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A E S S S L T A E A C R C I yyyyN S M S E E H C C T N IO A December 2001 Vol. LXXX, No. 4 yyyyC N • AMERI

Monthly Meeting Medicinal Chemistry Group Symposium on Lyosomal Storage Diseases

Book Review Emergency Preparedness Planning by T.S. Pasquarelli and F.K. Wood-Black

Board of Directors Notes of the meeting of September 13

Amino Acid Tales Teaching the amino acids for an introductory biochemistry course à la Chaucer 2 The Nucleus December 2001 The Northeastern Section of the American 2002 Norris Award nominations sought ______4 Chemical Society, Inc. Office: Marilou Cashman, 23 Cottage St., Natick, MA 01760. 1-800-872-2054 Monthly Meeting ______5 (Voice or FAX) or 508-653-6329. Joint meeting with the Medicinal Chemistry Group. Mini-Symposium on e-mail: [email protected] Any Section business may be conducted Approaches to the treatment of Lyosomal Storage Diseases via the business office above. NESACS Homepage: http://www.NESACS.org Book Review ______7 Frank R. Gorga, Webmaster Emergency Preparedness Planning. A Primer for Chemists, by Timothy L. Washington, D.C. ACS Hotline: 1-800-227-5558 Pasquarelli and Frankie K. Wood-Black; reviewed by Robert Litman Officers 2001 Chair: Board of Directors 8 Timothy B. Frigo ______Advanced Magnetics, Inc. Notes of the meeting of September 13, 2001 61 Mooney St., Cambridge, MA 02138 617-497-2070x3007; [email protected] Chair-Elect: Green Chemistry Challenge ______9 Morton Z. Hoffman The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program for 2002 Chemistry Department, Boston University Boston, MA 02215-2507; 617-353-2494 [email protected] Tales______10 Immediate Past Chair: Doris Lewis From the J. Chem. Ed. of 1978 – by LeRoy Kuehl: Teaching amino acids in an Chemistry Dept., Suffolk University introductory biochemistry course in the style of the Canterbury Tales 41 Temple St., Boston, MA 02114 617-573-8546; [email protected] Secretary: Comment______14 Michael Singer Don’t Follow the Crowd; recollections by Arno Heyn Sigma RBI 1 Strathmore Rd. Natick, MA 01760-2447 Puzzle Column ______17, 20 781-994-0523; fax:781-994-0677 [email protected] A new crossword puzzle and the solution to the November puzzles Treasurer: James Piper Cover: ACS President-Elect Eli M. Pearce cutting the ACS’ 125th birthday cake Simmons College, 300 The Fenway Boston, MA 02115, 617-521-2722 (photo by M.Z. Hoffman) Auditor: Anthony Rosner Deadlines: February 2002 issue: December 14, 2001 Archivist: Myron Simon March 2002 issue: January 17, 2002 20 Somerset Rd. Newton, MA 02465; 617-332-5273 [email protected] Trustees: Esther A.H. Hopkins, Michael E. Strem, Joseph A. Lima Councilors: Alternate Councilors: Term ends 12/31/2001 Term ends 12/31/2001 Thomas R. Gilbert Michael P. Filosa The Nucleus is distributed to the members of the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Michael J. Hearn Morton Z. Hoffman Society, to the secretaries of the Local Sections, and to editors of all local A.C.S. Section publications. Arlene Wick Light Donald O. Rickter Forms close for advertising on the 1st of the month of the preceding issue. Text must be received by the Michael Singer Sophia R. Su editor six weeks before the date of issue. Term Ends 12/31/2002 Term ends 12/31/2002 Editor: Arno Heyn, 21 Alexander Rd., Newton, MA 02461, Mary T. Burgess Michael J. Dube Tel: 617-969-5712, FAX: 617-527-2032; e-mail:[email protected] Michaeline F. Chen Jean Fuller-Stanley Doris I. Lewis Patrick M. Gordon Associate Editor: Myron S. Simon, 20 Somerset Rd., W. Newton, MA 02465, Tel: 617-332-5273 Julia H. Miwa John L. Neumeyer Board of Publications: Marietta H. Schwartz (Chair), Patrick M. Gordon, Frank R. Gorga, E. Joseph Term Ends 12/31/2003 Term ends 12/31/2003 Billo (Consultant) Catherine E. Costello Arno H.A. Heyn Business Manager: Karen Piper, 19 Mill Rd., Harvard, MA 01451, William Klemperer Wallace J. Gleekman Tel: 978-456-8622 Truman Light(to12/31/01)Alfred Viola Advertising Manager: Vincent J. Gale, P.O. Box 1150, Marshfield, MA 02050, Dororthy J. Phillips Derk A. Wierda Tel: 781-837-0424; FAX: 781-837-8792 Contributing Editors: Mukund Chorghade, Patricia Hamm, Features; Edward Atkinson, History of All Chairs of standing Chemistry; Maryann Solstad, Health; Dennis Sardella, Book Reviews; Marietta H. Committees, the editor Schwartz, Software Reviews; E. Joseph Billo, Puzzles. of THE NUCLEUS, and the Trustees of Section Calendar Coordinator: Donald O. Rickter, e-mail: [email protected] Funds are members of the Proofreaders: E. Joseph Billo, Donald O. Rickter, M.S. Simon Board of Directors. Any Webpage: Webmaster: Frank R. Gorga, [email protected] Councilor of the American Chemical Society Asst. Webmasters:Terry Brush, [email protected] residing within the section area is an ex officio Kurt Heinselman, [email protected] member of the Board of Directors. Copyright 2001, Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Inc. The Nucleus December 2001 3 Directions Nominations Corporate Patrons Alfa Aesar, a Johnson Matthey Com- Since the MIT Lot is likely to James Flack Norris Award For pany be full and on-street parking is Outstanding Achievement In Hoechst Marion Roussel Co. The Teaching Of Chemistry Pharm-Eco Laboratories, Inc. tight, use the T, if possible. Physical Sciences, Inc. Red Line: Exit at Kendall, walk Nominations are being received for the Polaroid Corporation towards Boston on Main St., turn right 2002 James Flack Norris Award for Strem Chemicals, Inc. into Wadsworth St. The large building Outstanding Achievement in the Teach- Corporate Sponsors ing of Chemistry. The Norris Award, on the left at the corner of Wadsworth Aerodyne Research, Inc. one of the oldest awards given by a and Memorial Drive is the Sloan Ctr. AstraZeneca R&D section of the American Chemical Borregaard Synthesis, Inc. (less than 500 feet from the T). Society, is presented annually by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Driving: Northeastern Section. The Award con- Cambridge Isotope Labs sists of a certificate and an honorarium Consulting Resources Corporation From Down-town Boston:* Cross to of $3,000. Nominees must have served Dike, Bronstein, Roberts & Cambridge on the Longfellow Bridge with special distinction as teachers of Cushman, LLP and at the end of the bridge take the chemistry at any level: secondary Houghton Chemical Corp. right turns into Memorial Drive (west- school, college, and/or graduate school. JEOL, USA, Inc. bound). Take the first right, into Since 1951, awardees have included MassTrace, Inc. Wadsworth St. and at the end of eminent and less-widely-known but New England Biolabs Wadsworth Street, turn right into Main equally effective teachers at all levels. Organix, Inc. Street. The entrance to the MIT Sloan The awardee for 2001 was Dr. Dennis Pfizer, Inc. parking lot is 1/2 block on the right. G. Peters of the Department of Chem- Research Biochemicals Int’l Parking free after 3:30 pm. istry at Indiana University, Blooming- Zymark Corporation ton, IN. From Back Bay, Brookline, etc.: Take Nominations for 2002 will be as are necessary to convey the nomi- Storrow Drive to the Cambridge St. received until April 16, 2002. The nee’s qualification for the award. These Exit, stay left and cross the Charles nominating material must be limited to may show the impact of the nominee’s River on Longfellow Bridge, follow * 30 pages and focus specifically on the teaching in inspiring colleagues and above. nominee’s contribution to and effec- students toward an active life in chem- tiveness in teaching chemistry, as dis- From Cambridge: Take Main St. east- istry and/or related sciences, or may tinguished from research. These attest to the influence of the nominee’s bound. The MIT Sloan parking lot is qualities are demonstrated by a con- other activities in chemical education, on the right shortly after the Kendall densed curriculum vitae as a portion of such as textbooks, journal articles, or Square T-stop, just beyond Wadsworth a nominating letter which, in turn, is other professional activity at the St. Parking free after 3:30 pm. supported by as many seconding letters national level. Materials should be of 8 1/2 by 11 inch size but should not include books or reprints or software. Please direct questions about the con- tent of a nomination to Dr. Patricia Samuel, [email protected]. Nomi- nations should be sent before April 16, 2002, to Ms. Marilou Cashman, NESACS, 23 Cottage St., Natick, MA 01760. The Northeastern Section Office will be closed from Friday, November 30 through Sunday, December 9. P Dinner reservations for the December Meeting should be called in to the Sec- tion office at 800-872-2054 or e- mailed to [email protected] through November 29. Any changes after Nov. 29, please call Mrs. Karen Piper at 978-456-8622.

4 The Nucleus December 2001 ciency through the transduction of a small number of the patients’ cells with a normal copy of the gene. These Monthly Meeting genetically modified cells then serve as th The 829 Meeting of the Northeastern Section of the American a depot for expression and secretion of Chemical Society, held jointly with the Medicinal Chemistry the affected enzyme into the circula- Group tion. The degree of correction required Mini-Symposium on Approaches to the Treatment of Lyosomal will vary with each disease, but may be Storage Diseases only 1 to 10% of normal levels, based on individuals with milder, late-onset Thursday, December 6, 2001 disease. Several different gene delivery MIT Faculty Club, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA platforms including the use of retrovi- 3:00 pm Refreshments ral, adenoviral, adeno-associated viral 3:30 pm Seng H. Cheng, Vice President of Genetic Diseases Science, Gen- and synthetic gene delivery systems zyme Corp, Framingham, MA have been constructed and evaluated New Therapies for Lyosomal Storage Disorders for use in the treatment of a number 4:30 pm Dennis Vaccaro, President, Symbiontics, Inc., St. Louis, MO LSD. I will review our efforts at Application of Protozoa for the Treatment of Genetic Disease assessing the relative merits and limita- 5:30 pm Social Hour; a table of Career Services Literature and Aids will be tions associated with each of these available gene transfer systems using Fabry dis- ease as an example. 6:30 pm Dinner Substrate inhibition therapy seeks 7:45 pm Evening Meeting, T. Frigo, Chair, presiding to slow the accumulation of storage Mark S. Sands, Assoc. Professor in Internal Medicine and Genetics, products and therefore the progression Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO of disease through the inhibition of Systemic and CNS-Directed Gene Therapy for Mucopolysacchari- enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of dosis Type VII these macromolecules. This strategy Dinner reservations should be made no later than noon, November 29. Please has been shown to be particularly call or fax Marilou Cashman at (800) 872-2054 or e-mail at effective for use in treating the gly- [email protected]. The NESACS office will be closed Nov. 30-December cosphingolipid storage disorders of 9. For changes or cancellations, please call Karen Piper at 978-456-8622. which Gaucher, Fabry, and Tay-Sachs Reservations not cancelled at least 24 hours in advance must be paid. Mem- are examples. Several classes of small bers, $25.00; Non-members, $28.00; Retirees, $15.00; Students, $ 8.00. molecule inhibitors of glucosylce- THE PUBLIC IS INVITED. ramide synthase, the enzyme that cat- alyzes the first step in the synthesis of Anyone who needs special services or transportation, please call Marilou glycosphingolipids, have been identi- Cashman a few days in advance so that suitable arrangements can be made. fied. These molecules have been Parking: Limited free parking after 3:30 in the MIT lot, entering from Main shown to be effective at reducing the Street. Meter parking on Memorial Drive and side streets (free after 6:00 pm) levels of glucosylceramide, the sub- Next Meeting: January 10, 2002 at the MIT Faculty Club, 50 Memorial Drive. strate that accumulates in Gaucher and Dr. David Lemal, Dartmouth College. “What’s Different About Fluorocarbons?” of other downstream glycosphin- golipids. I will review the data that supports the potential use of this strat- are currently limited to bone marrow egy for treating LSD. Abstracts transplantation and enzyme replace- ment therapy. Intravenous injections of Application of Protozoa for the New Therapies for Lyosomal purified enzyme are effective for the Treatment of Genetic Disease Storage Disorders treatment of the non-neuropathic form Dennis Vaccaro of Gaucher disease and for Fabry dis- Seng H. Cheng ease, and enzyme replacement therapy Artificially produced symbiosis is pre- Lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) are is currently being developed for other sented as a disease therapy model. caused by an inherited deficiency of LSD such as MPS I, Pompe and Nie- Symbiontics is pursuing the applica- one or more of the several lysosomal mann-Pick B disease. tion of genetically modified human enzymes that normally catalyze the Two other options that are being protozoa for the production and deliv- metabolism of glycoproteins, glyco- developed include gene therapy and ery of therapeutic . Approxi- lipids and other macromolecules. The substrate inhibition therapy. Gene ther- mately thirty species of protozoa available treatments for these diseases apy seeks to correct the enzyme defi- continued on page 6

The Nucleus December 2001 5 Abstracts defects, hearing impairment, cognitive deficits, skeletal dysplasia and a short- Biographies Continued from page 5 ened life span. We previously demon- naturally live in a variety of human tis- strated that bone marrow Seng H. Cheng received B.Sc. (1979) sues, both intracellularly and extracel- transplantation (BMT) and enzyme and Ph.D. (1983) degrees in Biochem- lularly. Many of these species do not replacement (ERT) effectively prevent istry from the University of London, cause disease in the human host. Leish- the accumulation of undegraded sub- U.K. He trained as a postdoctoral fel- mania, one species of human protozoa, strates in the murine model of MPS low at the National Institute for Med- has been genetically altered for condi- VII. However, BMT and ERT ical Research in London, U.K. tional auxotrophy. No pathology as a approaches are limited by the severity (1983-1985) and at Integrated Genetics result of administering this genetically of the procedure and the transient Inc. (1985-1987) where he investigated altered Leishmania has been observed nature of the therapy, respectively. the molecular basis of tumorigenesis in both mouse and non-human primate Therefore, we attempted a gene by viral oncogenes and cellular proto- safety tests. Several species of proto- replacement therapy approach using oncogenes. He was a Staff Scientist at zoa have been transfected with a vari- recombinant adeno-associated virus Integrated Genetics (1987-1989) and ety of genes and have successfully (AAV) vectors. A single intravenous joined Genzyme Corporation in 1989 manufactured active foreign proteins. injection of an AAV vector encoding to work on the structure and function Protozoa have biochemical mecha- human ß-glucuronidase into newborn of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane nisms to glycosylate proteins. Human MPS VII mice resulted in persistent (≥ conductance regulator. Since 1993, he protozoa have evolved sophisticated 1.5 yr) expression that was sufficient to has managed the efforts at Genzyme mechanisms for evading immune prevent the accumulation of lysosomal Corporation to develop synthetic gene rejection and can sometimes persist for storage material in many tissues. The delivery vectors for therapy of cystic the lifetime of the host. Symbiosis distribution and level of activity nor- fibrosis and other genetic diseases. therapy does not involve genetic alter- malized retinal function as assessed by Presently, Dr. Cheng is Vice President ation of the host and is potentially fully electroretinography and significantly of Genetic Diseases Science with over- reversible. Symbiontics is focusing on improved hearing as measured by audi- all responsibilities for managing the lysosomal storage diseases, a group of tory-evoked brain stem responses. In research and development of therapies over 40 genetic diseases, which result addition, the bone lengths were nearly for lysosomal storage disorders. These from defects in lysosomal enzymes normal and the life span was dramati- therapies include not only enzyme primarily in macrophages. Leishmania cally increased. Due to the difficulty replacement but also gene augmenta- specifically targets the lysosomal com- in delivering therapeutic amounts of tion and substrate inhibition therapy. partment of the macrophage and there- enzyme to the brain, we injected a sep- Dennis Vaccaro, received a Ph.D. in fore may be the optimal vector for arate cohort of animals intracranially human physiology from Harvard Uni- treatment of many of these diseases. with a similar AAV vector. Although versity studying the cellular biology of Symbiontics has demonstrated that the enzyme activity was localized near neurotransmitters, and steroid Leishmania can both manufacture and the injection sites (4 injection hormones in the brain. He then was in secrete several lysosomal storage dis- sites/mouse) there was a widespread research management at DuPont where ease gene proteins. Foreign reduction of lysosomal storage he developed monoclonal antibodies production has been demonstrated in throughout most of the brain. This for use in in vitro and in vivo clinical the form of Leishmania that occurs in activity and reduction of storage corre- diagnostics. Following that he was the human body. Production of these lated with a normalization of cognitive president of a company that developed proteins has been increased many fold functions as measured in the Morris immunodiagnostics for hormonal com- through an optimization program. Water Maze spatial learning test. pounds and novel magnetic particle Technology to target these therapeutic These data suggest that AAV-mediated separation technologies. He has proteins to lysosomes has been devel- gene therapy may be a viable approach written numerous articles and reports oped. for the treatment of MPS VII and per- on new technologies for drug discov- haps other lysosomal storage diseases. ery and development. Dr. Vaccaro has Systemic and CNS-Directed helped found several companies. Sym- Gene Therapy for biontics is an outgrowth of a MS Mucopolysaccharidosis Type Have you looked degree Dr. Vaccaro earned while study- VII ing developmental biochemistry in a Mark S. Sands at the NESACS free living protozoa. Mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS website? Mark Sands is Associate Professor in VII) is a lysosomal storage disease Internal Medicine and Genetics at caused by a deficiency in ß-glu- WWW.NESACS.org Washington University School of Med- curonidase activity and results in visual continued on page 7

6 The Nucleus December 2001 emergency management professionals, Book Review but who are interested in the emer- gency preparedness and management Emergency Preparedness Planning. A Primer for Chemists, by process, or who may have just been Timothy L. Pasquarelli And Frankie K. Wood-Black (Oxford University Press given additional responsibilities that with Copyright by ACS,1999), 126 pp., ISBN 0841235791; $29.95 (hardcover) include emergency response plans.” Reviewed by Robert Litman, Principal Chemist, Seabrook Station, The authors use two very disparate Nuclear Power Plant, Seabrook, NH examples throughout the book to try to amplify the concepts of emergency preparedness and planning. A kitchen A chemist’s domain at one time was “Who knows how to protect us from fire and a model town are used for the confined to the laboratory. Specifically, the dangers of this chemical?” purposes of demonstrating the con- what occurred inside a reaction vessel, “How will I know if there is a spill or cepts needed in response planning. The and the theoretical basis for that reac- I am exposed to this chemical” model town has a refinery, a small col- tion, were the life’s blood of the pro- lege, and the county seat government fession. Laboratory safety and spill “Are we prepared to deal with the building. They refer to these examples clean up were important topics, but release of this chemical, on the scale throughout the chapters. However, the treated as a routine part of laboratory that it is used in our community?”. generic correlations provided by the management. They, too, were confined The public has the right and the authors leave the reader with little sub- to the laboratory and generally were on need to know the answers to these stantive material to relate the concepts a small scale (grams to a few kilo- questions and many more. It is the to the application. grams at most). Training for these responsibility of the facility that has Chapter 3, “Risk Assessment”, activities was not a perennial require- the chemical to ensure that the facility provides a very good basis for how to ment, but a “once you are taught, now design is suitable for the presence of develop an idea of what the risks are in you know”, belief. the chemical. It must also ensure that the facility. The risk matrix diagram In the past 15-20 years, the labora- the treatment, use, and disposal of the shows the type of logic to use for tory walls have been removed as the chemical addresses all the relevant assessment of each risk. The chapter traditional boundary, and now the new issues associated with it. ends rather abruptly however with a reaction vessel has moved into the pub- Emergency preparedness planning list of bulleted items labeled ‘Practical lic’s environment. The word, chemical, encompasses these issues and many Application’. In this respect, the chap- now raises a specter whenever it is others. ter falls short of its promise in the title used in a public statement. The public These questions regarding facility of being ‘A Primer’. Many of the con- wants to know: design, reactivity and health protection cepts of emergency preparedness are “Why is this chemical here?” as they relate to chemicals are very fre- abstract for the beginner. This would quently directed to chemists, because have been the perfect spot for a bridge “Where do I go if this chemical who knows more about chemicals than to the knowledge base of the chemist. spills?” chemists? The mnemonic that fresh- For example, the following topics man chemistry students are presented should have been discussed, but were with, “Do as you oughter, add acid to not: Biography water”, doesn’t give the educated indi- Establishment of chemical storage Continued from page 6 vidual a clue to how to proceed if 55 locations within the laboratory/refinery gallons of concentrated sulfuric acid and how they are situated to provide icine. He received the Ph.D. at the just spilled. This is not to say that haz- adequate access and egress. State University of New York at Stony ards are only of a chemical nature. But The smallest quantities of chemi- Brook, Department of Molecular and the promise of the title would lead one cals that should be stored in the Cellular Pharmacology. Following to believe that in this book pragmatic lab/processing areas to minimize the completion of his graduate studies he items such as these might be covered. potential of small spills becoming pursued studies at The Jackson Labora- Emergency Preparedness Plan- reaction hazards. tory, Bar Harbor, and the University of ning: A Primer for Chemists attempts The dual locations of MSDS’s for Pennsylvania School of Veterinary to integrate the managerial aspect of the chemicals on hand, so that Medicine. He is an author of over 50 emergency preparedness with hazard response personnel know where to find original scientific publications cover- planning. In this respect the authors them for the experiment/production ing a diverse range of topics including have been somewhat successful in flow at that time. particulate CT contrast agents, assess- identifying the Big Picture. How to locate the eyewash/shower ment of local blood-brain barrier pene- “The purpose of this book is to stations in the laboratory/refinery, and tration, and treatment of diseases of provide an introduction and a resource how often they are verified as operable. genetic origin. tool for those persons who are not continued on page 8

The Nucleus December 2001 7 Book Review brate the 125th Anniversary of the Board of ACS, with President-Elect Eli Pearce Continued from page 7 as the evening speaker, following The required safety equipment - recognition of 50-year members and does it change with each experiment/ Directors presentation of the Henry A. Hill production line? Notes of Meeting of September Award to Dr. Myron Simon. These specific ideas should then 13, 2001 Chair-Elect: M. Hoffman announced have been developed in the subsequent the following line-up of future meet- chapters, and provide the clear “how NOTE: Board Meetings are held on the ings: to” function as it relates to the rest of monthly meeting day at 4:30 p.m. Sec- the community. The material covered tion members are invited to attend. October 11, 2001: Hill Award at Hen- in subsequent chapters follows the glib derson House; Officers’ Reports: pattern of Chapter 3. November 8: Norris Award at the The appendices provide a general Chair: The meeting started with a Newton Holiday Inn format for an Integrated Contingency moment of silence in memory of those December 6: Joint meeting with the Plan and a Basic Response Plan Out- who died in the September 11 World Medicinal Chemistry Group at the line. Attachment 2 is a tabular com- Trade Center attack. MIT Faculty Club pendium of specific references to the T. Frigo announced that John January 10, 2002: Also at the MIT Fac- Code of Federal Regulations chapters Neumeyer has been elected as the ulty Club and sections. Although somewhat use- Chair-Elect of the Section for 2002 and February 14, 2002: At the Brookline ful, these referenced sections can the usual sequence of Chair and Imme- Holiday Inn, joint meeting with YCC change with time, and with changes in diate Past Chair for 2003 and 2004, and NOBCChe the law. respectively. March 14, 2002: Richards Medal There was much reference The Section had been nominated Meeting at Harvard throughout the book to legal require- for five ChemLuminary Awards at the ments, management buy-in, and finan- Chicago Meeting and was the winner April 18, 2002: Esselen Award Meet- cial investments in such plans. These in two of the categories: For a Career ing at Harvard University do not ensure a successful plan. The Event and the YCC-Jungchemiker May 9, 2002: Education Night at counterpoint is that a knowledge of event on May 3. Boston University Continued on page 20 The October meeting will cele- September 12, 2002: Joint meeting with the Maine Section at the Univer- sity of New Hampshire at Durham, NH. Treasurer: T. Frigo reported for J. Piper on the Section’s finances for May-August, 2001. The report was ACCEPTED. Standing Committees: Bd. Of Publications: P. Gordon reported for M. Schwartz that a tele- phone membership survey was planned to be completed by mid-October, but that assistance from 5-7 Board Mem- bers was needed for making calls, with a target of a total of 75 responses. Advertising revenue is on budget for 2001. The Board has discussed a new Section Officers’ Handbook and offers to help producing it. It was MOVED and PASSED to have Karen Piper pre- pare such an updated handbook with help from officers and Board of Direc- tor members. Chemistry Education: M. Hoffman reported for R. Tanner that the deadline

8 The Nucleus December 2001 Board of Directors Green Chemistry Challenge Continued from page 8 for Grants-in-Aid to Undergraduate The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program students to attend the Orlando, FL ACS for 2002 Meeting in April 2002 is November 1. The second “Connections” program As in past years, this program “was profit, including academia, govern- will be sponsored by NESACS on established to recognize and promote ment and industry. October 17 at Burlington High School. fundamental innovative chemical The nominated green chemistry tech- methods that accomplish pollution pre- Esselen Award: T. Frigo reported for J. nology must have reached a significant vention through source reduction and Koob that the call for nominations for milestone within the past 5 years in the that have broad applicability in indus- the 2002 Esselen Award appeared in United States (e.g., been researched, try.” the August 27 C&ENews, also in the demonstrated, implemented, applied, “The Green Chemistry program is September NUCLEUS, and was patented, etc.)” open to all individuals, groups, and announced to selected universities in organizations, both nonprofit and for Entries must be postmarked no later the US. Because of overruns in than December 31, 2001, and must expenses for the 2001 Award and be no longer than 8 pages. reduced income, travel reimbursements munity person whose work or accom- will be limited to the awardee, spouse plishments have “made a difference” in Awards will be presented in spring or and one nominator to introduce the matters of concern for the ACS. summer 2002 in Washington, DC. awardee. It was MOVED and VOTED to The Nomination package can be Other Committees: approve making this nomination to the obtained from the U.S. Environmental Younger Chemists: M. Hoffman ACS. Protection Agency (7406), Washington, reported for A. Tapper that the YCC is New Business: It was announced that DC 20460, as EPA744-K-01-001 or: planning a return visit of NESACS stu- the Phyllis A. Brauner Memorial Com- www.epa.gov/greenchemistry dents to Germany for March 11, 2002, mittee will meet September 23 with D. (Note: At the time of writing, the EPA to be hosted by the Jungchemikerfo- Lewis hosting and chairing the meet- website’s last update was April 1, 2001 rum of the German Chemical Society ing. and did not contain information about (GDCh). From the notes taken by D. Phillips the 2002 Awards) Government Affairs : M. Hearn asked NESACS to help with a State House event in 2001-2002. The event origi- nally scheduled for the past winter had to be cancelled because of a snow emergency. The focus for the event will be Green Chemistry and the EPA. International Committee: T. Frigo reported on discussion held at the ACS International Committee meeting at the Chicago Meeting: Environmental pro- gram in Senegal. M. Chen volunteered to be the local host of International Committee activities at the local level. Old Business: The amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Section to establish the Phyllis A. Brauner Memorial Book Award, Lecture, and Fund were read, to be discussed and approved at a later meeting. For the ACS “Salute to Excel- lence” Award, Carl Selavka (Mass. State Police Laboratory) was proposed as a nominee. This Award is to be given by the National ACS to a com-

The Nucleus December 2001 9 acids. This approach, which will be described below, Amino Acid Tales appeared quite effective in stimulating the students’ interest in a topic which they usually find quite tedious. A Novel Method For Presenting The Amino Two 50-minute periods were devoted to the amino Acids In An Introductory Biochemistry Course acids. During the first 25 minutes, general information about the amino acids and their role in protein structure was pre- By LeRoy Kuehl, Department of Biochemistry sented during standard lecture format. The last half of the University of Utah College of Medicine first period was devoted to a reading of the poem, “Amino Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 Acid Tales,” which is reproduced below. This poem, written Reprinted by permission from J.Chem.Ed,1978, 55 (11) in the style of Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales,” includes a 1711-1713. Copyright ©1978, Division of Chemical Educa- description of the structure and principal physical and chem- tion, Inc. ical properties of each amino acid along with additional information for those amino acids which play a particularly An “oldie” that was recently brought to our attention: important or unique role in protein structure or in metabo- At the University of Utah, freshmen medical students are lism. Slides illustrating the material described in the poem required to take a three-quarter course in biochemistry. The were shown at appropriate points during the reading. During organization of this course follows traditional lines: the the second period, the verses were reread. This time the structure and properties of biomolecules are covered first; reading was interrupted at intervals to discuss in greater metabolic pathways are dealt with second; a section on depth important concepts which are presented only superfi- molecular biology is presented next; and finally, various cially in the poem. special topics such as nutrition and endocrinology are dis- The initial reading of the poem was made as dramatic cussed. Maintaining the students’ interest during the first as possible. The students were not informed in advance that part of the course has proven particularly difficult since the the lectures on amino acids would be different from any oth- initial lectures are, for the most part, little more than a tabu- ers. But before the verses were read, the class was told that lation of the structures and properties of various biologically they could dispense with note taking since they would be important molecules. This year a novel teaching was supplied with a complete copy of the material which was to employed during the presentation of one portion of the follow. Advanced planning assured that the slide changing introductory material; namely, that dealing with the amino Continued on page 11

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10 The Nucleus December 2001 Amino Acid Tales dents (64%) spent 50% or more of their preparation time studying the poem and that they considered it a more effec- Continued from page 10 tive learning device than standard lecture notes. would occur at the proper times and with no interruption of The poem, “Amino Acid Tales,” is reproduced below the presentation. The poem was read slowly and with con- together with a few representative examples of the illustra- siderably more dramatic emphasis than is customary in a tions which accompanied the text. biochemistry lecture. Amino Acid Tales During the reading of the prologue the mood of the with apologies to G. Chaucer class was jocular and somewhat boisterous. When the verses Prologue dealing with the individual amino acids were read, however, the students became very quiet, giving the impression that When fall hath come, and days grow short and cool, they were concentrating intently on the material being pre- Then eager students hasten back to school; sented. At the conclusion of the poem, the class responded And freshmen who would gladly doctors be with a round of sustained and vigorous applause and after- Begin to study biochemistry, wards a number of students made positive comments about And memorize a host of useless structures the use of the poem for teaching the amino acids. Thus, one Because they know that pleases their instructors, obtained the impression that the presentation as described But also so that they their boards might pass, above had succeeded in stimulating the students’ interest And go to practice medicine at last; and holding their attention. This impression was reinforced For they would fain restore the sick to health, by the results of an anonymous questionnaire given about a And also would win fame, respect, and wealth. week afterwards in which the students were asked: “As As first to teach in biochemistry, compared with a well-prepared traditional lecture, how The section treating structures falls to me. stimulating did you find the presentation based on the With the amino acids we begin, poem?” Of 91 students who responded, 79 found the presen- The building blocks of muscle, enzymes, skin. tation “much more stimulating than a traditional lecture;” 11 Glycine found it “somewhat more stimulating,” and one found it For R-group glycine has an H, that’s all. “about the same.” No one found it somewhat or much less It boasts no isomers and is so small; stimulating. The same questionnaire indicated that most stu- Continued on page 12

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The Nucleus December 2001 11 Amino Acid Tales Continued from page 11 But when in protein structure space is tight. Than glycine’s chosen because it is slight: And this, dear students, is the reason why In collagen the glycine content’s high. Alanine Draw glycine, then with pen a methyl add. And alanine will be there on your pad. The methyl group, apolar as you know, Gives alanine a hydrophobic glow. If alanine you now should modify Valine Cysteine And to its methyl various groups apply, All the amino acids we will learn A second center of asymmetry. Can quickly be produced. each in its turn. Now oft is cleaved within the cell To glycine and a smaller piece as well. Valine The latter’s then to synthesis remanded To valine learn, imagine, if you can. When a one-carbon fragment is demanded. A structure with the outline of a man. He’s hydrophobic from the waist on down. Methionine And hydrophilic is from waist to crown. To alanine an extra carbon lend, And next attach a sulfur to the end, Leucine and Isoleucine Then finally if you methylate the S To valine’s leg affix one carbon more. Methionine is what you will possess. And isoleucine joins the growing corps. Examine now the R-group carefully, In valine’s trunk instead a C insert, It’s truly hydrophobic, as you’ll see. And valine then to leucine does convert. Reactions which in living cells transpire Their R-groups are like little drops of oil; Quite often do a methyl group require; From water they with loathing do recoil. And usually does the cell such units glean At isoleucine look now carefully; From the S-methyl of methionine. Two asymmetric carbons you will see. Cysteine Proline Just add an SH group to alanine: Five carbon atoms fastened end to end, The compound that is formed is cysteine. Just look, my students. notice how they bend Its SH can a proton liberate. Until, in sooth, the circle is perfected. The pK of this group being close to eight. And the last C is to the N connected But more important, you should realize. To form a hydrophobic little ring, That the sulfhydryl group can oxidize, And the amino a substituent bring. And that, thereby, two cysteines are joined Amino acid proline’s truly not, (For such a pair the name cystine is coined). For an imino group instead it’s got. If cysteines are linked, it’s surely true, Now polypeptide chains coil often round. The chains they’re part of are joined, too. In many proteins are such spirals found. Thus protein structures, full of folds and kinks, As alpha helices by scientists known, Are held together by cystine cross-links. These coils are by H-bonds together sewn. Phenylalanine and Tyrosine But should the chain with proline be corrupted, We now consider phenylalanine, Then is the interrupted. Whose name alone the structure does convene. Serine and And tyrosine, in structure close related, To alanine an OH group append. Just phenylalanine hydroxylated. And serine’s what you’re left with in the end; When phenyl group has a hydroxyl gained And if you add a methyl group as well Then are its properties substantially changed: Then you have threonine, so chemists tell— Decreased is its hydrophobicity; Indeed, a very hydrophilic pair, More strongly it absorbs in the uv. And should the pH over ten arise, Because of the hydroxyls that they bear. Then does this new hydroxyl ionize. Check threonine most carefully and you’ll see

12 The Nucleus December 2001 Diverse amino acids can it take, And every one of them deaminate. And residues which then are left behind, To metabolic pathways are consigned. and Glutamine Aspartate’s amide is asparagine, And glutamate’s is known as glutamine. The two are neutral—amides have no charge, But polar still with dipole moments large. Arginine If alanine’s two carbons more extended, Disulfide cross-link Oxidation of cysteine And a guanido’s to the end appended, in a protein A compound’s formed which arginine we call— Most base amino acid of them all; In proteins this OH is wont to form For the guanido group has pK high; H-bonds, and these, and others, do transform At nearly 12.5 it’s known to lie. A random polypeptide, as a rule, (Now the guanido group, my freshmen friends, To a precisely folded molecule. Is but a C surrounded by three N’s.) An enzyme found within each living cell A liver enzyme, arginase by name, Performs this same hydroxylation well: Does act on arginine and cleaves the same But should there in this enzyme lie a fault, By hydrolysis, for water comes between, Phenylketonuria is the result. To yield urea and also ornithine. Tryptophan The latter converts back to arginine Let alanine an indole function gain, By a complex, but key, reaction scheme And from the two arises tryptophan. In which excess ammonia is consumed. (The indole group, in case you don’t remember, Except for this the cell were surely doomed. Has benzene ring and pyrrole fused together. Thus arginine—you should remember this— And pyrrole—is it hard remembering? Is source of the urea in your piss. Has four carbons and an N joined in a ring.) Lysine Now indole is a planar residue; This unbranched basic molecule is lysine. Aside from this, it’s hydrophobic, too. It has four carbons more than are in glycine, The indole group so strongly resonates And an amino group on its tail end That it impinging photons captivates— Which has a pK value over ten. To an absorption spectrum this gives rise Which is presented for you to apprise. Histidine The residue which histidine we call Aspartic and Glutamic Acids Is alanine with an imidazole. Now aspartate has carbon atoms four, The latter is—now listen closely, please— And glutamate has these and then one more. A pentagon with two N’s and three C’s. Carboxyl groups at each extremity To histidine a proton can affix; Make these compounds acidic, you’ll agree. Its R-group has a pK close to six. Alpha carboxyls have pK’s near two. Dear students, this is, as you know full well, So it may come as a surprise to you, Not far from the pH within the cell. That pK values close to four attend And since the pK of a group may change Carboxyl groups placed at the other end. Influenced by other groups lying at close range And now about an enzyme I’ll relate So histidine within a protein structure Which the amino cleaves from glutamate Shows sometimes one ion form, sometimes the other. To yield ammonia, there inside the cell, And alpha ketoglutarate as well. Epilogue A second enzyme then the latter takes, With the amino acids we are through. And from it glutamate regenerates. The learning of them now is up to you. For this amino groups are now required, Do not despair, but work industriously; And from amino acids they’re acquired. And you will have them mastered presently; And think, when it is late and you grow bored, Thus using glutamate, as you can see, The cell has this broad capability: Of the M.D. that will be your reward.

The Nucleus December 2001 13 Comment Don’t follow the Crowd By A. Heyn In my travels, I recall two occasions when not following the crowd was the best thing to do; both dealt with unan- ticipated situations: When I was a student at Michigan, two years after I had left my maternal home in Dresden, Germany to rejoin my father in the USA, I had planned a summer visit to Germany to see family and former school-mates, particularly one, a girl I was fond of. The time was the summer of 1939 and other stu- dents wondered, whether travel to Europe that year was a smart thing to do. Being unconcerned, but keeping NOTE TO PRINTER the US Consulates informed of my itinerary, I had made reservations to Mass Vac cross the ocean by freighter both ways. My eastbound trip had been very pleasant, from Montreal to Hull on a 2/3 page ad appears here British freighter, carrying about 6 pas- sengers. The return trip was to be on a Dutch freighter out of Rotterdam in early September for the start of the fall semester Ad # MASS 454N My summer visit was very pleas- ant, I found my family in good health, reasonably happy — by now they had Paper ad to be stripped in become accustomed to living under the Nazi regime – and I was winding up by Saltus my stay with a visit to my mother’s apartment in a suburb of Berlin, where she was working. It was Saturday, August 26, 1939 and my mother and I had just made an excursion to Potsdam by ship. When we were walking around in Potsdam to visit the Sanssouci Palace, we noticed soldiers everywhere leading horses away. We thought there were some maneuvers, and only in retrospect did I realize that this was mobilization for the planned attack on Poland. When we returned to her apartment in the late afternoon, we found a form-letter addressed to me from the American Chargé d’Affairs, “to depart from this country with a view to proceeding to the United States.” Actually, I had expected to leave Germany the following week. We still

14 The Nucleus December 2001 Comment America Line didn’t honor these letters evening, August 31. There was just one and wanted hard cash. hitch: My funds were pretty well Continued from page 14 Being the main westward travel depleted, and the $80 refund didn’t had tickets that night to attend “Fide- season, ships were fully booked. In cover the passage, which was $130. I lio” in the Charlottenburg opera, which fact, the Dutch lines had taken luxury cabled my father for the extra money we didn’t want to pass up. I stayed to ships out of their East-Asia service to and hoped to have it back by the fol- see the opera. After packing my few take Americans back to USA (at lux- lowing morning, which was OK with things I made ready to leave the next ury ship rates!). I looked at these lines the office. So, indeed, my father came forenoon on a train leaving for Rotter- of people and couldn’t see myself through and cabled the extra money dam. As we went to the platform, there fighting for a space, and certainly did- (plus enough to get me back from New n’t have the money for possibly avail- York to Detroit), and I picked up my were hundreds of others who also th wanted to leave on this train and able luxury travel. In the phone-book I ticket on the morning of the 30 . A stormed the train, even climbing in saw that the main office of the Hol- small ferry-ship took the boarding pas- land-America Lines was in the harbor sengers from Rotterdam to Hoek van through the windows to beat the oth- st ers. I couldn’t see the point of fighting district, so I took a bus the next morn- Holland in the afternoon of the 31 , my way onto that train and quickly ing and was there shortly before they and in the evening we boarded the SS. found out that another train was leav- opened at 9 a.m. Only one other person Westerland. To hold the maximum ing an hour later which was only first was also waiting, another young Amer- number of passengers, cabins were and second class (in those days, nor- ican with the same idea. segregated: each cabin had 3 males or mal people, like myself, traveled third When the office opened, we were 3 females, respectively, instead of just class). I quickly upgraded my ticket, told, “yes we expect a lot of cancella- couples. Before we called at Boulogne paying the additional fee out of my tions because of the international situa- s.M. in France we heard that war had rather slim funds, and when the later tion, and we get these at 10 a.m., so been declared. The rest of the trip had train arrived I found it not even fully you’ll probably have a choice of dates lots of interesting incidents: – mined occupied: In the compartment of six and ships.” Indeed, at 10 quite a few harbor at Southampton – no fresh food seats which I chose there were only 4 cancellations came in and I chose to taken on at Southampton – strike of the of us. take a place on a one-class ship of the boiler-room crew for wartime pay – The train worked its way across Black Star line, coming out of Antwerp encounter with a German U-boat northern Germany, and at larger sta- and calling at Hoek van Holland on the Continued on page 16 tions we bought newspapers which gave accounts of the mobilization, impending war with Poland, and things started looking more and more serious. In Rotterdam I found a small hotel near the center of town which was in my price range, and the next morning I went to the office of the freighter line for which I had the return ticket, only to find out that the Dutch government Eastern Scientific had suspended all shipping schedules because of the mobilization. I received my passage money of $80 back on the 1/2 page Ad Appears here spot. Meanwhile, back in town I saw the long lines in front of the American Ad # EAST 584N Express office, all people who wanted to get back to USA. I heard that at least Strip Repro supplied one German passenger ship which had departed Germany and was on the way to England, full of returning Ameri- cans, had been ordered back to Ger- many and the travelers were given a piece of paper which was “valid for travel back to the USA” by other transatlantic lines. With the threat of war, other lines, such as the Holland-

The Nucleus December 2001 15 Comment week before the ACS meeting, his NERM 2004 wife, and I had planned to fly over to Continued from page 15 Hilo on the Saturday between the two (which asked us to paint the neutral meetings, rent a car, and tour Volcanic Contest flag at the bridge twice as large), a National Park. This we did, and after a meandering crossing of the Atlantic full day of sight-seeing, and after Northeast Regional Meeting which took 12 days, instead of the returning the car, we wondered why Rochester, New York usual 7-8, and general uneasiness, with there were such long lines at the Hilo some passengers sleeping fully airport in front of the United Airlines October 15-17, 2004 dressed, in case we were torpedoed – desk. We found out that United Air- but all that is another story. lines was strikebound! Our flight back We are looking for a great logo and I later found out that many of to Honolulu had no problems since this theme for this meeting. those waiting in line at the American was not a United flight. Back in Hon- olulu we started to appreciate the seri- All ACS members from the Northeast Express office didn’t get out of Europe for months. I met another student at ousness of the situation. Many of those Region are invited to submit a logo who wanted to attend the ACS meeting and/or theme idea. Ann Arbor who was in France at the time and didn’t get back to the States and had not gotten there by Saturday The winner in each category will until mid-January, after escaping first were stuck back on the mainland. With receive a free registration to the 2004 to southern France, then into Spain, United Airlines being the main carrier NERM! and finally hitching a ride back on a of passengers to Hawaii, they had a freighter (I think he had to work his hard time getting to the meeting. I Please submit all entries to: way back as a stable-hand on the heard that some had to fly to Hawaii D. Richard Cobb freighter which carried hundreds of via Manila (however their tickets were 15-C Greenleaf Meadows cattle). honored, so it just cost them extra time Rochester, NY 14612 The second event was a bit more and trouble). Back in Honolulu, again I e-mail: [email protected] prosaic: At the 1979 spring ACS meet- saw long lines in front of the United ing in Honolulu, a colleague of mine Airlines office that were moving so Contest Deadline Is Midnight, who was attending the crystallographic slowly that it would take hours to get December 31st, 2001 society meeting, which was held the to the front of the line. So again, I looked for alternatives. Knowing that most people were look- ing for flights from Honolulu via Los Angeles or San Francisco, I discovered in my pocket Airline Guide, which I fortuitously had along, that Braniff Air- lines had flights from Honolulu either to Seattle or to Texas, so I went to the Braniff office, where there were only one or two others ahead of me, and I Chemo Dynamics LP managed to get my United Airlines return ticket exchanged for a Braniff ticket via Seattle and Minneapolis to 1/3 page Ad Appears here Boston (with several-hour layovers in each of these stops in the middle of the night). So, having made my return Ad # CHEM 681N travel arrangements, I happily attended to meeting business, the Council, com- Strip Neg Supplied mittees and a few papers, with a luau thrown in, and was able to fly back, actually a day earlier than I had origi- nally planned, but had long, tired hours of waiting at the stop-over points. I found out later, that others didn’t get back to the mainland for several days. Again, doing the opposite of what most of the others were doing paid off.

16 The Nucleus December 2001 Puzzle Column Nucleic Acids by Colleen M. Parriot Reprinted by permission from the October Meeting June 2001 Indicator of the New York and North Jersey Sections. Pictures

Amy Tapper,YCC Chair with Eli M. Pearce, ACS Pres.-Elect at dinner

Across 51. Lieu 1. Deal with difficulties 54. Area that studies crime scene nucleic 5. Place acids 9. Electrical device 59. West Indies republic 14. Former Israel leader 60. Ending for poet, log or tact 15. Great Barrier island 61. Verbal 16. Entertain 62. With pimples Rose and Myron Simon (Henry A. Hill Awardee) at dinner (photos by M.Z. Hoffman) 17. Loan 63. Caste 18. Yearn 64. Unconscious state 19. Religious ceremonies 65. Canadian birds 27. Pays to play 20. Egg white enzymes with extensively 66. Holly 28. In nucleic acids, these connect base sugars studied genetic code 67. Was aware of to each other 29. Berry for flavoring gin 22. Like argon or neon DOWN 30. Fortune telling card 23. Church area 1. Where a nucleic acid resides 24. Batman and Robin 31. Pointless 2. Do what they tell you 32. One who fixes chairs 25. Rice in India, for example 3. Pots partners 29. Non-germ cell 35. Units for electrical resistance 4. Type of nuclease or skeleton 36. _nstitute for _esearch on _overty 33. Hyperbolic function 5. A string of triplet codons codes for 34. French common soldier 45. Potassium ____ : Table sale additive this 47. ___ Arbor, Michigan 37. Water-to-wine city 6. Element’s smallest components 38. Unto 49. Pertaining to a central point 7. Walk Away ____ (song) 50. Speak publicly 39. Pulsate 8. Touches the base runner out 40. Mideast country 51. Type of carpet or hairdo 9. ____ sulfate: used for GI series 52. Armor skirt 41. Eisenhower and others 10. Triplet codons code for what? 42. Push forward 53. One: German 11. Stringed musical instrument 54. Pacific archipelago 43. Finished 12. ____ friendly 44. Protein capsules which contain viral 55. ____ hop (dance) 13. Bird house 56. Hemoglobin’s metal nucleic acids 21. Rustam’s father 46. Spring holiday 57. Arrived 24. Nucleic add structure 58. Cabbage salad 48. Garden tool 25. Unemotional one 49. Alps wind 26. Japanese poem Solution in next month’s issue

The Nucleus December 2001 17 BUSINESS DIRECTORY

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18 The Nucleus December 2001 BUSINESS DIRECTORY

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The Nucleus December 2001 19 avr,MA 01451 Harvard, 19 Mill Road

Prof. Brian Coppola (Univ. of Michigan) “Faculty 2.0: Broadening the Responsibility for Future Faculty Education to Match the Obligations of the Job” Boston Univ., Science Center Auditorium, SCI 107, 4:00 pm Call for Prof. J. Martin Bollinger (Penn State Univ.) Biochemistry Seminar Series: “Probing the Structural and Mechanistic Bases for the Papers Divergent Control of Oxygen Activation by the Diiron-carboxylate Proteins” 5th International Conference MIT, Room 6-120, 4 pm and Exhibition on Chemistry Prof. Milan Mrksich (Univ. of Chicago) Organic seminar: tba in Industry Harvard Univ., MB-23 Pfizer Lecture Hall, 4:15pm October 14-16, 2002, Bahrain December 4 Innovation and Technology in the Prof. Charles Michael Drain (Hunter College of Petroleum and Chemical Industries- CUNY) “Self-assembly of Nanoscaled Photonic Addressing the Sulfur Challenges Materials” Tufts Univ., Pearson Chem. Building, 62 Talbot Abstracts due December 31,

AMERICAN CHEMICAL Ave., Medford, Room 106, 4:30 pm 2001 U.S. POSTAGE PAID OPOI ORG. NONPROFIT NORTHEASTERN Mr. Weng-Feng Lo (Univ. Mass. Boston)

SOCIETY SECTION Literature Seminar: “Dyeing Crystals” Cosponsors: Saudi-Arabian Interna- Univ. Mass. Boston, Science Building, tional Chapter of the ACS, the ACS, Room 089, 4:30 pm the Bahrain Society of Chemists December 5 For information, see: Parisa Mehrkhodavandi (Schrock Group, MIT) www.chem-ind.org Inorganic Chemistry Seminar: tba MIT, Room 6-120, 4 pm Prof. Karen Erickson (Clark Univ.) “New Peptide and Macrolide Metabolites from Book Review Calendar the Marine Sponge Myriastra clavosa” Continued from page 8 UMass Dartmouth, Science & Engineering Building (Group II), Room 115, 4:00 pm chemicals alone is insufficient to For additional information, call: December 6 ensure, should an accident or emer- Am. Assoc. Clinical Chemists - (617) 732-6987, Prof. Paul Barbara (Univ. of Texas, Center for gency arise, that the proper actions will pager 11161 Nano- and Molecular Science & Technology) be taken to preserve life, property and Boston College - (617) 552-2605 Harvard Physical and HU/MIT Combined the environment. Together, these con- Boston University - (617) 353-4277 Physical Chemistry Seminar cepts are managerial and logistical Brandeis University - (781) 736-2500 “Energy Funneling and Exciton Structure and problems that, until recently, have Dartmouth College - (603) 646-2501 Dynamics in Isolated Organic Nano-particles” Harvard University - (617) 495-4198 Harvard Univ., Room MB23 Pfizer Lecture fallen outside the pedagogical and the- Mass. Inst. Technology - (617) 253-1803 Hall,12 Oxford St., Cambridge, 5 pm oretical realm of the chemist. Northeastern University - (617) 373-2822 Emergency preparedness planning Tufts Univ. - (617) 627-2634 December 12 needs to focus on how to make an UMass Boston - (617) 287-6130 Mr. Frank Cochran (MIT, Schrock Group) organization ready to ward off and. UMass Dartmouth - (508) 999-8232 Inorganic Chemistry Seminar: tba UMass Lowell - (978) 934-3675 MIT, Room 6-120, 4 pm deal with emergencies. A primer Univ. of New Hampshire - (603) 862-1550 should provide coordination of these Worcester Polytechnic Institute - (508) 831-5250 two functions at the ground level in Check the NESACS Homepage for late December 13 additions: http://www.NESACS.org Prof. SonBinh T. Nguyen (Northwestern Univ.) exemplary fashion. In that respect this Seminar in Organic Chemistry: tba book misses its mark. Note also the MIT Chemistry Department MIT, Room 6-120, 4 pm Webpage calendar: http://web.mit.edu/chemistry/ www/temp/seminars/pchemseminars.html December 17 and the Harvard Chemistry web site for updates: Prof. Cecile Pickart (Johns Hopkins Univ.) November Puzzle http://www. T.Y. Shen Lecture; Biological Seminar; tba chem.harvard.edu/events/Physical_Seminars.html MIT, Room 6-120, 4 pm Solution (which includes the Harvard/MIT joint seminars). December 18 Solution to the November 01 puzzles December 3 Prof. Cecile Pickart (Johns Hopkins Univ.) 1. $ 64 Dr. Richard Bellows, (HydrogenSource LLC T.Y. Shen Lecture; Biological Seminar; tba United Technologies Company/International Fuel MIT, Room 6-120, 4 pm 2. ESCALATOR Cells) 3. Frances, Georgia, Jill, Ida and Harriet “Fuel for Electric Vehicles PEM Fuel Cells” Notices for the Nucleus 4. SACRAMENTO, DETROIT, FORT Tufts Univ. DEPT. OF CHEMICAL & Calendar should be sent to: BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING WAYNE Dr. Donald O. Rickter, 88 Hemlock St., 4 Colby Street, Science & Technology Center, 5. POOR, BOOR, BOOK, ROOK, Room 136, 11:30 am Arlington, MA 02474-2157 e-mail: [email protected] ROCK, RICK, RICH