Gansu Studio: 'Plug-in' school unit for rural China

Gansú ‘Plug-in’ Studio was a community outreach project based in China developed over a course of 2 years (2014-2016). It proposed a complementary approach of education to improve quality of learning in primary schools in rural areas. The premise for the work was to engage higher education institutions such as UNNC and primary education institutions, such as HEPAN, by exchange of resources, (e.g. physical or human - staff and students as well as contexts as real opportunities for learning). It worked using design as a tool for development and environmental awareness. It worked in partnership with industry and government institutions and it involved over 120 students and 15 staff from 5 different areas (Architecture, Product Design, Environmental Engineering, Film Studies and English/Education). Through interactive workshops with academics and industry practitioners, UNNC students were guided to realise their ideas through innovative design and sustainable engineering solutions, also developed their communication and team working skills for real to help rural education and community development. Meanwhile, pupils and teachers in rural areas could develop sufficiently as their urban counterparts through this connected learning hub. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the processes and outcomes of Gansu Studio. The Plug-in Gansu Unit was designed to be the first net positive energy rural school building in China producing an estimated 18304 kWh/year of renewable energy to the school and reverting back to the county grid an annual extra clean energy 2304kWh/annum upon completion. An estimated 22 tons of water per year would be also saved

Chiral transition-metal complexes as Brønsted-acid catalysts for the asymmetric Friedel-Crafts hydroxyalkylation of indoles.

The Friedel-Crafts reaction between 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvates and indoles is efficiently catalysed by the iridium complex [(η5-C 5Me5)Ir{(R)-Prophos}(H2O)][SbF 6]2 (1) with up to 84% ee. Experimental data and theoretical calculations support a mechanism involving the Brønsted-acid activation of the pyruvate carbonyl by the protons of the coordinated water molecule in 1. Water is not dissociated during the process and, therefore, the catalytic reaction occurs with no direct interaction between the substrates and the metal. This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2014.The authors acknowledge the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, Grants CTQ2006-03030/BQU, CTQ2009-10303/BQU, CTQ2011-27033 and Consolider Ingenio 2010 CSD2006-003), Gobierno de Aragón (Grupo Consolidado: Catálisis Homogénea Enantioselectiva), Generalitat de Catalunya (2009SGR0259) and the ICIQ foundation for financial support. A. S. and R. R. acknowledge MINECO for predoctoral fellowships. S. D.-G. acknowledges MINECO for a “Torres Quevedo” contract.Peer Reviewe

Divergent reactivity of 2-vinylpyridine and 1-vinylpyrazole in rhodium-phosphine systems: C-H activation and dinuclear chemistry

The Rh-I-Rh-III mixed valence dinuclear complex Rh-2-Cl-2(mu-H)(mu-eta(2),kappa(2)-C, N-NC5H4-2-(Z)CH=CH)( PPhMe2)(3) has been prepared by reaction of [Rh(mu-Cl)(eta(2)-coe)(2)](2) with 2-vinylpyridine in the presence of dimethylphenylphosphine as a result of C-H activation of the terminal olefinic proton. The X- ray structure presents anagostic Rh center dot center dot center dot HC and pi-pi interactions between aromatic rings. In contrast, 1-vinylpyrazole does not undergo a C-H activation process, resulting in the formation of dinuclear species supported by 1 vinylpyrazole bridges. Anagostic Rh center dot center dot center dot HC interactions and CH center dot center dot center dot Cl hydrogen bonds are responsible for the 3D packing of the complex. El complejo dinuclear de valencia mixta RhI-RhIII Rh2-Cl2(µ-H)(µ-¿2,¿2-C,N-NC5H4-2-(Z)CH=CH)(PPhMe2)3 ha sido preparado por reacción de [Rh(µ-Cl)(¿2-coe)2]2 con 2-vinilpiridina en presencia de dimetilfenilfosfina, como resultado de la activación C-H del protón terminal de la olefina. La estructura de rayos-X presenta enlaces anagósticos Rh···HC, así como interacciones p-p entre anillos aromáticos. Por otro lado, la reacción con 1-vinilpirazol no da lugar a una activación C-H sino que se observa la formación de una especie dinuclear soportada por ligandos 1-vinilpirazol puente. Diferentes interacciones anagósticas Rh···HC y de enlace de hidrógeno CH···Cl son responsables del empaquetamiento tridimensional del complejo

Cambios a largo plazo en la riqueza de especies en una comunidad de aves nidificantes en un pequeño archipiélago mediterráneo

We analyzed the pattern of species richness changes in a bird–breeding bird community on a small western Mediterranean archipelago (Columbretes Islands) over a 40–year period (1964–2003). The aim of this study was to qualitatively account for the relative roles of local and regional factors in shaping the community. As expected, we found that regional factors (at the metapopulation spatial scale) increased diversity whereas local factors (i.e. ecological) probably prevented further increases in diversity. We found that the archipelago gained four new species (two seabirds and two falconids) during the study period, whereas no extinctions were recorded. The community seems partially or completely closed to some groups of species (e.g. small–sized birds such as passerines and storm–petrels), probably owing to predatory exclusion by Eleonora falcons (Falco eleonorae). As newly arrived species have breeding calendars that do not fully overlap with those of resident species, competition for space in a rather saturated area is prevented. Preservation of rare species which increase gamma (regional) diversity rather than alpha diversity with common species should be the main local conservation goal.Este trabajo analiza los patrones de cambio en la riqueza de especies en una comunidad de aves nidificantes de un pequeño archipiélago mediterráneo (las islas Columbretes, Castellón) durante un periodo de 40 años (1964–2003). El estudio pretende valorar cualitativamente la influencia relativa de los factores locales y regionales. Como se esperaba, se encontró que los factores regionales (a la escala espacial de la metapoblación) aumentaron la diversidad, mientras que los factores ecológicos locales evitaron mayores incrementos. El archipiélago ganó cuatro especies durante el periodo de estudio (dos aves marinas y dos falcónidos), mientras que no se produjo ninguna extinción. La comunidad parece parcial o totalmente cerrada a ciertos grupos de especies, tales como las aves de pequeña talla (p.ej. Paseriformes y paíños) probablemente debido a la depredación excluyente por parte de los halcones de Eleonor (Falco eleanorae). Dado que las especies que son colonizadoras recientes tienen calendarios de cría que no se solapan completamente con los de las especies residentes, se evita la competencia por el espacio de cría en un área bastante saturada. La principal meta conservacionista debe ser la protección de las especies raras, que incrementan la diversidad gamma (regional), más que la diversidad alpha de las especies comunes

Aspects of the conflictivity

La tradición racionalista occidental ha intentado reiteradamente expulsar la conflictividad de la vida individual y colectiva; pero no ha tenido éxito en tal aspiración, pese a las numerosas propuestas teóricas (desde los griegos hasta la actualidad) orientadas a lograr tal meta. Este artículo, por el contrario, tiene por propósito enfatizar la dimensión agonal de la política. En consecuencia, intenta demostrar que el conflicto es una realidad omnipresente; sólo cambia su intensidad (polémica o agonal) o el escenario en él que irrumpe (intersubjetivo o intrasíquico), pero nunca se extingue. Los argumentos que en este artículo se exponen están enraizados, en última instancia, en la tradición del realismo político, por consiguiente, tras sus líneas subyace una concepción trágica de la política.The western rationalist tradition has repeatedly attempted to eject the conflict of individual and collective life; but has not succeeded in this aspiration, despite the numerous theoretical proposals (from the Greeks to the present) aimed at achieving this goal. This paper, by contrast, is intended to emphasize the agonal dimension of politics. Consequently, attempts to prove that the conflict is an omnipresent reality; only changes its intensity (polemic or agonal) or the stage at which it breaks (or intersubjective intra-psychic), but never extinguished. The arguments presented in this article are based, ultimately, in the tradition of political realism, therefore, behind their lines lies a tragic conception of politics.Serie: Derecho PolíticoFacultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociale

Visión de la naturaleza humana desde el realismo político

This article explores the conception of human nature that underlies the realistic point of view of Politics. The writer tries to design and explain some characteristics of such conception, which acquire a greater clearness when they are compared with theEste artículo explora la concepción de la naturaleza humana que subyace en el punto de vista realista de la política. El escritor intenta diseñar y explicar algunas características de tal concepción, que adquieren una mayor claridad cuando se comparan co

Preparation of Butadienylpyridines by Iridium-NHC-Catalyzed Alkyne Hydroalkenylation and Quinolizine Rearrangement

Iridium(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of formula Ir(¿2O, O’-BHetA)(IPr)(¿2-coe) [BHetA=bis-heteroatomic acidato, acetylacetonate or acetate; IPr=1, 3-bis(2, 6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin-2-carbene; coe=cyclooctene] have been prepared by treating Ir(¿2O, O’-BHetA)(¿2-coe)2 complexes with IPr. These complexes react with 2-vinylpyridine to afford the hydrido-iridium(III)-alkenyl cyclometalated derivatives IrH(¿2O, O’-BHetA)(¿2N, C-C7H6N)(IPr) through the iridium(I) intermediate Ir(¿2O, O’-BHetA)(IPr)(¿2-C7H7N). The cyclometalated IrH(¿2O, O’-acac)(¿2N, C–C7H6N)(IPr) complex efficiently catalyzes the hydroalkenylation of aromatic and aliphatic terminal alkynes and enynes with 2-vinylpyridine to afford 2-(4R-butadienyl)pyridines with Z, E configuration as the major reaction products (yield up to 89 %). In addition, unprecedented (Z)-2-butadienyl-5R-pyridine derivatives have been obtained as minor reaction products (yield up to 21 %) from the elusive 1Z, 3gem-butadienyl hydroalkenylation products. These compounds undergo a thermal 6p-electrocyclization to afford bicyclic 4H-quinolizine derivatives that, under catalytic reaction conditions, tautomerize to 6H-quinolizine to afford the (Z)-2-(butadienyl)-5R-pyridine by a retro-electrocyclization reaction. © 2021 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH Gmb

Visión de la naturaleza humana desde el realismo político

This article explores the conception of human nature that underlies the realistic point of view of Politics. The writer tries to design and explain some characteristics of such conception, which acquire a greater clearness when they are compared with the idealistic view of Politics. By this way the author faces both conceptions and finally argues for the first one.Este artículo explora la concepción de la naturaleza humana que subyace tras la visión realista de la política. El objetivo del articulista es delinear y explicitar algunas características de dicha concepción. Éstas adquieren mayor nitidez cuando se las compara con la visión idealista de la política. Por tal motivo, el autor contrapone ambas concepciones y, finalmente, argumenta a favor de la primera