Supporting Cubane’s Renaissance: Metathesis reactions on 4-iodo-1-vinylcubane and Stetter reaction on 1-iodocubane-4-carboxaldehyde

Cubane is a peculiar cube-shaped alkane molecule with a rigid, regular structure. This makes it a good scaffold, i.e. a molecular platform to which the substituents are arranged in a specific and fixed orientation. Moreover, cubane has a body diagonal of 2.72 Å, very similar to the distance across the benzene ring, i.e. 2.79 Å. Thus, it would be possible to use cubane as a scaffold in medicinal and material chemistry as a benzene isostere 1,2. This could lead to advantages in terms of solubility and toxicity and could provide novel properties. For this purpose, the possibility of performing “modern organic chemistry” on the cubane scaffold has to be studied. This project was entirely carried out in the framework of the Erasmus+ mobility programme at the Trinity College (Dublin, IRL) under the supervision of prof. M. O. Senge. The main goal of this project was to widen the knowledge on cubane chemistry. In particular, it was decided to test reactions that were never applied to the scaffold before, such as metathesis of 4-iodo-1-vinylcubane and Stetter reaction of 1-iodocubane-4-carboxaldehyde. These two molecules were synthesized in 10 and 9 steps respectively from commercially available cyclopentanone, following a known procedure. Unfortunately, metathesis with different olefins, such as styrene, α,β unsaturated compounds and linear α-olefins failed under different conditions, highlighting cubane behaves as a Type IV, challenging olefin under metathesis conditions. Even the employment of a specific catalyst for hindered olefins failed in the cross-coupling with linear α-olefins. On the other hand, two new molecules were synthesized via Stetter reaction and benzoin condensation respectively. Even if the majority of the reactions were not successful, this work can be seen as an inspiration for further investigation on cubane chemistry, as new questions were raised and new opportunities were envisioned.

Maturidade de escritório de gerenciamento de projetos: o caso do Ministério Público do Rio Grande do Norte

The research aimed to evaluate the level of maturity of the project management office of the Public Ministry of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, on the model PMO Maturity Cube. It was based on a theoretical framework that includes project management, project management office and maturity of the project management office. The research was classified as to the purpose as exploratory and descriptive. According to the methods used was a case study, and how to approach is qualitative and quantitative. The research unit was the prosecutor of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, by two guys who represent all of the participants in the project management office of the institution. These subjects were chosen because they act with the office since the foundation of the same, having the knowledge necessary to deepen the research required, and experience with projects and work experience in the area. Data were collected through an adaptation of the evaluation form for the amplitude corporate developed and presented to the scientific environment for Pinto, Cota and Levin (2010). The results revealed that the level of maturity in the current strategic approach is 77%, and 97% desired; tactical approach in current is 66% and 97% desired, and the current operational approach is 78%, and 100% desired. He pointed out that several factors influence the level of maturity of the project management office of the Public Prosecutor and the recurrent related to information technology, regarding the storage and sharing of information. Concluded that the level of maturity of the project management office of the Public Ministry of the State of Rio Grande do Norte is advanced

Etnomatemática y formación inicial de profesores de matemáticas: el caso colombiano

Se analizan aquí las razones de por qué la Etnomatemática ha tenido tan poca receptividad en los procesos de formación inicial de los profesores de matemáticas en Colombia. Se aplicó una encuesta con preguntas abiertas a diversos profesores de universidades que ofrecen los programas de Licenciatura en Matemáticas (LM) o Licenciatura en Educación Básica con énfasis en Matemáticas (LEBEM). Entre los hallazgos se encontró que las justificaciones para su integración tienen que ver con: la diversidad étnica, aporte de la Etnomatemática a ampliar la mirada sobre la naturaleza de las matemáticas y las relaciones entre la Etnomatemática, la educación matemática y la didáctica de las matemáticas. Por otro lado, los obstáculos encontrados para la no integración de la etnomatemática a los programas de LM y LEBEM tienen que ver con: la matematización del currículo, la falta de recurso humano formado en Etnomatemática y la tensión administrativa.

Signal subspace identification in hyperspectral imagery

Terrestrial remote sensing imagery involves the acquisition of information from the Earth's surface without physical contact with the area under study. Among the remote sensing modalities, hyperspectral imaging has recently emerged as a powerful passive technology. This technology has been widely used in the fields of urban and regional planning, water resource management, environmental monitoring, food safety, counterfeit drugs detection, oil spill and other types of chemical contamination detection, biological hazards prevention, and target detection for military and security purposes [2-9]. Hyperspectral sensors sample the reflected solar radiation from the Earth surface in the portion of the spectrum extending from the visible region through the near-infrared and mid-infrared (wavelengths between 0.3 and 2.5 µm) in hundreds of narrow (of the order of 10 nm) contiguous bands [10]. This high spectral resolution can be used for object detection and for discriminating between different objects based on their spectral xharacteristics [6]. However, this huge spectral resolution yields large amounts of data to be processed. For example, the Airbone Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) [11] collects a 512 (along track) X 614 (across track) X 224 (bands) X 12 (bits) data cube in 5 s, corresponding to about 140 MBs. Similar data collection ratios are achieved by other spectrometers [12]. Such huge data volumes put stringent requirements on communications, storage, and processing. The problem of signal sbspace identification of hyperspectral data represents a crucial first step in many hypersctral processing algorithms such as target detection, change detection, classification, and unmixing. The identification of this subspace enables a correct dimensionality reduction (DR) yelding gains in data storage and retrieval and in computational time and complexity. Additionally, DR may also improve algorithms performance since it reduce data dimensionality without losses in the useful signal components. The computation of statistical estimates is a relevant example of the advantages of DR, since the number of samples required to obtain accurate estimates increases drastically with the dimmensionality of the data (Hughes phnomenon) [13].

Modélisation de la dispersion chromatique et de l’atténuation dans les fibres microstructurées à coeur suspendu

D’abord, nous présentons les principes physiques nous permettant de modéliser et comprendre le phénomène de propagation linéaire des impulsions lumineuses dans un milieu homogène, dans les guides d’ondes planaires et enfin dans les fibres optiques microstructurées. Ensuite, nous faisons une analyse mathématique rigoureuse des équations linéaires de propagation et posons le problème comme celui de la recherche de valeurs propres d’opérateurs auto-adjoints dans un espace de Hilbert. On verra que ces résultats théoriques s’appliquent aux équations simulées dans le logiciel Comsol Multiphysics. Enfin, nous recensons et proposons différentes façons de prédire les valeurs de dispersion chromatique et d’atténuation dans les fibres microstructurées à coeur suspendu en utilisant les notions et équations discutés dans les deux premiers chapitres. Le choix de la géométrie, du matériau et de la longueur d’onde de la lumière transmise sont parmi les variables étudiées numériquement. Nous ferons également un exemple détaillé d’utilisation du logiciel Comsol Multiphysics pour construire un modèle de fibre optique microstructurée.

The Quantum Tetrahedron in 3 and 4 Dimensions

Recent work on state sum models of quantum gravity in 3 and 4 dimensions has led to interest in the `quantum tetrahedron'. Starting with a classical phase space whose points correspond to geometries of the tetrahedron in R^3, we use geometric quantization to obtain a Hilbert space of states. This Hilbert space has a basis of states labeled by the areas of the faces of the tetrahedron together with one more quantum number, e.g. the area of one of the parallelograms formed by midpoints of the tetrahedron's edges. Repeating the procedure for the tetrahedron in R^4, we obtain a Hilbert space with a basis labelled solely by the areas of the tetrahedron's faces. An analysis of this result yields a geometrical explanation of the otherwise puzzling fact that the quantum tetrahedron has more degrees of freedom in 3 dimensions than in 4 dimensions.

Perspectives de stagiaires et d'experts de l'enseignement secondaire sur des situations d'indiscipline

Le thème de cette recherche porte sur des perspectives de stagiaires et d'experts de l'enseignement secondaire sur des situations d'indiscipline. Nous avons d'abord élaboré un contexte théorique. À la lumière de Kounin (1970), Martin (1981), Charles (1981), Charles (1989) et Bournot-Trites (in Safty dir., 1990), nous avons retrouvé une description de huit modèles de discipline. Cependant, le contenu de ces écrits ne fournit pas suffisamment d'information afin de développer le thème de notre recherche. Inspirée par Brophy et Evertson (1976), Moskowitz et Hayman (1976), Saunders (1979), Johnson (1980), Ramsey (1981), Fitzpatrick (1981), Jones et Jones (1981), Me Daniel (1982), Gagné (1985), Melvin (1985), Schloss et Sedlack (1986), Doyle (1986) et Barton et Morrison (1988), nous avons recensé des caractéristiques des maîtres efficaces. Ainsi, la littérature des modèles de discipline et celle des caractéristiques des maîtres efficaces nous ont amenée à définir les objectifs de notre recherche. Cette recherche qualitative exploratoire nous a permis d'interviewer des participants, c'est-à-dire des stagiaires et des maîtres experts de différentes écoles secondaires. Dans un premier temps, nous avons construit notre instrument de recherche qui se définit par des mises en situation (trois situations d'indiscipline) accompagné d'un questionnaire. Cet instrument fut pré-expérimenté dans le but d'en vérifier la validité. Par la suite, cet instrument fut présenté aux participants de notre recherche. Il s'agit principalement de trois stagiaires et de trois maîtres experts. Le contenu des entrevues des participants nous a permis de concevoir un modèle d'analyse appelé un discipli-cube. Ce modèle tridimensionnel comporte des composantes (savoir, savoir-être, savoir-faire), des moments (avant, pendant, après ou indéterminé) et des situations d'indiscipline. C'est donc à partir du discipli-cube que nous avons classé les données des participants. Finalement, les résultats de cette recherche nous conduisent à prétendre que, face à une situation d'indiscipline, les stagiaires interviennent en ayant plutôt recours à leur savoir (connaissances) et avec l'intention de sévir vis-à-vis l'élève ou le groupe alors que les maîtres experts interviennent en se référant davantage au savoir-faire dans le but de fournir de l'aide à l'élève ou au groupe. Ils s'interrogent et prennent le temps de considérer globalement la situation problématique ce qu'omettent de faire les stagiaires. Cette recherche comporte des limites parce que la nature de cette recherche et en particulier la situation de simulation ne permettent pas d'inférer les résultats aux situations d'enseignement réelles.

Proof theory for hybrid(ised) logics

Hybridisation is a systematic process along which the characteristic features of hybrid logic, both at the syntactic and the semantic levels, are developed on top of an arbitrary logic framed as an institution. In a series of papers this process has been detailed and taken as a basis for a speci cation methodology for recon gurable systems. The present paper extends this work by showing how a proof calculus (in both a Hilbert and a tableau based format) for the hybridised version of a logic can be systematically generated from a proof calculus for the latter. Such developments provide the basis for a complete proof theory for hybrid(ised) logics, and thus pave the way to the development of (dedicated) proof support.

Multipartite entanglement in harmonic oscillators subjected to dissipative quantum dynamics

Una detallada descripción de la dinámica de bajas energías del entrelazamiento multipartito es proporcionada para sistemas armónicos en una gran variedad de escenarios disipativos. Sin hacer ninguna aproximación central, esta descripción yace principalmente sobre un conjunto razonable de hipótesis acerca del entorno e interacción entorno-sistema, ambas consistente con un análisis lineal de la dinámica disipativa. En la primera parte se deriva un criterio de inseparabilidad capaz de detectar el entrelazamiento k-partito de una extensa clase de estados gausianos y no-gausianos en sistemas de variable continua. Este criterio se emplea para monitorizar la dinámica transitiva del entrelazamiento, mostrando que los estados no-gausianos pueden ser tan robustos frente a los efectos disipativos como los gausianos. Especial atención se dedicada a la dinámica estacionaria del entrelazamiento entre tres osciladores interaccionando con el mismo entorno o diferentes entornos a distintas temperaturas. Este estudio contribuye a dilucidar el papel de las correlaciones cuánticas en el comportamiento de la corrientes energéticas.

New morpho-bathymetric and tectono-stratigraphic data on Naples and Salerno gulfs (southern tyrrhenian sea, Italy) derived from bathymetric and seismic data analysis and integrated geological interpretation

New morpho-bathymetric and tectono-stratigraphic data on Naples and Salerno Gulfs, derived from bathymetric and seismic data analysis and integrated geologic interpretation are here presented. The CUBE(Combined Uncertainty Bathymetric Estimator) method has been applied to complex morphologies, such as the Capri continental slope and the related geological structures occurring in the Salerno Gulf.The bathymetric data analysis has been carried out for marine geological maps of the whole Campania continental margin at scales ranging from 1:25.000 to 1:10.000, including focused examples in Naples and Salerno Gulfs, Naples harbour, Capri and Ischia Islands and Salerno Valley. Seismic data analysis has allowed for the correlation of main morpho-structural lineaments recognized at a regional scale through multichannel profiles with morphological features cropping out at the sea bottom, evident from bathymetry.Main fault systems in the area have been represented on a tectonic sketch map, including the master fault located northwards to the Salerno Valley half graben. Some normal faults parallel to the master fault have been interpreted from the slope map derived from bathymetric data. A complex system of antithetic faults bound two morpho-structural highs located 20km to the south of the Capri Island. Some hints of compressional reactivation of normal faults in an extensional setting involving the whole Campania continental margin have been shown from seismic interpretation.

Discovery driven analysis on semi-structured text data

Discovery Driven Analysis (DDA) is a common feature of OLAP technology to analyze structured data. In essence, DDA helps analysts to discover anomalous data by highlighting 'unexpected' values in the OLAP cube. By giving indications to the analyst on what dimensions to explore, DDA speeds up the process of discovering anomalies and their causes. However, Discovery Driven Analysis (and OLAP in general) is only applicable on structured data, such as records in databases. We propose a system to extend DDA technology to semi-structured text documents, that is, text documents with a few structured data. Our system pipeline consists of two stages: first, the text part of each document is structured around user specified dimensions, using semi-PLSA algorithm; then, we adapt DDA to these fully structured documents, thus enabling DDA on text documents. We present some applications of this system in OLAP analysis and show how scalability issues are solved. Results show that our system can handle reasonable datasets of documents, in real time, without any need for pre-computation.

A Calogero formulation for four-dimensional black-hole microstates

We extract the leading-order entropy of a four-dimensional extremal black hole in N=2N=2 ungauged supergravity by formulating the CFT1 that is holographically dual to its near-horizon AdS2 geometry, in terms of a rational Calogero model with a known counting formula for the degeneracy of states in its Hilbert space.

Solutions of Tikhonov functional equations and applications to multiplication operators on Szegö spaces

We consider a natural representation of solutions for Tikhonov functional equations. This will be done by applying the theory of reproducing kernels to the approximate solutions of general bounded linear operator equations (when defined from reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces into general Hilbert spaces), by using the Hilbert-Schmidt property and tensor product of Hilbert spaces. As a concrete case, we shall consider generalized fractional functions formed by the quotient of Bergman functions by Szegö functions considered from the multiplication operators on the Szegö spaces.

Représentations et fusion des algèbres de Temperley-Lieb originale et diluée

Les algèbres de Temperley-Lieb originales, aussi dites régulières, apparaissent dans de nombreux modèles statistiques sur réseau en deux dimensions: les modèles d'Ising, de Potts, des dimères, celui de Fortuin-Kasteleyn, etc. L'espace d'Hilbert de l'hamiltonien quantique correspondant à chacun de ces modèles est un module pour cette algèbre et la théorie de ses représentations peut être utilisée afin de faciliter la décomposition de l'espace en blocs; la diagonalisation de l'hamiltonien s'en trouve alors grandement simplifiée. L'algèbre de Temperley-Lieb diluée joue un rôle similaire pour des modèles statistiques dilués, par exemple un modèle sur réseau où certains sites peuvent être vides; ses représentations peuvent alors être utilisées pour simplifier l'analyse du modèle comme pour le cas original. Or ceci requiert une connaissance des modules de cette algèbre et de leur structure; un premier article donne une liste complète des modules projectifs indécomposables de l'algèbre diluée et un second les utilise afin de construire une liste complète de tous les modules indécomposables des algèbres originale et diluée. La structure des modules est décrite en termes de facteurs de composition et par leurs groupes d'homomorphismes. Le produit de fusion sur l'algèbre de Temperley-Lieb originale permet de «multiplier» ensemble deux modules sur cette algèbre pour en obtenir un autre. Il a été montré que ce produit pouvait servir dans la diagonalisation d'hamiltoniens et, selon certaines conjectures, il pourrait également être utilisé pour étudier le comportement de modèles sur réseaux dans la limite continue. Un troisième article construit une généralisation du produit de fusion pour les algèbres diluées, puis présente une méthode pour le calculer. Le produit de fusion est alors calculé pour les classes de modules indécomposables les plus communes pour les deux familles, originale et diluée, ce qui vient ajouter à la liste incomplète des produits de fusion déjà calculés par d'autres chercheurs pour la famille originale. Finalement, il s'avère que les algèbres de Temperley-Lieb peuvent être associées à une catégorie monoïdale tressée, dont la structure est compatible avec le produit de fusion décrit ci-dessus. Le quatrième article calcule explicitement ce tressage, d'abord sur la catégorie des algèbres, puis sur la catégorie des modules sur ces algèbres. Il montre également comment ce tressage permet d'obtenir des solutions aux équations de Yang-Baxter, qui peuvent alors être utilisées afin de construire des modèles intégrables sur réseaux.

Maturidade de escritório de gerenciamento de projetos: o caso do Ministério Público do Rio Grande do Norte

The research aimed to evaluate the level of maturity of the project management office of the Public Ministry of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, on the model PMO Maturity Cube. It was based on a theoretical framework that includes project management, project management office and maturity of the project management office. The research was classified as to the purpose as exploratory and descriptive. According to the methods used was a case study, and how to approach is qualitative and quantitative. The research unit was the prosecutor of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, by two guys who represent all of the participants in the project management office of the institution. These subjects were chosen because they act with the office since the foundation of the same, having the knowledge necessary to deepen the research required, and experience with projects and work experience in the area. Data were collected through an adaptation of the evaluation form for the amplitude corporate developed and presented to the scientific environment for Pinto, Cota and Levin (2010). The results revealed that the level of maturity in the current strategic approach is 77%, and 97% desired; tactical approach in current is 66% and 97% desired, and the current operational approach is 78%, and 100% desired. He pointed out that several factors influence the level of maturity of the project management office of the Public Prosecutor and the recurrent related to information technology, regarding the storage and sharing of information. Concluded that the level of maturity of the project management office of the Public Ministry of the State of Rio Grande do Norte is advanced