Category Archives: Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

Mithra and the University of Lige Secure Proof-of-Concept for Novel Manufacturing Process of Estetrol – Yahoo Finance UK

Mithra Pharmaceuticals

Collaboration demonstrates Mithras commitment to innovation and sustainable drug supply in Womens Health

Liege, Belgium, 04 May 2023 7:30 CEST Mithra (Euronext Brussels: MITRA), a company dedicated to Womens Health, today announces that through a collaboration with researchers from the University of Liges Center for Integrated Technology and Organic Synthesis (CiTOS), proof-of-concept has been demonstrated for a novel manufacturing process of a key estetrol intermediate.

Estetrol (E4), Mithras core asset, is a natural estrogen with potential applications across multiple therapeutic fields including Womens Health (contraception and menopause). After successfully launching the first estetrol-based product in 2021, the contraceptive pill Estelle, Mithra continued to work towards innovation in manufacturing aimed at reducing cost of goods and potential environmental impact through the removal of a metal catalyst in the production process.

The Mithra and CiTOS teams have developed a novel, intensified manufacturing methodology to improve robustness and productivity while ensuring a limited environmental footprint. The new metal-free process is based on the thermolysis of a key sulfoxide derivative of estrone. Early proof of concept for this novel methodology was published in the peer-reviewed industry journal Reaction Chemistry & Engineering earlier this year here.

Mithra and CiTOS will continue their development work, with initial commercial production by a CDMO using the enhanced manufacturing process expected in 2026/27.

David H Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of Mithra, commented: Mithras collaboration with CiTOS demonstrates our commitment to innovation and sustainable drug supply in womens health. With the mass production of estetrol integral to our daily activities, we are always looking at ways we can enhance the manufacturing process. This particular method allows us to produce estetrol at scale to meet increased demand while also delivering reduced cost of goods.

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Jean-Christophe Monbaliu, Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Lige, added: With this novel methodology we are able to yield about 1kg of the estetrol intermediate every three hours in just our pilot setup. If we applied these metrics to an industrial estetrol production setup, a forecast of several tons is achievable with minimal global footprint.

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For more information, please contact:

Investor relations : investorrelations@mithra.com

About Mithra

Mithra (Euronext: MITRA) is a Belgian biotech company dedicated to transforming Womens Health by offering new choices through innovation, with a particular focus on contraception and menopause. Mithras goal is to develop products offering better efficacy, safety and convenience, meeting womens needs throughout their life span. Mithra explores the potential of the unique native estrogen estetrol in a wide range of applications in women health and beyond. After having successfully launched the first estetrol-based product in 2021, the contraceptive pill Estelle, Mithra is now focusing on its second product Donesta, the next-generation hormone therapy. Mithra also offers partners a complete spectrum of solutions from early drug development, clinical batches and commercial manufacturing of complex polymeric products (vaginal ring, implants) and complex liquid injectables and biologicals (vials, pre-filled syringes or cartridges) at its technological platform Mithra CDMO. Active in more than 100 countries around the world, Mithra has an approximate headcount of 230 staff members and is headquartered in Lige, Belgium. http://www.mithra.com

ESTELLE, DONESTA and MYRING are registered trademarks of Mithra Pharmaceuticals or one of its affiliates.

Important information

The contents of this announcement include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words "believes", "estimates," "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "may", "will", "plans", "continue", "ongoing", "potential", "predict", "project", "target", "seek" or "should", and include statements the Company makes concerning the intended results of its strategy. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. The Company's actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.

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Mithra and the University of Lige Secure Proof-of-Concept for Novel Manufacturing Process of Estetrol - Yahoo Finance UK

Organic Chemistry

Day in the Life of an Engineering Manager: Sahara Becker – All … – Society of Women Engineers

I graduated in 2018 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering. I really loved my chemistry and organic chemistry classes in high school which prompted me to study chemical engineering in college. My path to my current role is not traditional. Throughout my college experience, I had multiple internships in the chemical industry, but after graduation, I instead took a job as a software engineer, which eventually led me to become the security operations manager for my company.

In college I was a part of the Society of Women Engineers and the outreach coordinator for my RPI SWE section. SWE gave me a lot of leadership opportunities that I did not have through my general coursework in college. It also provided me with a network of women going through similar experiences as myself being a minority in our classes. I am now able to leverage this network to help find jobs and I have a community to return to every year at our annual conference.

In college, I had five internships and did research on campus. While most of my college experiences were in the chemical industry as opposed to software development or cybersecurity, I still learned a lot about myself, which led me to where I am now. I did several internships at SABIC, at a location that manufactures plastic, one internship at GE in rural Tennessee where they manufactured busway (an alternative to wire for conducting electricity), and one internship at ExxonMobil with the environmental remediation team at their headquarters. I went into each of these experiences not knowing what to expect and I had to move all over the country for them. I went in with an open mind and I learned that I am a calculated risk taker and that sometimes the best opportunities and projects are the ones you dont plan for yourself. I also learned that real world experiences will never be like the textbook problems I encountered in my classes. Instead, the most valuable thing that contributes to success is being open to learning new things and the creative mindset I use when approaching problems.

In one particularly shaping experience at SABIC, I was tasked with managing the scheduling of projects for a large plant shutdown (many maintenance tasks and projects cant be done while the plastic manufacturing lines are up and running). This was a large responsibility and through that assignment, I gained experience managing contractors. I knew after that assignment that I wanted to manage a team one day. All these experiences led me to take the risk and switch career fields after I graduated when I was offered a position as a software engineer. Despite not knowing much about software, I knew I could learn and I knew that I had the right mindset to approach any problem I encountered in that new field.

I knew that I wanted to be an engineering manager because I knew that the visions and aspirations I had for making change at a company exceeded my ability to complete individually. I knew that I would need a team to help me and that I would need to delegate tasks in order to maximize my contributions. In my internships and my role as an engineer at McMaster-Carr, I had the opportunity to manage contractors for the projects I worked on. This gave me leadership experience that helped me successfully transition into management. While working at McMaster-Carr I got an MBA and a Masters degree in Information Technology Management part time from Indiana Universitys Kelley School of Business. I was promoted into management while I was in the middle of the MBA program.

Currently, I am the cybersecurity operations manager at McMaster-Carr. I manage a team of engineers that work to make sure our companys computing environment is secure and protected against cyberattacks. We remediate vulnerabilities (flaws in software or hardware that can potentially allow an attacker to get into our systems) and we investigate potential attacks. On a typical workday, I am having check-ins with my engineers to make sure I am up to date on their assignments. I am also communicating to other software development and infrastructure teams at the company to ask for their assistance in remediating vulnerabilities that affect their systems. As a manager, I am also responsible for communicating the benefits and progress of my team to the broader company so I am often meeting with my boss and others in leadership to share the impact of our work.

Prior to becoming the security manager, I had several engineering roles on various software development and infrastructure projects and then I became the tech support manager for our California branch. Through each of these experiences, I learned new things about technology that have been useful to me as I continue my career. The tech support manager role was particularly shaping for me as it was my first experience as a manager. In that role, I managed a call center and email queue with on-site cases as well as remote support cases. We supported a wide variety of software and hardware so I had to learn how to use my network within the company to help solve the tough problems. I also learned to communicate with a broad variety of teams as our tech support organization serves our warehouses and corporate teams.

My company, McMaster-Carr, is an industrial supply company that aims to be the complete source for any industrial need. We sell over 500,000 products and we are best known for our massive yellow and green catalog that engineers love to peruse so they can discover new things that help them solve whatever problem theyre working on. Check out this video Mythbusters Adam Savage made about our catalog: https://youtu.be/8kbu34dk92s McMaster-Carr is unique in that we often hire based on capability to learn and not current skill. We value teaching and learning and have a training program that helps new employees get quickly up to speed with technology and coding. Thats how I was hired with a background in chemical engineering for a job in software engineering. So many of the lead engineers at my company that I look up to have backgrounds in non-technical fields like Economics, English, and Philosophy. This allows us to have a variety of perspectives on each of our projects so we can come up with creative solutions.

My favorite part of being an engineering manager is helping my team achieve their fullest potential. I like to understand each persons professional and personal goals and help them work toward them. When a person is feeling valued and supported by their manager, they do better work, and that is good for both them and the company.

If I can give any student some advice it would be to not let anyone tell you that you cant achieve your goals and know that the ability to learn is a superpower that will propel you in your career. If you are unsure what type of engineering you want to pursue, dont worry, you can always pivot from the choice you make. The most valuable thing you get out of an engineering degree is the problem solving mindset and that is transferable to any job!

Written by Emily Tacopina: Emily is a Consultant Engineer at FM Global. Emily graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering.

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Day in the Life of an Engineering Manager: Sahara Becker - All ... - Society of Women Engineers

Organic Chemistry

Complete integration of carbene-transfer chemistry into biosynthesis – Nature.com

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Complete integration of carbene-transfer chemistry into biosynthesis - Nature.com

Organic Chemistry

Job shadowing steered ASU outstanding grad to dentistry – ASU News Now

May 3, 2023

Editors note:This story is part of a series of profiles of notablespring2023 graduates.

With a love of working with people and a passion for human anatomy, Arizona State University College of Integrative Sciences and Arts Class of 2023 Outstanding Undergraduate Spencer Bigler said he first thought his future path would be going to medical school, to be either an anesthesiologist or a surgeon. Accepted to every dental program he applied to, Spencer Bigler will attend Midwestern University in Arizona on a military scholarship with the U.S. Navy, then do an oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at a naval hospital before serving his country as a Navy dental surgeon. Download Full Image

But that shifted the summer between his freshman and sophomore years, when he started shadowing anesthesiologists and orthopedic surgeons.

I realized that the anesthesiologist did not do enough hands-on work for me, and the orthopedic surgeon was working 80 hours a week, making it hard for the family, said Bigler, who majored in applied biological sciences at ASU Polytechnic campus and was married at age 20 to Livi Bigler, a College of Integrative Sciences and Arts psychology major. I started second-guessing school and wondered if I should change careers altogether.

About this same time he was asked to help out during the COVID-19 lockdown at an office of general dentistry.

I didnt have much experience, but they were understaffed and being overrun by emergency appointments, he said. I noticed that many of the more complicated cases such as jaw fractures, complex sleep apnea issues and patients who had received radiation were all sent to a specialist known as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. After looking into the field, I found out that they are trained in both dentistry and medicine, as they perform surgeries and administer general anesthesia. I decided to follow one surgeon, and when I found out he worked less than 40 hours a week and had a happy family life, I knew this was the career for me, and I have never looked back.

Bigler, who is graduating with a GPA above 4.0, has worked at a dental clinic and had many other applied dental experiences, including a weeklong dental mission trip in Mexico, from his sophomore year onward. He also has set the paperwork in motion to found a nonprofit in the Dominican Republic that provides opportunities to exchange community service work, like cleaning up streets and beaches, for health care services. Bigler was awarded funds from ASUs J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institutes pitch competition to support the organization.

This semester I interned at Arizona Maxillofacial Surgeons, where I work with some great oral and maxillofacial surgeons, he said, and Ive learned many techniques that will help me out in the future.

To round out his dental school applications and solidify his knowledge, Bigler served as a supplemental instruction leader for Chemistry 116 and continues to tutor students in chemistry and organic chemistry. He was president of the Pre-Dental Club at ASU Polytechnic campus and a volunteer with the CISA Student Ambassador program.

Still, Bigler knew that getting accepted to a great school would also rest on his ability to do well on the Dental Admission Test.

I took the exam between my junior and senior year. The five-hour test covers topics taught throughout undergrad and other topics that I had to learn outside of my school studies, he explained.

After six months of studying and practicing with other ASU pre-dental students, I took the test, hoping to get a good enough score to be competitive, Bigler said. I was shocked when I found out I scored in the 99thpercentile. I was ecstatic and knew that my dreams of becoming an oral and maxillofacial surgeon could indeed become a reality."

Indeed, he was admitted into all of his top picks for dental school.

Bigler didnt just rest on his incredible accomplishments. He is sharing his experiences to try to lift others up, explained Julie Lim, College of Integrative Arts and Sciences assistant director for student engagement.

Spencers innate desire to help others includes helping his peers here at ASU, said Lim, who coordinates theCISA Student Ambassador program and connects with many student club leaders. As president of the Pre-Dental Club, Spencer is teaching his peers about the dental field and supporting their goals of getting into dental school. Once others learned of Spencers DAT scores and admission into dental programs, he was inundated with questions and requests for tips and advice. To help as many interested individuals as possible, Spencer created a resource to address these questions.

His comprehensive guide, How to Get into Dental School from Start to Finish, is free to the public to help preprofessionals get access to the tools they need to get into dentistry. It even includes some tips that are specific to ASU students.

Bigler plans to turn it into a website by fall. I was lucky enough to have a ton of social capital around me as I prepared for dental school, he noted in the guide, and I want to make that knowledge public for anyone who is searching to have access, without having to pay any fees to get that knowledge.

Spencer has continued to amaze me as he takes steps to not only reach his goals but is also focused in how service can be tied along with his career path, added Lim. During my interactions with students, most plan and think about what they want to do in the future. Spencer, on the other hand, is doing it now.

Bigler shared these additional reflections about his ASU journey and plans for the future.

Question: Whats something you learned while at ASU in the classroom or otherwise that surprised you or changed your perspective?

Answer: ASU taught me the importance of social capital and how not everyone has equal amounts of it. Social capital is the predisposition that some people have to succeed due to their networks and social circles that can help them get where they want to get. Unfortunately, many people are born into social circles that make it hard for them to succeed, not because they are not smart enough or unwilling to work, but because they do not know where to look or who can help them. ASU taught me to not only be aware of social capital, but also contribute to society by helping spread knowledge and social capital to the general public.

Q: Why did you choose ASU?

A: Living in the Dominican Republic at the time, I had applied to three colleges for undergrad a month before classes started. The first college to reach out to me to say I was accepted was ASU, two weeks before classes started. I knew I didnt want to wait a semester to start college, so I decided that I would go to ASU. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I have made.

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU and what was it?

A: I had several professors teach me profound lessons while here at ASU. One that sticks out to me was a lesson taught by Professor Vikas Garg, who teaches organic chemistry at the Polytechnic campus. He and Ihad formed a good professor-student relationship, as I was his TA, and he helped me study for the Dental Admission Test from time to time. After class one day, we got talking about cultures and how American culture differs from the culture in India where he is from. He knew that I was independent form my parents and married by the age of 20. He told me that he thought the American culture of becoming independent at a young age has proven to be a strong driving force in the success of young American leaders. At the time I felt overwhelmed juggling school, work, family life and future career plans, so hearing a professor giving me inspiration that all my hard work was making me a better person was both comforting and eye-opening.

Q: Whats the best piece of advice youd give to those still in school?

A: Be a creator of your circumstances, not a creature. This quote was given to me as I was learning Spanish in the Dominican Republic. I kept blaming the dialect and other people for my not being able to understand and speak Spanish fluently. After hearing this quote, I realized that the power was in me to take control of my circumstances and create something good out of it.

While working at Arizona Maxillofacial Surgeons, I heard a different quote that had similar meaning behind it. When an assistant stated that there was a problem with one of the autoclaves, the surgeon responded in a calm but firm voice, Be a part of the solution, not the problem. The assistant right away understood, and rephrased the statement to say, There is a leak in the autoclave, and it appears to be the seal; may I order a new seal? This was a live examplefor me of someone who started by being a creature of their circumstance by posing a problem, then corrected themselves and became a creator of their circumstance by posing a solution. We all have the power to do this in our everyday lives. Do it and it will change the way you see the world.

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?

A: I loved going to the library and borrowing markers to use on the whiteboards. I cant count how many exciting and engaging study sessions I had with fellow Sun Devils working up problems, and making fun ways to remember topics around the whiteboards in the library.

Q: What are your plans aftergraduation?

A: Ive accepted admission to dental school at Midwestern University in Arizona on a full-ride military scholarship with the U.S. Navy. I will get my four-year education there and then plan to do an oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at a naval hospital for another four years. Then I plan to serve my country as a surgeon in the Navy for a few years before settling down and working in a private practice. While on this journey I plan to start a family with my amazing wife, Livi; invest in real estate; and participate in dental humanitarian work.

Q: If someone gave you$40millionto solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: Last summer I went back to the Dominican Republic and noticed a need for better access to health care, as well as cleaner streets and beaches. That inspired me to start a nonprofit organization known as MATA (Making A Thriving Atmosphere). Its goal is to make a thriving atmosphere for professionals and patients by helping them get access to what they need in exchange for service. Many Dominicans do not have the money to get the health care they want but have plenty of free time and are always in search of a job. MATA will find service opportunities that fit patients physical capabilities that they can do in exchange for treatment and access to health care.With $40 million I would be able to go further than I imagined by helping people in more countries than just the Dominican Republic, and reach out to other facets in health care outside of dentistry.

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Job shadowing steered ASU outstanding grad to dentistry - ASU News Now

Organic Chemistry

Upcycling method turns textile trash to functional coatings – Science Daily

In an effort to make textiles more sustainable, a new method allows researchers to break old clothing down chemically and reuse polyester compounds to create fire resistant, anti-bacterial or wrinkle-free coatings that could then be applied to clothes and fabrics.

The proof-of-principle study provides hope for unsustainable textile, apparel and footwear industries that together generate 20% of global solid waste. Many so-called recyclers end up illegally dumping textiles as trash in countries in Asia and Africa.

"We think that our clothes are recycled or reprocessed, but most of the time they are actually sent to other places as solid waste," said Juan Hinestroza, professor of fiber science and apparel design and director of the Textiles Nanotechnology Laboratory at Cornell University. "Our main goal is to offer a pathway to reuse this material."

The paper, "Upcycling of Dyed Polyester Fabrics into Copper-1, 4-Benzeedicarboxylate Metal-Organic Frameworks," published March 30 in the journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, describes the process of cutting textiles into pieces and chemically decomposing them into a soup of raw materials, dyes, additives, dirt and esters. A metal solution is added and building blocks from the polyester share an affinity with the metal, and selectively link together metal compounds forming tiny cages (called metal-organic frameworks) that settle to the bottom of the soup.

The cages that form are then used to make coatings, which may require minor structural tweaks to tailor each to specific uses. These might include coatings that make permanent press shirts that don't wrinkle, antibacterial surgical gowns or scrubs, or baby or industrial clothes that require a fire-retardant protection.

"One goal of my lab is to create a universal coating that will serve all these purposes, though we are still far away from that," Hinestroza said.

Yelin Ko, a doctoral student in the field of human centered design, is the paper's first author. Prior to this research, some believed the dyes and impurities in the mix would interfere with the process, but this proof-of-principle of the method -- known as controlled crystallization -- shows that the polyester-derived linkers can seek out and attach to metal compounds in solution, in spite of other present materials.

The research describes a closed loop process, where discarded materials may be reused and contribute to a circular economy -- a focus for many sustainability researchers at Cornell, Hinestroza said.

The study was partially funded by the National Science Foundation.

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Upcycling method turns textile trash to functional coatings - Science Daily

Organic Chemistry

NEET UG 2023: Important topics to keep in mind – The Indian Express

NEET UG 2023: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET exam is one of the most competitive entrance exams in India, with lakhs of aspirants appearing for it every year. With only a few days left, the serious aspirants have already finished their preparations and are at the stage of giving their final revisions to the syllabus. NTA too has released the NEET UG admit cards today.

A clever work plan that efficiently covers the syllabus is the most crucial component of acing through the NEET exam.

Physics Gravitation, Waves & Sound, Thermodynamics, Kinematics, Capacitors & Electrostatics, Magnetics, Electromagnetic Induction, Heat, Optics & Modern Physics, Fluids, are some of the high weightage topics to focus on.

Chemistry Chemical & Ionic Equilibrium, Chemical thermodynamics, Electrochemistry, biomolecules, polymers, Mole Concept in Physical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, chemical kinetics, Coordination Chemistry & Chemical Bonding in Inorganic Chemistry. Students are also advised to focus on periodic table.

Biology The biology section holds the highest weightage of the three sections

Topics like Morphology of flowering plants, Cell Cycle and Cell Division, Biodiversity and Conservation, Photosynthesis in Plants, Human Reproduction, Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants, Biotechnology and its Applications are important.

Here are some last minute preparation tips that can help the aspirants to ace the NEET UG 2023

1. Continuous and rigorous revision of the syllabus: Identify the topics that require extra attention by revising the complete curriculum again and again. Also pay attention to the short notes highlighted and made by you as it will assist you recall things, and setting aside enough time to look after the other important Topics.

2. Prime attention should be on high weightage topics: Aspirants are advised to Focus on important high weightage topics which can help you get more marks as they are extremely crucial from the exam point of view. Also, it is important to stick to the NCERT syllabus as it serves as the foundation of the exam.

3. Solve multiple mock exams/ sample papers: Try solving multiple mock exams in these final days as it is the most practical way to assess your level of preparation and figure out your weak areas to focus on. Alon with that, solving these papers will help you in increasing your writing speed and answering more questions effectively and efficiently.

4. Time Management is the key: Managing time is extremely important in such a highly competitive exam. Time management along with the right approach are crucial components in deciding the aspirants rank. Effective management of time can be achieved by proper revision, solving more number of mock papers, having a conceptual clarity of the overall syllabus and focussing on high weightage topics.

The author is Chief Academic Officer (CAO), Vidyamandir Classes (VMC)

IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd

First published on: 04-05-2023 at 14:00 IST

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NEET UG 2023: Important topics to keep in mind - The Indian Express

Organic Chemistry

Faculty earn promotions, tenure: Indiana University Kokomo – IUK Newsroom

KOKOMO, Ind. The Indiana University Board of Trustees has approved promotion and/or tenure for 16 faculty members on the Kokomo campus.

Scott Jones, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, commended the faculty members.

We are proud to congratulate these outstanding faculty, he said. These promotions, and where appropriate, the granting of tenure, recognize the many accomplishments of these faculty and the anticipation of the future contributions they will make to the university, their disciplines, and our state.

Those receiving promotions include:

Awny Alnusair, professor of informatics and computer science. He came to IU Kokomo in 2011. Alnusair earned a Ph.D. from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in computer science, a Master of Science in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago; and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Yoarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan. Awards and honors include the IU Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award and a Trustees Teaching Award.

Sarah Heath, professor of history. She joined the faculty in 2008. She earned a Ph.D. and Master of Arts from University of Cincinnati, and a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Wooster in Ohio. Awards and honors include the Virgil Hunt Service Award, the Presidents Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Claude Rich Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Chancellors Diversity Excellence Award. Shes a member of IUs Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching (FACET). Heath also serves on the Douglass School committee, which is restoring a former Black school as a local Black history museum.

Tara Kingsley, professor of education. She came to IU Kokomo in 2012. Kingsley earned a Ph.D. in Elementary Education, Technology, Reading, and Research, a Master of Science in Elementary Education and Reading from Ball State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Purdue University. Awards and honors include the LEAP Indiana Annual Teaching Award, the Presidential Award for Teaching and Learning with Technology, the Claude Rich Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Trustees Teaching Award. She is a member of FACET.

Andrew McFarland, professor of history. He joined the faculty in 2007. McFarland earned a Ph.D. in European History and a Master of Arts in History from the University of Texas-Austin, and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Geography from University of Delaware. Awards and honors include a summer faculty fellowship and the Program for Cultural Cooperation between the Spanish Ministry of Education and American Universities. His teaching fields include Latin America, world history, Twentieth Century Europe, modern sport, modern Russia and the Soviet Union, and nationalism and mass culture.

Niki Weller, professor of sociology. She joined the faculty in 2012. Weller earned a Ph.D. in Sociology from Arizona State University; a Master of Arts in Political Science from University of Colorado; and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Spanish from University of Minnesota. Awards and honors include the IU Building Bridges Award, a research grant from the IU Racial Justice Research Fund, the Claire Rich Excellence in Teaching Award, the Trustees Teaching Award, and the Chancellors Diversity Excellence Award.

Michelle Westervelt, teaching professor in English. She was first an adjunct faculty member, and then joined as a full-time faculty member in 2013. Westervelt earned a Master of Arts in English from Indiana State University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Illinois College. She is leading a two-week trip to Europe with a World War II literature class in summer 2023 and has served as director of the writing center and a senior capstone project mentor. Shes also taught in the KEY Summer Institute and January bootcamp for incoming students.

Deborah Jaworski, senior lecturer in mathematics. She joined the faculty in 2013. Jaworski earned a Master of Science in Education, Curriculum Option, from California State University, East Bay, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from California Polytechnic University. Shes given presentations on Creating Accessible Equations and Symbols with MathJax, Building Classroom Community on Day One, and College Tech Orientation.

Melinda Stanley, senior lecturer in public administration and health management. She joined the faculty in 2014. She earned an Ed.D. in Health Professions from A.T. Still University, Kirksville, Missouri; a Master of Public Management from Indiana University Kokomo; a Bachelor of Arts in Microbiology from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio; and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio. Shes received the Trustees Teaching Award and the IU Bicentennial Medallion for Service and is a member of FACET.

Stephanie Pratt, clinical associate professor of nursing. She joined the faculty in 2010. Pratt earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice from University of Indianapolis; a Master of Science in Nursing from IUPUI; and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from IU Kokomo. Shes received the Trustees Teaching Award and has led disaster triage events and a poverty simulation for nursing students.

Christine Rassel, clinical associate professor of radiologic sciences.She joined the faculty in 2016. Rassel earned a Master of Public Management from IU Kokomo; a Bachelor of Science in Medical Imaging Technology from IUPUI; and an Associate of Science in Radiography from Marian College. Shes also an ultrasound technologist at Community North Hospital, Indianapolis. Rassel is a member of the Indiana Society of Radiologic Technologists and the American Society of Radiological Technologists.

Joseph Waters, clinical associate professor of psychology. He joined the faculty in 2017. Waters earned a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Purdue University, and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Business Administration from Ball State University. Hes received the Trustees Teaching Award and an applied learning grant. Hes also director of IU Kokomos Counseling and Psychological Services.

Those who were promoted and received tenure include:

Meg Galasso, associate librarian. She came to IU Kokomo in 2017. Galasso earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from DePauw University, Greencastle; and a Master of Library Science and a Master of History from IU. She is the campus information services librarian and archivist. Shes served on IUs Committee on Historic Preservation and was chair of the Council of University Archivists. Galasso also worked on the Bicentennial Archival Development and Deployment project.

Mohammad Hossain, associate professor of chemistry. He joined the faculty in 2017. Hossain earned a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from University of Saskatchewan, Canada; and a Master of Science in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. Hes received a research grant from the Academy of Science, a National Science Foundation MRI grant, summer faculty fellowships, and a grant-in-aid of faculty research.

Hong Liu, associate professor of computer science. She joined the faculty in 2017. Liu earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science and a Master of Science in Computer Science from Oklahoma State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Northeastern University, China. She received a grant-in-aid of faculty research, a faculty summer research grant, a Women of the Well House grant, and an Applied Learning grant.

Mark Meng, associate professor of hospitality and tourism. He joined the faculty in 2015. Meng earned a Ph.D. in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Purdue; a Master of Science in Food Business from University College Cork, Ireland; and a Bachelor of Management in Hospitality Management from Beijing Technology and Business University, China. Hes received a Trustees Teaching Award. His research interests include food and beverage management, food culture at travel destinations, destination authenticity and culture preservation, tourist behavior and motivation, and rural tourism and community development.

Amelia Tebbe, associate professor of mathematics. She joined the faculty in 2017. She earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from St. Marys College of Maryland; and an Associate of Arts in General Studies from Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland. She received a mini grant from the Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics and was a Project NExT Fellow.

Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.

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Faculty earn promotions, tenure: Indiana University Kokomo - IUK Newsroom

Organic Chemistry

Underwood: From comic books to AI | Opinion | guampdn.com – Pacific Daily News

As a professional educator and student as well, I have experienced many different ways of learning and shortcuts to learning.

As young adults, we were required to do book reports.

We were supposed to read books like Mutiny on the Bounty or A Tale of Two Cities and write the obligatory book report.

The solution in those days was easy.

We would go to the store and buy a Classic Comic Book with the same title.

They started off the same as the book.

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times... But quickly turned to colorful drawings of men in three-cornered hats and sans-culottes. After spending 15-20 minutes looking at the pictures and reading the dialogue, the book report almost wrote itself.

When we got to college, we had to deal with more difficult matters in a variety of subjects.

Enter the famous CliffsNotes. You could get them for organic chemistry, French or psychology. The complaint by teachers was that it allowed students to bypass reading assignments. Of course, that was the whole point.

The real killjoy for reading assignments and library research was the internet.

This was an opportunity I took advantage of as a learner and as a human being. My first inclination when I had a pain was to consult Dr. Google. When I heard a term I didnt understand, I went to one of several search engines.

As a teacher, I didnt really know how to react to it. At first, I resented the use of laptops in class when students were checking out everything I was saying. I even banned the use of Wikipedia as a research tool.

I insisted on original sources. Of course, that was easily compromised. It wasnt long before I was teaching online and I totally gave into the internet phenomenon and the social media that followed.

I used to say that face-to-face interaction was the best form of communication and the best tool for teaching and learning.

I guess that still could be true.

However, it happens so rarely these days that alternate paths have not only emerged, they have taken over our lives. In the same way that phone conversations took over personal conversations, texting has eliminated real phone conversations. We no longer say we love each other, we trade in emojis of hearts, some pulsating. I dont know whether love has increased or become just as impersonal as saying Have a Nice Day.

After Classic Comics, CliffsNotes, the internet and social media, we are unsure who is learning or who is teaching. But wait. There is more. We now have the challenge of Artificial Intelligence. AI allows us to generate knowledge, outlines and information that seems original. I could ask for a history about Ben Blaz or for an outline for calculus in CHamoru. I did and out it came. Moreover, it did so at a speed and depth which makes all the aforementioned routes to knowledge appear passe or quaint.

The results seemed plausible.

They could make it into a student project. The only problem was that the history of Ben Blaz gave him credit for legislation I moved through Congress and the CHamoru course in calculus looked authentic but needed a lot of work.

However, it would have taken me months of work to come up with that outline. There have been lots of warnings by people about AI, many by people who are working on various AI schemes.

One that I take seriously comes from Israeli historian and public intellectual Yuval Noah Harari. In the Economist, he argues that AI may have hacked the operating system of human civilization.

Our humanity is defined by our ability to use language. When a program can replicate that more authentically than us as individual humans, maybe someone or something has really hacked into our intelligence functioning. Moreover, there is no kill switch for this.

Maybe someone will develop an anti-AI artificial intelligence program like an anti-missile missile. But who would control that? I just long for the days when children would go to the village store and look at the comics hung on clotheslines behind the counter. They would say Archie or Classic Comics put fabot.

Robert Underwood is the former president of the University of Guam and Guams former delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Organic Chemistry

Could Chemicals Have Caused Michael J. Fox’s Parkinson’s? It’s … – American Council on Science and Health

From a chemist's perspective, perhaps the most intriguingpart ofFox's recentinterview with Jane Pauleyof CBS Newswas his admission that he may have inadvertently donesomethingthatcontributed to his development of Parkinson's. Pauley,alluding toaprior commentthat Fox made in 2022 during an award ceremony, asked"Is it possible youdidsome damage?"

His answer:

"Yeah, very possible. ... I mean, there's so many ways that you can, that I could've hurt myself. I could've hit my head. I could've drank too much at a certain developmental period. Most likely I think is, that I was exposed to some kind of chemical. What we say is that genetics loads the gun and environment pulls the trigger."

Why is this quote so intriguing? Because it's happened before, albeit under different circumstances.And the culprit was indeed "some kind of chemical," but it wasn't alcohol or anything in the environment. In 1982a group of heroin addicts who injected a bad batch of an analog of Demeroldeveloped severe Parkinson's symptoms in days, not years. The drug, which is called MPPPwas contaminated with a highly neurotoxic impurity and the results wereboth astonishing and horrifying. The incident can be traced back to 1976 when a graduate student made a bad mistake in the lab. Thereis even a bookabout the incident, although the author gets the chemistry wrong.

Nope, it was not heroin

Demerolis now rarely used and MPPP the Demerol analog that did the damage was certainly notthe cause of Fox's disease; this drug is long gone. But it left a legacy that contributed to the understanding of Parkinson's.

###

(Below is an updated version of a similar article I wrote on this topic in 2017.)

Frozen Addicts, Garage Drugs, And Funky Brain Chemistry

In the 1970s chemists in the illicit drug business began exploring a new class of psychoactive drugs, which were structurally related to the synthetic opiate Demerol. The following story is trulyone-in-a-million. It encompassesthe first"designer drug," (1)the organic chemistry used to make it, and what can (and did) happen when a reaction procedure is not conducted properly. On a "positive" note, theincident did result ina deeper understanding of the molecular mechanism of Parkinson's Disease. It also makes for a fascinating story.

The story began in 1947 when Demerol was discovered at Hoffman-La-Roche. At that time, drug companies were searching for pain-killing drugs that did not have the baggage of standard opioid drugs, such as hydrocodoneand oxycodone (2). In fact, desmethylprodine(MPPP), which is considered to be the first designer drug,was also discovered at Roche around that time, but, unlike Demerol, it was never approved.

Figure 2. The chemical structures of Demerol (L) andDesmethylprodine (R)

Similar chemicals can act very differently

Even people with little or no chemistry knowledgecansee that the two molecules in Figure 1 arenearly identical in structure. The only difference is thefunctional group (red circle) that isfound on the piperidine ring (green circle). In Demerol, the carbonyl group (carbon double bond to oxygen) is attached to the piperidinering. But inMPPP, an isomer (2) of Demerol, the carbonyl group and oxygen atom are switched, so that oxygen is attached to thepiperidine ring. While this may seem like a trivial difference, chemically it is anything butsomething that Barry Kidston, a chemistry grad student,would find out the hard way in 1976.

Barry Kidston Photo: Facebook

Things start to go South

Kidstonwas interested in discoveringlegal narcotics for his own use. Since MPPP, which hasmorphine-like properties, was neitherapproved, nor designated as aScheduleI drug (3),it was perfectly legal to make or usesomething that Kidston did for months. Then he got a little sloppy with his chemistry, and the results were disastrous. The mishap was simply a matter of his failure to control the temperature of the MPPP-formingreaction. For organic chemists, the results of this mistakeare not only logical but predictable. What happened after that was anything but.

The chemical reactionbelow showsthe final step in Kidston'sMPPP synthesis (its precursor, HPMP, is easy to synthesize). It's a common, usuallytrivial procedure called acylation (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Synthesis of MPPP. When HPMP is reacted with propionic anhydride MPPP, the desired drug, is formed. But ifthe reaction temperature rises about 30oC some ofthe MPPP is converted to MPTP, a toxic impurity,

Any organic chemist will tell you that thebond denoted by the yellow arrow is just dying to break, and it doesn't take much to give it its wish. A little extra heat and that bond breaks, and then through a process called elimination,the propionylgroup (blue oval) departs and is replaced by a carbon-carbon double bond. Then, instead of pure MPPP, you have the drug plus unwanted MPTP as an impurity.

If you're asking yourself "What's the harm in having a bit of an impurity in there?" the answer is "usually not much." But in this particular case, the impurity did something unprecedentedin the brain, which is what makes this storyso unique.

MPTP (unfortunately) goes to the brain, which becomes its own worst enemy

Any experienced medicinal chemist will look at the structure of MPTP and know that it is very likely to have the properties that will allow it to cross the blood-brain barrier, which it does. This is whenthings wentvery wrong. MPTP itself isn't particularly toxic, but it getsmetabolizedin the brain to MPP+, a chemical that you do not want in your brain. Unfortunately for Kidston, he was the lab rat who would inadvertently provide the science world witha fascinating, but deadly lesson in neurochemistry. Shown below is the metabolism that is responsible for a previously-unheard of event:

Oxidation of MPTP to MPP+ by monoamineoxidase in the brain

A ubiquitous family of enzymes called monoamine oxidases (MAO) is responsible for the formation and metabolism of multiple neurochemicals. As such, it plays a critical role in the regulation of the central nervous system. In this case, MPTP was a substrate forMAO, whichoxidized it to MPP+. Assuming that enzymes can make "mistakes," this is one a doozybecause MPP+ is seriously bad news. It is now known that ithas a particular fondness for the cells in the region of the brain called thesubstantia nigra. And once it gets there, all hell breaks loose (4).MPP+ specifically kills thedopaminergic neurons in thesubstantia nigra, where dopamine is normally made.The absence of dopamine is the hallmark of Parkinson's.

The bad batch of MPPP thatKidstoninjected into himself resulted in the development of strange symptoms within a few days. He experienced bradykinesia a severe slowing of movement. It became so bad that Kidstonwas admitted to a hospital where he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, which is very rare in young people. Nonetheless, Kidston did getParkinson's froma single injection of an impure drug.

Doctors tried a variety of neuroleptic drugs with no success and then used L-dopa, which was first tried on Parkinson's patients (with mixed success) in the 1960s. It worked on Kidston, at least for a while. L-dopaloses effectiveness with time. This happened to Kidston, who became severely depressed and died of a cocaine overdose 18 months later.

The link between MPTPandKidston'sParkinson's Disease was determined by analysis of the residue of the drug that remained on the glassware he used. The impurities were isolated, identified, and tested.Kidstonhadunknowingly writtena chapteron the neurochemistry of Parkinson's Disease at his own expense.

Frozen addicts

The MPP+ story did not end with Kidston. In California in 1982, a cluster of six drug users who had taken "China White" (5)all came down with Parkinson-like symptoms (6). When the drug was analyzed, there it was MPTP, which was a result of a drug dealer trying to do organic synthesis in his garage. The reason forthe term "frozen addicts" could not be more clear:

A Frozen Addict from 1982. Source: Neurology Update.

Organic synthesis is both science and art something that anyone who takes street drugs should consider. It requires both skill and experience to get it right. A drug dealer working in a garage is probably not going to get it right.

Bottom Line

Whatever causedFox's Parkinson's may or may not have been related to an injury, drinking, or exposure to a chemical or drug (note: he did not say that he took any drugs). We will never know.The storiesofBarry Kidston and Fox only 15 years apart (7) intersect only in that two young men were struck by a terrible disease very early in life.Kidston's disease was clearlyself-inflicted and its role in causingParkinson's has been rigorously proven in animal models.On the other hand, what Fox expressed about the possibility ofhis Parkinson's being linked to chemical exposure isn't impossible; it's just unlikely(8).

It is more than 47 years since Kidston's blunder and 30 since Fox's diagnosis. With the exception of Kidson's sloppy chemistry,there is still no clear answer for what causes this awful condition.

Notes:

(1) Although there is no strict definition of a designer drug, it usually refers to a new drug that isderived by synthetic modification ofa psychoactive legal, approved drug.

(2) Neither has anyone else. There are still no good alternatives to opioids for moderate-to-severe pain.

(3) Isomers are chemicals that have the same molecular formula, but different structures and (usually) different properties.

(4) Schedule I drugs are not approved for use in people and have a high addiction potential.

(5) China White is one of the street names for fentanyl, the drug that is now killing opioid addicts in droves.

(6) Almost anyone looking at the chemical structures of MPP+ and the herbicide paraquat (below) would conclude that they would act in a similar manner. That is how similar their structures are.But they do not. Paraquat's primary toxicity is in the lungs. This is almost certainly due to the fact that the herbicide does not have properties that would allow it to cross the blood-brain barrier. Neither does MPP+, but keep in mind that MPP+ enters the brain as its precursor MPTP, which has just the right properties to do so.

The chemical structures of MPP+ and the herbicide Paraquatan eerie resemblance. Source: Science and Education Publishing

(7) Kidston poisoned himself in 1976. Fox was diagnosed in 1991.

(8) No matter what, if any, toxic chemicalFox wasexposed to, the chances of it being a toxic batch of a Demerol analog are essentially nil. Kidston'simpure drug was a one-in-a-million, freaky incident.

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Could Chemicals Have Caused Michael J. Fox's Parkinson's? It's ... - American Council on Science and Health

Organic Chemistry

Abysmal bench production leaves Monty with no where to turn. Or does it? – Bright Side Of The Sun

Shamet thankfully was a DNP in Game 2. But so was T.J. Warren and Terrence Ross. Why?

There are numerous contributing factors as to why the Phoenix Suns are struggling and down 0-2 to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals. You can point to Kevin Durant not being Kevin Durant. You can reference their collective three-point shooting (24.1%). You can note that they opened the fourth quarter of Game 2 with a three point lead, and then proceeded to go 0-of-9 from the field. You can observe that Chris Paul pulled his groin, and from that moment on in the game, the Suns were outscored by 18 points.

All are valid. What concerns me and has throughout the duration of this postseason run is the productivity, or lack thereof, of the Phoenix bench.

2-of-16 from the field.

71 minutes played.

4 points.

The Suns bench was putrid in their Game 2 loss against the Nuggets. Sure, it was a wonky game. Phoenix as a team shot 40% from the field and 19.4% from three their third worst performance of the season from beyond the arc. Despite shooting the ball 95 times to Denvers 76, Phoenix lost.

Earlier this week I wrote about the Suns and Monty Williams coming to the realization that Landry Shamet aint it. Montys lack of an ability to make that simple adjustment shook my faith in his abilities as a coach. After Monday night, I am not sure if Monty is the problem.

If we turn back the clock two seasons ago, its apparent that the Suns bench provided the boost necessary to get the team to the 2021 NBA Finals. Over the past two postseason runs, however, the bench has become progressively worse.

Gone is the electric play of Cameron Payne, the defensive impact from Torrey, Craig, and the organic chemistry that this team once knew. When you compare the Suns reserve production throughout this entire postseason to the other 8 teams remaining, here is how they rank:

Ill accept responsibility for asking for Landrys head. In the postseason, he has been dreadful. But so have his peers.

What we witnessed in Game 2 was Monty trying to make an adjustment. He was throwing a plethora of different lineups on the floor in an effort to try to salvage minutes in which Kevin Durant and Devin Booker were on the bench.

Once again, none of it worked.

Ish Wainwright for two minutes? -6. Cameron Payne? 3 fouls in the first half. Damion Lee for 26 minutes, ultimately replacing the Shamet time? 0-of-5 from the field, 0 points.

Whatever faucet Monty is trying to turn, its coming up dry. I feel like I cant even blame Monty at this point. His team is leading him down.

Oddly absent from the rotations, however, are T.J. Warren and Terrence Ross, the gents we at the Suns JAM Session Podcast affectionately refer to as The Outlet Boyz;. Two veteran scorers who have yet to play a meaningful minute in the series. Yes, Ross played 5 minutes in Game 1, but it was garbage time.

Remember in March when Kevin Durant was injured, following rolling his ankle prior to the start of his home debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder? It was T.J. Warren and Terrence Ross who, for three games, picked up the scoring slack. Their ability to come in and provide instant offense while the Suns primary scorers caught their breath was a reason for hope.

National pundits, following the Durant acquisition, were knocking the depth of Phoenix. But The Outlet Boyz challenged that narrative. In three games from March 24 to March 27, T.J. Warren and Terrance Ross averaged a combined total of 32.6 points off the bench.

Yet Monty has yet to play that card and call their name in this series and throughout these playoffs. Combined, T.J. Warren and Terrence Ross have played 15 minutes through 7 games. I mean, one of the guy has the nickname, Buckets.

Im no doctor, but the Chris Paul injury did not look good. Im guessing out of pure speculation, factoring his age and that type of injury it is, that were not going to see him for the remainder of the series, and potentially the remainder of the playoffs. Im not pessimistic, Im a realist.

If CP3 is a no-go, Monty will be forced to change up the rotations. My assumption is Cameron Payne will receive the start, although I dont know if thats necessarily the right move. Point Book with Josh Okogie, Torrey Craig, Kevin Durant, and Deandre Ayton is the answer in my opinion. But thats a topic for another day.

More minutes will be vacated from the second team unit with Paynes addition to the starting lineup. Will we see Landry Shamet once again? Or will Monty Williams finally lean on his two veteran scorers? Points came at a premium in Game 2 and you cant tell me Terrence Ross couldve done worse than Damion Lee. Or Cameron Payne. Or Torrey Craig.

The bench needs help. They need to step up and, for once this postseason, make Monty look smart. He needs to have the ability to turn on the faucet and have the water come flowing, and along with it some points.

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Abysmal bench production leaves Monty with no where to turn. Or does it? - Bright Side Of The Sun