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Organic Chemistry

Can u solve it? Wordplay meets numberplay – The Guardian

Alex Bellos's Monday puzzle

Todays puzzles celebrate the connections between mathematics and literature.

They also mark the publication of Once Upon a Prime, a terrific new book about these connections, by Sarah Hart, professor of maths at Birkbeck, University of London. (One of the puzzles below gives you the chance to win a copy.)

One subject covered in Once Upon a Prime is constrained writing the art of applying mathematical rules to text which provides the theme for todays challenges.

1. Pop art

Below are five sentences with the vowels and spaces taken out. Your task is to reinsert the vowels and spaces to recreate the sentences. Each sentence uses one vowel only. The five vowels A, E, I, O and U each have a sentence. To make it easier, each sentence has the name of a pop star and a famous artist, and could feasibly be a headline in this newspaper.

a) C H R G T S V R M R S K T C H

b) D M B S T R C K L L S C F F S M N C H

c) L D Y G G B G S C H G L L

d) S N P D G G S H W S T W R T H K W R K S

e) W L L S M T H S G N S H S K L M T P R N T

2. Creative curbs

Each of the sentences below is written according to a different constraint, i.e. a mathematical rule such as, say, all words the same length, or no es allowed. Can you deduce what each constraint is?

1) I do not know where family doctors acquired illegibly perplexing handwriting.

2) Pert Pete wrote QWERTY. Wry Rory wept. Quiet Tori quit.

3) Dennis, Nell, Edna, Leon, Anita, Rolf, Nora, Alice, Carol, Lora, Cecil, Aaron, Flora, Tina, Noel and Ellen sinned.

4) Shimmering, gleaming, glistening glowWinter reigns, splendiferous snow! Wont this sight, this stainless scene,Endlessly yield days supreme?Eying ground, deep piled, delights Skiers scaling garish heights.

(Note: these six lines are an excerpt from Winter Reigns, a poem written by Mary Youngquist, the first woman to get a PhD in organic chemistry from MIT, and later editor of the US National Puzzlers League newsletter. It hides a very simple constraint. )

3. Pilish, please (plus Pon Prime prize)

Pilish is a form of constrained writing in which the lengths of the words are determined by the mathematical constant pi, the number that begins 3.1415926535 (In other words, the first word must have 3 letters, the second word 1 letter, the third word 4 letters, the fourth 1, and so on.)

Perhaps the best known Pilish phrase is: How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy lectures involving quantum mechanics, attributed to the physicist Sir James Jeans. The most ambitious Pilish text is Mike Keiths Cadaiec Cadenza, a narrative poem in the style of Edgar Allen Poe that runs for almost 100 lines.

I will send a copy of Once Upon a Prime to the reader who sends in the best sentence or two in Pilish to me here by 4pm UK today.

Sarah Hart, the books author, has agreed to judge the submissions and we will announce the winner at 5pm. You can write about anything, but extra points will be awarded for fluency, topicality and wit. Bes o luck!

FYI The first thirty digits of Pi are: 3.14159265358979323846264338327

Ill be back at 5pm with the solutions to the puzzles and the winner of the competition.

PLEASE NO SPOILERS Instead write about anything you like without using the letter e.

Once Upon a Prime by Sarah Hart can be bought at the Guardian Bookshop and other online sellers.

I set a puzzle here every two weeks on a Monday. Im always on the look-out for great puzzles. If you would like to suggest one, email me.

I give school talks about maths and puzzles (online and in person). If your school is interested please get in touch.

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Can u solve it? Wordplay meets numberplay - The Guardian

Organic Chemistry

Episcopal Academy’s Maddie Masiko is Main Line Girls Athlete of … – papreplive.com

A sophomore, Masikos pitching and hitting have paced the Churchwomen (8-0 as of April 14). On the mound, she struck out18 batters against Shipley, had a no-hitter against Archbishop Carroll and as of April 14 had struck out 91 batters in 46 innings, compiling an ERA of 0.46 and WHIP of 0.54. She is the Churchwomens cleanup hitter, batting .481 with two homeruns and eight RBIs. As a freshman, she was named to All-InterAc and All-Main Line first team for softball, and was a big reason EA won the InterAc title last year.

Q: What was particularly working for you on the pitching mound in the Shipley and Carroll games?

A: Coming into the game, my curve ball and my rise were working well and spinning effectively. I was confident in my pitches and was willing to mix in my screwball and changeup as needed.

Q: What do you consider your best pitch? What aspect of pitching are you working on the most?

A: I would consider my screwball my best pitch. It was the fourth pitch I learned, but the quickest I picked up. I enjoy throwing it the most because it jams up righthanded batters and throws lefthanded batters off balance. Im working on mixing speeds the most. Change-ups are a big part of the game and something I would like to become more proficient at.

Q: As a pitcher, after facing a hitter a couple of times in a game, you probably have a better idea of what to throw her late in a game. Can you give us an example of how this has worked in your favor?

A: One example of how this has worked in my favor was in a game early this season. I had only played one of the girls on that team before in club ball, so the rest of the batters were new to me. It was a close game (2-1) and the bottom of the seventh inning with one runner on. There were two outs, and the next girl up to bat was one that had gone into deep counts with me both at-bats before. I remembered how she had chased rise and taken curve. This meant her eyes were elevated the entire game, and we threw two low curves at the knees for strikes, knowing she would take them. To finish the at-bat, I threw a riseball out of the zone, and that was the ballgame.

Q: What do you think has been the most important thing youve learned recently regarding hitting?

A: The most important thing Ive learned recently regarding hitting was patience and confidence. In my first couple of years of club ball, I was a very anxious hitter who would chase out of the zone. Ive learned to be more selective and only swing at the pitches that I know I can drive. Especially in hitting slumps, confidence is one of the hardest things to regain. Ive learned that taking pride in my past achievements and having positive reinforcement calms me down and allows me to perform better.

Q: What aspect of your game did you work on most during the off-season?

A: I worked the most on my pitch mix and speed building over the winter. This means that I worked on throwing all of my pitches and fixing my mechanics to make my pitches as efficient as possible. One specific mix I worked heavily on all winter was screw-change-rise. To a righty batter, the screw would break heavily into your hands. Followed up with a change of speed changing eye levels, and finally a riseball to chase out of the zone. In the fall this mix had been effective when it worked, and my coaches and I pushed to make it more consistent in the spring. Speed is very important for pitching if its mixed with good spins. I gained about 1-2 MPH over the off-season and am now clocking in at about 62 MPH.

Q: Tell us a little about your start in softball what sparked your original interest in competitive softball?

A: I started playing softball when I was 5 years old, and instantly fell in love with the game. I played for a rec-ball league and knew I wanted to get the most out of the sport. I tried out for my first club team when I was 9 and have been playing club ball ever since. Every year Ive played, the sport has allowed me to travel across the country, meet new coaches, friends, and teammates, and to play the game I love all year long.

Q: What is your favorite ballpark and why?

A: My favorite ballpark is Citizens Bank. Ive grown up watching the Phillies and Ive never had one bad experience in the stadium, even though I was at the Game 5 of the 2022 World Series (a loss to Houston). I recently went on Easter, and it was a great time to catch up with my extended family and spend time together rooting for the team we all love.

Q: You wear uniform jersey No. 7 for EA softball. Was there a reason you chose this number does this number have any significance to you?

A: No. 7 was the first number I had ever worn in softball, and there was only one year out of the nine years Ive played where Ive worn a different jersey. There isnt a specific reason I chose this number beside it being my favorite number and having the same number every year connects me further to the game.

Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation the day of a game.

A: My pre-game preparation is pretty specific. I wake up 15 minutes earlier and pack my uniform and double check that everything is packed in my bag. During lunch I get my hair braided in the same way by one of my teammates before each game: two dutch braids into a fishtail. I do believe in superstition, as I always wear the same hairtie and bracelet the day of the game. Right before the start of the first inning, I sit on the bench by myself and take a few deep breaths and tell myself that Im playing this sport because I love it, and no matter what happens on the field, nothing will change that.

Q: Other than softball, what other extracurricular activities do you participate in at EA?

A: Varsity water polo, Fashion Club, Forensics Club, OneLove Club.

Q: What is your favorite academic course at EA? What do you think you might like to major in at college? Is there a career field that particularly interests you at the present time?

My favorite academic course at EA is chemistry. I would like to major in forensic science and chemistry in college because its what Im most passionate about. This year I took my second chemistry course, and Im planning on taking AP Chemistry next year, and organic chemistry and forensic chemistry the following. I love learning everything about atoms, elements, and molecules and the labs are my favorite part of the day, especially titrations. The career field that most interests me is forensics, although that covers a vast array of job opportunities. The career I have most looked into is becoming a CSI investigator or a forensic analyst.

Fun facts Maddie Masiko

Favorite TV show: Criminal Minds.

Favorite movie: 10 Things I Hate About You.

Favorite athlete: JT Realmuto.

Favorite team: Phillies.

Favorite place to visit: Florida.

Favorite pre-game meal: Caesar salad.

Person I most admire and why: My dad he is the hardest worker I know and my No. 1 supporter.

(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)

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Episcopal Academy's Maddie Masiko is Main Line Girls Athlete of ... - papreplive.com

Organic Chemistry

Guessing What Undergraduate Research Exhibition Titles Mean – Onward State

In one of the most exciting events of the year, undergraduate students recently gathered in Alumni Hall to present their research projects in the annual Undergraduate Research Exhibition. While most of the poster titles were self-explanatory (to someone with a Ph.D.), others required a few context clues.

Luckily for you, we here at Onward State are providing that completely accurate context that you all are looking for.

Of course! Coenobita compressus thats our favorite. Upon a first read, the word beach stands out. Truthfully, Coenobita compressus sounds like the name of an organism but could be anything from a bacteria to a fish to a little mollusk.

The use of the term boldness is slightly confusing, considering that term is usually associated with colors or personalities. Maybe the author of this project investigated how aggressive the organism was in terms of competition with others. The size and beach disturbance factors are just there for a little challenge.

This research project is absolutely fascinating. First of all, whats a service robot? Maybe it fixes things, provides a manual service, or works in stores and restaurants as a customer service representative. Regardless, assigning a name to a robot would probably make anybody happy.

Graph? Vertex degrees? This one just screams math. We barely made it through MATH 140 and 141, and youre telling us someone chose to keep doing that? Like, for their entire life? Were sending our thoughts to this person.

Most people know these words by themselves, but strung together, it reads like Latin. Binder jet printed stainless steel seems like it could be related to 3D printing, but what the hell is a binder jet, and how does it print things? Our best guess for this one is that, in the most basic terms, theyre testing the strength of a certain type of stainless steel.

Radio telemetry is a bit above our pay grade ($0), but it sounds like something in the vein of echolocation, which is pretty cool. However, the usage is concerning. It seems unnecessary to try and locate spiders, especially when they have cryptic in their name. They probably dont want to be found.

This research project seems a little oxymoronic. How can a robocar be both self-driving and remote control? We would like a live demonstration, please.

The only word that means anything to us here is spectroscopic, and it brings back traumatic memories of organic chemistry. Despite our familiarity with spectroscopy, the abbreviated programs or methodologies are going way over our head, and likely everyone elses. A shot in the dark and a gut instinct is leading us to chemical engineering.

Haylee is a junior studying immunology and infectious disease. She is from Mifflintown, PA, a tiny town south of State College. She is a coffee addict, loves Taylor Swift, and can't wait to go to a concert again. Any questions can be directed to @hayleeq8 on Twitter or emailed to [emailprotected]

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Guessing What Undergraduate Research Exhibition Titles Mean - Onward State

Organic Chemistry

Simply studying a subject doesn’t earn specialisation: Uttarakhand HC – Indiatimes.com

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand high court (HC) has observed that merely studying a certain subject as part of a course doesn't mean the student gets to claim to have a specialisation in it. While dismissing the petition of an applicant who had applied for the post of a scientist at the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) in Dehradun, the HC bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Alok Verma said in a court order issued on April 11, "While applying for a job, a student cannot claim to have a specialisation in a subject if he/she has merely studied it as part of a course". The essential qualification for the post was first-class MSc degree in Chemistry, with a specialisation in organic chemistry. The contender, Saumya Singh Sheeshmukh, had obtained MSc (Chemistry) qualification with CGPA 6.54 (first class) from Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University in 2019, and claimed she was fit for the role as she had papers in organic, inorganic and physical chemistry as well as other topics.Sheeshmukh, whose application had been rejected by ICFRE for not meeting their eligibility criteria, argued that "even though her degree did not mention her specialisation in organic chemistry" it was evident from the grade cards issued to her that she had studied it.After looking into the degree certificate and grade cards, the court observed that "the said degree did not state that she had obtained the degree of Master of Science in the subject of organic chemistry.""If a student does BSc (Simple), they cannot claim to have obtained a degree in either Physics (Hons), Chemistry (Hons) or Mathematics (Hons), even though these subjects may have been taught as part of simple BSc. Such a person cannot claim to have specialised in any of these subjects," the court observed.It added, "Since the course offered by the university was MSc (Chemistry) and it is that course which was pursued by the petitioner, she cannot turn around and say she has pursued MSc in Organic Chemistry or MSc (Chemistry) with specialisation in organic chemistry."The court went on to say: "If the petitioner's arguments are accepted today, tomorrow she may claim she has an MSc degree with specialisation in inorganic chemistry".

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Simply studying a subject doesn't earn specialisation: Uttarakhand HC - Indiatimes.com

Organic Chemistry

Simply Nootropics All the Nutrients the Brain Needs are Coming to the United States – PRUnderground

Simply Nootropics is planning its 2023 U.S. launch of its Essentials dietary supplement, which helps boost alertness, focus, and energy without side effects.

When we started the company, we set out to develop the most comprehensive nootropic, said Stuart Vaughan, co-founder of Simply Nootropics, a New Zealand health and wellness company. We wanted to give people a better life without limitations and barriers.

Simply Nootropics is on a mission to help people perform at their very best, he added. We want people to enjoy and live their fullest lives.

Vaughan and co-founder Anthony Baxter consulted with neuroscientists and natural health leaders to create a product that helps people achieve their goals.

Our products combine neuroscience, neurobiology, and organic chemistry, Baxter said. We use ingredients, such as Ashwagandha, L-Theanine, and Ginkgo Biloba, based on scientific research.

Essentials is a nootropic formula that offers great value, he added. We only use ingredients that can help people improve their focus and boost their energy levels without the inevitable crash that occurs with many other products.

Simply Nootropics also suggests a unique dosage regimen.

We tell people to take Essentials for five straight days and then skip two days, Baxter said. This technique helps your body avoid building up a tolerance to the supplement and avoid increasing the dosage to see the same results.

Vaughan said Simply Nootropics does not use any fillers in its products.

We only put in what is absolutely necessary, he said. We dont use sales or marketing gimmicks to make our products cool.

Simply Nootropics just uses great ingredients, at the right dose, for the best results, Vaughan added.

Simply Nootropics products should appeal to consumers because they are vegan, kosher, gluten-free, and ethically made.

Our bottles only contain 100 percent recyclable materials. We want to keep people and our planet healthy, which is why our ingredients are ethically and sustainably sourced, Vaughan emphasized.

Baxter said Simply Nootropics wants to be more than pills.

We believe education is vitally important, he said. We help our customers achieve complete human cognitive optimization.

For more information, please visit Simply Nootropics online.

Disclaimer: The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This press release is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please check with your doctor. The news site hosting this press release is not associated with Simply Nootropics. It is merely publishing a press release announcement submitted by a company, without any stated or implied endorsement of the product or service.

About Simply Nootropics

Simply Nootropics, a New Zealand health and wellness company, develops nootropic dietary supplements. Nootropics supplements are nutrition for the brain.

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Simply Nootropics All the Nutrients the Brain Needs are Coming to the United States - PRUnderground

Organic Chemistry

Missing Link Between Risk Genes Associated With Alzheimers … – Neuroscience News

Summary: Scientists have discovered a connection between two types of Alzheimers disease, shedding light on how the most common form of the disease is linked to a rarer form. The discovery could help researchers develop new treatments for Alzheimers, which affects millions of people worldwide.

Source: Chinese Academy of Science

Alzheimers disease (AD) can be divided into rare early onset familial AD (fAD) and common late onset sporadic AD (sAD) that impairs the memory and cognitive functions of older people worldwide.

While the formation of amyloid plaques is the common brain pathology in both fAD and sAD, the genetics of fAD and sAD are distinct, and it could be argued that distinct pathogenesis mechanisms may be involved; therefore, different treatment strategies should be considered. In this regard, the billion-dollar question is whether targeting amyloid plaques is the correct strategy for the treatment of the common sAD.

In a study published inNeuron, Prof. Chen Yelins group from the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, provided an answer to this question.

The researchers uncovered the mechanistic relationship between the most common pathogenic risk factor of sAD, ApoE4, and the disease-causing genetic factors of fAD that directly promotes the formation ofamyloidplaques, providing a missing link between the common sAD and rare fAD.

Specific mutations in the genes that encode enzymes for processingamyloid precursor protein(APP), including APP itself and -secretase cleavage subunits (PS1 and PS2), directly promote the development of fAD by accelerating the formation ofamyloid plaques.

However, ~99% of the common late onset sAD do not carry mutations in APP or PS1/2. In contrast, individuals who carry two copies of ApoE4 have a tenfold increased risk of developing late onset sAD compared with people with normal ApoE3. Another variant, ApoE2, can significantly reduce the risk of sAD.

The striking impact of different ApoE variants on the development of sAD has also been a longstanding puzzle in the field as the amino acid sequences of ApoE2, ApoE3 and ApoE4 differ by only 1-2 amino acid residues.

A direct and differential inhibition of the -cleavage of APP by different ApoE isoforms was found by the researchers, and they demonstrated how ApoE isomers may change the risk of developing sAD. ApoE2 shows the strongest inhibitory activity on -cleavage of APP, while ApoE4 loses this activity.

This finding provides the missing link between the risk genes of fAD and sAD, suggesting that abnormal -cleavage of APP is the common pathogenic cause of fAD and sAD. This study suggests the C-terminal region of ApoE as a substrate-specific -secretase inhibitor with therapeutic potentials.

Author: Liu JiaSource: Chinese Academy of ScienceContact: Liu Jia Chinese Academy of ScienceImage: The image is in the public domain

Original Research: Closed access.Differential and substrate-specific inhibition of -secretase by the C-terminal region of ApoE2, ApoE3, and ApoE4 by Chen Yelin et al. Neuron

Abstract

Differential and substrate-specific inhibition of -secretase by the C-terminal region of ApoE2, ApoE3, and ApoE4

Aberrant low -secretase activity is associated with most of the presenilin mutations that underlie familial Alzheimers disease (fAD). However, the role of -secretase in the more prevalent sporadic AD (sAD) remains unaddressed.

Here, we report that human apolipoprotein E (ApoE), the most important genetic risk factor of sAD, interacts with -secretase and inhibits it with substrate specificity in cell-autonomous manners through its conserved C-terminal region (CT).

This ApoE CT-mediated inhibitory activity is differentially compromised in different ApoE isoforms, resulting in an ApoE2>ApoE3>ApoE4 potency rank order inversely correlating to their associated AD risk. Interestingly, in an AD mouse model, neuronal ApoE CT migrates to amyloid plaques in the subiculum from other regions and alleviates the plaque burden.

Together, our data reveal a hidden role of ApoE as a -secretase inhibitor with substrate specificity and suggest that this precision -inhibition by ApoE may protect against the risk of sAD.

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Missing Link Between Risk Genes Associated With Alzheimers ... - Neuroscience News

Organic Chemistry

Guide to building pharma strategies in oncology – Omnia Health Insights

Strategic analytics and forecasting in oncology and rare diseases go beyond numbers, as each number is a patient, and each patient is a life. Oncology is a complicated but important pharma category to forecast with oncology assets becoming an increasingly critical part of company portfolios.

Business strategies, forecasts and analytics are used for research and development, while new product portfolio planning requires different methodology and outputs than other functional areas. In these types of forecasts, we need to adjust for risk and uncertainty in the forecast as the product may not be launched yet.

The key challenge to forecasting is to create a process where the needs of function can be met without compromising the integrity of the forecast approach. It is also important to note how we could create the one source of truth across an organisation while having no historical sales data.

When looking at the field of oncology or rare diseases, one gold standard approach is the epidemiological method. Forecasters often start with an epidemiology-based approach, using data and assumptions around prevalence, persistence, compliance, and market share to determine how many patients are taking a drug, and use this to forecast future revenue. This model is used when a product is new to the market, or where patterns of usage are complex (such as rare diseases or cell and gene therapy in oncology).

A forecaster should be equipped to bring and validate different data sources to arrive at meaningful insight. These insights can be useful for building a commercial strategy since they establish a deep and more causal relationship between patients and resulting commercial sales. At the end of the day, forecasters are trying to stay ahead of the curve and steer the organisation and investors in a win-win direction.

However, getting detailed in this space is not always easy. The populations for these treatments are often very specific: many drugs are approved for a certain tumour type, specific line of therapy, and/or only in populations with certain biomarkers. To build an accurate oncology model, forecasters must be increasingly patient-focused and deal with challenges including accurate patient identification, the likelihood of treatment switching and discontinuation, and time on therapy for different patients, as well as pricing changes over time. They must also constantly monitor the rapidly evolving marketplace, where many pipeline drugs mean that standards of care and the competitive landscape can change dramatically in the time it takes to bring a drug to market.

These obstacles force pharma companies to rethink their approach to forecasting in oncology. When projections are misaligned, pharma companies can fail to meet revenue goals, disappointing investors and shareholders. But when forecasters get it right, manufacturers can optimise resources to fit the opportunity and produce plans that deliver innovative medicines to patients who need them.

Oncology is recognised as a challenging area to forecast. According to Precedence research the global oncology market was valued at US$286.04 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach over US$581.25 billion by 2030. The increased importance of forecasting has become even more relevant in recent years, due to the specificity of new-era targeted therapies. These therapies target specific subsets of patients, meaning it is paramount to ensure accurate and robust forecasting to limit over-or under-estimation of product usage.

Here is a list of essential guidance to help business strategists and forecasters navigate the shifting times of oncology treatments and build an effective forecasting approach.

As oncology treatments become increasingly targeted to certain patient populations, best-in-class oncology forecasts require forecasters to split the population into smaller and more specific segments. For example, for second-line therapy in metastatic lung cancer with improved efficacy for a certain biomarker, a forecaster may need to model eight or more segments in order to understand their potential patient population. While smaller segments are often more accurate, each new category of segmentation multiplies the forecasting effort.

Before building an oncology forecast model, it is important to understand the level of data granularity that users demand on an immediate and mid-to-long-term basis. Annual models, albeit easier to build and maintain, do not answer key business questions like monthly sales. It can also be difficult to adapt to an event like a data readout, where changes in forecasting output are needed at a monthly level by business users.

These challenges make annual models inflexible with low precision. On the other hand, a monthly model can offer an ideal time granularity for forecasting because it incorporates oncology-specific dynamics based on available monthly data.

Forecasting in oncology is different from other therapeutic areas because of the significant need to follow patients through different stages, lines, and treatments as they progress through the disease. As important as this is to do, inaccurate identification of the target patient pool has been a common pitfall in oncology forecasting.

Forecasters should split the population into smaller and more specific segments, and accurately model them based on incidence, recurrence, diagnosis, treatment, and other important factors to maximise the accuracy of forecast outputs.

Forecasters must be able to model patients through the different stages of the disease as cancer therapy models have become more complex. They need to assess the advancement of each patient segment, understand how patients move between the lines of therapy, analyze dosing regimens, rates of progression, remission and discontinuation, patient dependency on old and new drugs or therapies, and more. A holistic understanding of the disease space, as opposed to a myopic one, is critical for forecasters to model such complex and dynamic patient flows.

Understanding the dosing patterns of your target patient population is crucial before building a forecasting model. Each of these inputs needs to be modelled differently because patient segmentation and the associated granularity heavily depend on drug dosing specifications. Duration of Treatment (DoT), persistency curve, and cohort models can be considered for oral targeted therapies that carry a fixed dosing approach.

In addition to estimating the first-time users of your new product, forecasters must also look at two additional streams where patients could potentially flow in from:

For those key questions, it is important for the strategic forecaster to have a concurrence with the wider cross-functional team so that there is one number across the organisation.

References available on request.

_____________

Sanobar Syed is a subject matter expert in the field of pharmaceutical business strategy and forecasting in North America. She has a successful career spanning over 14 years with top global pharmaceutical firms, including Beigene, AbbVie, Novartis, and McKesson. With a masters degree in Organic chemistry coupled with MBA in marketing, she has established and successfully led strategic forecasting and business analytics and excellence across geographies for multi-million-dollar brands across distinguished organisations.

____

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Guide to building pharma strategies in oncology - Omnia Health Insights

Organic Chemistry

NEET UG 2023: Exam preparation strategies for students and by students – EdexLive

As the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET-UG), one of Indias largest entrance examinations, is about to be conducted on May 7 and EdexLive contacted various NEET UG aspirants who shared their study strategies, the number of hours they study and how they relax.

It seemed like most of the students prefer opting for special coaching for the entrance test. The amount of time a student dedicates to daily coaching varies individually. There are students who dedicate six to eight hours a day while others spend more than half a day coaching, highlighting the importance they gave to the exam.

In order to be familiar with the exam pattern and effectively manage time, most of them consider doing sample questions, solving previous question papers and attending mock tests as the best option. The majority of students find Physics the most challenging of all. Meanwhile, there are students who consider Biology as confusing too. While most of them aim for MBBS; BDS is also preferred by many.

Here's what they say:

Its my first time appearing for the exam and since the exam date is almost here, my strategy is to just solve many mock tests and previous year's question papers. Studying for such a high-level exam can be challenging. Hence, to refresh myself, I just talk to my friends and watch a series with short episodes which Ive already watched, so that I can pause it anytime I want. I mostly just avoid something new and lengthy. My goal is to score a government MBBS college seat in Delhi and as far as specialisations go, I havent really thought that far yet

Shreyansh Jain, UP

This year will be my second attempt, as last year, I was not prepared at all for my first attempt. Due to COVID, I could not take up any coaching so, in a way, this is the first time I am properly preparing for NEET. I work hard the whole week and reserve my Sundays for recharging myself, watching movies and calling my grandparents. My ultimate goal is MBBS. I will not go for any other option, no matter whatever it takes

Suraj Santosh Wag, Maharashtra

I find NEET preparation very stressful for an average student and try to engage in sports to freshen up in between my preparation. I am focusing on the revision of all chapters in each subject, especially on high-weightage topics for each one and also solving previous year questions for practice

Aarush Yadav, Uttar Pradesh

This is my first attempt and I want to pursue MBBS. My preparation strategy for NEET-UG is simple, opting for self-study after undertaking coaching from Allen. Inorganic Chemistry is tough for me because the learning portion in IOC (Institute of Organic Chemistry) is very large. In the free time that I get between my study sessions, I try to maintain my sleep cycle

Rishi Jha, New Delhi

I am not following any unique strategy for preparation. Mainly, I pay attention to the teacher's suggestions and the notes given by them. It's my first time attempting the NEET examination and it's challenging to crack it in the first attempt. The Physics section is usually the toughest of all. But most of the questions in Biology are very crooked and confusing. There's not much time to relax. However, I watch TV and use my mobile phone. I'm actually interested in both MBBS and BDS. I will choose according to the marks I score

Azim Ahamed, Kerala

This is the second time I am appearing for NEET. I have been attending coaching since Class XI for NEET preparations. I focus mostly on NCERT textbooks and practice mcqs (multiple choice questions) on a daily basis. For me, Organic chemistry with objective questions is the most challenging. I take a five-minuterefresherafter every hour of studying. Sometimes, I just take mock tests if I'm bored. My goal is to pursue MBBS

Farzeen Ibrahim, Kerala

This is the first time I am appearing for NEET-UG. I solve previous questions and NEET model question papers for preparation. I personally find Physics the most challenging. I scroll through Instagram for refreshing myself. My goal is to be a veterinary surgeon

Remya M Raju, Kerala

My name is Gauri Ritesh Baheti. I am preparing for NEET UG Exam. My strategy to crack this exam is that I study for sevento eighthours daily and my coaching time was from 6 amto 1.30 pm. I give three hours to each subject,Physics, Chemistry and Biology. I solve question papers in oneand a half hours as NTA gives three hoursand 20 minutes. I also practiced on the OMR sheet. Actually, I am weak in Physics so I focus more on that subject. I take a break of half an hour and sing songs as it is my hobby. My goal is to pursue MBBS and I am really working hard for it

Gauri Ritesh Baheti, Maharashtra

Now there is very little time left for preparation, so the schedule is quitehectic. I study for 12 to 14 hours a day. I don't find much time for relaxation, but spending time with family members suffices. This is my second attempt at NEET. Physics is the most challenging for me, especially the numerical part; theory isn't very difficult. I will be opting for MBBSand it's my wish to study Dermatology later

Sakshi Sharma, Uttar Pradesh

In the last few days, it has been difficult to register on the NTA (National Testing Agency) website and we sent a bunch of emails to them. But the site is still not working. As far as preparation goes, since it is Ramzan, my preparations are not going as they used to. Now, I spend about six to eighthours studying continuouslywith short breaks. I don't take help from any video lectures or any other source. It's purely self-study. For relaxation, I spend time with my younger sister and take a walk in the nearby park. This is my first attempt, but I started preparing after Class XIand have been studying for a year now. I studied in Kuwait and then moved to Bihar for further studies.

Nashra Khan, Bihar

My preparations are suffering because of the NTA website. It hasn't been working for days nowand though I am interested in appearing for NEET, I haven't been able to register yet. Before this, I used to dedicateabout 12-15 hours to studying. This is my first attempt at NEET and I find Physics the most challenging. I want to enter the medical field; MBBS is my first preference, but if I don't make it and get a seat in BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), I would be equally happy

Preeti Roy, Delhi

Link:

NEET UG 2023: Exam preparation strategies for students and by students - EdexLive

Organic Chemistry

Toppers Tips: IIT-Delhi student shares JEE Advanced preparation tips, list of books referred – The Indian Express

Ashmit Nangia from Delhi secured an all India rank (AIR) 34 in JEE Main 2022 and 918 in JEE Advanced 2022. Currently pursuing Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, he shares how he prepared for the exam.

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Though Nangia hails from Delhi however, he stays on the campus as there are events and activities happening round the clock and he wanted to be a part of them.

My motivation behind joining IIT

As a child, I was always inclined towards science and Mathematics and therefore wanted to pursue them for higher studies. I heard about JEE in Class 9 and already knew IITs were the most prestigious institutions for engineering.

Being a night owl

I did not have a fixed schedule but I preferred studying during the night. I studied generally between 12 am-4 am. Then during the day, I would study for three to four hours. I ensured that I dedicate seven to eight hours every day. I prepared for JEE Main and Advanced simultaneously.

Books I referred to

Apart from NCERT, I referred to Mathematics to Arihant, Sameer Bansal and whatever material FIITJEE provided. For Chemistry, I referred to MS Chouhan for Organic Chemistry and Neeraj Kumar for Physical. For inorganic, I referred only to NCERT and material provided by my coaching. And, for Physics I referred to HC Verma and Irodov.

My revision schedule

I started my revision when 70 to 80 per cent of my syllabus was completed which is around January 2022. I would solve past years papers and mock tests provided by my coaching. I would revise my notes on a weekly basis.

Online coaching

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, our classes were held online, therefore, it saved my travel time. I studied from home only. If youre focused then online classes are better as you can schedule your session at your teachers convenience.

My advice

As the JEE Main exam has concluded, my advice for students appearing for JEE Advanced 2023 would be to solve past year papers regularly because similar concepts are asked in the exam. Do not refer to any new book or resources now. Revise whatever you were referring to already. Also, NCERT is imperative, do a thorough revision of it.

IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd

First published on: 18-04-2023 at 10:35 IST

Link:

Toppers Tips: IIT-Delhi student shares JEE Advanced preparation tips, list of books referred - The Indian Express

Organic Chemistry

The Secret History of the LSD Trade – Lucid News

A new film about the underground chemists and other outlaws who made LSD available to the first generation of psychedelic pioneers will be screened in San Francisco during Bicycle Day celebrations next week. The world premiere of Psychedelic Revolution: The Secret History of the LSD Trade will take place on April 18 at Discovery Con, a two-day event that will host discussions about psychedelic science, culture and policy.

This years Bicycle Day commemorates the 80th anniversary of the first intentional LSD trip experienced by Albert Hofmann who first synthesized LSD at the Sandoz pharmaceutical laboratories in Switzerland.

Part one of a planned three-part documentary series, the first twenty minutes of Psychedelic Revolution, was screened at the 2022 Discovery Con event. The full 60-minute film features some of the notable revolutionaries of the acid underground and their children, including Carolyn (Mountain Girl) Garcia, Sunshine Kesey, Mariavittoria Mangini, Amy Cando, Ken Babbs, Michael and Carol Randall, Mark McCloud, Tim Tyler, Seth Ferranti, Dr. John Beresford, William Leonard Pickard, and Rhoney Stanley.

Rhoney Stanley, who is one of the films executive producers, was a laboratory assistant and former partner of Owsley Stanley, the clandestine chemist and Grateful Dead audio engineer.

Owsley Stanley produced more than five million doses of LSD between 1965 and 1967 which helped ignite psychedelic culture in the San Francisco Bay Area and worldwide.

While backstage at a 2018 Dead & Company show in Mexico, Rhoney met Tyler who had just been released from prison for selling LSD. According to Rhoney, Tyler explained that he and Ferranti, who was also imprisoned for selling psychedelics and cannabis, had decided that if they ever got out of prison, they would make a movie about the LSD trade to tell the real story. Rhoney agreed that the story must be told and introduced them to the community of people featured in the film.

Psychedelic Revolution is directed by Ferranti who will be appearing at Discovery Con together with most of the people who appear in the film. Rhoney Stanley talked with Lucid News about the genesis of the film and what she wants people to know about LSD and those who took great risks to manufacture and sell it in the 1960s and beyond.

Why did Owsley Stanley ask you to become his lab assistant and what impact did that have on your life?I was born to a Jewish family in New York and grew up in the Bronx and Westchester. I started college at Mt. Holyoke. But I just couldnt take it, so I transferred to UC Berkeley, as I was involved in political action and the folk music scene. After taking White Lightning LSD made by Owsley, and having a transformative experience where I felt the divine connection between us all, I wanted to meet Owsley. Lucky for me, my friend, the musician Perry Lederman, was his dealer and introduced us. I believe there must be magnetic fields that bring like-minded people together.

Owsley said to me, Enroll in organic chemistry at Berkeley and learn lab set ups. And I listened. Then he said, drop out and lets make acid. He also had me helping him tabulate the acid. Melissa Jeffress (formerly Cargill) was also a lab assistant for him.

Owsley studied chemistry books, and learned how to make psychedelics. He found glass blowers to design custom glassware and trained Tim Scully. After visiting Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert and Ralph Metzner at Millbrook in 1967, we were arrested but the charges were dropped. Then we got busted again in December of that year in our LSD lab in California. The feds came in with guns. Five of us were arrested including Owsley, Melissa and me.

Owsley took the rap and said that we were just girls at the scene, so we were not indicted. Melissa and I both got pregnant by Owsley and had babies within three weeks of each other while Owsley was in prison.

So you were pregnant and Owsley was in prison, what did you do next?Melissa lived with Jack Casady, the bass player in the Jefferson Airplane. I went on the road with my baby and visited Owsley in prison where he served about three years. I got a false ID from a friend in New York City and Melissa and I alternated visits with him under the same ID. When Owsley got out of prison, we lived together for a while.

I was close to Richard Alpert. Though he is mainly known as Ram Dass and as one of the authors of The Psychedelic Experience, he was also a psychotherapist and advised me that I would have to support my child. He suggested I go to school and study science. I wanted to be a doctor, but I was afraid they would find out about my LSD background and would not let me practice.

My father was a dentist, so I went back to school and studied to be a dentist. I moved to New York, attended Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, and practiced holistic orthodontics for 40 years, mostly in the Bronx, but also in the Woodstock, New York area. I just got licensed in California and Im reopening my practice.

Why did you decide to help create Psychedelic Revolution: The Secret History of the LSD Trade?I had suffered. Other people who were arrested suffered. Owsley went to prison and he suffered. He was so discouraged by the government. His grandfather was a U.S. senator. Owsley just couldnt believe that there was legislation to make illegal an action that hurt nobody and had to do with free choice. What happened to him and others who went to prison is a complete violation of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

After Owsley got out of prison he was so discouraged by the legal system and the treatment of prisoners and the lack of prison reform, that he left the country and went to Australia which was settled by former convicts and outlaws. He lived there the rest of his life and died in a car accident. Melissa also moved there. Redbird, his daughter with Melissa, settled there. Starfinder, our son who is a veterinarian, planned to move to Australia. I have a Masters in Public Health with a dual degree. I also had an offer to work in Australia.

I am so grateful that now psychedelics are becoming legal. However, too many people who took the risk to make and distribute LSD were punished by draconian prison terms for non-crimes. With the coming legalization, these outlaws need to be acknowledged for the risks they took and the time they lost. Life in prison is suffering.

Were the risks that people took to make LSD available worth all the suffering?I dont think its fair for me personally to answer that because I didnt go to prison. I asked Tim Tyler, who was sentenced to life in prison, if his time in prison was worth the risk and he said yes, definitely. Tim said, I served 26 years of a life sentence for LSD. It is a medicine and a sacrament.

Raising consciousness is a universal goal. It leads to self-knowledge and self-knowledge is the objective of every religion.

What will people learn from this film?I think they will get an understanding of the compassionate nature of the people involved with LSD and realize that the whole cops and robbers and money thing is only a small part of it. But the major focus is brotherhood and love.

Do you think that LSD has played a role in cultural evolution?Absolutely. In art, music, writing. Look at the effect of the Grateful Dead on culture and how many universities now teach counterculture. LSD is a source of freedom, of healing, of spirituality and awakening. How long have people gone on antidepressants and pharmaceuticals, taking a prescription pill instead of a guided psychedelic experience that could change their consciousness, end their depression and addiction, their anxiety, post traumatic stress, and fear of death?

With LSD, you take microdoses, not even one milligram. I dont think people get that you need to only take so little LSD to get a psychedelic effect. Its tiny, and therefore it doesnt have a negative effect like MDMA and ketamine. It doesnt raise the blood pressure like MDMA and doesnt cause cardiac arrhythmias. MDMA is not a psychedelic, its an amphetamine. The A in MDMA stands for amphetamine.

Whats next for you and the other filmmakers?This film that we are showing is just part one. We are creating a trilogy. The first part is the genesis; Part 2 is the war on drugs; and Part 3 is the renaissance. We want to see how the kids of the outlaws are faring, like my son and Sunshine Kesey and Trixie Garcia and Justin Kreutzmann. The kids who went through it. Its not easy being those kids. As Wavy (Gravy) pointed out, its not easy to be the child of a media figure who was mythical in their time. We want to tell their story.

This film we are showing at Discovery Con is the first time the 60-minute version has been seen. It is a work in progress. We want to take this on the road and have premieres in different cities in small theaters for Dead Heads and anyone who has been locked up for psychedelics.

Featured image: Michael and Carol Randall during filming of Psychedelic Revolution.

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The Secret History of the LSD Trade - Lucid News