John R. Wright is a retired professor of chemistry, one who was involved in both teaching and basic research for almost 40 years. He grew up in Batesville, Arkansas and started his undergraduate work at what is now Lyon College, in Batesville, then finished a B.Sci. chemistry degree at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Before he earned his doctorate he served four years of active duty as an Air Force commissioned officer (electronic warfare). After the military tour Wright was involved in basic research at Washington University, St Louis Missouri, where he carried out the first electron spin resonance structural characterization of the vitamin-E free radical. Wright earned a Ph.D. in chemistry at Ole Miss in 1971 and pursued a postdoctoral appointment at Florida State University under the mentoring of Dr. Earl Frieden, 1972-73. After the postdoctoral he accepted a faculty position at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma and was there until he retired in 2004. His scientific publications are listed here:
Scientific Books and Monographs:
D.H. Kohl, P.M. Wood, M. Weissman and J.R. Wright (1971), "Study of quinones in photosynthetic systems" in "Magnetic Resonances in Biological Research" (C. Franconi, Ed.), Gordon and Breach, New York, paper 17, 189-197. (from a Gordon Conference)
C.R. Beavers, S.E. George, J.L. Robinson and J.R. Wright (1981), "Linking several moderate usage instruments to one microcomputer," in "Personal Computers in Chemistry" (P. Lykos, Ed.) John Wiley and Sons (Wiley-Interscience), New York, Chapter 6, 58-84. (from an ACS National Symposium)
J.R. Wright, W.A. Hendrickson, S. Osaki and G.T. James (1986), "Physical Methods for Inorganic Biochemistry," Volume 5 of "Biochemistry of the Elements" (E. Frieden, series Ed.), Plenum Press, New York (Wright wrote pages1-214 and 261-328)
Refereed Science Journal Articles, or Juried Performances:
D.H. Kohl, J.R. Wright and M. Weissman (1969), "Electron spin resonance studies of free radicals derived from plastoquinone, alpha- and gamma-tocopherol and their relation to free radicals observed in photosynthetic materials," Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 180, 536. [This is an historic paper, the original ESR spectroscopic characterization of the vitamin-E free radical. The radical is formed in the first step of the vitamin's functional reaction. See also pages 8 and 9 of the 2007 reference volume, "The Encyclopedia of Vitamin-E"]
J.R. Wright and T.J. Klingen (1970), "Investigation of gamma-ray induced polymer formation in the carboranes - I: separation and structural characterization of the polymer derived from 1-vinyl-ortho-carborane," J. Inorg. Nuc. Chem., 32, 2853.
T.J. Klingen and J.R. Wright (1971), "Radiolytically induced polymer formation in alkenyl carboranes: phase effects," Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst., 13, 173.
P.A.G. Malya, J. R. Wright and W.R. Nes (1971), "A fingerprint pattern in the gas-liquid chromatogram of steroidal epoxydiols," J. Chromatog. Sci., 9, 700.
T.J. Klingen and J.R. Wright (1972), "Further evidence for the plastic crystalline nature of 1-vinyl-ortho-carborane", Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst., 16, 283.
J.R. Wright and T.J. Klingen (1972), "Proton nmr spectra of icosahedral carborane polymers in solution: temperature dependent effects," J. Inorg. Nuc. Chem., 34, 3284.
J.R. Wright and T.J. Klingen (1973), "Investigation of gamma-ray induced polymerization in the carboranes - II: the polymerization dynamics of 1-vinyl-ortho-carborane," ibid, 35, 53.
J.R. Wright and T.J. Klingen (1973), "Investigation of gamma-ray induced polymerization in the carboranes - III: factors which limit the molecular weight of the 1-vinyl-ortho-carborane polymer," ibid, 35, 1451.
T.J. Klingen and J.R. Wright, U. S. Patent 3,699,024, 0ctober 17, 1972.
T.J. Klingen and J.R. Wright, U. S. Patent 3,711,180, January 16, 1973.
J.R. Wright and E. Frieden (1975), "Properties of the red-violet complex of copper and penicillamine and further insight into its formation reaction", Bioinorganic Chem., 4, 163.
T. Shalouhi and J.R. Wright (1976), "Urinary chelates in penicillamine-induced cupuresis", Physiol. Chem. Phys., 8, 337.
G.L. Eggleton, G. Jung and J.R. Wright (1978), "The proton nmr spectra of mixed valence complexes of copper with derivatives of 1-amino-2,2-dimethyl-2-mercaptoethane", Bioinorganic Chem., 8, 173.
J.R. Wright (1978), "Interfacing a microcomputer with the Varian EM-360 NMR spectrometer", Journal of Physics E: Review Sci. Instrum., 49, 1288.
J.R. Wright and J.L. Robinson (1979), "Use of general purpose microcomputers to synthesize hypothetical spectra for the NMR recorder", J. Chem. Education, 56, 643.
N.A. Jefferson, C.R. Beavers, D.A. Beavers, M.G. McElroy and J.R. Wright (1979), "Proton NMR effects in chloroquine-biopolymer binding interactions", Physiol. Chem. Phys., 11, 233.
M.E. Cooke, M.E. McDaniel, S.R. James, S.L. Jones, N. Trobak, B.C. Craytor, D.R. Bushman and J. R. Wright (1983), "Derivatives of the red-violet cluster of copper and penicillamine prepared by mixed ligand formation recations or direct additions", J. Inorg. Biochem., 18, 313.
S.L. Jones, N. Hagbin, D.R. Bushman, M.E. Cooke and J.R. Wright (1983), "Jovian atmosphere simulation: characterization of a system amenable to NMR measurements", Proc. Okla. Acad. Sci., 63, 70.
G.H. Bergevin, T. Red, M. Bonakdar, S. Pope, Jr., F. Wells and J.R. Wright (1984), "An inulin-like clearance based on the atomic absorption of a copper cluster compound", Physiol. Chem. Phys. and Med. NMR, 16, 307.
C.S. Clelland, K.D. Giles, T.D. Farley, Q. Gee and J.R. Wright (1986), "The intravenous distribution of a radiolabeled, potentially useful cluster of copper and penicillamine", Physiol. Chem. Phys. and Med. NMR, 18, 37.
K.D. Giles, D. Pugh, D. Bradley, M.E. McDaniel, M. McAnally, C. Dill, M. McBee, C. Wall and J.R. Wright, 1987, "The thermal stability of copper cluster ions of the type Cu(I)8 Cu(II)6 L12 Cl5-, where L is d-penicillamine,”Inorganica Chim. Acta, 134, 113.
J.L. Kiel, G.J. 0'Brien, J. Dillon and John. R. Wright (1990), Diazoluminomelanin: a synthetic luminescent biopolymer, Free Radical Res. Comms., 8, 115.
S.L. Bigham, J.D. Ballard, K.D. Giles, C.S. Clelland, R. Jeffcoat, K.S. Griffin, T.D. Farley, D.R. Bushman and J.R. Wright (1990), "Synthesis and possible applications of biotin-linked copper clusters", Physiol. Chem. Phys. and Med. NMR, 22, 63.
T. Smith, A. Mackie, S. VanWagoner, G. Gandy, M. Washburn, R. Self, A. Horn, J. Kiel and J.R. Wright (1993), "Chemiluminescent dosimetry of microwave heating and acoustic irradiations based on luminol and metal oxide catalysts", Microchemical Journal, 47, 197.
L. Maddox, M. Reeves, K. Wood, K. Roberts, J. Studer, J. Wetzel, J. T. Smith, K. Whittington, J. L. Alls, J. E. Parker, E. Holwitt, J. Kiel and J. R. Wright (1998), "Acoustic Wave Dosimetry Based on Diazotized Luminol Solutions", Microchemical Journal, 58, 209.
John R. Wright, Johnathan Kiel, Eric Holwitt, Joel T. Smith, Kenny Roberts, Joe Studer, Cassie McLemore, Keri Campbell, Brenda Russo and Kris Wood (1998), "Preliminary Characterization of a Polymer Prepared by Diazotization of 3-Amino-L-tyrosine", Polymer Preprints (ACS), 39(1), 365.
V. M. Russo, J. Williamson, K. Roberts, J. R. Wright and M Maness (1998), "Carbon Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to Monitor Sugars in Pith of Internodes of Shrunken2 Corn at Developmental Stages", HortScience, 33, 980 (SEOSU collaboration with the USDA Lab at Lane Oklahoma
J. L. Kiel, R. L. Seaman, S. P. Mathur, J. E. Parker, J. R. Wright, J. L. Alls, and P. Morales (1999), "Pulsed Microwave Induced Light, Sound, and Electrical Discharge Enhanced by a Biopolymer", Bioelectromagnetics, 20, 216.
B. D. Parent, J. Huddleston, M. Keeler, K. Roberts, Anthony Waldroup, R. Abernathy, W. Cooper and J. R. Wright (1999), "An easily biotinylated, high molecular weight component of bovine skim milk, which binds the radionuclide 207Bi," Proc. Okla. Acad. Sci., 79, 1.
S. Hertzler, R. Brown, M. Wilkett, R. Boyd, M. Ellexson, C. Chambers, C. Plunkett and J. R. Wright (2000), "A labeling method and purely colorimetric immunoassay based on poly-DL-lysine and a pigmented copper cluster", Microchemical Journal, 64, 21.
A. Dawson, A. Standefer, and J. R. Wright (2003), “Linking Poly-L-arginine to Poly-DL-lysine by using the Maillard reaction: A Block Copolymer that Binds the Cluster Anion of Copper and Penicillamine,” Proc. Okla. Acad. Sci., 83, 73.
B. J. Bench, R. Johnson, C. Hamilton, J. Gooch and J. R. Wright (2004), “Avidin self-associates with boric acid gel suspensions: an affinity boron carrier that might be developed for boron-neutron capture therapy,” J. Colloid Interface Sci., 270, 315
L. Cochrane, B. J. Bench, R. Johnson, C. Hamilton, J. Gooch and J. R. Wright (2005), “Avidin self-associates with boric acid gel suspensions: preparation of an affinity carrier that might be developed for boron-neutron capture therapy,” Polymers for Advanced Technologies, 16, 123.
Recent (Post Retirement) Published Abstracts and Other Publications or Non-juried Performances:
1 - John R. Wright,** Joel T. Smith, Gordon Eggleton, Benny J. Bench and SuzAnn Hertzler, "An Historical Review of the Chemistry of Large Metal Cluster Ions of the Type M(I)8M(II)6L12X* and Their Possible Practical Applications," Presented to the Peruvian Chemical Society, Lima Peru, March 2007 [*Oxidation states are in parentheses; L is d-penicillamine or a close relative with thiolate and amine ligands; X is either chloride or bromide. **Presenting Author (Wright) is Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SEOSU), Durant, Oklahoma. Coauthors Smith and Eggleton are Professors of Chemistry at SEOSU, while Bench and Hertzler are Ph.D. candidates at Texas A&M University and Boston University, respectively. Substantial funding for those investigations conducted at SEOSU came through NIH/NIGMS Grants RR08003 and GM08003, over a 31 year period. This review treats the important outcomes of that work along with the contributions of investigators at other institutions. By far the most important contributions to this area of chemistry were those of the x-ray crystallographers, notably Hans Freeman and Paul Birker in Sydney Australia and Harvey Schugar et al. at Rutgers University.]
2 - David Dunham and John R. Wright, "WWVB-Based Video Marker System" (for time stamping telescope video recordings), 2010 Annual IOTA Meeting, Boston/Cambridge, MA, December 3-5 (on Sunday at 2:00 pm). See:
http://www.asteroidoccultation.com/observations/NA/2010Meeting/index.htm
Wright is now Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and he lives in Cotter, Arkansas, fully retired. He took up amateur astronomy after retiring, and that was his original interest in science, from ages 12 through 20.
Wright experienced a life-shattering tragedy in December of 2007, which caused him to become acutely aware of the so-called "Castle Doctrine" and the state laws that give citizens the right to use deadly force against intruders, not only inside their homes but even in public places. These laws are meant to protect innocent citizens when they use force to defend against dangerous criminals, but they also have much potential to protect a criminal and be used in ways not intended by the legislators. In Wright's own words:
"In Oklahoma, in 2007, my own grandson was shot to death, unarmed, less than a week before his court date as a prosecution witness, yet the prosecutor, the same one that was going to use him as a witness in a drug-related murder case, turned his killer loose and attributed his homicide to self-defense under Oklahoma's "Make My Day" law. But there were visible motives surrounding his death. He not only witnessed a murder but also witnessed interstate drug trafficking of methamphetamine coming from Mexico. Thus, it was a suspicious homicide at best, and I was moved to investigate what happened to my grandson and research the relevant literature (i.e., the self-defense laws, similar incidents, public attitudes, etc.). It was the literature research that caused me to realize that there was a much larger issue than just one young man's shooting death, and I came to believe that the public needed to be informed about the dangers of the castle laws.
I'm not opposed to the idea of self-defense against an intruder that intends to kill you or someone you love, even if that involves using deadly force, but it crosses a line of credibility when a killing happens in a situation with evident motives, where reasonable suspicions exist, where prior provocations existed, where there is evidence of a trigger happy or psychopathic mentality, or where the shooter created the confrontation in the first place. Killings that are clouded by the latter kinds of circumstances do not fit a definition of self-defense. They are probably outright murders.
The castle laws of states like Florida, Oklahoma and Texas sound good on paper. For example, the laws supposedly protect the innocent self-defender from civil lawsuits. However, he can use deadly force even if he thinks he is in danger, which might not be true in hindsight, so you have a situation where bad judgment can lead to an unwarranted death and the shooter gets away with what would be manslaughter in any other situation. Or worse, someone who is itching to use a gun kills someone, says he did it in self-defense and gets away with murder. When I researched the relevant literature I came to realize that justice is highly variable in these so called self-defense homicide incidents. The castle laws have protected obvious murderers, and there are cases where a genuine self-defense was prosecuted as a murder. Psychopaths and trigger-happy individuals are sure to find opportunity in these laws.
Thus, there are serious problems with these laws because legislators, jurists and private citizens alike fail to realized that concepts on paper often work out differently in practice. Most citizens do not know what is allowed according to their state statutes, or better said, what should or should not be done in a trespass or self-defense situation, and that is a major problem. The states currently without castle laws may have them in the near future, so nearly everyone may be affected in the long run."
The outcome has been a non-fiction book, available through Kindle and Amazon.com. The title is "Legalized Killing: The Darker Side of the Castle Laws" The book's website is:
www.cliffs-of-cotter.com
The Chemistry of Large Metal Cluster Ions of the Type M(I)8M(II)6L12X -- A Review
I need help starting a draft of a review of this area of chemistry, which I was heavily involved with during my career. In the year 2006 I presented an invited paper at an international meeting of chemists in Lima Peru, and the substance of that review is what I want to present here (it was never published). The review cites an interesting area of inorganic chemistry that may have biomedical applications, and it is referenced to the primary scientific literature. The document is internally hyperlinked and it has figures. There are no copyright violations because the figures are my own creations.
JRW