Physico-chemical characterization of hybrid polymers obtained by 2-hydroxyethyl(methacrylate) and alkoxides of zirconium

Hybrid monolithic materials were prepared through polymerisation of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) mixed with zirconium alkoxides (Zr(OBuⁿ)₄, Zr(OPrⁿ)₄ and Zr(OEt)₄), modified by acetylacetonate groups. The molar ratio HEMA/Zr varied between 1 and 4. Thermo-Gravimetry coupled with Mass Spectroscopy (TG-MS) analyses, ¹³C MAS NMR and Dynamical Mechanical Thermal Analysys (DMTA) indicated the polymeric chains were interconnected by the inorganic component.The presence of zirconium alkoxides modified substantially the poly-HEMA properties. Glass transition temperature of hybrid materials derived from butoxy and propoxy was found in the range 50-80 °C, depending on the composition. The typical swelling of p-HEMA in the water, was suppressed by the presence of zirconium compounds. After immersion in distilled water, hybrid polymers showed an initial slight weight increase, followed by a small mass loss, which increases proportionally to the length of alkoxyl group (ethoxide(propoxide(butoxide) and reaches a constant value after about 40 days. The hybrids remained always rigid and transparent. Flexural modulus and strength of about 400-900 and 4-8 MPa were measured.     

Synchrony and the social tuning of compassion.

Although evidence has suggested that synchronized movement can foster cooperation, the ability of synchrony to increase costly altruism and to operate as a function of emotional mechanisms remains unexplored. We predicted that synchrony, due to an ability to elicit low-level appraisals of similarity, would enhance a basic compassionate response toward victims of moral transgressions and thereby increase subsequent costly helping behavior on their behalf. Using a manipulation of rhythmic synchrony, we show that synchronous others are not only perceived to be more similar to oneself but also evoke more compassion and altruistic behavior than asynchronous others experiencing the same plight. These findings both support the view that a primary function of synchrony is to mark others as similar to the self and provide the first empirical demonstration that synchrony-induced affiliation modulates emotional responding and altruism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structural, morphological and electrochemical properties of nanocrystalline V2O5 thin films deposited by means of radiofrequency magnetron sputtering

Due to easiness of preparation and high energy density, V₂O₅ nanocrystalline thin films are particularly attractive as cathode materials for all-solid-state rechargeable lithium microbatteries. However, their electrochemical performances are strictly related to the film microstructure, which, in turn, is related to the nature and parameters of the deposition technique. For this reason, the preparation of thin films with reproducible electrochemical properties is still an open problem.Here, we report on the deposition of V₂O₅ crystalline thin films by means of reactive radiofrequency (r.f.) magnetron sputtering, using vanadium metal as the target. Different deposition times and substrate temperatures were adopted. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy were used to investigate the structural and morphological features of the films. In particular, XRD analysis revealed that the deposition parameters affect the crystallographic orientation of the films. A h 0 0 orientation is observed in case of thin samples (about 100 nm) prepared at 300 °C, whereas a 1 1 0 preferential growth is obtained for thicker films. Films deposited at 500 °C display a 0 0 1 orientation irrespective on the deposition time.Reversible Li intercalation/deintercalation processes and high specific capacity are observed for the h 0 0-oriented V₂O₅ thinner films, with the ab plane arranged perpendicular to the substrate. In this case, the cycling behaviour is very promising, and a stable capacity higher than 300 mAh g⁻¹ was delivered in the potential range 3.8-1.5 V at 1C rate over at least 70 cycles.     

Nucleation and Crystallization of a Lithium Aluminosilicate Glass

An aluminosilicate glass of composition 61SiO₂6Al₂O₃10MgO6ZnO·12Li₂O·5TiO₂ (mol%) has been prepared by a melting process and investigated as far as crystallization is concerned. Glass-ceramic is easily obtained because glass shows a high tendency to crystallize starting from 700°C. The crystalline phases evolve with temperature, showing the aluminosilicates to be the main phase up to 1050°C, followed by metasilicates and silicates, some of which have lower melting points. The titanates of Mg and Zn develop from the phase-separated glass, soon after T _g, and grow to form nucleation centers for the other crystalline phases. The evolution from phase-separated glass to glass-ceramic has been followed by many thermal, diffractometric, spectroscopic, and microscopic techniques.     

A binary ionic liquid system composed of N-methoxyethyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)-imide and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide: A new promising electrolyte for lithium batteries

Room temperature ionic liquids are nowadays the most appealing research target in the field of liquid electrolytes for lithium batteries, due to their high thermal stability, ionic conductivity and wide electrochemical windows. The cation structure of such solvents strictly influences their physical and chemical properties, in particular the viscosity and conductivity.In this paper we report on the preparation and characterization of a complete series of solutions between lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) and the promising N-methoxyethyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)-imide (PY_1,2O1) ionic liquid. A wide molality range has been explored in order to identify the optimal compositions in terms of conductivity and electrochemical stability. Our thermal results show that the solutions are amorphous independently on the LiTFSI content. Up to salt concentration of 0.4 mol kg⁻¹ the solutions have a very low viscosity (η ∼ 36 cP), a high ionic conductivity, even at temperatures below 0 °C, and a good electrochemical stability. Cations transport numbers ranging between 0.05 and 0.39 have been determined as a function of LiTFSI content. The combination of these properties makes the PY_1,2O1-based solutions potentially attractive liquid electrolytes for lithium batteries.     

Molecular Modeling of Heme Peptides: Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Microperoxidase

The simulation of the dynamic behavior and of the aggregation of a peptide containing a heme group (MP11) is performed. The force field terms describing the transition metal come from a newly fitted potential which gives the correct heme structure and flexibility. The model of an aggregated state is the dimer of MP11; a possible sixth ligand of the originally pentacoordinated iron of one heme could be either a water molecule or a lysine side chain of the second peptide, but the distances to the iron are longer than expected in both cases.     

Analysis of the influence of installation thermal bridges on windows performance: The case of clay block walls

The building's energy performance is the result not only of material and component performances, but also of the way the components are interconnected. Concerning windows, their energy performance, which is usually evaluated by using the glass and frame heat transfer coefficients and the linear heat transfer coefficients of the glazing spacer, depends also on the frame installation. In this paper the entity of thermal losses due to the frame installation has been evaluated in terms of linear thermal transmittance calculated in accordance with the standard EN ISO 10211:2007 using THERM 5.2. The analysis of thermal bridges between a wooden frame window installed into two different kinds of external clay block walls has been carried out. The linear thermal transmittances have been calculated for three cases regarding the position (external, internal, and intermediate) and three concerning the insulation of the hole perimeter (non insulated, insulated and with insulation over fixed frame). The impact of the window installation on thermal losses has been estimated and its dependence on different sizes has been evaluated. A new graphical representation has been suggested. The frame position and the configuration of the window hole insulation result to have a relevant impact on the overall thermal performance of the considered window.     

Eunomos,a legal document and knowledge management system for the Web to provide relevant,reliable and up-to-date information on the law

This paper describes the Eunomos software, an advanced legal document and knowledge management system, based on legislative XML and ontologies. We describe the challenges of legal research in an increasingly complex, multi-level and multi-lingual world and how the Eunomos software helps users cut through the information overload to get the legal information they need in an organized and structured way and keep track of the state of the relevant law on any given topic. Using NLP tools to semi-automate the lower-skill tasks makes this ambitious project a realistic commercial prospect as it helps keep costs down while at the same time allowing greater coverage. We describe the core system from workflow and technical perspectives, and discuss applications of the system for various user groups.     

Jealousy and the threatened self: Getting to the heart of the green-eyed monster.

Several theories specifying the causes of jealousy have been put forth in the past few decades. Firm support for any proposed theory, however, has been limited by the difficulties inherent in inducing jealousy and examining any proposed mediating mechanisms in real time. In support of a theory of jealousy centering on threats to the self-system, 2 experiments are presented that address these past limitations and argue for a model based on context-induced variability in self-evaluation. Experiment 1 presents a method for evoking jealousy through the use of highly orchestrated social encounters and demonstrates that threatened self-esteem functions as a principal mediator of jealousy. In addition to replicating these findings, Experiment 2 provides direct evidence for jealousy as a cause of aggression. The ability of the proposed theory of jealousy to integrate other extant findings in the literature is also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)