Fano varieties of cubic fourfolds containing a plane

We prove that the Fano variety of lines of a generic cubic fourfold containing a plane is isomorphic to a moduli space of twisted stable complexes on a K3 surface. On the other hand, we show that the Fano varieties are always birational to moduli spaces of twisted stable coherent sheaves on a K3 surface. The moduli spaces of complexes and of sheaves are related by wall-crossing in the derived category of twisted sheaves on the corresponding K3 surface.     

Dissipative terms of thermal nature in the theory of an ideal monoatomic superfluid

A dissipative model of helium II was built up in previous works, using a 13-field extended thermodynamic theory formulated by Liu and Müller. In this work a generalization of such model is presented, where an extended thermodynamics with 14 fields due to Kremer is used. It is shown that the fourteenth field is able to account for the experimental data concerning the second sound attenuation. Further, the proposed theory is able to explain the Osborne experiment. Finally, a comparison with the two-fluid model is performed, emphasizing the different ways in which the dissipative phenomena are explained by the two theories.     

Partial cerebral ischemia assessed by "in vivo" 31P NMR spectroscopy in rats.

31P NMR spectroscopy was used to assess the cerebral ischemia status in rats by measuring the relative levels of phosphate metabolites. Partial cerebral ischemia was induced in 49 rats by reversible occlusion of the carotid arteries. Rats were intubated and mechanically ventilated on a hypoxic gas mixture. Physiological parameters such as temperature and arterial pressure were strictly controlled during the experiments. 31P spectra were acquired at 7 T during basal observation, for 15-20 min after the induction of ischemia, and for 1 hr after reperfusion. Depletion and increase in PCr and Pi levels, respectively, were already observable in the collected spectra within few minutes after the onset of ischemia. No appreciable changes were found in the ATP levels.     

Protein unfolding and refolding under force: methodologies for nanomechanics.

An increasing number of inter- and intramolecular interactions can nowadays be probed using single-molecule manipulation techniques. Protein unfolding and refolding is the most representative--though complex--of these interactions. Herein, we review the main modes of performing a force unfolding experiment: the velocity clamp and the new force clamp mode. We also compare some of the physical aspects behind the two most frequently used single-molecule manipulation instrumentations: optical tweezers and atomic force microscopes.     

Ceria-Zirconia Nanostructured Materials for Catalytic Applications: Textural Characteristics and Redox Properties

Highly dispersed solid solutions of ceria-zirconia with nominal composition Ce_0.6Zr_0.4O₂ were prepared by sol-gel technique and the influence of the gel aging time (1 day–3 weeks) on the morphological and textural properties of the materials was investigated. The samples were calcined at 923 K for 8 h, then characterized by XRD, BET surface area and pore size measurements by gas adsorption and by mercury porosimetry. DTA, TEM and SEM analyses were also carried out. The aging of the gel seems to have a remarkable influence on the morphology of the materials, whose surface area and porosity increase by increasing aging time. The phase composition of the solid solutions of ceria-zirconia, as determined by XRD analysis, seems to be independent from the synthetic procedure; in any case a cubic phase (space group Fm-3m) was identified as the main component. XRD and TEM characterizations show the presence of highly dispersed crystallites, with diameters in the range 60–80 Å. The redox properties and hydrogen chemisorption capacity have been studied by TPR/TPD/TPO experiments. Oxygen storage capacity measurements were carried out by a pulse technique, to determine the overall reducibility of the solid, OSCC (Oxygen storage capacity complete). OBC (Oxygen buffering capacity) measurement were also performed to determine the ability of the ceria-zirconia oxides to attenuate fast oscillations (0.1 Hz) of oxygen partial pressure. The correlation between textural, structural and redox properties of the oxides is discussed.     

Analysis of glass fiber reinforced cement composites and their thermal and hygric material parameters

Methods of thermal analysis are employed in a study of the high-temperature properties of three different types of glass fiber reinforced cement composites together with the measurements of their thermal and hygric parameters. First, basic TG and DTG measurements are carried out to get the first insight into the high-temperature behavior of the analyzed materials. Then, mercury porosimetry and scanning electron microscopy of specimens subjected to the temperatures of 600 and 800°C are performed and compared to the reference specimens not exposed to any thermal load. Finally, measurements of thermal and hygric parameters of the studied materials are done and matched with the results of the material characterization experiments. Three main effects are found to influence the thermal and hygric properties of the analyzed materials. The first is the decomposition of the cement matrix, which is clearly a negative factor. The second is the positive effect of the presence of fibers that could partially keep the cement matrix together even after significant decomposition of cement hydration products. The third important factor affecting the thermal and hygric properties is the composition of the particular materials. The application of vermiculite aggregates instead of sand is found to be clearly positive because of its porous character leading to the bulk density decrease without worsening the other properties. Also, wollastonite aggregates are a better choice than sand because of its fibrous character that could partially magnify the effect of fiber reinforcement. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Quantitative Assessment of Ligand Substituent Effects on σ- and π-Contributions to Fe−N Bonds in Spin Crossover FeII Complexes

The effect of para-substituent X on the electronic structure of sixteen tridentate 4- X -(2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl))-pyridine ( bpp^X ) ligands and the corresponding solution spin crossover [Fe^II( bpp^X )₂]²⁺ complexes is analysed further, to supply quantitative insights into the effect of X on the σ-donor and π-acceptor character of the Fe- N_A (pyridine) bonds. EDA-NOCV on the sixteen LS complexes revealed that neither ΔE_orb,σ+π (R²=0.48) nor ΔE_orb,π (R²=0.31) correlated with the experimental solution T_1/2 values (which are expected to reflect the ligand field imposed on the iron centre), but that ΔE_orb,σ correlates well (R²=0.82) and implies that as X changes from EDG → EWG (Electron Donating to Withdrawing Group), the ligand becomes a better σ-donor. This counter-intuitive result was further probed by Mulliken analysis of the N_A atomic orbitals: N_A (p_x) involved in the Fe−N σ-bond vs. the perpendicular N_A (p_z) employed in the ligand aromatic π-system. As X changes EDG → EWG , the electron population on N_A (p_z) decreases, making it a better π-acceptor, whilst that in N_A (p_x) increases, making it a better σ-bond donor; both increase ligand field, and T_1/2 as observed. In 2016, Halcrow, Deeth and co-workers proposed an intuitively reasonable explanation of the effect of the para- X substituents on the T_1/2 values in this family of complexes, consistent with the calculated MO energy levels, that M→L π-backdonation dominates in these M−L bonds. Here the quantitative EDA-NOCV analysis of the M−L bond contributions provides a more complete, coherent and detailed picture of the relative impact of M−L σ-versus π-bonding in determining the observed T_1/2, refining the earlier interpretation and revealing the importance of the σ-bonding. Furthermore, our results are in perfect agreement with the ΔE(HS-LS) vs. σ_p⁺(X) correlation reported in their work.     

On-line identification of secondary metabolites in freshwater microalgae and cyanobacteria by combined liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection-mass spectrometric techniques

The analysis and identification of a wide range of secondary metabolites biosynthesized by different algal taxa and cyanobacteria has been performed through a selective and sensitive methodology, mainly based on reversed-phase HPLC coupled both to UV photodiode array detection and to atmospheric pressure mass spectrometric techniques (HPLC-DAD-APIMS). Results are reported here with special attention to the analyses carried out both on the natural phytoplankton (mixed populations) of Lake Tovel (Northern Italy, Brenta Dolomites) and on enclosure-produced biomass of the dinoflagellate Glenodinium sanguineum Marchesoni (1941). This analytical procedure might represent a powerful tool for the fast screening of the taxonomic composition (broad groups, e.g. divisions) of natural mixed populations of phytoplankton, by providing a reliable distribution of accessory pigments extracted from microalgae, such as carotenoids and chlorophyll derivatives. Furthermore, we showed that in the same chromatographic analysis other classes of natural products, such as galactolipids, alkaloids, sterols and mycosporine-like amino acids, can be detected by using combined optical and mass spectrometric techniques. These metabolites represent distinctive biochemical signatures, sometimes even at the species level.     

Modifications of the 1H NMR metabolite profile of processed mullet (Mugil cephalus) roes under different storage conditions

¹H NMR spectroscopy was employed to study the modifications over time of the water‐soluble low molecular weight metabolites extracted from samples of salted and dried mullet (Mugil cephalus) roes (mullet bottarga) stored at different conditions. Samples of grated mullet bottarga were stored for 7 months at ?20 °C, at 3 °C, and at room temperature in the presence and in the absence of light and then timely extracted and analyzed by NMR. Principal component multivariate data analysis applied to the spectral data indicated that samples stored at ?20 °C maintained similar features over time whereas, along PC1, samples stored at room temperature in the presence and in the absence of light showed, over time, marked metabolite modifications. The comparative analysis of the integrated areas of the selected regions of the ¹H NMR spectra indicated that the major compositional changes due to storage conditions were (i) the increase of the derivatives of the breakdown of phosphatidylcholine (choline, phosphorylcholine, and glycerol), (ii) the breakdown of nucleosides, (iii) the decrease of methionine, tryptophan, and tyrosine, and (iv) the cyclization of creatine. These changes were observed at different storage conditions, with more pronounced trends in the samples stored at room temperature. The role of metabolites in food aging is discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Some remarks on a theorem on sets with connected sections

In this paper we give a complete answer to a question which naturally arises in comparing classical results of F. E. Browder and K. Fan on sets with convex sections with a recent result of B. Ricceri on sets with connected sections.