The ACS Exams Institute Undergraduate Chemistry Anchoring Concepts Content Map I: General Chemistry

To provide tools for programmatic assessment related to the use of ACS Exams in undergraduate chemistry courses, the ACS Exams Institute has built a content map that applies to the entire undergraduate curriculum. At the top two levels, the grain size of the content classification is large and spans the entire undergraduate curriculum. At the bottom two levels, the grain size of the content is more fine and tuned to specific course levels of the curriculum. This paper presents all four levels of the map as identified for first-year general chemistry

Cottrell Scholars Collaborative New Faculty Workshop: Professional Development for New Chemistry Faculty and Initial Assessment of Its Efficacy

The Cottrell Scholars Collaborative New Faculty Workshop (CSC NFW) is a professional development program that was initiated in 2012 to address absences in the preparation of chemistry faculty at research universities as funded researchers and educators (i.e., teacher–scholars). The primary focus of the workshop is an introduction to evidence-based teaching methods; other topics including mentoring, work–life balance, time management, and grant writing are also addressed. A longer-term aim of the workshop is to develop lifelong teacher–scholars by encouraging workshop participants to engage with teaching-focused faculty learning communities through the CSC NFW and at their institutions. The workshop also provides a platform to investigate the adoption of student-centered pedagogies among new faculty, and a study of that process was initiated concurrently. Thus, the aim of the workshop program is to address professional development needs as well as understand the efficacy of that effort

Genomic plasticity of the MHC class I A region in rhesus macaques: extensive haplotype diversity at the population level as revealed by microsatellites

The Mamu-A genes of the rhesus macaque show different degrees of polymorphism, transcription level variation, and differential haplotype distribution. Per haplotype, usually one “major” transcribed gene is present, A1 (A7), in various combinations with “minor” genes, A2 to A6. In silico analysis of the physical map of a heterozygous animal revealed the presence of similar Mamu-A regions consisting of four duplication units, but with dissimilar positions of the A1 genes on both haplotypes, and in combination with different minor genes. Two microsatellites, D6S2854 and D6S2859, have been selected as potential tools to characterize this complex region. Subsequent analysis of a large breeding colony resulted in the description of highly discriminative patterns, displaying copy number variation in concert with microsatellite repeat length differences. Sequencing and segregation analyses revealed that these patterns are unique for each Mamu-A haplotype. In animals of Indian, Burmese, and Chinese origin, 19, 15, or 9 haplotypes, respectively, could be defined, illustrating the occurrence of differential block duplications and subsequent rearrangements by recombination. The haplotypes can be assigned to 12 unique combinations of genes (region configurations). Although most configurations harbor two transcribed A genes, one or three genes per haplotype are also present. Additionally, haplotypes lacking an A1 gene or with an A1 duplication appear to exist. The presence of different transcribed A genes/alleles in monkeys from various origins may have an impact on differential disease susceptibilities. The high-throughput microsatellite technique will be a valuable tool in animal selection for diverse biomedical research projects

Human monoclonal antibodies targeting carbonic anhydrase IX for the molecular imaging of hypoxic regions in solid tumours

BACKGROUND: Hypoxia, which is commonly observed in areas of primary tumours and of metastases, influences response to treatment. However, its characterisation has so far mainly been restricted to the ex vivo analysis of tumour sections using monoclonal antibodies specific to carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) or by pimonidazole staining, after the intravenous administration of this 2-nitroimidazole compound in experimental animal models.METHODS: In this study, we describe the generation of high-affinity human monoclonal antibodies (A3 and CC7) specific to human CA IX, using phage technology.RESULTS: These antibodies were able to stain CA IX ex vivo and to target the cognate antigen in vivo. In one of the two animal models of colorectal cancer studied (LS174T), CA IX imaging closely matched pimonidazole staining, with a preferential staining of tumour areas characterised by little vascularity and low perfusion. In contrast, in a second animal model (SW1222), distinct staining patterns were observed for pimonidazole and CA IX targeting. We observed a complementary pattern of tumour regions targeted in vivo by the clinical-stage vascular-targeting antibody L19 and the anti-CA IX antibody A3, indicating that a homogenous pattern of in vivo tumour targeting could be achieved by a combination of the two antibodies.CONCLUSION: The new human anti-CA IX antibodies are expected to be non-immunogenic in patients with cancer and may serve as broadly applicable reagents for the non-invasive imaging of hypoxia and for pharmacodelivery applications. British Journal of Cancer (2009) 101, 645-657. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605200 www.bjcancer.com Published online 21 July 2009 (C) 2009 Cancer Research U

Statutes & the Courts

Lois Schiffer, Partner at Baach Robinson & Lewis, PLLC, and formerly Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the U.S. Department of Justice under the Clinton Administration, presents The National Environmental Policy Act Today, with an emphasis on its application across U.S borders. William Perry Pendley , President and Chief Legal Officer of Mountain States Legal Foundation, and formerly Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy and Minerals in the Department of the Interior, presents, Natural Resources Policy Under the Bush Administration: Not What It Says, But What It Has Done In Court

Voltammetric determination of diffusion coefficients in polymer membranes

The diffusion-controlled transport of ions and molecules through polymer membranes utilized in chemical and biosensors is often the key factor determining the response characteristics of these sensors. In this paper, a simple voltammetric method is described for the determination of diffusion coefficients of redox molecules in resistive polymer membranes using a planar electrochemical cell (PEC) with a 5 μm radius carbon fiber as working electrode. In the proposed method, the diffusion coefficients are assessed from the scan rate dependence of the peak (or limiting) currents in linear sweep or cyclic voltammograms. The accuracy of the method is estimated through simulations using the method of Nicholson and Shain describing the quantitative relationship between the measured peak current (ip) and the square root of the scan rate (v1/2). The proposed method has been used for measuring the diffusion coefficients of ferrocene derivatives in highly resistive aqueous solutions, organic solvents, plasticizers, and plasticized PVC membranes. The measured diffusion coefficients are in agreement with theoretical models and previously reported values