Serving the chemical, life sciences, and laboratory worlds
VOLUME 91, NUMBER 17 APRIL 29, 2013
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COVER STORY
DATA DISPUTES
Pharmaceutical firms have trouble sharing data.
TOP INSTRUMENT FIRMS
GOVERNMENT & POLICY 23 24
Constrained spending, smaller deals meant slower growth in 2012 for leading companies in C&EN’s annual ranking.
CONCENTRATES INDUSTRY PUSHES FOR RAIL REFORM
Chemical companies clash with railroads over pricing practices, lack of competitive services. 26
ENERGY HEAD NOMINEE GRILLED
Ernest Moniz, an academic physicist and energy expert, advances on path to Senate confirmation.
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 28 29
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Prebiotic chemistry can be messy, but biology lives off that mess.” GERALD F. JOYCE, EXPERT IN RNA AND ORIGIN-OF-LIFE RESEARCH, SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE CALIFORNIA PAGE 31
NEWS OF THE WEEK 5
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Imaging mass spectrometry shows surprising arrangement of lipids and proteins.
SEARCH FOR ANSWERS IN TEXAS BLAST
Disturbing facts are starting to emerge about the West Fertilizer Co. explosion.
CONCENTRATES MAPPING CELL MEMBRANES
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FROM CHAOS TO RNA
Origin-of-life work provides new clues about how the polymer was first assembled and organized.
CRYSTAL BALL FOR NEW DRUGS
Biotech firms confront increasing demands to know the future value of a new drug. 6
OBAMA HONORS CHEMISTRY TEACHER
Jeff Charbonneau is honored as 2013 National Teacher of the Year. 7
UPBEAT CHEMICAL EARNINGS
Attention to portfolios, prices help firms exceed analysts’ expectations on first-quarter earnings. 7
BISPHENOL A IN CALIFORNIA
Plastics chemical must be removed from state’s list of toxicants for now, court rules. 8
ACS PUBLIC SERVICE AWARDS
Legislators are recognized for their support of science, especially chemistry.
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ACS NEWS
WARNING ABOUT MUNICIPAL WELLS
Evidence mounts that human viruses in sewage can contaminate municipal aquifers.
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BUSINESS 14 16
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THE DEPARTMENTS
CONCENTRATES COMPANIES GO TO SCHOOL
Germany’s RWTH Aachen University is creating one of Europe’s largest campuses for technology firms. 20
SCENES FROM NEW ORLEANS
Photos from the spring national meeting. 2 3 34
LETTERS EDITOR’S PAGE AWARDS
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MEETINGS CLASSIFIEDS NEWSCRIPTS
SMALL ISLAND, BIG CHEMICAL SUPPORT
Despite high prices, Singapore has a booming chemical industry thanks to government support. COVER: TriWave ion-mobility components of Waters’ Synapt mass spectrometers are assembled in Manchester, England. Waters CENEAR 91 (17) 1–40 • ISSN 0009-2347