Molecular and Silica-Supported Molybdenum Alkyne Metathesis Catalysts: Influence of Electronics and Dynamics on Activity Revealed by Kinetics, Solid-State NMR, and Chemical Shift Analysis.

Molybdenum-based molecular alkylidyne complexes of the type [MesC≡Mo{OC(CH)(CF)}] (MoF, x = 0; MoF, x = 1; MoF, x = 2; MoF, x = 3; Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) and their silica-supported analogues are prepared and characterized at the molecular level, in particular by solid-state NMR, and their alkyne metathesis catalytic activity is evaluated. The C NMR chemical shift of the alkylidyne carbon increases with increasing number of fluorine atoms on the alkoxide ligands for both molecular and supported catalysts but with more shielded values for the supported complexes. The activity of these catalysts increases in the order MoF < MoF < MoF before sharply decreasing for MoF, with a similar effect for the supported systems (MoF ≈ MoF < MoF < MoF).

Role of surface functional groups in ordered mesoporous carbide-derived carbon/ionic liquid electrolyte double-layer capacitor interfaces.

Ordered mesoporous carbide-derived carbon (OM-CDC) with a specific surface area as high as 2900 m(2) g(-1) was used as a model system in a supercapacitor setup based on an ionic liquid (IL; 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate) electrolyte. Our study systematically investigates the effect of surface functional groups on IL-based carbon supercapacitors. Oxygen and chlorine functionalization was achieved by air oxidation and chlorine treatment, respectively, to introduce well-defined levels of polarity.

Evaluation of a virtual dialogue method for acquired brain injury education: a pilot study.

Objective: To assess the potential benefit of virtual dialogues with experts as a method for educating family members and caregivers of patients with an acquired brain injury (ABI).

Methods: Knowledge of ABI was assessed by questionnaire for eight participants prior to and after interacting with a virtual dialogue method, called Virtual Conversations®. Participants also completed a survey regarding their perceived value of the experience.

Evaluation of a virtual dialogue method for breast cancer patient education.

Objective: Virtual dialogue--a voice-activated, interactive computer model that enables a user to have an individual virtual conversation with a real person--was evaluated as a method to educate women about breast cancer. Virtual dialogues with breast cancer experts were developed and used in a field study by women with and without the disease to assess the method's effectiveness.

Methods: In a clinical setting, subjects engaged in one-on-one virtual dialogues with an oncologist and a breast surgeon, and completed automated pre-post instruments developed to measure the feasibility of the method, and subjects' knowledge gain and acceptance of the method.