full details on Challenges in Organic Materials & Supramolecular Chemistry (ISACS10), please visit the dedicated website.

Bridging the gap between in vivo and in vitro testing

Helen Bache, Development Editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:02:06 +0000

Collaborators in The Netherlands have created a 3D well system integrated into biomaterials that can be used either in vitro or in vivo for molecule screening in this HOT Technical Innovation. The research was led by Gustavo Higuera and Jeanine Hendriks at Screvo Ltd and CellCoTec, with a team at The University of Twente. Avoiding animal experimentation by using 3D systems that mimic the in vivo environment is desirable yet challenging. Optimising animal experiments to be as efficient and effective as possible is a common goal of much research. This team envisioned the integration of such in vitro 3D cell culture mimicking methods with biocompatible materials into animal models. To do this, they create a 9-well system that can be implanted into four sites under the skin of one mouse for in vivo screening. This enables testing of up to thirty six different conditions at once. The innovative platform was produced from a wide range of biomaterials chosen for biocompatibility instead of conventional materials like PDMS. The cell culture compatibility of wells made with copolymer PEOT-PBT was tested using human mesenchymal stem cells. They test the systemic effect of the device on surrounding tissue of twenty mice. This innovative bridge between in vivo and in vitro experimentation has great potential to both increase throughput and minimise animal experimentation by reducing the number of animals needed. Read the article in full now as it's free to access for the next 4 weeks*: In vivo screening of extracellular matrix components produced under multiple experimental conditions implanted in one animal Gustavo A. Higuera, Jeanine A. A. Hendriks, Joost van Dalum, Ling Wu, Roka Schotel, Liliana Moreira-Teixeira, Mirella van den Doel, Jeroen C. H. Leijten, Jens Riesle, Marcel Karperien, Clemens A. van Blitterswijk and Lorenzo Moroni DOI: 10.1039/C3IB40023A *Free access to individuals is provided through an RSC Publishing personal account. Registration is quick, free and simple

3D POM-silver complexes

Wendy Mak, Development Editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:49:49 +0000

Polyoxometalates (POMs) have been widely used as the inorganic component in metal-organic frameworks to construct structures with complex topologies for a variety of functions. These structures tend to be constructed from metal ions and N-containing ligands. Flexible N-donor ligands, such as the bis(triazole) ligands with different spacers of –(CH₂)_n– (where n = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), offers even more advantages over their rigid counterparts as the flexibility enables them to form more complex structures.

In this paper, the authors synthesised four compounds based on the PW₁₂O₄₀^3-–Ag^I–bis(triazole) system to investigate how the different spacer lengths in the bis(triazole) ligands, and the reaction conditions such as pH and crystallisation time, has on the final topology of the structure. They also studied the electrochemical and photocatalytic properties of these structures, and obtained some very promising results.

The following are some of the fascinating structures that they made.

Find out more about them, and their synthetic methods, from the paper now: A series of 3D PW₁₂O₄₀^3--based AgI–bis(triazole) complexes containing different multinuclear loops: syntheses, structures and properties Xiuli Wang, Dan Zhao, Aixiang Tian and Jun Ying CrystEngComm, 2013, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C3CE40375K, Paper

Wendy is the Development Editor of CrystEngComm. She started working for the RSC in March 2013, after completing her PhD at the University of Cambridge.

Exceptional poster prizes now available for ISACS11 (Challenges in Chemical Biology)

Jeanne Therese Andres, Development Editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:35:30 +0000

We are delighted to announce that the RSC and Roche have teamed up to offer two exceptional PhD poster prizes for the best contributions at Challenges in Chemical Biology (ISACS11). The winners will be rewarded with an all-expenses paid trip to Shanghai, China later this year where they will attend a two-day RSC-Roche symposium and be given the unique opportunity to present their work to Roche staff along with other leading PhD students. As this exciting news has only just been publicised we have decided to extend the poster abstract submission deadline to Wednesday 22 May 2013. Be sure to take advantage of the excellent opportunity to showcase your work to a truly global audience at ISACS11 and have a chance to win a trip to China by submitting a poster abstract today.

Natural Products in OBC – our latest selection

Marie Cote, Deputy Editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:35:20 +0000

Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, our sister journal, publishes many articles that cover a variety of natural product chemistry.

We try to keep you updated here, although your best bet is for you to sign up to OBC’s e-alert (free service), and receive the tables of content directly in your inbox every time an issue is published. Hand-picked for you from the latest issues are: Total synthesis of (+)-pentamethylsalvianolic acid C Benjamin L. Alford and Helmut M. Hügel Org. Biomol. Chem., 2013,11, 2724-2727 DOI: 10.1039/C3OB27478K, Paper Concise total syntheses of (±)-noruleine and (±)-uleine Süleyman Patir and Erkan Ertürk Org. Biomol. Chem., 2013,11, 2804-2810 DOI: 10.1039/C3OB40180D, Paper A concise approach to the spiroiminal fragment of marineosins Guang Li, Xun Zhang, Qi Li, Pengju Feng and Yian Shi Org. Biomol. Chem., 2013,11, 2936-2938 DOI: 10.1039/C3OB40208H, Communication Highly stereoselective directed reactions and an efficient synthesis of azafuranoses from a chiral aziridine Hogyu Lee, Jun Hee Kim, Won Koo Lee, Jaeheung Cho, Wonwoo Nam, Jaedeok Lee and Hyun-Joon Ha Org. Biomol. Chem., 2013,11, 3629-3634 DOI: 10.1039/C3OB27390C, Paper

We hope you enjoy this selection! Let us know what you think…

… and why not submit your latest natural product research to OBC today?

HOT Comm: Visual genomic DNA detection without PCR

Helen Bache, Development Editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:20:49 +0000

A group from the National University of Singapore and DSO National Laboratories, Singapore led by Mahesh Uttamchandani use gold nanoparticles to detect DNA sequences without the use of PCR. PCR is normally needed to amplify the quantity of natural DNA samples for visual detection before they can be detected. For point-of-care applications in particular, the need for a PCR machine is cumbersome. In this communication, the researchers demonstrate a method for specific visual detection of a DNA sample without the need for PCR. Gold nanoparticles are often coated with ligands for target specific detection. The different inter-particle distances provide a visual output when the target is added. Well-dispersed gold nanoparticles appear read and as the distance decreases this colour changes down the spectrum to purple and then to blue. Aggregation of the nanoparticles causes them to precipitate as black or grey sediments. It has been shown before that synthetic DNA sequences can be detected in this way using thiolated ligands. This study uses double stranded DNA samples at room temperature – surprising as single stranded DNA is optimal for adsorbing to the gold nanoparticle surface. The researchers test their simple assay on genomic DNA extracts from Salmonella enterica. The sensitivity of the system leaves much to be desired compared to when PCR is used, however this easy protocol at room temperature with readily available agents and no need for electricity has some great advantages. The lack of PCR in detection of genomic DNA is a positive step forward for point-of-care diagnostics. This short and urgent Communication is now free to access for the next four weeks*: Direct visual detection of Salmonella genomic DNA using gold nanoparticles Kamaladasan Kalidasan, Jia Ling Neo and Mahesh Uttamchandani DOI: 10.1039/C3MB25527A *Free access to individuals is provided through an RSC Publishing personal account. Registration is quick, free and simple

Finding the catalyst for next-generation fuels

Heather Montgomery, Deputy Editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:54:31 +0000

The fact that modern life relies heavily on fossil fuels is a environmental and a political problem, which will become your problem come when our supplies of fossil fuels run out. Solutions that deal with our need for domestic and industrial energy demands are—more or less—readily available. Our main problem is how to find transportable energy materials to fuel our cars, planes and ships, when no oil-based fuels are available. In the group of Tejs Vegge they have focused on ammonia as a possible mobile energy material. The main issue in generating next-generation fuels is to remove the energy cost associated with transforming electricity into chemical energy. The solution is catalysts. The manufacture of ammonia, through the Haber–Bosch process, is enabling planet Earth to sustain the 7 billion humans that inhabit it today. If the process were stopped a couple of billion humans would die. Research has made the process of making ammonia very efficient, and has revolutionized our understanding of heterogeneous catalysis. Even so, the Haber–Bosch process is a high-energy process, consuming approximately 2 % of our total energy production. The paper titled ‘DFT based study of transition metal nano-clusters for electrochemical NH₃ production’ is focusing on finding a process where electricity can be used to generate ammonia in an electrochemical cell. That is, how to make ammonia efficiently in a small scale, low temperature process on site at/in wind turbines and solar power plants. Using computational chemistry several catalysts are screened. by Dr Thomas Just Sørensen If you want to learn more see the paper, which was published in PCCP: DFT based study of transition metal nano-clusters for electrochemical NH₃ production J. G. Howalt, T. Bligaard, J. Rossmeisl and T. Vegge Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2013, 15, 7785-7795 DOI: 10.1039/C3CP44641G

Iron and Manganese in yeast mitochondria

Paola Quattroni, Development Editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:50:07 +0000

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128" caption="Liquid chromatography (LC)-Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) for metal distribution"][/caption] Spectroscopic methods can be used to evaluate distribution of metals in the mitochondria of yeast cells. Paul Lindahl and colleagues at the Texas A&M University, USA, investigated the function of the Mtm1p, a carrier protein found in the yeast Saccharomyces cervisiae. Deleting the Mtm1p gene, they evaluated the iron and manganese presence in the cells and discovered that iron and manganese accumulate in mitochondria and inactivate the enzyme Mn-superoxide dismutase. Metal concentrations in cells and mitochondria were efficiently measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. To know more about this research, please access the full article below. This paper will be free to read until May 24^th. Insights into the iron-ome and manganese-ome of Δmtm1 Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria Jinkyu Park, Sean P. McCormick, Mrinmoy Chakrabarti and Paul A. Lindahl Metallomics, 2013, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C3MT00041A

Delivery of Functionality in Complex Food Systems - Abstract Submission Deadline 20th May

Anna Simpson, Deputy Editor — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:30:00 +0000

The 5th International Symposium on Delivery of Functionality in Complex Food Systems: Physically-Inspired Approaches from the Nanoscale to the Microscale will be taking place in Haifa, Israel from September 30 - October 3, 2013.

The abstract submission deadline is 20^th May 2013

Early bird registration is open until July 16^th 2013

The emphasis of this meeting will be on the application of scientific principles towards the rational design and fabrication of healthy, attractive and sustainable foods. The meeting will focus on understanding the basic physical principles behind the co-assembly of food components and their utilization for delivering various functional components, for promoting both health and enjoyment of the consumer. This meeting is aimed at scientists from various backgrounds, including Food Science, Food Technology, Food Physics, Physical Chemistry, Biophysics, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Polymer Science and Nanotechnology, as well as food-professionals from food and ingredient companies. Main Themes:

Advances in engineering self-assembly: novel molecular architectures and structures for the delivery of food supplements/additives
Efficacy of bioactive delivery systems in food: programmed release and bioavailability
Safety and regulation of nutraceutical delivery systems

Visit the website for more information and to submit an abstract Food & Function is delighted to be supporting this excellent conference. The aims of the Journal are closely aligned with the Delivery of Functionality conference series, and Food & Function published a special issue containing research presented at the 4^th Symposium in the series, held in Guelph, Canada in 2011. Read the special issue here.

Analysing historical artifacts in a non-destructive manner

Paola Quattroni, Development Editor — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:05:25 +0000

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="378" caption="Isotope determination by portable laser ablation sampling"][/caption] A portable laser ablation sampling device can help analyse valuable historical artifacts. The study is shown in a paper just published in JAAS by Advisory Board member Detlef Günther and colleagues at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland. The researchers used laser ablation coupled to a multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) to determine lead isotopes in Chinese ceramics, and applied a portable device to enable remote analysis. Laser generated aerosol samples were collected on membrane filters and consequently analysed in the laboratory by LA-ICPMS. With the new device, sampling of objects is independent of their location, size and shape. This new method showed an analytical performance similar to a laboratory-based analysis and enabled simultaneous isotopic and elemental analysis without invasive sampling such as scraping or drilling of the objects. To know more about this study, please access the link below. This paper will be free to read until May 24^th. Isotope ratio determination of objects in the field by portable laser ablation sampling and subsequent multicollector ICPMS Reto Glaus, Ladina Dorta, Zhiguo Zhang, Qinglin Ma, Heinz Berke and Detlef Günther J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C3JA30379A

Point-of-care DVD HIV diagnostic device

Helen Bache, Development Editor — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:50:43 +0000

Development of a point-of-care DVD HIV diagnostic device published in Lab on a Chip has been featured on The Guardian’s Global Development Network. The team led by Aman Russom at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden present a new lab on a DVD for rapid, cheap HIV diagnosis. They modify a commercial DVD drive for this purpose, giving a laser scanning microscope termed DVD-LSM.

A multi-layer disc is combined with the modified DVD reader that allows temperature control. A fluidic polymer disc bonded to the DVD enables sample processing. Fluid propulsion is incorporated, a photodiode array is present for detection and all of the software for processing is driven by a PC. The system enables imaging of biomolecules to 1 μm resolution.

A low level of CD4+ cells is the marker used to decide upon HIV treatment. The surface of the disc is functionalised with anti-CD4 antibodies to allow the system to detect and count stained CD4+ cells. The combination of robust fluidic sample handling, detection capability and sub-micron resolution imaging means this fully integrated device is a hugely important step towards practical point-of-care Lab-on-DVD diagnostics. The team aim to reduce the sample preparation steps to simplify the procedure. You can read the Guardian Global Development Network article here or skip straight to the full fascinating and clearly written Lab on a Chip article. Lab-on-DVD: standard DVD drives as a novel laser scanning microscope for image based point of care diagnostics Harisha Ramachandraiah, Mary Amasia, Jackie Cole, Paul Sheard, Simon Pickhaver, Chris Walker, Valtteri Wirta, Preben Lexow, Richard Lione and Aman Russom DOI: 10.1039/C3LC41360H

The ins and outs of enzyme immobilisation: a Tutorial Review

Ruth E. Gilligan — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:00:56 +0000

Great attention is focused on the burgeoning role of biocatalysis in industrial processes. Enzymes offer a mild, efficient and "green" process that can save money, conserve energy and cut down on waste compared to conventional chemistry. However, despite their advantages, the implementation of enzymatic processes in industry suffers from a number of limitations. Enzymes are often unstable to the industrial or storage conditions, and can be difficult to recover and re-use.

Enzyme immobilisation is one way to combat these drawbacks. In addition to facilitating the storage, recovery and re-use of an enzyme, immobilisation also affords the more convenient handling of the enzyme as well as reducing its toxicity in cases. As part of Chem Soc Rev's upcoming ‘Enzyme Immobilisation’ themed issue, Professor Roger A. Sheldon and Dr. Sander van Pelt of Delft University of Technology have produced a Tutorial Review shedding light on the role of this key application in biocatalysis.

The Tutorial Review – which is accompanied by additional PDF slides in the electronic supplementary information (ESI) – highlights a number of key learning points, including the advantages and limitations of the various approaches to enzyme immobilisation. The types of immobilisation are discussed in detail, from binding to a carrier, to entrapment and cross-linking, including cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs). Helpfully, Sheldon and von Pelt also clarify immobilisation terminology, which is often confusing and inconsistent.

Given the potential of this technology, especially in the chemical industry, it is essential that we gain more insight into the performance and application of immobilised enzymes. This Tutorial Review is a step towards that objective and offers an enlightening overview of this fascinating subject.

For more, read this Chemical Society Reviews article today:

Enzyme immobilisation in biocatalysis: why, what and how Roger A. Sheldon and Sander van Pelt Chem. Soc. Rev., 2013, Advance Article DOI:10.1039/C3CS60075K Ruth Gilligan is a guest web-writer for Chem Soc Rev. She has recently completed her PhD in the group of Prof. Matthew J. Gaunt at the University of Cambridge, focusing on the development and application of C–H functionalisation methodology.