“The notion of condition in Law takes place in different settings, in different times. The particularities of each one of these conditions involve different consequences. These consequences have rather real influences, even if the conditions can be fictive themselves. While conditions constitute a central theme for jurisprudence, the multiplicity of the notion of condition represents also a central theme for the History of Logic. Nevertheless, it is well known that the jurisprudential perspective and the philosophical perspective do not blend naturally, without any problem. It is due to this fact that the present project takes as a mission the study of the tensions in the relations between Law and Logic, and this study will be accomplished according to three particularly significant contexts: the ancient Roman period, G. W. Leibniz, and the contemporary Law. The main objective of the project is the coordination of the juridical and logical aspects of the notion of condition, in order to promote in a decisive manner the constitution of a universal juridical logic. The three periods already mentionned are historically relevant, each one for their own reasons, and they will represent our three main research points. They constitute a connection between logical and juridical approach of the notion of condition, and they manifest through the History the conscience of a special problematic, which raises many discussions in the contemporary research. It is evident by the description that we have rendered that the problematic of our project concerns the writings of Leibniz and, according to our approach, we also suggest that the framework of the dialogical logic, which nowadays reaches significant improvements, represents a promising background for the philosophical interpretation of it. Thus, we expect to open new perspectives in the study of the challenge of the interface between juridical representation and logical modeling in each one of the three researching points mentioned above, but also in a transversal manner across them.”

Buildings known as chahartaqi constitute one of the most prominent elements of the traditional Iranian architecture. The name meaning “four arches” in Persian language, is a modern term referring to a specific architectural entity of Late Antiquity mostly developed during the Sasanian Empire (3rd-7th century CE). Such buildings consist of four pillars with four arches supporting a central dome. Hundreds of well-preserved examples or ruins of chahartaqi are currently observed all over the cultural landscape of the wider Iranian world (Iranshahr). Chahartaqi may be individual buildings but can also be observed as integrated components of more complex buildings such as the World Heritage site of Sarvestan Monument. Chahartaqi sites have long been discussed in the context of the religious landscape of antiquity and the fire temples for Zoroastrian worship practices. Although the idea of chahartaqi being a standard architectural blueprint for a Zoroastrian fire temple has persisted in academia, it has also received criticism by several scholars. The ambiguity about the functioning of the chahartaqi is particularly related to our incomplete knowledge on the absolute ages, detailed architectural characteristics and the environmental context in which they are located. These three aspects will be the study objects of CHARTAQ. We hypothesize that: (i) most of the isolated chahartaqi or chahartaqi complexes currently found in the Iranian plateau are dated to the Sasanian period with a concentration in the Greater Fars; (ii) current chahartaqi structures were parts of multi-functional complexes located within a certain distance to each other on nodal points alongside communication routes in antiquity; (iii) chahartaqi locations were pre-planned according to a series of criteria related to natural elements (proximity to water resources, elevated places, and possibly vegetation) and cultural landscape (settlements and urban complexes). To test these hypotheses, we will study a selection of chahartaqi based on different criteria including the availability of archival resources, suitable dating materials, and archaeological data. These sites will be investigated through three work packages (WP1: Historical Review; WP2: Archaeometry; WP3: Landscape Archaeology) in an interdisciplinary approach closely integrating the history of architecture, archaeometrical methods and approaches to landscape archaeology. The project will provide invaluable new scientific data and knowledge on the Late Antique archaeological sites of Persia as a significant cultural heritage of the humanity. For several places the evaluation will also prove their potential to be nominated as World Heritage sites. The results will be presented in scientific journals, but also in free interactive and open access facilities in accordance to the educational mission and intellectual responsibility of humanities and social sciences.

Diatoms belong to the world’s most diverse group of algae, being responsible for a large part of the primary production in aquatic environments. In addition, they represent peculiar evolutionary chimeric cells, as they have evolved by the uptake of a eukaryotic alga into another eukaryotic cell, thus having a very different genetic background than green algae and plants. As most organisms, diatoms experience daily light/dark changes and show rhythms of basic biological processes to adjust their life cycle to it. Although recent studies revealed that these rhythms persist in continuous light conditions, indicating the existence of an endogenous circadian oscillator in diatoms, the mechanisms regulating cellular rhythmicity in these algae are still obscure. Interestingly, no genes for homologs of the circadian clock components known from bacteria, plants or animals have been found in the diatom genomes, indicating a diversification of the circadian clock machinery in these algae. Therefore, the aim of this project is to elucidate the light-dependent rhythmic mechanisms in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum and to assess their physiological relevance by integrating complementary interests and expertise of two independent research groups in Germany and France. This project is based on important recent discoveries by the two teams: i) diatoms integrate light signals from the environment as well as from an endogenous circadian clock to regulate diel cellular activities; ii) the bHLH-PAS transcription factor RITMO1 has been recently identified as the first regulator of the diatom circadian rhythms; iii) diverse diatom photoreceptors involved in transcription regulation, such as the Aureochromes and the animal-like Cryptochrome (PtCPF1) appear as key players for light input to the clock; iv) the two labs have independently generated RITMO1 and photoreceptor KO mutants and established a system for studying diatom circadian rhythms. The combined resources offer an unprecedented opportunity to characterize the diatom circadian clock system and its entrainment by light. Therefore, by characterizing circadian rhythms in wild type (WT) and a mutant collection, the project will allow an extended characterization of the diatom circadian clock features, and will identify the photoreceptors of the input pathways. It will further investigate the RITMO1 partners by transcriptomic analyses in WT and RITMO1 mutants and by studying RITMO-binding sites in genome-wide protein/DNA interaction assays. Testing interactions of candidate photoreceptor/transcription factors to potential binding sites by Yeast one hybrid and protein/protein interactions by Yeast two-hybrid and immunoprecipitation will contribute to identify the first regulatory loop(s) generating cellular rhythmicity in marine diatoms. The proposed molecular analysis will provide new insights into the evolution of biological rhythms and their significance for life in the marine environment.

Polyethylene is the largest produced plastic material, used in many key technology areas. Its production efficiency is superior to most other plastics in terms of environmental impact. The linear hydrocarbon chains of polyethylene (HDPE) enable crystalline packing and provide excellent mechanical properties. However, their chemically inert nature results in persistence for many decades when released to the environment. We have found that polyethylene materials with in-chain keto groups can be generated by non-alternating copolymerization of ethylene with carbon monoxide. These endow the material with a desirable photodegradability, while not compromising the processing and materials properties (Science 2021, 374, 604). Gas phase polymerization can be considered the most advanced process for the generation of semicrystalline polymers as it is solvent-free and enables a direct control of the resulting polymers' morphology. For the copolymerization of ethylene with polar monomers in general, gas phase polymerization has been neglected essentially, however. This project will study the gas phase copolymerization of ethylene with carbon monoxide, which is a highly relevant reaction and also a particularly suited probe for copolymerizations of polar monomers. Supporting methods for novel CO-compatible (cocatalyst-free) molecular polymerization catalysts by means of non-covalent binding to porous support materials will be explored (UKon). These catalysts will be explored in gas phase copolymerizations to keto-polyethylenes, addressing amongst others support fragmentation and morphology evolution, and effect of support and gas phase conditions on the catalysts' fundamental copolymerization behaviour (CP2M). Improved (photo)degradability and recyclability properties are expected for these keto-polyethylenes while retaining mechanical and processibility properties. This synergistic collaboration is enabled by the unique expertise of CP2M in gas phase polymerization process, and of the Konstanz group in functional group tolerant polymerization catalysts.