Territories,corridors, and networks: A biological model for the premodern state

When depicted on maps as homogenous territorial wholes, ancient states are visually summarized as static entities in a way that conceals the highly fluid dynamics of polity formation, maintenance, and growth. Models derived from studies of animal behavior show that “territory” does not consist of an undifferentiated use of the landscape. Instead, the concept of territory can be parsed into a series of resource‐rich nodes linked by corridors of access, surrounded by unutilized regions and boundaries marked at points of competition. Ancient human groups also can be analyzed as having perceived and occupied landscapes through strategies of flexible networks in which nodes and corridors were surrounded by unutilized spaces around which boundaries were selectively identified and defended. This strategy is identifiable in human social groups at different levels of complexity ranging from hunter‐gatherers through ancient chiefdoms and states. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 12: 28–35, 2007     

The electrochemical reduction of perezone in the presence of benzoic acid in acetonitrile

An electrochemical study using transient techniques of a quinone-type natural product, perezone, has been performed in acetonitrile and in the presence of benzoic acid. Using linear sweep voltametry and single potential step chronoamperometry, it was possible to establish that the reduction mechanism of perezone involves a monoelectronic charge-transfer step, followed by a protonation step and homogeneous charge transfer due to disproportionation of the protonated intermediate. The mechanism for the homogeneous charge-transfer step was found to be of the type DISP1 (disproportionation order one) from the results of double potential step chronoamperometry experiments. The occurrence of the DISP1 mechanism was provoked by the mildly acidic medium used in this study.     

L-shell X-ray production cross section measured by heavy ion impact on selected rare earth elements

The production cross sections of L-shell X-ray of some rare earth elements have been measured by collision of ¹²C⁴⁺ and ¹⁶O⁴⁺ ions of 0.5 to 0.75 MeV/amu. The results were compared with experimental data of other authors and with theoretical predictions gained by the ECPSSR and ECPSSR plus multiple ionization (ECPSSR+MI) models. For atomic parameters (fluorescence yields and probabilities for Coster-Kronig transitions) the role of several databases were studied. The ECPSSR theory underestimates cross sections when compared with experimental results obtained in the present work, but ECPSSR+MI has a better agreement with the experimental data. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

α-Fe2O3-In2O3 mixed oxide nanoparticles synthesized under hydrothermal supercritical conditions

α-Fe₂O₃-In₂O₃ mixed oxide nanoparticles system has been synthesized by hydrothermal supercritical and postannealing route, starting with (1−x)Fe(NO₃)₃·9H₂O·xIn(NO₃)₃·5H₂O aqueous solution (x=0-1). X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy have been used to study the phase structure and substitutions in the nanosized samples. The concentration regions for the existence of the solid solutions in the α-Fe₂O₃-In₂O₃ nanoparticle system together with the solubility limits of In³⁺ ions in the hematite lattice and of Fe³⁺ ions in the cubic In₂O₃ structure have been evidenced. In general, the substitution level is considerably lower than the nominal concentration x. A justification of the processes leading to the formation of iron and indium phases in the investigated supercritical hydrothermal system has been given.     

Solvent-dependent host–guest complexation of two homologous merocyanines by a water-soluble calix[8]arene: Spectroscopic analysis and structural calculations

The sulfonated calixarene I₈C₁₂ acts as a host for homologous merocyanines Mc1 and Mc2 in organic solvents, exhibiting neither selectivity towards the guest dyes nor solvent dependence of the complexation equilibria. In water, on the contrary, only the lower homologue, Mc1, is solubilized in the presence of the calixarene. A combination of UV–visible and fluorescence spectroscopic and photophysical analysis and MD structural simulation of the calixarene-dye complexes was employed to account for the observations, and suggests that a radical change in the complexation mode occurs upon moving from an organic to an aqueous environment.     

Lithiation and electrophilic substitution of 8-chlorodibenz[b,f][1,4]-oxazepine-10-tert-butylcarbamate: The preparation of novel fused heterocyclic derivatives of 8-chlorodibenzoxazepine

Lithiation of 8-chlorodibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepine-10-tert-butylcarbamate ( 1 ) is described. Electrophilic substitution of the resulting N-Boc dibenzoxazepine α- lithioamine 2 with ketones, aldehydes, nitriles, iso-cyanates and imines, followed by an in-situ cyclization, gave fused carbamates 5–26 , fused 2H-imidazol-2-ones 27–29 , fused hydantoins 30–32 , and fused ureas 33–35 , respectively, in 11–66% yield.     

Thermal decomposition and indirect structural determination of rare earth element picrates with the dtso ligand

The complexes [Ln(pic)₃(DTSO)₃] (Ln=La, Lu and Y; pic=picrate; DTSO=1,3-dithiane-1-oxide) were synthesized and characterized. Indirect structural determination by far infrared spectroscopy is presented. Results from thermal decomposition of these complexes by TG/DTG and DSC techniques are reported. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.