Search

Phytochromes are red-light sensing proteins, with important light-regulatory roles in different organisms, which are capturing an increasing interest in bioimaging and optogenetics. Upon absorption of light by the embedded bilin chromophore, they undergo structural changes that extend from the chromophore to the protein and finally drive the biological function. Up to now, the underlying mechanism still has to be characterized fully. Here we investigate the Pfr activated form of a bacterial phytochrome, by combining extensive molecular dynamics simulations with a polarizable QM/MM description of the spectroscopic properties, revealing a large structure relaxation in solution, compared to the crystal structure, both in the chromophore-binding pocket and in the overall structure of the phytochrome. Our results indicate that the final opening of the dimeric structure is preceded by an important internal reorganization of the phytochrome specific (PHY) domain involving a bend of the helical spine connecting the PHY domain with the chromophore-binding domain, opening the way to a new understanding of the activation pathway., A combination of MD simulations and a polarizable QM/MM description of a bacteriophytochrome in solution reveals the changes in the chromophore-binding pocket and in the overall structure of the phytochrome involved in the signaling mechanism.

We present the first comprehensive multiscale computational investigation of Resonance Raman (RR), absorption and Circular Dichroism (CD) spectra of the resting state of the dimeric phy- tochrome ofDeinococcus radiodurans. The spectra are simulated in all their components, namely the energy position and the lineshapes of both the far-red and the blue bands. To achieve such a goal, we have combined a 4.5μsMD simulation of the solvated dimeric phytochrome with a hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) model, which accounts for both electrostatic and mutual polarization effects between the QM and the MM subsystems. From simulations, we find a transient H-bond network within the binding pocket of the chromophore that, unexpect- edly, do not significantly affect the absorption and CD spectra. In parallel, we characterize the vibrations which are more strongly coupled to the excitation confirming the important role of the hydrogen-out-of-plane mode of the vinyl C-H in between C and D rings together with the expected C=C stretching of the double bond involved in the photoisomerization.

The inherent interdisciplinarity in the design of building envelopes gives the opportunity to correlate different aspects within the boundaries of a single subsystem. In fact, designers have to account for parameters and criteria that belong to diverse fields – such as architecture, building physics, structural design and construction technology – in the constant search for the most suitable trade-offs. A hierarchical approach, in which each aspect is considered separately is a logic answer to this complexity, however, it also fosters the idea that the overall process is just a simple sum of the single parts. Through a case study, the present work shows how technical and architectural requirements can be integrated from the early design stage and the advantages of addressing questions related to structural design, solar protection, and visual comfort simultaneously. By taking advantage of the combination of different computational digital tools, the case study focuses on the design of folded plate façade elements to retrofit an office building located in Zurich, Switzerland., Conference Proceedings of the 14th Conference on Advanced Building Skins 2019, ISBN:978-3-9524883-0-0

Tesis cotutelada por la Universidad de Pisa y la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Facultad de Derecho, Departamento de Derecho Público y Filosofía Jurídica. Fecha de lectura: 16-09-2019, Esta tesis tiene embargado el acceso al texto completo hasta el 16-03-2021, La tesi si propone di approfondire le modalità e circostanze di ricorso alla pronuncia processale di inammissibilità nella giurisprudenza costituzionale più recente, allo scopo di chiarire se vi sia in effetti un uso disinvolto dello strumento da parte della Corte nel tentativo di fuggire al divieto di non liquet con rispetto alle questioni più ostiche. Il lavoro si compone di una prima parte che si pone quale obiettivo una precisa ricostruzione dell’evoluzione dell’istituto nell’ordinamento e nella giurisprudenza italiana, per poi procedere ad un’analisi del modello spagnolo e degli elementi di diversità (voto particular, recurso de amparo, sentencias apelativas) utili ad illuminare l’esperienza italiana e a suggerirne possibili chiavi di lettura, nonché previsioni circa le elaborazioni attualmente all’attenzione della Corte costituzionale. Una seconda parte si concentra invece sull’analisi minuziosa della giurisprudenza più recente (2013-2018), al fine di individuare decisioni di inammissibilità che celano la volontà di non decidere la questione, o di rimandarne l’accoglimento. Le conclusioni cercano di ipotizzare un percorso, comune ai giudici costituzionali di Italia e Spagna, volto ad instaurare un nuovo rapporto di collaborazione col potere legislativo mediante la modulazione temporale degli effetti delle sentenze che dichiarano l’incostituzionalità., El objetivo de la tesis es investigar los métodos y circunstancias de recurso a la decisión procesal de inadmisión en la jurisprudencia constitucional italiana más reciente, a fin de aclarar si existe un uso discrecional del instrumento por parte de la Corte para intentar evitar la prohibición de non liquet con respecto a las cuestiones más difíciles. El trabajo consiste en una primera parte que apunta a una reconstrucción precisa de la evolución de la institución en el sistema legal italiano y en la doctrina constitucional, para luego proceder a un análisis del modelo español y de los elementos distintivos (voto particular, recurso de amparo, sentencias apelativas) útiles para ilustrar la experiencia italiana y sugerir posibles interpretaciones, así como pronósticos sobre las elaboraciones que actualmente está considerando la Corte costituzionale. Una segunda parte se centra, en cambio, en el análisis detallado de la jurisprudencia más reciente de la Corte (2013-2018), a fin de identificar las decisiones de inadmisión que ocultan la voluntad de no decidir la cuestión de inconstitucionalidad o posponer la acogida de la misma. Las conclusiones intentan hipotetizar un camino, común a los tribunales constitucionales de Italia y España, destinado a establecer una nueva relación de colaboración con el poder legislativo mediante la modulación temporal de los efectos de las sentencias que declaran la inconstitucionalidad.

The need to enhance the people's mobility has produced a significant increase in the environmental pollution, including transportation noise. In order to reduce transportation noise it is possible to act directly on transport media or on the urban environment, by protecting sensitive receptors with techniques for noise reduction. The noise barriers are one of the most common examples of noise reduction devices. In this paper the authors show and discuss the results of an in situ analysis of the acoustical performance of concrete noise barriers, installed in an important highway infrastructure of the Central Italy. The structure of examined barriers is composed of 8 overlapping panels made by autoclaved aerated concrete. The faces of the panels, facing the noise source, can be smooth or machined with high pressure water jets. In order to increase the sound absorption of the barriers, till to the higher quality class (A4) indicated in EN 1793-5, semi-cylindrical acoustical absorbers have been designed. They are made by metallic micro-holed envelope with the cavity partially filled by suitably shaped polyester fiber and they can be installed at variable distances from the face of the panel.

In recent years in Italy, the renovation or construction of public buildings, especially auditoriums (for music) and theaters (for prose and the lyric) has become a widespread practice in urban restoration of small and medium-sized towns. The most pervasive tendency in contemporary architectural design of auditoriums and theaters is to realize one-space hall without galleries or balconies, with an accurate furniture design. In the case of theaters, the size of the stage tower is comparable to the one of the audience hall and it has an equivalent absorption area similar to the hall one, depending on the scenes equipments in the stage tower. In this paper the results of the analysis of acoustic requirements of a small theatre hall built in San Miniato (Tuscany, Italy) are shown and discussed. The analysis has been conducted using the acoustic simulation software RAMSETE. In particular the influence of the stage tower on the room acoustic has been examined, focusing on the coupling factor between the two spaces.