A shock to pollution in chemistry

Monday, December 3, 2012

Solvents are omnipresent in the chemical industry, and are a major environmental and safety concern. Therefore the large interest in mechanochemistry: an energy-efficient alternative that avoids using bulk solvents and uses high-frequency milling to drive reactions. Milling is achieved by the intense impact of steel balls in a rapidly moving jar, which hinders the direct observation of underlying chemistry. Scientists have now for the first time studied a milling reaction in real time, using highly penetrating X-rays to observe the surprisingly rapid transformations as the mill mixes, grinds and transforms simple ingredients into a complex product. This study opens new opportunities in Green Chemistry and environmentally-friendly synthesis. The results are published in Nature Chemistry dated 2 December 2012.

The international team of scientists was led by Tomislav Fri??i? of McGill University (Canada) in collaboration with Ivan Halasz from the University of Zagreb (Croatia), scientists from the University of Cambridge (UK), Max-Planck-Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart (Germany) and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble (France).

Everybody remembering their chemistry lessons will recall mixing ingredients into a solvent. This was sometimes water, but more often a solvent such as ether (flammable), chloroform (toxic) or benzene (cancerogenic). Bulk solvents used in industry pose a serious threat to human health and the environment, and their responsible management has a considerable cost. Although it is well known that mechanical action can break chemical bonds, for example in tear and wear of textile fibres, it is much less known that mechanical force can also be used to synthesize new chemical compounds and materials. In recent years, ball milling has become increasingly popular in the production of highly complex chemical structures. In such synthesis, steel balls are shaken with the reactants and catalysts in a rapidly vibrating jar. Chemical transformations take place at the sites of ball collision, where impact causes instant "hot spots" of localized heat and pressure. This is difficult to model and, without access to real time reaction monitoring, mechanochemistry remained poorly understood. "When we set out to study these reactions, the challenge was to observe the entire reaction without disturbing it, in particular the short-lived intermediates that appear and disappear under continuous impact in less than a minute", says Tomislav Fri??i?, a Professor at McGill University in Montreal.

The team of scientists chose to study mechanochemical production of the metal-organic framework ZIF-8 (sold as Basolite Z1200?) from the simplest and non-toxic components. Materials such as ZIF-8 are rapidly gaining popularity for capturing large amounts of CO2 and, if manufactured cheaply and sustainably, could become widely used for carbon capture, catalysis and even hydrogen storage. "The team came to the ESRF because of our high-energy X-rays capable of penetrating 3 mm thick walls of a rapidly moving reaction jar made of steel, aluminium or plastic. The X-ray beam must get inside the jar to probe the mechanochemical formation of ZIF-8, and then out again to detect the changes as they happened", says Simon Kimber, a scientist at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, who is a member of the team. This unprecedented methodology enabled the real-time observation of reaction kinetics, reaction intermediates and the development of their respective nanoparticles.

This technique is not limited to ZIF-8. In principle, all types of chemical reactions in a ball mill can now be studied and optimized for industrial processing. 'These results hold promise for improving the fundamental understanding of processes central to pharmaceutical, metallurgical, cement and mineral industries and should enable a more efficient use of energy, reduction in solvent and optimize the use of often expensive catalysts. This translates into good news for the environment, the industry and the consumers who will have to pay less", concludes Tomislav Fri??i?.

###

European Synchrotron Radiation Facility: http://www.esrf.fr

Thanks to European Synchrotron Radiation Facility for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125650/A_shock_to_pollution_in_chemistry

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Leech cocoon preserves 200-million-year-old fossil

Move over amber. When it comes to preserving soft-bodied animals through the ages, there's a newcomer in town: fossilised leech "cocoons".

The cocoons are secreted by many leech and worm species as mucous egg cases that harden and often fossilise. Almost two decades ago, Norwegian scientists found a perfectly preserved nematode worm embedded in the wall of a fossilised cocoon, but no one had investigated further.

So when Benjamin Bomfleur, a palaeobiologist at the University of Kansas, and his colleagues found fossil cocoons in 200-million-year-old rocks from the mountains of Antarctica, they took a closer look. They dissolved the rock with acid, leaving only the organic material - mostly leaf litter, but also 20 leech cocoons squashed flat by the pressure of aeons. One contained a perfectly preserved ciliated protozoan that appeared identical to modern single-celled "bell animals" (Vorticella) that live in ponds and streams.

The find is one of only a handful of fossilised ciliated protozoans. It suggests leech cocoons could be conservation traps in which, like amber, rarely fossilised creatures might be found.

Journal reference: PNAS, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1218879109

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Explainer: Why was pregnant duchess hospitalized?

FILE - Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge seen during her visit to St. Andrew?s School, where she attended school, in Pangbourne, England, in this file photo dated Friday, Nov. 30, 2012. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby, St James's Palace officially announced Monday Dec. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Arthur Edwards, File)

FILE - Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge seen during her visit to St. Andrew?s School, where she attended school, in Pangbourne, England, in this file photo dated Friday, Nov. 30, 2012. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby, St James's Palace officially announced Monday Dec. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Arthur Edwards, File)

Policeman stand guard outside the King Edward VII hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted with a severe form of morning sickness, in London, Monday, Dec. 3, 2012. Prince William and his wife Kate are expecting their first child. St. James's Palace announced the pregnancy Monday, saying that the Duchess of Cambridge ? formerly known as Kate Middleton ? has a severe form of morning sickness and is currently in a London hospital. William is at his wife's side. The palace said since the pregnancy is in its "very early stages," the 30-year-old duchess is expected to stay in the hospital for several days and will require a period of rest afterward. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

LONDON (AP) ? While morning sickness in pregnant women is common, the problem the Duchess of Cambridge has been hospitalized with is not.

In a statement Monday, palace officials said she was hospitalized with hyperemesis gravidarum, a potentially dangerous type of morning sickness where vomiting is so severe no food or liquid can be kept down. Palace officials said the duchess was expected to remain hospitalized for several days and would require a period of rest afterwards.

"It's not unusual for pregnant women to get morning sickness, but when it gets to the point where you're dehydrated, losing weight or vomiting so much you begin to build up (toxic) products in your blood, that's a concern," said Dr. Kecia Gaither, director of maternal fetal medicine at Brookdale University and Medical Center in New York.

The condition is thought to affect about one in 50 pregnant women and tends to be more common in young women, women who are pregnant for the first time, those expecting multiple babies and in non-smokers. Gaither said that fewer than one percent of women with the condition need to be hospitalized.

Doctors aren't sure what causes it but suspect it could be linked to hormonal changes or nutritional problems.

Women admitted to the hospital with hyperemesis gravidarum are usually treated with nutritional supplements and given fluids intravenously to treat dehydration. Dr. Dagni Rajasingam, a spokeswoman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said most women hospitalized with the condition are discharged within several days.

"It depends on how well the woman is keeping fluids down," she said.

If the problem is recognized and treated early, doctors say there are no long-term effects for either the mother or the child. Left untreated, the mother could be at risk of developing neurological problems ? including seizures ? or risk delivering the baby early.

Gaither said the condition usually subsides by the second trimester.

"The rest of the pregnancy could be entirely uneventful," she said, adding that pregnant women treated for the condition are usually advised to avoid fatty foods that could aggravate the problem.

Gaither said the duchess would probably be able to meet her usual royal obligations by her second trimester.

"She should be able to meet all her public obligations soon," she said, advising her to take her vitamins and ensure there are no other underlying health problems. "She should just be looking forward to having a healthy little plump person."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-03-EU-Britain-Royal-Pregnancy-Explainer/id-22be1d8992e94fb9ad764ee1fb9ea230

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Video: Syrian forces fire rockets at Damascus

>>> developing news out of syria. this is amateur video . rebels say it shows syrian forces firing rockets at targets in the capital of da mass occur. a mortar slammed into a suburban school killing 29 students and a teacher. the news agency blamed it on rebels. the rebels have made gains in recent weeks. now, this new violence coming amid growing concerns. president asad is preparing to use chemical weapons against his own people. it prompted the certain warning from the president.

>> i want to make it absolutely clear to assad and those under his command the world is watching. the use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable. if you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons, there will be consequences and you will be held accountable.

>> jim miklaszewski joins us live. nato foreign leaders including secretary of state clinton are in brussels today expressing concerns of what we hear possibly out of syria.

>> tamron , here's what triggered the concerns. the rebels are making significant gains on damascus itself, and there are fears within the obama administration that president assad may be on the verge of panicking because he looks like he's becoming desperate. over the past couple of days intelligence sources reported that somebody in the regime had told the chemical weapons corps to be prepared. at the same time there was a flurry of renewed activity at a number of the chemical wep sites in and around the damascus area indicating to u.s. officials that it appeared at least the syrians were at least preparing to get ready to mix the precursor chemicals that would enable it to weaponize the artillery shells with deadly nerve gas . i can tell you today despite all these warning signs , tamron , u.s. officials are reporting, number one, that there's still no sign that these precursor chemicals have been moved. number two, there has been no sign that any of them have been weaponized, the artillery shells , and three, it looks like at least that people are just in the preparation stage just in case there should be an order to resort to chemical weapons . so far we're far from that according to u.s. officials, tamron .

>> what are u.s. officials saying about iran's claim it captured a u.s. drone?

>> first of all, the u.s. navy has strongly denied it has lost any of the drones in question. the scan eagle drones. now, navy officials admit they look at this iranian video and say, that is a scan eagle . quite frankly a scan eagle drone are very common there in the persian gulf . a number of persian gulf countries own them. there's indication that iran stole or purchased under the table a scan eagle drone from one of the gulf state nations. they are insisting this is not a u.s. navy scan eagle drone. that iranian didn't capture a drone and write it off as iranian propoganda.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/newsnation/50074980/

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Selamat Datang ke MPK2053 Current Issues in TVE : ASSIGNMENT 1

Secondary School Students? Perceptions of, and the Factors Influencing Their Decision-Making in Relation to, VET in Schools

Source: Dalley-Trim, L., Alloway, N., & Walker, K. (2008). Secondary School Students? Perceptions of and the Factors Influencing Their Decision-Making in Relation to, VET in Schools. The Australian Educational Researcher, Volume 35, Number 2.?
The topic of this article is ?Secondary School Students? Perceptions of, and the Factors Influencing Their Decision-Making in Relation to, VET in Schools? which written by Trim, L. D., Alloway, N., and Walker, K., from James Cook University in the journal The Australian Educational Researcher. The review will first summarize the article. Secondly, it will briefly analyze the effectiveness of the article?s structure, and investigating how the information been presented. After that, the review will critique the article, evaluating its structure, are the article easy to understand and presented in systematic way and also did the interview answer the purpose of objective. In this article had summarized the issues in VET in Schools which focus on perception of secondary schools. Authors had give brief about factor influence students in school make decision to enroll VET course. This article is focuses on the students? perception of Vocational Education Training (VET) in School. The authors aim to highlight the factor influence schools? student decision making to VET in Schools. This article is addressed about the issue of VET in schools which attracted political attention with current national skills shortage in Australia. Place of study just focus in Australia only. The main factors mention by authors that affecting students of schools choosing VET is the image problem of VET. Current status of Australia is feel shortage of national skills in their country. The authors also list down two main factors for participate in VET in Schools. Firstly, through VET course or subject programs in schools, and through school-based New Apprenticeships (Nguyen, 2005). The article was introduced with an abstract, which provided the stance or developed by the article as well as a brief overview of main points. Then, start with introduction and brief about VET in schools. The paragraph in the body long and therefore the information in each paragraph was enough. Therefore, this article got 9 headings, which mean that its every part is explained in more detail information according to their purpose of study. As the article described themselves as researcher, then this is a research study conducted by three authors, the article contains of introduction, background of the research, a review of the literature and the methodology as well as the data collection and analysis technique been used in this study. The findings were developed toards the end of the article however in this article are lacking of conclusions. However, the article are able to provide the recommendation or suggestion for solving the problem that face by VET in schools. The references are arrange clear using APA format with the correct citation format. The article?s structure was logically developed overall, with the use of short paragraphs and with bold helping the reader to access the main points easily. However, the article with too much heading and each heading have subheading under each one make the reader confuse which are the main issues discussed. Besides that, the heading of the article of finding part is under question form, the reader will hardly to predict which of the headings is refer to or answer to the research objective. After a detailed background review of the VET in schools and the numerous studies of it, the author turns their attention to the main focus of the study which is an original qualitative analysis of secondary School students? perception of VET in schools. The data is taken from 340 students which from different socioeconomic and geographical demographic across Australia. The interview was conducted using semi-structured interviews to answer the issue by using interview protocols, however, the reader are confuse in their protocol and different question in findings. Findings should be using more clearer language or statement ?of headings, so that, reader can easily catch what study mostly discuss. The authors able to point out several major findings but in the finding, I saw that the authors only ask about the meaning of VET or the term. When want to know about the perspective about VET in school, we cannot simply ask about the surface of the term but their knowledge of VET as well. They did support for the why students choose VET in their study, and authors did mention about the benefit of choosing VET and its qualification and about career opportunity and also better future lives to those who pursue in this courses. I agree with the findings of authors that VET is will make us more excited in learning and more enjoyable subject which VET is involve more on practical or skills work compares to others academic subject. Findings also show that authors also pointed out that student did not choose VET in their secondary schools because of negative perceptions and? another reason is low status or image of VET in Australia was generally poor (The Guardian, 2008 & Abdul, et al., 2011). Recommendation given by the article are not enough to improve the VET image which authors also need to take consideration on parents, community, teachers, and education officers where this people play an important role to influence students to enroll VET in or not. School infrastructure, curricular reforms, teacher qualification and role, and wages associated with VET also need to take into consideration to facing the challenge of image problem in VET in School (VETis). In conclusion, this article presents interesting findings from the authors? own thorough study of the student?s perception of VET in school and their decision making to take part VET as their choice of study and future career path. However, the authors failure to explain findings of heading in simple terms. I would agree with the authors when authors states that re-design and deliver the VETis curricula are needed on the end. The article has therefore contributed valuable information and understanding about the factor influence the decision-making on VET issues. ??? 1)???Abdul, et al., (2011). Image and Students Loyalty Towards Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Journal of Technical Education and Training. Vol.3, No. 1, ISSN 2229-8932. 2)???Anlezark, A., Karmel, T., & Ong, K. (2006). Have school Vocational Education and Training Programs been Successful? Adelaide: NCVER. 3)? ? ?Dalley-Trim, L., Alloway, N., Patterson, A., & Walker, K (2007). Vocational Education and Training in Schools: Career Adviser? Perceptions and Advising Practices. Australian Journal of Career Development, 16(1), 29-36. 4)???Nguyen, N. (2005). Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics: VET in Schools 2003. In NCVER, Australian Vocational Education and Training: Research messages 2004. Adelaide; NCVER. 5)????? The Guardian (2008). Parents Stop Children Choosing Vocational Route. Tuesday March 11.

Source: http://citve1213.blogspot.com/2012/12/assignment-1.html

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Dykstra sentenced in bankruptcy fraud case

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Former All-Star outfielder Lenny Dykstra was sentenced Monday to 6? months in prison for hiding baseball gloves and other heirlooms from his playing days that were supposed to be part of his bankruptcy filing, capping a tumultuous year of legal woes.

U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson also ordered Dykstra to pay $200,000 in restitution and perform 500 hours of community service. He pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud and money laundering charges and prosecutors were asking for a 2?-year prison sentence.

The sentencing was part of a downward spiral for Dykstra, who earned the nickname "Nails" during his 12-year career with the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies because of his gritty style of play.

Dykstra, who bought a mansion once owned by hockey star Wayne Gretzky, filed for bankruptcy three years ago, claiming he owed more than $31 million and had only $50,000 in assets.

After the filing, Dykstra hid, sold or destroyed at least $200,000 worth of items without permission of a bankruptcy trustee, prosecutors said.

Court documents show Dykstra said he put an oven, sconces and chandeliers into a storage unit, but prosecutors said he actually sold the items for $8,500.

Dykstra, 49, faced 20 years in prison, but prosecutors recommended he serve only 2? years behind bars after he pleaded guilty earlier this year to bankruptcy fraud, concealment of assets and money laundering.

He is currently serving a three-year prison sentence after pleading no contest to grand theft auto and providing a false financial statement. In that case, Dykstra was arrested last year by police who said they found cocaine, Ecstasy and synthetic human growth hormone at his Los Angeles home. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped 21 counts against him.

He also was sentenced this year to nine months in jail after pleading no contest to charges he exposed himself to women he met through Craigslist.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-03-Lenny%20Dykstra/id-7972b6a5403f4e9f8edba3bff6ac2817

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Stocks little changed as budget talk drag on

7 hrs.

NBC News and wire reports

The S&P 500 wrapped up its fifth positive month in the last six on Friday, although it ended the day flat as politicians remain at odds about how to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff.?

Trading has been choppy in the last two weeks as investors react to statements from policymakers on the state of discussions on how to avert a series of tax hikes and spending cuts that could pull the economy back into recession.?

The S&P 500 was up 0.29 percent in November even as it suffered a slide of more than 6 percent from the month's high to its low.?

"Given the 'on again, off again' fiscal cliff (negotiations), it's rather surprising how resilient this market has been," said David Rolfe, chief investment officer at St. Louis-based Wedgewood Partners.?

"Between now and the end of the year, there's going to be an information vacuum outside the fiscal cliff, and I believe that resiliency will be tested."?

In contrast to the apparent calm in equities, the CBOE Volatility Index, a gauge of market anxiety, jumped 5.4 percent, its largest daily gain in two weeks.?

The VIX also rose for the week, but posted a whopping 14.7 percent decline for November.?

On Friday, President Barack Obama accused a "handful of Republicans" in the U.S. House of Representatives of holding up legislation to extend tax cuts for middle-class Americans in order to try to preserve them for the wealthy.?

Speaking shortly after the president, House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, said: "There is a stalemate; let's not kid ourselves."?

Despite the divisive language, many market participants are betting that a deal will be struck - if only at the eleventh hour.?

Corporations continue to react to what is expected to be a harsher tax regime next year. Whole Foods Market was the latest to announce a special cash dividend - of $2.00 per share in this case - ahead of expected higher tax rates in 2013.?

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 3.76 points, or 0.03 percent, to 13,025.58 at the close. The S&P 500 ?gained a mere 0.23 of a point, or 0.02 percent, to finish at 1,416.18. But the Nasdaq Composite Index dipped 1.79 points, or 0.06 percent, to end at 3,010.24.?

For the month of November, the S&P 500 rose 0.29 percent, its smallest monthly variation since March 2011. The Dow fell 0.5 percent and the Nasdaq gained 1.1 percent.?

For the week, though, all three major U.S. stock indexes advanced, with the Dow up 0.1 percent, the S&P 500 up 0.5 percent and the Nasdaq up 1.5 percent.?

VeriSign shares dropped 13.2 percent to $34.15 after the company said the U.S. Department of Commerce approved its agreement with ICANN to run the .com internet registry, but VeriSign won't be able to raise prices as it did before.?

Yum Brands slid 9.9 percent to $67.08 a day after the parent of the KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut chains said it expects a drop in fourth-quarter sales at established restaurants in China.?

After a close relationship for several years, Facebook and Zynga revised terms of a partnership agreement, according to regulatory filings on Thursday. Under the new pact, Zynga, creator of the "Farmville" game, will have limited ability to promote its site on Facebook.?

Zynga's stock fell 6.1 percent to $2.46. Facebook's stock gained 2.5 percent to $28.?

Apple Inc's latest iPhone received final clearance from Chinese regulators, paving the way for a December debut in a highly competitive market where the lack of a new model had severely eroded its share of product sales. Apple's stock fell 0.7 percent to $585.28.?

The markets' reaction to data on Friday was muted.?

U.S. consumer spending fell in October for the first time in five months and income growth stalled, leading some economists to cut already weak estimates of fourth-quarter economic growth.?

Slightly more than 7 billion shares changed hands on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq and NYSE MKT, more than the daily average so far this year of about 6.48 billion shares and the largest in two weeks.?

On the NYSE, roughly six issues rose for every five that fell, while on Nasdaq, the ratio was nearly 1 to 1.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/stocks-little-changed-budget-talk-drag-1C7360707

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