1,092 research outputs found

    The gravity field of the Tucuman plain and its implications in structural geology

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    Le résultat de la prospection gravimétrique de la plaine de Tucuman montre une fosse ayant plus de 3000 mètres de sédiments. Cette fosse est intéressante pour la prospection des hydrocarbures et l'examen géothermique. (Résumé d'auteur

    A single-crystal neutron diffraction study of wardite, NaAl3(PO4)2(OH)4·2H2O

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    The crystal structure and crystal chemistry of wardite, ideally NaAl3(PO4)2(OH)4\ub72H2O, was investigated by single-crystal neutron diffraction (data collected at 20 K) and electron microprobe analysis in wavelength-dispersive mode. The empirical formula of the sample used in this study is: (Na0.91Ca0.01)\u3a3 = 0.92(Al2.97Fe3+0.05Ti0.01)\u3a3 = 3.03(P2.10O8)(OH)4\ub71.74H2O. The neutron diffraction data confirm that the crystal structure of wardite can be described with a tetragonal symmetry (space group P41212, a = b = 7.0577(5) and c = 19.0559(5) \uc5 at 20 K) and consists of sheets made of edge-sharing Na-polyhedra and Al-octahedra along with vertex-sharing Al-octahedra, parallel to (001), connected by P-tetrahedra and H bonds to form a (001) layer-type structure, which well explains the pronounced {001} cleavage of the wardite crystals. The present data show that four crystallographically independent H sites occur in the structure of wardite, two belonging to a H2O molecule (i.e., H1\u2013O6\u2013H2) and two forming hydroxyl groups (i.e., O5\u2013H3 and O7\u2013H4). The location of the hydrogen atoms allows us to define the extensive network of H bonds: the H atoms belonging to the H2O molecule form strong H bonds, whereas both the H atoms belonging to the two independent hydroxyl groups form weak interactions with bifurcated bonding schemes. As shown by the root-mean-square components of the displacement ellipsoids, oxygen and hydrogen atoms have slightly larger anisotropic displacement parameters compared to the other sites (populated by P, Al and Na). The maximum ratio of the max and min root-mean-square components of the displacement ellipsoids is observed for the protons of the hydroxyl groups, which experience bifurcated H-bonding schemes. A comparative analysis of the crystal structure of wardite and fluorowardite is also provided

    Olive classification according to external damage using image analysis.

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    The external appearance of an olive’s skin is the most decisive factor in determining its quality as a fruit. This work tries to establish a hierarchical model based on the features extracted from images of olives reflecting their external defects. Seven commercial categories of olives, established by product experts, were used: undamaged olives, mussel-scale or ‘serpeta’, hail-damaged or ‘granizo’, mill or ‘rehús’, wrinkled olive or ‘agostado’, purple olive and undefined-damage or ‘molestado’. The original images were processed using segmentation, colour parameters and morphological features of the defects and the whole fruits. The application of three consecutive discriminant analyses resulted in the correct classification of 97% and 75% of olives during calibration and validation, respectively. However the correct classification percentages vary greatly depending on the categories, ranging 80–100% during calibration and 38– 100% during validation

    Crystal chemistry and temperature behavior of the natural hydrous borate colemanite, a mineral commodity of boron

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    Colemanite, CaB3O4(OH)3*H2O, is the most common hydrous Ca-borate, as well as a major mineral commodity of boron. In this study, we report a thorough chemical analysis and the low-temperature behavior of a natural sample of colemanite by means of a multi-methodological approach. From the chemical point of view, the investigated sample resulted to be relatively pure, its composition being very close to the ideal one, with only a minor substitution of Sr2+for Ca2+. At about 270.5 K, a displacive phase transition from the centrosymmetric P21/a to the acentric P21 space group occurs. On the basis of in situ single-crystal synchrotron X-ray (down to 104 K) and neutron diffraction (at 20 K) data, the hydrogen-bonding configuration of both the polymorphs and the structural modifications at the atomic scale at varying temperatures are described. The asymmetric distribution of ionic charges along the [010] axis, allowed by the loss of the inversion center, is likely responsible for the reported ferroelectric behavior of colemanite below the phase transition temperature

    Defining the origins of multiple emission/excitation in rhenium-bisthiazole complexes

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    The underlying mechanism of the unusual emissive behavior of [Re(CO) 3 -1,1-bis-4-thiazole-(1,4)-diaminobutane)] bromide (4-BT) has been investigated. Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of structurally similar isomers ([Re(CO) 3 -1,1-bis-2-thiazole-(1,4)-diaminobutane)] bromide (2-BT)) and the location of triplet states, solid state and low temperature spectroscopic measurements, and DFT calculations show that the photophysical properties are not due to photoisomerization as previously hypothesized. The results show that the unusual emissive behavior is not observed in structural isomers, is specific to the previously reported complex, 4-BT, and may arise from vibrational energy relaxation and vibrational cooling. Translation of the unusual emissive behavior to the solid state offers an interesting platform allowing this complex to be potentially utilized as a probe, sensor or photonic device

    Riemannian submersions from almost contact metric manifolds

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    In this paper we obtain the structure equation of a contact-complex Riemannian submersion and give some applications of this equation in the study of almost cosymplectic manifolds with Kaehler fibres.Comment: Abh. Math. Semin. Univ. Hamb., to appea

    Novel effect of nefopam preventing cGMP increase, oxygen radical formation and neuronal death induced by veratridine

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    Nefopam hydrochloride is a potent analgesic compound that possesses a profile distinct from that of opiods or anti-inflammatory drugs. Previous evidence suggested a central action of nefopam but the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. Here we have used cultured cerebellar neurons to test the hypothesis that nefopam may modulate voltage sensitive sodium channel (VSSC) activity. Nefopam (100 microM) effectively prevented NMDA receptor-mediated early appearance (30 min) of toxicity signs induced by the VSSC activator veratridine. Delayed neurotoxicity by veratridine occurring independently from NMDA receptor activation, was also prevented by nefopam. In contrast, excitotoxicity following direct exposure of neurons to glutamate was not affected. Neuroprotection by nefopam was dose-dependent. 50% protection was obtained at 57 microM while full neuroprotection was achieved at 75 microM nefopam. Veratridine-induced sodium influx was completely abolished in nefopam-treated neurons. Intracellular cGMP and oxygen radical formation following VSSC stimulation by veratridine were also effectively prevented by nefopam. Our data are consistent with an inhibitory action of nefopam on VSSC and suggest that nefopam may modulate the release of endogenous glutamate following activation of these channels. This novel action of nefopam may be of great interest for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders involving excessive glutamate release and neurotransmission

    HPV-negative Penile Intraepithelial Neoplasia (PeIN) With Basaloid Features.

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    Most human papillomavirus (HPV)-independent penile squamous cell carcinomas (PSCCs) originate from an intraepithelial precursor called differentiated penile intraepithelial neoplasia, characterized by atypia limited to the basal layer with marked superficial maturation. Previous studies in vulvar cancer, which has a similar dual etiopathogenesis, have shown that about one fifth of HPV-independent precursors are morphologically indistinguishable from high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs), the precursor of HPV-asssociated carcinomas. However, such lesions have not been described in PSCC. From 2000 to 2021, 55 surgical specimens of PSCC were identified. In all cases, thorough morphologic evaluation, HPV DNA detection, and p16, p53, and Ki-67 immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed. HPV-independent status was assigned based on both negative results for p16 IHC and HPV DNA. Thirty-six of the 55 PSCC (65%) were HPV-independent. An intraepithelial precursor was identified in 26/36 cases (72%). Five of them (19%) had basaloid features, morphologically indistinguishable from HPV-associated HSIL. The median age of the 5 patients was 74 years (range: 67 to 83 y). All 5 cases were p16 and DNA HPV-negative. Immunohistochemically, 3 cases showed an abnormal p53 pattern, and 2 showed wild-type p53 staining. The associated invasive carcinoma was basaloid in 4 cases and the usual (keratinizing) type in 1. In conclusion, a small proportion of HPV-independent PSCC may arise on adjacent intraepithelial lesions morphologically identical to HPV-associated HSIL. This unusual histologic pattern has not been previously characterized in detail in PSCC. p16 IHC is a valuable tool to identify these lesions and differentiate them from HPV-associated HSIL
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