Nanometer-scale oxidation of Si(100) surfaces by tapping mode atomic force microscopy

The nanometer¿scale oxidation of Si(100) surfaces in air is performed with an atomic force microscope working in tapping mode. Applying a positive voltage to the sample with respect to the tip, two kinds of modifications are induced on the sample: grown silicon oxide mounds less than 5 nm high and mounds higher than 10 nm (which are assumed to be gold depositions). The threshold voltage necessary to produce the modification is studied as a function of the average tip¿to¿sample distance.

Nanomechanical properties of molecular organic thin films

Using atomic force microscopy we have studied the nanomechanical response to nanoindentations of surfaces of highly oriented molecular organic thin films (thickness¿1000¿nm). The Young¿s modulus E can be estimated from the elastic deformation using Hertzian mechanics. For the quasi-one-dimensional metal tetrathiafulvalene tetracyanoquinodimethane E~20¿GPa and for the ¿ phase of the p-nitrophenyl nitronyl nitroxide radical E~2GPa. Above a few GPa, the surfaces deform plastically as evidenced by discrete discontinuities in the indentation curves associated to molecular layers being expelled by the penetrating tip.

First-principles study of the neutral molecular metal Ni(tmdt)2.

The electronic structure of the molecular solid Ni(tmdt)2, the only well characterized neutral molecular metal to date, has been studied by means of first-principles density functional calculations. It is shown that these calculations correctly describe the metallic vs semiconducting behavior of molecular conductors of this type. The origin of the band overlap leading to the metallic character and the associated Fermi surfaces has been studied.

Fingerlike aggregates in thin-layer electrodeposition

Electrodeposition experiments conducted in a thin-layer horizontal cell containing a nonbinary aqueous electrolyte prepared with cupric sulfate and sodium sulfate gave rise to fingerlike deposits, a novel and unexpected growth mode in this context. Both the leading instability from which fingers emerge and some distinctive features of their steady evolution are interpreted in terms of a simple model based on the existing theory of fingering in fluids.

Molecular prototypes for spin-based CNOT and SWAP quantum gates

We show that a chemically engineered structural asymmetry in [Tb2] molecular clusters renders the two weakly coupled Tb3+ spin qubits magnetically inequivalent. The magnetic energy level spectrum of these molecules meets then all conditions needed to realize a universal CNOT quantum gate. A proposal to realize a SWAP gate within the same molecule is also discussed. Electronic paramagnetic resonance experiments confirm that CNOT and SWAP transitions are not forbidden.

Conocimiento, vida y virtud moral

Macintyre ha dividido su última obra Dependent Rational Animals en dos partes. Enla primera analiza las habilidades que los animales racionales tienen en común con losirracionales, mientras que en la segunda parte expone el concepto de 'autonomía moral'. El artículo expone las ideas del último libro de MacIntyre relacionándolas con sus trabajos anteriores. El artículo fue presentado en las jornadas sobre 'El pensamiento filosófico-moral de Alasdair Machtyre' que se realizaron el pasado año en Madrid organizadas por Facultad de CC. Jundicas y de la Administración, de la Universidad San Pablo-CEU.

"Poner riquezas en mi entendimiento": Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz y Sor Teresa de Cartagena

This article aims to show the resemblances that we can find between Admiraçión operum Dey written by Teresa de Cartagena in the mid-XVth century and Respuesta de sor Filotea de la Cruz written by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz two hundred years later. Both works are two epistles where the female's intellectual capacity to know and to write is defended by a nun who was received critized for a former work. The religious Teresa de Cartagena ¿converse bishop Pablo Cartagena's granddaughter¿ wrote a moral essay that surprised male readers who considered that the text was a plagiarism. On the other hand, the hieronymite sister sor Juana Inés was reproached by a clergyman for having written the polemic treatise on theology Carta Atenagórica.

"Poner riquezas en mi entendimiento": Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz y Sor Teresa de Cartagena

This article aims to show the resemblances that we can find between Admiraçión operum Dey written by Teresa de Cartagena in the mid-XVth century and Respuesta de sor Filotea de la Cruz written by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz two hundred years later. Both works are two epistles where the female's intellectual capacity to know and to write is defended by a nun who was received critized for a former work. The religious Teresa de Cartagena ¿converse bishop Pablo Cartagena's granddaughter¿ wrote a moral essay that surprised male readers who considered that the text was a plagiarism. On the other hand, the hieronymite sister sor Juana Inés was reproached by a clergyman for having written the polemic treatise on theology Carta Atenagórica.

Magic SMTP

Desarrollo de un API por el protocolo SMTP. A través de este API los clientes podrán conectar sus programas cliente de correo electrónico. Conectando los clientes podrán enviar emails y ver estadísticas de los propios envíos a través de la interfaz web Eolica. Se trata de dar un valor añadido a clientes que hacen sus campañas o envíos de email a través de sus clientes de correo electrónico.

Effect of drift on segregation in two-component diffusion-limited aggregation

An effect of drift is investigated on the segregation pattern in diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) with two components (A and B species). The sticking probability PAB (=PBA) between the different species is introduced into the DLA model with drift, where the sticking probability PAA (=PBB) between the same species equals 1. By using computer simulation it is found that the drift has an important effect on not only the morphology but also the segregation pattern. Under the drift and the small sticking probability, a characteristic pattern appears where elongated clusters of A species and of B species are periodically dispersed. The period decreases with increasing drift. The periodic structure of the deposits is characterized by an autocorrelation function. The shape of the cluster consisting of only A species (or B species) shows a vertically elongated filamentlike structure. Each cluster becomes vertically longer with decreasing sticking probability PAB. The segregation pattern is distinctly different from that with no drift and a small sticking probability PAA. The effect of the concentration on the segregation pattern is also shown.

Síria i la responsabilitat de protegir: la crisi d'un principi?

A partir de l’any 2011 i fins l’actualitat, l’onada de protestes i revoltes ciutadanes batejada com “la Primavera Àrab” ha sacsejat el panorama polític de la regió del Mediterrani i de les relacions internacionals. El present treball analitza com el cas de la guerra civil síria (iniciada el març de 2011 i que constitueix un cas enormement complex a causa de la fragmentació de l’oposició, l’elevat nombre d’actors interns i externs que hi intervenen i la seva varietat d’interessos, entre d’altres factors) ha posat en evidència l’efectivitat de la Responsabilitat de Protegir per frenar violacions sistemàtiques dels Drets Humans, tal i com ha evidenciat la incapacitat de la Comunitat Internacional d’actuar de manera cohesionada i efectiva en aquests més de dos anys. A més a més, la impossibilitat de portar a terme una intervenció militar multilateral emparada en el marc de la Responsabilitat de Protegir a causa de factors com el bloqueig del Consell de Seguretat i la incertesa que envolta les possibilitats d’èxit i els mecanismes que s’haurien de seguir durant l’actuació i reconstrucció de l’Estat fa evident la necessitat d’una redefinició del principi perquè aquest doni resposta a aquestes qüestions i pugui constituir un instrument realment efectiu.

Learning form Nature to improve the heat generation of iron-oxide nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia applications.

The performance of magnetic nanoparticles is intimately entwined with their structure, mean size and magnetic anisotropy. Besides, ensembles offer a unique way of engineering the magnetic response by modifying the strength of the dipolar interactions between particles. Here we report on an experimental and theoretical analysis of magnetic hyperthermia, a rapidly developing technique in medical research and oncology. Experimentally, we demonstrate that single-domain cubic iron oxide particles resembling bacterial magnetosomes have superior magnetic heating efficiency compared to spherical particles of similar sizes. Monte Carlo simulations at the atomic level corroborate the larger anisotropy of the cubic particles in comparison with the spherical ones, thus evidencing the beneficial role of surface anisotropy in the improved heating power. Moreover we establish a quantitative link between the particle assembling, the interactions and the heating properties. This knowledge opens new perspectives for improved hyperthermia, an alternative to conventional cancer therapies.

Exemplar-based interpolation of sparsely sampled images

A nonlocal variational formulation for interpolating a sparsel sampled image is introduced in this paper. The proposed variational formulation, originally motivated by image inpainting problems, encouragesthe transfer of information between similar image patches, following the paradigm of exemplar-based methods. Contrary to the classical inpaintingproblem, no complete patches are available from the sparse imagesamples, and the patch similarity criterion has to be redefined as here proposed. Initial experimental results with the proposed framework, at very low sampling densities, are very encouraging. We also explore somedepartures from the variational setting, showing a remarkable ability to recover textures at low sampling densities.

On the Selection of Non-Invasive Methods Based on Speech Analysis Oriented to Automatic Alzheimer Disease Diagnosis

The work presented here is part of a larger study to identify novel technologies and biomarkers for early Alzheimer disease (AD) detection and it focuses on evaluating the suitability of a new approach for early AD diagnosis by non-invasive methods. The purpose is to examine in a pilot study the potential of applying intelligent algorithms to speech features obtained from suspected patients in order to contribute to the improvement of diagnosis of AD and its degree of severity. In this sense, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) have been used for the automatic classification of the two classes (AD and control subjects). Two human issues have been analyzed for feature selection: Spontaneous Speech and Emotional Response. Not only linear features but also non-linear ones, such as Fractal Dimension, have been explored. The approach is non invasive, low cost and without any side effects. Obtained experimental results were very satisfactory and promising for early diagnosis and classification of AD patients.

On Automatic Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease based on Spontaneous Speech Analysis and Emotional Temperature

Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent form of progressive degenerative dementia; it has a high socio-economic impact in Western countries. Therefore it is one of the most active research areas today. Alzheimer's is sometimes diagnosed by excluding other dementias, and definitive confirmation is only obtained through a post-mortem study of the brain tissue of the patient. The work presented here is part of a larger study that aims to identify novel technologies and biomarkers for early Alzheimer's disease detection, and it focuses on evaluating the suitability of a new approach for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease by non-invasive methods. The purpose is to examine, in a pilot study, the potential of applying Machine Learning algorithms to speech features obtained from suspected Alzheimer sufferers in order help diagnose this disease and determine its degree of severity. Two human capabilities relevant in communication have been analyzed for feature selection: Spontaneous Speech and Emotional Response. The experimental results obtained were very satisfactory and promising for the early diagnosis and classification of Alzheimer’s disease patients.