Preparation of transition metal complexes of bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-carboxylic acid (C7H9CO2H) and X-ray crystal structure of [Cu2?(±)-endo-μ-O2CC7H9?4 (CH3OH)2]·2CH3OH

Metathesis reactions were used to prepare a range of dicopper(II), monocopper(I), diruthenium(II, III), dimolybdenum(II,II) and dirhodium(II,II) complexes of either racemic or resolved forms of endo- and exo-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-carboxylic acid (C7H9CO2H). The X-ray crystal structure of [Cu2{(±)-endo-μ-O2CC7H9}4(CH3OH)2]·2CH3OH shows the two copper(II) ions bridged by two (+)-endo-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-carboxylate anions and two (−)-endo-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-carboxylate anions. Methanol molecules occupy the two trans axial sites, and there are also two methanol molecules hydrogen bonded to opposite carboxyl oxygens.

The impact of buffer zone size and management on illegal extraction, park protection and enforcement

Many protected areas or parks in developing countries have buffer zones at their boundaries to achieve the dual goals of protecting park resources and providing resource benefits to neighbouring people. Despite the prevalence of these zoning policies, few behavioural models of people’s buffer zone use inform the sizing and management of those zones. This paper uses a spatially explicit resource extraction model to examine the impact of buffer zone size and management on extraction by local people, both legal and illegal, and the impact of that extraction on forest quality in the park’s core and buffer zone. The results demonstrate trade-offs between the level of enforcement, the size of a buffer zone, and the amount of illegal extraction in the park; and describe implications for “enrichment” of buffer zones and evaluating patterns of forest degradation.

Preparation of films of a highly aligned lipid cubic phase

We demonstrate a method by which we can produce an oriented film of an inverse bicontinuous cubic phase (QII D) formed by the lipid monoolein (MO). By starting with the lipid as a disordered precursor (the L3 phase) in the presence of butanediol, we can obtain a film of the QII D phase showing a high degree of in-plane orientation by controlled dilution of the sample under shear within a linear flow cell. We demonstrate that the direction of orientation of the film is different from that found in the oriented bulk material that we have reported previously; therefore, we can now reproducibly form QII D samples oriented with either the [110] or the [100] axis aligned in the flow direction depending on the method of preparation. The deposition of MO as a film, via a moving fluid− air interface that leaves a coating of MO in the L3 phase on the capillary wall, leads to a sample in the [110] orientation. This contrasts with the bulk material that we have previously demonstrated to be oriented in the [100] direction, arising from flow producing an oriented bulk slug of material within the capillary tube. The bulk sample contains significant amounts of residual butanediol, which can be estimated from the lattice parameter of the QII D phase obtained. The sample orientation and lattice parameters are determined from synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering patterns and confirmed by simulations. This has potential applications in the production of template materials and the growth of protein crystals for crystallography as well as deepening our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the behavior of lyotropic liquid-crystal phases.

Enhancement of buffer strips can improve provision of multiple ecosystem services

Farmland invertebrates play a pivotal role in the provision of ecosystem services, i.e. services that benefit humans. For example, bumblebees, solitary bees and honeybees, are crucial to the pollination of many of the world's crops and wildflowers, with over 70% of the world's major food crops dependent on the pollination services provided by these insects. The larvae of some butterfly species are considered to be pests; however, together with moth and sawfly larvae, they represent a key dietary component for many farmland birds. Spiders and ground beetles predate on crop pests including aphids, whilst soil macrofauna such as earthworms are vital for soil fertility services and nutrient recycling. Despite their importance, population declines of invertebrates have been observed during the last sixty years in the UK and NW Europe. For example, seven UK bumblebee species are in decline, and in the last 20 years, the species Bombus subterraneus (short-haired bumblebee) has become extinct, whilst there was a 54% decline in honeybee colony numbers in England from 1985 to 2005. Comparable trends have been documented for butterflies with a 23% decline in UK farmland species such as Anthocharis cardamines (orange tip) between 1990 and 2007. These declines have been widely attributed to the modern intensive arable management practices that have been developed to maximise crop yield. For example, loss and fragmentation of foraging and nesting habitats, including species-rich meadows and hedgerows, have been implicated in the decline of bees and butterflies. Increased use of herbicides and fertilisers has caused detrimental effects on many plant species with negative consequences for predatory invertebrates such as spiders and beetles which rely on plants for food and shelter.

Stability of stationary solutions of the forced Navier-Stokes equations on the two-torus

We study the linear and nonlinear stability of stationary solutions of the forced two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations on the domain [0,2π]x[0,2π/α], where α ϵ(0,1], with doubly periodic boundary conditions. For the linear problem we employ the classical energy{enstrophy argument to derive some fundamental properties of unstable eigenmodes. From this it is shown that forces of pure χ2-modes having wavelengths greater than 2π do not give rise to linear instability of the corresponding primary stationary solutions. For the nonlinear problem, we prove the equivalence of nonlinear stability with respect to the energy and enstrophy norms. This equivalence is then applied to derive optimal conditions for nonlinear stability, including both the high-and low-Reynolds-number limits.

Chapter 16: Electrospinning of polymer solutions

Electrospinning is a technique that involves the production of nanoscale to microscale sized polymer fibres through the application of an electric field to a droplet of polymer solution passed through a spinneret tip. This chapter considers the optimisisation of the electrospinning process and in particular the variation with solution concentration. We show the strong connection between overlapping chains and the successful spinning of fibres. We use small-angle neutron scattering to evaluate the molecular conformations in the solutions and in the fibres.

Effects of the brief viewing of emotional stimuli on understanding of insight solutions

In the present study, we examined whether and how brief viewing of positive and negative images influences subsequent understanding of solutions to insight problems. For each trial, participants were first presented with an insight problem and then briefly viewed a task-irrelevant positive, negative, or neutral image (660 ms), which was followed by the solution to the problem. In our behavioral study (Study 1), participants were faster to report that they understood the solutions following positive images, and were slower to report it following negative images. A subsequent fMRI study (Study 2) revealed enhanced activity in the angular gyrus and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) while viewing solutions following positive, as compared with negative, images. In addition, greater activation of the angular gyrus was associated with more rapid understanding of the solutions. These results suggest that brief viewing of positive images enhances activity in the angular gyrus and MPFC, which results in facilitation of understanding solutions to insight problems.

nor-Mevaldic acid surrogates as selective antifungal agent leads against Botrytis cinerea. Enantioselective preparation of 4-hydroxy-6-(1-phenylethoxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one

Solvent-free desymmetrisation of meso-dialdehyde 1 with chiral 1-phenylethan-1-ol, led to preparation of 4-silyloxy-6-alkyloxytetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one (+)-3a with a 96:4 d.r. Deprotected lactone (+)-19a and the related racemic lactones 16a-18a present a lactone moiety resembling the natural substrate of HMG-CoA reductase and their antifungal properties have been evaluated against the phytopathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. These compounds were selectively active against B. cinerea, while inactive against C. gloeosporioides.

Ball milling as an effective route for the preparation of doped bornite: synthesis, stability and thermoelectric properties

Bornite, Cu5FeS4, is a naturally-occuring mineral with an ultralow thermal conductivity and potential for thermoelectric power generation. We describe here a new, easy and scalable route to synthesise bornite, together with the thermoelectric behaviour of manganese-substituted derivatives, Cu5Fe1-xMnxS4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.10). The electrical and thermal transport properties of Cu5Fe1-xMnxS4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.10), which are p-type semiconductors, were measured from room temperature to 573 K. The stability of bornite was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis under inert and oxidising atmospheres. Repeated measurements of the electrical transport properties confirm that bornite is stable up to 580 K under an inert atmosphere, while heating to 890 K results in rapid degradation. Ball milling leads to a substantial improvement in the thermoelectric figure of merit of unsusbtituted bornite (ZT = 0.55 at 543 K), when compared to bornite prepared by conventional high-temperature synthesis (ZT < 0.3 at 543 K). Manganese-substituted samples have a ZT comparable to that of unsubstituted bornite.

Diastereoselective and enantioselective preparation of nor-mevaldic acid surrogates through desymmetrisation methodology. Enantioselective synthesis of (+) and (-) nor-mevalonic lactones

Solvent-free desymmetrisation of a meso-dialdehyde with chiral alcohols, led to preparation of 4-silyloxy-6-alkyloxytetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one derivatives with a 96% de. This methodology, which yields the corresponding methyl nor-mevaldates with 99% ee, has been applied to the enantioselective synthesis of the (-)-(R) and (+)-(S) nor-mevalonic acid lactones.

Osmotic pressure and aggregate shape in BSA/poly (ethylene glycol)-lipid/Dextran solutions

In this work we study the colloidal osmotic pressure (COP) and aggregate shape in phosphate saline buffer solutions (PH 7.4) containing bovine serum albumin (BSA), poly(ethylene glycol) lipid (PEG(2000)-PE) and Dextran (Dx). Dx was added to the BSA/PEG(2000)-PE system in order to increase the COP of the solution to levels comparable to the COP of healthy adults, with the aim of using the solution as a blood COP regulator. Dynamic light scattering and small angle X-ray scattering results shown the formation of BSA/PEG(2000)-PE/Dx aggregates in the solution. Osmometry results shown that the addition of Dx to the BSA/PE2000-PE system could successfully increase the COP, through the formation of BSA/PEG(2000)-PE/Dx aggregates. The BSA/PEG(2000)-PE/Dx solutions attained COP= 15 mm Hg, representing 60% of COP measured for healthy adults. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sustainable building solutions: a review of lessons from the natural world

The realisation that much of conventional. modern architecture is not sustainable over the long term is not new. Typical approaches are aimed at using energy and materials more efficiently. However, by clearly understanding the natural processes and their interactions with human needs in view, designers can create buildings that are delightful. functional productive and regenerative by design. The paper aims to review the biomimetics literature that is relevant to building materials and design. Biomimetics is the abstraction of good design from Nature, an enabling interdisciplinary science. particularly interested in emerging properties of materials and structures as a result of their hierarchical organisation. Biomimetics provides ideas relevant to: graded functionality of materials (nano-scale), adaptive response (nano-, micro-. and macro-scales): integrated intelligence (sensing and actuation at all scales), architecture and additional functionality. There are many examples in biology where emergent response of plants and animals to temperature, humidity and other changes in their physical environments is based on relatively simple physical principles. However, the implementation of design solutions which exploit these principles is where inspiration for man-made structures should be. We analyse specific examples of sustainability from Nature and the benefits or value that these solutions have brought to different creatures. By doing this, we appreciate how the natural world fits into the world of sustainable buildings and how as building engineers we can value its true application in delivering sustainable building.