Serving the chemical, life sciences, and laboratory worlds
VOLUME 92, NUMBER 21 MAY 26, 2014
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COVER STORY
CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURING Pharmaceutical and fine chemicals makers are catching the flow chemistry wave. PAGE 13
DOUBLING DOWN ON BROMINE
Chemtura and Albemarle boost commitment to extracting the element in Arkansas. 33
CHINESE COAL GIANT RESPONDS
Shenhua addresses Greenpeace’s environmental concerns over its coal-to-fuels project.
GOVERNMENT & POLICY 35 36
CONCENTRATES TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY IN FLUX
Democrats balk at giving trade deals negotiated by the White House an up-or-down vote. 38
IRREPRODUCIBLE STUDIES
Misplaced incentives and poor experimental design muddy the research waters.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY QUOTE OF THE WEEK “When people talk about botched executions, generally the botched part comes from how the drugs were administered, not so much that the drugs don’t work.”
NEWS OF THE WEEK 7
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CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF ANESTHESIOLOGY, STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
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STEVE PERRIN
C&EN talks with the ALS Therapy Development Institute CEO about improving animal models.
CHINA, RUSSIA RUB ELBOWS
ASTRAZENECA EVADES PFIZER’S GRASP
LETHAL INJECTIONS SCRUTINIZED
With medical and supply challenges, states struggle to carry out humane capital punishment.
Russian President Putin visits China, forges agreements on petrochemicals, energy.
ACS NEWS 55
With rejection of U.S. firm’s final offer, the two drug companies appear to go their separate ways. 9
RONALD PEARL,
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BETTER GRAPHENE FIBERS
Spinning strong, lightweight carbon fibers is a scalable, organic-solvent-free route.
CONCENTRATES BIG TROUBLE OVER TINY PARTICLES
Researchers take to papers, social media to debate whether striped coatings on nanoparticles exist.
MUCH ADO ABOUT STRUCTURE
Assignment error triggers skirmishes over patented potential cancer drug, putting development on hold. 8
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50 YEARS OF MEMBERSHIP
More than 950 devoted ACS members reach this milestone in 2014.
SCIENCE BY THE INTERACTIVE NUMBERS
Government statistics reveal the situation for science and engineering state by state. 10
PIQUE OVER PROPOSED AIR RULES
Forceful critique greets EPA’s proposed new rules on fence-line toxics at petrochemical plants.
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PLACENTAL MICROBIOME
Bacterial colony is found to resemble that of oral cavities, may link infections with preterm birth.
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BAN ON TRICLOSAN
Minnesota is the first state to outlaw the antibacterial agent; others will likely follow. 11
NEW VIEW OF PHOTOCATALYSIS
EMPLOYMENT 65
Electron transfer from semiconductor to metal may not be the crux of photocatalysis.
Executives from pharmaceutical companies discuss what they look for in recruits.
BUSINESS 25 27
THE DEPARTMENTS
CONCENTRATES INTO THEIR OWN HANDS
Patient groups are finding new models to fund drug development for rare diseases. 29
WHAT DOES PHARMA WANT? ▲
CHEMISTRY TAKES OVER PHARMA LABS
Laboratory space freed up by drug industry consolidation is snapped up by chemical firms.
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EDITOR’S PAGE LETTERS PATENT PICKS
69 72
CLASSIFIEDS NEWSCRIPTS
COVER: Chemtrix’s KiloFlow system consists of glass mesoreactor plates stacked in a holder that allows for external connections. Chemtrix
CENEAR 92 (21) 1–72 • ISSN 00 0 9-2347