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New technologies allow perfect detection of environmental violations at near-zero marginal cost, but take-up is low. We conducted a field experiment to evaluate enforcement of water conservation rules with smart meters in Fresno, CA. Households were randomly assigned combinations of enforcement method (automated or in-person inspections) and fines. Automated enforcement increased households' punishment rates from 0.1 to 14%, decreased summer water use by 3%, and reduced violations by 17%, while higher fine levels had little effect. However, automated enforcement also increased customer complaints by 1,102%, ultimately causing its cancellation and highlighting that political considerations limit technological solutions to enforcement challenges.

Research examining the construction industry demonstrates that it is the source of a large percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions, subject to future climate change risks, and that there is limited evidence of adaptation. This paper explores the preparedness of the Australian construction industry to adapt to climate change risks, through twenty-one key stakeholder interviews. The interviews addressed participants' perceptions of the industry's: climate change risk awareness, analytical capacity to address climate change risk, and current actions to address these risks. The main risk participants identified was extreme weather during construction (e.g. heat and wind) with impacts for occupational health and safety, supply chain reliability, project delivery delays, and profit. The impact of these risks was somewhat down played. While a high level of perceived analytical capacity to respond to climate change was observed, real action was limited by systemic, outdated regulations, lack of client motivation, and perceived costs. The climate change actions which were undertaken were predominantly climate change mitigation activities, largely focussing on organisational processes, rather than adaptations to built form. The results indicate that if Australia's built form is to be well adapted to climate change, greater preparedness to facilitate tangible and systemic actions to address climate change risk in the Australian construction industry is needed. Specifically, interviewees responses imply that increased awareness of the impacts of climate change, better translation of existing solutions into practice, and regulatory reform are needed.

Avoided ecological loss is an appropriate measure of conservation effectiveness, but challenging to measure because it requires consideration of counterfactual conditions. Land-use simulation is a well suited but underutilized tool in this regard. As a case study for the application of land-use simulation to assess the impact of protected areas, we present a scenario analysis exploring conservation options in Canada’s western boreal forest. The cumulative effect of multiple natural resource sectors, including oil and gas, forestry, and agriculture, have substantially altered the region’s ecosystems in recent decades and elevated risk to wildlife. The evolving state of the region is such that managing risks to biodiversity requires consideration of not only today’s but also tomorrow’s conditions. We simulated the long-term (50-year) outcomes of land use and protection to caribou, fisher, fish, and resource production in each of 104 watersheds in the 693,345 km2 study area. Simulated land use caused increased risk to wildlife in response to northwards expansion of resource extraction and expansion of agricultural lands. For each watershed, indicator performance with and without protection were compared to calculate the benefit (avoided ecological loss) and cost (lost opportunity for resource production) of protection. The capacity for protected areas to avoid disturbance varied substantially across watersheds, as did the potential loss of economic opportunity. Focusing protection on cost-effective watersheds made protected area expansion a more efficient strategy for reducing wildlife risk than reducing the overall rate of natural resource production. Heterogeneity in the cost-effectiveness of protection presents an opportunity to balance ecological integrity and economic growth.

It is increasingly recognised that the risks associated with climate change must be addressed through both mitigation and adaptation. Buildings are vulnerable to climate change risk and are also the source of a significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change. The construction industry has significant potential to facilitate adaptation through actions that both reduce its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions across the construction and building lifecycle, and through physical adaptation of buildings and settlements to withstand present and future changes. However, there is limited evidence of significant adaptive action to date, and little is known about existing barriers to adaptation actions in the construction industry. This research explores barriers to climate change adaptation in the Australian construction industry through qualitative interviews with twenty-one key stakeholders. The barriers identified included: the use of inconsistent and unclear language, limited regulation, perceived unaffordability of initiatives, lack of awareness of climate change, and lack of client demand to implement initiatives. Recommendations to facilitate strategies for adaptation to climate change in the construction industry are provided. These focus on the need to a) address climate change through regulatory reform, and b) address the structure of the construction industry and its interrelationship with other built environment professions and processes.

The green colonial microalga Botryococcus braunii produces large amounts of liquid hydrocarbons that can be converted into transportation fuels. Colony cells are held together by a complex extracellular matrix (ECM) made up of a cross-linked long-chain hydrocarbon network around which liquid hydrocarbons are stored, a retaining wall for holding hydrocarbons within the cross-linked hydrocarbon network, and a polysaccharide fibrillar sheath radiating from the retaining wall and surrounding the entire colony. Analysis of “shells” shed from cell apical regions during cell division and containing the retaining wall and polysaccharide fibers shows association of a single protein where the fibers meet the retaining wall, suggesting involvement of this protein in polysaccharide fiber formation. Here we use peptide mass fingerprinting and bioinformatics to identify this protein called p oly s accharide a ssociated p rotein (PSAP). PSAP does not show similarity to any protein in databases, but contains several Proline-rich domains. Staining studies confirm PSAP as a glycoprotein, and mass spectrometry analysis identified ten N -linked glycosylation sites comprising seven different glycans containing mainly mannose and N -acetylglucosamine. Three of these glycans also contain fucose, with one of these glycans being unusual since it also contains arabinose. Additionally, four hydroxyproline residues have short O -linked glycans of mainly arabinose and galactose, with one also containing a 6-deoxyhexose. PSAP secretion and localization to shell material is confirmed using western blot analysis and microscopy. These studies indicate PSAP contains unique glycans and suggest its involvement in ECM polysaccharide fiber biosynthesis.

Climate change presents a threat to the sustainability of cities and their societies, and must be adequately addressed. Urban environments (cities) are responsible for the creation of a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions which are the source of climate change. Cities have been increasingly the focus of action to address climate change, yet emissions are not significantly reducing. Additionally, there a lack of integration between adaptation and mitigation. This prevents responses adequate to limit global warming to 1.5OC, and to be well adapted to anticipated changes. This paper critically analyses existing definitions and typologies of climate change actions. A definition of ‘climate change transformation’ is proposed which includes the integration of adaptation and mitigation goals to enable a new regime in which global warming is limited to 1.5OC. A new three-part typology: ‘coping, malaction and transformation,’ is presented for categorising climate change actions by the extent to which they integrate adaptation and mitigation, and define a new regime. The typology is accompanied by illustrations to demonstrate the relationship between adaptation and mitigation. The definition, typology and illustration serve to guide effective climate change decision making, and provides principles to guide application in urban environments.

Major urban infrastructure projects are intended to alter the built, human ecology for the better. Even when they are not labelled as health projects, arguably they should produce public health benefits that are commensurate with their scale, particularly when they are publicly funded. Health impact assessment (HIA) is an established method of evaluating major infrastructure projects using a determinants of health equity lens. HIA explicitly puts health front and centre to ask, ‘How should the proposed infrastructure project be altered to improve the determinants of health equity?’ There are well-established HIA protocols, but few provide a framework for scoping possible impacts. Given interest in the concept of liveability we introduce an exhaustive, evidence-based framework of 11 liveability domains for HIA. We then test the framework by scoping the impacts of the Upfield Level Crossing Removal (LXR) project in Melbourne, Australia to hypothesise its impacts on health. Scoping this case study suggests that many domains will be affected in complex ways, some positively and some negatively, exemplifying the potential for the framework to detect major infrastructures' pervasive impacts on determinants of health. The paper includes a plan to validate the liveability framework with empirical research in the HIA assessment stage. The paper concludes with a discussion of the contribution and usefulness of the liveability domains as a framework for structuring HIA and for building its profile, thus advancing the discipline, and helping to ensure that all major infrastructures constitute a prudent investment in public health.

Well-designed urban planning policy can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to anticipated climate change impacts. However, there has been limited analysis of the extent to which urban planning policy documents addresses climate change adaptation and or mitigation. There is a need to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100, and to be well adapted to this change (in line with the Paris Agreement). Achieving this goal will assist in limiting damage and loss to humans and the natural environment. This paper presents a detailed qualitative and quantitative evaluation of urban planning documents (policy, regulation and law) in the state of Victoria, Australia, and the degree to which climate change mitigation and adaptation (with a focus on sea level rise) are addressed and integrated. Two scales of government (state and local) were analysed across three policy disciplines (urban planning, climate change and flood management). The evaluation framework contributes to the few tools for analyzing legislation, regulation and strategic policies for climate change adequacy. The findings reveal limited climate change adaptation and mitigation actions in urban planning documents. Additionally, there is limited integration of adaptation and mitigation actions. Important opportunities for better alignment of policies across disciplines and government levels in line Paris Agreement goals are identified, to ensure implementation in decisions made about land use and development. The analysis finds that urban planning policy must do more to include and integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation actions.

Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) have recently gained traction as integrated approaches that can address societal challenges by simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. Among the benefits of NBS, their capacity to address urban water challenges – such as inland and coastal flooding –while providing ecological benefits has been a recent area of focus globally. While interventions that are labelled ‘Nature-Based Solutions’ have been widely integrated into policy and practice in Europe, the term has not been extensively adopted in Australian policy and praxis. This research examines how Australian water professionals from research and practice understand, conceptualise and use the concept, ‘Nature-Based Solutions’ (NBS) in addressing urban water challenges. We interviewed 27 water professionals in research and practice with diverse disciplinary backgrounds across four Australian states and asked them to provide their definition of NBS. The results show that alternative terminologies such as Green Infrastructure and Water Sensitive Urban Design are predominantly used. We present the participants’ perspectives on the adoption of this term in Australia, and discuss the value and contributions of NBS as an umbrella concept. We conclude by providing insights on the potentials and limitations of the term, and propose ways to move beyond a focus on terminology and definitions towards facilitating the uptake and implementation of NBS in our cities.

In this review recent progress in combining metal carbonyl and bipyridyl transition metal complexes with dithienylethene photochromic switches is discussed. A key challenge in designing such systems is to allow for interaction between the various components, but without loss in photochemical activity, i.e. the cyclization/cycloreversion of the dithienylethene unit. Examples of where the properties of the switching unit can be fine-tuned either photochemically or electrochemically by the addition of either bipyridyl transition metals or organometallic moieties to the switch will be highlighted. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a cognitive abilities test that predicts success in graduate training ( Kuncel and Hezlett, 2007 , Kuncel et al., 2001 , Kuncel et al., 2010 ). Because of its reliability, validity, and predictive utility, it is used by many graduate schools to inform admissions decisions. However, some critics describe the GRE as a gatekeeper that limits equitable access across groups to higher education ( Dutka, 1999 , Pruitt, 1998 , Toyama, 1999 ). We explored how scores on the GRE have fared over time as a function of test-taker gender and ethnicity, and we investigated whether enrollment patterns over time implicate the GRE as obstructing efforts toward increasing parity in higher education. First, we found that the gap between men's and women's GRE quantitative reasoning scores has changed little since the 1980s, although female representation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduate programs has increased substantially. Second, ethnic gaps on the GRE persist, especially in quantitative reasoning, although representation of historically disadvantaged ethnic groups in graduate programs has increased. Enrollment gaps have narrowed despite ethnic and gender GRE gaps persisting, so it appears that continued use of the GRE for admissions decisions has not blocked efforts toward equalizing representation in higher education.

Emergency medical care for children has evolved immensely over the past 30 years. During this period, much has been accomplished to improve the quality of care delivered to injured children in the United States. In this article, we will highlight specific examples of how trauma care of children has changed and improved in recent decades. Beginning with the importance of injury prevention, the article will also discuss the specific management of traumatic brain injury, blast injury, and field triage of mass casualty situations before concluding with highlights of other changes and advances that have occurred.

Metabolic engineering is an emerging technology to modify the biochemical properties of living cells. In microalgae, metabolic engineering has often been directed towards optimizing the production of desirable lipids or related bioproducts. Here we describe efforts to engineer the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for the production of botryococcene, a drop-in biofuel precursor. Genes encoding farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPS) and squalene synthase-like (SSL)-1 and -3, were introduced into the chloroplast genome using biolistic transformation. Through a series of construct modifications, we identified intergenic sequences that promote expression of stable, discrete transcripts. We also found amino acids that dramatically increased the accumulation of SSL-3 when they were inserted at the N-terminal penultimate position, and similar manipulation of the N-terminal sequence of FPS appeared to improve its protein level as well. However, SSL-1 only accumulated to detectable levels when expressed as a chimera with SSL-3. In vitro assays showed that chloroplast-expressed SSL-3 was enzymatically active, but not SSL-1, although the SSL-1-SSL-3 chimeras were active when expressed in yeast. Taken together, our results suggest that the N-terminal sequence and other cellular factors are important when heterologous proteins are expressed in this model algal species.

Guidelines for evaluating the cervical spine in pediatric trauma patients recommend cervical spine CT (CSCT) when plain radiographs suggest an injury. Our objective was to compare usage of CSCT between a pediatric trauma center (PTC) and referral general emergency departments (GEDs).Patient data from a pediatric trauma registry from 2002 to 2011 were analyzed. Rates of CSI and CSCT of patients presenting to the PTC and GED were compared. Factors associated with use of CSCT were assessed using multivariate logistic regression.5148 patients were evaluated, 2142 (41.6%) at the PTC and 3006 (58.4%) at the GED. Groups were similar with regard to age, gender, GCS, and triage category. GED patients had a higher median ISS (14 vs. 9, p0.05) and more frequent ICU admissions (44.3% vs. 26.1% p0.05). CSI rate was 2.1% (107/5148) and remained stable. CSCT use increased from 3.5% to 16.1% over time at the PTC (mean 9.6% 95% CI=8.3, 10.9) and increased from 6.8% to 42.0% (mean 26.9%, CI=25.4, 28.4) at the GED. Initial care at a GED remained strongly associated with CSCT.Despite a stable rate of CSI, rate of CSCT increased significantly over time, especially among patients initially evaluated at a GED.

The compound (PPh4)(2)[Fe-III(CN)(5)(im)]center dot 2H(2)O (1) together with its C-13 labeled analogue have been synthesized (where im is imidazole) and characterized by UV/Vis, LD, IR, Raman and resonance Raman spectroscopy both in solution, powder and single crystalline form. The low spin state of the metal center, Fe-III, was confirmed by MCD, EPR and Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopies. Polarized Raman spectroscopic studies on a single crystal of 1 show the strong dependence of the stretching cyano ligand vibrations on crystal orientation relative to the direction of laser polarization and allows for assignment of all CN vibrational modes. Raman, UV/Vis absorption, LD and MCD spectroscopy both in the solid state and in solution state allowed for the discrimination of the effect of protonation of the imidazole ligand and hydrogen bonding to the cyano ligands on the complex. The combined spectroscopic data demonstrates that in addition to the protonation state of the imidazole, hydrogen bonding interactions with the cyano ligands both in the solid state as well as in solution have a profound influence on the electronic properties of 1. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Objective To determine the risk of serious bacterial infections (SBIs) in young febrile infants with and without viral infections. Study design Planned secondary analyses of a prospective observational study of febrile infants 60 days of age or younger evaluated at 1 of 26 emergency departments who did not have clinical sepsis or an identifiable site of bacterial infection. We compared patient demographics, clinical, and laboratory findings, and prevalence of SBIs between virus-positive and virus-negative infants. Results Of the 4778 enrolled infants, 2945 (61.6%) had viral testing performed, of whom 1200 (48.1%) were virus positive; 44 of the 1200 had SBIs (3.7%; 95% CI, 2.7%-4.9%). Of the 1745 virus-negative infants, 222 had SBIs (12.7%; 95% CI, 11.2%-14.4%). Rates of specific SBIs in the virus-positive group vs the virus-negative group were: UTIs (33 of 1200 [2.8%; 95% CI, 1.9%-3.8%] vs 186 of 1745 [10.7%; 95% CI, 9.2%-12.2%]) and bacteremia (9 of 1199 [0.8%; 95% CI, 0.3%-1.4%] vs 50 of 1743 [2.9%; 95% CI, 2.1%-3.8%]). The rate of bacterial meningitis tended to be lower in the virus-positive group (0.4%) than in the viral-negative group (0.8%); the difference was not statistically significant. Negative viral status (aOR, 3.2; 95% CI, 2.3-4.6), was significantly associated with SBI in multivariable analysis. Conclusions Febrile infants ≤60 days of age with viral infections are at significantly lower, but non-negligible risk for SBIs, including bacteremia and bacterial meningitis.

Chest pain remains a common complaint among children seeking care in the United States. Asthma and lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia can be significant causes of chest pain. Children with chest pain caused by either of these pulmonary etiologies generally present with associated respiratory symptoms, including cough, wheezing, tachypnea, respiratory distress, and/or fever. Although analgesic medications can improve chest pain associated with pulmonary pathologies, the mainstay of therapy is to treat the underlying etiology; this includes bronchodilator and/or steroid medications in children with asthma and appropriate antibacterial administration in children with suspicions of bacterial pneumonia. The chest pain generally resolves along with the resolution of other respiratory symptoms.

A sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) bioanalytical method was developed and validated to analyze lipoic acid (LA) in rat blood and brain samples. Ten mobile phase combinations were investigated during method development. Mobile phase combination of 0.1% acetic acid (pH 4 adjusted with ammonia solution)/acetonitrile was most optimum in terms of sensitivity and peak shape of LA and the internal standard, valproic acid. Sample extraction method was explored using liquid–liquid extraction and protein precipitation methods. Protein precipitation yielded the highest recovery of the analytes from blood and brain ranging from 92 to 115%. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of LA was 0.1 ng/mL (0.485 nM) in both blood and brain while on-column lower limit of detection (LLOD) was 0.03 pg. The precision (% R.S.D.) ranged from 1.49 to 26.39% and 1.49 to 10.89% for intra- and inter-day assays, respectively. The accuracy ranged from 91.2 to 116.17% for intra-day assay and 102.68 to 114.33% for inter-day assay.

Summary Background Prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism is recommended for at least 10 days after total knee arthroplasty; oral regimens could enable shorter hospital stays. We aimed to test the efficacy and safety of oral rivaroxaban for the prevention of venous thromboembolism after total knee arthroplasty. Methods In a randomised, double-blind, phase III study, 3148 patients undergoing knee arthroplasty received either oral rivaroxaban 10 mg once daily, beginning 6–8 h after surgery, or subcutaneous enoxaparin 30 mg every 12 h, starting 12–24 h after surgery. Patients had mandatory bilateral venography between days 11 and 15. The primary efficacy outcome was the composite of any deep-vein thrombosis, non-fatal pulmonary embolism, or death from any cause up to day 17 after surgery. Efficacy was assessed as non-inferiority of rivaroxaban compared with enoxaparin in the per-protocol population (absolute non-inferiority limit −4%); if non-inferiority was shown, we assessed whether rivaroxaban had superior efficacy in the modified intention-to-treat population. The primary safety outcome was major bleeding. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00362232. Findings The primary efficacy outcome occurred in 67 (6·9%) of 965 patients given rivaroxaban and in 97 (10·1%) of 959 given enoxaparin (absolute risk reduction 3·19%, 95% CI 0·71–5·67; p=0·0118). Ten (0·7%) of 1526 patients given rivaroxaban and four (0·3%) of 1508 given enoxaparin had major bleeding (p=0·1096). Interpretation Oral rivaroxaban 10 mg once daily for 10–14 days was significantly superior to subcutaneous enoxaparin 30 mg given every 12 h for the prevention of venous thromboembolism after total knee arthroplasty. Funding Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development.

Spectroscopic properties of two series of [ Ru ( LL ) ( CN ) 4 ] 2 - complexes, where LL = 2 , 2 ′ -bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline and their substituted derivatives have been investigated, and the optical spectra of these complexes were compared. It has been demonstrated that the electron donating and withdrawing substituents induce significant blue and red shifts, respectively, in both absorption and emission spectra. The energy of emission originating from the 3MLCT excited state is found to be dependant on the nature of the diimine ligand, on the substituents, and on the electron acceptor properties of the solvent molecules. The rate of radiative and non-radiative decay to the ground state and the parameters of thermally activated deactivation pathways have been estimated using the luminescence lifetime and quantum yields measured at various temperatures. The quenching of luminescent excited state of some selected complexes have been investigated and analyzed by considering the results of magneto kinetic experiments.

Dinuclear manganese based enzymes engage in processes as diverse as amino acid hydrolysis and hydrogen peroxide disproportionation. Despite the mechanistic diversity displayed by this class of enzymes, a common feature is the presence of carboxylate residues, which serve to bridge the manganese centres and of hemi-labile oxo-, hydroxyl- and aqua-bridge, which shows considerable redox state dependence on their lability. The role of carboxylate-bridged dinuclear manganese complexes in the disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide is reviewed both in enzymatic and biomimetic systems. The lability of the carboxylate bridge and bridging oxo, hydroxyl and aqua ligands during the catalase cycle is discussed in relation to the redox cycle, which the dinuclear manganese centres undergo. The relationship between catalase activity and catalytic oxidation is discussed briefly with regard to understanding the nature of catalytically active species present during oxidation catalysis.

In this review two areas of d(6) transition metal ion chemistry and photophysics are briefly reviewed (i) that of Ru(II)dipyridophenazine (dppz) complexes as DNA intercalators and (ii) spin crossover behavior in Fe(II) complexes. In both areas the role of Raman spectroscopy in providing information concerning the spectroscopy and photophysics of the electronic states involved and the interactions between states of differing spin multiplicity is discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The appearance thresholds and kinetic energy spectra of fragment protons and deuterons produced in the dissociative photoionization of H 2 O and D 2 O by 20–40 eV photons have been measured. Measurements were made both along and at right angles to the E vector of the synchrotron radiation to isolate states of different symmetry. The results show the important role of superexcited states in the ionization process and predissociation and autoionization pathways have been identified.

The recommendation of the Military Leadership Diversity Commission to lift the exclusion of women from ground combat is deeply irresponsible and cannot be taken seriously. The Commission’s lodestar was diversity, not military effectiveness, and it failed to take into consideration a wealth of information bearing on its recommendation. The Commission’s recommendation was based primarily on sources that cannot be considered authoritative, and the Commission’s analysis of the sources that it did consult was superficial and in conflict with some of the facts, as opposed to the “spin,” contained in these very sources. The Commission substantially downplayed the sex difference in strength and other physical capacities, striking down the straw man that “all women lack the physical ability to perform in combat roles,” but never addressing how many women there are who actually possess that ability, a piece of data that is highly relevant to its recommendation. Moreover, the MLDC report does not mention the word “pregnancy,” despite the fact that there is much data to suggest that pregnancy has substantial adverse effects on deployability and readiness even with the ground-combat exclusion in place. Finally, the Commission’s conclusion that there was “little evidence” that integration of women has had a negative impact on cohesion and performance ignores not only a wealth of information to the contrary in sources it did not consult, it also ignores a great deal of evidence to the contrary in the sources that the Commission actually did consult.

Clinical studies suggest that carbamazepine may attenuate effects of alprazolam discontinuation. Since discontinuation of chronic alprazolam in a mouse model is associated with behavioral alterations and upregulation at the gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor, we studied the effects of carbamazepine administration after alprazolam (2 mg/kg/day) discontinuation. Open-field activity was increased in mice 4 days after alprazolam discontinuation, but this effect was reduced significantly by continuous infusion of carbamazepine, 25 or 100 mg/kg/day. Benzodiazepine receptor binding in vivo was increased in cortex at 2 and 4 days after alprazolam discontinuation, and in hypothalamus at 4 days; with carbamazepine, 100 mg/kg/day, binding in both regions at these time points was similar to control values. Similar results were observed in cortex with benzodiazepine receptor binding in vitro. GABA-dependent chloride uptake was also increased at 4 days alprazolam administration. Treatment with carbamazepine attenuated (P less than 0.10) this increase. Carbamazepine alone after vehicle did not alter benzodiazepine binding or GABA-dependent chloride uptake. These results indicate that carbamazepine administration after alprazolam discontinuation attenuates behavioral and neurochemical alterations associated with discontinuation.

Utilities will incorporate environmental externalities into their planning if and as regulators tell them to. But for their consumers' sake and their own, they want to be sure there is a sound basis for acting.

Accurate urinary measurements of the two major metabolites of phenytoin, 5-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin (p-HPPH) and 5-(3,4-dihydroxy-cyclohexa-1,5-dienyl)-5-phenylhydantoin (dihydrodiol, DHD), are necessary for pharmacokinetic and drug-interaction studies of this commonly used antiepileptic drug. We describe a simple, rapid, acid hydrolysis, with liquid-liquid extraction and simultaneous isocratic reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography of p-HPPH and 5-(m-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin (m-HPPH) (hydrolytic end product of DHD). p-HPPH and m-HPPH were quantitated against their separate respective internal standards of alphenal and tolylbarb. The mobile phase consisted of water-dioxane-tetrahydrofuran (80:15:5, v/v/v) at 2 ml/min and at 50 degrees C, with detection at 225 nm. Baseline separation was achieved by use of a 16 cm x 3.9 mm Nova-Pak C18 column and total analysis time of 12 min. p-HPPH and m-HPPH concentrations ranged from 10 to 200 and from 2 to 30 micrograms/ml, respectively, with between-day coefficients of variations of 3.3-4.5% and 2.2-5.1% for controls. All standard curves were linear with r values greater than 0.993. The DHD concentration was determined by multiplying m-HPPH concentrations by 2.3.

Poster: "ECR 2012 / C-1591 / Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms: Spectrum of MDCT and MRI appearances" by: "A. Osborne, K. Conlan, P. Ridgway, R. Browne; Dublin/IE"

Summary Benzyne has been detected in the argon matrices obtained from pyrolyses of isobenzofuran-1,3-dione (1), 2,3-benzodioxin-1,4-dione (2), benzocyclobutenedione (3), 2,2-dimethyl-5-(octahydro-1′,2′,4′-methano-3′ H -cyclobutal[cd]pentalen- 3′-ylidene)-1,3-dioxan-4,6-dione (8) and 5,5′-(pentacyclo[5.3.0 2,6 .0 4,10 .0 5,8 ]decane-3″,9″-diylidene)bis(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxan-4,6-dione) (9). At both 650° and 700° compound (3) yields only benzyne while (8) yields ketenes and benzyne. It is suggested that compounds (1), (2) and (3) undergo concerted fragmentation to benzyne while (8) and (9) give ketene intermediates which fragment to benzyne.

The dehydrochlorination route to cyclopropabenzene 4 from 2 yields t-butoxymethylbenzene 8 as the sole isolable by-product. The path by which the majority of 8 is produced does not involve solvolysis of 4. The analogous route to cyclopropa[b]naphthalene 3 has been re-examined and the previously proposed 6-chlorobenzo[a]cyclohepta-1,3,5-triene 10 and 2-(t-butoxymethyl)naphthalene 9 have been reassigned as 1-(chloromethyl)naphthalene 5 and 1-(t-butoxymethyl)naphthalene 7, respectively. Evidence is presented which supports the presence of competing pathways in both dehydrochlorination processes.

The product distribution obtained from dehydrochlorination of the benzobicycloheptene 1 is dependent on the reaction conditions. In tetrahydrofuran at high base concentration cyclopropa[b]naphthalene (2) predominates, whereas at low base concentration 6 - chlorobenzo[a]cyclohepta - 1,3,5 - triene (4) is the major product. In dimethyl sulphoxide 2 and 4 are formed in low yields, the ether 10 being the major product.

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