Levinas and responsibility for the other: A practical theological analysis of the cases of Nancy Crick and Terri Schiavo

The cases discussed concern new situations in health care demonstrating the inadequacy of traditional bioethical models. I propose an analysis informed by Levinasian conceptions of the Other which yield a richer critique and do greater justice to a Christian vision of health care. The contribution of Levinas is three-fold: identifying features of cases that would normally go un-noticed or unexamined; highlighting relational perspectives in health care; and, prioritizing the Other in all ethical deliberations. These perspectives are vital in the construction of a practical theology of health care based on relationality

Disability and relationality: Disrupting complacency, entering into vulnerability

Contemporary Western societies have established processes to draw people living with disabilities into mainstream society. Specialist care services, government funding and legislated parameters for building codes, antidiscrimination have never been more secure across societies like Australia. At the same time, however, these same societies have entered into policies and priorities that seek to ensure a very limited number of disabled persons survive to birth and that they continue to be marginalised. A relational discourse founded on the recognition of mutual vulnerability and intersubjectivity can confront our societal inconsistencies and offers the possibility of a way forward. Christian theology and practice have experience of entering into brokenness to hold a mirror to human existence, not to eliminate that brokenness but to celebrate it. A practical theology of personhood may enable the Church and society to more positively celebrate the diversity of the human condition rather than pay it lip service

1-Fluoro-2,5-dimethoxy-4-nitrobenzene

1-Fluoro-2,5-dimethoxy-4-nitrobenzene was synthesized in 90% yield by the reaction of commercial 2-fluoro-1,4-dimethoxybenzene with nitric acid. The structure was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The new title compound was characterized by 1H and 13C-NMR, elemental analysis, EI-MS and FT-IR

Synthesis of a Spirocyclic Oxetane-Fused Benzimidazole

A new synthesis of 2-oxa-7-azaspiro[3.5]nonane is described. Spirocyclic oxetanes, including 2-oxa-6-azaspiro[3.3]heptane were converted into o-cycloalkylaminoacetanilides for oxidative cyclizations using Oxone((R)) in formic acid. The expanded spirocyclic oxetane successfully gave the [1,2-a] ring-fused benzimidazole. X-ray crystal structure of the resultant new tetracyclic system, 1',2'-dihydro-4'H-spiro[oxetane-3,3'-pyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole] and the azetidine ring-opened adduct, N-(2-acetamido-4-bromophenyl)-N-{[3-(chloromethyl)oxetan-3-yl]methyl}acetamide are disclosed

Zn(II) and Cu(II)-based coordination polymers and metal organic frameworks by the use of 2-pyridyloximes and 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid.

The simultaneous use of 2-pyridyl oximes (pyridine-2 amidoxime, H2pyaox; 2-methyl pyridyl ketoxime, Hmpko) and 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (H3btc) provided access to five new compounds, namely [Zn(H2btc)2(H2pyaox)2]¿2H2O (1¿2H2O), [Zn(Hbtc)(H2pyaox)2]n (2), [Cu(Hbtc)(H2pyaox)]n (3), [Cu(Hbtc)(HmpKo)]n (4) and [Cu2(Hbtc)2(Hmpko)2(H2O)2]¿4H2O (5¿4H2O). Among them, 3 is the first example of a metal-organic framework (MOF) containing H2pyaox. Its framework can be described as a 3-c uninodal net of hcb topology with the layers being parallel to the (1,0,1) plane. Furthermore, 3 is the third reported MOF based on a 2-pyridyl oxime in general. 2 and 4 are new members of a small family of coordination polymers containing an oximic ligand. 1-5 form 3D networks through strong intermolecular interactions. Dc magnetic susceptibility studies were carried out in a crystalline sample of 3 and revealed the presence of weak exchange interactions between the metal centres; the experimental data were fitted to a theoretical model with the fitting parameters being J = −0.16(1) cm−1 and g = 2.085(1). The isotropic g value was also confirmed by electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Reactivity studies were performed for 3 in the presence of metal ions; the reaction progress was studied and discussed for Fe(NO3)3 by the use of several characterization techniques, including single crystal X-ray crystallography and IR spectroscopy

Orbital-selective metallicity in the valence-bond liquid phase of Li2 RuO3

Li2RuO3 (LRO) forms a valence bond crystal at room temperature. It undergoes a high temperature phase transition that involves structural, magnetic, and electronic changes leading to an exotic valence bond liquid state. The orbital degrees of freedom are thought to be fundamental to the evolution of LRO properties across the phase transition. We report temperature dependent broadband (100–26000cm–1) reflectance measurements on single crystals of LRO to elucidate structural and transport properties. Specifically, the phonon and electronic properties of LRO were investigated through the phase transition. We report that above the transition temperature (Tc≈500K), the optical band gap closes for electrons in the dxz/dyz orbitals, but the dxy electrons remain gapped. This behavior at high temperature can be associated with an orbital selective metallic state which to our knowledge has not been previously reported in LRO

Ethyl N-[2-(4-phenoxyphenoxy)ethyl]-carbamate

peer-reviewedThe title compound, C17H19NO4, which is a non-toxic insect growth regulator with the common name fenoxycarb, contains two independent and conformationally different molecules in the asymmetric unit. Although the inter-ring dihedral angles are similar [62.21 (15) and 63.00 (14) ], the side-chain orientations differ. In the crystal, the molecules are linked through N—H O hydrogen-bonding associations, giving chains which extend along [110], while intra- and intermolecular aromatic C—H interactions give sheet structures parallel to [110].PUBLISHEDpeer-reviewe

Synthesis of N-[(dialkylamino)methyl)]acrylamides and N-[(dialkylamino)methyl]methacrylamides from Schiff base salts : useful building blocks for smart polymers

The traditional thermal Mannich reaction is unsuitable for preparing polymerizable N-methylene amino substituted acrylamides and methacrylamides. Herein we provide a facile multi-gram high yield synthesis of these monomeric precursors to stimuli-responsive polymers by addition of acrylamide and methacrylamide onto in situ generated or freshly isolated methylene Schiff base (iminium) salts. X-ray crystal structure of the hydrated iminium salt, 1-(hydroxymethyl)azocan-1-ium chloride and monomer.HCl salt, (N-[(azocan-1-yl)methyl]prop-2-enamide hydrochloride) is described

Photochemical aryl radical cyclizations to give (E)-3-Ylideneoxindoles

(E)-3-Ylideneoxindoles are prepared in methanol in reasonable to good yields, as adducts of photochemical 5-exo-trig of aryl radicals, in contrast to previously reported analogous radical cyclizations initiated by tris(trimethylsilyl)silane and azo-initiators that gave reduced oxindole adduct