Stefano Maggi | PubMed Health

PubMed2006

A second-order impact model for forest fire regimes.

We present a very simple "impact" model for the description of forest fires and show that it can mimic the known characteristics of wild fire regimes in savannas, boreal forests, and Mediterranean forests. Moreover, the distribution of burned biomasses in model generated fires resemble those of burned areas in numerous large forests around the world. The model has also the merits of being the first second-order model for forest fires and the first example of the use of impact models in the study of ecosystems.

Ecology↗

PubMed2004

Binol quinone methides as bisalkylating and DNA cross-linking agents.

The photogeneration and detection of new binol quinone methides undergoing mono- and bisalkylation of free nucleophiles was investigated by product distribution analysis and laser flash photolysis in water solution using binol quaternary ammonium derivatives 2 and 12 as photoactivated precursors. The alkylation processes of N and S nucleophiles are strongly competitive with the hydration reaction. DNA cross-linking potency of the water-soluble binol quaternary ammonium salt 2 was investigated as a pH function and compared to that of other quaternary ammonium salts capable of benzo-QM (QM = quinone methide) photogeneration by gel electrophoresis. DFT calculations in the gas phase and in water bulk on the binol and benzo quaternary ammonium salts 2 and 4 evidence structural and electrostatic features of the binol derivative which might offer a rationalization of its promising high photo-cross-linking efficiency.

Alkylating Agents↗