Serving the chemical, life sciences, and laboratory worlds
VOLUME 86, NUMBER 23 JUNE 9, 2008
COVER STORY
32 33
BACTERIAL SYNERGY
GOVERNMENT & POLICY CONCENTRATES REVISING REGULATION
EPA’s inability to collect information on U.S. chemicals may help trigger reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act. 37
Researchers strive to understand and exploit the communal properties of bacterial biofilms. PAGE 15
PATENT SEARCHERS
Patent Information Users Group celebrates its 20th anniversary. 38 40
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CONCENTRATES AVOIDING ABUSE
Opioid makers are concocting pain medications that deter abuse.
DANIEL GOLD, VICE PRESIDENT FOR R&D, FAIRWAY CONSULTING GROUP PAGE 53
9
NEWS OF THE WEEK
10
CLIMATE-CHANGE BILL STALLED DOW VINDICATED
46
Former execs who betrayed company settle lawsuits, say their firings were justified. 10 11
TOWARD A SYNTHETIC CELL
53
Designed membrane houses DNA-copying reaction. 11
GERARD LEAVING ACC
President of chemical industry trade group will head the American Petroleum Institute. 12
ACTIVATING C–H BONDS
Using palladium catalyst, researchers transfer specific chirality from amino acid to substrate. 13
PROVIDING MORE SILICON
Hemlock, other polysilicon manufacturers boost capacity to ease worldwide shortage. 13
BUSINESS
BIOPHARMA CAREERS
5 6 45
THE DEPARTMENTS EDITOR’S PAGE LETTERS DIGITAL BRIEFS
50 52 64
AWARDS OBITUARIES NEWSCRIPTS
COVER: In this biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, rice-shaped bacteria grow into a carpet with mounds. Here, fluorescent dyes reveal the dead (red) and live (green) cells. Susana Sánchez and Betsey Pitts, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, © 2007
THIS WEEK ON
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG ART YOU WANT TO BITE
CONCENTRATES MEDICILON
Chinese drug development firm has grown substantially in its first four years of operation. 30
EMPLOYMENT
NASA ENGAGED IN SPIN
Agency political appointees downplayed climatechange data, inspector general’s report says. 24 28
“MORMON SCIENTIST”
R&D remains a viable option for chemists seeking a career in industry.
HAMILTON TO MOVE TO OXFORD
Chemist and Yale Provost Andrew Hamilton is nominated vice chancellor of Oxford.
BOOKS
Chemist Henry Erying’s approach to science, his inspirations, and personal character are recalled by his grandson.
WORLD’S STRONGEST BASE
Lithium monoxide anionedges out longtime record holder methyl anion, CH3–.
SUPERHEAVY ELEMENTS
Researchers use physical and chemical techniques to probe the transactinides.
Acrimony in the Senate brings sweeping legislation to a halt.
12
IMPOSSIBLE HUE
ISP joins suppliers to hair dye makers, debuts a polymer-based color protectant.
53
42
“C&ENtral Science” blogger Sarah Everts chronicles a recent visit to a Berlin art gallery, where a museum-goer took art appreciation to a new level. Take it in at www.cenblog.org.
C E N E A R 8 6 ( 2 3 ) 1 – 6 4 • I SS N 0 0 0 9 - 2 3 47
SA RA H EV E RTS/C & E N
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “There’s no question that there are fewer pharmaceutical jobs out there today than there were 18 to 24 months ago, but opportunities still exist.”
