Nuclear techniques applied to provenance and technological studies of Renaissance majolica roundels from Portuguese museums attributed to della Robbia Italian workshop

Artistic and historical examination of high-quality glazed terracotta sculptures displayed in various Portuguese museums point to their production in della Robbia workshop of Florence (Italy). A multitechnique analytical approach is applied for the first time to these sculptures, aiming to confirm their origin. Materials were analyzed using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis, Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis and X-ray Diffraction. The compositional results are similar to other della Robbia sculptures, suggesting a common origin for the raw material that was identified as carbonate rich marine origin marly clay. The applied firing temperatures was proved to be around 900 °C. The differences found within each sculpture are explained by the production technique of assembling separate parts to produce these huge sculptures, and the clay pit heterogeneity.     

New functional model complexes of intradiol-cleaving catechol dioxygenases: properties and reactivity of CuII(L)(O2Ncat)

Complexes Cu(O2Ncat)(tbeda) (1) and Cu(O2Ncat)(tmeda) (2) (tbeda = N,N,N',N'-tetrabenzylethylenediamine, tmeda=N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenenediamine, O2NcatH2=4-nitrocatechol) have been prepared by the reaction of copper(II) perchlorate with 4-nitrocatechol in the presence of triethylamine and the appropriate bidentate ligand. These compounds represent structural and functional model systems for the copper-containing catechol 1,2-dioxygenase. Both complexes have been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography and by UV-vis, IR, and EPR spectroscopies. Upon protonation of 1 and 2 with perchloric acid, the bidentate coordination of O2Ncat could be reversible converted to the monodentate coordination of O2NcatH. The equilibrium constants were found to be 4200 and 3500, respectively, by measuring the UV-vis spectra in DMF. Back-titration with morpholine proved the reversibility of both reactions. Kinetic data on the oxygenation of 1 and 2 revealed overall second-order rate equations with kinetic parameters: ktbeda=(4.63+/-0.23)x10(-2) mol-1 dm3 s-1, DeltaH=51+/-6 kJ mol-1, DeltaS=-137+/-16 J mol-1 K-1; ktmeda=(0.89+/-0.23) mol-1 dm3 s-1, DeltaH=85+/-7 kJ mol-1, DeltaS=-57+/-19 J mol-1 K-1 at 365.16 K. Oxygenation of 1, 2, and [Cu(O2NcatH)(L)]ClO4 (L=tbeda, tmeda) in DMF solution at ambient conditions gives the corresponding intradiol ring-cleaved (2-nitro-muconato)copper(II) complexes. These data support the assumption that the reaction of the differently coordinated catecholate ligand with dioxygen shows only 1,2-dioxygenase activity.     

Somato-dendritic morphology and dendritic signal transfer properties differentiate between fore- and hindlimb innervating motoneurons in the frog Rana esculenta

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The location specific motor pattern generation properties of the spinal cord along its rostrocaudal axis have been demonstrated. However, it is still unclear that these differences are due to the different spinal interneuronal networks underlying locomotions or there are also segmental differences in motoneurons innervating different limbs. Frogs use their fore- and hindlimbs differently during jumping and swimming. Therefore we hypothesized that limb innervating motoneurons, located in the cervical and lumbar spinal cord, are different in their morphology and dendritic signal transfer properties. The test of this hypothesis what we report here. RESULTS: Discriminant analysis classified segmental origin of the intracellularly labeled and threedimensionally reconstructed motoneurons 100% correctly based on twelve morphological variables. Somata of lumbar motoneurons were rounder; the dendrites had bigger total length, more branches with higher branching orders and different spatial distributions of branch points. The ventro-medial extent of cervical dendrites was bigger than in lumbar motoneurons. Computational models of the motoneurons showed that dendritic signal transfer properties were also different in the two groups of motoneurons. Whether log attenuations were higher or lower in cervical than in lumbar motoneurons depended on the proximity of dendritic input to the soma. To investigate dendritic voltage and current transfer properties imposed by dendritic architecture rather than by neuronal size we used standardized distributions of transfer variables. We introduced a novel combination of cluster analysis and homogeneity indexes to quantify segmental segregation tendencies of motoneurons based on their dendritic transfer properties. A segregation tendency of cervical and lumbar motoneurons was detected by the rates of steady-state and transient voltageamplitude transfers from dendrites to soma at all levels of synaptic background activities, modeled by varying the specific dendritic membrane resistance. On the other hand no segregation was observed by the steady-state current transfer except under high background activity. CONCLUSIONS: We found size-dependent and size-independent differences in morphology and electrical structure of the limb moving motoneurons based on their spinal segmental location in frogs. Location specificity of locomotor networks is therefore partly due to segmental differences in motoneurons driving fore-, and hindlimbs.     

High-energy detector calibration data for k 0-neutron activation analysis

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - In k 0-neutron activation analysis, HPGe detectors have to be calibrated up to about 3.1 MeV, in order to properly determine the Na, Ca...     

Stable assignment with couples: Parameterized complexity and local search

We study the Hospitals/Residents with Couples problem, a variant of the classical Stable Marriage problem. This is the extension of the Hospitals/Residents problem where residents are allowed to form pairs and submit joint rankings over hospitals. We use the framework of parameterized complexity, considering the number of couples as a parameter. We also apply a local search approach, and examine the possibilities for giving FPT algorithms applicable in this context. Furthermore, we also investigate the matching problem containing couples that is the simplified version of the Hospitals/Residents with Couples problem modeling the case when no preferences are given.     

A Simple Method for the Synthesis of Acylated Pyranoid Glycals Under Aprotic Conditions

Abstract

Per-O-acylated glycals³ (1,4- or 1,5-anhydro-2-deoxyald-1-enitols, e. g., 9) represent one of the most useful types of carbohydrate derivatives available for various syntheses. The classical method⁴ for their preparation is the reaction of acetobromo sugars (e. g., 2) with zinc dust in aqueous acetic acid, but the yields are variable and solvolysis products, among others, are formed in side reactions.⁵     

Determination of glyphosate in water samples by multi-pumping flow system coupled to a liquid waveguide capillary cell

A simple screening method was developed for the determination of glyphosate in water samples using a multi-pumping flow system. The proposed method is based on the reaction between glyphosate and p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (p-DAC), in an acid medium where the reaction product can be measured spectrophotometrically at λ(max) = 495 nm. An experimental design methodology was used to optimize the measurement conditions. The proposed method was applied to the determination of glyphosate in water samples in a concentration range from 0.5 to 10 μg mL(-1). The limit of detection and quantification were 0.17 and 0.53 μg mL(-1), respectively. The results obtained (88.5 to 104.5%) in recovery studies for the determination of glyphosate in different water samples indicated good accuracy and no matrix effect for the developed method. Samples were also analyzed by a confirmatory HPLC method, and agreement within the two set of results was found.     

Methanol in its own gravy. A PCM study for simulation of vibrational spectra

For studying both hydrogen bond and dipole-dipole interactions between methanol molecules (self-association) the geometry of clusters of increasing numbers of methanol molecules (n = 1,2,3) were optimized and also their vibrational frequencies were calculated with quantum chemical methods. Beside these B3LYP/6-311G** calculations, PCM calculations were also done for all systems with PCM at the same quantum chemical method and basis set, for considering the effect of the liquid continuum on the cluster properties. Comparing the results, the measured and calculated infrared spectra are in good accordance.     

Spectrophotometric determination of zinc and copper in a multi-syringe flow injection analysis system using a liquid waveguide capillary cell: application to natural waters

This work exploits a multi-syringe injection analysis (MSFIA) system coupled with a long liquid waveguide capillary cell for the spectrophotometric determination of zinc and copper in waters. A liquid waveguide capillary cell (1.0 m pathlength, 550 μm i.d. and 250 μL internal volume) was used to enhance the sensitivity of the detection. The determination for both ions is based on a colorimetric reaction with zincon at different pH values. The developed methodology compares favourably with other previously described procedures, as it allows to reach low detection limits for both cations (LODs of 0.1 and 2 μg L⁻¹, for copper and zinc, respectively), without the need for any pre-concentration step. The system also provided a linear response up to 100 μg L⁻¹ with a high throughput (43 h⁻¹) and low reagent consumption and effluent production. The developed work was applied to natural waters and three certified reference water samples.     

Mono and Bisphosphonates from Perfluoro Olefins and Polyfunctional Fluoro Ketones. Syntheses,Molecular Structure and Derivatives

Perfluoroalkenyl phosphonates were formed along with Me₃SiF using CF₃CF=CF₂, CF₃CH=CF₂, F₅SCF=CF₂ or F₅SCH=CF₂ and silylated phosphites, (R¹O)₂POSiMe₃ (R¹=Et, SiMe₃). This straightforward method could be extended to perfluorobutadienes CF₂=C(R^F)C(R^F)=CF₂ (R^F F=F, CF₃). The formation of CF₃C(=O)P(=O)(OSiMe₃)₂ and further reactions to yield bisphosphonates will be described. Acetylphosphonates, R²C(=O)P(=O)(OSiMe₃)₂ (R²=CH₃, CF₃) reacted with the ketimine, CH₃C(=NiPr)Ph to give α-hydroxy-γ-imino phosphonates. Trifluoroacetylphenol and 2,6-bis(trifluoracetyl)-4-methyl-phenol have been proven to be versatile precursors for α-and γ-hydroxy phosphonates. Intermediates in these reactions were found to be cyclic λ⁵σ⁵P species.