Cooperative Carbon Dioxide Adsorption in Alcoholamine- and Alkoxyalkylamine-Functionalized Metal-Organic Frameworks.

A series of structurally diverse alcoholamine- and alkoxyalkylamine-functionalized variants of the metal-organic framework Mg2 (dobpdc) are shown to adsorb CO2 selectively via cooperative chain-forming mechanisms. Solid-state NMR spectra and optimized structures obtained from van der Waals-corrected density functional theory calculations indicate that the adsorption profiles can be attributed to the formation of carbamic acid or ammonium carbamate chains that are stabilized by hydrogen bonding interactions within the framework pores. These findings significantly expand the scope of chemical functionalities that can be utilized to design cooperative CO2 adsorbents, providing further means of optimizing these powerful materials for energy-efficient CO2 separations

The theory of international business: the role of economic models

This paper reviews the scope for economic modelling in international business studies. It argues for multi-level theory based on classic internalisation theory. It present a systems approach that encompasses both firm-level and industry-level analysis

Specific orofacial problems experienced by musicians

Background: Patients who play musical instruments (especially wind and stringed instruments) and vocalists are prone to particular types of orofacial problems. Some problems are caused by playing and some are the result of dental treatment. This paper proposes to give an insight into these problems and practical guidance to general practice dentists. Method: Information in this paper is gathered from studies published in dental, music and occupational health journals, and from discussions with career musicians and music teachers. Results: Orthodontic problems, soft tissue trauma, focal dystonia, denture retention, herpes labialis, dry mouth and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders were identified as orofacial problems of career musicians. Options available for prevention and palliative treatment as well as instrument selection are suggested to overcome these problems. Conclusions: Career musicians express reluctance to attend dentists who are not sensitive to their specific needs. General practitioner dentists who understand how the instruments impact on the orofacial structures and are aware of potential problems faced by musicians are able to offer preventive advice and supportive treatment to these patients, especially those in the early stages of their career

Mining and analysis of audiology data to find significant factors associated with tinnitus masker

Objectives: The objective of this research is to find the factors associated with tinnitus masker from the literature, and by using the large amount of audiology data available from a large NHS (National Health Services, UK) hearing aid clinic. The factors evaluated were hearing impairment, age, gender, hearing aid type, mould and clinical comments. Design: The research includes literature survey for factors associated with tinnitus masker, and performs the analysis of audiology data using statistical and data mining techniques. Setting: This research uses a large audiology data but it also faced the problem of limited data for tinnitus. Participants: It uses 1,316 records for tinnitus and other diagnoses, and 10,437 records of clinical comments from a hearing aid clinic. Primary and secondary outcome measures: The research is looking for variables associated with tinnitus masker, and in future, these variables can be combined into a single model to develop a decision support system to predict about tinnitus masker for a patient. Results: The results demonstrated that tinnitus maskers are more likely to be fit to individuals with milder forms of hearing loss, and the factors age, gender, type of hearing aid and mould were all found significantly associated with tinnitus masker. In particular, those patients having Age<=55 years were more likely to wear a tinnitus masker, as well as those with milder forms of hearing loss. ITE (in the ear) hearing aids were also found associated with tinnitus masker. A feedback on the results of association of mould with tinnitus masker from a professional audiologist of a large NHS (National Health Services, UK) was also taken to better understand them. The results were obtained with different accuracy for different techniques. For example, the chi-squared test results were obtained with 95% accuracy, for Support and Confidence only those results were retained which had more than 1% Support and 80% Confidence. Conclusions: The variables audiograms, age, gender, hearing aid type and mould were found associated with the choice of tinnitus masker in the literature and by using statistical and data mining techniques. The further work in this research would lead to the development of a decision support system for tinnitus masker with an explanation that how that decision was obtained

Cytogenetic analysis of three species of Pseudacteon (Diptera, Phoridae) parasitoids of the fire ants using standard and molecular techniques

Pseudacteon flies, parasitoids of worker ants, are being intensively studied as potentially effective agents in the biological control of the invasive pest fire ant genus Solenopsis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). This is the first attempt to describe the karyotype of P. curvatus Borgmeier, P. nocens Borgmeier and P. tricuspis Borgmeier. The three species possess 2n = 6; chromosomes I and II were metacentric in the three species, but chromosome pair III was subtelocentric in P. curvatus and P. tricuspis, and telocentric in P. nocens. All three species possess a C positive band in chromosome II, lack C positive heterochromatin on chromosome I, and are mostly differentiated with respect to chromosome III. P. curvatus and P. tricuspis possess a C positive band, but at different locations, whereas this band is absent in P. nocens. Heterochromatic bands are neither AT nor GC rich as revealed by fluorescent banding. In situ hybridization with an 18S rDNA probe revealed a signal on chromosome II in a similar location to the C positive band in the three species. The apparent lack of morphologically distinct sex chromosomes is consistent with proposals of environmental sex determination in the genus. Small differences detected in chromosome length and morphology suggests that chromosomes have been highly conserved during the evolutionary radiation of Pseudacteon. Possible mechanisms of karyotype evolution in the three species are suggested

Global networks, cities and economic performance: Observations from an analysis of cities in Europe and the USA

The network paradigm has been highly influential in spatial analysis in the globalisation era. As economies across the world have become increasingly integrated, so-called global cities have come to play a growing role as central nodes in the networked global economy. The idea that a city’s position in global networks benefits its economic performance has resulted in a competitive policy focus on promoting the economic growth of cities by improving their network connectivity. However, in spite of the attention being given to boosting city connectivity little is known about whether this directly translates to improved city economic performance and, if so, how well connected a city needs to be in order to benefit from this. In this paper we test the relationship between network connectivity and economic performance between 2000 and 2008 for cities with over 500,000 inhabitants in Europe and the USA to inform European policy

Random Matrix Theory and Chiral Symmetry in QCD

Random matrix theory is a powerful way to describe universal correlations of eigenvalues of complex systems. It also may serve as a schematic model for disorder in quantum systems. In this review, we discuss both types of applications of chiral random matrix theory to the QCD partition function. We show that constraints imposed by chiral symmetry and its spontaneous breaking determine the structure of low-energy effective partition functions for the Dirac spectrum. We thus derive exact results for the low-lying eigenvalues of the QCD Dirac operator. We argue that the statistical properties of these eigenvalues are universal and can be described by a random matrix theory with the global symmetries of the QCD partition function. The total number of such eigenvalues increases with the square root of the Euclidean four-volume. The spectral density for larger eigenvalues (but still well below a typical hadronic mass scale) also follows from the same low-energy effective partition function. The validity of the random matrix approach has been confirmed by many lattice QCD simulations in a wide parameter range. Stimulated by the success of the chiral random matrix theory in the description of universal properties of the Dirac eigenvalues, the random matrix model is extended to nonzero temperature and chemical potential. In this way we obtain qualitative results for the QCD phase diagram and the spectrum of the QCD Dirac operator. We discuss the nature of the quenched approximation and analyze quenched Dirac spectra at nonzero baryon density in terms of an effective partition function. Relations with other fields are also discussed.Comment: invited review article for Ann. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci., 61 pages, 11 figures, uses ar.sty (included); references added and typos correcte

The Sources of Inflammatory Mediators in the Lung after Silica Exposure

The expression of 10 genes implicated in regulation of the inflammatory processes in the lung was studied after exposure of alveolar macrophages (AMs) to silica in vitro or in vivo. Exposure of AMs to silica in vitro up-regulated the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of three genes [interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2)] without a concomitant increase in the protein levels. AMs isolated after intratracheal instillation of silica up-regulated mRNA levels of four additional genes [granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-1β, IL-10, and inducible nitric oxide synthase]. IL-6, MCP-1, and MIP-2 protein levels were elevated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Fibroblasts under basal culture conditions express much higher levels of IL-6 and GM-CSF compared with AMs. Coculture of AMs and alveolar type II cells, or coculture of AMs and lung fibroblasts, in contact cultures or Transwell chambers, revealed no synergistic effect. Therefore, such interaction does not explain the effects seen in vivo. Identification of the intercellular communication in vivo is still unresolved. However, fibroblasts appear to be an important source of inflammatory mediators in the lung

Climate change adaptation, flood risks and policy coherence in integrated water resources management in England

Integrated water resources management (IWRM) assumes coherence between cognate aspects of water governance at the river basin scale, for example water quality, energy production and agriculture objectives. But critics argue that IWRM is often less ‘integrated’ in practice, raising concerns over inter-sectoral coherence between implementing institutions. One increasingly significant aspect of IWRM is adaptation to climate change-related risks, including threats from flooding, which are particularly salient in England. Although multiple institutional mechanisms exist for flood risk management (FRM), their coherence remains a critical question for national adaptation. This paper therefore (1) maps the multi-level institutional frameworks determining both IWRM and FRM in England; (2) examines their interaction via various inter-institutional coordinating mechanisms; and (3) assesses the degree of coherence. The analysis suggests that cognate EU strategic objectives for flood risk assessment demonstrate relatively high vertical and horizontal coherence with river basin planning. However, there is less coherence with flood risk requirements for land-use planning and national flood protection objectives. Overall, this complex governance arrangement actually demonstrates de-coherence over time due to ongoing institutional fragmentation. Recommendations for increasing IWRM coherence in England or re-coherence based on greater spatial planning and coordination of water-use and land-use strategies are proposed