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Oats (Avena sativa L.) have reached the healthy food market worldwide due to its special nutrients composition and fiber high quality. Therefore, quality & safety control is a must, both during the storage and commercialization stages. The current study evaluated the physicochemical characteristics (flakes size/variation %, pH, moisture content-mc, water activity-aw), living organisms (insects & mites / mycoflora - fungi load& genera identification), mycotoxins(ochratoxin A – OTA / zearalenone – ZON / aflatoxins – AFLs / esterigmatocistin – EST)andthe storage conditions of flocked oats stored inbags.Regarding the oats physicochemical characteristics, flakes particle size varied, however most of the samples present size uniformityand only one sample had high percentage of residue. That indicates high insects and other living organisms activity (consumption / proliferation) of oats starch and other nutrients. The analysis through stereomicroscope showed intense presence of insects and mites. Samples were seen also sheltering those living organisms (27%), which are not allowed by regulation (no soils, parasites and larvae presence). As expected, mc (10.8-13.2%) and/or aw (0.61-0.90) varied, however they kept on the safer levels (< 13% / 0.90) insects/mites and fungi growth wise. With respect to pH, it varied from4.1to 5.85, indicating some rancidity/fermentation reactions taking place, thus changes in organoleptic parameters. The total fungi load ranged from 3x102 to 1.29x105 CFU/g, with Aspergillus and Rhizopusthe genera more identified. Only one sample was toxin contaminated (OTA - 80 µg/kg). Insects are known vectors of fungal spores and can spread their hyphae on their dead/live skeleton, apart from mites that can trigger allergies in humans and animals. Therefore, current data demonstrate that despite the storage conditions control application, living organisms can occur in flocked oats (stored in bags) and it is necessary to apply decontamination methods to control/prevent their proliferation.

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The paper explores the painted ornament of the Holy Trinity chapel at the monastery of Saint John Chrysostom Koutsovendēs in Cyprus, founded by Eumathios Philokalēs (ca. 1100). When compared to that of other early Komnenian monuments on the island, the painted ornament at Holy Trinity stands out for its intricacy, diversity, and high-quality of execution, while its sophistication is demonstrated to be in keeping with the ambitious and erudite character of the painted ensemble as a whole. Not least, rather than being on the fringe, the painted ornament appears to have been fully integrated into the iconographic programme of the chapel, reiterating through metaphor the patron’s hope for salvation.

Archetypes express themselves in various forms and sources, but many of them can be traced in folk tales. This article describes the most significant symbols and images that reveal the deepest meaning and significance of the Mother archetype in Russian folk culture.

We report an exhaustive theoretical and computational investigation of the electronic, optical, redox and acid-base properties, along with the adsorption mode on TiO2, of Black Dye (BD), the prototypical panchromatic dye for solar cell applications. We investigated in detail the variation of the relevant dye properties as a function of the solution pH, corresponding to the stepwise deprotonation of the carboxylic groups. Our results reproduced the expected blue-shift of the optical absorption spectrum and the experimental trend of oxidation potentials by increasing pH, which turned both out to be in excellent agreement with experimental values. Also, our calculated excited state oxidation potential is in good agreement with available experimental data. We then looked at the pKa of the various deprotonation steps, finding lowest pKa values for the stepwise dissociation of three protons of 2.71, 3.69 and 5.20, in excellent agreement with experimental pKa values of 3 and 5, for two and one protons dissociation, respectively. We finally investigated the adsorption of BD on TiO2, finding the most stable adsorption to occur via two dissociated monodentate carboxylic groups. Inspection of the electronic structure and alignment of energy levels for N719 and BD revealed a reduced driving force for electron injection in the latter dye, which could possibly lead to energetically unfavorable electron transfer from the excited dye to the TiO2 conduction band. Our results may constitute a reference study for future investigations and optimization of BD-based dye-sensitized solar cells.

The aim of this paper is to analyse the cursus honorum and the biographies of two Constance II’s ministers, Lucius Caelius Montius and Flavius Magnus, and to integrate well-known knowledge with new archaeological and epigraphical data. The second step of this research is to compare their careers with the ones of other administrative officers of Constantius II. With the help of a comparative analysis it has been possible to mark a well-defined Constantius’ recruitment trend. Indeed, the former literature pointed out a quite different perspective, identifying as the recruitment standard to the highest administrative ranks a trust-based one which was carried out by the systematic promotion of low-ranked bureaucratic officers, mostly notarii and agentes in rebus, the so-called members of Constantius’ secret service. Il contributo si propone di riesaminare i cursus honorum e le biografie di due funzionari costanziani, Lucius Caelius Montius e Flavius Magnus, integrando dati già noti con quanto apportato da nuove scoperte epigrafiche e archeologiche. L'obiettivo è di precisare le rispettive esperienze politiche e di porle a confronto con quelle di altri funzionari amministrativi di Costanzo II. Grazie all'analisi comparativa è possibile delineare l'esistenza di una ben definita logica di reclutamento attuata dall'imperatore costantinide, differente da quella evidenziata dalla letteratura precedente che individuò come discriminante di assunzione ai più alti gradi dell’amministrazione un criterio fiduciario che si sarebbe concretizzato nella promozione massiccia di elementi appartenenti al ceto burocratico, per lo più notarii e agentes in rebus, i cosiddetti members of Constantius’ secret service.