A diffuse reflectance comparative study of benzil inclusion within microcrystalline cellulose and beta-cyclodextrin

Diffuse reflectance and laser-induced techniques were used to study photochemical and photophysical processes of benzil adsorbed on two solid powdered supports, microcrystalline cellulose and beta-cyclodextrin. In both substrates, a distribution of ground-state benzil conformers exists, largely dominated by skew conformations where the carbonyl groups are twisted one to the other. Room temperature phosphorescence was observed in air-equilibrated samples in both cases. The decay times vary greatly and the largest lifetime was obtained for benzil/beta-cyclodextrin, showing that this host's cavity accommodates benzil well, enhancing its room temperature phosphorescence. Triplet - triplet absorption of benzil entrapped in cellulose was detected and benzil ketyl radical formation also occurred. With benzil included into beta-cyclodextrin, and following laser excitation, benzoyl radicals were detected on the millisecond timescale. Product analysis and identification of laser-irradiated benzil samples in the two hosts clearly showed that the main degradation photoproducts were benzoic acid and benzaldehyde. The main differences were a larger benzoic acid/benzaldehyde ratio in the case of cellulose and the formation of benzyl alcohol in this support

Brain data:Scanning, scraping and sculpting the plastic learning brain through neurotechnology

Neurotechnology is an advancing field of research and development with significant implications for education. As 'postdigital' hybrids of biological and informational codes, novel neurotechnologies combine neuroscience insights into the human brain with advanced technical development in brain imaging, brain-computer interfaces, neurofeedback platforms, brain stimulation and other neuroenhancement applications. Merging neurobiological knowledge about human life with computational technologies, neurotechnology exemplifies how postdigital science will play a significant role in societies and education in decades to come. As neurotechnology developments are being extended to education, they present potential for businesses and governments to enact new techniques of 'neurogovernance' by 'scanning' the brain, 'scraping' it for data and then 'sculpting' the brain toward particular capacities. The aim of this article is to critically review neurotechnology developments and implications for education. It examines the purposes to which neurotechnology development is being put in education, interrogating the commercial and governmental objectives associated with it and the neuroscientific concepts and expertise that underpin it. Finally, the article raises significant ethical and governance issues related to neurotechnology development and postdigital science that require concerted attention from education researchers

Further trials with seed dressings for the control of leaf stripe Pyrenophora avenae in Northern Ireland oats

Significantly better control of leaf stripe of oats caused '9Y mercury tolerant Pyrenophora avenae was obtained by the use of a proprietary fungicide containing organomercury + carboxin than by the use of one containing only organomercury but there was not a significant difference between organomercury + carboxin and carboxin alone. Three other experimental materials gave results not significantly different from. those for organomercury but they were phytotoxic

The incidence and rate of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment seven years after cataract surgery in patients with high myopia

BACKGROUND: Cataract extraction is the most commonly performed surgery in the National Health Service. Myopia increases the risk of postoperative rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and rate of RRD seven years after cataract extraction in highly myopic eyes. METHODS: Retrospective review was performed of notes of all high myopes (axial length 26.0 mm or more) who underwent cataract extraction during the study period in one centre. RESULTS: 84 eyes met the study criteria. Follow-up time from surgery was 93 to 147 months (median 127 months). The average axial length was 28.72 mm (sd 1.37). Two eyes developed post-operative RRD; the incidence was 2.4% and the rate one RRD per 441.6 person-years. The results of 15 other studies on the incidence of RRD after cataract extraction in high myopia were pooled and combined with our estimate. CONCLUSION: Both patients in our study who developed RRD had risk factors for this complication as well as high myopia. Risk factors are discussed in the light of our results and the pooled estimate. Our follow-up time is longer than most. Future case series should calculate rates to allow meaningful comparison of case series

CDF/PUB/SECVTX/6060 A Measurement of the Radiation

We present direct measurements of the spatial distribution of both ionizing radiation and low energy neutrons (E n < 200 keV) inside the tracking volume of the collider detector at Fermilab (CDF). Two types of thermal luminescent dosimeters are used for these measurements. Data collected from exposures with dierent accelerator conditions allow us to separate the radiation elds into contributions from proton beam losses and from proton-antiproton collisions. Using a simple model of a power law in 1=r, where r is the distance from the beam axis we nd the power depends on the distance from the interaction point along the beam axis with the range 1.5{ 2.0. Predictions based on this model show good qualitative agreement with initial measurements of the leakage currents in the low radius silicon detectors