Highly efficient electrochemiluminescence of functionalized tris(2,2 '-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) enrichment of its co-reactants

An enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) efficiency is obtained from the ruthenium complex tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)) by introduction of an ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMImBF(4)). Upon addition of 1% (v/v) BMImBF(4) to 0.1 mm Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) solution, a maximum increase in ECL intensity is obtained both at an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode (15-fold) and at a glassy carbon (GC) electrode (5- to 64old). Furthermore, upon addition of 1% (v/v) BMImBF4 to 5 pm Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)/100 mm co-reactant systems at a GC electrode, IL adsorption occurs at the electrode surface, which results in a change of the polarity of the electrode surface. Such functionalization greatly improves the functions of both Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) and ionic liquids, as is demonstrated in the sensitive and selective concentration enrichment of the Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) co-reactants.

Catalysis of hydrotalcite-like compounds in liquid phase oxidation: (II) - Oxidation of p-cresol to p-hydroxybenzaldehyde

Hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTLcs): CoMAlCO3-HTLcs (M=Cu2+, Ni2+, Mn2+, Cr3+, Fe3+), were synthesized by coprecipitation and characterized with XRD and IR. The catalysis of these HTLcs and their calcined products were studied in the p-cresol oxidation, and the effects of the temperature of HTLcs calcination, the ratio of Co/Cu, different promoters, reaction temperatures and reaction times on reaction activities were investigated. It has been found that calcined HTLcs have higher activity than uncalcined samples and mechanical mixed oxides in this reaction. The best yield was obtained from the CoCuAlCO3-HTLc (Co/Cu/Al=3:1:1) calcined at 450 degrees C. A tentative reaction mechanism was also proposed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.

Reproductive biology of great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) in the qinghai-tibet plateau

There have been no detailed studies on reproductive biology of the Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We conducted such investigations during the breeding seasons of 1999 and 2000 in Qinghai-Lake Bird Isle, China. Great Cormorants began to migrate to Qinghai-Lake for reproduction from the middle of March and left from early October at the end of reproduction. Nesting periods were from early April to mid June and took 50 days. Egg-laying occurred during the three weeks from the end of April to 20 May. Females typically laid an egg every 1-2 days until clutch completion. Mean clutch size in the study area over two years was 3.3 (SE +/- 0.13, N = 68, range 1-5) and most (66.18%) fell within the range 3-4 eggs. Length of eggs averaged 61.01 mm and breadth averaged 34.13 mm. Fresh egg weight averaged 57.34 g (SE +/- 0.36, range 46.0-73.7 g, N = 179). Hatching success was 48.7% and fledging success was 64.9% over two years. Decline of available fish resources in Qinghai-Lake might be one of main causes of lower reproductive success. The causes of chick loss were possibly high altitude, high winds and prolonged rain.

Growth of Motor Coordination in Early Robot Learning

M. H. Lee and Q. Meng, Growth of Motor Coordination in Early Robot Learning, IJCAI-05, 2005.

The Implications of Philosophical Foundations for Knowledge Representation and Learning in Agents

Lacey N and Lee M.H., The Implications of Philosophical Foundations for Knowledge Representation and Learning in Agents, in Proc. AISB?01 Symposium on Adaptive Agents and Multi-agent Systems, York, March 2001, pp13-24.

Teaching from Examples in Assembly and Manipulation of Snack Food Ingredients by Robot

T. G. Williams, J.J. Rowland, and Lee M.H., Teaching from Examples in Assembly and Manipulation of Snack Food Ingredients by Robot, Proc. IEEE/RSJ Int. Conf. on Robots and Systems (IROS 2001), Nov., 2001, pp2300-2305.

From Perception to Cognition of Objects

X. Zhang and M.H. Lee, 'From Perception to Cognition of Objects', Proceedings of Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems, (TAROS-06), pp 262-67, University of Guildford, Surrey, 2006.

The Cambrian Muse: Welsh Identity and Hanoverian Loyalty in the Poems of Jane Brereton (1685-1740)

Prescott, S. (2005). The Cambrian Muse: Welsh Identity and Hanoverian Loyalty in the Poems of Jane Brereton (1685-1740). Eighteenth -Century Studies. 38(4), pp.587-603. RAE2008

Land Use and Military Supply in the Highland Zone of Roman Britain

Davies, Jeffrey. 'Land Use and Military Supply in the Highland Zone of Roman Britain', In: Artefacts and Archaeology. Aspects of the Celtic and Roman World (University of Wales Press, 2002), pp.44-61 RAE2008

Comparison of the NMR enantiodifferentiation of a chiral ruthenium(II) complex of C2 symmetry using the TRISPHAT anion and a lanthanide shift reagent

The tris[tetrachlorobenzenediolato]phosphate(v) anion (TRISPHAT) is known to be an efficient NMR chiral shift agent for various chiral cationic species. Here we compare the efficiency of TRISPHAT and of a chiral lanthanide shift reagent for the determination of the enantiomeric purity of the chiral building block [Ru(phen)[2]PY[2]][2][+] which possesses C[2] symmetry. We also discuss our results in terms of the geometry of interaction between the Ru(II) complex and the TRISPHAT anion.

A randomised phase II study of two different schedules of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in metastatic breast cancer (EORTC-10993).

One hundred and sixteen women with measurable metastatic breast cancer participated in a randomised phase II study of single agent liposomal pegylated doxorubicin (Caelyx) given either as a 60 mg/m2 every 6 weeks (ARM A) or 50 mg/m2 every 4 weeks (ARM B) schedule. Patients were over 65 years of age or, if younger, had refused or been unsuitable for standard anthracyclines. The aims of the study were to evaluate toxicity and dose delivery with the two schedules and obtain further information on the response rate of liposomal pegylated doxorubicin as a single agent in anthracycline nai ve advanced breast cancer. Twenty-six patients had received prior adjuvant chemotherapy (including an anthracycline in 10). Sixteen had received non-anthracycline-based first-line chemotherapy for advanced disease. One hundred and eleven patients were evaluable for toxicity and 106 for response. The delivered dose intensity (DI) was 9.8 mg/m2 (95% CI, 7.2-10.4) with 37 (69%) achieving a DI of >90% on ARM A and 11.9 mg/m2 (95% CI, 7.5-12.8) with 37 (65%) achieving a DI of >90% on ARM B. The adverse event profiles of the two schedules were distinctly different. Mucositis was more common with the every 6 weeks regimen (35% CTC grade 3/4 in ARM A, 14% in ARM B) but palmar plantar erythrodysesthesia (PPE) was more frequent with the every 4 weeks regimen (2% CTC grade 3/4 in ARM A, 16% in ARM B). Confirmed objective partial responses by RECIST criteria were seen with both schedules; 15/51 (29%) on ARM A and 17/56 (31%) on ARM B. Liposomal pegylated doxorubicin showed significant activity in advanced breast cancer with a generally favourable side-effect profile. The high frequency of stomatitis seen with 6 weekly treatment makes this the less preferred of the two schedules tested.

Independent beta-arrestin 2 and G protein-mediated pathways for angiotensin II activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2.

Stimulation of a mutant angiotensin type 1A receptor (DRY/AAY) with angiotensin II (Ang II) or of a wild-type receptor with an Ang II analog ([sarcosine1,Ile4,Ile8]Ang II) fails to activate classical heterotrimeric G protein signaling but does lead to recruitment of beta-arrestin 2-GFP and activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) (maximum stimulation approximately 50% of wild type). This G protein-independent activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase is abolished by depletion of cellular beta-arrestin 2 but is unaffected by the PKC inhibitor Ro-31-8425. In parallel, stimulation of the wild-type angiotensin type 1A receptor with Ang II robustly stimulates ERK1/2 activation with approximately 60% of the response blocked by the PKC inhibitor (G protein dependent) and the rest of the response blocked by depletion of cellular beta-arrestin 2 by small interfering RNA (beta-arrestin dependent). These findings imply the existence of independent G protein- and beta-arrestin 2-mediated pathways leading to ERK1/2 activation and the existence of distinct "active" conformations of a seven-membrane-spanning receptor coupled to each.

What the brain stem tells the frontal cortex. II. Role of the SC-MD-FEF pathway in corollary discharge.

One way we keep track of our movements is by monitoring corollary discharges or internal copies of movement commands. This study tested a hypothesis that the pathway from superior colliculus (SC) to mediodorsal thalamus (MD) to frontal eye field (FEF) carries a corollary discharge about saccades made into the contralateral visual field. We inactivated the MD relay node with muscimol in monkeys and measured corollary discharge deficits using a double-step task: two sequential saccades were made to the locations of briefly flashed targets. To make second saccades correctly, monkeys had to internally monitor their first saccades; therefore deficits in the corollary discharge representation of first saccades should disrupt second saccades. We found, first, that monkeys seemed to misjudge the amplitudes of their first saccades; this was revealed by systematic shifts in second saccade end points. Thus corollary discharge accuracy was impaired. Second, monkeys were less able to detect trial-by-trial variations in their first saccades; this was revealed by reduced compensatory changes in second saccade angles. Thus corollary discharge precision also was impaired. Both deficits occurred only when first saccades went into the contralateral visual field. Single-saccade generation was unaffected. Additional deficits occurred in reaction time and overall performance, but these were bilateral. We conclude that the SC-MD-FEF pathway conveys a corollary discharge used for coordinating sequential saccades and possibly for stabilizing vision across saccades. This pathway is the first elucidated in what may be a multilevel chain of corollary discharge circuits extending from the extraocular motoneurons up into cerebral cortex.