Synthesis of trifluoromethylated isoxazoles and their elaboration through inter- and intra-molecular C-H arylation

We report conditions for the preparation of a range of trifluoromethylated isoxazole building blocks through the cycloaddition reaction of trifluoromethyl nitrile oxide. It was found that controlling the rate (and therefore concentration) of the formation of the trifluoromethyl nitrile oxide was Critical for the preferential formation of the desired isoxazole products versus the furoxan dimer. Different conditions were optimised for both aryl- and alkyl-substituted alkynes. In addition, the reactivity at the isoxazole 4-position has been briefly explored for these building blocks. Conditions for intermolecular C–H arylation, lithiation and electrophile quench, and alkoxylation were all identified with brief substrate scoping that signifies useful tolerance to a range of functionalities. Finally, complementary processes for structural diversification through either intramolecular cyclisation or intermolecular cross-coupling were developed

Exquisite sensitivity of the ligand field to solvation and donor polarisability in coordinatively saturated lanthanide complexes

Crystallographic, emission and NMR studies of a series of C3-symmetric, nine-coordinate substituted pyridyl triazacyclononane Yb(III) and Eu(III) complexes reveal the impact of local solvation and ligand dipolar polarisability on ligand field strength, leading to dramatic variations in pseudocontact NMR shifts and emission spectral profiles, giving new guidance for responsive NMR and spectral probe design

The link between green human resource management and green management practices in achieving green competitive advantage: The moderating role of stakeholder pressure

Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) is important in ensuring that an organization’s green initiatives and efforts are embraced by all their employees. Concerns on global warming, environmental issues, and also sustainability have come into serious agenda where most of the firms and organizations have actively taken action to expand and evolve in managing relationships with the natural environment by doing green management. Adopting major (GHRM) practices would lead to the implementation of Green Management practices (GMGT) in achieving Green Competitive Advantage (GCA). The aim of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework in establishing a link between GHRM, GMGT, and GCA. In addition, the role of stakeholder pressure as a moderator was also being examined in this study. This research is primarily a conceptual paper that draws on a database of past research and literature review in the area of GHRM. In addition, this research also proposed future studies to empirically examine the proposed relationship discussed in this paper

The implausibility of ‘usual care’ in an open system: sedation and weaning practices in Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) in the United Kingdom (UK)

Background: The power of the randomised controlled trial depends upon its capacity to operate in a closed system whereby the intervention is the only causal force acting upon the experimental group and absent in the control group, permitting a valid assessment of intervention efficacy. Conversely, clinical arenas are open systems where factors relating to context, resources, interpretation and actions of individuals will affect implementation and effectiveness of interventions. Consequently, the comparator (usual care) can be difficult to define and variable in multi-centre trials. Hence outcomes cannot be understood without considering usual care and factors that may affect implementation and impact on the intervention. Methods: Using a fieldwork approach, we describe PICU context, ‘usual’ practice in sedation and weaning from mechanical ventilation, and factors affecting implementation prior to designing a trial involving a sedation and ventilation weaning intervention. We collected data from 23 UK PICUs between June and November 2014 using observation, individual and multi-disciplinary group interviews with staff. Results: Pain and sedation practices were broadly similar in terms of drug usage and assessment tools. Sedation protocols linking assessment to appropriate titration of sedatives and sedation holds were rarely used (9 % and 4 % of PICUs respectively). Ventilator weaning was primarily a medical-led process with 39 % of PICUs engaging senior nurses in the process: weaning protocols were rarely used (9 % of PICUs). Weaning methods were variably based on clinician preference. No formal criteria or use of spontaneous breathing trials were used to test weaning readiness. Seventeen PICUs (74 %) had prior engagement in multi-centre trials, but limited research nurse availability. Barriers to previous trial implementation were intervention complexity, lack of belief in the evidence and inadequate training. Facilitating factors were senior staff buy-in and dedicated research nurse provision. Conclusions: We examined and identified contextual and organisational factors that may impact on the implementation of our intervention. We found usual practice relating to sedation, analgesia and ventilator weaning broadly similar, yet distinctively different from our proposed intervention, providing assurance in our ability to evaluate intervention effects. The data will enable us to develop an implementation plan; considering these factors we can more fully understand their impact on study outcomes

Electromagnetic Wave Theory and Remote Sensing

Contains reports on eight research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-83-K-0003)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS82-03390)Schlumberger-Doll Research CenterNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (Contract NAG5-141)National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Contract NAS5-26861)National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Contract NAG5-270)U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-83-K-0258)International Business Machines, Inc

The Smartphone Brain Scanner: A Portable Real-Time Neuroimaging System

Combining low cost wireless EEG sensors with smartphones offers novel opportunities for mobile brain imaging in an everyday context. We present a framework for building multi-platform, portable EEG applications with real-time 3D source reconstruction. The system - Smartphone Brain Scanner - combines an off-the-shelf neuroheadset or EEG cap with a smartphone or tablet, and as such represents the first fully mobile system for real-time 3D EEG imaging. We discuss the benefits and challenges of a fully portable system, including technical limitations as well as real-time reconstruction of 3D images of brain activity. We present examples of the brain activity captured in a simple experiment involving imagined finger tapping, showing that the acquired signal in a relevant brain region is similar to that obtained with standard EEG lab equipment. Although the quality of the signal in a mobile solution using a off-the-shelf consumer neuroheadset is lower compared to that obtained using high density standard EEG equipment, we propose that mobile application development may offset the disadvantages and provide completely new opportunities for neuroimaging in natural settings

Evolutionary Analysis of Mitogenomes from Parasitic and Free-Living Flatworms

Copyright: © 2015 Solà et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The attached file is the published version of the article