Solvation in aqueous binary mixtures: consequences of the hydrophobic character of the ionic liquids and the solvatochromic probes

Information on the solvation in mixtures of water, W, and the ionic liquids, ILs, 1-allyl-3-R-imidazolium chlorides; R = methyl, 1-butyl, and 1-hexyl, has been obtained from the responses of the following solvatochromic probes: 2,6-dibromo-4-[(E)-2-(1-R-pyridinium-4-yl)ethenyl] phenolate, R = methyl, MePMBr2; 1-octyl, OcPMBr(2), and the corresponding quinolinium derivative, MeQMBr(2). A model developed for solvation in binary mixtures of W and molecular solvents has been extended to the present mixtures. Our objective is to assess the relevance to solvation of hydrogen-bonding and the hydrophobic character of the IL and the solvatochromic probe. Plots of the medium empirical polarity, E-T(probe) versus its composition revealed non-ideal behavior, attributed to preferential solvation by the IL and, more efficiently, by the IL-W hydrogen-bonded complex. The deviation from linearity increases as a function of increasing number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group of the IL, and is larger than that observed for solvation by W plus molecular solvents (1-propanol and 2-(1-butoxy)ethanol) that are more hydrophobic than the ILs investigated. This enhanced deviation is attributed to the more organized structure of the ILs proper, which persists in their aqueous solutions. MeQMBr(2) is more susceptible to solvent lipophilicity than OcPMBr(2), although the former probe is less lipophilic. This enhanced susceptibility agrees with the important effect of annelation on the contributions of the quinonoid and zwitterionic limiting structures to the ground and excited states of the probe, hence on its response to both medium composition and lipophilicity of the IL.

Elementi postmoderni nell'horror americano contemporaneo. Forme testuali e culturali della mutazione 1968-1998

This research argues for an analysis of textual and cultural forms in the American horror film (1968- 1998), by defining the so-called postmodern characters. The “postmodern” term will not mean a period of the history of cinema, but a series of forms and strategies recognizable in many American films. From a bipolar re-mediation and cognitive point of view, the postmodern phenomenon is been considered as a formal and epistemological re-configuration of the cultural “modern” system. The first section of the work examines theoretical problems about the “postmodern phenomenon” by defining its cultural and formal constants in different areas (epistemology, economy, mass-media): the character of convergence, fragmentation, manipulation and immersion represent the first ones, while the “excess” is the morphology of the change, by realizing the “fluctuation” of the previous consolidated system. The second section classifies the textual and cultural forms of American postmodern film, generally non-horror. The “classic narrative” structure – coherent and consequent chain of causal cues toward a conclusion – is scattered by the postmodern constant of “fragmentation”. New textual models arise, fragmenting the narrative ones into the aggregations of data without causal-temporal logics. Considering the process of “transcoding”1 and “remediation”2 between media, and the principle of “convergence” in the phenomenon, the essay aims to define these structures in postmodern film as “database forms” and “navigable space forms.” The third section applies this classification to American horror film (1968-1998). The formal constant of “excess” in the horror genre works on the paradigm of “vision”: if postmodern film shows a crisis of the “truth” in the vision, in horror movies the excess of vision becomes “hyper-vision” – that is “multiplication” of the death/blood/torture visions – and “intra-vision”, that shows the impossibility of recognizing the “real” vision from the virtual/imaginary. In this perspective, the textual and cultural forms and strategies of postmodern horror film are predominantly: the “database-accumulation” forms, where the events result from a very simple “remote cause” serving as a pretext (like in Night of the Living Dead); the “database-catalogue” forms, where the events follow one another displaying a “central” character or theme. In the first case, the catalogue syntagms are connected by “consecutive” elements, building stories linked by the actions of a single character (usually the killer), or connected by non-consecutive episodes about a general theme: examples of the first kind are built on the model of The Wizard of Gore; the second ones, on the films such as Mario Bava’s I tre volti della paura. The “navigable space” forms are defined: hyperlink a, where one universe is fluctuating between reality and dream, as in Rosemary’s Baby; hyperlink b (where two non-hierarchical universes are convergent, the first one real and the other one fictional, as in the Nightmare series); hyperlink c (where more worlds are separated but contiguous in the last sequence, as in Targets); the last form, navigable-loop, includes a textual line which suddenly stops and starts again, reflecting the pattern of a “loop” (as in Lost Highway). This essay analyses in detail the organization of “visual space” into the postmodern horror film by tracing representative patterns. It concludes by examining the “convergence”3 of technologies and cognitive structures of cinema and new media.

INTERACTIVE CONTROLS OF WATER TABLE POSITION AND PLANT FUNCTIONAL TYPES ON PEAT POREWATER CHARACTER IN NORTHERN BOG ECOSYSTEMS: IMPLICATIONS FOR CARBON CYCLING DYNAMICS

Northern wetlands, and particularly peatlands, have been shown to store around 30% of the world's soil carbon and thus play a significant role in the carbon cycle of our planet. Changes in climate are altering peatland hydrology and vegetation communities. These changes are possibly resulting in declines in the ability of peatlands to sequester carbon because losses through carbon oxidation and mineralization are likely to increase relative to C inputs from net primary production in a warmer, drier climate. However, the consequences of interactive effects of altered hydrology and vegetation on carbon storage are not well understood. This research evaluated the importance of plant species, water table, and their interactive effects on porewater quality in a northern peatland with an average pH of 4.54, ranging from 4.15 to 4.8. We assessed the effects of plant functional group (ericaceous shrubs, sedges, and bryophytes) and water table position on biogeochemical processes. Specifically, we measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), potential enzyme activity, organic acids, anions and cations, spectral indexes of aromaticity, and phenolic content. Our results indicate that acetate and propionate concentrations in the sedge-dominated communities declined with depth and water table drawdown, relative to the control and ericaceous treatments. DOC increased in the lowered water table treatments in all vegetation community types, and the peat porewater C:N ratio declined in the sedge-dominated treatments when the water table was lowered. The relationship between DOC and ferrous iron showed significant responses to vegetation type; the exclusion of Ericaceae resulted in less ferrous iron per unit DOC compared to mixed species treatments and Ericaceae alone. This observation was corroborated with higher mean oxidation redox potential profiles (integrating 20, 40, and 70 cm) measured in the sedge treatments, compared with the mixed and Ericaceae species treatments over a growing season. Enzymatic activities did not show as strong of a response to treatments as expected; the oxidative enzyme peroxidase and the hydrolytic enzyme phosphatase were the only enzymes to respond to water table, where the potential activity of both enzymes increased with water table drawdown. Overall, there were significant interactive effects between changes in vegetation and water table position on peat porewater composition. These data suggest that vegetation effects on oxidation reduction potentials and peat porewater character can be as important as water table position in northern bog ecosystems.

Vermiculite, Occurence, Character, and Concentration of Mineral from the Pony District, Madison County, Montana

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the occurrence and character of the vermiculite deposits approximately four miles northwest of Pony; Madison County, Montana. The deposits are situated in rolling foothills at the northern end of the Tobacco Root Mountains.

The Deprofessionalisation Thesis, Accountability and Professional Character

It is said that the deprofessionalisation of social work and other welfare occupations reduces workers' professional discretion and autonomy, and thus their capacity to act in the best interests of their client. Without necessarily regarding the deprofessionalisation thesis as conclusive, this paper will ask how the state's control of the role and task of social workers impacts on their role-implicated obligations as professionals. If workers are reduced (as claimed) to the status of mere functionaries in systems they neither approve of nor control, does this exonerate them from bad outcomes or service failures? How should we view the dramatic increase in formal regulation now seen in the UK - as professionalisation or deprofessionalisation? The paper will argue that whatever the drift of policy, workers remain in some measure personally accountable. Service failures imply faults of practical reason that are partly attributable to the moral and intellectual character of professionals as individuals. It is therefore up to professionals, and their organisations, to attend to the improvement of professional character.

The origin of the low-spin character of the resting state of cytochrome P450cam investigated by means of active site analogues

Crown-capped iron(S−) porphyrins 1·H2O and 2·H2O and their corresponding Ba2+ complexes have been prepared as active site analogues of the resting state of cytochrome P450cam. cw-EPR studies and electronic structure calculations at the density functional theory (DFT) level of model systems suggest a functional role of the water cluster of P450cam.

Denkschrift über Entstehung und Character der in den südlichen Provinzen Rußlands vorgefallenen Unruhen

auf Veranlassung des Grafen Kutaisoff verf. von [Simeon Leon von] Schwabacher

The distinction between real and fictional worlds: Investigating individual differences in fantasy understanding

In this paper, two studies are reported in which children’s ability to distinguish reality from fantasy was investigated. In Experiment 1, children of different ages made pairwise comparisons of 12 pictures of fictional figures and 3 photographs of real people by evaluating on a 6-point scale how easily these figures could meet each other. The results revealed that fantasy/reality distinction develops with age: 7–8-year-old showed a fundamental categorical distinction (comparable to that of adults) whereas 3–4-year-old treated the real world like one of many worlds. In Experiment 2, we took an individual differences approach and tested 116 4–5-year-old who performed the same fantasy task. In addition, they were presented with theory-of-mind tasks and tests measuring non-verbal intelligence and language skills. The results showed that, after statistically controlling for age, non-verbal intelligence, and language skills, theory-of-mind abilities still significantly contributed to the prediction of fantasy understanding.

The Character of Christian-Muslim Encounter: Essays in Honour of David Thomas

The Character of Christian-Muslim Encounter is a Festschrift in honour of David Thomas, Professor of Christianity and Islam, and Nadir Dinshaw Professor of Inter Religious Relations, at the University of Birmingham, UK. The Editors have put together a collection of over 30 contributions from colleagues of Professor Thomas that commences with a biographical sketch and representative tribute provided by a former doctoral student, and comprises a series of wide-ranging academic papers arranged to broadly reflect three dimensions of David Thomas’ academic and professional work – studies in and of Islam; Christian-Muslim relations; the Church and interreligious engagement. These are set in the context of a focussed theme – the character of Christian-Muslim encounters – and cast within a broad chronological framework.

The essays : or councils, civil and moral, of Sir Francis Bacon, ... With a table of the colours of good and evil. And a discourse of the wisdom of the ancients. To which is added, The character of Queen Elizabeth

The 'Table of colours' has separate pagination and half-title; 'The wisdom of the ancients,' which is translated by Sir Arthur Gorges, has separate pagination and titlepage p.135 misnumbered 145

Miss Harpur in the Character of Patty. : O! may each accomplish'd fair one

Signatur des Originals: S 36/G00066