The word used by multiple U.S. officials whove been involved in contingency planning for such an attack for at least a month is proportional, meaning America and its allies intend to respond in a manner befitting the potential war crime.

Instead, some suggested America and its allies could impose further sanctions on Moscow or further bolster Ukraines defenses with advanced weaponry. Biden aides have also speculated that the use of chemical weapons may be the final impetus for European nations to stop importing Russian energy, funds for which have fueled Putins war machine and filled his countrys coffers.

Before doing any of that, the first step is to confirm a Ukrainian military groups charge that Russia on Monday deployed a chemical substance in Mariupol. The Azov regiment, a frontline fighting unit that has fought Russia in the Donbas since 2014 and has been tied to neo-Nazi groups and white supremacists, said Russian troops dropped a chemical weapon from a drone and poisoned at least three people, though the group said the affected soldiers are not facing disastrous health effects. If true, thatd be the first known use of chemical weapons in the war since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

U.S. and European officials have yet to substantiate the accusation. Experts say a preliminary assessment could be made using photos or videos, if they exist, while U.S. or Western officials on the ground collect samples for more conclusive verification. Ukraine could also invite the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a global watchdog headquartered in the Netherlands, to send a rapid-response team to the site for investigation.

Officials cautioned Tuesday that such a determination may not be imminent. It may take some time to assess if chemical weapons were used, just as it did during the conflict in Syria back in 2013.

Theres no independent verification in that area, so its likely to be a long time, a European official told POLITICO. There are a host of difficulties in verifying the claims, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Tuesday. These are difficult things to prove even when you are more proximate, and we are not.

Additionally, U.S. officials raised questions about the credibility of the Azov regiment, noting that the far-right group might be eager to provoke a larger confrontation. They also noted that Ukrainian officials, who have been quick to accuse Russia of atrocities, have not definitively declared that illicit weapons were used.

To that point, during his Monday address Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not confirm chemical weapons had been deployed, but did say he took the recent threat of their use in Mariupol by Russian-backed separatists as seriously as possible. But Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the minister of Internal Affairs in Ukraine, hours beforehand tweeted that Chemical weapons are used in Mariupol.

Ned Price, the State Department spokesperson, told CNN hours later that the U.S. is working with Ukraine to try and determine what exactly has transpired here. British foreign minister Liz Truss added on Twitter that, Any use of such weapons would be a callous escalation in this conflict and we will hold Putin and his regime to account.

The U.S. has long warned that Russia might launch chemical weapons in Ukraine, prompting Biden to tell reporters in Europe last month that his administration would act swiftly if Putins troops went that far. The nature of the response would depend on the nature of the use, he said, adding it would trigger a response in kind.

Its unclear as of now what the administration deems a proportional response to the alleged chemical weapons use in Mariupol. Publicly, Western officials condemn the use of all chemical weapons. But privately they acknowledge that there is a wide-range of lethality in such weapons in other words, that theres a big difference between a canister of chlorine and a sarin bomb dropped on a school. More severe consequences, they note, would be doled out in response to the potential use of more dangerous weapons.

What is clear, though, is that some response seems imminent were the international community to verify the Azov regiments accusation. Any confirmed use of prohibited chemical weapons would trigger severe consequences for Russia, said Andrew Weber, formerly the Pentagons top nuclear, biological and chemical weapons official during the Obama years.

The current moment echoes former-President Barack Obamas red line in Syria, in which he pledged that chemical weapons use by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would trigger a U.S. response.

A year after Obamas infamous remark, Assads forces killed more than 1,400 people with sarin gas. In response, then-Vice President Biden promised a crowd at the American Legion that those who use chemical weapons against defenseless men, women and children should and must be held accountable.

Ultimately, the Obama administration struck a deal with Russia to remove 600 metric tons of Syrias chemical stockpile. Biden praised that decision at the time, crediting the White House for moving the world to act in the face of a fundamental violation of human rights. But the merits of the deal were soon thrown into doubt when Syrian forces oversaw additional chemical attacks in 2017 and 2018.

In response to those assaults, then president Donald Trump authorized strikes on Syrian targets.

We cannot allow atrocities like that, he said ahead of the second response.

Those strikes were largely symbolic responses. In the first instance, the Trump administration fired missiles at a Syrian air base from which planes had dropped the chemical weapons but gave advance notice to Russia to keep assets away from the targets. In so doing, it didnt ignite a larger global conflict, but it also didnt destroy the entirety of Syrias chemical weapons program.

Current administration officials insist that the situation is dramatically different now and that Biden has made no such red-line declaration either.

Striking Russia would be far more dangerous than hitting Syrian government targets. Moscow, armed with the worlds largest nuclear arsenal and advanced cyber capabilities, could respond in a way that escalates the conflict outside of Ukraines borders. As such, what is being considered now as a response to a confirmed chemical weapons attack are new sanctions, more weapons shipments to Ukraine or even a cyberattack.

We will select the form and nature of our response based on the nature of the action Russia takes, and well do so in coordination with our allies. And weve communicated to the Russians that there will be a severe price if Russia uses chemical weapons, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in March, backing Bidens comments.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated the name of Anton Gerashchenko.

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Team Biden scrambles to respond to claims of Russia chemical weapon use - POLITICO

Immediately after Sacramentos 132-119 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kings point guard DeAaron Fox spotted then newly acquired big man Domantas Sabonis and wrapped his arms around him in a heartfelt embrace.

The emotion was palpable for everyone in the arena and watching on TV, but especially for Fox, who, in his five years in Sacramento, appeared to have the running mate he needed to help him end the franchises historic playoff draught.

Sabonis finished that game with 22 points, 14 rebounds and five assists while Fox added 27 points and eight boards in the duos first outing following the blockbuster trade at the deadline.

Fox gushed about his new teammate to the media afterwards, likening Sabonis strength to that of an Ox, immediately sparking a new nickname for the dynamic duo.

The Fox and the Ox followed that performance up with another 13-point win this time over the Washington Wizards that saw Sabonis record a near triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and Fox put up 26 points and four dimes.

It was just the sixth time this past season that the Kings won back-to-back games, and the team appeared to finally have the foundation to build something special in Sacramento.

Unfortunately, the duo was only able to log 11 more games together before injuries marred both their seasons, thus sinking Sacramentos hopes of snapping its playoff drought.

But it was clear in the just 13 games total they played together, that both players benefitted from the ability to play off the other. In the 11 games following the wins over Washington and Minnesota, Fox put up some of his best numbers of the season, averaging 28.1 points on 52% shooting to go with 6.8 assists.

Obviously, a guy like that, he takes a lot of pressure off of you because hes such a dynamic roller, a guy that can post up, Fox told the media in his end-of-season press conference. Ive always talked about how Im seeing the best defenders every night. But we talked about how he screens, the way he passes. He opens up a lot more opportunity.

I think I score pretty well off the dribble, but just being able to just have him out there and guys that know how to play and move, something we obviously need to do more of, but it just opens up and gives a wider range of opportunities to make plays and to score.

Sabonis was a walking double-double before he arrived in Sacramento and continued that trend in a Kings jersey. He put up 17.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and nearly six assists per game in his 13 outings with Fox.

And while their seasons were cut short, both players understand the magnitude of their pairing heading into next year.

I love playing with him. Those [13] games were great. We didnt get as much as we wanted to play together but were going to have a long offseason, see if we can get together and get some workouts in, have training camp. Im just excited for next year. Were going to go through the whole, normal process not getting traded in the middle of the season. So, Im excited for that.

This offseason will be pivotal for the development of Fox and Sabonis as the foundation of Sacramentos future, but even more so for a team that added six new players at the last years trade deadline.

Fox and Sabonis are the foundation, but two players cant do it alone. Theyll need continued support from Harrison Barnes and new additions Donte DiVincenzo and Trey Lyles, who both proved to be valuable over the second half of the season, as well as ever-improving rookie Davion Mitchell and up-and-coming role players Damian Jones and Chimezie Metu.

Its difficult to build that chemistry in-season though, so Fox has already started brainstorming ways to get the team together this summer so they can hit the ground running come October.

Probably half the NBA spends the offseason in LA. I think a guys will make their way there just to try to get some weeks in together, working out, Fox said. Just being around each other, I think thats what builds chemistry. Thats already [something] weve talked about from GMs down and players just trying to be around each other this summer. So those things are definitely in the works.

Sabonis, who has been a member of four playoff teams during his six-year NBA career, echoed the same sentiment as Fox when it comes to putting in the work to build chemistry on the court.

It still takes time to play off one another and we had six new players out there playing with everybody. Thats why Im excited for the summer, Sabonis said. Were going to get together as a group and try and build on things early before training camp even starts, and I think thats going to help a lot.

The more we play with one another, the more we get a feel for each other. We have a lot of time out there and everybody has that fire and passion that wants to play, so thats half of the job done. So, we just have to make it work together.

The Kings will undoubtedly be a different team when they step on the court for the 2022-23 season simply based off the fact theyll have a full Training Camp to set offensive and defensive principles.

But its clear this team will only go as far as Fox and Sabonis take them. That starts with the teams two best players developing chemistry and building a bond that brings out the best in one another on the court.

He already had the role of leader on this team but he kind of stepped up and had the ball more in his hands, Sabonis said. I was out there to help him get open and attract more attention and he just took advantage of it.

He was great at making shots, anytime we needed a bucket he was there to do it. Pushing the pace, talking on defense he really showed a side I didnt know he had and that makes me really excited for next year.

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Fox and Sabonis Eager to Build Chemistry in First Offseason Together | Sacramento Kings - NBA.com

(Adds separatists' denial, Mariupol city council)

KYIV, April 12 (Reuters) - Ukraine is checking unverified information that Russia may have used chemical weapons while besieging the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said on Tuesday.

"There is a theory that these could be phosphorous munitions," Malyar said in televised comments, adding: "Official information will come later."

Russia's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Russia-backed separatist forces trying to wrest complete control of Mariupol denied using chemical weapons in comments carried by Russian news agency Interfax.

Mariupol's city council wrote on the Telegram messaging service that it was not yet possible to examine the area where the poisonous substance had allegedly been used because of enemy fire. It added that the city's civilian population had minimal contact with the unspecified poison but that Ukrainian soldiers had come into closer contact with it and were now being observed for possible symptoms.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned on Monday that Russia could use chemical weapons in Ukraine.

Britain and the United States have said they are aware of reports that Russia may have already used chemical agents in Mariupol. Britain said it was working with partners to verify the reports.

Russia has previously accused Ukraine of preparing to use chemical weapons, without providing evidence.

Last month the Kremlin said U.S. talk of Russia using such weapons was a tactic to divert attention away from awkward questions for Washington.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands and displaced millions. Moscow calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" to destroy Ukraine's military capabilities and capture what it views as dangerous nationalists, but Ukraine and the West say Russia launched an unprovoked war of aggression.

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv and Guy Faulconbridge in London Writing by Alexander Winning Editing by Gareth Jones)

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UPDATE 1-Ukraine says checking unverified information that Russia used chemical weapons in Mariupol - Yahoo Finance

Putin and Lukashenko have a new false narrative about the atrocities in Bucha

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko during their meeting in Sochi on February 22, 2021.

ALEXEI DRUZHININ | AFP | Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his closest ally, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, are promoting a new false narrative about who's to blame for the murders, rapes and torture of hundreds of civilians in Bucha, Ukraine.

They insist it was not Russian soldiers who went on a month-long rampage of looting and killing, even as witnesses, satellite imagery and forensic evidence have suggested otherwise.

The real culprits are British operatives who conducted a "psychological special operation" in the leafy suburb of Kyiv, Lukashenko claims without evidence.

Lukashenko and Putin spoke at a space launch facility in Vostochny, in Russia's Far East. It was Putin's first public appearance outside of Moscow since Russia launched its brutal Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

The British Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Chelsea Ong

A "trade rupture" between Germany and Russia could set off a macro financial shock, S&P Global's chief economist said.

German manufacturing one of three global manufacturing centers besides the U.S. and China could be dented as a result of the rupture, Paul Gruenwald told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia."

"Looking at a downside scenario there's kind of several different ways to play that but we think the one that would really move the macro needle is some sort of trade rupture between Russia and Europe,"

"That would feed through to ... lower GDP, lower employment, lower confidence and then we would get a kind of a macro financial shock out of that. So that's the sort of scenario we're worried about that could move the needle," he warned.

Weizhen Tan

U.S. President Joe Biden boards Air Force One on travel to Iowa at the Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, April 12, 2022.

Alexander Drago | Reuters

President Joe Biden says the mounting evidence of atrocities committed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine is starting to look to him like something worse than isolated war crimes. It looks like genocide, the president said.

"I called it genocide because it has become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out the idea of even being able to be Ukrainian," Biden said late Tuesday evening.

"The evidence is mounting. It looks different than last week. More evidence is coming out literally of the horrible things that the Russians have done in Ukraine," he said.

Hours earlier, Biden had shocked the world by calling Putin's war a "genocide" for the first time.

Speaking at an event about inflation in Iowa, Biden said to the audience, "Your family budget, your ability to fill up your tank, none of it should hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide a half a world away."

A White House adviser quickly went on TV to clarify that Biden's words did not reflect a change in U.S. policy towards Ukraine.

Biden acknowledged that the legal definition of "genocide" was separate from his impression of what's going on in Ukraine.

Nonetheless, the president did not revise his initial assessment. "We're going to only learn more and more about the devastation, and we'll let the lawyers decide internationally whether or not it qualifies" as a genocide under international law. "But it sure seems that way to me," said Biden.

The statement drew immediate praise from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who tweeted at Biden moments after he spoke on the tarmac.

Christina Wilkie

U.S. President Joe Biden addresses the North Americas Building Trades Unions (NABTU) Legislative Conference in Washington, U.S., Aprl 6, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

PresidentJoe Bidenon Tuesday called Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions inUkraine"genocide."

In remarks in Iowa, the president blamed Putin for recentprice hikesat the pump. "Your family budget, your ability to fill up your tank, none of it should hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide half a world away," said Biden.

The president had stopped short on April 5 of calling the atrocities in Bucha a genocide, when asked by reporters whether Russian actions there fit that definition. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said then that the killings documented so far in Ukraine did not rise to the level of "genocide" as defined by the U.S. government.

The State Department has a lengthy internal process for determining if mass killing amounts to genocide, including collecting evidence over a period of time.

NBC News

Russian soldiers patrol the Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was hit by an airstrike on March 16.

Editor's note: These pictures was taken during a trip organized by the Russian military.

A Russian soldier patrols the Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was hit March 16 by an airstrike, on April 12, 2022 in Mariupol, as Russian troops intensify a campaign to take the strategic port city, part of an anticipated massive onslaught across eastern Ukraine. Editor's note: This picture was taken during a trip organized by the Russian military.

Alexander Nemenov | AFP | Getty Images

A Russian soldier patrols the Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was hit March 16 by an airstrike, on April 12, 2022 in Mariupol. Editor's note: This picture was taken during a trip organized by the Russian military.

Alexander Nemenov | AFP | Getty Images

A Russian soldier collects weapons found while patrolling at the Mariupol drama theatre, hit last March 16 by an airstrike, on April 12, 2022 in Mariupol. Editor's note: This picture was taken during a trip organized by the Russian military.

Alexander Nemenov | AFP | Getty Images

A Russian soldier patrols the Mariupol drama theatre, hit March 16 by an airstrike, on April 12, 2022 in Mariupol, as Russian troops intensify a campaign to take the strategic port city. Editor's note: This picture was taken during a trip organized by the Russian military.

Alexander Nemenov | AFP | Getty Images

The Russian flag displayed on a laptop screen with binary code code overlaying.

Nurphoto | Getty Images

Russian military hackers tried and failed to attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure last week, the country's government and a major cybersecurity company said Tuesday.

The attack was designed to infiltrate computers connected to multiple substations, then delete all files, which would shut that infrastructure down, according to Ukraine'ssummaryof the incident.

ESET, a Slovakia-based cybersecurity company working to help secure Ukrainian infrastructure, said in asummary of the attackthat it was conducted by the same arm of Russia's military intelligence agency, GRU, that had previously successfully executed similar attacks in 2014 and 2015.

In both of those incidents, some residents of Kyivtemporarily lost power.

NBC News

President Zelenskyy posted on social media a photo of Viktor Medvedchuk with "A special operation was carried out thanks to the SBU. Well done! Details later. Glory to Ukraine!" Written underneath.

Courtesy: Office of Presidency of Ukraine

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the apparent capture of Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Kremlin politician who was living in Ukraine under house arrest on treason charges but allegedly escaped shortly after Russia launched its invasion.

"A special operation was carried out thanks to the SBU," Zelenskyy wrote in Russian on his verified account on the social media platform Telegram, referencing Ukraine's Security Service. "Well done! Details later. Glory to Ukraine!"

Above that caption, Zelenskyy posted a photo showing a disheveled Medvedchuk seated by a radiator with his hands clasped in handcuffs.

Medvedchuk was the
leader of a pro-Russian opposition party in Ukraine and a staunch opponent of Kyiv's appeals to join NATO.

Kevin Breuninger

A satellite image shows armoured vehicles at the northern end of a military convoy moving south through the Ukrainian town of Velykyi Burluk, Ukraine, April 8, 2022.

Maxar Technologies | Reuters

A senior U.S. Defense official told reporters on a call that a new convoy of Russian vehicles is approximately 37 miles north of Izyum, in eastern Ukraine.

The town of Izyum lies on a major road between Kharkiv and the Russian-separatists areas of Luhansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to share new details from U.S. intelligence reports, said the Pentagon believes the miles-longconvoy is working to resupply Russian forces.

Satellite images of the convoy emerged as the Kremlin appears to reorient its war in Ukraine to the east after failing to seize Kyiv.

A satellite image shows armoured vehicles and trucks at the southern end of a military convoy moving south through the Ukrainian town of Velykyi Burluk, Ukraine, April 8, 2022. Picture taken April 8, 2022.

Maxar Technologies | Reuters

"We do assess that it's moving but not at breakneck speed," the official said, adding that it was not clear how many vehicles are in the convoy and how fast it is traveling.

The official added that is not entirely clear where the convoy is going but reiterated that Western intelligence reports assess Russia will soon intensify its military campaign in eastern and southern Ukraine.

Amanda Macias

A Russian national flag flies by destroyed buildings in Mariupol on April 12, 2022, as Russian troops intensify a campaign to take the strategic port city, part of an anticipated massive onslaught across eastern Ukraine, while Russia's President makes a defiant case for the war on Russia's neighbour. - *EDITOR'S NOTE: This picture was taken during a trip organized by the Russian military.*

Alexander Nemenov | AFP | Getty Images

The coastal Ukrainian city of Mariupol is taking the brunt of Russia's ongoing siege as Western security officials warn thatthe Kremlin will soon intensify its military campaign there.

"It's obvious that the Russians want Mariupol because of its strategic location," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said, noting that it's a major port city that gives them "unfettered and unhindered land access between the Donbas and Crimea." The two territories are held by Russia and Russian-back separatists.

Kirby said the Pentagon has observed Russian forces focus a lot of their strikes on Mariupol and on the Donbas area.

"I don't have perfect knowledge of every missile or long-range fire that the Russians are firing into Mariupol. It continues to be under attack from airstrikes," Kirby added. Earlier in the day, a senior U.S. Defense official told reporters on a call that since the Kremlin's Feb. 24 invasion, Russian forces have launched more than 1,540 missiles into Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials claimed on Monday that Russian forces have used chemical weapons in Mariupol.

Amanda Macias

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson shake hands before a meeting, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine April 9, 2022.

Ukrainian Presidential Press Service | Reuters

President Joe Biden held a secure 45-minute call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson this morning, just days after Johnson returned from a surprise trip to Ukraine.

Johnson told Biden he was "humbled" by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's "strength and resolve" after meeting the unlikely war hero in Kyiv, according to a Downing Street spokesman.

Johnson also updated the president on Britain's latest package of weapons for Ukraine, which includes the Harpoon anti-ship missile that experts say Ukraine could use to break Russia's blockade of its Black Sea ports.

A White House statement on the call said Biden and Johnson, "welcomed ongoing cooperation with allies and partners to impose severe costs on Russia for its unprovoked and unjustified war."

--- Christina Wilkie

Residential buildings that were damaged during the Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, on April 3, 2022.

Pavel Klimov | Reuters

The Pentagon is not yet able to confirm reports of Russian forces using chemical weapons in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

"We are not on the ground. We don't have perfect visibility. And so we're doing the best we can to try to get get to some better conclusion. We are still actively looking at this," a senior U.S. Defense official said on a call with reporters.

"We know that the Russians have a history of using chemical agents and they have shown a propensity in the past and so we're taking it seriously," the official said, referencing Russian use of chemical weapons in Syria.

On Monday, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby described the reports of a potential chemical munition in Mariupol as "deeply concerning."

"These reports, if true, are deeply concerning and reflective of concerns that we have had about Russia's potential to use a variety of riot control agents, including tear gas mixed with chemical agents, in Ukraine," Kirby wrote in a statement.

Amanda Macias

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak, asked about comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier on Tuesday that peace talks between the two countries were at a dead-end, said negotiations were very hard but they were continuing.

Podolyak also told Reuters that Russia was trying to put pressure on the talks with its public statements and that negotiations were continuing at the level of working sub-groups.

Reuters

Vehicles of the US army are seen at a temporary base installed close to the Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport, south eastern Poland, February 16, 2022.

Wojtek Radwanski | AFP | Getty Images

The $800 million U.S. weapons package approved by the Biden administration last month for the fight in Ukraine is nearly complete, a senior U.S. Defense official confirmed.

"We're very close to finishing it out. We believe we'll be done by the middle of the month and that should, that should close it out. We're also working on the next one, which you know is $100 million for the Javelins," the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said on a call with reporters.

AeroVironment Switchblade 600 Drone

Courtesy: AeroVironment

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Biden calls Putin's actions in Ukraine 'genocide'; Putin warns Russia cannot be isolated from the West - CNBC

Industry 4.0 technologies facilitate a wide variety of innovations in technological transitions, cyber-physical system (CPS) improvement, and commercialization. Industry 4.0's objective is to create intelligent goods through smartmethodologies and procedures. How has the chemical industry adapted to the 'fourth industrial revolution' and implemented Industry 4.0 technologies?

Image Credit:metamorworks/Shutterstock.com

Organizations driven by business processes can employ Industry 4.0 technology exclusively to increase productivity while reducing risk, whereas those engaged in development can implementIndustry 4.0 principlesto produce additional revenue ornovel sources of income.

Industry 4.0 has emerged as a prominent subject in the worldwide economic debate in recent decades. Human demands, commodities, operations, technical processes, and business practices are all being profoundly altered. The application of Sector 4.0 to the chemical industry, dubbed Chemical 4.0 or Chemistry 4.0 (a larger domain), has transformed chemical processes and methodologies. It hasexpediatedthe industry's growth and propels it to anadvancedstage of digitization and manufacturing.

It may be seen as a sectoral idea for capitalizing on the potential presented by emerging technology in the chemical sector. This idea examines the issues of cloud innovation in chemical manufacturing, the use of CPS, andsupply management restructuringby chemical enterprises.

Chemical production is playing an increasingly important role in Industry 4.0 since it is a crucial provider of innovative substances for digitized and intelligent technology. The modernization of chemical production calls for the continuous adoption of three strategiesmainly thetransformation of existing systems, a data-driven operating framework, and a digitized corporate structure.

Industry 4.0 technologies can be utilized by companiesto optimizebusiness operations by digitizing, optimizing manufacturing processes, energy and raw material flow,strengthening position in the marketplace by designing and marketing intelligent systems, implementing collaborative skillsets, and Internet of Things (IoT) strategic implementation,value chain partnership, and exploringnovelways to grow companies with different substances, smart chemicals, and new service capabilities.

Image Credit:Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.com

Industry 4.0allowschemical firms to enhance process controls, venture through knowledge and resourcemanagement, and shorten manufacturingcycles. It ultimately boosts organizational productivity and efficiency. It considerably decreases total quality expenses while maintaining optimum resource usage.

Advanced analytics capabilities are also included in Industry 4.0, which assist chemical firms in tracking trends and encourageinnovative approaches to quality control, decreasing outages as well asnonconformances. With intelligent detection methods enabled by IoT, you can achieve high-quality fabricationin batch or continuous processing.

Furthermore, Industry 4.0 technologies are evolving for better process administration, giving operators greater freedom to monitor instrument data and facility activities. Thismakes it easier for the chemical industry, which is an asset-intensive sector, to continually monitor proper equipment such as rotors, compressors, and extruders in order to determine and forecast any breakdowns. In a nutshell, Industry 4.0 forces chemical makers to swiftly transition from reactive to predictive maintenance.

Although Industry 4.0 implementation has widespread benefits, several challenges and limitations still exist. The implementation challenges of Industry 4.0 technologies may be broadly divided into four categories, including resources and mentorship needs, cyber security issues, physical aspects of the production processes, and software interface standards.

The modeling and transcribing of complex chemical industrial systems, as well as the coupling of modern monitoring and informationsystems with such complex systems, have proven to be technically difficult. Additionally, further limitationsinclude durability and confidentiality of digital IoT systems, forecasting of chemicalmixture characteristics, and conceptual frameworks for modeling sustainable and varying chemical processes with rapidly changing stoichiometric parameters.

The fourth industrial revolution is revealing the hidden opportunities for advances and profitability inherent in the vast array of data streams commonly accessible for processing and analysis, particularly in the Chemical Process Industries (CPI). The use of modern computing systems and networkingled tothe establishment of Process Systems Engineering (PSE) as a distinct subject within the field of chemical engineering.

More from AZoM: Using AI to Reduce IoT Vulnerability

PSE hasthe majority of its activities centered on the use of computational techniques and IoT-based data analytics integrated softwareto advance chemical engineering and chemical facilities. Information obtained from advanced chemical industries, on the other hand, presents a series of obstacles, the majority of which are not commonly encountered in other application areas, necessitating the emergence of new alternatives by the PSE community to provide coherent and robust alternatives to the specialized CPI evaluation objectives.

Shevtsova et. al., in their article published on the IEEE forum, have revealed that the majority of the global top 50 chemical industrial companies have implemented Industry 4.0 for specific purposes. According to the findings of the research, leading European, North American, and Japanese corporations spearheaded the emergenceof innovative solutions, sophisticated materials, and chemicals as part of the Chemicals 4.0 concept's application.

Simultaneously, the great majority of the world's chemical firms did not invent breakthrough technology, but rather improved the current systems. Chemicals 4.0 has highlighted five product development categories that are currently being explored by the chemical industry. 3D printing, precision farming, smart cars, biotechnology, and advanced materials are examples of these.

These focus areas illustrate the exterior aspect of Chemicals 4.0 and provide vivid instances of chemical manufacturing's meaningful impact on the Fourth Industrial Revolution's creative technical breakthroughs. Additionally, the companies have also been able to tackle the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the implementation of Industry 4.0 principles.

To summarize, chemical industries can organize their Industry 4.0 trajectory and determine ways to connect their cyber and physicalassets throughout various levels of the value chain, provided they have a strong grasp of their core strategies. The associated companies must devise ways to integrate these novel advancements in their manufacturing and planning as quickly as possible.

Bellini, Pierfrancesco, et al. 2022. High level control of chemical plant by industry 4.0 solutions.Journal of Industrial Information Integration. 100276. Available at:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452414X2100073X?via%3Dihub

A&D, INDUSTR, 2022. INDUSTRY 4.0 IN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY - CATALYSING OPERATIONS IMPROVEMENT & BUSINESS GROWTH. [Online]Available at: https://www.industr.com/en/industry-in-chemical-industry-catalysing-operations-improvement-2539568

Shevtsova, H., Shvets, N., & Kasatkina, M. 2020. How Leading Global Chemical Companies Contribute to Industry 4.0. In2020 61st International Scientific Conference on Information Technology and Management Science of Riga Technical University (ITMS). 1-6. IEEE. Available at: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9259317

Chemical Industry Journal, How Industry 4.0 is revolutionising the chemicals industry. [Online]Available at: https://www.chemicalindustryjournal.co.uk/industry-4-0-revolutionising-chemicals-industry

Santos A. et. al. 2021. Difficulties and Critical Success
Factors for Implementing Industry 4.0 Technologies in the Continuous Process Chemical Industry.International Journal of Scientific Research and Management. 9(7). 22932311. Available at: https://ijsrm.in/index.php/ijsrm/article/view/3277

Peleg, L. A., 2021. Digital Transformation & Industry 4.0 in the Chemical Industry. [Online]Available at: https://www.precog.co/blog/digital-transformation-industry-4-0-in-the-chemical-industry/

Qualityze, 2022. Will Industry 4.0 Streamline the Chemical Industry Operations?. [Online]Available at: https://qualityze.com/will-industry-4-0-streamline-chemical-industry-operations/

Reis, Marco S., and Pedro M. Saraiva. 2019. DataCentric Process Systems Engineering for the Chemical Industry 4.0.Systems Engineering in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 137-159. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119513957.ch6

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.

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Death on the Nile is now available to buy from online retailers in 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD, and PopCulture.com has an exclusive deleted scene from the thrilling mystery film. In the clip, we see more of the chemistry between Inspector Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) and jazz singer Salome Otterbourne (Sophie Okonedo). The pair runs into one another in an Egyptian marketplace, and spend time discussing Salome's niece/business manager, Rosalie (Letitia Wright) and Jacqueline "Jackie" de Bellefort (Emma Mackey).

The deleted scene offers viewers a deeper insight into the dynamic between Poirot and Salome, with whom the inspector is smitten. At the beginning of the film we find him watching her perform in a London nightclub. Later, the pair end up on the same honeymoon trip for wealthy heiress Linnet Ridgeway-Doyle (Gal Gadot) and Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer). Notably, Poirot had previously noticed Simon with Jackie weeks back while at the London jazz club.

Death on the Nile is a sequel to Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and is based on the renowned 1937 Agatha Christie novel of the same name. The film follows Poirot as he attempts to uncover a murder mystery aboard the S.S. Karnak cruise ship while it floats down the Nile river. The film was directed by Branagh, from a screenplay byMichael Green. Additional cast members include Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Rose Leslie, and Jennifer Saunders.

In a previous interview with Stack, Branagh opened up about why he wanted to return to the role of Inspector Poirot. "I guess we are trying to deepen what we did with Murder on the Orient Express and go produce this entertaining mystery with this incredible group of actors and delve into a dangerous love triangle, which involves this friendship circle. It invites you to work out who do you love and who do you hate and who do you desire?"

Commenting on assessments that the story is one of Christie's most personal, the filmmaker offered, "Yeah, it feels personal and heartfelt. I think that she had her own share of heartache to do with love. So I think all the characters have a relationship to love and to lust. The hunger for sex in Agatha Christie's original story is very powerful, and people are reckless in their pursuit of it. Their greed for physical satisfaction is dangerous to a murderous degree." Death on the Nileis available now to own on Digital retailers such as Prime Video, Vudu/Fandango and Apple, and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & DVD April 5th.

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'Death on the Nile' Exclusive Clip: Inspector Poirot Feels Strong Chemistry With Alluring Character in Deleted Scene - PopCulture.com

Louisianas chemical manufacturing sector could be poised for a booming year, says Rhoman Hardy, senior vice president, U.S. Gulf Coast, Shell Chemicals and Products.

Louisianas industry will benefit from low natural gas prices and rising demand for vehicles and homes and is well-positioned for the transition to a lower-carbon, more sustainable future, according to participants in a webinar hosted today by 10/12 Industry Report and Business Report. But their optimism was tempered by concerns about inflation and companies supply chains.

Our outlook for chemical production is really the best weve seen in several years, says Martha Gilchrist Moore, chief economist with the American Chemistry Council.

Meeting the industrys customer demands for a lower carbon footprint will require emphasizing efficiency and renewable energy while scaling up existing technologies and developing new ones, says David Yankovitz, chemical practice leader with Deloitte. He says some companies have set up supply chain war rooms focused on the three main challenges: supply shortages, labor availability, and transportation and logistics.

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Louisiana chemical production outlook best weve seen in several years - Greater Baton Rouge Business Report

DUNEDIN, Fla. From the opposing dugout last year, Matt Chapman saw something special in the Blue Jays.

I noticed that they had a lot of fun together. It seemed like all of them really pulled for each other, said Chapman, now standing outside the Blue Jays clubhouse at TD Ballpark as a member of the team. You see guys that are really talented and have a lot of individual success.

At the same time, rooting just as hard for their teammates and theyre watching their at-bats, theyre paying attention, theyre excited for their teammates. I picked up on that, I picked up on their energy.

From the West Coast, Yusei Kikuchi, while suiting up for the Seattle Mariners, noticed the Blue Jays unique celebrations. The thing that they had with the suit after the home runs, that looked like a lot of fun, he said through his translator Kevin Ando after finishing a spring training start.

Even after just being around the team for a few weeks, Kevin Gausman picked up on how the Blue Jays carried themselves. Theyre all pretty close and nobody takes themselves too seriously, he said while at his locker in the Blue Jays spring training complex. It makes for a fun environment.

Across the industry, fun is the word often used to describe these Blue Jays. Its understandable why.

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How the Blue Jays created their good vibes and good chemistry: 'We're just going to keep balling' - The Athletic

LVIV, Ukraine, April 12 (Reuters) - Ukraine on Tuesday said it arrested the Kremlin's most prominent ally in the country as Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his strongest signal yet the war will grind on, warning peace talks were at a dead end.

In February, Ukraine said Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of the Opposition Platform - For Life party, escaped from house arrest after the authorities opened a treason case against him.

The pro-Russian figure, who says Putin is godfather to his daughter, has denied wrongdoing. On Tuesday a spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

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"Pro-Russian traitors and agents of the Russian intelligence services, remember - your crimes have no statute of limitations," Ukraine's security service posted on Facebook alongside a photo of Medvedchuk in handcuffs.

Operatives "conducted this lightning-fast and dangerous multi-level special operation", the head of the organisation Ivan Bakanov said.

A Kremlin spokesman was cited by the Tass news agency as saying he had seen the photo and could not say whether it was genuine.

Hours earlier Putin used his first public comments on the conflict in more than a week to insist Russia will "rhythmically and calmly" continue its operation, citing the need to achieve goals on security.

"That Blitzkrieg on which our foes were counting did not work," he said, batting aside the impact of sanctions and warning that on-and-off peace talks were in a "dead-end situation." read more

But he frequently seemed to ramble or stammer. Only occasionally did he adopt the icy, confident demeanour that has been his trademark in public appearances over more than 22 years as Russia's leader.

Putin, who had been ubiquitous on Russian television in the early days of the war, had largely retreated from public view since Russia's withdrawal from northern Ukraine two weeks ago.

On Monday he met the visiting chancellor of Austria.

But the meeting was held at a country residence outside Moscow and no images were released, a contrast from talks with Western leaders on the eve of the war, when they were pictured seated at opposite ends of a huge table in the ornate Kremlin palace.

MARIUPOL DENOUEMENT

Moscow's nearly seven-week long incursion, the biggest attack on a European state since 1945, has seen more than 4.6 million people flee abroad, killed or injured thousands and led to Russia's near total isolation on the world stage.

Russia says it launched what it calls a "special military operation" on Feb. 24 to demilitarise and "denazify" Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies reject that as a false pretext.

Russian tanks pulled out of northern Ukraine after failing in what the West believes was a mission to swiftly capture the capital Kyiv.

Rescuers search for bodies under the rubble of a building destroyed by Russian shelling, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Borodyanka, Kyiv region, Ukraine April 11, 2022. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

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Many of the towns they left behind were littered with the bodies of civilians killed in what Kyiv says was a campaign of murder, torture and rape.

Moscow denies targeting civilians or carrying out war crimes.

Russia says its campaign now aims to capture more territory on behalf of separatists in two eastern provinces, a region known as the Donbas. It includes Mariupol port, which has been reduced to a wasteland under Russian siege.

Ukraine says tens of thousands of civilians have been trapped inside that city with no way to bring in food or water, and accuses Russia of blocking aid convoys.

The battle for Mariupol appeared on Tuesday to be reaching a decisive phase, with Ukrainian marines holed up in the Azovstal industrial district. Reuters journalists accompanying Russian-backed separatists saw flames billowing from the Azovstal district.

Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which includes Mariupol, said he had seen incident reports on possible chemical weapons use in the city but could not confirm them.

"We know that last night around midnight a drone dropped some so-far unknown explosive device, and the people that were in and around the Mariupol metal plant, there were three people, they began to feel unwell," he told CNN.

They were taken to hospital and their lives were not in danger, he said.

Late on Tuesday, Ukraine said its forces in the east had beaten off six Russian attacks, destroying two vehicles and three artillery systems as well as shooting down a helicopter and two drones. Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

NEW ASSAULT

Zelenskiy had said on Monday that Russia may resort to chemical weapons as it massed troops for a new assault. He did not say if they actually had been used. The United States and Britain said they were trying to verify the reports.

Chemical weapons production, use and stockpiling is banned under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention.

Russia's defence ministry has not responded to a Reuters request for comment. Russian-backed separatist forces in the east denied using chemical weapons in Mariupol, the Interfax news agency reported.

After their troops got bogged down in the face of Ukrainian resistance, the Russians abandoned their bid to capture the capital Kyiv. But they are redoubling efforts in the east, including Donetsk and the neighbouring Luhansk region, where Governor Serhiy Gaidai urged residents to evacuate.

"It's far more scary to remain and burn in your sleep from a Russian shell," he wrote on social media. "Evacuate, with every day the situation is getting worse. Take your essential items and head to the pickup point."

Zelenskiy pleaded overnight for more weapons from the West to help it end the siege of Mariupol and fend off the expected eastern offensive.

"Unfortunately we are not getting as much as we need to end this war faster ... in particular, to lift the blockade of Mariupol," he said.

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Reporting by Reuters bureausWriting by Peter Graff and Costas PitasEditing by Andrew Cawthorne and Grant McCool

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Putin's top ally in Ukraine arrested, say authorities - Reuters

The No. 6 Michigan mens tennis team continued its streak of dominance with a 4-0 win over Purdue on Saturday. But within the excellence that led to yet another shutout match, something stood out. Something new.

Two players who previously hadnt played much freshmen Patorn Hanchaikul and Will Cooksey both shined. Cooksey was paired with graduate student Nick Beaty, and the duo secured a doubles win in a dominant 6-1 fashion. And while Hanchaikuls match was called off after the first set due to the Wolverines having already secured the victory, he showed tenacity and promise in his season debut.

And throughout these strong showings from the freshmen, those on the team not playing made their voices heard as they cheered for and with their teammates on the court.

Im sure theyre tired of hearing it from me, but (playing for each other), thats our identity, Michigan coach Adam Steinberg said. So thats what we emphasize on a daily basis.

That support continued into the singles matches. On court six, Hanchaikul battled in his first appearance of the season. After dropping the first two games, he fought back, forcing the set into a tiebreaker and ultimately winning. Hanchaikul didnt get to finish his match as the Wolverines secured the win before his second set began. But throughout his comeback, the support of his teammates was abundant.

When somebody goes in who hasnt played much like Patorn as a freshman it helps them so much to be around that team environment, Steinberg said. And you can tell the guys really helped him through the tiebreaker.

Its not just the young players that feel the support of their team its the leaders, too.

Playing singles on the court adjacent to Hanchaikul, senior Andrew Fenty got off to a slow start. But he too powered back, winning his first set in a tiebreaker as well.

Everyone was winning. And I was like I gotta win, Fenty said. Just not letting my teammates down, just keep competing, just trying to help us out.

Michigan is a team that plays for each other, and as it showed Saturday, it does so well.

As Hanchaikul battled, his teammates led cheers based around his name and cheered louder than they did for any other matchup.

But thats just part of the teams culture. Steinbergs expectation is that seniors will guide their younger teammates the same way their own former teammates guided them.

And when a team plays for each other and underclassmen follow suit, successes like the Wolverines current 12-game win streak emerge.

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Chemistry propels Michigan men's tennis over Purdue - The Michigan Daily

Northern Michigan University undergraduate students are participating in cutting-edge chemistry research with ProfessorYu "Leo" Liu, who is among 14 faculty members nationwide recently awarded two-year summer research grants from Organic Synthesis Inc. His project advances green chemistry by eliminating the use of metal-based catalysts. Instead of organic solvents, it carriesthe catalytic reactions in a more environmentally-friendly solvent: water.

The $8,000 per year in funding will cover stipends for two student coworkers and project materials and supplies.

The 2021 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded for the discovery of asymmetric organocatalysts: small, organic molecule-based catalysts that are cheaper than enzymes and friendlier to the environment than the traditional metal catalysts. Asymmetric organocatalysts, which can selectively produce the desired geometry of pharmaceutical molecules, has become one of the hot research topics in chemistry, Liu said.

Liu has contributed to the field by developing a unique system for assembling two different organocatalysts together through a special intermolecular force called aromatic donor-acceptor interaction.

The two organocatalysts perform the reaction in a synergetic way, which significantly promotes the reaction rate and the selectivity of one of the mirror images of the targeting molecules, Liu said. More interesting, we found that water as the solvent can give the best results for this dual organocatalyst system. The common organic reactions require volatile and hazardous organic solvents, which create more environmental challenges. This finding is in line with the development of green chemistry.

The undergraduate students who have participated in the research include: Garrett Meso, who initiated the project with Liu three years ago, earned his degree and is now a graduate student in mathematics; Sam Smith and David Gregorich, both scheduled to graduate this spring; Ender Harris; Derek Baluyut; Natalia Correa; and Jacob Cortez.

This research is really valuable because we get access to doing different things that we can't do through our regular classwork, Correa said. This is helping to pave my path for graduate research and what I'm going to do in the future. I might synthesize some medicine. I'm still trying to figure that out, but he's a great instructor and it's an honor to work on this project.

This experience is helping me because it gave me an idea for the medicinal plant chemistry program. I want to develop a project by using the knowledge ofsupramolecular catalysts we are learningin this lab, said Cortez.

The title of Liu's grant-funded project is "Organocatalytic Assembly Based on Aromatic Donor-acceptor Interaction for the Asymmetric Aldol Reaction." He will present his work at the National Organic Symposium in San Diego at the end of June. A peer-reviewed journal article about his research will be published afterward.

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Chemistry Research Project Receives National Grant | Northern Today - Northern Today

Chemistry is a branch of natural science that deals principally with the properties of substances, the changes they undergo, and the natural laws that describe these changes.

The study of chemistry spans the range from qualitative in focus to quantitative. The more qualitative chemist might work on synthesizing a new compound used in medicine, for example, while the more quantitative work can seem much like physics applied to the microscopic level of atoms and molecules.

Chemicals are everywhere and are everything. Anything you can touch or smell or see contains one or more chemicals. Many occur naturally but some are man made.

Chemists discover naturally occurring chemicals and also make new ones never seen before. Chemists study the properties of the natural and man made chemicals. This information is used to understand how some chemicals may be modified to make them more useful and they develop the methods to make the modifications.

Chemists seek to study the natural world but also seek to improve it by modification on a molecular level. Because everything is a chemical, chemistry is one of the foundations of modern industrial economies.

Advancements in the field of chemistry have brought about major improvements in our world. Improvements range from new medicines that cure disease, to new materials that make us safer and stronger, to new sources of energy that enable new activities.

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What is Chemistry? - Dept of Chemistry - University of Idaho

Dr. Omar Yaghi

Dr. Omar Yaghi will present two lectures at Clarkson Universitys 26th Shipley Distinguished Lectureship next month. The lectures will be held virtually via Zoom, and are open to the public.

Professor Omar M. Yaghi is a professor of chemistry at UC Berkeley and is widely known for pioneering several extensive classes of new materials: MetalOrganic Frameworks (MOFs), Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs), and Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs). These materials have the highest surface areas known to date, making them useful for hydrogen and methane storage, carbon capture and conversion, water harvesting from desert air, and catalysis, to mention a few. The building block approach he developed has led to an exponential growth in the creation of new materials having diversity and multiplicity previously unknown in chemistry. He termed this field Reticular Chemistry and defines it as stitching molecular building blocks into extended structures by strong bonds. Please visit his webpage to read more about Dr. Yaghi and his research.

Professor Yaghi will offer two virtual lectures. The first one, titled Harvesting Water from Desert Air will be held Thursday, April 7, 2022, at 4:30 pm EDT. Click here to register for the Zoom event. https://clarkson.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0qdOyhqDotGNQOVm6CFvdUrTNb-i9uKwFQ

The second virtual lecture, titled RETICULAR CHEMISTRY: The atom, the molecule, and the framework will be held Friday, April 8, 2022, at 3:30 pm EDT. Click here for the Zoom event. https://clarkson.zoom.us/s/91407233738

Yaghi is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and has been honored with many awards for his scientific accomplishments, including the Materials Research Society Medal and the American Chemical Society Award in the Chemistry of Materials. He recently became the inaugural recipient of the VinFuture Special Prize which is dedicated to Innovators with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields.

The Shipley Distinguished Lectures are sponsored by the Shipley Family Foundation, with support from Clarksons Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP) and the Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science. The lectures were initiated in 1994 by the late Professor Egon Matijevic through a generous gift from the foundation on behalf of the late Lucia and Charles Shipley.

The Universitys relationship with the Shipleys dates to 1970, when Matijevic was invited by the Shipley Company to successfully resolve a patent situation involving their critical catalyst in electroless plating, establishing a professional relationship between the two entrepreneurs that continued for years.

For more than 20 years, distinguished speakers from around the world, including ten Nobel Laureates, have presented talks. The purpose of the lectures is to promote scholarly achievement at Clarkson by providing the opportunity for idea exchange and active learning, as well as allowing undergraduate and graduate students to meet the most prestigious speakers from all over the world.

For more information about the lectures, please contact Elizabeth McCarran at 315-268-6658 or emccarra@clarkson.edu.

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Pioneering Researcher of Reticular Chemistry and UC Berkeley Professor Dr. Omar Yaghi to Present Shipley Distinguished Lecture at Clarkson University...

If you look at the pharmacopeia, the list of drugs we have approved and available, all the way from the early plant-derived compounds like digitalis and morphine and up through aspirin and antibiotics to the very latest therapies, you will see drugs targeted at a huge range of diseases. But there is a common feature to the vast majority of known drugs that may not be obvious at first: they generally work by causing something else to fail.

Consider some of the best-populated classes of drug mechanisms, those working through cellular receptor proteins and on enzymes. The clear majority of receptor-based drugs are antagonists, compounds that block the signaling of the receptor and keep it from responding to its natural ligand (either partially or totally). And the overwhelmingly larger set of enzyme-targeting drugs are inhibitors, compounds that work by blocking the enzymes active site one way or another to reduce its activity.

The true direct enzyme activator stories can be counted on fingers

There are exceptions agonist drugs on receptors cause them to respond more strongly or for longer duration than they might otherwise, for example. And theres a whole class of drugs, with insulin leading the list, that simply try to replace a key biomolecule that some patients lack. But most of the time, in most situations, drugs work on a similar principle to that of a well-aimed wrench being thrown into the gears of a complex machine. We are trying to bring some select part of the system to a halt, and a good part of the search for new medicinal chemistry targets consists of finding things whose stoppage might be beneficial.

Put simply, its just easier to interfere with the many pieces of a living organism than it is to directly make them work better. Enzymes, for example, have all had long evolutionary histories that have optimised their activity to extraordinary degrees. The chances, therefore, of making one more selective or faster-acting through the binding of an outside drug molecule are very small indeed. The true direct enzyme activator stories can be counted on fingers. But clogging up an enzymes active site with an extraneous molecule thats hard to dislodge? There you have better chances.

So the art is to find situations where some disease mechanism can be usefully altered by causing some part of it to break down. A target thats doing too much work in a given disease process is an obvious candidate, and you can try to shut these down directly if they have a druggable site. But what about the situations where some activity needs to be increased? If you really do need a key enzyme to work harder, then look for something in the cell that naturally inhibits it, and gum up the process that produces this inhibitor. Or look for the signals that cause your enzyme to become less active or to be broken down and cleared from the cell: there may well be a phosphorylation step that helps to turn its activity off or down, for example. In that case, an inhibitor of the kinase enzyme that adds that particular phosphate group might be just what you need. These sorts of indirect bounce shot mechanisms are widespread.

If you really do need an enzyme to work harder, then look for something that naturally inhibits it, and gum [that] up

One of the hottest areas of current drug research takes this idea even further. Targeted protein degradation hijacks the cells own protein-recycling machinery. Tagging particular proteins with ubiquitin side chains marks them for destruction in the cells proteasome. To get this to work, you have to look through disease mechanisms with an eye to the ones where yanking one particular part out of the cell completely would benefit the patient. An interesting complexity of doing it this way as opposed to finding a small-molecule inhibitor of that same protein is that many proteins have functions that may have nothing to do with their active site (associating with other proteins and altering their activities in turn, for example). Targeted degradation removes all of these, since it removes the whole protein by dropping into the cellular equivalent of a waste disposal shredder, while a standard inhibitor might leave several of a proteins other activities still functional. Sometimes this is a desirable feature, but sometimes it may not be!

That, then, is a key secret of success in drug discovery (well, its earliest stages), and I am passing it on to you free of charge: look for things that you can inhibit, disturb, slow down, or completely destroy. And choose carefully!

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A spanner in the works | Opinion - Chemistry World

The Northern Illinois University Chemistry Clubinvites the public toitsannual ChemistryDemo Night at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 8,in the Sandburg Auditorium of the Holmes Student Center.

The theme of the free event is Mike and Sullys Chemistry Clash, featuringexperiments and characters based on Monsters Inc. Doors open at 6:00 p.m.

The interactive show is sure to surprise and delight! says Chemistry Club Vice President Chris English. NIU students on the Mean Green Team and the True Blue Team will compete to fit screams inside energy canisters, make monster toothpaste, and more!

Our Chem Demo theme showcases how chemistry, which may seem scary or intimidating to some, can actually be a lot of fun! says Chemistry Club Treasurer Anastasia Klenke.

Faculty and staff members assisting with this years demo include the Chemistry Clubs faculty advisor, Professor Oliver Hofstetter, as well as Len Lennergard and James Barker from NIUs Integrated Media Technologies. Additionally, staff from Adventure Works of DeKalb will assist with hands-on activities after the show.

The Chem Club is very happy to perform in person again this year and all members are excited to share their enthusiasm for chemistry with a live audience, Hofstetter says.

Planned experiments will include bright flashes of light, intermittent periods of low light and/or darkness, and burst of noise. For safety precautions, members of the audience are asked to not sit in the first row of seating.

Free parking will be availablestarting at 5 p.m.in the NIU parking deck along the west side of Normal Road, about one block north of Lincoln Highway (Route 38), or in the nearby visitor lot on Carroll Avenue, just west of the parking garage. Masks are optional and encouraged. Sections of seating will be masks only for those who prefer to stay masked.

More information about NIU Chemistry Club is available on Facebook at Northern Illinois University Chemistry Cluband Instagram @niu_chemclub.

For questions about Chem Demo, please contactChemistry Club President Corey Weinberg (z1860577@students.niu.edu).

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Chemistry Club to host Mike and Sully's Chemistry Clash - NIU Today

Sea sponges, simple animals that fossil evidence shows have been around for about 1.8 billion years, are teeming with unique chemistry. Up until now researchers assumed most of the really interesting chemistry was being carried out by their symbiotic bacteria, but now theyve discovered that the sponges can produce biologically active compounds that could be drug candidates.

The new work was carried out by Bradley Moores marine chemistry and geochemistry lab at the University of California, San Diegos Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the US and presented at the American Chemical Societys spring conference held virtually and in-person in San Diego.

A genetic analysis conducted by Kayla Wilson, a PhD student in Moores lab, found that a range of unusual nitrogen-containing terpenes produced by the sea sponge Axinella are actually made by the sponge and not its microbes. To study the genetic sequences responsible for making these compounds, Wilson sequenced the sponges DNA and that of its microbiome to determine which genes produced the terpenes. To do that she searched for sequences encoding terpene synthase an enzyme responsible for a key step in terpene production. Together with a colleague who had studied the same enzyme in corals, she concluded that the compounds came from the sponge itself.

Moore says that discovering sponges can make these compounds themselves represents a fundamental shift in the field. If this animal is making this funky little terpene, what else are animals making? he asks. I think this opens the door to a new emphasis on animals as vessels for drug discovery.

Paco Cardenas, a sea sponge expert at Uppsala University in Sweden who was not involved in this work, confirms that terpenes are usually produced by plants so it is unusual that these animals are making them. It is surprising, and it is a nice discovery, but we already know that sponges themselves can produce other types of chemistry such as sterols, like cholesterol, and peptides, he adds, noting that sea sponges produce the highest diversity of sterols of any animal on Earth, and they make these themselves.

It would be even more exciting if similar compounds are identified that have significant biological activity against bacteria or cancer cells, and they too are determined to be made by sea sponges, Cardenas says. We could then produce substantial amounts of these compounds, and we could move to sponge culture where you take pieces of sponge and let them grow in a seawater aquarium and then cut them again until you get enough biomass to extract your compound of interest, he tells Chemistry World.

Vikram Shende, a postdoc in Moores lab also discussed his discovery of new compounds from the local Cliona sea sponge at the ACS meeting. Shende and two undergraduate students extracted compounds from 13 species of sponge, and after testing the extracts for biological activity they identified bromine-containing peptides which were shown to inhibit bacteria growth.

Shende and his colleagues are now trying to determine the molecular structure of these peptides, and whether they have potential as an antibiotic. The researchers have yet to determine if these brominated compounds are made by these sponges or the microbes within them.

Compounds with bromides are very common with sponges and marine organisms in general, and bromide on peptides has been found but is less common, Cardenas points out. If this is a really big peptide then that is quite rare, but there are not many details provided.

Shende argues that this research and research at Moores lab demonstrates why local biodiversity is so crucial. I really want people to take away that it is important to preserve local biodiversity, not only because of environmental reasons but because we have this incredible treasure trove of molecules that might end up making life-saving medicines, he said.

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Sea sponges own unique chemistry goes beyond that of their bacterial guests - Chemistry World

AOR-29 Researcher in Electrochemical Nanosensors Development chemistry

Contract: Full Time/Fixed Term

Tyndall is a core partner in the VistaMilk Centre. The Science Foundation Ireland/Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: VistaMilk Centre for innovative Smart precision pasture-based dairying, brings together a number of major Irish research providers to facilitate the development and deployment of new knowledge, new ICT technologies and new decision support tools to maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire dairy production chain. To this end, Vistamilk will develop new, and advance existing, electronic monitoring and sensing technologies to transform an already world-class dairy sector into a global leader in sustainable Agri-Tech and also provide a one-stop-shop for research, education and innovation within this domain. Tyndall is leading the Smart Sensor Systems hardware development. As one of Europe s leading ICT institutes, with over 600 people and a capital infrastructure in excess of 250m, Tyndall is now focusing its research in microelectronics and front end sensor development into making smart things for the Internet of Farm .

Applications are invited for a Post-Doctoral research position within the Nanotechnology Group at the Tyndall National Institute University College Cork. The position is initially for two years with potential for extension pending further funding. We have recently developed new integrated electrochemical nanosensors employing nanowires as sensing elements on-chip and have demonstrated significantly enhanced sensitivity, when compared to the state of the art, for a range of important molecules including: chemical analytes (e.g., pesticides) and biochemicals analytes (e.g., glucose, dopamine). These new sensors have been sufficiently developed to allow electrochemical-based label-free detection of binding events including antibody-antigen. Recently we have shown label-free immunoassays at single nanobands and demonstrated real-time detection (time to detection: 15 minutes) of viruses and antibodies in serum.

Purpose of the role

The candidate will co-develop new approaches for chemical modification of sensors, based on organic/inorganic materials, to confer selectivity for detection of different cationic and ionic species in water and milk. Using an iterative approach, nanoelectrodes will be chemically modified, characterised and optimised for the multiplexed detection of target species. The work will involve the development of state-of-the-art research methods that involve nanosensor development and fabrication (in collaboration with the nano-fabrication facility at Tyndall) chemical modification of gold or platinum nanoelectrodes using additive chemical approaches, test, characterisation, evaluation, integration with electronic circuitry (in collaboration with the microelectronic circuit centre of Ireland at Tyndall) field deployment and validation.

In general, researchers at Tyndall are also expected to participate in the full range of activities of the group, contributing to collaborative projects, particularly where their special expertise can make a direct contribution. MNS plays a leading role in the Science Foundation Ireland / Department of Agriculture Food and the VistaMilk Centre which involves close collaboration with industry as well as national and international academic research groups. The candidate is expected to contribute to these collaborations, in particular helping to generate and deliver industry projects which are mainly in the area of sensor development and system validation and test.

The researcher is expected to have a strong track record of achievement and experience in the field (at least 3 years post PhD) of electrochemical sensor development, including experience of working on industrial projects, although not necessarily in a leading role.

This post is an initial two-year post-doctoral position linked to the funding opportunities of the MNS centre.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Essential criteria

Desirable criteria

Appointment may be made on the IUA Scale for Post-Doctoral Researchers 39,130- 46,442pa. Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with public sector pay policy.

Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Dr. Alan O Riordan at alan.oriordan@tyndall.ie

Application Instructions:

Please click here to applyhttps://www.tyndall.ie/aor-29-researcher-in-electrochemical-nanosensors-development-_-chemistry

Handwritten forms will not be accepted.

Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process.

The University, at its discretion, may undertake to make an additional appointment(s) from this competition following the conclusion of the process.

At this time, Tyndall National Institute does not require the assistance of recruitment agencies.

Tyndall National Institute at University College, Cork is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

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AOR-29 Researcher in Electrochemical Nanosensors Development chemistry job with TYNDALL NATIONAL INSTITUTE | 288209 - Times Higher Education

SBS has shared new stills from its upcoming drama Again My Life!

Again My Life is a drama about a young prosecutor who gets a second chance at justice after failing to bring down a powerful person.Lee Joon Gistars as Kim Hee Woo, who was unjustly killed while investigating a corrupt politician but unexpectedly gets a second chance at life.Kim Ji Eunstars as Kim Hee Ah, a genius and the youngest daughter of Cheonha Groups CEO.

As Kim Hee Woo gears up for revenge in his second shot at life, he will partner up with many people includingLee Min Soo (Jung Sang Hoon),Kim Han Mi (Kim Jae Kyung),Kim Gyu Ri (Hong Bi Ra), and Woo Yong Soo (Lee Soon Jae).

In the newly released photos, Kim Hee Woo shows various kinds of chemistry with his allies. In one photo, thesociable and popular Lee Min Soo approaches Kim Hee Woo, his junior colleague, first.The two are completely different from each other, but later on, they become close friends.

Kim Hee Woo will also have intriguing chemistry with Kim Han Mi and Kim Gyu Ri, whose lives have changed because of him. Kim Han Mi is a journalist whose status as a child born out of wedlock led her to spend her grade school years with a twisted view of the world, while Kim Gyu Ri is a prosecutor who went to the same high school as him. Both will join him on his quest for justice.

Another helpful aid is Woo Yong Soo, a real estate expert. Kim Hee Woo needs financial power to get revenge againstJo Tae Sub (Lee Kyung Young), and he will meet Woo Yong Soo who can show him the way. The two characters will show perfect pupil-teacher teamwork.

Again My Life premieres on April 8 at 10 p.m. KST and will be available with subtitles on Viki!

Watch a teaserfor the drama with English subtitles below:

Watch Now

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Excerpt from:
Lee Joon Gi Shows All Kinds Of Chemistry With Kim Jae Kyung, Lee Soon Jae, And More In Again My Life - soompi

NORTH PORT Chemistry, according to Merriam-Webster, is the interaction between people working together, specifically such interaction when harmonious or effective. It should be noted that both Merriam and Webster were book publishers and clearly very into dictionaries, not trash novels, so Im going to assume here that neither was much fun at parties or played a lot of sports, and therefore they would have no feel whatsoever as to how chemistry often impacts whether a team wins or loses.

So lets start with this summation on the importance of chemistry in a baseball clubhouse from Adam Duvall, a former All-Star, who is entering his ninth season in the major leagues with four franchises and has experienced a World Series title and 90-plus-loss seasons.

Its probably overlooked more than it should be, the Braves outfielder said. Its such a long season thats why its so important. Youre spending so much time together. It makes it easier and more fun when guys can come in and be in a good mood and just be able to pull on the same side of the rope.

Theres an ongoing debate about how much impact the loss of Freddie Freeman will have on Atlanta. Offensive production is tangible and easily measured. Harder to define is what most dont see behind the scenes: players seeing a teammate gut it out with injuries to play every day; telling a player whos on the training table his team needs him that day and he needs to play; having the status and presence to command respect to lead an important team meeting during a slump.

Excerpt from:
Schultz: On changes, chemistry and the Braves' belief they have what it takes to win it all again - The Athletic

A historic agreement has been reached on plastic pollution. 175 nations that met in Nairobi, Kenya, in March have agreed to come up with a binding treaty to tackle a problem that no one nation can address on its own. But how big is the problem of plastic pollution?

The figures for plastic waste are shocking. Seventy years ago production was relatively low, with 2 million tonnes of plastic produced in 1950. Today production is pushing towards 350 million tonnes per year and much of it is going into packaging, textiles and consumer goods that we all use. Yet despite recycling rates increasing to a little over 20%, the majority of that plastic (55%) is discarded with the remainder incinerated. The world isnt coping well with that 55% it discards either. Models suggest that about 11 million tonnes of it is entering the worlds oceans every year and three-quarters of the plastic ever made is now waste.

The United Nations Environment Programmes (UNEP) draft resolution concedes that theres no one solution to the problem. To be sure, organised waste management collection systems will play a part. UNEP also goes out of its way to highlight that the informal waste management economy waste pickers will be important where state-run waste systems are inadequate. A significant reduction in plastic production is also desirable. Recycling and a circular economy are also on UNEPs wish list, and this is where the chemical industry and chemists can shine.

There are clearly opportunities for conventional recycling technologies to reform graded plastics into new items. However, this tends to lead to a lower quality product than those made with virgin petrochemicals. The dream solution to the plastics that the world cant do without would be depolymerisation technologies that can break polymers down into their constituent monomers cheaply and simply, which is why it features in our pages so often. A challenging task, but one that chemists are already rising to.

The next two to three years will be where the hard work really starts for negotiators from these countries. Getting 175 countries to agree on a wide range of binding measures to reduce, reuse and recycle plastics will be difficult. The excellent news is that they will be guided by top scientists sitting on a new international advisory panel that is being set up now and which is modelled on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The first step has been taken and its time for chemistry to play its part in solving a problem that it has helped to create.

See the article here:
Turning off the plastic tap | Opinion - Chemistry World