"Changing Times: a Post-Indyref view from Italy"

I was commissioned to write this article, as part of a special issue of SSL devoted to European and world perspectives on the possible impact of the 2014 Scottish referendum on independence on the development of the academic field of Scottish studies. My article sets the referendum against Italian political expectations and ideals, and briefly reconstructs both the popular and academic responses to the possibility of an independent Scotland in the course of 2014. It also explores and questions a (too) close bond between contingent political agendas and the definition of an inter/national field of studies

Transmutation in 90SrF2: A density functional theory study of phase stability in ZrF2

The stability of multiple possible phases of ZrF2 is computed using density-functional theory. Motivated by radioactive samples of fluorite 90SrF2 stored at the Hanford site, we consider β− radioactive decay as the route by which the 90ZrF2 is generated. To find suitable structures for the ZrF2 compound two methodologies are used. The first follows imaginary phonon modes from the fluorite ZrF2 while the second employs random structure searching. Six possible ZrF2 phases are identified; however, none of the structures resemble the lone experimentally reported orthorhombic structure for ZrF2. Although we predict these phases to be less stable (~0.3 eV/f.u.) than a phase-decomposed mixture of β-ZrF4 and Zr metal, they still may be relevant due to the kinetics of formation via radioactive decay and raise questions as to the nature of the ZrF2 structure and the state of the samples at Hanford

Integrated Application of Active Controls (IAAC) technology to an advanced subsonic transpot project-demonstration act system definition

The 1985 ACT airplane is the Final Active Controls Technology (ACT) Airplane with the addition of three-axis fly by wire. Thus it retains all the efficiency features of the full ACT system plus the weight and cost savings accruing from deletion of the mechanical control system. The control system implements the full IAAC spectrum of active controls except flutter-mode control, judged essentially nonbeneficial, and incorporates new control surfaces called flaperons to make the most of wing-load alleviation. This redundant electronic system is conservatively designed to preserve the extreme reliability required of crucial short-period pitch augmentation, which provides more than half of the fuel savings

uncertainty analysis of cell counting by metabolic assays

Cell counting is a fundamental procedure in living cell culture-based experiments and protocols in which the cell number quantification is required. The number of cells is one of the parameters necessary to investigate several cell culture features requiring to be monitored as function of time, such as cell viability, proliferation, growth, fitness and metabolism. Aim of this paper is contributing to declare a comprehensive uncertainty budget for cell counting through metabolic assays according to the EURACHEM/CITAC Guide Quantifying Uncertainty in Analytical Measurement

Long-term mannitol-induced osmotic stress leads to stomatal closure, carbohydrate accumulation and changes in leaf elasticity in Phaselous vulgaris leaves

The effect of long-term osmotic stress was investigated in leaves of two common bean lines, with contrasting tolerance: Flamingo (tolerant) and coco blanc (sensitive). Water relations, organic solute, ion accumulation and amino acids content as well as osmotic adjustment (OA) were studied during an extended exposure to osmotic stress. Osmotic stress was applied by means of 50 mM mannitol for 15 days. At the end of the stress period, both osmotic potential at full turgor (Ψ100) and at turgor loss point (Ψ0) decreased significantly in stressed plants compared with the control. The decrease being greater in the sensitive line, showed a greater OA compared with flamingo. Sugars contents increased in stressed plants and seem to be the major components of osmotic adjustment in stressed common bean leaves. The increase was more marked in coco blanc. Osmotic stress tolerance could thus not be associated with higher OA. The possible role of decreased leaf cell elasticity (εmax) is discussed in relation to osmotic stress tolerance in this species.Key words: Common bean, carbohydrate accumulation, growth, osmotic stress, osmotic adjustment, P-V curve, water relations