A multistep continuous flow synthesis machine for the preparation of pyrazoles via a metal-free amine-redox process

A versatile multistep continuous flow setup is reported for the four-step conversion of anilines into pyrazole products. The synthesis machine incorporates the use of amine-redox chemistry through diazotization and a metal-free vitamin C mediated reduction. The machine can be used for the synthesis of an array of analogues or the scale up of an individual target

Dependence of Adhesion Properties on Blend Ratio of Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Rubber/Standard Malaysian Rubber Blend Adhesive

Viscosity, tack and, peel and shear strengths of ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM)/standard Malaysian rubber (SMR L) blend adhesive were studied using various blend ratios of the two rubbers, ranging from 0 to 100% EPDM. Coumarone-indene resin, toluene, and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) were used as the tackifier, solvent, and coating substrate, respectively. The tackifier content was fixed at 40 parts per hundred parts of rubber (phr). A SHEEN hand coater was used to coat the adhesive on PET film at four coating thicknesses, that is, 30, 60, 90, and 12

Adhesion Properties of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Rubber/Standard Malaysian Rubber Blend Based Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive

Viscosity and adhesion properties of NBR/SMR L blend based pressure-sensitive adhesive were investigated using coumaroneindene resin, toluene, and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) as tackifier, solvent, and coating substrate, respectively. Coumaroneindene resin content was fixed at 40 parts per hundred parts of rubber (phr) in the adhesive formulation.The ratio of NBR/SMR L blend used was 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% of NBR content. Four different thicknesses, that is, 30, 60, 90, and 12

Protecting Preteens on Facebook: An Exploratory Examination of Parental Mediation Strategies for Children’s Facebook Use in Singapore

Children are particularly vulnerable to the risks of going online, yet the profile of the child Internet user is becoming younger, particularly on social media. Parental mediation describes efforts by parents to translate the complexities of the physical/social environment as well as mass media into terms that children at various levels of cognitive development can understand. This exploratory study examined parental mediation strategies as predictors of parents’ intention to control underage use of Facebook in Singapore, a country with high internet penetration but little data protection regulation. The study found that parents with mediation styles that were highest on Regulated mediation (Restrictive and Selective mediation) as well as parents whose eldest child was female showed the highest level of intentions to control underage Facebook usage. Additionally, the younger the age group of the eldest child in the family, the more likely parents were to express intentions to control Facebook usage

Synthesis of trifluoromethylated isoxazoles and their elaboration through inter- and intra-molecular C-H arylation

We report conditions for the preparation of a range of trifluoromethylated isoxazole building blocks through the cycloaddition reaction of trifluoromethyl nitrile oxide. It was found that controlling the rate (and therefore concentration) of the formation of the trifluoromethyl nitrile oxide was Critical for the preferential formation of the desired isoxazole products versus the furoxan dimer. Different conditions were optimised for both aryl- and alkyl-substituted alkynes. In addition, the reactivity at the isoxazole 4-position has been briefly explored for these building blocks. Conditions for intermolecular C–H arylation, lithiation and electrophile quench, and alkoxylation were all identified with brief substrate scoping that signifies useful tolerance to a range of functionalities. Finally, complementary processes for structural diversification through either intramolecular cyclisation or intermolecular cross-coupling were developed

Spatial distribution of Mercury’s flux ropes and reconnection fronts: MESSENGER observations

We perform a statistical study of flux ropes and reconnection fronts based on MErcury Surface, Space ENviroment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) magnetic field and plasma observations to study the implications for the spatial distribution of reconnection sites in Mercury’s near magnetotail. The results show important differences of temporal and spatial distributions as compared to Earth. We have surveyed the plasma sheet crossings between −2 RM and −3 RM downtail from the planet, i.e., the location of Near‐Mercury Neutral Line (NMNL). Plasma sheets were defined to be regions with β ≥ 0.5. Using this definition, 39 flux ropes and 86 reconnection fronts were identified in the plasma sheet. At Mercury, the distributions of flux ropes and reconnection fronts show clear dawn‐dusk asymmetry with much higher occurrence rate on the dawnside plasma sheet than on the duskside. This suggests that magnetic reconnection in Mercury’s magnetotail occurs more frequently in the dawnside than in the duskside plasma sheet, which is different than the observations in Earth’s magnetotail showing more reconnection signatures in the duskside plasma sheet. The distribution of plasma sheet thickness shows that plasma sheet near the midnight is the thinnest part and does not show obvious asymmetry. Thus, the reasons that cause magnetic reconnection to preferentially occur on the dawnside of the magnetotail at Mercury may not be the plasma sheet thickness and require further study. The peak occurrence rates of flux ropes and reconnection fronts in Mercury’s plasma sheet are ~ 60 times higher than that of Earth’s values, which we interpret to be due to the highly variable magnetospheric conditions at Mercury. Such higher occurrence rate of magnetic reconnection would generate more plasma flows in the dawnside plasma sheet than in the duskside. These plasma flows would mostly brake and initiate the substorm dipolarization on the postmidnight sector at Mercury rather than the premidnight susbtorm onset location at Earth.Key PointsOccurrence rate of FRs and RFs at Mercury is ~ 60 times higher than at Earth, due to the variable magnetospheric conditions at MercuryMagnetic reconnection occurs more frequently in the dawnside than in the duskside in Mercury’s plasma sheet, opposite to Earth’s resultsPlasma flows would brake and initiate dipolarizations on the postmidnight sector at Mercury different to the premidnight locations at EarthPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134095/1/jgra52821.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134095/2/jgra52821_am.pd

Adhesion Properties of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Rubber/Standard Malaysian Rubber Blend Based Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive

Viscosity and adhesion properties of NBR/SMR L blend based pressure-sensitive adhesive were investigated using coumarone-indene resin, toluene, and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) as tackifier, solvent, and coating substrate, respectively. Coumarone-indene resin content was fixed at 40 parts per hundred parts of rubber (phr) in the adhesive formulation. The ratio of NBR/SMR L blend used was 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% of NBR content. Four different thicknesses, that is, 30, 60, 90, and 120 µm, were used to coat the PET film. The viscosity of adhesive was determined by a Brookfield viscometer, whereas loop tack, peel strength, and shear strength were measured using a Lloyd Adhesion Tester operating at 30 cm/min. Result indicates that the viscosity, loop tack, and shear strength of blend adhesives increase with % NBR. However, for peel strength, it indicates a maximum at 40% NBR blend ratio for the three modes of peel tests. In all cases, 120 µm coated sample consistently exhibits the highest adhesion values compared to the other coating thicknesses, an observation which is associated with the higher volume of adhesive in the former system

Effects of state anxiety on gait:a 7.5% carbon dioxide challenge study

We used the 7.5% carbon dioxide (CO(2)) model of anxiety induction to investigate the effects of state anxiety on normal gait and gait when navigating an obstacle. Healthy volunteers (n = 22) completed a walking task during inhalations of 7.5% CO(2) and medical air (placebo) in a within-subjects design. The order of inhalation was counterbalanced across participants and the gas was administered double-blind. Over a series of trials, participants walked the length of the laboratory, with each trial requiring participants to navigate through an aperture (width adjusted to participant size), with gait parameters measured via a motion capture system. The main findings were that walking speed was slower, but the adjustment in body orientation was greater, during 7.5% CO(2) inhalation compared to air. These findings indicate changes in locomotor behaviour during heightened state anxiety that may reflect greater caution when moving in an agitated state. Advances in sensing technology offer the opportunity to monitor locomotor behaviour, and these findings suggest that in doing so, we may be able to infer emotional states from movement in naturalistic settings. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s00426-020-01393-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

High-efficiency pharmacogenetic ablation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in the adult mouse CNS

Approaches to investigate adult oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) by targeted cell ablation in the rodent CNS have limitations in the extent and duration of OPC depletion. We have developed a pharmacogenetic approach for conditional OPC ablation, eliminating >98% of OPCs throughout the brain. By combining recombinase-based transgenic and viral strategies for targeting OPCs and ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ)-derived neural precursor cells (NPCs), we found that new PDGFRA-expressing cells born in the V-SVZ repopulated the OPC-deficient brain starting 12 days after OPC ablation. Our data reveal that OPC depletion induces V-SVZ-derived NPCs to generate vast numbers of PDGFRA+NG2+ cells with the capacity to proliferate and migrate extensively throughout the dorsal anterior forebrain. Further application of this approach to ablate OPCs will advance knowledge of the function of both OPCs and oligodendrogenic NPCs in health and disease

Key Success Factors and Guidance for International Collaborative Design Projects

In the built environment (BE) sector, the co-creation process of design demands understanding of requirements (as viewed by parties involved), mobilisation of tacit knowledge, negotiation, and complex exchange of information. The need to collaborate over distance has further exacerbated the complexity of the process, and, in itself, represents a significant challenge for BE professionals who are increasingly expected to undertake this process within globally distributed virtual teams. The research aims to identify key success factors and develop guidance for international collaborative design projects, via the implementation of collaborative design courses in UK and Canadian universities over three academic years. Questionnaire surveys, focus groups, observation of online meetings, personal reflections provided data for the analysis. The findings reveal the significance of the perceived risk of collaboration and a difference in preferred communication mode between architects and civil/structural engineers. These findings suggest the impact of training in the subject discipline, and that the opportunity for co-located working has helped the development of trust. The guidance is aimed at BE educators who wish to implement this activity in their courses