Another innovation Editors' Column from L/l:
TheREPIPETH dispenser Virtually unbreakable! Better than any $85 plastic dispenser! But only $52.50!" Here it is, the best value ever offered in reagent dispensers. The t o u g h REPIPET II reflects more than 14 years of L/I's e x p e r i e n c e in liquid dispensing— your best assurance of quality and p e r f o r m a n c e . All REPIPET II dispensers feature the use of f l u o r o c a r b o n and extra-thick borosilicate glass for strength and durability. T h e y ' r e t o u g h lab w o r k horses, virtually impossible to break. Note the 100-division scales, printed w h e r e they should be —on the glass barrel, not on an elastic plastic! L / I ' s exclusive sturdy magnifying indicator is a further aid to precise volume settings. L / l guarantees accuracy of 1.5% full scale and 0.2% r e p r o d u c i b i l i t y for all REPIPET II dispensers. They are suitable for use with all laboratory reagents (except HF). (Although TEFZEL® plastic and TEFLON® plastic are c h e m i c a l l y inert to all laboratory reagents, slight distortions may o c c u r at autoclaving temperatures and with some strong solvents.) REPIPET II dispensers are offered in three popular sizes, 5, 10, and 20 ml. Price of 5 and 10 ml units is $52.50; 20 ml, $58.50. To order, contact your distributor. For literature, write, call or c i r c l e the reader service number below.
LABINDUSTRIES 620 Hearst Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94710 Phone (415) 843-0220 CIRCLE 128 ON READER SERVICE CARD
The 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine There is an unusual aspect of the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine of special interest to analytical chemists. Unlike most Nobel prizes that are divided among three recipients, the sharing was unequal. One half of the award went to Dr. Rosalyn S. Yalow in recognition of the development of the technique of radioimmunoassay (RIA), and the other half jointly to Dr. Andrew S. Schally and Dr. Roger Guillemin for their work on hypothalamic hormones. The unequal distribution emphasizes the distinction between the development of the analytical technique and its application to the solution of a problem. Without the extraordinary sensitivity and selectivity of the RIA technique, it would simply have been impossible to extract labile hormones from animal hypothalmus glands in sufficient quantities to permit structural determinations. The brains of several hundred thousand swine and sheep obtained from slaughterhouses yielded kilogram quantities of hypothalmus glands, from which a few milligrams of partially purified hormone were extracted. Guillemin, Schally, and their collaborators in 1969 announced the structure of T R H (thyrotropin releasing hormone), which turned out to be a relatively simple tripeptide amide that can be readily synthesized. There is also a note of sadness in both halves of the award. Originally teamed with Dr. Yalow was Dr. Solomon Berson, who died in 1972 at the age of 54. Also, the English anatomist Dr. Geoffrey Wingfield Harris, who had postulated a "chemotransmitter" to control pituitary function by the hypothalmic portion of the brain, died in 1971 at the age of 58. By the rules of the Nobel prize procedure, posthumous awards are not granted. Of course, all scientific discoveries are based upon the prior work of countless others who cannot share in the recognition, but the untimely deaths of these pioneers prevented even their vicarious rejoicement in the success of others. Analytical chemists generally can derive a sense of satisfaction from the fact that the development of the basic analytical methodology received specific and separate recognition in connection with the use of that methodology to tackle an important medical problem. H. A. Laitinen
78 A · ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 50, NO. 1, JANUARY
1978
FACSS · IV The Fourth Annual Meeting of the Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies (FACSS) was held in Detroit, Mich., on November 7-11, 1977. The meeting offered a strong technical program covering not only advancements in spectroscopy, chromatography, and other analytical techniques, but also application areas where these techniques are important. About 1200 registrants attended the 32 technical sessions held over the 4V2 days. The meeting opened on Monday morning with a thought-provoking talk by Robert M. Hodges, president of Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research Division. Dr. Hodges spoke on the influence of regulatory agencies on research and laboratory procedures. This involves the requirements for good manufacturing practices, good laboratory practices, and occupational and environmental safety. Dr. Hodges noted that the activities of the regulatory agencies have resulted in the upgrading of a number of marginal scientific operations. However, he emphasized that the overall inhibitory and obstructive actions of these agencies are having a significant negative effect on scientific progress in the field of pharmaceutical research. The full text of Dr. Hodges' talk will be published in a future issue of A N A L Y T I C A L C H E M I S TRY.
Of special interest at this year's meeting were the poster sessions, tried for the first time at a FACSS meeting. The authors set up booths or bulletin boards containing graphs, diagrams, data, pictures, and perhaps a small amount of text to illustrate their papers. During the session, authors explain their work to interested attendees who can travel from booth to booth. This concept, which originated in Europe, is becoming more and more popular in this country. The face-toface interactions and informal exchanges between authors and interested parties provide some definite advantages over the more traditional oral presentations. The opportunity for informal discussion is not only helpful for the attendees, but also can produce helpful suggestions for the authors themselves. The enthusiasm generated by these sessions will surely prompt the scheduling of poster sessions for future meetings. Plans for the Fifth Annual FACSS Meeting to be held October 30-November 3, 1978, in Boston, Mass., are under way. Program chairman is James F. Cosgrove, GTE Laboratories. For further information, see page 44 A of this issue. Deborah C. Stewart
