NEWS
Biochemical Analysis Prize The German Society for Clinical Chemistry requests nominations for its 1992 Biochemical Analysis Prize. The award, which is presented every other year at the Biochemische Analytik conference in Munich, honors a researcher who has performed outstanding and novel work in the field of biochemical analysis or biochemical instrumentation, or who has made significant contributions to the advancement of experimental biology, especially those related to clinical biochemistry. The winner receives DM 50,000. Nominations for the prize should consist of published or accepted papers, focusing on one theme, that have appeared or will appear between October 1, 1989, and September 30, 1991. The papers should be sent to H. Feldmann, Institut fur Physiologische Chemie der Universitàt, Goethestrasse 33, D-8000 Munchen 2, Germany. Deadline is October 15.
Graduate Fellowships in Chemistry A new graduate fellowship program designed to increase the number of women and minority students seeking Ph.D.s in chemistry has been established at the University of California, San Diego. The program is funded primarily by a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Program. According to Daniel F. Harvey, chemistry professor and program director, "We hope to replenish and expand the quality and quantity of American chemistry professors and researchers." Currently, nine graduate students are supported by the fellowship.
Cells Light Up Over Calcium Robert Silver, a Cornell University professor of physiology, reports that a bioluminescent dye indicates that calcium is a key factor in triggering cell division. Silver notes, "We are finding that most, if not all, of the known means of signal transduction are involved in mitosis." Silver's experiments focused on dividing embryonic cells of sea urchins and sand dollars. The bioluminescent protein aequorin, derived from jellyfish, was microinjected into the cells. This protein emits light in the presence of calcium ions. The emitted light is then collected by a low-light video camera mounted on a microscope. Thus Silver is able to produce a video showing changes in calcium concentration in the cell. For example, imaging shows that a ring of Ca 2+ surrounds the nucleus just prior to segregation of the chromosomes in the dividing cell. By controlling the calcium concentration, Silver can turn "on" and "off" the mitotic events. A host of other agents, such as inositol phosphate, arachidonate metab-
olites, proteases, and protein kinases and phosphates, are also believed to play a role in cell division. Silver believes that a "clock" regulates the release of these various agents "to coordinate activities of multiple reaction pathways, acting in parallel, for the regulation of mitotic events."
Gamma Ray Lens For a long time some scientists thought it was impossible, but researchers at Argonne National Laboratory are now constructing the world's first gamma ray lens. It will be used to verify the adherence to nuclear arms treaties by detecting gamma rays from stored weapons. The lens is built on an aluminum disk pierced by nine concentric rings. The rings are designed to accept either Si or Ge crystals cut into exact 1.0-cm cubes. Silicon reflects low-energy gamma rays, whereas germanium works best at higher energies. The lens measures 50.8 cm in diameter, will have a focal length of 10.7 m, and will resolve gamma rays to a spot about 1.0 cm in diameter. "It is in effect a gamma ray telescope," says Argonne physicist Robert Smither. The sensitivity of the lens is determined by the number of crystals. This lens will hold more than 600 crystals when completed. The lens could also be useful for astronomers who have observed gamma ray emissions from such diverse sources as black holes and neutron stars. The angular resolution of the crystal lens could distinguish between compact sources and common extended gamma ray sources such as galaxies.
For Your Information NIST is offering a PC database (Standard Reference Database 27) that contains approximately 750 compilations on the properties of 320 molten inorganic salts. For more information, contact Standard Reference Data Program, A320 Physics Bldg., NIST, Gaithersburg, MD 20899 (301-975-2208; fax 301-926-0416). Comstock, Inc., of Oak Ridge, TN, has been awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovative Research Grant by the U.S. Department of Energy. The $500,000 grant will be used to develop two high-resolution IR spectrometers that will detect atmospheric pollutants. For more information, contact Karin Finkel at 615-4837690. NIST is offering magnesium ferrosilicon, a ferroalloy primarily used in the production of ductile iron, as a n e w standard reference material (SRM 347). For more information, contact the Standard Reference Materials Program, Room 204, Bldg. 202, NIST, Gaithersburg, MD 20899 (301-975-6776, fax 301-948-3730). ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 63, NO. 9, MAY 1, 1991 · 495 A
