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It is proposed to exploit the decay of the meson B+→pπ+π+Σ¯c-- and of its charge conjugate B- copiously produced at LHC to obtain a sample of Λc baryons through the strong decay Σc→Λcπ . The sample thus obtained is not affected by biases typically introduced by selections that depend on specific decay modes. Therefore it allows a measurement of the absolute branching fraction for the decay of the Λc baryon into pKπ or into other observable final states to be performed in a model independent manner. The accuracy that can be achieved with this method is discussed and it is shown that it would be either competitive with or an improvement over current measurements.

The late Gothic construction practice, settled in the Spanish Mediterranean area, is based on predetermined geometric rules and is shown in religious buildings with ribbed vaults.The proportion between the sides of the area to cover, tracing plan of the ribs as a succession of corner bisectors, stereotomy problems and volumetric aspects, are just some of the elements that can describe the complex construction of a ribbed vault . The aim of this paper is to analyze the dimensional information of the late gothic ribbed vaults of Sardinia, in order to define the geometric and proportional rules for a correct drawing, establishing a standard procedure for the collection of measures and the construction of the 3D model of vaults., La prassi costruttiva tardogotica, consolidata nell'area mediterranea d’influenza spagnola, si basa su regole geometriche prefissate e si manifesta in modo caratterizzante negli edifici religiosi con coperture a volta nervata.La proporzione tra i lati dell’area da coprire, il tracciamento in pianta delle nervature come successione di bisettrici d’angolo, i problemi di stereotomia, gli aspetti volumetrici sono solo alcuni degli elementi che possono descrivere il complesso costruttivo di una volta a crociera nervata. Obiettivo del presente lavoro è analizzare le informazioni dimensionali delle volte tardogotiche della Sardegna, al fine di determinare l’esistenza di regole geometriche e proporzionali ricorrenti per un corretto disegno, stabilendo una procedura standard per la raccolta delle misure e la costruzione del modello 3D delle volte., DISEGNARECON; Vol. 5, n. 9 (2012) - Geometria - Costruzione - Architettura, a cura di Riccardo Migliari; 65 - 74

The Site of Community Importance of the Pineta S. Vitale, bordered by the Pialassa Baiona lagoon system, is submitted to increasing deterioration due to a subsiding phenomenon, groundwater salinization and contamination from the industrial sites of Ravenna. Within a multidisciplinary research project, evaluation of the background level of Rare Earth Elements (REE, not regulated at present, but potentially harmful to human health) and the characterization of processes which control their migration and retention were performed to contribute to the knowledge on the present environmental quality of the Ravenna area. Concentrations of total and dissolved elements were determined in 40 water samples comprising surface waters, soil waters, shallow and deep groundwater. Dissolved major and minor components generally showed increasing concentrations from West to East (i.e. towards the sea) and appeared mostly derived from a marine source. Marked correlations between dissolved ΣREE and Al and Fe concentrations in the filtered fraction, La Pineta de S. Vitale, site d’intérêt de la Communauté Européenne, située au bord du système lagunaire de la Pialassa Baiona, se détériore de plus en plus à cause des phénomènes de subsidence, de salinisation des aquifères, ainsi que des processus résultant de la contamination par la zone industrielle de Ravenne. Dans le but de contribuer à la connaissance des conditions de l’environnement actuelles, à l’intérieur d’un programme de recherche multidisciplinaire, on a évalué le teneur de fond des éléments de Terres Rares (qui sont potentiellement pathogènes mais pas encore régulés par la normative). On a aussi essayé d’évaluer les processus géochimiques qui contrôlent la migration et la rétention de ces éléments. Les concentrations totales et en solution d’éléments majeurs et mineurs ont été analysées dans 40 échantillons sélectionnés parmi les eaux superficielles, les eaux de la zone saturée des sols, les eaux des nappes superficielles et profondes. La plupart des composants montrent une augmentation de la salinité en s’approchant à la mer. Une corrélation linéaire entre les concentrations de ΣREE et celles de Al et Fe dans la fraction filtrée, Il Sito di Interesse Comunitario della Pineta di S. Vitale, al bordo del sistema lagunare della Pialassa Baiona, è soggetto ad un crescente deterioramento dovuto a fenomeni di subsidenza, salinizzazione degli acquiferi e a processi di contaminazione derivanti dalla prospiciente area industriale di Ravenna. Al fine di contribuire alla conoscenza dello stato ambientale attuale dell’area, nell’ambito di un programma di ricerca multidisciplinare, è stato valutato il tenore di fondo delle terre rare (attualmente non regolamentate dalla normativa, ma considerate potenzialmente patogene) e sono stati condotti studi per la valutazione dei processi che controllano la migrazione e la ritenzione di questi elementi. Sono state pertanto determinate le concentrazioni totali e disciolte di un set di elementi in 40 campioni selezionati fra acque superficiali, acque della zona satura dei suoli, acque delle falde superficiali e profonde. I componenti maggiori e minori mostrano un generale andamento crescente spostandosi dall’entroterra verso il mare. E’ stata riscontrata una correlazione lineare fra la concentrazione della ΣREE e le concentrazioni di Al e Fe nelle frazioni filtrate a, EQA - International Journal of Environmental Quality; Vol 1 (2009); 43-50

Almost the whole extension of the built area, in the village of Busachi, located in the center of Sardinia, is included in the perimeter of the old town, but, nevertheless, it appears to be without a plan, targeted to its revitalization. The proposed study shows the analysis of urban stratification focusing on a particular historical period (XVI century) that has led to the definition of the shape of the center. The ultimate aim is to develop an information system of divulgation. We have created a Web GIS that combines data in a shared system using the tools offered by Google and some of its applications such as Google Earth and Google Fusion Tables, through which it will be possible highlight the particularities and specificities of the center., Il paese di Busachi, situato al centro della Sardegna, vede quasi tutta l'estensione dell'abitato delimitata nel centro storico, ma nonostante ciò risulta essere privo di una pianificazione mirata alla sua rivitalizzazione. Lo studio proposto riporta l’analisi della stratificazione urbana ponendo l’attenzione su un particolare periodo storico (XVI secolo) che ha portato alla definizione dell’attuale forma del centro stesso. Obiettivo ultimo è quello di sviluppare un sistema informativo di divulgazione creando un Web GIS che combina i dati in un sistema condiviso tramite gli strumenti offerti da Google e da alcuni suoi applicativi tra cui Google Earth e Google Fusion Tables, attraverso cui sarà possibile evidenziare le particolarità e specificità del centro., DISEGNARECON; Vol. 6, n. 11 (2013) - GIS & Disegno urbano, a cura di Roberto Mingucci e Ana Clara Mourão Moura; 39 -48

This paper presents the metaplanning approach as a methodology to design and represent the spatial planning process aiming at improving the spatial planning process effectiveness and transparency. It is argued metaplanning may represent the missing link between Planning Support Systems design and Geodesign, and it may support the design of Planning Support System and its agile implementation along with the design of the planning process. A brief example is given aiming at showing the practical implementation of this approach., Il contributo propone l’approccio della metapianificazione come strumento per progettare e documentare il processo di piano ed esplicitare le ragioni delle scelte. L’ipotesi proposta è che la metapianificazione possa allo stesso tempo supportare la costruzione del quadro di riferimento per il progetto e lo sviluppo di sistemi informatici di supporto alla pianificazione secondo un approccio proprio del Geodesign., DISEGNARECON; Vol. 6, n. 11 (2013) - GIS & Disegno urbano, a cura di Roberto Mingucci e Ana Clara Mourão Moura; 133 -140

This paper presents an analysis of recent developments of Geographic Information systems in Sardinia, aiming at showing actual issues and opportunities in the use of digital archives describing the historic settlements in urban and regional landscape planning., Il contributo presenta un’analisi su opportunità e problematiche relative all’uso integrato di strumenti e metodologie ICT per il supporto alle decisioni per la salvaguardia delle risorse insediative storico-culturali nei processi di pianificazione e governo del territorio. A tal fine sono proposte esperienze complementari di progetto e sviluppo di sistemi informativi territoriali di supporto alla pianificazione territoriale e urbana in Sardegna., DISEGNARECON; Vol. 5, Numero Speciale (2012) - DOCO 2012, a cura di R. Mingucci, C. Bartolomei, L. Bravo, S. Garagnani; 141-146

International audience; A series of Al-SBA-15 catalysts in a wide compositional range (Si/Al = 130-5.2) was prepared by ''pHadjusting'' aiming to evaluate the effect of aluminium incorporation on their structural, acidic and catalytic properties. The calcined materials were characterized by ICP, XRD, N2 adsorption/desorption, TEM, 27Al MAS NMR, microcalorimetry of ammonia adsorption and FTIR of adsorbed pyridine. It was found that the progressive incorporation of aluminium in SBA-15 has a positive effect on the structural and textural characteristics of catalysts as well as on the number of Brönsted and Lewis acid sites, whereas no net effect was observed on the relative distribution of acid sites according to their nature or strength. The catalytic properties of mesoporous SBA-15 aluminosilicates were finally evaluated by test-reactions in the liquid phase tert-butylation of phenol and isomerization of styrene oxide, under mild conditions. The catalytic results showed that the progressive incorporation of aluminium results in higher reaction rates in the O- and C-alkylation of phenol as well as isomerization of styrene oxide, providing evidence that the number of acid sites controls the catalytic activity of Al-SBA-15. On the other hand, the incorporation of aluminium had no effect on the selectivity to the reaction products, indicating that selectivity levels are controlled by the relative distribution of acid sites. It was also reported that Al-SBA-15 prepared by ''pH-adjusting'' are highly active catalysts in the isomerization of styrene oxide and very selective to phenylacetaldehyde.

International audience; Partant de l'analyse d'une page emblématique du chapitre XII de "La casa in collina" notre étude entend montrer en quoi le travail sur la langue permet à Pavese de rendre poétique le constant d'un rendez-vous manqué avec le temps vu à travers la double entrée de la (non)-Résistance et de la défaillance paternelle. S'appuyant sur une étude stylistique précise, nous montrerons que Corrado, justement défini par Italo Calvino "l'uomo che sa di dover stare in margine" constitue bien un miroir de l'auteur.

In the last decade there has been an upsurge of studies on international comparisons of Total Factor Productivity (TFP). The empirical evidence suggests that countries and regions differ not only in traditional factor endowments (labour and physical capital) but mainly in productivity and technology. Therefore, a crucial issue is the analysis of the determinants of such differences in the efficiency levels across economies. In this paper we try to assess these issues by pursuing a twofold aim. First, we derive a regression based measure of regional TFP, which has the nice advantage of not imposing a priori restrictions on the inputs elasticities; this is done by estimating a spatial Cobb-Douglas production function relationship for 199 European regions over the period 1985-2006. Secondly, we investigate the determinants of the TFP levels by analyzing the role played by intangible factors - human capital, social capital and technological capital. The estimations are carried out by applying the spatial 2SLS method and the SHAC estimator to account for both heteroskedasticity and spatial autocorrelation. It turns out that a large part of TFP differences across the European regions are explained by the disparities in the endowments of these intangible assets. This outcome indicates the importance of policy strategies which aim at increasing the level of knowledge and social capital as stressed by the Lisbon agenda.

The use of mechanical forces to activate and drive chemical transformations in solid particulate is attracting remarkable interest in the light of its promising application in a wide spectrum of strategic areas ranging from materials science to fine chemical synthesis and pharmaceutical ingredient production. The capability of enabling solventless processes and fabricating unique materials inaccessible otherwise has made mechanochemistry one of the ten chemical innovations with the highest potential of changing the world. As in the past, so again now, the development of reliable technologies based on mechanochemical transformations cannot be separated from the understanding of the underlying mechanisms, their description and their control. To this aim, in this work we propose a kinetic model that relates macroscopic and microscopic scales while accounting for the statistical nature of the mechanical processing of powder. We discuss several specific case studies and develop the pertinent kinetic equations, showing how they can be used to best fit the experimental data and obtain insight into the microscopic features of mechanical activation.

26 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables, supporting information https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab110.-- Data availability: Sequences and data on specimens are available on GenBank and Bold databases, as specified in the main text, The current shift of fishery efforts towards the deep sea is raising concern about the vulnerability of deep-water sharks, which are often poorly studied and characterized by problematic taxonomy. For instance, in the Mediterranean Sea the taxonomy of genus Centrophorus has not been clearly unravelled yet. Since proper identification of the species is fundamental for their correct assessment and management, this study aims at clarifying the taxonomy of this genus in the Mediterranean Basin through an integrated taxonomic approach. We analysed a total of 281 gulper sharks (Centrophorus spp.) collected from various Mediterranean, Atlantic and Indian Ocean waters. Molecular data obtained from cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S ribosomal RNA (16S), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) and a portion of a nuclear 28S ribosomal DNA gene region (28S) have highlighted the presence of a unique mitochondrial clade in the Mediterranean Sea. The morphometric results confirmed these findings, supporting the presence of a unique and distinct morphological group comprising all Mediterranean individuals. The data strongly indicate the occurrence of a single Centrophorus species in the Mediterranean, ascribable to C. cf. uyato, and suggest the need for a revision of the systematics of the genus in the area, This research was partially funded by the University of Bologna through ‘RFO’ and ‘Canziani’ grants given to FT and AC and by the European Commission Directorate – General Fisheries in the framework of the MEDITS survey. RM and LC acknowledge the support for their research grants to funds granted by the Università degli Studi di Cagliari ‘UNICA-RICCAR_2013_CAU_02’ and Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca ‘PON AIM 1854833 - PON Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020 – Azione I.2 - D.D. n. 407, 27/02/2018 – Attraction and International Mobility’, respectivel, With the institutional support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)

Molecular rearrangements are a powerful tool for constructing complex structures in an atom- and step-economic manner, translating multistep transformations into an intrinsically more sustainable process. Mechanochemical molecular rearrangements become an even more appealing eco-friendly synthetic approach, especially for preparing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and natural products. Still in their infancy, rearrangements promoted by mechanochemistry represent a promising approach for chemists to merge molecular diversity and green chemistry perspectives toward more selective and efficient syntheses with a reduced environmental footprint.

Electrocrystallization of the bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF) organic donor in the presence of the [Fe(ClCNAn)3]3– tris(chlorocyananilato)ferrate(III) paramagnetic anion in different stoichiometric ratios and solvent mixtures afforded two different hybrid systems formulated as [BEDT-TTF]4[Fe(ClCNAn)3]·3H2O (1) and [BEDT-TTF]5[Fe(ClCNAn)3]2·2CH3CN (2) (An = anilato). Compounds 1 and 2 present unusual structures without the typical segregated organic and inorganic layers, where layers of 1 are formed by Λ and Δ enantiomers of the anionic paramagnetic complex together with mixed-valence BEDT-TTF tetramers, while layers of 2 are formed by Λ and Δ enantiomers of the paramagnetic complex together with dicationic BEDT-TTF dimers and monomers. Compounds 1 and 2 show semiconducting behaviors with room-temperature conductivities of ca. 6 × 10–3 S cm–1 (ambient pressure) and 1 × 10–3 S cm–1 (under applied pressure of 12.1 GPa), respectively, due to strong dimerization between the donors. Magnetic measurements performed on compound 1 indicate weak antiferromagnetic coupling between high-spin FeIII (SFe = 5/2) and mixed-valence radical cation diyads (BEDT-TTF)2+ (Srad = 1/2) mediated by the anilate ligands, together with an important Pauli paramagnetism typical for conducting systems., This work was supported in France by the CNRS, the University of Angers, the RFI Regional LUMOMAT project ASCO-MMM (grant to A.A.). The work in Italy was supported by the Fondazione di Sardegna-Convenzione triennale tra la Fondazione di Sardegna e gli Atenei Sardi, Regione Sardegna-L.R. 7/2007 annualità 2016-DGR 28/21 del 17.05.2015 “Innovative Molecular Functional Materials for Environmental and Biomedical Applicatons” (grant to S.A.S.) and INSTM. M.J.O. acknowledges support from the Ministerio Español de Ciencia e Innovación (Project CTQ2016-75068P) and Unidad de Excelencia María de Maeztu (Project MDM-2015-0538). Work at Bellaterra (Spain) was supported by the Spanish MICIU through Grant PGC2018-096955-B-C44 and the MINECO through the Severo Ochoa Centers of Excellence Program under Grant SEV-2015-0496 as well as by Generalitat de Catalunya (2017SGR1506).

Functional and phylogenetic diversity (FD and PD respectively) of the resident community are expected to exert a key role in community resistance to colonization by surrounding species, and their establishment success. However, few studies have explored this topic experimentally or evaluated the interactive effects of these diversity measures. We implemented a diversity experiment to disentangle the role of FD and PD by sowing mixtures of 6 species, drawn from a pool of 19 species naturally coexisting in central European mesic meadows. The mixtures were designed to cover four independent combinations of high and low FD and PD. Species covers were estimated in spring and late summer over two growing seasons. We then assessed the establishment success of colonizers as a function of their mean traits and phylogenetic distance to the resident (i.e. sown) communities, as well as the resistance of the resident communities to natural colonizers as a function of their functional and phylogenetic structure. Results generally indicated a temporal shift regarding which trait values made a colonizer successful, from an acquisitive strategy in early stages to a more conservative trait syndrome in later stages. FD decreased community resistance to natural colonization. However, PD tempered this effect: with high PD, FD was not significant, suggesting complementary information between these two components of biodiversity. On average, colonizing species were more functionally distant from the resident species in sown communities with high functional diversity, i.e. those that were more colonized. Synthesis. Our results confirm an interplay between FD and PD during community assembly processes, namely resistance to colonizers, suggesting that these two descriptors of biodiversity only partially overlap in their contribution to the overall ecological structure of a community. The hypothesis that higher FD increases resistance through a more complete use of resources was challenged. Results rather suggested that greater FD could provide an unsaturated functional trait space allowing functionally unique species to occupy it., The study was supported by Czech Science Foundation grant GA16‐15012S. C.P.C. was supported by a Marie Curie Intra‐European Fellowship within the European Commission 7th Framework Programme (TANDEM; project 626392) and the Estonian Research Council (project PSG293). E.V. was funded by the 2017 program for attracting and retaining talent of Comunidad de Madrid (no. 2017‐T2/AMB‐5406).

International audience

Discovered over a century ago, Beckmann rearrangement is still today fully compliant with all the green chemistry principles and consistent with the key aspects of sustainable development. Herein, ...

The discovery of superconductivity in the infinite-layer nickelates has opened new perspectives in the context of quantum materials. We analyze, via first-principles calculations, the electronic properties of La$_2$NiO$_3$F -- the first single-layer T'-type nickelate -- and compare these properties with those of related nickelates and isostructural cuprates. We find that La$_2$NiO$_3$F is essentially a single-band system with a Fermi surface dominated by the Ni-3$d_{x^2-y^2}$ states with an exceptional 2D character. In addition, the hopping ratio is similar to that of the highest $T_c$ cuprates and there is a remarkable $e_g$ splitting together with a charge transfer energy of 3.6~eV. According to these descriptors, along with a comparison to Nd$_2$CuO$_4$, we thus indicate single-layer T'-type nickelates of this class as very promising analogs of cuprate-like physics while keeping distinct Ni$^{1+}$ features., Comment: 5 + epsilon pages, 4 figures, 2 tables

International audience; The mechanochemical preparation of silver sulfadiazine and dantrolene, two marketed active pharmaceutical ingredients, was investigated by in situ Raman spectroscopy. For the first time, the mechanochemical transformations involving highly fluorescent compounds could be studied in situ with a high-resolution Raman system combined with a unique suitable Raman probe. Moreover, the kinetic features of the mechanochemical process were examined by a mathematical model allowing to describe the chemical changes under mechanical stress. This approach is promising both to broaden the scope of Raman in situ investigations that would otherwise be impossible and for process optimization at any scale.

A new series of 2-phenylbenzofuran derivatives were designed and synthesized to determine relevant structural features for the MAO inhibitory activity and selectivity. Methoxy substituents were introduced in the 2-phenyl ring, whereas the benzofuran moiety was not substituted or substituted at the positions 5 or 7 with a nitro group. Substitution patterns on both the phenyl ring and the benzofuran moiety determine the affinity for MAO-A or MAO-B. The 2-(3-methoxyphenyl)-5-nitrobenzofuran 9 was the most potent MAO-B inhibitor (IC = 0.024 µM) identified in this series, whereas 7-nitro-2-phenylbenzofuran 7 was the most potent MAO-A inhibitor (IC = 0.168 µM), both acting as reversible inhibitors. The number and position of the methoxyl groups on the 2-phenyl ring, have an important influence on the inhibitory activity. Molecular docking studies confirmed the experimental results and highlighted the importance of key residues in enzyme inhibition., The financial support (ED431G 2019/02) from the Xunta de Galicia (Centro singular de investigación de Galicia accreditation 2019-2022) and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund -ERDF), is gratefully acknowledged. The present work was partially supported by FIR (Fondo Integrativo per la Ricerca – annualit`a 2018) University of Cagliari. G. L. Delogu is grateful to R. Mascia (University of Cagliari) for his technical assistance. M.I.R.-F. thanks the financial support from Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (grant RTI2018-093955-B-C21) and General Council for Research and Innovation of the Community of Madrid / European Structural Funds (grant B2017/BMD-3827 - NRF24ADCM).

International audience; Nanosheets of two mixed linker (anilate/carboxylate)/YbIII-based two-dimensional (2D) layered coordination polymers (CPs) are herein reported. Bulky sized CPs, formulated as [Yb4(ClCNAn)5(DOBDC)1(DMSO)10]n·(DMSO)2 (1) and [Yb2(ClCNAn)2(F4BDC)(DMSO)6]n (2), are formed by two-dimensional neutral polymeric networks based on YbIII ions, heterosubstituted ClCNAn2– anilate, and dicarboxylate linkers (DOBDC2– in 1; F4BDC2– in 2): in 1, neighbor layers are eclipsed and form six-membered rings showing either hexagonal cavities, formed by ClCNAn2– and YbIII ions or rectangular cavities formed by ClCNAn2–, DOBDC2–, and YbIII while distorted square-like cavities formed by ClCNAn2–, F4BDC2–, and YbIII are obtained in 2. The 1 and 2 nanosheets, that is, 1-NS and 2-NS, are produced by exfoliation of bulk CPs by the well-known top-down approach and characterized by atomic force microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The 1-NS and 2-NS show thickness in the range of 1–5 nm, whereas the lateral dimensions are in the micrometer scale and the presence of well-defined lattice fringes, key evidence of their robustness. Remarkably the powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) patterns highlight that the crystallinity is retained at the nanoscale level. Nanosheets photophysics are investigated by an innovative Multiprobe Approach where lifetime, photoluminescence (PL) and integrated PL are simultaneously measured in order to study how these parameters can be affected by the presence of the different ligands. These advanced photophysical studies pave the way to challenging luminescent sensing applications and to contribute to the ongoing research on fabricating robust and crystalline hybrid (organic/inorganic) lanthanide sheetlike 2D nanomaterials.

α-Aminophosphonates are an important class of biologically active compounds, attracting considerable attention in medicinal chemistry, by inhibiting enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism. Herein, the Kabachnik–Fields domino reaction was investigated by mechanochemistry for the first-time preparation of α- aminophosphonate derivatives in high yields and with full selectivity, outperforming comparable solution procedures. The reaction occurs without the addition of any external catalyst, possibly via a metal-mediated process occurring on the surface of the jar (zirconium oxide was used as the milling media). The mechanism of the mechanochemical reaction was also investigated by in situ Raman spectroscopy, and the kinetic behavior was disclosed. The solid- state structures of two representative compounds have been determined by single- crystal X-ray diffraction.

Here we report on magneto-chiral dichroism (MChD) detected with visible light on the chiral Prussian Blue Analogue [MnII(X-pnH)(H2O)][CrIII(CN)6]·H2O (X = S, R; pn = 1,2-propanediamine). Single crystals suitable for magneto-optical measurements were grown starting from enantiopure chiral ligands. X-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements confirmed the 2D-layered structure of the material, its absolute configuration, and its ferrimagnetic ordered state below a critical temperature TC of 38 K. Absorption and MChD spectra were measured between 450 and 900 nm from room temperature down to 4 K. At 4 K the electronic spectrum features spin-allowed and spin-forbidden transitions of CrIII centers, spin-forbidden transitions of the MnII centers, and metal-to-metal charge transfer bands. The MChD spectra below the magnetic ordering temperature exhibit intense absolute configuration-dependent MChD signals. The temperature dependence of these signals closely follows the material magnetization. Under a magnetic fiel...

A new series of tridentate N-8-quinolyl-salicylaldimine ligands, Hqsal-5,7-X2 [X = Cl(1), Br(2), I(3)], halo-substituted at the 5,7 position of the aminoquinoline moiety and their corresponding complexes with FeIII were synthesized and formulated as [Fe(qsal-5,7-X2)(NCS)(MeO)]2·solv. (X = Cl (1a), Br (2a), I (3a, solv = 1/2MeOH), [Fe4(qsal-5,7-X2)4(NCS)2(MeO)2]·solv. (X = Br (2b), I (3b; solv = 4CH2Cl2)) by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. 1a and 2a are isostructural dimers where each FeIII metal ion, showing a distorted octahedral environment, is bound by a N,N,O tridentate (qsal-5,7-X2)− (X = Cl and Br) ligand, a N-coordinated SCN– anion, and a bridging methanolate anion. 2b and 3b are centrosymmetric tetramers where each FeIII is bound by three nitrogen atoms and three oxygen atoms derived from a tridentate (qsal-5,7-X2)− (X = Br and I), a SCN–, a bridging methanolate anion, and a bridging μ2-oxy moiety. In 3b, the iodine atoms dominate the packing interactions through the establishment of a ...

International audience

International audience; The preparation of hydantoin scaffolds using modern non-conventional activation methods is herein described. Special attention is devoted to the preparation of hydantoin-based Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) by mechanochemistry, highlighting its advantages compared to classical solution procedures, opening new perspectives in the sustainable preparation of useful scaffolds for the pharmaceutical industry.

This paper focuses on diplomacy by political exiles during the Classical Age. Although their agency has attracted some interest from modern scholars, recourse to diplomatic channels has been largely neglected. Yet political exiles often relied upon diplomacy to gain support and chances of reintegration at home. After an introduction where I include this topic in the broader issue of political exiles’ agency (§ I), I present three different ways in which political exiles made recourse to diplomacy (§ II) and I focus on two case studies— Epidamnos and Phlious— that explain how their discourse worked (§ III)., Cet article porte sur la diplomatie des exilés politiques à l'époque classique. Quoique leur activisme ait suscité un certain intérêt chez les chercheurs modernes, le recours à la voie diplomatique a été largement ignoré. Les exilés politiques ont fréquemment utilisé la diplomatie pour obtenir un soutien et des chances de réintégration dans leur pays. Après une introduction où je place ce sujet dans la question plus générale de l'activisme des exilés politiques (§ I), je présente trois manières différentes dont les exilés politiques utilisèrent la diplomatie (§ II), en me concentrant sur deux cas – Épidamne et Phlionte – qui expliquent le fonctionnement de leur discours (§ III)., Loddo Laura. Political Exiles and Their Use of Diplomacy in Classical Greece. In: Ktèma : civilisations de l'Orient, de la Grèce et de Rome antiques, N°44, 2019. pp. 7-21.

The synthesis, structural characterization, photophysical studies, and exfoliation of two-dimensional (2D) layered coordination polymers, formulated as {[Ln2(ClCNAn)3(DMF)6]·(DCM)x}n (Ln(III) = Yb(...

International audience; The present work focuses on the challenges that emerge inconnection with the kinetics of mechanically activated transformations. This isan important topics to comprehend to enable the full exploitation ofmechanical processing in a broad spectrum of areas related to chemistry andmaterials science and engineering. Emerging challenges involve a number offacets regarding materials and material properties, working principles of ballmills and milling conditions, and local changes occurring in series in processedmaterials. Within this context, it is highly desirable to relate the nature andrate of observed mechanochemical transformations to individual collisions andthen to the processes induced by mechanical stresses on the molecular scale.Hence, it is necessary to characterize the milling regimes that can establish inball mills regarding frequency and energy of collisions, map the relationshipbetween milling dynamics and transformation kinetics, and obtain mechanisticinformation through proper time-resolved investigations in situ. A few specific hints are provided in this respect.

International audience; The NW Mediterranean Sea is subjected to episodically intense events of dense shelf water cascading (DSWC) and open-ocean convection (OOC) that ventilate the seafloor and also have important consequences on organic matter inputs to the seabed and sediment dynamics. The influence of the massive physico-chemical disturbance driven by these events on deep-sea ecosystems is poorly known, and, to date, no information is available on the response of benthic foraminiferal assemblages. To provide insights on these gaps of knowledge, in April 2009 we investigated the foraminiferal faunas along the major axis of the Cap de Creus canyon (at 1000, 1900 and 2400 m depth) and at two additional stations located on the adjacent open slope (at 1000 and 1900 m). The area under scrutiny was hit by intense DSWC and OOC events in winters 2005 and 2006, and during winter 2009 an intense OOC event occurred, with detectable consequences observed at > 1500 m depth.We report here foraminiferal faunas characterized by low densities but relatively high levels of biodiversity at 1000-m depth stations. On the contrary, at the deeper depths, very high densities (associated with low organic matter contents) and strong dominance of the disaster species Usbekistania charoides were observed in the > 63 μm fraction.The comparison of our results - obtained immediately after an OOC event - to those previously described in spring 2004, before DSWC and OOC events, reveals the presence of largely different foraminiferal assemblages in the two periods. Based on a detailed analysis of the ecological traits of the faunas encountered in the two sampling periods, we suggest that either DSWC or OOC can have a role in shaping deep-sea foraminiferal faunas. Moreover, we contend that, at 1000 m depth, the composition of the foraminiferal assemblages in spring 2009 is suggestive of a resilient stage following the major DSWC events in 2005/2006, whereas the low evenness of faunas at ≥ 1900 m depth is, most likely, the result of the OOC event that occurred in winter 2009, a few months before our sampling.

Olfaction plays a dominant role in the mate-finding and host selection behaviors of the codling moth (Cydia pomonella), an important pest of apple, pear and walnut orchards. Antennal transcriptome analysis (Bengtsson et al. 2012, Walker et al. 2016) revealed a number of abundantly expressed genes related to the moth olfactory system, including those encoding the olfactory receptors (ORs) CpomOR1, CpomOR3 and CpomOR6a, which belong to the putative pheromone receptor (PR) lineage, and the co-receptor (CpomOrco). Using heterologous expression, in both human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells and in Drosophila olfactory sensory neurons, coupled with calcium imaging and electrophysiological recording, respectively, we characterize the basic physiological and pharmacological properties of these receptors and demonstrate that they form functional ionotropic receptor channels.

The increasing of the human population requires solutions for sustainable agricultural practices to preserve the environment. Appropriate “eco-friendly” fertilization protocols, applied in growth chambers or greenhouse, could maximize the crop yield avoiding the massive utilization of chemicals in agriculture. Soil microorganisms (i.e. mycorrhizae and rhizobacteria) could represent a promising solution enriching soil with beneficial compounds. At the same time, the choice of specific light quality regimens during growth also may be considered a suitable tool in improving crop production increasing photosynthesis. Some light wavelengths affect the formation of mycorrhizas in soils, promoting plant growth and physiological performance. This study aimed to asses if the modulation of light quality may influence the plants-microbe interaction, determining changes in physiological, morphological and biochemical traits in Spinacia oleracea L. plants. At this purpose, not-inoculated (NI) and inoculated (I) spinach seeds with a mix of fungi and rhizobacteria were grown in a climatic chamber under four different light quality treatments: white (W), Red (R, 100%), Red-Blue (RB, 60:40% Blue), Red-Green-Cyan (RGC, 60:20:20%) at light intensity of 350 mol photons m-2 s-1. Plant growth has been followed up to 100 days after sowing (DAS) and leaf functional traits, photosynthesis, pigments and bioactive compounds were measured. Light spectrum composition and biofertilizer influenced plant growth through a different morphology and biomass allocation. More specifically R and RGC induced a greater leaf area and stem elongation, while RB and biofertilizer promoted roots development. The combination light quality/biofertilization positively affects gas exchanges and determines significant changes in antioxidants. The results of this study may be considered encouraging in the planning of new fertilization protocols for the cultivation of crop species on a broad scale in the framework of sustainable agriculture.

In Mediterranean regions plants are often exposed to several environmental factors that limit their growth and productivity. The high air temperatures and the low soil water supply due to the summer drought are known as the primary constraints in affecting plant photosynthetic performance. In this study, we have compared the functional leaf traits and the photosynthetic performance of sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous species widely spread in the Mediterranean maquis of southern Italy. The results show that the evergreen sclerophyllous species (e.g. Pistacia lentiscus L. Phillyrea angustifolia L., Quercus ilex L.) and semideciduous species (e.g. Cistus incanus L., Cistus salvifolius L.) modulated the photosynthetic activity differently during the summer season and showed leaf structural properties linked to intrinsic plant capability to overcome the stress. More specifically, the evergreen sclerophyllous species showed higher photosynthetic rates (AN) and water use efficiency (WUE) compared to semi-deciduous species and have leaves characterised by higher mass per unit leaf area (LMA) and tissue density (LTD) as well as lower relative water content (RWC) and thickness (L) compared to semi-deciduous species, which exhibited the lowest carbon/nitrogen ratio. The difference in functional leaf traits among species significantly affected the photosynthetic behaviour in terms of light absorption and plant carbon balance: the sclerophyllous evergreens utilize the absorbed light more in photochemical processes, as indicated by higher rate of quantum yield of PSII electron transport (FPSII) and electron transport rate (ETR); the semideciduous species prevent the photoinhibitory damage risks dissipating the excess of light energy by non-radiative dissipation process as shown by higher values of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). The different photosynthetic regulation accomplished by changes in leaf structure guarantees the adaptive success of these species in their environment.