Michael Long

295 posts · 161,346 views

I received a PhD in analytical chemistry in Sep 2005, completed postdoctoral research in Jun 2007, and taught chemistry survey and organic chemistry from Sep 2009 - May 2010. I am currently a freelance technical science editor. Phased presents science journalism written for a lay audience. My goal is to discuss technical content (from the technical journals) without sacrificing readability. The topical focus is diverse, but tends to focus on chemistry, technology, and cell biology.

Phased
295 posts

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  • May 23, 2009
  • 03:30 PM
  • 702 views

BIO/MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES: Color-Based Detection of Calcium Ions in Blood Serum

by Michael Long in Phased

Sangyong Jon (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology,

South Korea) and coworkers have developed a practically-useful

assay for calcium ions, for disease diagnostics purposes.

This news feature was written on May 23, 2009.... Read more »

  • May 22, 2009
  • 12:00 PM
  • 661 views

BIO/MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES: Improved Synthesis of Chiral Fluoride Molecules

by Michael Long in Phased

Karl Jorgensen (Aarhus University, Denmark) and coworkers

have developed an improved synthetic protocol for a class of

molecules that are otherwise particularly challenging to prepare,

which are of wide-ranging biochemical and pharmaceutical utility.

This news feature was written on May 22, 2009.... Read more »

Jiang, H., Falcicchio, A., Jensen, K. L., Paixão, M. W., Bertelsen, S., & Jørgensen, K. A. (2009) Target-Directed Organocatalysis: A Direct Asymmetric Catalytic Approach to Chiral Propargylic and Allylic Fluorides. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131(20), 7153-7157. DOI: 10.1021/ja901459z  

  • May 21, 2009
  • 06:30 PM
  • 554 views

PUBLIC HEALTH: Combating Copper Toxicity

by Michael Long in Phased

Pascale Delangle (Institute for Nanoscience

and Cryogenics, France) and coworkers have synthesized a

copper-binding molecule that may be useful for treating

disorders related to copper toxicity.

This news feature was written on May 21, 2009.... Read more »

Pujol, A. M., Gateau, C., Lebrun, C., & Delangle, P. (2009) A Cysteine-Based Tripodal Chelator with a High Affinity and Selectivity for Copper(I). Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131(20), 6928-6929. DOI: 10.1021/ja901700a  

  • May 19, 2009
  • 02:00 PM
  • 446 views

ECOLOGY: Dry Mangroves are Nonideal for Long-Term Water Treatment

by Michael Long in Phased

Catherine Lovelock (University of Queensland, Australia)

and coworkers have shown that mangroves are ideal wastewater filters

only if they are regularly inundated with tides;

otherwise, wastewater places them at enhanced risk of mortality.

This news feature was written on May 19, 2009.... Read more »

Lovelock, C. E., Ball, M. C., Martin, K. C., & Feller, I. C. (2009) Nutrient Enrichment Increases Mortality of Mangroves. PLoS ONE, 4(5). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005600  

  • May 18, 2009
  • 05:00 PM
  • 655 views

BIO/MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES: Degradable High-Affinity Delivery Vehicles for Gene Therapy

by Michael Long in Phased

David Smith (University of York, United Kingdom)

and coworkers have synthesized polymers that form strong

chemical bonds with DNA, yet degrade over time, which enhances

their utility as possible DNA delivery vehicles for gene therapy.

This news feature was written on May 18, 2009.... Read more »

  • May 17, 2009
  • 03:00 PM
  • 593 views

ECOLOGY: Helping Bumble Bees Adapt to an Increasingly Urban World

by Michael Long in Phased

Karin Ahrne (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)

and coworkers have explored the factors governing the

diversity, abundance, species composition, and uniform

pollination capacity of bumble bees, which is important

for ensuring the continuation of their critically important

role in pollination.

This news feature was written on May 17, 2009.... Read more »

  • May 16, 2009
  • 02:30 PM
  • 595 views

BIO/MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES: A Rapid Fluorescence-Based Thiol Quantitation Assay

by Michael Long in Phased

Zhen Xi (Nankai University, China) and coworkers

have developed a rapid assay for thiol molecules, which are

implicated in many healthy and diseased cellular functions.

This news feature was written on May 16, 2009.... Read more »

  • May 15, 2009
  • 12:30 PM
  • 634 views

PUBLIC HEALTH: A Fluorescence-Based Sensor for Lead

by Michael Long in Phased

Partha Basu (Duquesne University, Pennsylvania)

and coworkers have synthesized a molecule that enables lead ion

detection at concentrations below that permitted by

environmental regulations.

This news feature was written on May 15, 2009.... Read more »

Marbella, L., Serli-Mitasev, B., & Basu, P. (2009) Development of a Fluorescent Pb2 Sensor . Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 48(22), 3996-3998. DOI: 10.1002/anie.200806297  

  • May 14, 2009
  • 07:30 PM
  • 860 views

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: Converting Biomass into a Stable Fuel

by Michael Long in Phased

Yuan Kou (Peking University, China), Johannes Lercher

(Technische Universitat Munchen, Germany), and coworkers

have synthesized stable carbon-based fuels from

renewable resources.

This news feature was written on May 14, 2009.... Read more »

Zhao, C., Kou, Y., Lemonidou, A. A., Li, X., & Lercher, J. A. (2009) Highly Selective Catalytic Conversion of Phenolic Bio-Oil to Alkanes. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 48(22), 3987-3990. DOI: 10.1002/anie.200900404  

  • May 12, 2009
  • 07:30 PM
  • 843 views

ASTRONOMY: Towards Detecting Photosynthesis on Other Worlds

by Michael Long in Phased

William Sparks (Space Telescope

Science Institute, Maryland) and coworkers have probed the

feasibility of detecting photosynthesis through

astronomical observations, aiding the long-term search for

extraterrestrial life.

This news feature was written on May 12, 2009.... Read more »

Sparks, W. B., Hough, J., Germer, T. A., Chen, F., DasSarma, S., DasSarma, P., Robb, F. T., Manset, N., Kolokolova, L., Reid, N.... (2009) Detection of circular polarization in light scattered from photosynthetic microbes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(19), 7816-7821. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0810215106  

  • May 11, 2009
  • 01:00 PM
  • 564 views

NEUROSCIENCE: Nitric Oxide Modulates the Sense of Smell

by Michael Long in Phased

Christian Wetzel (Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Germany)

and coworkers have shown that the highly reactive small molecule

nitric oxide plays a role in the sense of smell in adult mice.

This news feature was written on May 11, 2009.... Read more »

Brunert, D., Kurtenbach, S., Isik, S., Benecke, H., Gisselmann, G., Schuhmann, W., Hatt, H., & Wetzel, C. H. (2009) Odorant-Dependent Generation of Nitric Oxide in Mammalian Olfactory Sensory Neurons. PLoS ONE, 4(5). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005499  

  • May 10, 2009
  • 04:00 PM
  • 520 views

NEGLECTED DISEASES: Australia's Adaptation to Water Scarcity May Spread Disease

by Michael Long in Phased

Nigel Beebe (University of Queensland, Australia)

and coworkers have shown that Dengue fever may make a comeback

in Australia, enabled by the nation's adaptation to water scarcity.

This news feature was written on May 10, 2009.... Read more »

Beebe, N. W., Cooper, R. D., Mottram, P., & Sweeney, A. W. (2009) Australia's Dengue Risk Driven by Human Adaptation to Climate Change. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 3(5). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000429  

  • May 8, 2009
  • 07:00 PM
  • 790 views

NEUROSCIENCE: Selectively Imaging Alzheimer's-Related Protein Aggregates

by Michael Long in Phased

Itaru Hamachi (Kyoto University, Japan) and coworkers

have imaged neurofibrillary tangles, in preference to senile plaques,

in brain tissue samples, with a cheap synthetic fluorescent molecule.

This news feature was written on May 8, 2009.... Read more »

  • May 8, 2009
  • 02:30 PM
  • 653 views

PUBLIC HEALTH: Rapid Live Bacterial Diagnostics

by Michael Long in Phased

A group of scientists from Taiwan, lead by Chi-Hung Lin,

have rapidly identified and screened living bacteria for

antibiotic resistance, using surface enhanced Raman scattering.

This news feature was written on May 8, 2009.... Read more »

  • May 7, 2009
  • 02:00 PM
  • 637 views

ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION: On-Location Nitrite and Nitrate Pollutant Detection

by Michael Long in Phased

Chad Mirkin (Northwestern University) and coworkers

have developed an assay for nitrite and nitrate pollutants

that is useful for environmental monitoring in remote locations.

This news feature was written on May 7, 2009.... Read more »

Daniel, W. L., Han, M. S., Lee, J.-S., & Mirkin, C. A. (2009) Colorimetric Nitrite and Nitrate Detection with Gold Nanoparticle Probes and Kinetic End Points. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131(18), 6362-6363. DOI: 10.1021/ja901609k  

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