Synthesis of Polyethylene Glycol-Poly(glycerol carbonate) Block Copolymeric Micelles as Surfactant-Free Drug Delivery Systems.

We report the synthesis of block copolymers of monomethoxylated polyethylene glycol and poly(glycerol carbonate) (mPEG--PGC) via the ring-opening polymerization of benzyl glycidyl ether, monomethoxylated polyethylene glycol, and carbon dioxide using a cobalt salen catalyst. The resulting block copolymers display high polymer/cyclic carbonate selectivity (>99%) and, if two oxirane monomers are used, random incorporation into the polymer feed. The resulting diblock mPEG--PGC polymer shows promise as a nanocarrier for surfactant-free, sustained chemotherapeutic delivery.

Towards solving the hard problem of consciousness: The varieties of brain resonances and the conscious experiences that they support.

The hard problem of consciousness is the problem of explaining how we experience qualia or phenomenal experiences, such as seeing, hearing, and feeling, and knowing what they are. To solve this problem, a theory of consciousness needs to link brain to mind by modeling how emergent properties of several brain mechanisms interacting together embody detailed properties of individual conscious psychological experiences. This article summarizes evidence that Adaptive Resonance Theory, or ART, accomplishes this goal.