Bond-forming reactions of N22+ with C2H4, C2H6, C3H4 and C3H6

Mass spectrometry, coupled with position-sensitive coincidence detection, has been used to investigate the reactions of N22+ with various small hydrocarbon molecules (C2H4, C2H6, C3H4, c-C3H6 and n-C3H6) at collision energies below 10 eV in the centre-of-mass frame. The reactivity, in each case, is dominated by electron transfer. However, in each collision system we also clearly identify products formed following the creation of new chemical bonds. These bond-forming reactions comprise two distinct classes: (i) hydride transfer reactions which initially form NnH+ (n = 1, 2) and (ii) N+ transfer reactions which form monocationic products with Csingle bondN bonds. These bond-forming reactions make a small (5–10%), but significant, contribution to the overall product ion yield in each collision system. The temporal and positional data recorded by our coincidence detection technique are used to construct scattering diagrams which reveal the mechanisms of the bond-forming reactions. For the hydride transfer process, the scattering diagrams reveal that H− is directly transferred from the hydrocarbon to N22+ at significant interspecies separations. For the hydride transfer reactions with C2H4, C2H6 and C3H4, we observe fragmentation of the nascent N2H+* to form NH+ + N. The N+ transfer reaction also proceeds by a direct mechanism: a single step involving N+/H exchange results in the formation of a singly-charged organic species containing a Csingle bondN bond which is detected in coincidence with H+. The two general classes of bond-forming reactivity we observe in the reactions of N22+ with organic molecules may be relevant in the chemistry of energised environments rich in molecular nitrogen and hydrocarbon species, such as the atmosphere of Titan

Can small be beautiful? assessing image resolution requirements for mobile TV

Mobile TV services are now being offered in several countries, but for cost reasons, most of these services offer material directly recoded for mobile consumption (i.e. without additional editing). The experiment reported in this paper, aims to assess the image resolution and bitrate requirements for displaying this type of material on mobile devices. The study, with 128 participants, examined responses to four different image resolutions, seven video encoding bitrates, two audio bitrates and four content types. The results show that acceptability is significantly lower for images smaller than 168×126, regardless of content type. The effect is more pronounced when bandwidth is abundant, and is due to important detail being lost in the smaller screens. In contrast to previous studies, participants are more likely to rate image quality as unacceptable when the audio quality is high

Characterising primary productivity measurements across a dynamic western boundary current region

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Determining the magnitude of primary production (PP) in a changing ocean is a major research challenge. Thousands of estimates of marine PP exist globally, but there remain significant gaps in data availability, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere. In situ PP estimates are generally single-point measurements and therefore we rely on satellite models of PP in order to scale up over time and space. To reduce the uncertainty around the model output, these models need to be assessed against in situ measurements before use. This study examined the vertically-integrated productivity in four water-masses associated with the East Australian Current (EAC), the major western boundary current (WBC) of the South Pacific. We calculated vertically integrated PP from shipboard 14C PP estimates and then compared them to estimates from four commonly used satellite models (ESQRT, VGPM, VGPM-Eppley, VGPM-Kameda) to assess their utility for this region. Vertical profiles of the water-column show each water-mass had distinct temperature-salinity signatures. The depth of the fluorescence-maximum (fmax) increased from onshore (river plume) to offshore (EAC) as light penetration increased. Depth integrated PP was highest in river plumes (792±181mgCm-2d-1) followed by the EAC (534±116mgCm-2d-1), continental shelf (140±47mgCm-2d-1) and cyclonic eddy waters (121±4mgCm-2d-1). Surface carbon assimilation efficiency was greatest in the EAC (301±145mgC (mgChl-a)-1d-1) compared to other water masses. All satellite primary production models tested underestimated EAC PP and overestimated continental shelf PP. The ESQRT model had the highest skill and lowest bias of the tested models, providing the best first-order estimates of PP on the continental shelf, including at a coastal time-series station, Port Hacking, which showed considerable inter-annual variability (155-2957mgCm-2d-1). This work provides the first estimates of depth integrated PP associated with the East Australian Current in temperate Australia. The ongoing intensification of all WBCs makes it critical to understand the variability in PP at the regional scale. More accurate predictions in the EAC region will require vertically-resolved in situ productivity and bio-optical measurements across multiple time scales to allow development of other models which simulate dynamic ocean conditions

Neurological Complications Of Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia: Any Cure?

Objective: To attempt to explain the non-reversal, contrary to the widely held view, of the neurological deficits complicating chronic myeloid leukaemia. Method: Using patients\' case folders and haematological malignancy register all cases of chronic myeloid leukaemia seen in Jos University Teaching Hospital between July 1995 and June 2005 were retrospectively studied. All the available literature on the subject was also reviewed. Results: Thirty-three cases of chronic myeloid leukaemia were seen within the study period. Five (15.15%) of them had one or more sensori-neural defects. Of the five, two (40%) patients presented with bilateral hearing impairment, each beginning with the left ear; one (20%) presented with left ear hearing loss; one (20%) came with severe left ear tinnitus; one (20%) presented with complete bilateral hearing and bilateral visual losses. Fundoscopy showed leukaemic deposits on the retina. Other causes of blindness and deafness, e.g. trauma and foreign body in the ear respectively, were excluded. Conclusion: While the complications due to hyperleucocytosis-induced stasis recover following the conventional treatment, those due to other pathogenetic mechanisms such as leukaemic deposits do not return to their pre-morbid states following disease control despite the use of the currently available treatment protocols. For future research, more still needs to be done to elicit other uncommon pathogenetic mechanisms underlying these complications with a view to finding specific treatment measures for worrisome chronic myeloid leukaemia-related sensori-neural deficits. Keywords: Neurological complications, chronic myeloid leukaemia, cure. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol. 11 (3) 2008: pp. 246-24

Gambling Treatment Diversion Court: First in Nevada

The first Gambling Treatment Diversion Court was established in Las Vegas, Nevada in fall of 2018 following more than 25 years of effort by passionately concerned non-profit Executives, therapists, lawyers and judges. This panel represents one leader from each of those areas, including Judge Cheryl Moss, the first judge to open the Gambling Treatment Diversion Court (GTDC), Dayvid Figler, the first attorney to successfully represent a gambling client and refer her to the GTDC, Carol O\u27Hare, Executive Director of the non-profit Nevada Council on Problem Gambler with 25+ years leadership and advocacy for problem gamblers, Sydney Smith, M.A., Clinical Director of RISE treatment center in Las Vegas and nationally- and state-certified gambling counselor, and Denise F. Quirk, M.A., Clinical Director of the Reno Problem Gambling Center and nationally- and Nevada-certified problem gambling counselor and instructor at the University of Nevada, Reno. The panel will share the development of gambling diversion treatment, legal challenges and victories, the process of the GTDC, case studies of individuals with Gambling Disorder who have endured and succeeded in the legal process, and discussion relevant to the impact of the gambling diversion process at all levels of evaluation, advocacy, treatment and support for gamblers and communities

The space of hyperkähler metrics on a 4-manifold with boundary

Let X be a compact 4-manifold with boundary. We study the space of hyperk¨ahler triples ω1, ω2, ω3 on X, modulo diffeomorphisms which are the identity on the boundary. We prove that this moduli space is a smooth infinite-dimensional manifold and describe the tangent space in terms of triples of closed anti-self-dual 2-forms. We also explore the corresponding boundary value problem: a hyperk¨ahler triple restricts to a closed framing of the bundle of 2-forms on the boundary; we identify the infinitesimal deformations of this closed framing that can be filled in to hyperk¨ahler deformations of the original triple. Finally we study explicit examples coming from gravitational instantons with isometric actions of SU(2)

Legal Services Assessment for Trafficked Children- Cook County, Illinois Case Study

Child trafficking is one of the most disturbing human rights abuses of our time, involving cases of boys and girls exploited for labor and/or commercial sexual services. These children may suffer physical, sexual, and emotional violence at the hands of traffickers, who can be pimps, employers, and even family members. Trafficking schemes may involve various forms of force, fraud, and coercion, which can be physical and/or psychological in nature. Current research indicates that legal services are a critical component of a comprehensive service delivery model for victims of human trafficking and a realization of human rights. However, little to no effort has been made to identify the various legal needs of child trafficking victims, a particularly vulnerable population. In February 2012, the Center for the Human Rights of Children (CHRC) initiated a legal needs assessment project for child trafficking victims, using Cook County Illinois as a case study. The project identified: •Existing service providers working with both US citizen and foreign national child trafficking survivors •The legal needs of trafficked children •Current legal services available to this population •Gaps in those services in Cook County We chose Cook County as a case study for several reasons. It is the second most populous county in the nation, and houses the city of Chicago, which has been recognized as one several human trafficking hubs across the United States. Cook County has an established community of service providers and advocacy organizations working with survivors of human trafficking in various capacities, and two task forces. The project also included a preliminary assessment of legal services for child trafficking victims offered by organizations around the country as a comparison to the results of our research in Cook County

Pitfalls of Legal Regulation to Improve End-of-Life Care. The Example of Artificial Nutrition and Hydration

Biomedical advances nowadays enable physicians to keep patients hovering at the brink of death for many years. These new technologies have evoked challenging ethical dilemmas that test society’s moral resources. But some have been unwilling to patiently search for new moral wisdom, believing a bold stance is required and they are using legal means to achieve their goal. Attempts to legalize physician assisted suicide and euthanasia are one example, and the literature is replete with analyses of these practices. Far less attention has been paid to opposite attempts at legally enforcing life-sustaining medical interventions. In the mid 1990s, a group called Nebraskans for Humane Care sought to amend the Nebraska Constitution to require that nutrition and hydration is administered to any person and with any means available. In this article, the history behind and the text of the proposed amendment is critically analyzed, revealing the serious consequences that adoption of such legal regulation of medical treatment can have

Addressing Potential Conflicts of Interest Arising from the Multiple Roles of Colorado’s Community Centered Boards

This document summarizes the information we gathered, our analysis of potential conflicts of interest, and recommendations for addressing opportunities for improvement. The information we gathered is based on document review, input from stakeholders, and a review of practices in four other states