The direct synthesis of crosslinked polymeric azomethines

Char yields of synthesized crosslinked polymeric azomethine

Sleep habits around the world

The purpose of this study is to examine a relationship between sleep habits in college students at Clemson University and at The University of Vienna. Using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), we define sleep habits as a) time they go to bed, b) time they wake up, and c) amount they slept at night. 324 Clemson participants and 292 Vienna participants from undergraduate psychology courses were asked to complete surveys regarding their sleep quality (PSQI). An independent sample t-test showed a significant difference in both the average times Clemson and Vienna students went to bed and woke up (p \u3c .001) as well as in the average total hours they slept at night (p \u3c .001). Our data findings suggest that Clemson students went to bed later, woke up earlier, and slept less on average than Vienna students

The electroretinogram:a useful tool for evaluating age-related macular disease?

With an ageing population, the number of age-related macular disease (ARMD) cases will inevitably rise. This gives greater impetus for the need to identify the disease earlier and assess treatments to slow disease progression. Differing electroretinogram (ERG) modalities have been reviewed in relation to the objective assessment of retinal function in ARMD and for monitoring the effectiveness of clinical interventions. Conflicting results have been found with regard to the efficacy of ERG findings in the investigation of ARMD in previous years. The newer multifocal ERG paradigm provides spatial topographical information about retinal function in ARMD. It has shown promising results in monitoring effectiveness of clinical interventions and studies are continuing in this area. Better knowledge of retinal function in ARMD may lead to enhanced treatments at each phase of the disease

The effects of leaching from alkaline red mud on soil biota: modelling the conditions after the Hungarian red mud disaster

A soil column experiment was set up to investigate the effect of red mud from Ajka (Hungary) on a typical soil profile from the concerned area. The chemical changes caused by the leachate of the red mud and the effects of these changes on living organisms were assessed. Ecotoxicological tests with Vibrio fischeri, Sinapis alba and Folsomia candida were performed and the number of aerobic heterotrophic microorganisms was determined. The total, plant available, exchangeable and water soluble fractions of Na, Mo, Cu, and Cr increased in the soil mostly due to their leaching from the red mud layer and partly to the increase of the pH and DOC concentration. The chemical changes had significant effects on the test organisms only in the 0 – 30 cm soil layer except for F. candida that had a lower survival rate also in the 30 – 50 cm soil layer. There were no severe toxic effects detected on the test organisms. Furthermore in case of the aerobic heterotrophic cell number and S. alba germination a stimulating effect was revealed. However, the red mud itself was toxic, therefore the performed ecotoxicology tests have justified the removal of red mud from the soil surface after the disaster

Influence of myocardial oxygen demand on the coronary vascular response to arterial blood gas changes in humans

It remains unclear if the human coronary vasculature is inherently sensitive to changes in arterial PO2 and PCO2 or if coronary vascular responses are the result of concomitant increases in myocardial O2 consumption/demand (MVO2). We hypothesized that the coronary vascular response to PO2 and PCO2 would be attenuated in healthy men when MVO2 was attenuated with β1-adrenergic receptor blockade. Healthy men (n=11; age: 25 {plus minus} 1 years) received intravenous esmolol (β1-adrenergic receptor antagonist) or volume-matched saline in a double-blind, randomized, crossover study, and were exposed to poikilocapnic hypoxia, isocapnic hypoxia, and hypercapnic hypoxia. Measurements made at baseline and following 5-min of steady state at each gas manipulation included left anterior descending coronary blood velocity (LADV; Doppler echocardiography), heart rate and arterial blood pressure. LADV values at the end of each hypoxic condition were compared between esmolol and placebo. Rate pressure product (RPP) and left-ventricular mechanical energy (MELV) were calculated as indices of MVO2. All gas manipulations augmented RPP, MELV, and LADV but only RPP and MELV were attenuated (4-18%) following β1-adrenergic receptor blockade (P<0.05). Despite attenuated RPP and MELV responses, β1-adrenergic receptor blockade did not attenuate the mean LADV vasodilatory response when compared to placebo during poikilocapnic hypoxia (29.4{plus minus}2.2 vs. 27.3{plus minus}1.6 cm/s) and isocapnic hypoxia (29.5{plus minus}1.5 vs. 30.3{plus minus}2.2 cm/s). Hypercapnic hypoxia elicited a feed-forward coronary dilation that was blocked by β1-adrenergic receptor blockade. These results indicate a direct influence of arterial PO2 on coronary vascular regulation that is independent of MVO2

Anthropogenic and natural ground deformation in the Hengill geothermal area, Iceland

We investigate crustal deformation due to the extraction of water and steam from a high-enthalpy geothermal reservoir; a common occurrence, yet not well understood. The cause of this deformation can be a change in pressure or in temperature in the reservoir, both of which can be caused by extraction or injection of geothermal fluids. Our study area, the Hengill mountains in SW Iceland, is an active volcanic center and a plate triple junction that hosts two power plants producing geothermal energy. This combination of natural and anthropogenic processes causes a complex displacement field at the surface. We analyze geodetic data—Global Navigation Satellite System and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar—to obtain the surface velocity field, which we then simulate using an inverse modeling approach. We focus on the deformation around the geothermal power plants but need to model the regional tectonic and volcanic deformation as well, because the signals are overlapping. We find that plate motion and a deep contracting body can explain the broad scale signal in the area. Local deformation near the two power plants, Hellisheidi and Nesjavellir, can be explained by extraction of geothermal fluids. We estimate reservoirs extending from 0.6 to 3.0 km depth at Hellisheidi, and 1.0 to 3.0 km depth at Nesjavellir for observed pressure decrease rates of 0.25 MPa/yr and 0.1 MPa/yr, respectively. We find that the main cause for the subsidence in the geothermal area is the observed pressure drawdown

Conversion of Cerrado into agricultural land in the south-western amazon: carbon stocks and soil fertility.

Mudanças de uso da terra e práticas de manejo modificam a dinâmica do C e a fertilidade do solo. Este estudo avaliou as implicações dos sistemas de cultivo (NT e CT) nos estoques de C e de nutrientes e identificou inter-relações entre estes estoques e outros atributos da fertilidade do solo em Latossolo após a mudança do uso da terra no cerrado amazônico. Os estoques de C e de nutrientes (P, K, Ca e Mg) ajustados pela massa equivalente do solo sob cerrado (CE), foram maiores principalmente sob NT. Após a adoção do NT, exceto em 2NT, os estoques de C foram maiores em relação às demais áreas avaliadas. Correlações entre estoques de C e de nutrientes revelaram algumas correlações positivas com Ca e Mg nas áreas sob NT, devido ao uso continuo de calcário, à maior quantidade de resíduos culturais e ao não revolvimento do solo, associado à correlações positivas com CTC, saturação por bases e pH. A correlação positiva (r = 0,91, p < 0,05) entre estoques de C e CTC em CE indica a importante contribuição da MOS na CT de solos tropicais, embora os sítios de troca estejam ocupados principalmente por H + Al. Estoques de P e K mostraram correlações positivas com estoques de C em CE (0,81 e 0,82; respectivamente), indicando a alta relação de P e K com a MOS em ecossistemas naturais. A alta variabilidade espacial associada à aplicação de fertilizantes (P e K) no sulco de plantio pode ter mascarado os resultados dos estoques. A principal fonte destes nutrientes para o solo foi o fertilizante aplicado e não a MOS

Personhood, consciousness, and god : how to be a proper pantheist

© Springer Nature B.V. 2018In this paper I develop a theory of personhood which leaves open the possibility of construing the universe as a person. If successful, it removes one bar to endorsing pantheism. I do this by examining a rising school of thought on personhood, on which persons, or selves, are understood as identical to episodes of consciousness. Through a critique of this experiential approach to personhood, I develop a theory of self as constituted of qualitative mental contents, but where these contents are also capable of unconscious existence. On this theory, though we can be conscious of our selves, consciousness turns out to be inessential to personhood. This move, I then argue, provides resources for responding to the pantheist’s problem of God’s person.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio