Monthly Archives: May 2009

Molecular Search

Posted by David Bradley on May 29, 2009 Comments Off

Searching the web for molecules is nigh on impossible. Sure, there are database tools like Chemspider and PubChem out there. And, micro-applets like da InChI code will help you solve the puzzle, but much, much more still remains hidden it …

Read more »

Malaria Drug Fail

Posted by spinneret on May 29, 2009 1 comment

The BBC reports today that malaria has started to evolve resistance to the artemesinin family of drugs that are used as the world’s front-line defense against the most prevalent and deadly form of the disease. Artemesinin emerged from a Chinese …

Read more »

Carbon Dioxide Solution

Posted by David Bradley on May 18, 2009 19 comments

Have you heard of the Stenger Wasas Process (SWAP)? Apparently, it’s an exothermic reaction (produces heat) that takes place between carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide and “eliminates” both. It operates over a secret heterogeneous catalyst that is apparently readily available …

Read more »

RSC Swallows a ChemSpider

Posted by David Bradley on May 12, 2009 Comments Off

Chemspider.com, the chemicals search site of which my Spinneret blog is a part, has been acquired by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Chemspider kicked up a storm when it launched, assimilating millions of molecules, structures and associated data within a …

Read more »

Echinacea and Swine Flu

Posted by David Bradley on May 8, 2009 16 comments

As a follow up to my earlier post about alternative medicine and influenza, I did a little more probing among immunologist contacts of contacts. There are several facts to consider if you’re thinking of taking echinacea to help protect you …

Read more »

Alt Meds and Swine Flu

Posted by David Bradley on May 6, 2009 2 comments

A physician friend asked me to look into the question of how to advise patients presenting with flu symptoms who had talked of taking alternative medicine supplements, such as echinacea. In the same breath he mentioned zinc supplements and selenium. …

Read more »