Ethane-1,2-diylbis(methyl­phosphinic acid)

In the title compound, C4H12O4P2, there are two crystallographically independent half-mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit, both molecules lying on centres of symmetry. Each mol­ecule is connected on both sides to neighbouring mol­ecules via strong O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The –POOH groups accept and donate one hydrogen bond in interactions with the neighbouring –POOH group of the adjacent mol­ecule, to give one-dimensional chains along [10]. As each phosphinic acid group donates and accepts one hydrogen bond, the connection between the mol­ecules is best described by a ring motif which can be classified by the Etter symbol R 2 2(8)

The collapsed tetragonal phase as a strongly covalent and fully nonmagnetic state: persistent magnetism with interlayer As-As bond formation in Rh-doped Ca0.8_{0.8}Sr0.2_{0.2}Fe2_2As2_2

A well-known feature of CaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$-based superconductors is the pressure-induced collapsed tetragonal phase that is commonly ascribed to the formation of an interlayer As-As bond. Using detailed X-ray scattering and spectroscopy, we find that Rh-doped Ca$_{0.8}$Sr$_{0.2}$Fe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ does not undergo a first-order phase transition and that local Fe moments persist despite the formation of interlayer As-As bonds. Our density functional theory calculations reveal that the Fe-As bond geometry is critical for stabilizing magnetism and that the pressure-induced drop in the $c$ lattice parameter observed in pure CaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ is mostly due to a constriction within the FeAs planes. These phenomena are best understood using an often overlooked explanation for the equilibrium Fe-As bond geometry, which is set by a competition between covalent bonding and exchange splitting between strongly hybridized Fe $3d$ and As $4p$ states. In this framework, the collapsed tetragonal phase emerges when covalent bonding completely wins out over exchange splitting. Thus the collapsed tetragonal phase is properly understood as a strong, covalent phase that is fully nonmagnetic with the As-As bond forming as a byproduct.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, and 1 table. Supplemental materials are available by reques

The Role of Moral Philosophy in Promoting Academic Integrity Among Engineering Students

Academic dishonesty is nothing new, yet it is particularly disturbing to find among engineering students, whose professional lives need to be guided by the highest ethical standards. Moral philosophy may illuminate some of the conditions for recovering a sense of the ethical for engineering students. Classical moral philosophers held that people belong to communities in ways that inform their sense of obligation. Recognition of these communities would make concrete the engineer\u27s responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of the public. A further difficulty is that the primary community that students know is simply that of their peers in school or the workplace, which does not form a sufficient context for the sense of moral obligation inherent in the engineer\u27s role. This paper seeks to define the moral obligation of the engineer using traditional moral philosophy and describe how this obligation might be translated into a more positive definition of success. It also addresses means by which educators can help engineering students to better understand their moral obligation

Diethyl 1-benzyl-2,2-dioxo-4-phenyl-3,4,6,7,8,8a-hexa­hydro-1H-pyrrolo­[2,1-c][1,4]thia­zine-1,3-dicarboxyl­ate

In the title compound, C26H31NO6S, the five-membered pyrrolidine ring adopts an envelope conformation and the six-membered thia­zine ring is in a distorted chair conformation. The crystal packing is stabilized through an inter­molecular C—H⋯O inter­action, generating inversion-related R 2 2(10) ring motifs

2,6-Bis(2-chloro­phen­yl)-4-oxo-3,5-diphenyl­heptane-1,1,7,7-tetra­carbo­nitrile

In the title compound, C35H24Cl2N4O, the phenyl rings are oriented almost parallel to each other, making a dihedral angle of 0.6 (2)°, whereas the chloro­phenyl rings are oriented at a dihedral angle of 28.3 (1)°. The crystal structure is stabilized through an extensive series of C—H⋯N, C—H⋯O and C—H⋯Cl inter­actions. One of the C—H⋯N inter­actions generates an R 2 2(12) ring motif around a crystallographic inversion centre. C(5), C(10) and C(12) chain motifs are observed in the unit cell through C—H⋯N and C—H⋯Cl inter­actions. During the structure analysis, it was observed that the unit cell contains large accessible voids, which host disordered solvent mol­ecules. This affects the diffraction pattern, mostly at low scattering angles and was corrected with the SQUEEZE program [Spek, A. L. (2009 ▶). Acta Cryst. D65, 148–155]

Dispersal and population connectivity in the deep North Atlantic estimated from physical transport processes

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2015. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers 104 (2015): 159-172, doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2015.06.009.Little is known about how larvae disperse in deep ocean currents despite how critical estimates of population connectivity are for ecology, evolution and conservation. Estimates of connectivity can provide important insights about the mechanisms that shape patterns of genetic variation. Strong population genetic divergence above and below about 3000m has been documented for multiple protobranch bivalves in the western North Atlantic. One possible explanation for this congruent divergence is that the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC), which flows southwestward along the slope in this region, entrains larvae and impedes dispersal between the upper/middle slope and the lower slope or abyss. We used Lagrangian particle trajectories based on an eddy-resolving ocean general circulation model (specifically FLAME - Family of Linked Atlantic Model Experiments) to estimate the nature and scale of dispersal of passive larvae released near the sea floor at 4 depths across the continental slope (1500, 2000, 2500 and 3200 m) in the western North Atlantic and to test the potential role of the DWBC in explaining patterns of genetic variation on the continental margin. Passive particles released into the model DWBC followed highly complex trajectories that led to both onshore and offshore transport. Transport averaged about 1 km d-1 with dispersal kernels skewed strongly right indicating that some larvae dispersed much greater distances. Offshore transport was more likely than onshore and, despite a prevailing southwestward flow, some particles drifted north and east. Dispersal trajectories and estimates of population connectivity suggested that the DWBC is unlikely to prevent dispersal among depths, in part because of strong cross-slope forces induced by interactions between the DWBC and the deeper flows of the Gulf Stream. The strong genetic divergence we find in this region of the Northwest Atlantic is therefore likely driven by larval behaviors and/or mortality that limit dispersal, or local selective processes (both pre and post-settlement) that limit recruitment of immigrants from some depths.ASB was supported by Grant No. OCE-0926656 to WHOI by the U.S. National Science Foundation and RJE was supported by NSF Grants OCE0726382 and OCE1130541

Genome-wide analyses of the Bemisia tabaci species complex reveal contrasting patterns of admixture and complex demographic histories.

Once considered a single species, the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, is a complex of numerous morphologically indistinguishable species. Within the last three decades, two of its members (MED and MEAM1) have become some of the world's most damaging agricultural pests invading countries across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas and affecting a vast range of agriculturally important food and fiber crops through both feeding-related damage and the transmission of numerous plant viruses. For some time now, researchers have relied on a single mitochondrial gene and/or a handful of nuclear markers to study this species complex. Here, we move beyond this by using 38,041 genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, and show that the two invasive members of the complex are closely related species with signatures of introgression with a third species (IO). Gene flow patterns were traced between contemporary invasive populations within MED and MEAM1 species and these were best explained by recent international trade. These findings have profound implications for delineating the B. tabaci species status and will impact quarantine measures and future management strategies of this global pest

Addiction to the nicotine gum in never smokers

Abstract Background Addiction to nicotine gum has never been described in never smokers or in never users of tobacco. Methods Internet questionnaire in 2004–2006 in a self-selected sample of 434 daily users of nicotine gum. To assess dependence on nicotine gum, we used modified versions of the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS), the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and the Cigarette Dependence Scale. Results Five never smokers used the nicotine gum daily. They had been using the nicotine gum for longer than the 429 ever smokers (median = 6 years vs 0.8 years, p = 0.004), and they had higher NDSS-gum Tolerance scores (median = 0.73 vs = -1.0, p = 0.03), a difference of 1.5 standard deviation units. Two never smokers had never used smokeless tobacco, both answered "extremely true" to: "I use nicotine gums because I am addicted to them", both "fully agreed" with: "after a few hours without chewing a nicotine gum, I feel an irresistible urge to chew one" and: "I am a prisoner of nicotine gum". Conclusion This is to our knowledge the first report of addiction to nicotine gum in never users of tobacco. However, this phenomenon is rare, and although the long-term effect of nicotine gum is unknown, this product is significantly less harmful than tobacco.</p