10,259 research outputs found
Electrochemical Reactions of Quinones at Conducting Polymer Electrodes
No full textProton-coupled multielectron transfer reactions are of great abundance in Nature. In particular, two-proton-two-electron transfers in quinone/hydroquinone redox couples are behind oxidative phosphorylation (ADP-to-ATP) and photosystem II. The redox processes of neurotransmitters, as a platform for brain activity read-out, are two-proton two-electron transfers of quinones. Moreover, humic acids, which constitute a major organic fraction of soil, turf, coal, and lignin, which forms as a large-scale surplus product from forest and paper industry, contain a large quantity of polyphenols, which can undergo the exchange of two electrons per aromatic ring accompanied with transfers of two protons. This makes polyphenol-based biopolymers, such as lignin, promising green-chemistry renewable materials for electrical energy storage or generation. The application of intact or depolymerized polyphenols in electrical energy devices such as fuel cells and redox flow batteries requires appropriate electrode materials to ensure efficient proton-coupled electron transfer reactions occurring at the solid-liquid interface. Moreover, investigation of the biological quinones reaction calls for porous, soft, biocompatible materials as implantable devices to reduce the rejection reaction and pain. At common electrode materials such as platinum and carbons, quinone/hydroquinone redox processes are rather irreversible; in addition, platinum is very costly. Conducting polymers (CPs), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) in particular, offer an attractive option as metal-free electrode material for these reactions due to their molecular porosity, high electrical and ionic conductivity, solution processability, resistance to acid media, as well as high atomic abundance of their constituents. This thesis explores the possibility of utilizing CPs as electrode materials for driving various quinone redox reactions. Firstly, we studied the electrocatalytic activity and mechanism of PEDOTs for the generic hydroquinone reaction and their application in a fuel cell. Secondly, the mechanism of integrating lignosulfonate (LS) into CP matrices and optimization strategies were explored in order to boost energy storage capacity. Thirdly, we attained mechanistic understanding of the influence of ionic transport and proton management on the thermodynamics and kinetics of the electrocatalysis on CPs, thereby providing steps towards the design of quinone-based electrical energy storage devices, such as organic redox flow batteries (ORFB).Proton-kopplade multielektronöverföringsreaktioner är vanligt förekommande i naturen. Exempelvis ligger två-proton-två-elektronöverföringar i kinon/hydrokinon-redoxpar bakom oxidativ fosforylering (ADP-till-ATP) och fotosystem II. Redoxprocesserna för neurotransmittorer, som en plattform för avläsning av hjärnaktivitet, är två-proton tvåelektronöverföringar av kinoner. Dessutom innehåller huminsyror, som utgör en stor organisk fraktion av mark, torv och kol och lignin, och som också är en överskottsprodukt från skogs- och pappersindustrin, en stor mängd polyefenoler, som kan genomgå utbyte av två elektroner per aromatisk ring åtföljt av överföringar av två protoner. Detta gör polyfenolbaserade biopolymerer, såsom lignin, lovande som förnybara material för lagring eller produktion av elektrisk energi. Applicering av intakta eller depolymeriserade polyfenoler i elektriska energianordningar såsom bränsleceller och redoxflödesbatterier kräver lämpliga elektrodmaterial för att säkerställa effektiva protonkopplade elektronöverföringsreaktioner som sker vid gränsytan mot vätska. Vid vanliga elektrodmaterial, såsom platina och kol, är kinon / hydrokinon-redox-processer i stort sett irreversibla; dessutom är platina mycket kostsamt. Ledande polymerer (CP, akronymer på engelska), och särskilt poly (3,4-etylendioxytiofen) (PEDOT) erbjuder ett attraktivt alternativ som metallfritt elektrodmaterial för dessa reaktioner på grund av deras molekylära porositet, höga elektriska och joniska ledningsförmåga, processerbarhet i lösningsform, motståndskraft mot syror, samt överflöd av deras beståndsdelar. I denna avhandling undersöks möjligheten att använda CP som elektrodmaterial för att driva olika kinonredoxreaktioner. För det första studerar vi den elektrokatalytiska aktiviteten och mekanismen för PEDOT mot den generiska hydrokinonreaktionen och dess tillämpning i en bränslecell. För det andra undersöks mekanismen för lignosulfonat (LS) -integration i CPmatris och optimeringsstrategier för att öka energilagringskapaciteten. För det tredje uppnådde vi mekanistisk förståelse för jontransportens och protonhanteringens effekter på termodynamiken och kinetiken för elektrokatalys på CP, vilket är värdefullt för design av kinonbaserade enheter för lagring av elektrisk energi, till exempel organiska redoxflödesbatterier (ORFB)
Parole che danno vita
No full textIl volume Parole che danno vita di Roberto Quero esplora il potere trasformativo del linguaggio e della narrazione nella dimensione etica e spirituale dell’essere umano. Inserito nel contesto del Terzo Corso di Teologia della Laurea Triennale presso l’Università Cattolica, il testo si sviluppa attorno all’idea che le parole possano essere strumenti di libertà o di oppressione, di illuminazione o di oscuramento. Attraverso un approccio narrativo, il libro intreccia il racconto biblico con la letteratura profana, dimostrando come il linguaggio sia una chiave di accesso alla comprensione del bene e della giustizia.
Le riflessioni di Quero si snodano tra riferimenti a Sant’Agostino, Francesco d’Assisi, e autori come George Eliot e Paul Ricoeur, evidenziando come la narrazione sia un elemento essenziale per la costruzione del senso della vita e della fede. Il volume affronta il rapporto tra parola e potere, mostrando episodi storici di censura e controllo del linguaggio, e invitando il lettore a riscoprire il valore delle storie nel processo di discernimento e crescita personale.
Attraverso un linguaggio accessibile e coinvolgente, Parole che danno vita si presenta come un testo che non solo introduce alla teologia narrativa, ma che invita il lettore a diventare protagonista di un percorso di scoperta e trasformazione.The book Parole che danno vita by Roberto Quero explores the transformative power of language and narrative within the ethical and spiritual dimensions of human existence. Rooted in the framework of the Third Course in Theology for the Bachelor’s Degree at Università Cattolica, this work engages with theological hermeneutics, literary analysis, and philosophical inquiry to examine how words can either liberate or constrain, enlighten or obscure. Through a narrative-driven methodology, Quero interweaves biblical stories, literary classics, and contemporary cultural reflections, demonstrating how storytelling serves as a key mechanism for interpreting reality, shaping moral consciousness, and fostering critical engagement with the self and society.
The book underscores the interplay between sacred and secular narratives, illustrating how biblical texts function not merely as doctrinal sources but as dynamic, performative discourses that challenge and inspire the reader. Drawing from figures such as Augustine, Francis of Assisi, George Eliot, and Paul Ricoeur, the author emphasizes the existential and pedagogical dimensions of narrative theology, where biblical parables and literary fiction alike provide ethical paradigms and cognitive frameworks for making sense of human experience.
Furthermore, the text delves into the historical and political dimensions of language, addressing issues of censorship, knowledge control, and the emancipatory potential of reading. Through an interdisciplinary approach—bridging theology, semiotics, literary studies, and ethics—this work offers a compelling reflection on the power of words to shape individual identity and collective memory.
Written in an accessible yet academically rigorous style, Parole che danno vita serves as an invaluable resource for scholars in humanities, theology, religious studies, and cultural criticism, as well as for readers interested in the intersections of faith, literature, and philosophy. The book ultimately presents an invitation: to engage with texts not as passive recipients but as active interpreters and co-creators of meaning, in a continuous dialogue between tradition and contemporary ethical challenges
Application of Barthes' "Death of the Author" to qur'an: possible or impossible?
No full textQur'an as the sacred book of Muslims has been subjected to different types of interpretations from the beginning of its revelations, approximately from 1400 years ago. All the Islamic theology scholars, even unmuslims, tried to make a contribution as the best of their abilities to its understanding. By the advent of new post-structuralist approaches of textual analysis techniques in West, the possibility of interpreting this holy book has obsessed the modern textual analysts all over the world. This article tried to investigate the possibility of Barthes’ “Death of the Author” as one of the most controversial theories of modern text analysis. Considering the fact that, the author of Qur'an has not been a human to compose the text based on the dominant social, cultural and economical context of that time, the application of Barthes’ “Death of the Author” to the Qur'anic interpretation seems to be logically impossible. Furthermore, as the Qur'anic verses are classified into two categories of “Mohkamaat” and “Motashabehaat” based on Quran itself, this theory of text analysis can be utmost be applied to the latter in order to offer a better comprehension of the “Mohkamaat” as there are various interpretations of these “ayahs” in Islamic literature
Political narrative fiction and the responsibility of the author
No full textArt in general and fiction in particular have had close affinities with politics throughout history. When there is a close tie between a narrative fiction and political issues then critics may deem it as "committed fiction". Political fiction is at the crossroads of political science and the art of fiction. And more often than not, novelists are involved with politics but not all of them are dubbed as or even consider themselves to be political novelists. In this article I attempt to investigate political fiction as a distinct genre produced (un)consciously by a range of (politically committed) novelists and critics. The authors discussed in this paper demonstrate dissimilar perspectives on freedom and democracy. Also, regarding political fiction and the responsibility of author, we will see how divergent is the attitudes of critics such as George Orwell, Allen Robbe-Grillet, Juan Goytisolo, Mario Vargas Llosa and Isabel Allende
Comparative study between steel and timber roof trusses for medium span building / Che Suriani Che Said
No full textRoof area is just a small part of the total surface. Roof must be strong and stable and these are provided by the structure of the roof itself and a major consideration in the design and choice of the structure which is the span. The roof must be sufficiently stiff to carry its own weight, together with loads resulting from the effects of wind and possible live load. The general form of the building as a whole and its function may have an important bearing on the choice of the type of roof structure. This research is conducted to identify what is the suitable material for roof trusses for medium span building, either steel or timber. Medium span are classified between 7.60m to 24.40m.The important factors that must be considered before choosing the types of materials are include many factors. The Comparative Study between Steel and Timber Roof Trusses for Medium Span building is highlighted on design, weight ratio, cost, assembly/installation, fabrication (IBS) fire requirement (UBBL) and jointing. The research is done through the distribution of 40 questionnaires to Roofing Contractors, Roofing Manufacturers, Architects, Quantity Surveyors, CIDB Officers and Quality Control Assistants. Besides that, the data and information were also gathered from interviews of persons with years of experience on roof trusses. Furthermore, the author also selected four case studies about steel and timber roof trusses to achieve the objectives of this research to identify which type of roof trusses suitable and effective for medium span buildings. Finally, the analysis data from the methodology research found that steel roof trusses is suitable for medium span building compared to with timber roof trusses because many advantages and benefits for construction industry today
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T-Shirt - Che Guevara
No full textT-shirt of white cotton, having short sleeves and a rounded neckline, which is printed with an artistic rendering of a portrait of Che Guevara, arranged as large main central portrait in black, surrounded by four smaller renditions in pale gray.
Acquired by the donor in Mexico City in 1971 from a vendor in the Mexico City Metro.
Ernesto "Che" Guevara (b. June 14, 1928 in Rosario, Argentina - d. La Higuera, Bolivia, October 9, 1967) commonly known as El Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat, military theorist, and major figure of the Cuban Revolution
Copyright, contratto e accesso alla conoscenza: un’analisi comparata = Copyright, contract and access to knowledge: a comparative analysis.
No full textIl processo di digitalizzazione e lo sviluppo dei media, stravolgendo il paradigma tradizionale del copyright/diritto d’autore conducono a reazioni opposte. Da un lato, estendendo in vario modo l’ampiezza dell’esclusiva autorale favoriscono l’adozione di regole restrittive di accesso e uso dei contenuti; dall’altro, alimentano le logiche di condivisione, specie in alcune aree di produzione del sapere.
Il contratto, pur mutata la propria natura nella dimensione digitale, rappresenta la prima leva per l’affermazione di tali divergenti dinamiche, che, in entrambe le direzioni, riguardano anche la circolazione della conoscenza scientifica. Nel senso dell’apertura, lo strumento negoziale consente di perseguire i principi affermati dal movimento dell’Open Access (OA), abbattendo le barriere economiche e giuridiche all’accesso e utilizzo dei contenuti.
Dal deposito e pubblicazione su archivi istituzionali e disciplinari di opere transitate già attraverso i canali editoriali convenzionali, comunemente definita green road, alla pubblicazione su riviste ad accesso aperto, gold road, il fenomeno si sviluppa dal basso verso l’alto grazie alle dichiarazioni di principio e alle norme informali che hanno sin ora guidato le comunità accademiche nell’affermazione dell’OA. Di recente, tuttavia, i principi dell’OA sono oggetto di attenzione da parte del decisore pubblico che, pur timidamente, ne “impone” l’attuazione a tutte le comunità accademiche. Eppure, il diritto formale non sembra da solo sufficiente: è soltanto il primo tassello di una disciplina organica tesa a definire regole e incentivi per la produzione e la disseminazione della conoscenza scientifica, allo scopo di bilanciare la libertà “accademica” con il diritto di accesso alla conoscenza. = ENGLISH VERSION = Along with a comparative perspective that takes account of the U.S. and Italian law, this work aims to explore the interface between copyright and contract lae in publishing process.
In the current publishing environment, contracts and technology play a dominant role in the exploitation of copyrighted works. Publishers are granted by assignment of all copyright rights to reproduce and publish the work, but also to exercise control over its contents through technological protection measures. At the same time, mass digitization allows libraries and other organizations to make contents available online, which it entails a redefinition of the traditional publishing process and introduces new players to the scene (e.g., Google Books).
Hence, technology proves to be a powerful instrument for the spread of knowledge and it is on this pattern that Open Access (OA) is rapidly gaining ground.
Mostly based on a bottom-up approach that is on soft law, institutional policies and contracts, OA designs a new legal environment targeting the objectives of free accessibility, further distribution, and proper archiving of publications. These aims can be achieved through the creation of new open access business models to publish on OA journals (gold road) or to self-archive in institutional or disciplinary repositories works that have been originally published in conventional journals (green road).
However, in order for OA to be fully developed it is necessary to devise a principled and feasible approach to the dissemination of scholarly works against the current social, economic and legal background.
Indeed, the importance of OA is steadily recognized by legislators who integrate OA provisions into their legal system. This is an innovation of great significance, which was first fostered in the USA, and then extended in some European countries such as Italy and Germany in the European framework. Nevertheless, considering the different law systems, the formal law need to be combined with national strategies and institutional policies providing adequate incentives to the authors, while also promoting academic freedom and the right to knowledge access
A tradução como experiência e reflexão no Epistolario e no Zibaldone di Pensieri de Giacomo Leopardi
No full textDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Estudos da Tradução, Florianópolis, 2012Esta dissertação analisa as reflexões sobre tradução de Giacomo Leopardi (1798-1837) presentes no Epistolario (1807-1837) e no Zibaldone di Pensieri (1817-1832), no período de 1817 a 1832 por meio de um estudo comparativo. O primeiro capítulo traz uma breve contextualização do cenário histórico-literário do século XIX, que evidencia os acontecimentos que geraram o intenso debate entre Classicistas e Românticos, e contempla o percurso do autor de Recanati nessa discussão. O segundo capítulo aborda o Epistolario e o Zibaldone, à luz dos gêneros literários, e evidencia a importância deles no conjunto da obra do autor de Recanati. O terceiro capítulo apresenta uma análise dos principais aspectos sobre tradução discutidos pelo autor italiano, dos quais destacam-se: a tradução como exercício para se tornar um importante escritor; a importância da retradução dos Clássicos; a questão da (in)intraduzibilidade; a fidelidade ao original e a questão da língua no que diz respeito ao estilo, ao caráter e à adaptabilidade na tradução.Abstract : This dissertation analyzes the reflections on translation by Giacomo Leopardi (1798-1837) found in Epistolario (1807-1837) and Zibaldone di Pensieri (1817-1832), within the period from 1817 to 1832 through a comparative study. The first chapter presents a brief contextualization of the 19th century historical and literary scenery, that highlight the events which generated the intense debate between Classicists and Romantics, and it thinks over the path of Recanati#s author in this discussion. The second chapter approaches Epistolario and Zibaldone, under the light of literary genres, and highlight their importance within the entire work of Recanati#s author. The third chapter presents an analysis of the main aspects on translation discussed by the Italian author, which include: the translation as an exercise to become a good writer, the importance of retranslation of the Classics, the issue of (in)translatability; fidelity and the question of the original language with regard to style, the character and adaptability in translation
Guevara, Ernesto ‘Che’ (1928–1967)
No full textThis essay explores the life and work of Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, guerrilla leader, military theorist, and diplomat, Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara (1928–1967).https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/education_books/1136/thumbnail.jp
The use of a blockchain-based smart import declaration to reduce the need for manual cross-validation by customs authorities
No full textFor determining the correctness of an import declaration lodged by a declarant within international shipping, customs authorities rely on manual cross-validation of the declaration with other trade documents. However, the sheer volume of import declarations lodged annually makes it impossible to manually cross-validate each declaration. Smart contracts have the potential to automatically aggregate relevant information from blockchain-based ledgers for lodging and cross-validation. In this paper we explore how such smart contract could be implemented. We demonstrate that a smart import declaration can be used to automatically aggregate information from different sources (e.g., pro forma invoice data elements stored on the blockchain ledger). However, technical and organizational considerations that are inherent to blockchain technology need to be addressed for the smart import declaration to be acceptable for both customs authorities and declarants. It is therefore suggested that future work focusses on data standards required to enable automatic aggregation of relevant trade information and the generation of the import declaration and governance of the smart import declaration by customs authorities to assure correctness.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Information and Communication Technolog
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