Chemistry Section Research Articles

April 2014: This Month in JoVE - Bioengineering for ACL Tears, Neuroscience behind Insect Locomotion, Improved Genetic Engineering of Crops, and Synthesizing Secret Ink

Here's a look at what's coming up in the April 2014 issue of JoVE: The Journal of Visualized Experiments. In the Bioengineering section we have a video article that examines the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is critical for keeping the knee stable when pivoting or planting. Torn or ruptured ACLs are among the most common of all serious knee injuries, especially in athletes, and even partial tears can hurt knee stability and function. Because they can't heal on their own, torn ACLs are often treated surgically, sometimes by reconstructing the ligament with a tendon grafted from the patient's own body or from a cadaver. Every year, over 100,000 ACL reconstructions are performed in the United States. The torn ligaments are usually discarded as surgical waste, but Gupta et al. see them as a valuable source of cells for potentially repairing ACLs. They developed a method for harvesting and expanding human ACL-derived cells then growing them on scaffolds to form tissue-engineered patches. Under scanning electron microscopy, the engineered matrix demonstrates good cellular adherence and growth. This technique could lead to methods for strengthening damaged ligaments and enhancing ACL repair, especially for those wishing to maintain an athletic lifestyle. In the Neuroscience section we examine motor control in insects, which are among the most athletic creatures on Earth. They are especially good at adapting to sudden changes in terrain, so scientists are interested in correlating neural activity with behavior in insects. Guo et al. have developed a method for recording brain activity in the discoid cockroach, also known as the tropical cockroach, as they explore an arena or as they encounter obstacles that cause them to change course. The authors also demonstrate how to collect the data for subsequent analysis, which may yield insight into the neural control of behavior. In JoVE Environment we feature a technique for transient gene expression in plants. To express gene products in specific parts of the cell, plants often have several copies of a gene and express them separately in different organelles (such as the chloroplast and peroxisome) or in the cytosol. Therefore, genetic engineers may have to target multiple duplicated genes to manipulate expression in different cell parts. To get around this problem, Mattozzi et al. use a novel method for multiple-organelle targeting that takes advantage of alternatively spliced mRNAs, which are sent to different locations in the cell. The targeting constructs are designed using Gibson assembly, a one-step cloning method, and then delivered using a gene gun. This technique offers great flexibility in terms of genetic design, and can be applied to large-scale selective genetic engineering in agriculture or the environment. In the Chemistry section we feature an article that uses modern chemical techniques to examine two bright blue pigments that were synthesized in ancient societies. Calcium copper tetrasilicate, commonly known as Egyptian blue, is thought to be the first synthetic pigment and used in Egypt as early the 4th Dynasty (ca. 2500 BC), the height of the pyramid-building era. Barium copper tetrasilicate, also known as Han blue, was later developed in China during the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty, or the height of the bronze age (1045-771 BC). Nowadays, scientists are interested in the strong near infrared (NIR) emission properties of these two pigments, which can be utilized for optical sensors. Related to this application is the ability to exfoliate copper tetrasilicates into 2D monolayers, or nanosheets. Johnson-McDaniel and Salguero demonstrate how to synthesize these two copper tetrasilicate pigments and exfoliate them into monolayer nanosheets. Egyptian blue spontaneously exfoliates into monolayers when stirred in hot water, whereas Han blue requires ultrasonication in organic solvents. Our authors show that both the bulk and nanosheet forms of the two pigments are strong near infrared emitters with potential applications ranging from security inks to biomedical imaging. You've just had a sneak peek of the April 2014 issue of JoVE. Visit the website to see the full-length articles, plus many more, in JoVE: The Journal of Visualized Experiments.

An Almost Paperless Organic Chemistry Course with the Use of iPads

The advancement of tablet computer technology has progressed rapidly in the past three years to the point where organic chemistry can be almost completely paperless. Students in one section of organic chemistry were provided iPads equipped with the application Notability to use in lecture to take notes and to use in the laboratory as a laboratory notebook. All laboratory assignments were completed, submitted, graded, and returned to the students electronically. Student feedback about using iPads in class was very positive, with 9-out-of-12 students preferring to use an iPad to take notes rather than the traditional paper and pencil method.

An Update from the United States National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute‐funded Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies (PACT) Program: A Decade of Cell Therapy

Recognizing the challenges faced by researchers and clinicians working in the field of cellular therapy, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, established the Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies (PACT) program in 2003 and expanded it in 2010. The PACT program provides both clinical product manufacturing support that furthers the mission of NHLBI in the areas of cardiac, lung, and blood diseases and broad support of translational development across all disease areas to serve the entire cell therapy community. The program also provides access to expertise in project management, regulatory affairs, and quality assurance and control. Education initiatives include webinars, cell processing facility-hosted workshops, national workshops, and active participation and leadership within the cell therapy community through collaboration with other cell therapy organizations and academia. So far, over 650 PACT-manufactured cell therapy products have been administered in 32 clinical trials for a range of illnesses and diseases such as acute myocardial infarction, sickle cell disease, and graft-versus-host disease.

18F-FDG SYNTHESIS AND QUALITY CONTROL AND COST EFFECTIVENESS IN NUCLEAR MEDICINE CENTER IN KHMC*

The most widely used radiopharmaceutical in the expanding medical imaging technology of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18FDG). The increasing demand for 18FDG requires reliable production in large amounts In this article we will covers the fludeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) synthesis and quality control procedures and the cost effectiveness in KHMC with emphasis on practical synthesis currently; 18F-FDG is the most successful PET radiopharmaceutical so far. It's started in Royal Medical Services in 2003 the advancement in synthesis and quality control of 18F-FDG, together with its approval by the US FDA and the availability of reimbursement, are probably the main reasons for the florin of clinical PET over the last 20 years. 18F-FDG can be synthesized by either electrophonic fluorination or nucleophilic fluorination reaction. Nucleophilic fluorination using mannose triflate as precursor and Kryptofix or tetrabutylammonium salts (TBA) is widely used because of higher yield and shorter reaction time. The quality control requirements of 18F-FDG can be found in United States Pharmacopeia (USP), British Pharmacopeia (BP), European Pharmacopeia (EP) and the Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) section from United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) PET draft guidance documents. Basic requirements include radionuclide identity, radiochemical purity, chemical purity, pH, residual solvent, sterility, and bacterial endotoxin level. Some of these tests (sterility, endotoxins and radionuclide purity) can be accomplished after the 18F-FDG has been released..

New Year Editorial 2014

Curt Wentrup was educated at the University of Copenhagen (Cand. Scient. 1966; D.Sc. 1976) and the Australian National University (Ph.D. 1969). After post-doctoral periods with Hans Dahn (Lausanne), W. M. Jones (Gainesville, FL), and Maitland Jones, Jr (Princeton), he held an assistant professorship at the Universite de Lausanne, Switzerland, and a professorship at the Universitat Marburg, Germany, before returning to Australia in 1985 as Professor and chair of organic chemistry and head of the organic chemistry section at the University of Queensland, where he is now Emeritus Professor. Since 2008, he has been the editor-in-chief of the Australian Journal of Chemistry, and since 2009 chair (now immediate-past chair) of the National Committee for Chemistry of the Australian Academy of Science. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and has published over 300 research papers. His interests are in the fields of both experimental and computational chemistry of reactive intermediates and unusual molecules using photochemistry, flash vacuum thermolysis, andmicrowave-induced chemical reactions; in particular, chemistry of nitrenes, carbenes, nitrile ylides, and nitrile imines, pericyclic rearrangements of cyanates, isocyanates, thioand isothiocyanates, and nitrile oxides and sulfides, and the chemistry of extended cumulenes. He collaborates extensively with groups in Australia and Europe, and frequently holds visiting professorships in Europe.

Motivation under the microscope: Understanding undergraduate science students’ multiple motivations for research

Little is known about students’ motivations toward scientific research or the implications of pursuing multiple research motivations simultaneously. We conducted latent profile analysis (a person-centered statistical technique) on 1,052 undergraduate students from three universities enrolled in physics, chemistry, and biology laboratory sections. Based on a tripartite model that conceptualizes research motivations as intrinsic, extrinsic, and failure avoidant, analyses revealed five distinct research motivational profiles which were described as Unmotivated; Neutral Engagement, Ternary-Driven; Emerging Engagement; and High Engagement. Profile membership was associated with differences in science class experiences, science identity, and future research intentions. Results showed students were optimally motivated toward science when highly endorsing both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, with low failure avoidance. These findings contribute to the literature on self-determination theory, intrinsic motivation and multiple goals, and these data create a framework for understanding undergraduate science laboratory experiences that may aid in efforts to broaden the participation of students in science.

Erratum to: Effects of a Selective Sigma 1 Antagonist Compound on Inflammatory Pain

The compound (−)-MRV3 [(−)-Methyl (1S,2R)-2[(4-Hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-methyl]-1phenylcyclopropanecarboxylate] has an assessed antagonist sigma 1 (σ1) profile and showed improved σ1/σ2 selectivity with respect to the parent compound (+)-MR200. The σ1 receptor is reported to play a role in both central sensitization and pain hypersensitivity, which suggests a potential use of σ1 antagonists for the treatment of persistent pain conditions. The present study was performed to assess the effects of the selective σ1 antagonist (−)-MRV3, in carrageenan-induced inflammatory hyperalgesia, allodynia and edema. Mechanical allodynia with a series of calibrated von Frey’s filaments, thermal hyperalgesia with plantar test and edema evaluation with a plethysmometer were measured. Subcutaneous (s.c.) treatment with (−)-MRV3 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 mg/kg) dose-dependently reduced allodynia and hyperalgesia induced by intraplantar carageenan. Furthermore, treatment with (−)-MRV3 (3 mg/kg s.c.) also inhibited paw edema with a significant inhibition of 61.53 % 3 h after carrageenan treatment. These results provide a strong basis for the use of σ1 receptor antagonists in the treatment of inflammatory pain. The online version of the original article can be found at http:// dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10753-013-9736-6. 1 Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology and Toxicology Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy 2 Department of Drug Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy 3 Department of Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine, Pharmacology and Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy 4 To whom correspondence should be addressed at Department of Drug Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy. E-mail: s.ronsisvalle@unict.it 0360-3997/1 /0100-0267/0 # 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York Inflammation, Vol. 37, No. 1, February 2014 (# 2013) DOI: 10.1007/s10753-013-9787-8

Introduction to special issue: the <i>TransBrom Sonne</i> expedition in the tropical West Pacific

Abstract. This special section of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics gives an overview of scientific results, collected during a West Pacific ship expedition in October 2009 with the Research Vessel (R/V) Sonne. The cruise focussed on chemical interactions between the ocean surface and the atmosphere above the tropical West Pacific and was planned within the national research project TransBrom (www.geomar.de/~transbrom). TransBrom aimed to particularly investigate very short lived bromine compounds in the ocean and their transport to and relevance for the stratosphere. For this purpose, chemical and biological parameters were analysed in the ocean and in the atmosphere, accompanied by a high frequency of meteorological measurements, to derive new insights into the multidisciplinary research field. This introduction paper presents the scientific goals and the meteorological and oceanographic background. The main research findings of the TransBrom Sonne expedition are highlighted.

Statistical reporting deficiencies in environmental toxicology

Null hypothesis significance testing is one of the most widely used forms of statistical testing in environmental toxicology. In this short communication, the authors show that the reporting of statistical information when using null hypothesis significance testing is frequently inadequate in environmental toxicology research. The authors demonstrate this by analyzing the statistical information reported for papers employing t tests or analyses of variance in the Environmental Toxicology section of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry in 2010, which comprised 68% of papers published by this journal in that year. Of these papers, 60% fail to report exact p values, 85% fail to provide degrees of freedom, and 90% fail to report critical effect sizes. Statistical power was reported in only <2% of the published papers. The insufficient provision of statistical information makes interpretation of study results by reviewers and readers difficult. Consistently reporting exact p values with degrees of freedom, considering and explicitly stating biologically relevant critical effect sizes, and reporting statistical power associated with nonsignificant results would be easy to implement and would promote scientific progress in environmental toxicology through increased statistical transparency.

Interconverting conformations of slipped‐DNA junctions formed by trinucleotide repeats affect repair outcome

Slipped‐strand DNAs, formed by out‐of‐register mispairing of repeat units on complementary strands, are transient intermediates in repeat length mutations causing at least 30 neurodegenerative diseases. Expansions of (CTG)•(CAG) repeated DNAs are the mutagenic cause of 14 neurological diseases, likely arising through the formation and processing of slipped‐strand DNAs. The three‐way slipped‐DNA junction, at which the excess repeats slip‐out from the duplex, is a poorly understood feature common to these mutagenic intermediates. Here, we reveal that slipped‐junctions can assume a surprising number of interconverting conformations where the strand opposite the slip‐out is either fully base‐paired, or has one‐ or two‐unpaired nucleotides. These unpaired nucleotides can also arise opposite either of the non‐slipped junction arms. Junction conformation can alter correct nick‐directed repair levels. Junctions that have the potential to contain unpaired nucleotides are repaired with a significantly higher efficiency than constrained fully‐paired junctions. Surprisingly, certain junction conformations are aberrantly repaired to expansion mutations: mis‐direction of repair to the non‐nicked strand opposite the slip‐out leads to integration of the excess slipped‐out repeats rather than their excision. Thus, slipped‐junction structure can determine whether repair attempts lead to correction or expansion mutations.Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR MOP97896) (C.E.P.); National Institutes of Health (GM080454) (O.S.); the Chemistry section of the Dutch Science Organization (S.S.W.)

Implementing Process-Oriented, Guided-Inquiry Learning for the First Time: Adaptations and Short-Term Impacts on Students’ Attitude and Performance

Innovative, research-based instructional practices are critical to transforming the conventional undergraduate instructional landscape into a student-centered learning environment. Research on dissemination of innovation indicates that instructors often adapt rather than adopt these practices. These adaptations can lead to the loss of critical elements of the practice, which may affect its effectiveness. Process-oriented, guided-inquiry learning (POGIL) is a research-based instructional practice that has been widely disseminated for the past two decades. However, few studies have investigated practitioners’ adaptations of POGIL and the impact of these adaptations on expected outcomes measured during recommended implementations of POGIL. In this study, we explore the impact of the implementation of POGIL in discussion sections of a general chemistry and an organic chemistry course on students’ grades, retention, attitude toward chemistry, self-efficacy in chemistry, and attitude toward the learning environ...

Perspectives of Fullerene Derivatives in PDT and Radiotherapy of Cancers

Nanoparticles of fullerenes and their water-soluble derivatives have been firmly introduced into solution of medical problems. Although there are still debates about their toxicity and long-term consequences of their application in the clinic, the success of fullerenes application in some sections is undeniable, in particular, in photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer tumors. Besides there are interesting data on radiotherapy where fullerenes appear to be more transporters than drugs, but due to own cytoprotective properties, the fullerene adducts can also participate in the combined treatment. This review evaluates the status of these sections of fullerene chemistry in terms of development and recent trends.

New Year Editorial 2013

Curt Wentrup was educated at the University of Copenhagen (Cand. Scient. 1966; D.Sc. 1976) and the Australian National University (Ph.D. 1969). After post-doctoral periods with Hans Dahn (Lausanne), W. M. Jones (Gainesville, FL), and Maitland Jones, Jr (Princeton), he held an assistant professorship at the Universite de Lausanne, Switzerland, and a professorship at the Universitat Marburg, Germany, before returning to Australia in 1985 as Professor and chair of organic chemistry and head of the organic chemistry section at the University of Queensland, where he is now Emeritus Professor. Since 2008 he is editor-in-chief of the Australian Journal of Chemistry, and since 2009 chair of the National Committee for Chemistry of the Australian Academy of Science. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and has published over 300 research papers. His interests are in the fields of both experimental and computational chemistry of reactive intermediates and unusual molecules using photochemistry, flash vacuum thermolysis, and microwave-induced chemical reactions, in particular chemistry of nitrenes, carbenes, nitrile ylides and nitrile imines, pericyclic rearrangements of cyanates, isocyanates, thioand isothiocyanates, and nitrile oxides and sulfides, and the chemistry of extended cumulenes. He collaborates extensively with groups in Australia and Europe and frequently holds visiting professorships in Europe.

Tetsuo Nozoe: Chemistry and Life

Tetsuo Nozoe: Chemistry and Life

Guest Editorial: A Reflective On Food Chemistry in JFS

Chemistry, a key segment of the science of food production and processing, comprises a core section of the Journal of Food Science (JFS). Ubiquitous as they are, chemical reactions occurring in food systems are primary contributing factors to food product quality and influence the nutrition, health, and well-being of the consumer. For those like me who have been in the field for a while, we have witnessed significant cumulative advancements in food science over the past 3 decades. And I must say that the expansion of food chemistry represents one of the most notable parts of this progress. For example, as recently as 15 years ago, food chemistry studies were largely limited to the composition and changes of common food ingredients. However, knowledge gained through cross-disciplinary research – thanks to the availability of vastly improved analytical tools – has allowed the elucidation of health benefits of both traditional and nontraditional food chemical compounds previously unknown to scientists. In this context, one could appreciate the new dimension of food chemistry and its evolution in both scope and depth. Resulting from the emphasis of chemistry to explain biological processes in relation to human health, an array of new scientific journals have emerged in recent years to publish health-related food chemistry studies. At the same time, the focus of some traditional food science journals has shifted to “omics” emphasizing food chemistry. I remember back in the early 1980's, JFS was one of only 2 or 3 existing journals reporting food chemistry research. As the oldest and premier scientific journal in the field, JFS (incepted 1936) has enjoyed a worldwide reputation for disseminating high-quality technical papers for over three quarters of a century. It remains in the forefront of the scientific information exchange today. However, there are challenges ahead due to the ever-changing needs of the food industry and paradigm shift in research across various science disciplines in the world. Papers published in the Food Chemistry section of JFS are expected to be of scientific importance and industrial relevance. As stated in the Author Guidelines, papers submitted to the Food Chemistry section must be “basic and applied research on food constituents to understand their role in determining food quality, safety, nutrition, and health”. The constituents may include those that are naturally present (for example, macro- and micro-nutrients, fibers, and phytochemicals) or added (such as additives, preservatives, and functional ingredients) to the food. Manuscripts lacking focused research to address a specific hypothesis or mechanism, establish or improve an analytical method, or improve the current understanding of food chemistry, will be outside the aim and scope of the Food Chemistry section. Today, joining numerous traditional contributors, many new researchers from around the world choose JFS to publish their scientific discoveries. The Food Chemistry section alone receives nearly 600 manuscripts each year. While many of the papers submitted for review are outstanding, a very large number of other manuscripts are not well prepared. Incomplete experimental design, lack of novelty and originality, combined with poor writing, constitute a big percentage of those rejected. To improve the rate of acceptance, authors are strongly encouraged to carefully evaluate their studies to ascertain that the papers fit within the scope of the journal. As stated above, an acceptable paper must be one that addresses the fundamental mechanism involved in the chemical changes during food processing and storage and the impact of such chemical processes on the palatability of food and/or human health and nutrition. The choice of analytical methods appropriate for the specific testing is paramount. For example, a frequent mistake researchers make is to perform a chemical assay in a solvent system that is incompatible with the testing material (insoluble). Another example is resorting to simplified model tests without in situ validation. Papers with limited appeal to JFS readership are rarely considered. For English language issues, there are plenty of writing services available for use. The ultimate goal of the study must be clear – it should either help mitigate problems in food products, improve food quality, nutrition, and safety, or enhance process efficiency. As the Scientific Editor of the Food Chemistry section of JFS, I want to see investigator's efforts in the lab turned into high-impact publications. Every manuscript received will be given a due consideration and be processed professionally, fairly, and in a timely manner. Charles Darwin once said, “A naturalist's life would be a happy one if he had only to observe and never to write.” Would that be your wish? Or would it not?

Will Kleber, Hans-Joachim Bautsch, Joachim Bohm, Einführung in die Kristallographie

This book is the classic German language textbook on Crystallography! It has first been published in 1956. Since then, the (VEB) Verlag Technik, Berlin, published a total of 18 editions up to 1998. In 2010, the Oldenbourg Verlag Munich published the 19th edition, with which this book review is mainly concerned. Up to 1970, i.e., the 10th German edition and 1st English edition (under the title An Introduction to Crystallography), Will Kleber was the sole author. Since then Irmgard Kleber, Hans-Joachim Bautsch, Joachim Bohm, and most recently Detlev Klimm worked on the subsequent editions. All of these authors followed the didactic approach of Will Kleber while incorporating newer results and expanding the references and index. All of crystallography is treated comprehensively under the five main sections: (i) crystal structure and morphology, (ii) crystal chemistry, (iii) physical-chemical crystallography, (iv) crystal physics, and (v) structure analysis of crystals. There are a total of 413 pages of text and an addendum (Wulff net, Schmidt net and birefringence/interference table). Very notable additions of recent years in the crystal physics section are the symmetry groups of fields and Curie's symmetry principle as well as an introduction to the tensor formalism. Otherwise, this reviewer feels that especially the sections on structure analysis and crystal chemistry need updating. With respect to the described crystal structure types, the crystal chemistry section is partially outdated. There are no descriptions of modern materials, modular structures, nano-structured materials, and biological macromolecule structures. This reviewer missed also an introduction to group-subgroup symmetry relations between crystal structures (i.e. Bärnighausen trees). Open-access Internet resources such as the “Bilbao Crystallographic Server” (http://www.cryst.ehu.es/) and the “Crystallography Open Database” (www.crystallography.net) should be mentioned in future editions of the book, since the latter database possesses more than 200,000 (unit cell parameters, space group and setting, atomic coordinates, …, full bibliography) entries. In the structure analysis section, the Weissenberg method (of 1924) and other film-based methods of X-ray diffraction data collection are covered extensively while position sensitive X-ray detectors are not even mentioned. Similarly, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction are covered within nine pages only that seem to have not changed much over recent years. As a result, instrumental (such as TEM-lens aberration correction) and methodical (e.g., precession electron diffraction based crystallography) breakthroughs are ignored although there is an atomic-resolution phase-contrast TEM image on the front cover of the book. As for this front cover image, it would be of higher pedagogical value if it were to show a length scale marker. Also a model of the crystal structure could be shown on the book cover in three dimensions next to this image (rather than sketched into the two-dimensional experimental data). As far as this reviewer is aware, there were no more English language editions since 1970. This is a real pity as generations of materials science and crystallography students in the English speaking parts of the world have missed out on this classical textbook. There are indeed a few classical books, e.g., John von Neumann’s, Mathematische Grundlagen der Quantummechanik (Julius Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1932, Springer 1968 and 1996; translated into English 1949: Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics, Princeton Landmarks in Mathematics, 12th printing, 1996), that never need updating. Will Kleber's book, however, needs updating in future editions because it aims to cover classical and topical theories as well as experiments comprehensively. Because its original approach to introducing crystallography has still lots of merits, a 20th German/2nd English edition of his book would be very valuable for the education of new generations of materials scientists and crystallographers worldwide. Active research scientists/educators such as Detlef Klimm who “grew up” with “The Kleber”, utilized it as main textbook while studying crystallography as undergraduates and/or graduates (and are now in their forties to mid-fifties), could be the authors of such new editions.

An Active-Learning Assignment Requiring Pharmacy Students to Write Medicinal Chemistry Examination Questions

To implement and assess the effectiveness of an assignment requiring doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students to write examination questions for the medicinal chemistry sections of a pharmacotherapeutics course. Students were divided into groups of 5-6 and given detailed instructions and grading rubrics for writing multiple-choice examination questions on medicinal chemistry topics. The compiled student-written questions for each examination were provided to the entire class as a study aid. Approximately 5% of the student-written questions were used in course examinations. Student appreciation of and performance in the medicinal chemistry portion of the course was significantly better than that of the previous year's class. Also, students' responses on a qualitative survey instrument indicated that the assignment provided students' guidance on which concepts to focus on, helped them retain knowledge better, and fostered personal exploration of the content, which led to better performance on examinations. Adding an active-learning assignment in which students write examination questions for the medicinal chemistry portion of a pharmacotherapeutics course was an effective means of increasing students engagement in the class and knowledge of the course material.

Alberto Abbruzzese (1952–2011) Scientist who studied from amino acids to nanoparticles in anti-cancer therapy

Alberto Abbruzzese (1952–2011) Scientist who studied from amino acids to nanoparticles in anti-cancer therapy

It Has Been My Pleasure!

In September 2003, Owen Fennema retired as Editor-in-Chief of IFT Peer-Reviewed Journals. In that issue, Owen's editorial reviewed progress of IFT's peer-reviewed journals under his leadership. That much had been accomplished between 1999 and 2003 under his watch cannot be denied. When Owen took the reins in 1999, he set out 5 main objectives: (1) provide IFT members an outlet for long reviews, short reviews, books, and original research; (2) reduce accept/reject decision timespan from 1 year to less than 60 days; (3) improve the general quality of the work that was accepted; (4) treat sections of JFS much like individual journals, each with a Scientific Editor, and eventually achieve their actual separation; and (5) achieve smooth-running electronic submission and publication. Needless to say, each of these objectives was accomplished in that short 4-year span with one exception: the sections of JFS did not metamorphose into separate journals. So what did Daryl Lund see as his main objectives when he assumed the position of Editor-in-Chief? In the same September 2003 issue of JFS (Volume 68, issue 7, page viii), I stated, “One role of the Institute of Food Technologists as the professional society for food science and technology is to provide its membership and others with peer-reviewed publications that are recognized for excellence, relevance, and timeliness.” That was pretty vague without specificity of how this was going to be accomplished. So, how has this commitment manifested itself in IFT's peer-reviewed journals? To be sure we have advanced the work of Owen by (1) continually reducing the time from submission to final decision (now less that 58 days on average), (2) posting and making available accepted manuscript immediately after final proofing, (3) drawing attention to the journal through a redesign and adding a cover picture, (4) engaging a publishing house (Wiley-Blackwell) as a copublisher to streamline production and marketing, (5) adding 3 new sections to cover the field of food science and technology, (6) enrolling Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (CRFSFS) into Thompson-Reuters’ Citation Index (to generate an impact factor), (6) encouraging the divisions of IFT to adopt IFT journals as their own (like the Education Division and Journal of Food Science Education, JFSE), (7) increasing the rejection rate (now around 70%) so that the best food science and technology papers are in JFS, (8) moving to a 12-month electronic, online release schedule and quarterly print schedule for JFS, (9) providing free access to JFSE and CRFSFS, (10) eliminating page charges for IFT members, (11) increasing impact factor for JFS from around 1.0 to 1.733 in 2010, and (12) most importantly, appointing people into critical roles of Scientific Editor and Associate Editor for the sections of JFS and the editorships of JFSE and CRFSFS. Can it be almost 9 years ago that we began this quest? Can it be that I have had the privilege of serving IFT as Editor-in-Chief, working with a most remarkable young woman, Amanda Ferguson, who nearly single handedly elevated the workflow and daily responsibilities to a new level of excellence in any journal, having the support of staff like Barbara Bryd Keenan, Jerry Bowman, and Bob Swientek and the Board of Directors, and finally, having the support of a group of dedicated colleagues as SEs and AEs for the journals? Not only can it be, it was! Now it is time to turn over this thriving enterprise of which I am so proud to a new Editor-in-Chief. I have known Allen Foegeding for a very long time and have had the pleasure of working with him while he served as an Associate Editor in the Food Chemistry section of JFS, and more recently as the Scientific Editor of the Food Chemistry section. He is an excellent food scientist, has high principles of scientific integrity, is dedicated to elevating the quality of the IFT journals, and knows how to work with and motivate people. Following this editorial, Allen lays out his vision for IFT's peer-reviewed journals as he takes the helm. I have absolutely no doubt that the trajectory for excellence, relevance, and timeliness for IFT's journals will continue the upward trend under his leadership. Allen, I wish you well in this undertaking. Have fun; it has been my pleasure!

(S)-α,α-Diphenylprolinol Trimethylsilyl Ether

One of the most important sections of modern organic chemistry is asymmetric synthesis, and in this field particularly attractive are problems relating to asymmetric catalysis. In the recent two decades, special attention is focused on (S)-proline and its derivatives, which are known as versatile organocatalysts (‘aminocatalysts’).[1] [2] It was found that the introduction of the protecting silyl moiety into the prolinol structure results in a remarkable increase of catalytic activity, thus allowing decrease in catalyst loading and shorter reaction times without compromising the level of enantioselectivity.[ 3 ] In addition, this modification leads to significant broadening of the substrate scope. First examples of applications of the O-silyl prolinol derivatives in asymmetric synthesis were independently reported by Hayashi[ 3 ] and Jørgensen.[ 4 ] Since then these compounds have been used efficiently as ‘privileged catalysts’[ 2b ] in diverse organic transformations, such as epoxidations, aldol, anti-selective Mannich, ­Friedel–Crafts and Diels–Alder reactions, etc.[5] [6] Probably, the most prominent representative of diarylprolinol derivatives containing the silyl moiety is (S)-α,α-diphenyl­prolinol trimethylsilyl ether (1).