Combination of GC-MS Molecular Networking and Larvicidal Effect against Aedes aegypti for the Discovery of Bioactive Substances in Commercial Essential Oils

Dengue is a neglected disease, present mainly in tropical countries, with more than 5.2 million cases reported in 2019. Vector control remains the most effective protective measure against dengue and other arboviruses. Synthetic insecticides based on organophosphates, pyrethroids, carbamates, neonicotinoids and oxadiazines are unattractive due to their high degree of toxicity to humans, animals and the environment. Conversely, natural-product-based larvicides/insecticides, such as essential oils, present high efficiency, low environmental toxicity and can be easily scaled up for industrial processes. However, essential oils are highly complex and require modern analytical and computational approaches to streamline the identification of bioactive substances. This study combined the GC-MS spectral similarity network approach with larvicidal assays as a new strategy for the discovery of potential bioactive substances in complex biological samples, enabling the systematic and simultaneous annotation of substances in 20 essential oils through LC₅₀ larvicidal assays. This strategy allowed rapid intuitive discovery of distribution patterns between families and metabolic classes in clusters, and the prediction of larvicidal properties of acyclic monoterpene derivatives, including citral, neral, citronellal and citronellol, and their acetate forms (LC₅₀ < 50 µg/mL).     

Two-step excitation of Rb atoms on He nanodroplets

We present the first sequential laser excitation of atom-doped helium nanodroplets. Rubidium atoms on the surface of helium nanodroplets are selectively excited with a continuous wave laser to the 5²P_1/2 state so as not to desorb from the nanodroplets. From there they are excited by a laser pulse to the 5²D state; a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectrum is recorded by monitoring the 6²P ?\rightarrow 5²S_1/2 emission. The LIF spectrum differs from that of the two-photon one-color direct excitation spectrum 5²D ?\leftarrow 5²S_1/2, indicating that the system does relax vibrationally during the lifetime of the 5²P_1/2 state. To model the LIF spectra we use calculated energy levels of the Rb atom as a function of its distance R from the center of the helium nanodroplet. The Franck-Condon factors of the resulting potential energy curves agree with the experimental spectra. In the future the 5²P_1/2 state can be used as a springboard to reach high-lying ²S and ²D states, and possibly create an artificial super-atom.     

A brill - noether theory for<Emphasis Type="Italic">κ</Emphasis>-gonal nodal curves

LetV(g, x, k, y) be the set of all pairs (X, F), whereX is an integral projective nodal curve withp _a(X)=g and card(Sing(X))=x andF is a rank 1 torsion free sheaf onX with deg(F)=k, card(Sing(F))=y andh ⁰(X, F)≥2. Here we study a general (X, F) εV(g, x, k, y) and in particular the Brill-Noether theory ofX and the scrollar invariants ofF.     

ACM vector bundles on scrolls

Here we show that certain low rank ACM vector bundles on scrolls over smooth curves are iterated extensions of line bundles. Partially supported by MIUR and GNSAGA of INDAM (Italy)     

On the symmetric products of a curve

Both authors are supported by MURST and CNR of Italy.     

Weighted composition operators and locally convex algebras

The Gleason-Kahane-Zelazko theorem characterizes the continuous homo-morphism of an associative, locally multiplicatively convex, sequentially complete algebra A into the field C among all linear forms on A. This characterization will be applied along two different directions. In the case in which A is a commutative Banach algebra, the theorem yields the representation of some classes of continuous linear maps A:A→A as weighted composition operators, or as composition operators when A is a continuous algebra endomorphism. The theorem will then be applied to explore the behaviour of continuous linear forms on quasi-regular elements, when A is either the algebra of all Hilbert-Schmidt operators or a Hilbert algebra.     

Prototype design of a translating parallel robot

The paper describes the mechanical design of a parallel manipulator for motions of pure translation, whose kinematic analysis has shown very good performances such as a large workspace and small overall dimensions of the mobile platform; in particular, the “Cartesian” structure of the machine allowed to obtain constant accuracy and kinematic properties throughout the workspace. The structural design has minimized the mass of the moving links and, by the combined use of FEM and multibody codes, allowed to take into consideration the high stresses coming from inertial forces and to evaluate a-priori the resulting dynamic properties. A physical prototype has just been built in order to validate the developed models and assess the actual robot performances in real operating conditions. The present research has been partially co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Research and University and by the Polytechnic University of Marche under PRIN03 project “Design and prototyping of application-oriented mini-PKM”.     

Kineto-elasto-static synthesis of a 3-<Emphasis Type="Underline">C</Emphasis>RU spherical wrist for miniaturized assembly tasks

The article presents the preliminary studies for the prototyping of a spherical parallel robot for miniaturized assembly applications. The closed-form solution of robot’s kinematics allowed to optimize its (rotation) workspace by taking into account all singularity surfaces and the maximum strokes of the linear actuators. Then, in view of flexures design, the maximum rotations of the passive joints have been calculated and finally the design of the legs and of the whole robot has been carried out by means of a FEM software, with due regard to the non-linearities arising from large displacements.