Synthesis, Photochemical, and Redox Properties of Gold(I) and Gold(III) Pincer Complexes Incorporating a 2,2′:6′,2″-Terpyridine Ligand Framework

Reaction of [Au(C6F5)(tht)] (tht = tetrahydrothiophene) with 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (terpy) leads to complex [Au(C6F5)(η1-terpy)] (1). The chemical oxidation of complex (1) with 2 equiv of [N(C6H4Br-4)3](PF6) or using electrosynthetic techniques affords the Au(III) complex [Au(C6F5)(η3-terpy)](PF6)2 (2). The X-ray diffraction study of complex 2 reveals that the terpyridine acts as tridentate chelate ligand, which leads to a slightly distorted square-planar geometry. Complex 1 displays fluorescence in the solid state at 77 K due to a metal (gold) to ligand (terpy) charge transfer transition, whereas complex 2 displays fluorescence in acetonitrile due to excimer or exciplex formation. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations match the experimental absorption spectra of the synthesized complexes. In order to further probe the frontier orbitals of both complexes and study their redox behavior, each compound was separately characterized using cyclic voltammetry. The bulk electrolysis of a solution of complex 1 was analyzed by spectroscopic methods confirming the electrochemical synthesis of complex 2

Obtencion de recubrimientos autolubricados por proyeccion termica de plasma atmosferico (APS) como alternativa a los lubricantes liquidos

La obtención de recubrimientos con bajos coeficientes de fricción, es una innovadora respuesta a la creciente demanda industrial de alternativas para los tradicionales sistemas lubricados con aceites. Para este fin, la introducción de un sólido lubricante, en una matriz con buenas propiedades mecánicas, ha de conferir al conjunto un bajo coeficiente de fricción y mejorar la resistencia al desgaste del recubrimiento, favoreciendo además, la utilización a elevadas temperaturas, en las que los lubricantes líquidos convencionales presentan limitaciones. En el Centro de Proyección Térmica (CPT) de la Universidad de Barcelona se han obtenido mediante proyección de Plasma Atmosférico (APS) recubrimientos autolubricados de Ni-Grafito y Cr2O3-CaF2, estudiando con especial interés las propiedades y el efecto que produce el grafito y el CaF2 en las matrices metálica y cerámica respectivamente. Se ha determinado en los dos casos que el desgaste originado en los recubrimientos es bajo, si bien los coeficientes de fricción varían ostensiblemente en función del sistema indicado. Los resultados obtenidos indican que el recubrimiento de Ni-Grafito posee un comportamiento idóneo capaz de competir con los tradicionales lubricantes líquidos

Nitric oxide compounds have different effects profiles on human articular chondrocyte metabolism

INTRODUCTION: The pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by the production of high amounts of nitric oxide (NO), as a consequence of up-regulation of chondrocyte-inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) induced by inflammatory cytokines. NO donors represent a powerful tool for studying the role of NO in the cartilage in vitro. There is no consensus about NO effects on articular cartilage in part because the differences between the NO donors available. The aim of this work is to compare the metabolic profile of traditional and new generation NO donors to see which one points out the osteoarthritic process in the best way. METHODS: Human healthy and OA chondrocytes were isolated from patients undergoing joint replacement surgery, and primary cultured. Cells were stimulated with NO donors (NOC-12 or SNP). NO production was evaluated by the Griess method, and apoptosis was quantified by flow cytometry. Mitochondrial function was evaluated by analysing respiratory chain enzyme complexes, citrate synthase (CS) activities by enzymatic assay, mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) by JC-1 using flow cytometry, and ATP levels were measured by luminescence assays. Glucose transport was measured as the uptake of 2-deoxy-[(3)H]glucose (2-[(3)H]DG). Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: NOC-12 liberates approximately ten times more NO2- than SNP, but the level of cell death induced was not as profound as that produced by SNP. Normal articular chondrocytes stimulated with NOC-12 had reduced activity from complexes I, III y IV, and the mitochondrial mass was increased in these cells. Deleterious effects on ΔΨm and ATP levels were more profound with SNP, and this NO donor was able to reduce 2-[(3)H]DG levels. Both NO donors had opposite effects on lactate release, SNP diminished the levels and NOC-12 lead to lactate accumulation. OA chondrocytes incorporate significantly more 2-[(3)H]DG than healthy cells. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the new generation donors, specifically NOC-12, mimic the OA metabolic process much better than SNP. Previous results using SNP have to be considered prudently since most of the effects observed can be induced by the interactions of secondary products of NO.The authors express appreciation to the Department of Orthopedics and the Tissue Bank of the Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña for providing cartilage samples. This study was supported by grants from the Fondo Investigación Sanitaria, Madrid, Spain: (CIBER- CB06/01/0040; PI-12/00329; RETIC-RIER-RD12/0009/0018; and Proteo-Red/ISCIII); Ministerio Ciencia e Innovación, Madrid, Spain: PLE2009-0144 and FEDER (European Community).S

A global database of plant services for humankind

Humanity faces the challenge of conserving the attributes of biodiversity that may be essential to secure human wellbeing. Among all the organisms that are beneficial to humans, plants stand out as the most important providers of natural resources. Therefore, identifying plant uses is critical to preserve the beneficial potential of biodiversity and to promote basic and applied research on the relationship between plants and humans. However, much of this information is often uncritical, contradictory, of dubious value or simply not readily accessible to the great majority of scientists and policy makers. Here, we compiled a genuslevel dataset of plant-use records for all accepted vascular plant taxa (13489 genera) using the information gathered in the 4th Edition of Mabberley’s plant-book, the most comprehensive global review of plant classification and their uses published to date. From 1974 to 2017 all the information was systematically gathered, evaluated, and synthesized by David Mabberley, who reviewed over 1000 botanical sources including modern Floras, monographs, periodicals, handbooks, and authoritative websites. Plant uses were arranged across 28 standard categories of use following the Economic Botany Data Collection Standard guidelines, which resulted in a binary classification of 9478 plant-use records pertaining human and animal nutrition, materials, fuels, medicine, poisons, social and environmental uses. Of all the taxa included in the dataset, 33% were assigned to at least one category of use, the most common being “ornamental” (26%), “medicine” (16%), “human food” (13%) and “timber” (8%). In addition to a readily available binary matrix for quantitative analyses, we provide a control text matrix that links the former to the description of the uses in Mabberley’s plant-book. We hope this dataset will serve to establish synergies between scientists and policy makers interested in plant-human interactions and to move towards the complete compilation and classification of the nature’s contributions to people upon which the wellbeing of future generations may depen

La importancia del diseño de una página web de un departamento

En este proyecto pretendemos mejorar la visibilidad de la página web del departamento de Óptica, Farmacología y Anatomía a partir de la creación de un nuevo diseño de la misma. Trataremos por tanto de diseñar una estrategia de promoción de toda la actividad que esté relacionada con el departamento y del personal que lo conforma. Diversos aspectos deberán ser analizados y definidos para la puesta en marcha del proyecto. Primero de todo es importante determinar cuál es la información que debe aparecer en la página web y de qué manera. Para ello se debe establecer un mecanismo de toma de decisiones que decida la política de la página web. Los resultados de este nuevo diseño y estrategia serán analizados a partir de las estadísticas que ofrece la propia página web institucional. Estableceremos comparativas entre las visitas realizadas antes y después de crear el nuevo diseño y también analizaremos la actividad generada entorno a la página web. Por último, trataremos de establecer cuáles serían los recursos mínimos que se deberían destinar los departamentos para mantener una página web actualizada y atractiva de manera viable y duradera en el tiempo

Enhanced exchange and reduced magnetization of Gd in an Fe/Gd/Fe trilayer

5 páginas, 6 figuras.-- PACS number(s): 75.70.−i, 75.47.De, 75.60.EjThe exchange interaction of Gd adjacent to Fe has been characterized by transport measurements on a double spin valve with a Fe/Gd/Fe trilayer as the middle layer. Our measurements show that the ferromagnetism of the Gd is enhanced by the presence of the Fe, and it remains ferromagnetic over its Curie temperature up to a thickness no smaller than 1 nm adjacent to the Fe. This thickness is more than double what has been reported before. Additionally, the saturation magnetization of the thin Gd layer sandwiched in Fe was found to be half of its bulk value. This reduced magnetization does not seem to be related to the proximity of Fe but rather to the incomplete saturation of Gd even for very high fields.This work was partially supported by Project Nos. MAT2008-02770/NAN and MAT2009-08771 from the SpanishMinisterio deCiencia e Innovaci´on. M. Romerawas funded through the FPU Fellowship No. AP2007-00464.Peer reviewe

IAA : Información y actualidad astronómica (44)

Sumario : La importancia de los cometas.-- Gamow, Alpher y el ylem.-- DECONSTRUCCIÓN Y otros ENSAYOS. El universo molecular.-- EL “MOBY DICK” DE... Alberto Molino (IAG).-- CIENCIA EN HISTORIAS...Tras la estela de Plateau.-- ACTUALIDAD.-- SALA LIMPIA.-- CIENCIA: PILARES E INCERTIDUMBRES. Explosiones de rayos gamma.N

The post-pandemic inflationary episode in advanced economies: a historical perspective

Rationale Inflation surged in the world economy from 2021 owing to a succession of shocks, including most notably the rise in energy prices. However, it appears to have peaked in many countries over the past few months, marking the start of a declining phase. This article analyses, for a group of advanced economies, the features of the current inflationary process vis-à-vis other past episodes, paying special attention to those triggered by energy shocks. Takeaways •The post-pandemic surge in inflation has occurred faster than in previous inflationary periods. However, the scale of the rising inflation in the current episode is similar to that of past episodes arising from energy price increases. •According to the historical pattern, underlying inflation reaches its peak very near the time headline inflation does. However, in the current inflationary process there is a lag of around six months and underlying inflation is more persistent. •The synchronisation between countries regarding inflation is greater in inflationary processes caused by energy price shocks and is stronger in the current episode than in the past owing to the confluence of several global shocks

Irrigation water pricing policy and its effects on sustainability of table grape production in Spain

In Spain, production of table grapes is located principally in two very and provinces of the Mediterranean region, which, although geographically close, have very distinct entrepreneurial behavior. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of availability and price of irrigation water on the sustainability of grape operations. First, shadow prices of irrigation water were obtained by applying compromise programming; calculations were performed for the current productive context, and another calculation was performed for the adoption of a series of technological improvements. Also, water demand curves were calculated to analyze the repercussions of applying an increasing tariff, such as that proposed by the current European Water Framework Directive. The results show that it is necessary to increase the technological level of the production phase to guarantee the sustainability of Spanish table grape production units. The most relevant improvements are changing surface irrigation for drip irrigation, perfecting the training structures, covering the fields with screens or plastic, introducing apirena varieties, and earlier harvesting. The resulting shadow prices for irrigation water are very high, indicating that in these production units water availability has a greater effect than price. However, the real prices the farmers could pay do not coincide with the shadow price but with that deducted from the demand curves, which were obtained by simulating the effects of implementing a water-pricing policy. For the farmer to obtain a minimal profit, even though the proposed technological improvements are adopted, the price could not surpass 0.6 epsilon m(-3) in the area with the least technology and 1.1 epsilon M-3 in that with the highest level of technology