News Release

American Chemical Society's Weekly PressPac -- March 12, 2008

Peer-Reviewed Publication

American Chemical Society

Yak Cheese

image: Researchers report that cheese from yaks could be healthier than cheese from dairy cattle. When compared to cheddar cheese, yak cheese contained higher levels of several healthful fatty acids. view more 

Credit: Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

ARTICLE #1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Heart-healthy yak cheese
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

In a finding likely to get cheese lovers talking, researchers in Nepal and Canada report that yak cheese contains higher levels of heart-healthy fats than cheese from dairy cattle, and may be healthier. Their study is scheduled for the March 12 issue of ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.

Producers make the cheese from the milk of yaks. Those long-haired humped animals are fixtures in Tibet and throughout the Himalayan region of south central Asia, Mongolia, and a few other countries. Yak cheese has only recently become available in the United States and is available in select gourmet food stores. Studies by others have shown that certain types of dairy-derived fatty acids, particularly conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), may help fight heart disease, cancer and even diabetes. However, little was know about the fatty acid composition of yak cheese.

In the new study, Brian W. McBride and colleagues compared the fatty acid composition of yak cheese from Nepal with that of cheddar cheese obtained from Canada. They found that levels of CLAs were four times higher in the yak cheese than the dairy cow cheese. Levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are healthy for the heart, were also significantly higher in the yak cheese, the researchers say.

ARTICLE #1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “Fatty Acid Composition of yak (Bos grunniens) Cheese Including Conjugated Linoleic Acid and trans-18:1 Fatty Acids”

DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ARTICLE http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf0725225

CONTACT:
Brian W. McBride, Ph.D.
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Phone: 519-824-4120, ext. 53695
Fax: 519-836-9873
Email: bmcbride@uoguelph.ca


ARTICLE #2 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toward the next generation of high-efficiency plastic solar cells
Journal of the American Chemical Society

Researchers in the United States and Austria report an advance toward the next generation of plastic solar cells, which are widely heralded as a low cost, environmentally-friendly alternative to inorganic solar cells for meeting rising energy demands. Their study is scheduled for the March 19 issue of ACS’ Journal of the American Chemical Society, a weekly publication.

Alan J. Heeger and colleagues point out that plastic solar cells, fabricated from bulk heterojunction materials comprising semiconducting polymers and fullerenes, have already demonstrated promising performance. However, researchers do not understand how to control the nano-scale morphology and are looking for ways to optimize the solar cell performance for practical use. Heeger, co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 for his pioneering research on conducting polymers, is widely recognized for his ongoing efforts to improve solar cell efficiencies.

In the new study, Heeger and colleagues found that adding a class of chemicals called alkanedithiols as processing additives improves both the morphology and the solar cell performance.They showed that by utilizing alkanedithiols as processing additives, the efficiency of the plastic solar cells increased from 3.4 percent to 5.1 percent, among the highest efficiencies achieved to date for this type of solar cell. “These data provide a better understanding of correlation between the nano-scale morphology of the bulk heterojunction film and the solar cell performance,” the report states.

ARTICLE #2 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “Processing Additives for Improved Efficiency from Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells”

DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ARTICLE http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja710079w

CONTACT:
Alan J. Heeger, Ph.D.
University of California at Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California 93106
Phone: 805-983-3184
Fax: 805-893-4755
Email: ajhe@physics.ucsb.edu


ARTICLE #3 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A new industrial-scale process for making big molecules with a big future
The Journal of Organic Chemistry

Scientists are reporting discovery of a new method that will enable manufacturers to produce industrial-size batches of dendrimers for the first time. Dendrimers are giant molecules with tree-like branches with a range of potentially valuable commercial and industrial applications. The study is scheduled for the March 21 issue of ACS’ monthly Journal of Organic Chemistry.

Dendrimers can be produced in custom-designed shapes, sizes, structures and weights suitable for specific uses. Those potential applications range from drug delivery and gene transfer to new materials, coatings, sensors, and herbicides. But because they require multiple steps to make, dendrimers are difficult to produce on an industrial scale.

In their new study, Abdellatif Chouai and Eric E. Simanek describe a practical large-scale synthesis of dendrimers that sidestep this barrier. Their method yields a so-called “uncommitted intermediate,” a dendrimer scaffolding that can be built upon in countless ways. This intermediate “can be elaborated into a wealth of diagnostic and therapeutic dendrimers — some of which are currently being explored in our laboratory,” the researchers add.

ARTICLE #3 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “Kilogram-Scale Synthesis of a Second-Generation Dendrimer Based on 1,3,5-Triazine Using Green and Industrially Compatible Methods with a Single Chromatographic Step”

DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ARTICLE http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jo702462t

CONTACT:
Eric E. Simanek, Ph.D.
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas 77843
Phone: (979) 845-4242
Fax: (979) 845-9452
Email: simanek@mail.chem.tamu.edu


ARTICLE #4 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New aspirin-like substances may provide safer way to fight heart disease
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

Researchers in Italy report development of a new group of aspirin-like substances that may be safer and as effective as conventional aspirin for fighting heart disease, the leading cause of death in the developed world. Their study is scheduled for the March 27 issue of the ACS’ Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

Physicians have known for years that daily low-doses of aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, reduce the risk of developing heart attacks and stroke in some people. However, prolonged use of aspirin can damage the stomach lining, causing bleeding and ulcers that can be life-threatening. A safer form of aspirin is needed, researchers say.

In the new study, Alberto Gasco and colleagues designed a new form of aspirin by attaching a special chemical structure — called a nitrooxy-acyl group — that allows the drug to resist breakdown by stomach acidity while promoting its absorption by the blood. In laboratory tests using animal models, the new “aspirin-like” substances showed anti-inflammatory activities similar to regular aspirin and caused reduced or no damage to stomach tissue in comparison to equivalent amounts of regular aspirin. Some molecules also reduced platelet aggregation and promoted artery expansion, which are hallmarks of improved heart health, the researchers note.

ARTICLE # 4 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “Searching for New NO-donor Aspirin-like Molecules: A New Class of Nitrooxy-acyl Derivatives of Salicylic Acid”

DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ARTICLE http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jm701104f

CONTACT:
Alberto Gasco, Ph.D.
Università delgi Studi di Torino
Torino, Italy
Phone: 39-011-670-7670
Fax: 39-011-670-7286
Email: alberto.gasco@unito.it


ARTICLE #5 EMBARGOED FOR 9 A.M., EASTERN TIME, March 17, 2008

Coal reemerges as important raw material in chemical manufacturing industry
Chemical & Engineering News

With oil prices hovering around $100 per barrel, coal is reemerging as a key raw material in the manufacture of the basic chemical materials used to make plastics, fertilizers, and hundreds of other products, according to an article scheduled for the March 17 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS’ weekly news magazine.

The article, written jointly by C&EN Senior Editor Alex Tullo and Hong Kong-based senior correspondent Jean-Francois Tremblay, notes that coal has been used in the chemical manufacturing industry since the 19th century. Over the years, oil and natural gas gradually eclipsed coal to become the raw materials of choice for manufacturing a wide range of high-volume chemicals. But these days, the high prices of oil and natural gas have given coal — which costs a fraction of the price of crude oil — a substantial cost advantage, the article notes.

Coal’s potential as a raw material is greatest in China, the United States, and India, the article points out. These countries have about half the world’s coal reserves. Coal can be transformed into a gas and subsequently into basic chemical ingredients like ethylene and propylene that are used in the manufacture of hundreds of products, according to the article. Coal “is a relatively cheap feedstock,” declares one expert cited in the article. “It certainly has the ability to compete in today’s world.”

ARTICLE #5 EMBARGOED FOR 9 A.M., EASTERN TIME, March 17, 2008 “The New Black”

This story will be available on March 17 at http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/86/8611cover.html

FOR ADVANCE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Michael Bernstein
ACS News Service
Phone: 202-872-6042
Fax: 202-872-4370
Email: m_bernstein@acs.org


Journalists’ Resources

Reserve Now: News Media Tour/Briefing/Reception April 7 in New Orleans

The 2008 edition of the ACS Office of Communications’ popular news media tour/briefing/reception heads for a premier research facility where science connects with everyday life. Reporters will visit the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Southern Regional Research Center (SRRC) in New Orleans. After recovery from Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, SRRC is continuing a 66-year heritage of discovery. SRRC’s landmarks range from development of wrinkle-resistant cotton fabrics to battling the dreaded Formosan subterranean termite in the “Second Battle of New Orleans.” The event begins mid-afternoon on April 7 during the ACS’ 235th national meeting, followed by a reception with food and beverages. Space is limited so reserve your spot now by contacting Michael Woods (m_woods@acs.org) or Michael Bernstein (m_bernstein@acs.org).

Media registration for ACS National Meeting in New Orleans, April 6-10

Mark your calendars for one of the year’s largest and most important scientific events — the 235th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), which will be held April 6-10, 2008, in New Orleans, La. With more than 160,000 members in the United States and other countries, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society. About 12,000 scientists and others are expected for the event, which will include more than 9,000 reports on new discoveries in chemistry. Those reports span science’s horizons from astronomy to zoology and include a special focus on health, energy, food, environment, and alternative fuels. In addition to coverage of breaking science news, the meeting provides an opportunity for independent reporting on disaster recovery efforts in the region prior to the June 1 start of the 2008 hurricane season.

Media should click here (http://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=PP_TRANSITIONMAIN&node_id=1359&use_sec=false&sec_url_var=region1) to register, and housing reservations are now open for those who plan to attend the meeting. The ACS Press Center will be located in Room 206 of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. It will include a media workroom with staff to assist in arranging interviews, press conferences, wireless Internet access, telephones, computers, photocopy and fax services, and refreshments.

For reporters planning to cover the meeting from their home bases, the ACS Office of Communications will provide an expanded suite of resources, including press releases, non-technical summaries of research presentations, and Internet access to news briefings.

Updates on Fast-Breaking Advances in Nanoscience

The American Chemical Society has launched a new nanoscience and nanotechnology community Website. Called ACS Nanotation (http://www.acsnanotation.org/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx), the site aims to become the premiere destination for nanoscience and nanotechnology news, highlights and community. Features include research highlights from ACS journals, career resources, podcasts and other multimedia resources, and interaction with other scientists. Registration is free.

ACS Press Releases
http://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=PP_ARTICLEMAIN&node_id=222&content_id=CTP_006740&use_sec=true&sec_url_var=region1

General Chemistry Glossary
http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/glossary.shtml

For Wired Readers

Bytesize Science, a podcast for young listeners
http://feeds.feedburner.com/bytesizescience

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Office of Communications has launched Bytesize Science, an educational, entertaining podcast for young listeners. Bytesize Science translates cutting-edge scientific discoveries from ACS' 36 peer-reviewed journals into stories for young listeners about science, health, medicine, energy, food, and other topics. New installments of Bytesize Science are posted every Monday and available without charge. Bytesize Science is now listed as a "new and notable" podcast on iTunes. It is also being recommended by "Podcasting in Education," an organization that encourages educators to embrace podcasts as a classroom tool. The archive includes items on environmental threats to killer whales, a scientific explanation for why some people love chocolate, some unlikely new uses for compact discs, and a hairy tale about "hairy roots." The podcaster for Bytesize Science is Adam Dylewski, an ACS science writer and recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in genetics and science communication.

Science Elements: ACS Science News Podcast
http://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=PP_SUPERARTICLE&node_id=1355&use_sec=false&sec_url_var=region1

The ACS Office of Communications is podcasting PressPac contents in order to make cutting-edge scientific discoveries from ACS journals available to a broad public audience at no charge. Science Elements includes selected content from ACS’s prestigious suite of 36 peer-reviewed scientific journals and Chemical & Engineering News, ACS’s weekly news magazine. Those journals, published by the world’s largest scientific society, contain about 30,000 scientific reports from scientists around the world each year.

PressPac information is intended for your personal use in news gathering and reporting and should not be distributed to others. Anyone using advance PressPac information for stocks or securities dealing may be guilty of insider trading under the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

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The American Chemical Society — the world’s largest scientific society — is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

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