Media Briefing Schedule for ACS Fall 2022

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

 

Media Briefing Schedule
ACS Fall 2022
Aug. 21–25, 2022

 

Monday, Aug. 22, posting by 10 a.m. Eastern Time  

Food allergies can be reversed in mice by targeting the microbiome
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Although many people with dietary allergies experience mild symptoms when exposed to triggering foods, some face potentially fatal consequences. A bacterial compound called butyrate that’s made by healthy microbiomes has shown promise against allergic reactions in lab tests, but it’s nasty to take orally. Today, scientists describe a more palatable way to deliver this compound and report that their “polymeric micelles” are effective against peanut allergies in mice. The treatment could someday counteract many types of food allergies and inflammatory diseases.

Jeffrey Hubbell, Ph.D.
University of Chicago

Shijie Cao, Ph.D.
University of Chicago

Lupus pill shows promise in mice; clinical trial underway
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that attacks organs and can be fatal. There’s no cure, so current treatments aim to limit damage and ameliorate symptoms. Some of these therapies have to be injected, some have serious side effects, and many aren’t very effective. But today, scientists report they have begun phase 2 clinical trials with a pill containing a compound that, in mice, not only prevents lupus-like symptoms, but also reverses signs of organ damage caused by the disease and prevents death.

Alaric Dyckman, Ph.D.
Bristol Myers Squibb                      

A more environmentally friendly air conditioner
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 22, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Summer is in full swing in the U.S., and people are turning up their air conditioners to beat the heat. But the hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants in these and other cooling devices are potent greenhouse gases and major drivers of climate change. Today, scientists report a prototype device that could someday replace existing “A/Cs.” It’s much more environmentally friendly and uses solid refrigerants to efficiently cool a space.

Adam Slavney, Ph.D.
Harvard University

Jarad Mason, Ph.D.
Harvard University

Super-fast electric car charging, with a tailor-made touch
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 22, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Despite the growing popularity of electric vehicles, many consumers still hesitate to make the switch. One reason is that it takes so much longer to power up an electric car than it does to gas up a conventional one. But speeding up the charging process can damage the battery and reduce its lifespan. Now, scientists report that they’ve designed superfast charging methods tailored to power different types of electric vehicle batteries in 10 minutes or less without harm.

Eric Dufek, Ph.D.
Idaho National Laboratory

Tracking air pollution disparities — daily — from space (video)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 22, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Studies have shown that pollution, whether from factories or traffic-snarled roads, disproportionately affects communities where economically disadvantaged people and Hispanic, Black and Asian people live. As technology has improved, scientists have begun documenting these disparities in detail, but information on daily variations has been lacking. Today, scientists report preliminary work calculating how inequities in exposure fluctuate from day to day across 11 major U.S. cities. In addition, they show that in some places, climate change could exacerbate these differences. A video on the research is available at www.acs.org/air-disparity.

Sally Pusede, Ph.D.
University of Virginia

 

Tuesday, Aug. 23, posting by 10 a.m. Eastern Time                                            

Your next wooden chair could arrive flat, then dry into a 3D shape (video)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Wooden objects are usually made by sawing, carving, bending or pressing. That’s so old school! Today, scientists will describe how flat wooden shapes extruded by a 3D printer can be programmed to self-morph into complex 3D shapes. In the future, this technique could be used to make furniture or other wooden products that could be shipped flat to a destination and then dried to form the desired final shape. A video on the research is available at www.acs.org/printingwood.

Eran Sharon, Ph.D.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Doron Kam
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Wind turbine blades could someday be recycled into sweet treats
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time 

Wind power is an increasingly popular form of renewable energy. However, when it’s time to replace the huge turbine blades that convert wind into electricity, disposal is a problem. Now, scientists report a new composite resin suitable for making these behemoths that could later be recycled into new turbine blades or a variety of other products, including countertops, car taillights, diapers and even gummy bears.

John Dorgan, Ph.D.
Michigan State University

Detecting nanoplastics in the air
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Large pieces of plastic can break down into nanosized particles that often find their way into the soil and water. Perhaps less well known is that they can also float in the air. It’s unclear how nanoplastics impact human health, but animal studies suggest they’re potentially harmful. As a step toward better understanding the prevalence of airborne nanoplastics, researchers have developed a sensor that detects these particles and determines the types, amounts and sizes of the plastics using colorful carbon dot films.

Raz Jelinek, Ph.D.
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

                                          

Wednesday, Aug. 24, posting by 10 a.m. Eastern Time                                                           

Cooking up mealworms into a tasty, healthful, ‘meat-like’ seasoning
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Beetle larvae, such as mealworms, are often considered to be creepy, crawly nuisances. But these insects are edible and could be a healthful alternative to traditional meat protein sources. Today, researchers report that they’ve cooked up mealworms with sugar, creating a “meat-like” flavoring. It could someday be used in convenience foods as a tasty source of extra protein.

In Hee Cho, Ph.D.
Wonkwang University

Exposing what’s in tattoo ink
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

From life-like faces to elaborate nature scenes, tattoos are a true art form. Although people have decorated their bodies for millennia for ceremonial and religious reasons, many people today adorn themselves with these images as a form of self-expression. But the inks used for tattoos are unregulated in the U.S., resulting in products whose components are largely a mystery. Now, researchers have analyzed almost 100 inks and report that even when these products include an ingredient label, the lists often aren’t accurate. The team also detected small particles that could be harmful to cells.

John Swierk, Ph.D.
Binghamton University (State University of New York)

The chemical secrets behind vanilla’s allure
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

From ice cream to lattes, vanilla is one of the most popular spices in the world. It’s also one of the most labor-intensive to produce, and shortcuts lead to a less tasty product. Today, scientists report a profile of 20 key chemicals found in vanilla bean extracts, including several previously unknown ones, that together create vanilla’s complex and enjoyable flavor. The work could help manufacturers and farmers develop better-tasting vanilla and improve quick-curing methods. 

Diana Paola Forero-Arcila, Ph.D.
The Ohio State University

Devin Peterson, Ph.D.
The Ohio State University

 

ACS Fall 2022 will be a vaccination-required and mask-recommended event for all attendees, exhibitors, vendors and ACS staff who plan to participate in-person in Chicago. For detailed information about the requirement and all ACS safety measures, please visit the ACS website.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

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Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

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