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Public health officials may soon be able to flush out more accurate estimates on illegal drug use in communities across the country thanks to a new screening test. The test doesn't screen people directly but instead seeks out evidence of illicit drug abuse in drug residues and metabolites excreted in urine and flushed toward municipal sewage treatment plants. It will be described in August during the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston.

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Bitter taste can ruin a cup of coffee. Now, chemists in Germany and the United States say they have identified the chemicals that appear to be largely responsible for java's bitterness, a finding that could one day lead to a better tasting brew. Their study, one of the most detailed chemical analyses of coffee bitterness to date, will be presented in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Boston.

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Compounds in cranberries may help improve the effectiveness of platinum drugs that are used in chemotherapy to fight ovarian cancer, researchers have found in a controlled laboratory study. The scientists found that human ovarian cancer cells resistant to platinum drugs became up to 6 times more sensitized to the drugs after exposure to the cranberry compounds.

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Foods that contain acrylamide are unlikely to cause breast cancer in women, according to preliminary results of a new study involving 100,000 U.S. women. The finding is the largest epidemiological study to date exploring the possible link between acrylamide and cancer in humans. The study will be described in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Boston.

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A new analysis of by-products discharged to the environment during production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) "” expected to become the basis of multibillion-dollar industries in the 21st Century "” has identified cancer-causing compounds, air pollutants, and other substances of concern. The data could help the nanotechnology industry avoid unanticipated health and environmental problems that have plagued other technologies, the researchers say. Their study will be described in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Boston.

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Research on the effects of the female sex hormone estrogen in the brain lend credence to what many women have suspected about the hormonal changes that accompany aging: Menopause can make you fat. In animal experiments, researchers showed how estrogen receptors in the brain serve as a master switch to control food intake, energy expenditure and body fat distribution.

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A common virus may cause obesity in some people, according to new evidence in a controlled laboratory study. Scientists showed that infection with human adenovirus-36 (Ad-36), long recognized as a cause of respiratory and eye infections in humans, transforms adult stem cells obtained from fat tissue into fat cells. The study, which might lead to new treatments for obesity, will be reported in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Boston.

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Computer analysis of existing drugs may be key to fighting new infectious agents and antibiotic-resistant pathogens like deadly tuberculosis strains and staph "˜superbugs.' Researchers in Canada say the use of such "emergency discovery" technology could save time, money and lives during a sudden outbreak or a bioterrorism attack.

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A mysterious epidemic of thyroid disease among pet cats in the United States may be linked to exposure to dust shed from flame retardants in household carpeting, furniture, fabrics and pet food, scientists are reporting in a study scheduled for publication the Aug. 15 online issue of Environmental Science & Technology, a semi-monthly journal from the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

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Brian D. Crawford, Ph.D., has been selected as new President of the American Chemical Society's internationally renowned Publications Division, succeeding Robert Bovenschulte, who is retiring after 10 years in that position. The Division publishes or copublishes 36 premier chemistry journals and Chemical & Engineering News, as well as reference books and conference proceedings.

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The 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston will take place on Aug. 19-23 in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and at numerous hotels across the city. It is expected to bring more than 15,000 scientists and include more than 9,500 presentations dealing with topics such as the environment, energy, nutrition and nanotechnology.

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American Chemical Society (ACS) President Catherine T. Hunt, Ph.D. today praised Congressional leaders for completing action on comprehensive legislation to support innovation in the United States as a way to bolster American competitiveness and passing the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act (H.R. 2272).

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The American Chemical Society (ACS) has established a new Award for Affordable Green Chemistry. Supported by an endowment from the Rohm and Haas Company, it will recognize outstanding scientific discovery of new eco-friendly chemistries with the potential to yield products or manufacturing processes that are less expensive than existing alternatives.

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The American Chemical Society Office of Communications has launched a podcast, Science Elements, (http://chemistry.org/science_elements.html)to bring news of scientific advances from ACS's prestigious journals to a broad public audience.

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Chemists report that levels of flavonoids increase over time in crops grown in organically farmed fields. Studies have shown that consumption of flavonoids may help protect again cancer, heart disease and other age-related diseases.

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"Biotechnology for Health and Wellness" will be the central theme of the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston Aug. 19-23, where more than 9,500 presentations also will describe new discoveries in chemistry dealing with the environment, energy, nutrition and other topics.

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Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, will be designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark in a special ceremony in Columbus, Ohio, on June 14. CAS is a division of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society and sponsor of the Landmark program.

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Compounds derived from the blue agave, the fruit used to make tequila, show promise as a more effective way to deliver drugs to the colon than conventional drug-carriers. The discovery could lead to improved treatments for a variety of colon diseases, including ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel and cancer.

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New discoveries offer possibilities for developing drugs that improve on the therapeutic profile of niacin, the inexpensive, time-tested B-vitamin that boosts levels of HDL cholesterol with the potential to protect people against heart attacks and stroke.

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A new type of environmentally friendly plastic that degrades in seawater may make it safe and practical to toss plastic waste overboard, freeing valuable storage space for military, merchant and cruise ships generating large volumes of plastic waste that must be stored onboard until they reach port.

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Based on new evidence from experiments with laboratory rats, scientists report that high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide gas could cause serious lung damage, even when inhaled for brief periods following fires, explosions of military munitions, or detonations of terrorist devices.

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A pioneering "biofuel cell" that produces electricity from ordinary air spiked with small amounts of hydrogen offers significant potential as an inexpensive and renewable alternative to the costly platinum-based fuel cells that have dominated discussion about the "hydrogen economy" of the future, British scientists reported here today.

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Researchers have developed molecular-scale scissors that open and close in response to light. The tiny scissors are the first example of a molecular machine capable of mechanically manipulating molecules by using light. The scissors are small enough to deliver drugs into cells or manipulate genes and other biological molecules.

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Juicing up your cell phone or iPod may take on a whole new meaning, as researchers have developed a fuel cell that runs on virtually any sugar source, including soft drinks, and has the potential to operate three to four times longer on a single charge than conventional batteries.

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Students across the country are invited to participate in two nationwide contests in observance of Earth Day, April 22. The contests are sponsored by the world's largest scientific society, the American Chemical Society.

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Scientists say they have found evidence that the pulp of grapes appears just as heart-healthy in laboratory experiments as the skin. The study, which appeared last year in the American Chemical Society Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry, challenges the idea that red wine is more heart-healthy white wine.

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Pesticides haven't stopped them. Trapping hasn't worked, either. But now chemists and biologists at the University of California, Irvine, think they may have found a natural way to finally check the spread of environmentally destructive Argentine ants in California and elsewhere in the United States: Spark a family feud.

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You'd think in a river filled with anti-depressants, freshwater mussels would be, well, happy as clams. Far from it. In fact, a new laboratory study suggests that exposure to Prozac can disrupt the reproductive cycle of these mollusks, potentially increasing their risk of extinction.

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In the future, it might be perfectly normal to wear suits and dresses made of chicken feathers or rice straw. Scientists at the University of Nebraska"“Lincoln plan to develop these agricultural wastes into conventional-looking fabrics as a way to reduce the use of petroleum-based fabrics.

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Chemists in Japan have found that brown seaweed, a flavor component used in many Asian soups and salads, contains a compound that appears in animal studies to promote weight loss by reducing the accumulation of fat. The compound, fucoxanthin, could be developed into a natural extract or drug to help fight obesity, the researchers say. Their study will be described Sept. 11 at the national meeting of the ACS.

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Chemists have found that the seeds of the sweetgum fruit "” also called "gumballs" "” contain significant amounts of shikimic acid, the starting material used to produce the main antiviral agent in a much-heralded drug for fighting bird flu. The finding could help increase the global supply of the drug.

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In an effort to fight high rates of diabetes and obesity, chemists are exploring a variety of sugar alternatives "” including new artificial sweeteners and sweetness enhancers "” to satisfy America's demand for sweet flavor with fewer health risks.

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The origin of Peruvian trophy heads, the history of corn cultivation in South America, and the consistent quality of Biblical coins are among the topics featured during a two-day symposium, "Archaeological Chemistry: Analytical Techniques and Archaeological Interpretation."

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Fuel chemists and other scientists from across the United States and Europe will present the latest research toward developing viable, cost-effective and high-performing biodiesel fuels on Sunday at the 231st national meeting of the American Chemical Society.

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Researchers have developed "custom" nanoparticles that show promise of providing a more targeted and effective delivery of anticancer drugs than conventional medications or any of the earlier attempts to fight cancer with nanoparticles. The nanoparticles also have the potential to reduce side effects associated with chemotherapy.

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Using principles of green chemistry, scientists are designing materials and processes that provide the maximum benefits of nanotechnology while minimizing potential hazards. Green nanochemistry will be featured during a four-day symposium, "Nanotechnology and the Environment," March 26-29.

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Chemists have developed a powerful household water purification system that puts the cleansing power of an industrial water treatment plant into a container the size of a ketchup packet. The chemical filter can be added to contaminated water to dramatically reduce pathogen-induced diarrhea "” the top killer of children in much of the developing world, the scientists say.

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A computer scientist at CalTech has developed a way to "program" strands of DNA to fold themselves into a variety of complex shapes "” an accomplishment considered the most intricate yet in the field of self-assembly.

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Paul Anderson, a retired pharmaceutical chemist, has won the 2006 Priestley Medal, the American Chemical Society's highest award. Anderson's research has led to the development of Zocor® and Trusopt® as well as chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of AIDS.

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The American Chemical Society (ACS) and several science and business leaders have praised President George W. Bush's competitiveness proposal outlined in his State of the Union Address and included in his 2007 budget.

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The American Chemical Society (ACS) has praised President George W. Bush's strong emphasis on U.S. scientific innovation policy as a key theme in his State of the Union Address last night.

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Compounds isolated from licorice root may help prevent cavities, according to researchers. In test tube studies, the scientists showed that an extract from a plant root that is used to make licorice candy and other products contains at least two compounds that appear to be potent inhibitors of Streptococcus mutans, a major cause of dental caries.

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Here are a few tips on how to make your fall and winter seasons a bit healthier and happy this year, courtesy of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

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The floodwaters that inundated New Orleans immediately following Hurricane Katrina were similar in content to the city's normal stormwater and were not as toxic as previously thought, according to a study.

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In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the American Chemical Society has compiled a list of scientific experts who will be available to the media to discuss various aspects of water contamination, chemical safety and the type and extent of disease that could develop. Following is that list.

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An inexpensive wallet-sized personal radiation detector, a new form of oat fiber that targets obesity, and a polymer gel that helps deliver multiple drugs simultaneously or in pre-defined sequences are among the research topics to be discussed at the 230th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

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Detecting and identifying weapons of mass destruction is key to thwarting acts of terrorism. Researchers are scrambling to develop detection devices that quickly and accurately root out these weapons before they can be used.

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Cosmetics are big business, but industry researchers are thinking small, as nanotechnology brings new products and techniques to their toolkits. A special symposium spotlights commercially important ingredients and delivery technologies.

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When it comes to fighting stains, "greener" is better. Chemists say they have developed an alternative material for making stain-resistant coatings that does not lead to the production of PFOA, a pervasive chemical that has been termed a "likely carcinogen" by an EPA advisory board.

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A chemical compound that prevents cancer cells from producing a membrane component has been shown to suppress tumor growth in mice, according to researchers at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.